* The Tribune editorial misses a big point in its discussion of the budget and the governor’s vetoes…
Political retribution aside, Blagojevich had some tough choices. It would have been easier to pass a sensible budget if anybody talked to anybody else in Springfield. But they don’t. So the legislature gave Blagojevich a budget he didn’t want, and he gave them back a budget they don’t want.
Not mentioned is that the House did pass a flat-growth budget and it’s still sitting in the Senate.
* The editorial concludes…
[Senate President Emil Jones] wants a pay raise. But he doesn’t want to call his members to work because he doesn’t want to be held accountable for a 7.5 percent pay increase that will take effect next summer—unless senators vote to reject it. They can’t vote if they’re not in town, and if Jones has his way they’ll stay home until the November election is safely past, just in case voters aren’t as dumb as he hopes they are.
Yes, you’ve got that right: They can come to work and do their job, or they can stay home and get a raise they don’t deserve.
The unfinished budget is proof they haven’t even earned their current salary. Sadly, there’s no provision in state law that would require them to give it back. But to quietly award themselves a raise is pure disdain for voters. Jones should call in his members. There’s little hope this year’s budget can be repaired in any meaningful way. But the pay hike requires only a simple up-or-down vote. Surely they can handle that.
* And it’s catching on…
The House did its job. But the pay raises will still go through unless the Senate votes no. That’s one reason observers suspect Senate President Emil Jones has declined to reconvene the Senate. Jones enthusiastically supports the raises. But it is likely a state senator not beholden to him (any Republican, for example) would call for a vote on the raises. That vote would provide legitimate campaign fodder against any senator foolish enough to hike his or her own salary while everyone else in Illinois faces severe cuts.
Some observers suspect Jones will wait until after the November election to convene the Senate and face a possible vote on the 7.5 percent hike boosting annual pay to $72,985.
Legislative salaries, like all salaries, have to be earned. We’ve seen little evidence lawmakers have earned the $67,836, each is supposed to be paid right now.
* Speaking of budget cuts, a familiar face is back in the news, and she’s using a catchy little attack line…
The governor’s decision to cut $37.3 million from the RTA’s budget leaves the RTA in a “very bad state” at a time when high gas prices are driving more people onto buses and trains, according to RTA director and former gubernatorial candidate Judy Baar Topinka.
“There’s more clamor for transportation, and that’s the time you pull the plug on it?” said Topinka. “What was he thinking?” she added, echoing a campaign slogan Gov. Blagojevich used against her to devastating effect in the 2006 campaign.
* And here’s the most important reason why we need to somehow get things back on track…
Unemployment surged in Illinois in June to 6.8 percent, the highest level in 15 years, rising from 5 percent a year earlier.
The rate was up from 6.4 percent in May and exceeded the nation’s 5.5 percent June unemployment rate, the Illinois Department of Employment Security said Thursday.
* Related…
* Governor’s cuts likely to stand
* Broken budget: Analysis of the pieces
* State budget cuts to remain - for now
* RTA warns of service cuts or fare increases to make up for governor’s budget cut
* State gives, then takes from mass transit
* The $1 billion casino ripoff
* Some legislators warming up to idea of income tax increase
- wordslinger - Friday, Jul 18, 08 @ 10:58 am:
I think it’s safe to say that under-the-radar pay raise gambit didn’t work.
- Dan S, a voter and Cubs Fan - Friday, Jul 18, 08 @ 11:16 am:
I can’t see how the pay raise issue will not be an election issue now. The only way Emil can come out of this only bruised now is to allow the Senate to vote on the issue.
- Ghost - Friday, Jul 18, 08 @ 11:16 am:
“Not mentioned is that the House did pass a flat-growth budget and it’s still sitting in the Senate.”
This is why the print media is losing out. They fail to follow or keep track of the hard news. They just recyle the bits on the surface that are easy to see. The exitsance of the flat rate budget that would need no cuts should be the first page headling in every print paper in Illinois.
I am a bit disspointed that Bernie has not made more of this as well. This is huge, and really highlits the problem is the senate. This does not fit the press packets most reporters seem to use for their talking points, but the investiagtive rpeorters could go crazy and say, investiagte stories.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jul 18, 08 @ 11:19 am:
===The only way Emil can come out of this only bruised now is to allow the Senate to vote on the issue.===
That would assume that he cares about a couple of editorials.
