* 1:25 pm - Interesting…
A ruling issued this week by a Springfield-based federal judge calls into question the legality of Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s 2005 rule requiring Illinois pharmacies to dispense emergency contraception.
The governor’s rule was designed to prevent pharmacists from being able to deny women access to “Plan B” contraceptives, even if pharmacists disagree with dispensing the drug on moral grounds. Some pharmacists consider Plan B a form of abortion because the drug can prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in a woman’s uterus.
U.S. Judge Jeanne Scott Tuesday denied a request by Wal-Mart to throw out a lawsuit filed against the Arkansas-based company by pharmacist Ethan Vandersand.
Scott sided with Vandersand, who had claimed that he was legally protected from discipline by the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act when he denied to dispense Plan B. […]
But Scott disagreed and wrote in her ruling, “The statute prohibits discrimination against any person for refusing to provide health care because of his conscience.”
She also wrote: “Providing medication … constitutes health-care services. Any person, including Vandersand, who refuses to participate in any way in providing medication because of his conscience is protected by the Right of Conscience Act.”
*** 1:34 pm *** The key word in the following piece is “September.” There’s scuttlebutt going around that the budget might pass in the next several days and then the two chambers could come back in September for a special session on the capital plan (at least, that’s what the House Republican line is)…
A deal to bail out the CTA, Metra, and Pace may be fallen apart in Springfield - all because of partisan politics.
State Representative Julie Hamos (D-Evanston) – who chairs the House Mass Transit Committee and has been the brains behind the plan – claims House Republicans are holding it as a political hostage in order to get a plan to build new roads and schools passed.
“The Republican leaders were talking about waiting to vote on the transit bill unitl September. September is too late. September is after there’s already a shutdown, and really, already a meltdown,” said Hamos.
House Republican Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) tells me there is a correlation between the two.
“A number of our people believe that we need to do mass transit and a construction bill - it’s important to do them both,” said Cross.
Hamos says she had as many as 20 Republicans on board – but now they’re dropping like flies.
CTA fare hikes and service cuts take effect September 1st, which is a big reason why Hamos is so upset at this turn of events.
*** 1:47 pm *** As you already know, the governor has asked electricity consumers to “sit tight” while he takes a close look at the electric utility rate relief bill.
He doesn’t have much time.
One of the key aspects of the bill is a provision for five-year electricity supply contracts with locked-in prices. The locked-in prices, negotiated by the attorney general’s office, for Ameren’s customers expires tomorrow.
Rep. John Bradley, who was one of the point people on the relief package, said on the House floor today that the governor’s failure to act on the legislation is jeopardizing all the work done on the bill.
“All bets are off” for Ameren customers if the bill isn’t signed tomorrow, according to a spokesperson for Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
The spokesperson added that wholesale electricity prices have risen considerably since the original contracts were negotiated, so if the bill isn’t signed by tomorrow and the contracts have to be renegotiated, consumers will suffer.
The governor’s press office has not yet returned phone and e-mail messages.
*** 2:00 pm *** Today’s 2 o’clock meeting between the four legislative leaders could be very crucial. Right now, we’re getting two conflicting versions of what’s really going on.
1) Senate President Jones is leaning towards doing a budget deal with Speaker Madigan that pares down pretty much every request by Gov. Blagojevich and includes no capital plan - which brings up the September special session that the Republicans want for capital and their threat to withhold votes for a mass transit deal unless they get the session or a capital bill now.
2) Jones is still leaning more towards Gov. Blagojevich’s battle plan.
We may know soon. Then again, maybe not. One never knows anything for sure around here, especially when there’s still six days to go before the shutdown begins.
*** 5:50 pm *** The leaders meeting wasn’t necessarily a bust, but there was no breakthrough, either. More in tomorrow’s Capitol Fax.
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Hall of Fame
Thursday, Aug 2, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
If we had a Hall of Fame for blog comments, this post yesterday by regular commenter VanillaMan would definitely be an inductee.
VanillaMan’s post was in response to the governor’s press release threatening to shut down the government if he doesn’t get what he wants out of the state budget…
“Hello 9-1-1?”
