The latest budget battle out of Springfield could put hundreds of jobs at risk in the Quad City area.  The Governor is trying to close the gap in a $2 billion deficit.

He made cuts to state services that could eliminate 180 jobs from the Department of Human Services, the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Natural Resources and the Historic Preservation Agency.

Monday, state workers, represented by AFSCME, gathered outside the Rock Island County DCFS office to bring attention to what the cuts would mean.  Among them, Sally Adams of the Henry County Children's Advocacy Center who says, "It really is very scary to think we can't put enough resources in to protect the children who have no other way to protect themselves."

Adams works with state agencies to help families and children in need. She says the cuts go beyond job losses. They will impact the people they serve. "If you only have time to go in and investigate that one tiny piece of information and you can't thoroughly look around you're going to miss safety concerns for children."

According to AFSCME, Rock Island County would lose 4 of its 14 investigators as well as its court liaison, two intact family workers and possibly additional child placement staff.

Galesburg would lose 2 of 6 investigators. Henry County would lose 2 of 5 investigators. And, Stark county, 1 of 3 investigators.

Patrick Brimble is one of the Rock Island County workers facing the lay off, "It's not about simply the pay check they go into it knowing they're helping the community their fellow human beings, if you will." Everyone involved says it will be even harder to do an already tough job, if the cuts go through.

The Senate and the House last week passed a bill that would restore the money for DHS and DCFS, but the governor vetoed it.

The House overturned the veto, and is waiting on the Senate to do the same.