An expensive fly-around
Tuesday, Jan 10, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
Governor Blagojevich visits several downstate communities today to campaign for re-election promote his $3 billion borrowing plan.
It’s going to be a fairly expensive trip.
The excursion kicks off in Rockford (not coincidentally, the home of the guv’s just announced nominee to chair the Illinois Commerce Commission).
Gov. Rod Blagojevich today will visit EIGERlab, Rockford’s high-technology manufacturing center at 605 Fulton Ave., to announce a long-awaited $1.6 million grant. […]
The governor had proposed the $1.6 million grant more than two years ago as a component of a capital construction plan — the very plan he wants to see approved — but had not released the cash because lawmakers refused to approve his capital plan.
Blagojevich spokesman Andrew Ross said the $1.6 million grant would come from the state’s Build Illinois Bond Fund, which on Monday contained $50.7 million. It’s not clear why Blagojevich didn’t previously release the EIGERlab grant, as long as he had the cash on hand, rather than make it contingent on approval of a capital program.
Then moves to Moline.
Senator Mike Jacobs says the Governor has promised $2.4 million to jumpstart a plan to turn 20 acres along Moline’s riverfront into an expanded Western Illinois University campus.
Sen. Jacobs (D-East Moline) said Monday he received word of the money from Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich’s office Sunday night. […]
Still, do the math. The project is estimated at about 57 million. Jacobs says there are a couple of different funding objects being explored, including more from the state from a capital building fund under debate.
Then he travels to East Peoria:
Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich today announced the awarding of a $500,000 workforce training grant to Caterpillar Inc. as a part of his pro-active, comprehensive economic development strategy designed to spur economic growth and create jobs across the North Central region and throughout Illinois.
And finally to Macomb.
Money to continue operating entrepreneurship centers in western Illinois was announced Monday by Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
The Western Illinois Entrepreneurship Center Network was awarded $500,000 that includes grants to new and existing businesses. The money will help run the centers in Macomb, Quincy and Galesburg for the next year.
Extrapolating from Sen. Jacobs’ comments, it looks like they cobbled together the cash for this trip at the last minute.
- DOWNSTATE - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 5:58 am:
Someone said the Governor had not started campagning yet.WHAT?
- Ho Ho Ho - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 6:32 am:
He is not campaigning. He is coming out of the sky bringing presents for the residents of Illinois that have been good this year. He’s kind of like a late Santa Claus.
Watch the skies! Maybe he’ll visit your town!
Can’t blame him, though. If I were governor, I’d do the same thing…create a class of people/industries/bureaucracies that were dependent on getting free money…those people will ALWAYS have to support you, and will give you the support you need when it comes crunch time.
- Rele Tahrd - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 6:35 am:
How in the hell did they get $50.7 million in the Build Illinois Bond Fund? I thought they swept all the money from all the funds. Is this a new fund that B established?
I cannot possibly believe B would cold-heartedly hold onto that amount of money just to make a big splash come election time. Scary.
VETERANS FOR EISENDRATH !!!
- anon - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 6:47 am:
WHAT A JOKE!!!
Why doesn’t he use the $3 billion to pay all the unpaid bills sitting around the various agencies and comptrolers office?
It wouldn’t be enough but it would be a good start.
- Tessa - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 7:02 am:
Of course he’s not campaigning, he’s just spreading the word about how much he’s done for the good citizens of Illinois. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
He can say what he wants, but he’s still campaigning on our dollars. It’s sad that more people don’t see through this. He’s becoming more of a joke by the day. (Oh, I’m sue to be flamed by that one, Blago lovers.)
This little pittance that he’s shelling out right now isn’t going to do much good in the long run. Not when the Eigerlab has been waiting for over 2 years for the money that is suddenly “supposed” to show up today.
Forgive me for not felling so warm and fuzzy about the man I supported just 4 years ago. He’s let way too many people down and is making a mockery of everything he does. But, it’s just my opinion.
- Shallow Pharnyx - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 7:05 am:
People have short memories. He’ll gain some feel-good votes for this latest campaign move.
