Not happy
Wednesday, Mar 8, 2006 - Posted by Rich Miller
The Belleville News-Democrat wonders if the Dems know where Springfield is.
In a current TV campaign ad, Gov. Rod Blagojevich says he’s older and hopefully wiser after four years in office. However, he still hasn’t figured out that Springfield is the seat of government in Illinois, not Chicago.
Today, Blagojevich’s Democratic buddies in the House are holding three budget appropriation hearings not in Springfield but in Chicago.
Republican Rep. Ron Stephens, a member of one of the committees, is livid: “It is just too inconvenient for the governor to travel to Springfield to attend these hearings. He is the one who chose to live in Chicago, when a beautiful governor’s mansion lies empty here in Springfield.”
Springfield is the state capital for a geographic reason — its central location. A lawmaker from the metro-east or even deep Southern Illinois can drive to Springfield for a hearing and back on the same day. A hearing in Chicago, however, virtually necessitates either an overnight stay or a plane trip.
But so what if the taxpayers have to pay extra for mileage, hotels and other travel expenses for some lawmakers and staff members who will travel from Springfield? This is more convenient for Blagojevich.
Older? Definitely. Wiser? Obviously not.
Sorry for the complete clip. It was just too good to pass up. Go visit other things at the paper.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Mar 8, 06 @ 6:42 am:
Since Rod and the Dems want to move the Caitol to Chicago, I have questions:
How much is the cost of office floor space in Chicago vs Springfield? My guess is that it is more costly. A lot more costly. But the money doesn’t come out of Mike Madigan’s personal bank account and he doesn’t care about the rest of us.
Isn’t everyone in state government supposed to do everything they poissibly can to save the taxpayer’s money? It looks like only downstaters must meet that requirement. Mike Madigan can do whatever he wants to do.
Is Mike Madigan as cold and indifferent to the taxpayers as Rod? Sure looks like he cares only about his personal convenience, not saving taxpayer money.
Mike Madigan won’t be speaker of the House much longer.
- DOWNSTATE - Wednesday, Mar 8, 06 @ 6:48 am:
Better than that.Can anyone check and see what ties the owners of these places that the state is renting has to the governor.We need not just ethics laws but a law that says all business has to be conducted in Springfield.
- Glen Wood (D-Chatham) - Wednesday, Mar 8, 06 @ 7:04 am:
I was at both hearings. I didn’t see a reporter in the Springfield hearing Tuesday. or a reporter in Chicago on Monday. This is such a load of BS to worry about where the hearings are located. I would love to see the editorial writers at the Belleville paper sit through 8 to 10 hours of budger hearings on the DHS budget over two days. By the way Rep. Stephens, you know the Governor doesn’t attend the DHS budget hearing. Also, the committee chair usually decide where the hearing is. I also didn’t hear the suburban republicans on the panel Monday complain about the hearing not being in Springfield. Get a grip.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Wednesday, Mar 8, 06 @ 7:40 am:
What an idiotic editorial. The Governor won’t be at the hearing, so blaming his search for convenience is absurd.
The hearings are in Chicago because the Chicago area is where most of the advocates live and most of the lawmakers. And let’s be honest, downstate lawmakers secretly love these hearings in Chicago because it gives them a chance to shop and enjoy Chicago’s nightlife.
- Paul Powell - Wednesday, Mar 8, 06 @ 8:03 am:
YDD-you go get ‘em! Could we get you to do editorials that would be published in all newspapers state wide then we would not have to read all this BS? There is no need to have different opinions, we should all be on the same page so if you would be so kind just clone your thoughts throughout the state and silence these individuals with obscure opinions. Let them eat the cake!
- DOWNSTATE - Wednesday, Mar 8, 06 @ 8:28 am:
Why shouldn’t it be held in Chicago?One that is who is control of this state now and two that is where all of the big pork projecte are going.
- ISU REP - Wednesday, Mar 8, 06 @ 10:13 am:
Speaking of this I have heard rumblings of when they starting refurbishing the chambers in the Capitol that if it is not completed by the time the legislature is back in session they will be meeting in Chicago because the Thompson Center has rooms that are set up remarkably like the chambers! Coincidence, I think not…but these are only rumors of course…
- anon - Wednesday, Mar 8, 06 @ 10:31 am:
I can’t think of the last time a governor attended an approp hearing anywhere. Can anyone else?
- SenorAnon. - Wednesday, Mar 8, 06 @ 10:57 am:
Well, the HGOP threw a pile, and it stuck to the Belleville News-Democrat’s editorial page.
When was the last time Mike Madigan was dictated to by anyone?
- Smitty Irving - Wednesday, Mar 8, 06 @ 8:36 pm:
Glad this issue is back - missed it the first time. The idea that the public is better served if the hearings are in Springfield and covered by Doug Finke is LAUGHABLE. Every Governor since Oglivie has introduced his budget and included a supplemental for the current year - often to meet payrolls. FY 2006 was the same - and the introduced budget contained a supplemental for payrolls. Yet in April or May when Blagojevich met with the 4 Tops and mentioned the supplemental, Doug Finke reported on it like it was a brand new item. To paraphrase Rich Miller, our gracious host, “Doug Finke specializes in snarky columns about Blagojevich” … . Besides, with blogs, who needs snarky newspaper coverage?