“Quick! Come to the Governor’s Mansion!”
“We have a jumper!”
And a few minutes later…
“Hey Captain?”
- “yeah”
“We’re at the Governor’s Mansion..”
- “Uh, huh”
“There’s a frazzled pugilist with nice hair standing on the roof of the Mansion threatening to jump if we don’t give him what he wants…”
- “OK - Whats the problem?”
“The General Assembly is crowded around him and are chanting, “JUMP!” “JUMP!” “JUMP - You Mother!” “JUMP!”
- “How does the guy look?”
“Happy, Captain - He’s waving at the cameras and giving everyone a big grin…”
- “Can anyone talk him down?”
“Yeah probably, but he says that if he jumps, he’s taking every state worker with him.”
- “How is he going to do that?”
“I don’t know what he means, but he is wearing some kind of a cape made out of a bed sheet…”
And this comment by Lainer on the same thread may wind up on a t-shirt…
Mississippi 1964: Freedom Summer
San Francisco 1967: Summer of Love
New York 1977: Summer of Sam
Illinois 2007: Endless Summer
Thanks much to Donald for the graphic.
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* Is this what caused Gov. Blagojevich to threaten to shut down state government yesterday? I think so, and am hearing even more about the possibility of a deal this morning. Finke has a few details of a compromise budget being worked on by the four legislative leaders without Blagojevich…
House Minority Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego, would not describe details of a plan outside of saying it will be “fairly limited” in growth.
Other Republican sources said that, as of Wednesday, the plan would not rely on raising cigarette taxes or expanding gambling, that it would contain no capital program and that education funding would increase by $650 million. That represents the midway point between the $400 million suggested by Madigan earlier this year and a $900 million increase sought by Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago. […]
None of the suggested education increases comes close to the $1.5 billion sought by Blagojevich. There’s also no mention of the governor’s plan for universal health-care coverage that has all but disappeared from budget discussions held by the four leaders without Blagojevich in attendance. If the plan comes up for a vote at all, it is expected it will be handled separately.
* That Chicago casino appears less likely now, and there may be bad news for mass transit riders…
There also were indications from House Minority Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) that a potential Chicago casino that could fund schools, state construction and other needs is “floating away into never-never land,” and a state bailout for the CTA may not be acted on in the short term.
* More…
“No casinos on the table. Zero casinos,” Senate President Emil Jones said. “Two steps forward, two steps back. They want it for capital. I want it for education.”
Jones voiced frustration after hosting another bargaining session with legislative leaders, but not Governor Rod Blagojevich. For his part, the governor told CBS 2 he is still counting on the revenue an expansion of gambling would generate in the year ahead.
“One day, gaming is on the table. The next day, it’s off the table,” the governor said, and he added he thinks it’s likely to return to the bargaining table.
* The AP throws in this line at the end of a brief story about how Gov. Blagojevich is still reviewing the electric rate relief legislation…
The relief package has also been intertwined with budget negotiations for months, and delaying action on it could give the governor some leverage as budget talks continue.
* Speaker Madigan’s spokesman dumps cold water on organized labor’s call for an income tax increase…
“The conditions that the governor has created makes it, I think, impossible to do that,” said Steve Brown, spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan.
* And the goofiness continues…
“At the end of the day, do people really care whether the Cubs win in 14 innings or 9 innings? It’s whether they win or lose. Do we care if the Bears win in overtime or regulation? Well, what we care about is whether they win or lose,” Blagojevich told reporters Wednesday.
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Bill Daley, the brother of the mayor, had a stern warning for Gov. Blagojevich in a Chicago Tribune op-ed today. Emphasis added for full impact…
This is the best year to do it; after this year we will be too close to the statewide elections in 2010. Everyone needs to jump into the pool together — Democrats and Republicans, Gov. Rod Blagojevich and the legislative leaders — and stay in until consensus is reached. Politics must take a back seat to public policy. Give the rhetoric a rest.