- zatoichi - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 8:22 am:
Isn’t the important phrase from sentence one “promote his $3 billion borrowing plan”. Thought the word “borrowing” meant you have to pay it back. I gonna give you a gift using money someone else gave me and that someone else will have to pay back, but I am giving you a gift / grant / allocation. How about working within the existing budget and keep the debt level down? Wish I had the Gov’s credit card.
- SouthernILRepub - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 8:26 am:
Blago is hardly visiting downstate! He is barely making it into Central IL. Again Blago wants to have government by credit card.
- the Patriot - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 8:35 am:
Pay attention downstaters:
1. How much of the 3 Billion will go South of I 80 or West of I 39.
2. It has been a consistent tactic of this governor to throw downstaters a bone now and again to shore up support at key moments. I’ll raid billions from the coffers for downstate and have a dog and pony show when I give back a mil or two here and there.
- jimbo - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 9:09 am:
Looks like the drunkin sailors are back. Where is all this money suddenly coming from?
- Bluefish - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 9:17 am:
Blago certainly seems to be throwing money around lately. He was on TV while the embers of Pilgrim Baptist were still smoldering and promising state funds to rebuild. On Sunday, he offered at least $1 million for the rebuilding (plus $1,000 from his family, despite the fact he vetoed his own pay raise). I just wonder…if my suburban Catholic church burns down will he be there with the bucks to rebuild? Even if it’s not an election year?
Not to say that the Pilgrim Baptist rebuilding is not an worthy project, but this seems to be a questionable precendent to be setting.
- DOWNSTATE - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 9:29 am:
Bluefish the church is an Africa-American Chicago based church.Get it? Shore up a little support there.To begin with the roofing company probably had insurance which will cover it.The other thing how many churchs have burnt since he has been governor.One was in East St.Louis area and he did not run his wheel barrow full of cash to them.
- Truthful James - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 9:38 am:
The money comes from budgetary tricks. Last spring the Madigan (Mike Branch) Flying Budget Circus went around the State telling everybody there was no money for anything. They proved this by projecting no increase in State income from Sales and/or Income taxes. All the other states were projecting an 11% increase because of the hated Bush Tax Cuts. Madigan knew that too. Then, as usual, the legislature created nooks and crannies in which to stash money. Lo, the money came in and, lo again, Blago can look like your rich uncle.
In the meantime, Capital projecte funds approved in the Budget have been sequestered. Grants for school construction have been held back, even though the State had promised they were on the way. Districts used their Bonding (non referendum, by the way)to build the project. The State money is still missing. I guess we will se Blago, like some mad May queen dancing around and throwing that money on a subsequent trip.
Additional point: The Blago pledge to the baptist Church people was $1 Million to rebuild the school and the administrative offices, at least according to the ChiTrib.
“…On Monday, Gov. Rod Blagojevich pledged up to $1 million in state funds to help cover the cost of rebuilding the South Side church’s school and administrative offices. Blagojevich, who also pledged $1,000 of his own money, said the state funds would not directly go to the church in order to maintain the constitutional separation between church and state…”
How this funding of a private school comports with the anti-Choice policy of the State, enslaved by the teachers union, I would not know.
- Bluefish - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 9:43 am:
Downstate - I get it. My wife gets it. Even my kids who have no interest in politics get it (my oldest, who will be voting for the first time this year, when asked if she would support Blago laughed and gave me the old ‘how dumb are you dad’ look).
Unfortunately, a lot of people who don’t get it are thanking our great Governor in their prayers for this action.
- ron - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 9:45 am:
blago is at it again. spend, spend, spend, borrow, borrow, borrow, collect, collect, collect campaign contributions from contractors. this guy is suppose to be a leader.
- Obama Overrated - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 10:35 am:
Blagoevich is wasting his time Downstate, just like his National ambitions. He is politically despised for not living in Springfield. His Deputy, Bradley Tusk, has dropped the ball by letting Rod live in Chicago. New York arrogance or ignorance, I guess.
- Obama Overrated - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 10:39 am:
Coming this Easter the DICK DEVINE BACKBONE HUNT. Watch him hide at the mention of City Hall Scandals!! Watch him speak as Richie Daley pulls the strings on his back!! Where are you Mr. Prosecutor??? Maybe you can give evasive lessons to Tom Dart with the Cook County Prisons.
- Truthful James - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 10:44 am:
Don’t think so, O.O.
