SPRINGFIELD - Although funding for programs, including University of Illinois Extension, ultimately will be released, Gov. Rod Blagojevich is still considering other options for filling this year's $750 million budget hole.

That means funds for other programs could still be withheld. For example, June payments to local school districts could be put off, and payments to health care providers could be delayed even longer, said Blagojevich spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff.

"There is still a significant shortfall this year," Ottenhoff said.

Despite the governor's assurance that money for the agricultural programs will become available shortly, there is no timeline for releasing the money.

Beneficiaries of the funds want to see the money deposited in their checking accounts before getting too excited about Thursday's developments.

"A check in hand is always more valuable than a promise," said Terry Davis, president of the Association of Illinois Soil and Water Conservation Districts.

News that funding for a number of downstate agriculture programs was being restored began emerging Wednesday. For the past few weeks, programs such as the Extension, 4-H and soil and water conservation districts have been in limbo because the governor had announced that they wouldn't be receiving state grants because of the state's budget woes.

The governor's staff confirmed that the money, totaling about $28 million, would be released after state senators rejected a proposal to allow voters to recall the governor and other elected officials on Thursday afternoon.

Although some lawmakers speculated that releasing the money was an exchange for rejecting the recall measure, Ottenhoff said the decision was not related to any backroom deal.

"There's a growing cynicism among voters here in Illinois about the folks that sit on the Democrat side of the aisle, whether they are working for the people back home or are they working for the Senate president," said state Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon. "And whether they intend to or not, more and more, (Senate Democrats) are sending the message that they are working for Emil Jones and Rod Blagojevich."

"I would hate to think there would be any kind of a deal made," said Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson, R-Greenville.

Kartikay Mehrotra may be reached at kartikay.mehrotra@lee.net or at 789-0865.