SPRINGFIELD – Illinois should see its massive backlog of unpaid bills shrink modestly over the next nine months, according to an analysis released Monday, but that progress could be reversed if officials don’t address some trouble spots.

The Civic Federation’s assessment of the state budget concludes the backlog should shrink by 14 percent, to $7.6 billion.

That still would mean long delays in paying businesses, nonprofits working on the state’s behalf, insurance claims filed by public employees and more, but it’s a step in the right direction.