SPRINGFIELD - The federal government has said checks meant to spur spending and boost the struggling economy could be in the mail by May.

But despite Gov. Rod Blagojevich's plan to give Illinois families $300 more per child for the same purpose, parents shouldn't begin planning on that money quite yet.

Lawmakers already are expressing skepticism. Some say the same struggling economy Blagojevich is trying to help also could cripple the state budget, making the $300 tough to come by.

"I think it's a questionable deal," said state Rep. Brandon Phelps, D-Harrisburg.

The checks could cost the state $900 million, according to the plan. The idea to pay for it: Sacrifice future state income and take the money upfront.

Blagojevich budget spokeswoman Kelley Quinn said one idea is to forgo 30 percent or 40 percent of the millions of dollars the state gets every year from a late-1990s legal settlement with tobacco companies and enter into a deal to take the money now.

The method is called securitization. Because of smoking bans and other pressures on the cigarette market, Quinn said the amount the state gets from the settlement each year could go down.

Taking some of the money upfront would cut some of the risk, Quinn said.

"That said, we want to work with the General Assembly to find a revenue stream we can all agree on," Quinn said.

Just last year, state officials in Ohio traded in about 40 years' worth of income from their tobacco settlement for about $5 billion upfront. The money is being used to help build schools there.

"It's a tradeoff," said Ohio Treasurer of State Richard Cordray, a Democrat. "You're trading current money for future money."

Cordray said Ohio's process to finish that trade was long. He proposed the idea in January 2007. The budget was approved in June, and a small army of experts needed until October to seal the deal.

So if Blagojevich wants to get money to stimulate the economy from securitization, it might not happen immediately.

"You're going to be waiting eight or nine months," Cordray said.

For now, lawmakers are just starting to fully digest Blagojevich's spending plan, which was released this week.

State Sen. Dan Rutherford, R-Chenoa, said the economic stimulus plan has to be examined as part of the full budget proposal. It also includes proposals for more health care coverage, a statewide construction program and more money for education.

"It has to all fit together like a puzzle on a cardboard table," Rutherford said.

Anti-smoking advocates already are lining up against cutting money from the state's annual take from tobacco companies.

Illinois Lung Association spokeswoman Kathy Drea said the money is supposed to be used for stop-smoking programs, but already is being sent elsewhere.

"That money is coming to the state because people died from tobacco use," Drea said.

Mike Riopell can be reached at mike.riopell@lee.net or 789-0865.