Frequent flyer
Thursday, Jun 21, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Since this resolution was first mentioned in the comment section here yesterday, I figured I should front-page it now. [emphasis added]
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that the Governor reside in Springfield ready to negotiate during the General Assembly’s scheduled overtime session and any special session days filed pursuant to gubernatorial proclamation.
Yesterday, House Resolution 507 was quietly popped out of the House Rules Committee and into Rep. Jack Franks’ State Government Administration Committee. Rep. Franks has been a constant critic of Gov. Blagojevich.
Remember, these things don’t just happen on their own. The Rules Committee is tightly controlled by House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Considering all the interest in how much time and money the governor is spending flying back and forth between Chicago and Springfield this spring, the resolution may get some mainstream media attention.
* Here are a couple of stories about our frequent flyer governor. The Post-Dispatch…
As Illinois inches toward a budgetary crisis, taxpayers this month have been spending almost $6,000 a day, several days a week, to fly Gov. Rod Blagojevich from his Chicago home to his Springfield office and back, records show.
The total bill in the past month may be as high as $75,000, the records indicate.
* AP…
After seeing the AP analysis, Rep. Rosemary Mulligan, R-Des Plaines, said she was “highly insulted that he cannot get his butt down here to get things done in a timely fashion, and then go home and waste gas at the taxpayers’ expense.”
“He doesn’t seem to care,” added Naperville Republican Rep. James Meyer. “He comes down here when he feels like it for an hour or two, then back to the Chicago area to be at home with his family. I want to know when this governor is going to be serious about running the state.”
Past governors have either lived in Springfield or stayed in the capital while the legislature was in session. Blagojevich lives in Chicago and prefers to go home at the end of each day.
Lawmakers typically meet in Springfield three days a week, and Blagojevich has been flying to Springfield each day. If he arrived at the start of each week’s session and stayed at the Executive Mansion until the end, the cost of his flights would be about two-thirds less.
Blagojevich’s office refused to answer questions about the matter.
- Huh? - Thursday, Jun 21, 07 @ 8:51 am:
The cost of the airbored governot is not just the pilots salaries, landing fees and fuel. There are hidden costs of the 100 hour checks and other maintenance costs. I think that the $5800 per day commute is low.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Jun 21, 07 @ 8:56 am:
His Airborne Highness needs to have someone nail his feet to the ground and glue his butt in his seat.
It is time for the nonsense to end and for this state to be governed by this supposed governor.
- Ambulance chaser - Thursday, Jun 21, 07 @ 9:00 am:
All criticism of the governor on this matter is warranted. Even as a resident of Chicagoland, I think the governor should live, at least some of the time, in Springfield. Especially when there is serious work needed, like now! But, hey, don’t blame me… back in the day I voted for Vallas! Come on home, Paul!
- This Guy - Thursday, Jun 21, 07 @ 9:01 am:
I think VM is half correct.
I think it’s time for Illinois to be governed by a REAL governor. Blago’s had his chance, and he continues to run roughshod over the people and our money.
I say this to the legislature: Keep Big Rod and his minions out of negotiations, stop the leadership peeing contests and get down to doing the jobs you were elected to do.
My hope is that it doesn’t take a week of hour-a-day meetings for them to decide how to act on each of the aforementioned suggestions.
- Northside Bunker - Thursday, Jun 21, 07 @ 9:13 am:
I’m tellin’ ya…..Milo’s staying airborne so Fitz can’t serve his highness anymore subpoenas.
Maybe Holland could turn off the jet fuel.
- GoodForBlago - Thursday, Jun 21, 07 @ 9:27 am:
The planes again? They may well be (are!) a waste of money, but not because Blago flies back and forth all the time- because the planes would be flying anyway, with him or without him. That is the issue- if they are going to be flying anyway, why shouldn’t people use them?
- OneMan - Thursday, Jun 21, 07 @ 9:41 am:
GoodForBlago..
He isn’t flying the regulary scheduled shuttle.
- Clara "The Clairvoyant" - Thursday, Jun 21, 07 @ 10:02 am:
Jack Franks is “my kind of man”. Atta boy, Jack!
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jun 21, 07 @ 10:07 am:
OneMan had it exactly right. That plane wouldn’t be flying without the guv. It only carries himself and his top staff. It’s not a regularly scheduled flight.
- capitol view - Thursday, Jun 21, 07 @ 10:24 am:
I’m coming to the conclusion that the best way to end this session is for the legislature to make the governor irrevelevant, by passing compromise revenue and appropriations bills with a 3/5 majority. There are Republicans with universities and major state facilities who will want to vote for a tax increase or gaming expansion. Even Frank Watson has at least one prison in his district.
But there is no teamwork between the chambers. Before, the Senate would not pass a budget until public utilities were addressed. Now that public utilities issue may not be going up on the board in the Senate, because if both chambers pass it Speaker Madigan may gavel the spring session over and leave the Senate with just his SB 1132 budget fragment as the only option for starting out FY 08.
One chamber wants four new casinos, the other wants none - even if Chicago is long overdue for one. Is this so hard to find a middle ground on?
