SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) -- Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn is putting aside his call for an income tax increase until November.

In an interview Friday with The Associated Press, Quinn said he now wants to pass a state budget with significant spending cuts. Then in November, he would ask lawmakers to choose between balancing the budget by cutting even further or by raising taxes.

Quinn said delaying the decision for five months would provide time to study Medicaid spending, pension reforms and other cost-cutting measures.

Then officials would be in a better position to decide the best way to finish erasing a roughly $11.6 billion budget deficit.

The Democratic governor says he'll ask lawmakers to consider the idea when they return to Springfield next week.