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[Posted by Kevin Fanning]
* Well it’s officially July 1, and a budget has yet to be hammered out. It looks like the Governor is becoming less optimistic:
Gov. Rod Blagojevich says he’s hopeful but “cautiously less than optimistic” that lawmakers will come up with new revenues to make up the $2 billion hole in the proposed state budget before the July 9 deadline.
Blagojevich also praised Republican leaders for their support on a capital plan, while some Republicans were around the state complaining over their role in the process:
“We’re limited in what we can do,” said Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield. “The only thing we can do is vote on a budget, up or down, before the end of May. We can encourage that to occur every year, but it’s up to the governor to agree to a budget.”
“The first thing you’ve got to do is include us in the (negotiating) process,” said Rep. Raymond Poe, R-Springfield. “Republicans were totally left out of it.”
* Standing by the Governor’s side, Rep. Hamos had the following to say about a capital plan:
“It’s beginning to feel like maybe we don’t want to pass a capital bill. Maybe we want to stall a capital bill,” said Rep. Julie Hamos, D-Evanston. “Maybe we want to stall it until the year 2011 — how does that year sound? — or maybe the summer of 2010, when this governor can’t get any ribbon-cuttings.”
Hamos has been very critical of the Speaker on the issue lately, and one has to wonder how that will bode for her relationship with him.
* Meanwhile, Sen. Rutherford was speaking on the Governor’s penchant for prison closings, and dared to gaze into the budget’s crystal ball:
Rutherford said he expects the budget issue won’t be resolved until right around then.
“I think right now it is probably going to go all the way to the morning of when those checks need to be written to force the issue and to try to put as much pressure on (House Speaker Michael Madigan) as possible,” he said.
That’s a pretty fair assessment, especially since any crisis resulting from the lack of a budget deal appears to be at least a couple of weeks off:
Hynes is not scheduled to issue the next round of payroll checks for state workers until July 15, for instance.
The state has already disbursed July general state aid to schools, and it’s not expected to allocate another round until August.
Let the drama continue.
* Related…
* State lacks budget, but it’s not out of money — yet
* No state budget leaves schools, others in limbo
* July 1 arrives with no budget, so what’s next?
* Illinois’ New Fiscal Year Starts without New Budget
posted by Kevin Fanning
Tuesday, Jul 1, 08 @ 10:17 am
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=== Blagojevich also praised Republican leaders === that will help the republicans rebuild. Nothing like rebuilding your party by standing behind the second Gov in a row under federal scrutiny. Of course Blago is alos less popular then Ryan, so the Rpeublicans get double points for standing up to be counted with him. Its not so much political suicide as political genocide, the complete and utter destruction of their party.
Comment by Ghost Tuesday, Jul 1, 08 @ 10:28 am
I suspect that last year’s emergency fix will be come SOP for the Illinois state budget process. Hynes will threaten not to issue paychecks. State employee unions will whine and shriek and threaten to go to court. Then they’ll go to court. The judge will order the state to pay the employees. The state will pay the employees (there’s tons of money in state coffers, this is just a struggle over where some of it goes).
Comment by Cassandra Tuesday, Jul 1, 08 @ 10:42 am
Ghost,I too am disappointed with the Republicans for siding with Blago,very disappointed.First the pay raise has to be vetoed,I really hope Madigan has the support he needs and the Repubs can do this.
Comment by reflector Tuesday, Jul 1, 08 @ 10:44 am
I agree its not a big deal….it’s not like we stop paying income, sales and all the other taxes just because there’s no budget.
==whine and shriek== hey cassandra, it’s job security for the union officials
Comment by Vote Quimby! Tuesday, Jul 1, 08 @ 10:53 am
maybe Julie is aiming for the Speaker’s throne if Lisa is running for Guv…
Comment by Loop Lady Tuesday, Jul 1, 08 @ 11:58 am
==Sesser Mayor Ned Mitchell said he has a different opinion about the plan. Not only is he unhappy to see the jobs go to Harrisburg; he also is reluctant to believe the entire move will benefit Southern Illinois in the long run. “You hate to begrudge Harrisburg, but in the same token I can’t think of a more out-of-the-way place to locate a division with IDOT,” he said. “It looks like they would try to locate that more centrally along the interstate or something.”== The Southern today
Comment by Vote Quimby! Tuesday, Jul 1, 08 @ 12:29 pm
==whine and shriek==
Cassandra, would you continue to show up and work at your job if you weren’t gettting paid? We are working today without a budget and without a contract.
Comment by TAANSTAFL Tuesday, Jul 1, 08 @ 12:54 pm
Taanststafl–but with a paycheck.
Comment by Cassandra Tuesday, Jul 1, 08 @ 1:21 pm
I don’t doubt that most Republican leadership concerns will be considered secondary at best by the administration, but how representative of Republican leadership is Sen. Bomke and Rep. Poe.?
Comment by COPN Tuesday, Jul 1, 08 @ 1:24 pm
They’re not. However, Skip Saviano said the exact same thing at a press conference at the Thompson Center after the Gov spoke about the budget.
Comment by Kevin Fanning Tuesday, Jul 1, 08 @ 1:32 pm
Hamos speaks the truth. and the truth should set us free. But with Blago,Jones, and MJM at the helm in Springfield we are captive to their corruption, ineptitude, and megalomania.
Comment by Captain America Tuesday, Jul 1, 08 @ 1:50 pm
So this is what we get for having one political party in charge of our state government? A prescool class could do better.
Comment by Dan S, a voter and Cubs Fan Tuesday, Jul 1, 08 @ 2:13 pm
Cassandra - state workers have no guarantee of a paycheck come pay day if the budget issue is not resolved.
Comment by central illinois Tuesday, Jul 1, 08 @ 3:28 pm
Cassandra,
We are paid two weeks behind. The pay check we just received was from June 1-15 work. July 15 is from June 16-30. We are working today for no pay at this time. Wish you would get a clue. Very tired of your continued ranting about state employees. Most, if not all, of the problems the state has, starts at the top. The peons keeping getting, XXX, and the politically connected keep getting salary adjustments. Leave us peons alone.
Comment by MIDSTATE Tuesday, Jul 1, 08 @ 3:55 pm
“Cautiously less than optimistic” What kind of double talk is that? Couldn’t Blagoboy’s speech writers come up with something better?
Comment by Little Egypt Tuesday, Jul 1, 08 @ 4:04 pm
Louis Arroyo for House Transportation Chairman
Comment by anon Tuesday, Jul 1, 08 @ 4:36 pm
Midstate: I ditto your comment to
Cassandra.
Comment by Disgusted Tuesday, Jul 1, 08 @ 6:54 pm
Hey, talk to Dan Hynes. He’s the one who started all this. And who has gubernatorial aspirations by the way, according to many observers.
I’m just another weary middle class taxpayer trying to figure out how to deal with ever-rising costs, including ever-rising taxes.
Comment by Cassandra Tuesday, Jul 1, 08 @ 7:15 pm
Kevin: You might check the CDB website (cdb.state.il.us). A number of projects were stopped today (some in construction, some ready to bid and some in design) because of problems with spending authority.
Comment by In the Sticks Tuesday, Jul 1, 08 @ 7:58 pm
Thanks
Comment by Kevin Fanning Tuesday, Jul 1, 08 @ 8:13 pm