SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Illinois legislators intend to spotlight the struggles of firefighters, elderly veterans, small-town ambulance services and more in the latest round of their long budget fight with Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Hoping to build support to overturn the governor’s budget cuts, the House began a series of hearings Wednesday to highlight their impact on local communities.

They want to show worthy public services falling victim to the governor’s budget, creating pressure to reverse the cuts.

“We’re talking about millions of people who will be affected by hundreds of cuts,” said Rep. Lisa Dugan, D-Bradley. “If the governor doesn’t feel it’s important, I really don’t care.”

In advance of the hearings, the governor sent out surrogates to present the message that his decisions were justified in a tight budget year and that lawmakers shortchanged the public by approving a budget that lacked a health care expansion. “The governor used his authority to cut spending we don’t need or can’t afford so that we can make sure we’re meeting our obligation to help people get health care,” Barry Maram, director of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, said in a statement.

Maram appeared Tuesday in Bourbonnais, where Dugan planned to hold one of the budget hearings. Two other officials appeared in other cities where hearings were scheduled.

The governor’s office has not been invited to take part in the hearings and explain the decisions, said Justin DeJong, spokesman for Blagojevich’s budget office. He predicted the hearings would not explore the way many lawmakers slipped projects into the budget without review or whether they are a good use of limited money.

Blagojevich used his veto powers to chop $463 million out of the roughly $60 billion budget that lawmakers sent him. He described the cuts as “pork and special interest spending,” but legislators have found plenty of ammunition to argue with that label.

They note that he got rid of projects requested by House Democrats and Senate Republicans, his chief legislative opponents, while approving nearly identical projects requested by House Republicans and Senate Democrats. In some cases, Blagojevich literally cut one half of a bridge project while approving the other half.

Dugan said she plans to highlight Blagojevich striking a $20,000 grant to buy new coats and other “turnout gear” for firefighters in the little town of Beaverville.

Rep. Careen Gordon, D-Morris, complained about the governor eliminating $120,000 that was to be used to improve the safety of a road leading to a new school. “This road is just impossible to travel down for school buses and fire trucks and ambulances,” she said.

Other cuts mentioned by lawmakers include grants for the tiny Lovington Ambulance Service, money to operate new beds at the LaSalle Veterans Home and a variety of funds for medical and home-care programs.

The House seems almost certain to override the governor’s vetoes when it reconvenes next month. The real question is the Senate, where President Emil Jones, D-Chicago, says he won’t allow an override vote.

House members say the hearings could change Jones’ mind.

“The message is also for Senate Democrats. The hope here is that they understand the importance of these programs,” said Rep. Bob Flider, D-Mount Zion. “Let’s work together and solve people’s problems. Let’s not be vindictive.”