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The Republicans are complaining that the governor is cutting them out.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich will need Republican support for his $3.3 billion school and road construction plan, but he hasn’t been seeing GOP lawmakers personally to work things out. […]Patty Schuh, Senate Republican spokeswoman, said it has been over a month since the governor met with Senate Republicans.
It has been six weeks since he met with House Minority Leader Tom Cross, said spokesman David Dring.
At the same time, Blagojevich has held a number of press conferences promoting his plan, including one Monday in Rochester, where local school officials have been waiting for state funding to build additions on to the elementary school and high school, replace the junior high school and build a performing arts center. […]
Blagojevich spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch said staff members have been meeting with various Republicans to work out the details.
That rally in Rochester resulted in this news report.
Governor Rod Blagojevich asks high school students to urge lawmakers to pass his capital improvements bill. Blagojevich says his $3.2 billion dollar capital bill includes money for school construction. In 2002, the state promised Rochester schools more than ten million dollars to build new schools, but the district has yet to receive the money. Even if lawmakers don’t fully fund the governor’s capital bill, Rochester is first on the list to get whatever money the legislature appropriates.
UPDATE:The rally also produced this priceless Doug Finke lede:
Unable to get enough grown-ups in the General Assembly to approve his construction bond program, Gov. Rod Blagojevich asked for help Monday from people too young to vote.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 1:30 am
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The gov’s appearance in Rochester was both amusing and sad. I’m told by one high school student that most of her peers were less than impressed with his performance. He appeared to be, “The least intelligent person to speak,” in her words and, “Totally redundant, repeating himself over and over.” Students giggled when he mispronounced the principal’s name (it’s Canny) even though he read it off of a cue card.
The saddest thing is how school officials reacted earlier in the day to Blagojevich’s impending visit. They scurried around to spruce up the building, including changing all of the light bulbs in one classroom that was expected to be put on display. They also blocked off one set of restrooms to students for the entire day, apparently so they would be clean, just in case the gov. or anyone in his entourage had to use them.
Students got a lesson all right. They found out how politics is played in Illinois. Suck up to those who’ve been sticking it to you for the past 3 years. Maybe you’ll get what you want and he’ll use you as part of a campaign commercial.
Comment by stoney Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 5:35 am
This is some more of I am king and I do not need these people.Well anymore it’s more like Dictator.
Comment by DOWNSTATE Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 6:27 am
“Rochester is first on the list to get whatever money the legislature appropriates…”
So if they don’t get anything then it is all the legislature’s fault they haven’t received money for 3+ years.
Ok. Partially true. The totally true response: “Rochester is first on the list to get whatever money the Democrat legislature appropriates…”
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 6:45 am
Rochester is full, and I mean full of GOP state workers. I find it strange that a student would have made that comment. Most High School students could care less about any governor showing up. Sounds like the anti Rod folks are up early. Maybe what really went on the students explained to the Gov. they want to grow up to be like their parents. You know, talk about being a GOP member who wants less government all the while bitching about the need for more state workers and added benefits for the poor, mistreated, overworked, unloved GOP voting mopes.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 7:05 am
Also to keep the Gov’s record going…. he was 20 minutes late, but he probably did not know it so it is not his fault.
Comment by Ben Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 8:15 am
I don’t know about Rochester, but there seemed to be a fairly sizeable, and motivated, crowd at the Hilton last night. Rod gave a good speech; the man has a great message.
Bernie, you were there, what did you think?
Comment by B Hicks Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 8:26 am
I sure wished I knew what great message the Governor is distributing this week. Is it the ‘I am giving health care to all citizens in the State of Illinois’ except he forgets to mention that there’s no money to pay for his proposals. Let’s not forget he’s not even paying the state’s past overdue bills.
Then there is the ‘I’m going to clean up state government and end business as usual’ speech. Except now with all the federal investigations into all of the departments under the Governor’s control he can not claim having done anything different than George Ryan. Oh I know it’s the ‘I’m creating 230,000 jobs in the stateâ€. Oops wrong again as it has now been revealed that the agency coming up with those numbers just kind of made them up.
So now our Governor takes his case to high school students. Is this because he hopes they won’t check in to the statements he makes for any validity? Is he afraid to mix with a more intellectual bi-partisan group? We may never know.
Comment by Sound Reasoning Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 8:54 am
Those sizable motivated crowds are the party faitfull and the give-me-something-for-free.Both parties work real hard to get those kind of people out.
Comment by DOWNSTATE Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 8:57 am
Blago promised to end “business as usual” four years ago and this is proof he delivered. In the old “business as usual” model, governors wishing to pass major capital programs would negotiate with the leaders of both parties. In the new Blago way of business model, you bring your program directly to high school students who are not even old enough to vote.
We need to fix the mistake we made four years ago.
Comment by Bluefish Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 10:31 am
Welcome to “Chicago-ized” government for the State of Illinois.
Comment by Conservative Republican Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 10:42 am
Downstate: I bet the JBT staffers that monitor this blog absolutely love the fact that you post on her behalf. Your comments tell me that you’re a man of great talent and political insight. A regular Karl Rove you are.
Keep up the good work!
Go Judy!
Comment by B Hicks Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 3:21 pm
If memory serves me correctly, didn’t Governor Lies-a-lot-vich claim he was too busy with state budget and other governmental matters to bother with debating his Democratic Primary opponent? Now he can’t even bother to meet with leaders in the General Assembly. Hopefully voters will say “Enough of this garbage” in two weeks!
Comment by Randall Sherman Tuesday, Mar 7, 06 @ 4:24 pm
Okay - so Rochester is top of list and if any money actually materializes they get it … what about the rest of us on this list of 24 schools waiting for funding?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Comment by Sad School District Friday, Mar 10, 06 @ 11:56 am