We live in an age of activist governors, such as Arnold Schwarzenegger in California, Edward Rendell in Pennsylvania and Eliot Spitzer in New York. All three have had to compromise on their agendas because of the power-sharing nature of government. President Bush is learning the limits of his power. His domestic agenda has stalled and his war policies face increased scrutiny from an impatient Congress.
Blagojevich might take note: step back from health-care reform, move forward on other issues, demonstrate thoughtful leadership and a willingness to compromise, and earn a second chance. If state government shuts down or Springfield adjourns without any real progress, people will not be so generous with him or his fellow Democrats in the next election.
An unfavorable comparison to Bush and an implication that his time is running out. Oof.
* Meanwhile, the governor’s office has responded to Comptroller Dan Hynes’ attack yesterday. First, here’s Hyne’s statement again, in case you missed it last night…
“It is astonishing that after signing four budgets, billions of dollars out of balance, the Governor is now finding a moral objection to a potentially out of balance budget while threatening to shut down state government in the process. The Governor’s hypocrisy knows no bounds.”
And here’s the administration’s response…
As the comptroller knows, the governor proposed a one month budget to legislative leaders last friday precisely to remove all uncertainty that a shutdown would ever be necessary. We ask Comproller Hynes to join us in this effort to have the legislature pass a one month budget immediately.
What’s most ironic about his statement is that his own office has certified that we have generated $1.8 billion in supluses over the last three fiscal years. You don’t produce unbalanced budgets when you generate surpluses of that size. These surpluses have allowed us to reduce the state’s GAAP deficit from $4.1 billion when we took office to $2.3 billion at the end of fiscal year 2006 (the FY 07 fiscal year audit has not been completed yet). Clearly, this represents steady progress in reducing this longterm debt.
As the CFO of the state, he has an obligation to the public to speak up if he believes that the general assembly is about to pass an unbalanced budget before they act, not after the fact.
Discuss.
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Sauerberg roundup
Thursday, Aug 2, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sauerberg’s US Senate announcement didn’t get a huge amount of press, considering his opponent, but here’s a roundup…
The Republican physician who hopes to run against and defeat U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin in 2008 formally announced his candidacy Wednesday.
Fifty-four-year-old Steve Sauerberg of Willowbrook, who has a family practice in LaGrange, criticized Durbin, a Springfield Democrat, as a “career politician” who does not reflect the values of many Illinoisans.
“I can no longer sit by and watch out-of-touch, ultra-liberal Sen. Dick Durbin do to America what his friend Gov. (Rod) Blagojevich is doing to Illinois,” Sauerberg said at a news conference outside the federal building in the Loop where Durbin has offices.
* He plans to highlight his chosen profession…
Sauerberg touted his experience as a physician, even having campaign signs fashioned with “Steve Sauerberg MD.” He received his medical training at Rush Medical College and Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital before starting his own practice in the western suburbs in 1985.
* He hasn’t raised a whole lot of money from others…
A Sauerberg aide said the Republican has contributed $250,000 to his campaign and raised an additional $60,000. Sauerberg predicted it would take $10 million overall to oust Durbin.
* While Durbin is flush…
Durbin raised more than $6 million so far, and as number two in Senate Democratic leadership, getting more money shouldn’t be a problem. Durbin won a second term with 60 percent of the vote in 2002.
* Crain’s…
Mr. Sauerberg has hired Pat Carlson, a one-time aide to former U.S. House Speaker and current U.S. Rep. Dennis Hastert, R-Plano, and retained as a consultant Mark Campbell, whose other clients include presidential hopeful Rudolph Giuliani.
Other, bigger-named Republicans already have taken a pass on the race — likely a sign that Mr. Durbin is the strong favorite in increasingly Democratic Illinois.
Among other Republicans who are considering running is businessman Jim Nalepa, who previously ran for Congress in the Southwest Side’s 3rd District.
* Chicagoist…
A victory for Illinois centrists? Maybe. But if this guy is going to take on one of the more witty and experienced politicians in Illinois, he’s going to have to do better than that. Dick Durbin isn’t untouchable (few Senators are - especially after 37 years). But this is the best the state GOP can do? Wouldn’t it be better for the party to focus on building victories here in the state, than sending lambs to the slaughter? With a governor a few steps shy of a federal indictment and no state budget, we’re stunned that the state party is so inconsequential. Until the Illinois GOP gets it’s act together enough to run someone against the Democrats that are dragging this state down the drain, those of us that wish there were a reasonable opposition party may just have to wait.
