Gov. JB Pritzker on Tuesday said he will make more than $700 million in state budget cuts this fiscal year — including a hiring freeze, grant reductions and “operational savings” — as a first step to address a $3.9 billion projected revenue shortfall related in part to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pritzker said the plan is the result of a “months-long and ongoing review” of state agency spending that he can alter with his executive powers. He said the General Assembly will need to get involved, beginning with the session scheduled to begin in January, to further address both COVID-19-related revenue losses and shortfalls that are “structural” and were made worse under his predecessor, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.