* Most Statehouse types respect House Speaker Madigan. If they don’t respect his priorities, they do respect his leadership abilities. The following was written by Rep. Jim Sacia, a downstate Republican. You won’t find much like this written about any other legislative leader by a member of the opposing party…

…Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) who, in my opinion, is unquestionably the brightest politician in Springfield and knows more about this process than the majority of us could ever hope to know. Three years ago during our 54 day overtime session he was the steady leader. My expectation is he’ll do it again.

* Those who opposed a massive tax increase this year, like Sacia, are undoubtedly happy that Madigan helped push the General Assembly into overtime.

Unlike Madigan, the governor isn’t popular at the Statehouse. Neither was Jim Edgar, for much the same reasons - legislative aloofness and an inability to close the big deals. Edgar had several go-arounds with Madigan during his first term. By his second term, both men declared a mutual truce and worked together. Yesterday’s statement from the governor’s office was yet another indication that Blagojevich is not eager to follow the Edgar playbook and try to get along with MJM…

Amid a budget deadlock, the Illinois House has canceled a day of session this week, and Gov. Rod Blagojevich is not happy about it.

The House was scheduled to meet today through Thursday, but Speaker Michael Madigan decided Tuesday’s session wasn’t necessary. Spokesman Steve Brown said most legislation has been taken care of, so lawmakers have little to do until top officials come up with ideas for breaking the impasse over a new state budget.

The Senate won’t be in session either, and Blagojevich will be talking to legislative leaders Tuesday. But the Democratic governor says House members should be in Springfield so they can respond to any new budget proposals.

“Voters pay them to work, so they should be at the Capitol finishing the work of the people,” spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff said in a statement.

She argued it’s more important for the House to be in session than for the Senate because Madigan frequently surveys his members to see what measures they would support.

* That last point is correct, but the leaders haven’t made enough progress yet to survey members on much of anything. Actually, they haven’t made any progress, prompting this aggravated sigh from Rep. John Fritchey yesterday…

I’ve previously posted my thoughts about the Governor now claiming gridlock because of our not being in Springfield after months (years?) of his absence in Springfield.

And I will share that, without exception, the many people who approached me on the issue over these last few days are not buying his statements either.

To Abby’s credit, at least she doesn’t attempt to say that it was the Governor himself that wants to meet with us, but rather his Administration. I’m sure that meetings between the House members and his administration would be very productive.

Our future would be more secure coming from a fortune cookie.

* The governor’s people apparently leaked this to CBS2, but they never mentioned it last week, focusing instead on the guv’s opposition to raising local sales taxes to bail out the RTA…

Gov. Rod Blagojevich has told the state’s top legislative leaders that he will not approve a budget that does not include $100 million in additional funding for the CTA.

It is the first time Blagojevich has put a dollar figure on possible aid for the CTA, which has a $110 million deficit for 2007.

If true, he didn’t bother to tell the TV station how he intends to pay for it. That would be, you know, kinda crucial.

* And, finally, just remember that while overtime sessions are often frustrating, they’re historically common…

Missed budget deadlines are not all that uncommon in Illinois.

Although the new fiscal year begins July 1, a report from the General Assembly’s Legislative Research Unit shows the General Assembly adjourning after then two of every three years between 1970 and 1994. […]

While the administration is again raising the specter of a shutdown next month, historically that’s not a problem, said Charles Wheeler, director of the Public Affairs Reporting program at the University of Illinois-Springfield and a close observer of the budget process for more than three decades.

Previously, when budget negotiations stretched into July, there was an agreement that state employees would continue to get paid and state government would continue to operate at existing levels for the few more weeks it took to iron out a budget deal.

* More overtime stuff, compiled by Paul…

* Legislative overtime could bring sudden death to some issues

* Speaker Madigan: Urging Senate to OK ‘7 percent solution’

* Funds for McHenry Co. road project ‘missing’; more at Illinoize

* Freshmen legislators find gridlock frustrating, educational

* Key votes taken by freshmen Senate Democrats

* Former Gov. Walker: Lawmakers lack ethics