This just in… Part 2 *** Updated x7 ***
Thursday, May 31, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller * 6:21pm - Not that it would have done any good, but there was no leaders meeting today. Apparently, the guv is still assessing the situation (yes, he’s in town) and Sen. Prez Jones has been busy meeting with his members. Jones has quite the situation on his hands. He wants to pass a gaming bill, but downstaters are steamed that the results of the Senate Exec Committee’s passage of the rate freeze weren’t read into the record last night, preventing floor action today. Tomorrow, of course, the bill will require a three-fifths vote to pass. Yet another coinkydink I’m sure. * In other news, AT&T’s bill to ease its way into cable TV zoomed out of the House this evening. * And stay tuned late tonight for some possible developments. Sorry, but I can’t say more than that. * 6:56pm - Tom Cross just walked into Madigan’s office. He wouldn’t say why. Not even sure why I’m posting this. Just thought you’d like to know. * 7:20pm - The Speaker just announced a three days per week schedule for the month of June. The guv has yet to speak on this topic, however. More importantly, the rate freeze negotiations are rapidly heating up, according to two sources involved. Downstaters in the Senate won’t vote for a boat bill until this issue is taken care of. * 8:52pm - Strong reason to belive that Sen Jones might have finally compromised enough to pass the gaming bill tonight. * 9!00pm - Senate Approp Committe is doing a subject matter only hearing on the House approved budget. The parliamentary hold is still in place on the bill in the House, which has adjourned the “regular” session and won’t be beck until tomorrow. * 9:20pm - Looks like the surprise I told you about earlier is off. Ali Ata’s indictment today means the guv may not make an appearance. * 10:30 - Here we go. Senate is starting the gaming bill (HB 25). Barring GOP votes, this could be close. * 10:58pm - The guv’s office says they are monitoring the Senate before making a decision on what to do, so I suppose a presser is still possible.
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This just in… Holbrook holds up budget, and updates *** Updated x1 ***
Thursday, May 31, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller * Rep. Holbrook hasn’t returned my call either, and the House Dems have refused comment, but this is as good a theory as any I’ve heard… [Holbrook has now returned my call. See “Update 1″ below]
* Word is the Senate Democrats will remove all language pertaining to Chicago State University from the gaming bill and run it today. The bill will include other changes as well. * The so-called “seven percent solution” property tax assesment cap bill will likely be called in the Senate today. It flew out of the House with over a hundred votes yesterday. The governor, however, has privately said that he might veto the bill. Stay tuned. * Meanwhile, a proposal to levy a quarter-percent sales tax for the RTA/CTA jetted out of a House committee today with bipartisan support. The governor has indicated he will veto the bill if it ever reaches his desk. * No word yet on when or if the Senate will call the electric utility rate freeze, but check back later. * Also, a bill to make it easier for AT&T to enter the cable TV industry rocketed out of a House committee this morning and easy passage is expected in that chamber, and perhaps both chambers. *** UPDATE 1 *** Rep. Tom Holbrook just called me back to answer questions about why he put the hold on the budget bill passed by the House last night. Turns out, Aaron Chambers was right again. It was about electric rate relief. “We know there will eventually be a budget. We don’t know whether there will eventually be rate relief,” Holbrook said. Holbrook added that the Downstate Caucus voted to put the parliamentary hold on the budget yesterday and that he, as chairman, was in charge of executing the plan. Holbrook also said that he told House Speaker Michael Madigan before the budget was debated last night that he would be placing the hold on the budget bill, adding, “We’ve told him all along that we don’t wish to vote on a budget until we’ve voted on the rate issue.”
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Senate Democratic plans; House Dem plans; Cable; Gnome (Use all caps in password)
Thursday, May 31, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Daley to governor: “Set your priorities”
Thursday, May 31, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller It’s doubtful that the governor will listen to Mayor Daley, but he ought to…
Daley’s comments are pretty much right on the money. There just isn’t the will to raise revenues for education, infrastructure AND health care. Time to back off.
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Question of the day
Thursday, May 31, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller Tribune or Sun-Times? Why?
