Budget stuff
Wednesday, Aug 1, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Tribune has an adequate MSM roundup today about the budget talks…
Negotiators are discussing how much money should go to schools, a 90-cent per pack cigarette tax increase and the possibility of adding more casino gambling to shore up the funding gap or pay for construction projects, such as schools.
Watson said discussion about expanding gambling has focused on adding positions on current riverboats and allowing as few as one casino, likely to be in Chicago because that is a “logical choice.”
“We could have some support for advancement of gaming of some sort,” Watson said. “And a casino would obviously be part of that.”
Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago), who has supported opening a casino in Chicago and adding several more riverboats, said everything is still on the bargaining table.
* Sun-Times…
A Chicago casino emerged Tuesday as a potential way out of the state’s deepening budgetary morass, but top lawmakers couldn’t agree how to divvy up the massive windfall it might generate. […]
But GOP leaders said they would like to see revenues from a city casino go, at least in part, toward a statewide construction program.
Last week, Senate Democrats proposed a 90-cent hike in state cigarette taxes to fund a capital program — a plan Republicans oppose. Questioned about the prospects of a city casino deal, Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson (R-Greenville) said, “I don’t want to mislead anyone. We’ve got a long ways to go.”
* The Post-Dispatch has a funny little bit…
Deputy Gov. Sheila Nix suggested that legislative leaders needed to resolve their own differences; Nix however would not discuss at length disagreements between the Legislature and Blagojevich, especially the topic of state health care expansion, a sticking point for the governor.
* And adds…
Lower level negotiations over details continued as well, but one key GOP negotiator, state Sen. Christine Radogno, R-Lemont, said leaders still needed to make key decisions.
“The folks at my level are waiting for those decisions on those big-picture questions — Are we going to do a gaming expansion? Are we going to do a capital program? What are we going to do with education?” Radogno said.
Right now, Radogno said that consensus was heading toward budget with a modest increase and no new programs. Radogno floated a figure of $1.7 billion increase, one of mostly natural growth with about $400 million of new education funding.
Radogno also said new revenue sources such as a casino expansion were being considered, but accomplishing that might be difficult given the pressure to finish a budget quickly.
* And finishes with this…
And answering a big question, Radogno added that “what I’ve heard from everyone is that the governor’s health care agenda is off the table right now.”
I think it will be allowed to stand or fall on its own. But the prospects aren’t great.
* The Rockford Register-Star notes this…
The governor is refusing to abandon his pursuit of a universal health-care plan, though neither the Senate nor House has mustered enough votes to approve it. Lawmakers are more interested in increasing state spending on schools and crafting a capital construction plan.
* Meanwhile, the stunts continue…
A state lawmaker from Forsyth on Tuesday introduced a constitutional amendment that would require the governor to be in Springfield every day the state legislature is in session.
State Rep. Bill Mitchell filed House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 27 as budget talked dragged on and the threat of a government shutdown loomed. The state’s new budget should have taken effect July 1, and a one-month extension is expiring.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Aug 1, 07 @ 10:32 am:
Blagojevich took a huge gamble that looked like it would work - until 2006.
He came in to a fiscal mess, but believed that the economy in Illinois would rebound from the 2000 recession. So in the short term, he borrowed to the max, padded his budgets with billions to pay off his political dues, and waited for our economy to bounce back. It didn’t.
So he sold off all our assets, that is, the ones he could, then borrowed more. Our state economy still didn’t rebound.
By 2006, our situation changed for the worst. Not only didn’t our economy grow at the national rate, the business climate he set politically was a disincentive to invest in Illinois. His politics compounded his budget problem.
The economic boom that the US has been experiencing over the past two years mostly missed Illinois. Historically, that shouldn’t have happened. So, now we are really stuck.
This is not the time to increase our spending. As the economy cools, any more borrowing and any more taxes will send Illinois sliding further downhill with no boom on the horizon to pay the bills. We have definately reached a tipping point in our state.
Like our budget, our state’s economy is exhausted. Our population is aging and demanding more social spending as our business prospects are declining. New thriving industries are locating outside our state. Chicago’s push to keep up with global cities is stagnant, our Federal Board’s most recent reports show that Chicago’s economy is more regional that ever.
Our Illinois Democrats have rarely shown a hesitation in helping themselves to our money. But take a look at what has been happening this year. They are scared. They are looking at us like we are terminal patients with days to live.
As Blagojevich continues to pray for outside economic intervention to pay off his gambles, Madigan is tightening the state’s belt, and Jones is shoveling as much loot to his family and friends while we have loot to take.
Forget the budget crisis folks, this isn’t a one-year deal. This is the way things will be in Illinois for a long while. Like Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan, and Massachusetts, Illinois is in a Blue State Funk and can only coast right now on it’s past successes. It looks like the General Assembly have stopped their trough-fest long enough to see the writing on the wall, and are now fighting over the scraps left behind.
Blagojevich better pray harder.
- Jaded - Wednesday, Aug 1, 07 @ 10:33 am:
What a dumb idea. I can see actually thinking a Governor should be in town when he/she calls a special session. My reason for this is that he/she is the one forcing legislators back to town for a whatever reason he/she deems necessary. In that instance, if it is important for the legislature to be in town the governor should be in town.
However, forcing a governor to be in Springfield to adhere to separate schedules created by the Senate and the House is nothing more than a stupid political stunt.
- Macbeth - Wednesday, Aug 1, 07 @ 10:36 am:
Bring on the gambling, I say. Seriously.
I’d love a place near Chicago with a decent poker room. No-limit and limit hold ‘em would be awesome.
- BlueByrd - Wednesday, Aug 1, 07 @ 2:02 pm:
Rod needs to nix Nix.
- Cassandra - Wednesday, Aug 1, 07 @ 3:35 pm:
Well, you can’t fault the guv for trying to pull some money away from the ever-so-greedy education-industrial complex to expand health inurance access for hundreds of thousands of Illinoisians.
If the teachers’ unions had their way, we’d be turning over our entire paychecks to the school system. And don’t ask any questions about what they’re doing with it, either.
- Squideshi - Wednesday, Aug 1, 07 @ 3:59 pm:
Article V, Section 1 of the Illinois Constitution provides, “The Executive Branch shall include a Governor, Lieutenant
Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Comptroller
and Treasurer elected by the electors of the State. They
shall keep the public records and maintain a residence at the
seat of government during their terms of office.” (Emphasis added.)
Okay you legal eagles out there, is there any case law out there that addresses this provision? Must the Governor’s PRIMARY residence be in Springfield, or is it merely sufficient that he maintain A residence in Sprinfield? In addition, what exactly does it mean, in a legal sense, to “maintain” a residence? Does what Blagojevich does actually meet the requirement of this standard?
Next question… Could something like a mandamus suit be filed in order to force the Governor to comply with this provision of the Illinois Constitution? Who would have the standing to file such a suit? Could the Attorney General do it?
- annon - Wednesday, Aug 1, 07 @ 6:26 pm:
Hey Bill ? Sounds like the same thing Scot England , GOP candidate for rep., talked about back in 04…when the state was going through a similar mess.