* Sauerberg’s 10 questions for Durbin
Thoughts?
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Morning shorts
Thursday, Aug 2, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* NEW: Hyde on respirator after bypass surgery - uncomfortable but “doing fine”
* Reilly “Pretty Optimistic”
* Chicago ABC Channel 7 Uses State-Paid Video
* Fritchey: When Rods Collide
* Scott Reeder: Poverty is not just a black problem
* Mitchell: Chicago blacks getting a new rising star - No, not Sharpton, but the daughter of Obama’s pastor
* Brown: Rev. Al sure stirs up our emotions - How many people can drive bigots up a wall — and Jesse Jackson, too?
* Ameren affirmed, removed from negative watch on power rate relief pact - Fitch
* CUB: FCC drops the ball on Internet competition
* Poshard clears up budget concerns
* Court: Chicago is not liable in porch collapse
* Dennis: Benassi, Edley added to hopper in 18th District
* Schoenburg: Vicious negativity cycle feeds on itself, says LaHood
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* 3:09 pm - Yesterday, a few of us were sitting around wondering what Gov. Blagojevich would do to reassert his relevance now that his alleged thoughts about forcing a partial shutdown had been so completely thwarted and he was being excluded from the leaders meetings.
Well, a few minutes ago the governor sent a letter to the legislative leaders threatening a government shutdown if he doesn’t get what he wants in the state budget. Of course, if he doesn’t get what he wants his veto could be overridden and there would be no shutdown, but whatever.
As I told you earlier, the governor told reporters today that state workers shouldn’t be “pawns” in the budget process. Yet, he appears to be doing just that now.
Here’s the letter, with all emphasis added…
As of today, the State of Illinois is operating without a budget. As you work to resolve your own differences and we attempt to reach a consensus on a 12-month budget, it is important to not rush to complete an agreement that fails to meet our State’s needs.
That is why, since Friday, July 27, I have asked you to pass a one-month budget extension that allows us to keep working on a 12-month budget without putting State employees at risk. Thousands of State employees, vendors and citizens that rely on State government are facing the uncertainty of payless paydays and vanishing State services. There is no reason to create a problem that is easily avoided.
I also want to reiterate to you what I said in our leaders meeting yesterday. I will not sign a budget that shortchanges the need to address education funding inequity, cuts back our work to improve healthcare, ducks the critical pension reform issues, ignores our need for infrastructure investment, and I will never sign a budget that is constructed to appear balanced but is, in fact, unbalanced and, therefore, unconstitutional. A last minute budget sent to my desk that fails on these criteria will be dead on arrival.
As always, I will work with you to attempt to bridge the differences and craft a 12-month budget.
Nevertheless, a ‘take it or leave it’ approach on a 12-month budget, sent to me as government shutdown looms, will do nothing more than simply precipitate such a shutdown. Passing a one-month budget prevents this problem.
I urge you to do so.
Sincerely,
Rod Blagojevich
Governor
This may have a lot to do with the widespread expectations that Speaker Madigan may introduce another one of his limited growth budgets and attempt to force the Senate to approve it in order to avert a shutdown.
* 3:16 pm - Oy…
Governor Rod Blagojevich says he’s prepared to spend months working to get the state budget he wants. […]
But Blagojevich said today that he’s not in a hurry to resolve the budget dispute, even if that takes a couple more months.
In fact, he says there’s nothing wrong with state officials taking a full 12 months to get the budget right.
* 3:30 pm - Leaders of several labor unions, including the AFL-CIO, are holding a press conference right now to demand an income tax hike…
We call on legislative leaders today to support a plan to increase the Illinois income tax by 1/4 % per year for four years, raising approximately $800 million per year in new revenue.
Download the press release here.
The labor leaders demanded that lawmakers “find the courage” to vote for the proposal and, without mentioning his name or his repeated veto threats, said that the General Assembly should use its power to make it happen.