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The problem with Jones *** Updated x1 with a warning ***
Thursday, May 31, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller I happen to like Senate President Emil Jones, despite all the mistakes he’s made this session (and there have been many). But there’s no escaping the fact that his credibility has been shot to hell this year. Phil Kadner puts his finger on it in today’s Southtown column…
As I told you yesterday, Country Club Hills has long been a contender for a Southland riverboat. Part of its proposal is to redistribute money from the boat revenues to neighboring towns and the mayor was baffled when it was excluded from Jones’ bill. He shouldn’t have been. The mayor is a strong ally of Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. and Dolton Mayor Bill Shaw is a longtime foe of Jackson. Kadner’s column finishes this way…
Jones has had way too many convenient coinkydinks for my taste this session. * Related stories…
NOTICE: I posted this in comments and I’ll post it here, too, as a further warning…
Please don’t make me ban you. Thanks.
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Stumbling towards overtime
Thursday, May 31, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller Nobody reported anything about the Senate Democratic caucus yesterday, where the spending and revenue-generating plans (including the casino expansion proposal) put forward by Senate President Emil Jones and Gov. Rod Blagojevich went down in flames. For details on that, you’ll have to be a Capitol Fax subscriber. For the rest of you, here’s the public roundup of yesterday’s events… * Tribune…
* Gatehouse…
* Daily Herald…
What that means is the pension funds will get their money (no matter what the Republicans claim) because it will come right off the top. Funding for the rest of state government will be shortchanged as a result. * Sun-Times…
* Daily Herald…
* Meanwhile, the governor seems to be preparing for the summer session and may bring his family to town. I broke this yesterday, and Bernie leads his column off with the item today…
* More budget stuff, compiled by Paul…
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Morning Shorts
Thursday, May 31, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson * Ad touting Blagojevich still on the air
* Editorial: Make the right moves on mass transit * Rep. Fritchey: State must renew 7% solution * House Oks plan for county sales tax
* Lawmakers approve license plate bill to support private out-of-state schools; more here * Revising home value caps * Eric Zorn: Giving new life to debate on death penalty
* Governors start to back 2008 candidates * County incapable of fixing juvenile center say critics * State approves Cook Co. pension buyouts * Sad day for alderman after dad’s ID arrest
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This just in… *** Updated x5 ***
Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller The House will pass its own budget tonight. $290M more for schools $801M in net approp growth UPDATE: Add $84M to schools for categoricals. Also, word is that Sen. Pres. Jones may run the 3 year rate freeze to the guv’s desk so that Downstaters will vote for the budget. It’s looking like the Senate might (or not) run this low growth budget to keep the gvt running. The governor is then likely to call us into special session to deal with things like health care and education funding. Also, HDems voted in caucus on Lang’s gaming bill but it came up way short of what they’ll need to pass it. More later. UPDATE 2: 4:25pm It looks like HB1500 (to get AT&T into cable) has Madigan’s OK and may be moving soon. Also, one reason for MJM moving a budget tonight is that the guv has been prodding him publicly to come up with a plan. And those of you who think this is the final budgetary word ought to think again. By the way that “growth” listed above is net appropriations growth. UPDATE 3: The House budget will be SB 1132 House amenment 1 UPDATE 4: 10:16PM… The debate has begun. Republicans are complaining that the bill didn’t pass thru the proper hoops. . UPDATE 5: By the way, the HDems tacked the budget onto the supplemental bill, which is worth $1.2 Billion in federal funds to hospitals over the next two years.
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Priest threatens to “snuff out” legislators
Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller Rev. Michael Pfleger, pastor of St. Sabina’s Church, went way over the top this week. During a protest against Chuck’s Gun Shop, Father Pfleger twice threatened to “snuff out” the shop’s owner and threatened the same fate for legislators who oppose his position on gun control. “We’re gonna find you and snuff you out,” Fleger said about the gun shop owner, likening the man to a “rat.” He later repeated his threat to “snuff out” the owner. Fleger also had this to say to state legislators who vote against gun control measures. “We’re gonna snuff out legislators who are voting [garbled] against our gun laws and we’re coming for you because we are not going to sit idly.” The Illinois State Rifle Association, which has employed some pretty harsh rhetoric of its own but hasn’t, to my recollection, called for anyone to be “snuffed out,” had this reaction…
Audio… [Clip is fixed now.]