Emil Jones wants to spend more money on education and human services, and Mike Madigan is a fiscal conservative. So what’s the compromise? Raise revenues with gaming and some new sales taxes on selected services, but put half of the new money into the pension funds to satisfy Madigan, and spread the other half around to education (el ed & higher) and community based human services.
Someone has to remind these leaders that Democratic policy direction should mean supporting good government and party values such as education and human services. Health care may fit in, but a real plan with real broad based benefits, all within the private sector - not just a slogan.
- A Citizen - Thursday, Jun 21, 07 @ 10:29 am:
Surely the gov has a high roller contributor with a plane he could use? If not, maybe a private sector provider might charter for cheaper.
- He makes Ryan look like a saint - Thursday, Jun 21, 07 @ 10:46 am:
If they get rid of the Div Of Aeronotics it will save the state a lot of $$$$
- Team Sleep - Thursday, Jun 21, 07 @ 10:49 am:
I think Blago truly believes that, because he was re-elected to a second term, he can do whatever he so desires. This includes flying back-and-forth every day, never talking to the press, hosting dog-and-pony shows, calling legislators lazy and seeing no reason to do the people’s business.
Maybe Acting Secretary Milt Sees should tell Blago’s handlers that IDOT’s planes are no longer avaible; he could have them all flown to some “hidden location”. That would make this even more interesting! And to anyone who doesn’t understand sarcasm, I’m not sure if I was being sarcastic or not.
- 312 - Thursday, Jun 21, 07 @ 10:58 am:
It’s common sense… when you have a job that requires travel, you know that you’re going to miss time with your loved ones. It’s part of the ‘package’ that you signed on for… Oh wait, it’s Rod we are talking about…
If ANY employee, salesperson or CEO pulled the kind of stunt our alleged governor is doing, the boss / board / shareholders would be calling them on the carpet. And Huh? Makes a good point about the hidden additional costs.
This sounds like something that would be done by Conrad Black, the Enron boys, the Tyco tycoon, et al.
I volunteer tomorrow’s QOTD — where could last month’s $75,000 for Air-Rod be better spent?
- Ken in Aurora - Thursday, Jun 21, 07 @ 11:35 am:
He should be 1099ed for usage of the plane!
- A Citizen - Thursday, Jun 21, 07 @ 12:43 pm:
My goodness, the gov’s carbon footprint must be HUGE! Where’s the environmentalists’ outrage?
- Huh? - Thursday, Jun 21, 07 @ 1:08 pm:
Makes Ryan look like a saint - Division of aeronautics does more than just fly the airbored governot. They are the interface between the FAA and the local airports. If you want to build a private airport, you go through Aeronautics.
- WARDOG - Thursday, Jun 21, 07 @ 2:27 pm:
I remember when former Director of DOC Snyder got into trouble for using a state plane to go to his daughters ball game. He paid the state back monies and then when Blago got in office, he had the plane used by corrections sold!! Now Blago is spending the taxpayers money “like a drunken sailor.” Talk about being hypocritical.
- steve schnorf - Thursday, Jun 21, 07 @ 4:13 pm:
Every Governor makes plenty of one day trips back and forth between Springfield and Chicago. It seems to me a little disingenous to say he’s not in Sprinfield enough, and then criticize him for coming virtually daily.
- A Citizen - Thursday, Jun 21, 07 @ 5:52 pm:
Steve - 2 or 3 hours a couple of days a week and accomplishing nothing IS a waste and he should be criticized for it. However, that being said he did achieve national if not “global” notoriety - his flying escapades were reported on cable news and not in a favorable way but as a buffoon. I agree.
- For Sale - Cheap! - Thursday, Jun 21, 07 @ 6:53 pm:
Are there any grown ups that can govern the State? Maybe Wisconsin would be interested in a hostile take over. Oh wait, everyone knows Illinois is just going to implode so might as well wait for the rummage sale.
- Disgusted - Thursday, Jun 21, 07 @ 10:36 pm:
I’ve been waiting for the national media to discover the humor factor in Milarod’s buffoonery.
Today was the day - they all took a swipe at him.
I’ve been e-mailing articles from local newspapers and blogs to “Crooks and Liars” which is an appropriate arena to highlight our local Nero.
- Shelbyville - Thursday, Jun 21, 07 @ 11:56 pm:
If the legislature would just meet in Chicago, we wouldn’t have this problem.
- For Sale - Cheap! - Friday, Jun 22, 07 @ 4:37 am:
Shelbyville - What makes you think Blago would bother to show up if they met in Chicago? He keeps his distance for a reason. It’s all the more convenient that Springfield is far away. He wants to be Gov but doesn’t want to do the work because they’ll soon find out what he knows. He’s in over his head. The longer he waits the longer he gets to play Governor without people telling him he does not know what he’s doing.
Better for him to throw stones from a safe distance and hide behind his staff. He’s not up to the job.
- steve schnorf - Friday, Jun 22, 07 @ 8:12 am:
Citizen,
that’s a different criticism, though.