Another disaster
Wednesday, Jun 20, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Yesterday’s leaders meeting didn’t even broach the subject of the state budget…
With Illinois Comptroller Dan Hynes warning of financial upheaval if the state’s budget impasse continues much longer, Gov. Rod Blagojevich and the four legislative leaders resumed their talks.
They did not talk about the budget. […]
“It was another show-and-tell meeting,” said House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago. “There was no discussion about adoption of a budget for the state of Illinois.” We’re beginning to wonder when any of these meetings are going to find their way to a discussion of adopting a budget.”
“Did it move the ball forward on the budget? No,” said House Republican Leader Tom Cross of Oswego. “It’s hard for me to speculate on why we are doing these types of presentations. We need to start having a hard-core discussion about how we are going to balance the budget.” […]
“I just don’t see where the realism has sunk in yet with the governor as to where we truly are in the process,” said Senate Republican Leader Frank Watson of Greenville. “No gross-receipts tax. No massive new programs. We have to live within our means, and that’s not something he’s willing to accept at this point.”
* Instead, as I told you yesterday, the leaders spent all their time talking about the governor’s health insurance plan, including brief comments by former congressman Dick Gephardt…
Gephardt’s group is a coalition of labor union officials, insurance executives and others who argue that universal heath care is not only sound social policy, but an important economic issue. Inside the closed-door meeting, participants said, Gephardt helped open discussion of health care, but then turned it over to experts who were on hand.
“He just gave introductory comments about the importance of health care and working at the national level,” said Sen. Frank Watson, R-Greenville. He said Gephardt left the room after his remarks.
House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, was more charitable about the contributions of his fellow Democrat. “He’s a very strong advocate,” Madigan said.
But Madigan maintained his stance that Blagojevich’s health care plan isn’t fiscally realistic.
Watson and other leaders in both parties have expressed frustration at the pace of the budget talks. They’ve accused Blagojevich of turning the meetings into lobbying sessions for goals that are effectively dead this year, instead of making headway on practical issues impeding a budget agreement.
* Things didn’t go well at all yesterday…
“I don’t see this really being productive at all. I told the governor that when we left. ‘Why don’t we talk about realistic issues like the budget?” said Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson
“It’s not the normal way we handle budget negotiations,” House Minority Leader Tom Cross added.
As he exited the Statehouse on Tuesday, Gephardt downplayed the fact the Democrats who control state government can’t come to an agreement on a spending plan.
“I was a leader of the Democrats in the House. I guess you could have said we were dysfunctional, too,” Gephardt said.
* Meanwhile, the SJ-R takes a hard look at Speaker Madigan’s budget proposal. It’s definitely worth a read…
As budget negotiations trundle on between the governor and the four legislative leaders, Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, has reiterated that the House has already passed a slow-growth budget that would increase spending by $800 million - about 1.5 percent. Even though Madigan has acknowledged that the House budget is at least $600 million short of what’s needed for the full year, speculation has grown that it may be the only solution - albeit a temporary one - to the current deadlock.
That’s not good news, say advocates for the state’s children, senior citizens, disabled and lower-income residents.
“You end up getting what you pay for, unfortunately,” said the Rev. Jennifer Kottler, deputy director of Protestants for the Common Good.
The House budget, which is being held in that chamber on a parliamentary maneuver, essentially holds spending for social services at current levels, Kottler said.
* The leaders meeting today is set for 1 o’clock. It looks as though the guv’s plane is on its way to O’Hare and is scheduled to leave Chicago at 10 am. Track it in comments.
* Audio from after the leaders meeting…
* Speaker Madigan…
[audio:Madigan19th.mp3]
* Leader Cross…
[audio:Cross19th.mp3]
* Leader Watson…
[audio:Watson19th.mp3]
* Dep. Governor Nix…
[audio:Nix19th.mp3]
* Dick Gephardt…
[audio:Dick19th.mp3]
- IT'S All A SHOW! - Wednesday, Jun 20, 07 @ 9:59 am:
It might as well be an empty plane. Milo should just home and do whatever he does.
The state turns off the jet fuel if we are in such dire fiscal straits.
- Fan of the Game - Wednesday, Jun 20, 07 @ 10:05 am:
Universal health care may be good “social policy,” but it is not good government policy.
- Jaded - Wednesday, Jun 20, 07 @ 10:08 am:
So when the Governor wants to duck reporters on why he can’t file his income taxes on time, he hides behind his wife. When he wants to duck reporters at the state fair, he hides behind his daughter, and when he wants to avoid public comment completely regarding the budget fiasco, he hides behind Sheila Nix. So much for testicular verility.
- Steve Brown - Wednesday, Jun 20, 07 @ 10:12 am:
Rich forgot to tell everyone that the Speaker met with the Congressman,labor leaders and the think tankers for a long time last week.
Probably ran out of space
- Macbeth - Wednesday, Jun 20, 07 @ 10:19 am:
And Blagojevich is a man — apparently — concerned about his legacy.
What a strange, odd man.
If the government shuts down, Blagojevich will have no legacy.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jun 20, 07 @ 10:26 am:
I don’t understand how the three republican leaders - Watson, Cross and Madigan - can say with a straight face that talking about the Governor’s health proposal is not “talking about the budget.” Any program - current or proposed - that requires funding is part of the budget discussions. I’m also not sure how they wash their hands of the idea of universal coverage - the Health Care Justice Act was initiated by the legislature, not the Governor, 24 of the 30 members were from the 4 leaders, and after a year’s study, the committee voted to support a universal health plan, with votes coming from all 4 leaders’ appointees. Although the Gov may call it “his” plan, it’s just a tweak of the committee’s plan.
