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* While the governor’s top staff has been trying to one-up the House Democrats’ statewide “fight the vetoes” tour by pointing out that the governor’s budget vetoes allegedly free up money for health care and talking up the benefits of the proposed capital plan, the HDems’ argument has been getting a boost from Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, who is also touring the state…
Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn on Tuesday said Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration is being “bone-headed” by cutting funds that help Illinois school and park districts buy state-mandated heart defibrillators for their athletic facilities.
The governor’s recent budget cuts totaling more than $400 million included the entire $100,000 fiscal 2008 allocation that was anticipated for the HeartSavers AED Trust Fund, Quinn said. He said the fund, administered by the state Department of Public Health, offers units of local government matching grants to purchase “automated external defibrillators” at specially negotiated prices of about $800 each.
Mike Madigan and Pat Quinn: Two peas in a pod? Politics here has really taken a turn for the bizarre.
* Meanwhile, Tom Cross is trying to be the peacemaker…
House Minority Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego, invited the other legislative leaders and Blagojevich to a meeting about the casino-fueled capital bill. It was slated to begin at 9:30 this morning at Cross’s Chicago office in the James R. Thompson Center, a spokesman said.
I’ll tell you how it went later today.
* Speaking of the capital plan, here’s a little-noticed aspect…
Illinois Works also would provide lawmakers about $2 billion to split and spend as they see fit in their districts.
As you might imagine, the pressure will be intense in the House to support this proposal.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Sep 26, 07 @ 8:49 am
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I sure would like to be in that meeting at JRT. There has to be a way to trade some overrides for some House support for the capital bill. Throw in the AV of the 7% solution and a couple hundred million for the CTA and we could have a deal. Then all of us can argue about who won and who lost.
Comment by Bill Wednesday, Sep 26, 07 @ 9:08 am
Bill if anything is clear from this ridiculous session, it is that the people of Illinois lost. The ego’s have made a mockery of our system. If I had to choose though, it was the Republican leader that has brought them all together.
Comment by Leigh Wednesday, Sep 26, 07 @ 9:27 am
I would be shocked if Madigan showed.
Comment by I know the man Wednesday, Sep 26, 07 @ 9:41 am
Local Park Districts across the state are bastions of local political clout (and patronage) and have lots o money to spend on whatever they deem important.
They can afford to buy their own defibrillators.
And if they say they don’t…the citizens providing them with all this moolah need to start paying attention.
Comment by Cassandra Wednesday, Sep 26, 07 @ 10:21 am
Ever since his State of the State this year, Mr. Blagojevich has been playing a losing hand. After May 31st, he has been playing catch up as well.
Did he want $500 million for his pet project? He could have had it if he knew what he was doing. The GA was willing to raise cigarette taxes to give him this amount. Madigan said so publically. We know this.
Instead of working with the GA, the Governor either ignored or couldn’t understand the olive branches offered to him. Now he has tried to get his $500 million in the worst way possible. Unbelievably, he claims that the budget wasn’t balanced, was short a half billion or more, but now claims that his cuts had cash behind them to squander on his personal health care agenda. He makes no sense, does he?
He has earned every curse and every finger pointed in his direction from the GA. What more can these people do? The GA offered, but Rod Blagojevich can’t listen above the din of white noise under his bouffant.
Any other governor would have governed. They would have taken their $500 million, do a bus tour to promote their victory and praise his fellow politicians so that all look like winners. This is what governors are supposed to do. Mr. Blagojevich is unable to even caretake in his elected position, let alone lead.
The level of hatred towards Mr. Blagojevich will not be lessened by the end of this endless session. Regardless of how this ends up, this governor has clearly showed to the GA his deep contempt for them. His cuts were made based on personal petty politics, instead of rational needs. His mode of operation is repugnant to those who work together as a team in the GA. This civil war isn’t over as long as Blagojevich remains in office.
This is what happens when we get a guy who can’t or refuses to learn his job as governor.
Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Sep 26, 07 @ 10:24 am
Word is VandaliaFrank was on vacation and will send a female….wonder if BlunderBoyBlaggo will pull the same move as he did on Currie? Hmmmmmmm
Comment by Mr. W.T. Rush Wednesday, Sep 26, 07 @ 10:33 am
Something I noticed the other day while perusing the Governor’s 2008 Budget Book. The Community College Base Operating Grants request was $201M, the GA approved $205M and the gov cut to…$197M. I found the same thing with respect to a number of other cuts and reductions.
If you can’t trust the guy to stick to his own budget, how can you trust him to do anything?
Why would Madigan sign on to something that Gov. B or Jones may back out of tomorrow?
Comment by Pot calling kettle Wednesday, Sep 26, 07 @ 12:48 pm
As far as the $2B in capital money to be apportioned among legislators, how many trust G-Rod to ever release the funds for their districts? If no one except Hoffman & McCarthy expect that the funds would be released, there’s no pressure on Madigan.
Comment by trusting Wednesday, Sep 26, 07 @ 2:51 pm
If you want to spend money on beneficial healthcare, spend it on defibrillators. Since the City of Chicago installed them throughout the airport terminals many lives have been saved.
If you don’t believe it, ask the paramedics at the airports. By the time they get to the patients they are sitting up, talking and laughing. These are people who would have been dead if they did not receive immediate first aid.
Comment by Garp Wednesday, Sep 26, 07 @ 5:52 pm
I agree AEDs are wonderful. Now that the defibs have dropped in price, I believe that is pocket change in the budgets of most Park and Recreation districts. They should be able to afford them without State grants.
A little too much boo hooing for my taste. And I generally like Quinn
Comment by plutocrat03 Wednesday, Sep 26, 07 @ 9:50 pm
I LOVE Pat Quinn. I didn’t always, but the man has transformed himself and the role of lite Guv, and done us proud in the doing of it. He took a LOT of guff from Blago, constantly forced into the shadows, cut off from participation in the front lines where media coverage was plentiful. Quinn did not cry like a baby. He went to work. He would find an issue or constituency underserved or flat-out ignored by this Governor as not important enough or flashy, and Quinn rolled up his sleeves and did the hard work for those people. Every time he had a success, Blago would then swoop in like the parasite he is and grandstand for the media as if all this was HIS doing.
Rod, somebody’s going to die sooner or later in a place that could have gotten one of these defibrillators. A place that was punished for your petty political gamesmanship and ego. This will be your equivalent of George Ryan’s connection to the late Willis Children. Enjoy your legacy, Rod, you WILL have earned it.
Comment by Gregor Wednesday, Sep 26, 07 @ 9:55 pm