SPRINGFIELD – The state of Illinois is running into credit trouble, just like anyone else who pays bills late and owes lots of money.

Two major credit-rating agencies have lowered their ratings for Illinois this year. That means the state pays higher interest rates when it borrows money for road construction, school improvements and other public works.

Illinois has one of the lowest credit ratings of any state in the country, an embarrassing situation for a state with a huge economy and strengths in transportation, manufacturing and agriculture. Experts say those assets aren’t enough to overcome investors’ concerns about state leaders failing again and again to control government pension costs.