- VanillaMan - Friday, Jul 18, 08 @ 11:31 am:
A few month ago when Jones and the Senate made this move and justified it by claiming they didn’t want it to become a campaign issue, that this move did exactly that. It is often better to get voters angry months before an election day and get it over with, than to allow what political opposition there is, to grab ahold of an issue like this and ride it to victory.
Another problem that is growing for Mr. Jones has been an image that he is the budget roadblock, because of his demand for more pay. Double whammy. If we lived in a non-corrupt state where this kind of behavior would be politically punished, Jones would be doing what he could to save his scalp.
But he doesn’t have to.
But since when has Mr. Jones been wrong? He has put his political godson on the way to the White House and his silent partner on her way to Congress, so who are we to think he is wrong? Perhaps he has reach the limit of his kingmaking abilities and will fall due to this humbris, but so far - he has been right. It is up to us to remind him of his limitations, and we have failed to do that. The guy we are dealing with is the guy we have been rewarding with political power and money to do exactly what it is we are angry he is doing.
We spoiled Mr. Jones. He expects to be spoiled as a result. Until he is corrected and pays a high price for his selfishness, Mr. Jones will expect you and I to pay for what he wants without delay.
- Dan S, a voter and Cubs Fan - Friday, Jul 18, 08 @ 11:53 am:
Rich, it seems that the only thing Emil cares about is Emil. He seems like the kind of guy who would throw his own mother under the bus to save his skin. Guess that’s why he and Blagoof are 2 peas in a pod.
- s.k.hicks - Friday, Jul 18, 08 @ 12:12 pm:
The “game” continues. Too bad state employees’ lives and livelihoods have been reduced to collateral damage in this “game”. I’m sure the fine folks at Historic Preservation and Natural Resources find it ironic that the Governor made note of the importance of tourism last week, and has a knife to their throats this week. They can hold their heads high while receiving those pink slips, knowing this will help keep the boss’ plane in the air, and the Senate President off food stamps.
- DumberThanUThink - Friday, Jul 18, 08 @ 2:25 pm:
Yikes
This has been a hard week for those of us in the senior Blagoof thunk tank….just as soon as find the Generalismo a proper uniform. Gainor had one with the ISP, but that was brown and itchy - yuk.
Maybe a nice blue like the Air Force.
Gotta hand it to that AccordianGal and just 17 months too late.
- presto - Friday, Jul 18, 08 @ 3:05 pm:
Well said sk hicks and may I add families with austic children, veterans, the elderly, and so on will all benefit from the cuts made by our govenor and supported by our legislature.
They must have a really rough job. You only work when it suits your purpose, you make decisions by pointing fingers at others all the while hurting the defenseless and still get a really good raise.
- Little Egypt - Friday, Jul 18, 08 @ 3:46 pm:
My sympathy to the head of the Illinois Department of Employment Security for allowing this “mis”information to leak to the press that the unemployment rate in Illinois SURGED to 6.8 percent, the highest in 15 years. A Friday 5 p.m. press release surely will come out saying this was a mistake and the figures were misinterpreted. This could not happen on GoverNOT Speechifies watch now, could it?
I guess POA is going to have to move a whole lot more state agencies around to juggle the figures so he can say how many jobs he has “created” by uprooting families.
- Frustrated - Friday, Jul 18, 08 @ 4:51 pm:
Rich. Ghost.
Great catch. It never fails to amaze me as to how much the media covering Illinois government misses - consistently, for whatever reason. Here’s one. The Senate fund sweep bill would give the Governor (Filan) authority to sweep wherever they see fit (with limited exceptions). The June Auditor General audit of federal programs says that various CMS revolving funds have too great a fund balance, and the State is in violation of federal grant guidelines in this matter. CMS’ response is some hoo haw, which Holland notes has been going on for several years.
Question - is Filan having CMS maintain these balances in anticipation of future fund sweep authority? Has ANY of the media covering Illinois government seen fit to contact federal agencies to inquire about this matter? Other states? Or are they too busy writing about personalities?