As the Ginsu knife saleman says. “But wait, there’s more…”
Taylorville gets theirs
GOV. BLAGOJEVICH ANNOUNCES $5 MILLION INVESTMENT FOR NEW COAL GASIFICATION PROJECT AT TAYLORVILLE ENERGY CENTER
Cutting-Edge Development Would Create Several Hundred Permanent Jobs
CHICAGO - Furthering his pledge to revitalize the Illinois coal industry and create hundreds of more jobs for working families, Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich today announced $5 million in public-private support for the $1.1 billion Taylorville Energy Center, where Illinois coal from a new nearby mine will be converted through clean coal technology to a synthetic gas that can be sold or burned to generate electric power.
The ERORA Group, the coal gasification project’s developer, will receive $2.5 million for front-end engineering and design work from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), and another $2.5 million from the public-private Illinois Clean Coal Review Board.
Wonder who ERORA’s Illinois beard is, and who the Investment banker will be.
- Truthful James - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 11:52 am:
O.O. –
The direct monet to the developer is small but the baksheesh from the various fee paid professionals working on the financing of the project and joyfully psid to the Blago campaign will fill the humps of two million camels — one million if bactrians.
- vinron - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 3:34 pm:
Just curious. Does anyone know the procedure for recalling the governor of Illinois? I am assuming one exists. A woman has taken the initiative in Louisiana to get Governor Blanco recalled.
- Anon - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 3:47 pm:
3 billion campaign fund WOW. No we can not recall in ILLINOIS, or we would have done George Ryan first.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 3:53 pm:
If you guys would be nice he would probably give you one of those pens he signs those credit slips with.Wouldn’t that be a great momento.Just wait he is also going to give you a massage tax increase seeing as he has backed off from stating there would be no tax increase if re-elected.
- Truthful James - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 4:12 pm:
Don’t laugh. He has to win in November 2006 in order that he can build up for a VP effort on the Hillary ticket in 2008. The LG will be an important choice this year.
- vinron - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 4:32 pm:
Thanks 3:47. You’re right about Ryan. But as I remember it, people didn’t really get PO’d at George until late in his administration. I can’t believe we can’t recall Hairdo. Can he be impeached?
- LAC - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 6:43 pm:
Attention IDOT Employees:
Can anyone elaborate on what’s going on at IDOT? (see today’s State Journal Register’s article about “IDOT Abolishing External Affairs”. That Division was newly created with all Blagojevich campaign workers/contributors the month after IDOT laid off 60 people (all republicans) and 17 of them were from traffic safety, so how is it if I’m reading correctly that their positions are being abolished and they are finding them new positions in traffic safety? Why didm’t they ask Matt Vanover why they didn’t find other positions for the laid off people in 2004? Is it because they were republicans?
- Anon - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 7:46 pm:
Was just going to mention that most of the announcements missed the “for hard working families in Illinois” and “for the Children”. Someone must have been falling down on the job …
- Paul Powell - Tuesday, Jan 10, 06 @ 11:39 pm:
Vinron:
I believe the provision to recall was eliminated from Illinois law by the 1970 constitutional convention in Illinois. Was the Speaker involved way back then? I’m told he came up with that idea but don’t know that for a fact.
- 6 Degrees of Separation - Wednesday, Jan 11, 06 @ 12:20 am:
External Affairs was basically a background P.R. Agency that was not really needed (Matt V’s CMS unit does all the media relations from Chi. and Spfld.) There are probably greater needs in TS, esp. with the renewed push in getting traffic deaths under 1000. Expect a big push in Enforcement & Education to combat traffic fatalities, aided by the new TS staff. A good thing overall, I think, if it’s done right.
- Goodbye Napoleon - Wednesday, Jan 11, 06 @ 12:38 am:
Show me the way to go home. I’m tired and I want to go to bed. [Quint joins] I had a little drink about an hour ago and it’s gone right to my head. Wherever I may roam, by land or sea or foam. You can always hear me singin’ this song, show me the way to go home, bome bome bome. Show me the way to go home. Bome bome bome. I’m tired and I want to go to bed. [Brody joins] I had a little drink about an hour ago and it’s gone right to my head. Wherever I may roam, by land or sea or foam.