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Audio of Paul’s interview with the guv; Madigan and Meeks audio; The “plan”; Freeze; Taxes; Trouble; Roundup (Use all caps in password)
Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
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Illinois children can’t wait another year for reform
Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - Posted by Capitol Fax Blog Advertising Department The 2007 legislative session ends on Thursday, and lawmakers are dangerously close to leaving Springfield without any improvements in school funding and quality. Every year that state leaders refuse to act is another year that Illinois ranks nearly dead last in the nation for its share of school funding. While officials delay improvements to school funding and quality, Illinois children face another year of overcrowded classrooms, outdated materials and unsafe buildings. Students in poor areas face a growing achievement gap and lack of opportunities. Homeowners face another year of skyrocketing property taxes and a bigger share of the state’s school funding burden. And employers face a local workforce without the skills to compete in the global economy. Fed up? Call your lawmakers on A+ Illinois’ toll-free legislative hotline: 1-800-651-0315 Tell Gov. Blagojevich and your state lawmakers to pass legislation that gives every Illinois child access to a world-class education. Don’t let them end this legislative session doing nothing on school funding and quality reform. Our children have waited long enough. For more information, please visit www.aplusillinois.org
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Question of the day
Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller Next year, voters will get the chance to cast their ballots for or against calling a state constitutional convention. I usually don’t express my opinion on QOTDs, but I’m heavily leaning towards the idea. Unless you’re a fan of gridlock, the system sure appears to be broken. It’s too easily dominated by powerful players with axes to grind. Individual legislators have few, if any, rights, and they too easily give up whatever they have. The list goes on and on. Today’s question: Do you support a constitutional convention? Why or why not? What changes would you propose?
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Complications are many
Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller * This Tribune story makes the claim that the dispute over gaming is standing in the way of a budget deal…
Trust me on this, it’s not the gaming bill. Yes, the gaming proposal is a problem. A big problem. But there’s a whole lot more going on in this fight than a disagreement over a riverboat bill. * This is the problem…
They don’t talk, and when they do talk they don’t listen. * This is also the problem…
Universal health insurance is seen as a federal priority, not a state priority. The governor just didn’t have enough skill or time to convince legislators to back his ideas. * And this is another huge problem…
Focus, governor. Focus. * And now events appear to be rapidly devolving. Sen. Meeks has played the race card yet again…
Meeks said at a Black Caucus event last night that if the Chicago public school system was all white then Madigan would be a lot more eager to fully fund it. We’re in for a long summer.
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If this is the way they’re gonna play it, this thing will never pass
Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller The Senate Democrats privately insist that Calumet City is in the strongest position to get a new south suburban riverboat, but Carol Marin is absolutely right to suspect that Bill Shaw’s Dolton is in the running.
One of Mayor Shaw’s best friends is Senate President Emil Jones, and, as we’ve seen time and time again, Jones hasn’t exactly been shy about helping out friends and family this year. Jones has been pushing very hard for a south suburban casino in private leadership meetings and in talks with the governor - perhaps a bit too hard to take him at his word that his best buddy isn’t somehow in the mix. Besides Dolton and Cal City, the other eligible towns for a casino in the Senate proposal include Harvey and Chicago Heights. Country Club Hills is too far from the Indiana border (the limit is eight miles from the Indiana border) to qualify, and Mayor Dwight Welch is not happy about that.
Welch is allied with Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr., who is not exactly a major Jones ally. So it’s no surprise that his town was dumped. Meanwhile, the Senate Democrats claimed that they’ve cleaned up the gaming bill, but it doesn’t look like they did nearly enough sweeping…
So, Chicago State still gets $10 million a year while other universities split $30 million? That’s fair. Not. Discuss.
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More reform and renewal
Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller The repeated flouting of state ethics laws really needs to cease and desist…
[Emphasis added] As usual, the administration refused to answer questions about why Kelly is no longer on the list. They never feel a need to explain this stuff. But Kelly isn’t the only person who hangs out with the guv. Lon Monk, his former chief of staff, is now a bigtime lobbyist. John Wyma, his chief of staff for his congressional office, is a major Illinois lobbyist who rarely shows his face in town (he doesn’t need to as long as he has direct access to the governor). But according to the Tribune story, nobody has filed disclosure reports in the past three years.
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Morning Shorts
Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson * Internet filters for libraries hits a snag * Illinois bill calls for insurance to cover HPV vaccine
* Senate Oks bill to aid young sex offenders * School wind farms get state aid * Tougher driving bill awaits governor’s signature * IIS Radio: HPV vaccine, specialty licenses, highway markers * Michael Sneed: Former Gov. Dan Walker, Obama * CTA plea for help comes amid last minute capitol rush * CTA considered $7 a ride for rush hour commuters * Why suburban residents may bail out CTA * Parents, students: CPS proposal on wrong ‘track’ * Feds: Alderman’s father took photos for fake Ids; more here * Stroger says he will consider property tax hike * Rail authority creation on right track * State passes Peoria airport tax bill
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