* The February primary experiment was a failure. I think a lot of folks would like a total do-over. We can’t do that, but the primary date can be moved back where it was…
Illinois’ primary election would be pushed back to March under legislation the House sent to Gov. Pat Quinn today.
If the governor signs the measure into law, the state’s experiment with a February primary would end after just two elections. […]
The measure would move Illinois’ primary to the third Tuesday in March, where it had been for decades. The House approved it 114-1, with one lawmaker voting present. The Senate signed off last month.
* Check out the difference between how two news outlets covered a visit by the governor to a Springfield school this morning. First, the local SJ-R…
Gov. Pat Quinn vigorously denied charges by Republican legislators that he is engaging in scare tactics in order to win passage of an income tax hike.
Appearing this morning at Jefferson Middle School in Springfield to promote his tax hike for education, Quinn reiterated that schools face severe budget cuts from the state if more revenue isn’t found for them.
“There’s no scaring involved,” Quinn said. “We have to understand reality. We are without $1 billion (in federal funds) that we had this year.
Tribune…
The governor, however, didn’t pick the best school to illustrate his point. Walter Milton, Springfield’s schools superintendent, said his district could prevent layoffs next year even if Quinn’s proposed education cuts go through.
Milton said the district is finalizing its budget and working to keep cuts “as far away from the classroom as possible.” Milton said while teachers will not face layoffs if education cuts go through, he won’t be able to hire as many new teachers as in the past.
Meanwhile…
Quinn said he did eat breakfast with Madigan Thursday. But he didn’t say how exactly he would try to convince election-minded lawmakers to support his plan while they are out on the campaign trail facing angry voters.
“I’m going to be relentless,” Quinn said.
LIVE session coverage...
- Will County Woman - Thursday, Mar 11, 10 @ 2:49 pm:
milton like everyone else is just going to have to live within his means. see, milton gets it. nothing hard to understand about it at all. people are doing this everyday and all day throughout illinois, and have been doing so since last year, if not before, from munis to individual households. so why can’t state government?
- Lincoln Parker - Thursday, Mar 11, 10 @ 2:55 pm:
Wow, a public official using common sense. Can we have Milton run for governor?
- Vote Quimby! - Thursday, Mar 11, 10 @ 2:59 pm:
==the state’s experiment with a February primary would end after just two elections==
or until another Illinoisian runs for president?
- GoldCoastConservative - Thursday, Mar 11, 10 @ 3:11 pm:
@ WCW and @ Lincoln Parker….I agree with both of you!
- Deep South - Thursday, Mar 11, 10 @ 3:15 pm:
Too bad the schools here in the deep south don’t have deep pocket like those in Springfield, the ‘burbs, etc. Guess they’ll just have to “tough it out” with the rest of ‘em.
- train111 - Thursday, Mar 11, 10 @ 3:23 pm:
Deep South
Don’t know what burbs your talking about. All the ones aroung me are laying off. Will find out by the end of April whether or not Mrs Train111 will still have a job next year :-
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Mar 11, 10 @ 3:34 pm:
The February Primary was a dismal failure in a dismal election year, during a dismal era of Illinois history. The results were also dismal.
Sometimes good ideas just get carjacked and brutalized due to circumstances beyond their control to a point where not having done something, would have at least kept hope alive.
- dupage dan - Thursday, Mar 11, 10 @ 3:52 pm:
PQ, “I am going to be relentless(ly wishy washy)”.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Mar 11, 10 @ 3:54 pm:
LOL, I know who’s the most unpopular member in the Superintendent Treehouse Club.
- dupage dan - Thursday, Mar 11, 10 @ 4:01 pm:
How long ago did PQ say, “you ain’t seen nothing yet”?
We’re still waiting.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Mar 11, 10 @ 4:04 pm:
===Quinn said he did eat breakfast with Madigan Thursday.===
Oh to be a fly on the wall at that breakfast. Where was it? Did Quinn order the pancakes? Since Madigan ate Quinn’s lunch the day before, did he only have a sliced apple for breakfast? Who picked up the check? What kind of tip did he leave?
Did they discuss the LG nomination? The nonparticipating dropouts? Their respective plans for retirement? Since nobody wants to talk about taxes, did they only discuss cuts? The weather? The White Sox?
So many questions.
- dupage dan - Thursday, Mar 11, 10 @ 4:23 pm:
I’d rather the voters be the fly in the oatmeal. Maybe these guys would have to choke on it (metaphorically speaking, of course).
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Mar 11, 10 @ 4:24 pm:
Lol Dan, I thought those were raisins…
- dupage dan - Thursday, Mar 11, 10 @ 4:30 pm:
@47th Ward,
Very good! :)
- fed up - Thursday, Mar 11, 10 @ 5:34 pm:
Quinn and Brady Im starting to understand what that phrase race to the bottom means.
- Ghost of John Brown - Friday, Mar 12, 10 @ 8:06 am:
So happy that the primary is being moved back. One minor, but simple benefit - signs. Driving around I see TONS of fence posts that are still up, which used to hold up signs. Can’t get the #*&^%& things out of the ground when it is frozen unless you have a fence post puller (which I do). Hopefully this will make everyone’s lives easier.