SPRINGFIELD | Some Illinois libraries are set to get the grants lawmakers asked for under the state's new budget.

Others aren't.

Some fire stations could get new equipment or much-needed station upgrades.

Others were snubbed.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich's selective vetoes this week of parts of the state's budget have confounded lawmakers who asked for money for local projects.

One expert sees Blagojevich's enemies being punished, while friends and people he needed favors from being rewarded.

"Unless you include politics in the analysis, there doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason to the cuts that were made," said Charles N. Wheeler III, director of the University of Illinois-Springfield's public affairs reporting program.

The cuts were part of a $463 million reduction of the $59 billion budget Blagojevich made in hopes of finding money to pay for his plans to expand health care coverage.

But Blagojevich cut the budgets of Comptroller Dan Hynes and Attorney General Lisa Madigan. He also slashed spending at the Illinois Arts Council, which is chaired by the wife of House Speaker Michael Madigan.

All the officials are Democrats, but Hynes has bickered with the governor over his handling of the state budget and Speaker Madigan is Blagojevich's chief opponent in the Legislature.

The Democratic governor spared his own office from the cuts, as well as the offices of Secretary of State Jesse White and Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias. His closest legislative ally, Senate President Emil Jones, saw funding go to Chicago State University.

When asked about accusations of Blagojevich's political motivation, governor spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch downplayed the idea.

"Again, we had to make some difficult decisions about what the state can really afford, and what our most critical spending priorities should be," she said. "We think we ended up with a budget that better reflects the needs and values of the people of our state."

Mike Riopell can be reached at mike.riopell@lee.net or (217) 789-0865.