We believe strong support for a modest increase in the income tax exists in both the Democratic and Republican caucuses in both chambers.
As Capitol Fax subscribers know, labor lobbyists have been working Republicans lately on the income tax and report they are making headway, particularly with this idea…
[The funds from the tax hike should be] placed in a new special fund from which appropriations could be made only upon a 3/5 vote of both chambers.
The union leaders also said they supported a “reasonable increase in gambling” to fund a bond program for “badly needed public infrastructure projects and repairs to our crumbling public schools.”
Organized labor has a major say in Democratic Party politics, and I don’t think that the Illinois AFL-CIO has ever publicly opposed Gov. Blagojevich on something so big. Therefore, this press conference has to be taken seriously. Whether they can git ‘er done is still in the “highly doubtful” category, but it’s definitely a new development.
* 6:05 pm - Oh, this is too funny. Statement from Comptroller Dan Hynes regarding Gov. Blagojevich’s press release from above…
“It is astonishing that after signing four budgets, billions of dollars out of balance, the Governor is now finding a moral objection to a potentially out of balance budget while threatening to shut down state government in the process. The Governor’s hypocrisy knows no bounds.”
Yowza, baby. I don’t think Hynes has ever put out such a harsh statement about anyone or anything.
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This just in…
Wednesday, Aug 1, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* 10:14 am - The betting was that Sen. Sullivan wouldn’t run for Ray LaHood’s open seat. The district is pretty Republican, Sullivan lives far outside the media center of Peoria and he’s up for re-election next year….
State Sen. John Sullivan, a Rushville Democrat, won’t run for the 18th District Congressional seat that U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood is vacating.
Sullivan previously had indicated he was considering a run for the office.
Sullivan, who made the announcement this morning in a news release, said he would seek re-election to his 47th State Senate District seat next year.
“Right now, I’m where I want and need to be, and I plan to continue working hard to serve the poeple of western Illinois,” he said.
* 11:42 am - Dr. Steven Sauerberg just kicked off his GOP campaign for US Senate vs. Dick Durbin. Eric Krol calls him “slippery” in his bloggy type thing headline…
# He’s “pro baby” and “pro woman,” and thinks women should be allowed to get abortions under certain circumstances. But he declined to say what those circumstances are.
# He doesn’t know how he would have voted on the federal minimum wage increase Durbin supported.
# Sauerberg’s got a plan to provide health insurance to the uninsured, but wouldn’t release the details and said he’s opposed to socialized medicine because it won’t work. […]
On the charisma scale, Sauerberg was slightly north of Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna Jr. when he ran for Senate in the 2004 primary.
Ouch.
* 11:59 am - The Senate has adjourned for the day without doing anythng. The House convenes at 3 pm.
* 12:39 pm - The governor showed up unexpectedly today at House GOP Leader Tom Cross’ office to deliver a present. Cross’ birthday was yesterday. Better late than never, I suppose. The present was a book.
A Cross aide said he doubted that anything substantive was discussed. The governor spoke briefly to reporters afterwards, but didn’t really move the ball forward. He reiterated that he wants a 30-day budget as the talks continue on a 12-monther, and said state workers shouldn’t be “pawns” in the budget process.
The four legislative leaders are meeting at Sen. Jones’ office at the moment.
* 12:53 pm - A 3:30 Statehouse press conference will be held by the IFT, the IEA the IL AFL-CIO and possibly others to discuss “Sustainable, reliable revenue to fund schools and vital state services.”
I’m taking an educated guess that this may be at least partially about a late push for an income tax hike.
* 1:25 pm - Timmy Ryan’s obituary, service announcements and donation address…
Timothy P. Ryan, 45, of Springfield died at 10:49 p.m. Friday, July 27, 2007, at St. John’s Hospital.
Timothy was born Dec. 31, 1961, in Springfield, the son of Donald J. Ryan and Judith A. Bryant. Timothy was a 1980 graduate of Washington High School. He was previously employed by the state of Illinois.