Every session, everyone knows that certain issues other than the simple line items of each agency are “part of the budget.” This session the mix includes electric rates, gambling, revenues, education, transportation and health care. If you’re talking about those issues, you ARE talking about the budget. The 3 leaders’ comments are very disingenuine.
- Listener - Wednesday, Jun 20, 07 @ 10:27 am:
What’s more entertaining than listening to Speaker Madigan’s daily summary of the leaders’ meetings (”we did nothing today”) and then listening to Shelia Nix saying “the meeting went very well”.
- cermak_rd - Wednesday, Jun 20, 07 @ 10:33 am:
If the Rev. Kottler is concerned about shortchanging the vulnerable, why doesn’t she do some research and mention specific examples of people (actual, living people) who actually will be hurt in specific ways?
- play by play - Wednesday, Jun 20, 07 @ 10:46 am:
Rod’s plane’s been rescheduled to leave at noon instead of 10am. Looks like the 1:00 meeting won’t start on time.
- Crimefighter - Wednesday, Jun 20, 07 @ 10:57 am:
Avoidjevich doesn’t give a rip about the state. Shelia should get Nix’ed entirely.
- Captain America - Wednesday, Jun 20, 07 @ 11:44 am:
I agree with the Governor’s vision on healthcare. But his vision has become a delusion if he thinks any major progress in achieving his vision can be achieved this session given that the Republicans have a seat at the table.
I don’t like Madigan’s budget at all.It’s inadequate at best, but at least, it’s better than no budget at all. Maybe I could support it if there is a firm understanding/commitment among the Democratic leadership that supplemantal appropriation and revenue measures would be considered for the second half of the fiscal year. No education,health or human service program expenditures should be reduced in an ideal maintenance budget.
- i d - Wednesday, Jun 20, 07 @ 12:18 pm:
Let’s go with the budget that has already passed the house. If each agency starts with a $0 budget and must get approval for each agency program, we may be able to come in under the house budget. Can we say: NO PORK?
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jun 20, 07 @ 12:26 pm:
BLAGO, NIX & CO. DON’T GET IT
first of all, the fact that blago is importing an out-of-state has been in late june to talk about an issue that isn’t even ON THE TABLE shows how clueless he is.
most dem members i think its fair to say are in FAVOR OF universal healthcare coverage. what they are OPPOSED TO is the MANNER IN WHICH REVENUE WOULD BE GENERATED TO PAY FOR THE PROGRAM.
the four leaders and the guv haven’t even agreed upon NEW REVENUE SOURCES for the 08 budget. heck, they can’t even agree upon how natural revenue growth will be appropriated.
so what blago & co. need to realize is:
1) UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN AS PART OF THE 08 BUDGET.
2) BLAGO THEN NEEDS TO CUT THE CRAP AND FOCUS. quit having nix do a poor job of spinning for you. instead, show up on time for meetings, quit trading barbs with the speaker, meet with reporters, cut everyone out of the room with the legislative leaders (there’s no need to have 20 people there) and find some common ground on revenue sources for the 08 budget besides natural growth (gaming expansion, leasing the lottery, etc.).
if you can’t agree on new revenue sources, then its ’slow growth’ budget time for 08 and focus on that.
blago continually illustrates how he’s so bassackward when he’s talking about programs like comprehensive health care coverage late in june WITH NO WAY TO PAY FOR THEM.
this administration is A JOKE.
- Team Sleep - Wednesday, Jun 20, 07 @ 12:26 pm:
I really wish OUR governor would comment on OUR budget. I don’t remember Sheila Nix’s name being on the ballot last November.
- Former-Missourian/Current-Suburbanite - Wednesday, Jun 20, 07 @ 12:29 pm:
Richard Gephardt? Absolutely AMAZING. I lived in Missouri for 18 years and he’s on the same level as Dick Durbin; Champion of Passionate Complaining, but nothing for constituents. Is anyone surprised that nothing came out of the meeting yesterday? Unbelievable.
- Huh? - Wednesday, Jun 20, 07 @ 12:57 pm:
I wonder if CMS has run out of jet fuel. If they haven’t run out of jet fuel, how much more do they have on hand?
I am sure that many of the IDOT maintenance yards have run out of fuel and now have to buy at the local service station.
Pingback ArchPundit » Blog Archive » Could You At Least Talk About the Budget? - Wednesday, Jun 20, 07 @ 1:11 pm:
[…] Apparently we are ruled by a giant child. And let me make clear, I think the GRT was a good idea and the health care plan was generally doable from a policy sense, though the politics were bad. […]
- Tessa - Wednesday, Jun 20, 07 @ 3:57 pm:
An example of people who will be affected: people in DHS living in state operated centers, “targeted” to be placed in community agency homes when there’s no money available to place them, and no money for the added services they’ll need to uphold the placement when it’s in jeopardy. Oh, and then there’s that itsy bitsy problem of lack of staff in the state centers because there’s been no money put in the budget for staff, so they just run on lots of overtime, which comes out of a different budget. And that’s deemed okay, because “normal folks” don’t care about that.
Ask for a breakdown of what a state op pays out for pay and OT and you’ll be amazed. Freaking crazy. I’m supposed to provide the best services, but they won’t let us anymore. That’s loss of services for you.
Community agencies are getting cut money worse than the state now.
- Little Egypt - Wednesday, Jun 20, 07 @ 9:24 pm:
Does this mean that if the State has no budget on July 1, IDOT has no money, and the planes have no fuel? Will that mean Blago will for the first time in 5 years have a REAL excuse for not being in Springfield?
- Huh? - Thursday, Jun 21, 07 @ 7:26 am:
Little E - Unfortunately, the pilots most likely have credit cards so they can purchase fuel at the airport gas stations. Hence, the airbored governot will still be able to fly during his daily commute. Must be nice.