Timothy was a fun loving, caring guy who was always making new friends. While at the state, he played Santa Claus for many years at several state agency Christmas parties and delivered gifts to children in the local area. He enjoyed chess and spending time with friends.
He is survived by his father, Donald J. Ryan of Springfield; mother, Judith A. (husband, David) Caldwell of Pleasanton, Calif.; two sisters, Melissa Roth of Frisco, Texas, and Kristi (husband, John) Hausmann of Pleasanton, Calif.; a brother, Kevin (wife, Carol Bolton) Ryan of Auburn; grandparents, Betty Angwin of Riverton, Annabelle Bryant of Springfield and Bill and Gloria Caldwell of Okeechobee, Fla.; several aunts, uncles and cousins; seven nieces; and two nephews.
Family will receive friends from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2007, at Kirlin-Egan and Butler Funeral Home, 900 S. Sixth St. Funeral ceremonies will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 2, 2007, at Kirlin-Egan and Butler Funeral Home, with the Rev. Monsignor John R. Ossola officiating. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Friends of St. John’s Hospital, 800 E. Carpenter St., Springfield, 62769; or Washington Street Mission, 408 N. Fourth St., Springfield, IL 62702. Please visit Timothy’s online life story at www.butlerfuneralhomes.com to offer your condolences.
My most vivid memory of Timmy Ryan happened when when he was the bar-back at Play it Again Sam’s…
Me: Could you have the bartender get me a gin and tonic, please?
Timmy: Gin and Tonic?!! That’s a woman’s drink!!!
Me: OK, then put it in a dirty glass.
* 1:54 pm - Ryan Hermes reports that there may have been some trouble at the leaders meeting today. Less than an hour after it started, “the two GOP leaders, Tom Cross and Frank Watson, reportedly ’stormed’ out.”
* 2:02 pm - Tom Cross’ spokesman: “The meeting was over and he left.” No drama, no controversy at the leaders meeting, according to Dring.
* 2:17 pm - At the moment, at least, it doesn’t appear that the four tops will meet with the governor today.
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Aug 1, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
First, the setup…
When Tracy Chappell, 26, was eight months pregnant at the beginning of June, she was stopped for speeding in Niles. Even though her husband, a police officer, was sitting in the passenger’s seat, she had to hand over her driver’s license. […]
It turns out, Illinois is the only state that does this. We just think it’s normal because it’s been legal here since the ’60s. In most other states, officers hand you a ticket and then you’re expected to mail in your fine.
There are some states that’ll take your license if you’re stopped for drunken driving, like California, or if you’re an out-of-state driver, like in Michigan. And if you’re stopped in Georgia, the police officer can take you straight to jail if he sees fit.
While officers in Illinois do have discretion to allow a motorist to keep their license, it is rarely exercised, said Richard Casler, Schaumburg’s director of police.
There is no law in Illinois allowing officers to take licenses. Instead, the policy is a rule set down by the Illinois Supreme Court, which decides how laws should be enforced.
Question: Should state law be changed to allow people to keep their drivers licenses after a non-DUI traffic stop? Explain.
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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.
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Much angst about nothing
Wednesday, Aug 1, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* State workers who freaked out yesterday awoke this morning to realize that the sky had not fallen and everything was back to (relative) normalcy…
On Monday, Blagojevich said contingency plans were in place to keep essential state services operating if there was no agreement on either a permanent or temporary state budget by today. However, Deputy Gov. Sheila Nix said Tuesday that the governor never planned to shut down government services.
“Our intention was always to have employees come to work,” Nix said, adding that no state agencies have been instructed to begin curtailing operations by this weekend, either, if a budget has not been approved.
* But the governor’s office still won’t come clean on when they might start shutting down essential services, which is a bit maddening, if you ask me…
Nix refused to answer repeated questions about when the administration thinks the lack of a budget could affect state operations.
* And…
They also won’t discuss when services, such as state parks, police patrols and highway operations, might be affected by the budget impasse. They insist that’s not going to happen right away.
‘’There’s no clear answer to that,'’ Blagojevich spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch said. ‘’We hope it doesn’t continue long at all.'’
* Jones and Madigan tried to calm some nerves, even if the governor won’t quite go that far…
Working without a budget is far from rare in Illinois, and Jones, Blagojevich’s strongest ally in the General Assembly, agreed there is “nothing magical” about getting a budget by Aug. 8.
“We have a little history on this. This has happened before … and people got their paychecks,” Madigan said
* Like I said above, everything is still running…
Secretary of State Jesse White last week committed to keeping driving facilities throughout the state open without a budget.
Workers are moving ahead as usual with preparations for the Illinois State Fair, which is scheduled to begin Aug. 10.
Schools and universities also are still planning to open classrooms later this month. Officials say they likely could run for a while using non-state funds, such as tuition income and local property tax proceeds, but getting a state budget in place is vital.
* While the guv’s office claims they never intended to shut anything down, sources say that’s not true. The Daily Herald had this nugget today…
Lake County officials said Monday the state had informed them several road projects in the county would be shut down today because of the budget situation. The list included a widening project on Butterfield Road and Buffalo Grove Road bridge replacement at Indian Creek.
However, a spokesman for the governor’s budget office said Tuesday work would continue, and Lake County officials said they also were informed the projects would not be shut down.
* A little history…
In 1991, during Gov. Jim Edgar’s first year in office, lawmakers went a then-record 19 days into overtime over budget disagreements. Edgar told state employees to continue working and that they would be paid in full when a budget was passed. Some employees did miss a payday before a budget was approved.
Try to remain calm in comments. I’m gonna start deleting hysterical rants beginning today. Yesterday’s weirdness really grated on my nerves.
I understand if some state workers are nervous about not getting a paycheck, but that’s always a possibility for state employees. It’s part of what they signed up for.
Attempt to deal with it with some dignity. The comments over at the SJ-R are much, much worse, of course, but I’m finished with allowing even a fraction of that here. Thanks.
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Do you remember the Black Caucus’ legislative golf outing I blogged about yesterday? The outing was held in the Chicago area while the General Assembly was in session in Springfield.
Well, WLS Radio reporter Ryan Hermes reports today that the governor’s office is the one that tipped reporters to the story. A Blagojevich spokesperson flatly denied responsibility, and Andy Shaw, who ran with the golf outing story Monday night, said he didn’t hear about it from the guv’s office. Still, Hermes is a good reporter and here’s his piece…
At a time when the governor could use all the friends he can get - his office reportedly tried to paint the legislature’s black caucus recent golf outing in a bad light. […]
Two black caucus members and another lawmaker confirmed to me that the governor’s office called reporters in Chicago to tell them about the event, where it was, and to suggest they ask why the lawmakers taking part were golfing as opposed to working in Springfield.
This revelation is not going down well with BC members, of course…
State Representative Art Turner (D-Chicago) is a member of House leadership and was in Springfield - not golfing - on Monday. But that still doesn’t mean he is fine with what was said.
“For the governor to even think that it’s going to get him some kind of headlines to even move (closer) to resolving this budget issue, I think he’s sadly mistaken,” said Turner. […]
[Rep. Marlow Colvin]: “When you play sports you learn how to work together, how to show leadership, and how to bring people together. Well, the governor’s always been a runner and a boxer - two individual sports - where competition against other people is always the goal.”
That’s a fascinating insight by Colvin.
Thoughts?
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Morning shorts
Wednesday, Aug 1, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* NEW: Journalistic Reflections: Don’t vote for the ugly guys
* $716,650, and we’re counting
* Sneed: Is the cousin of a Republican heavyweight an FBI mole involved in the federal probe of indicted real estate wheeler dealer/political fund-raiser Antoin “Tony” Rezko?
* Payday loan reform results mixed
* IDOT hikes airfare
* WHOI TV: Citizen Journalism: Who Qualifies?
* Editorial: These high grades are A failure
Hallelujah! A whopping 93 percent of Chicago Public Schools teachers are “excellent” or “superior,” according to principal evaluations. Like Lake Wobegon, “where all the children are above average,” surely this is fiction.
A study released Monday shows a mere three out of 1,000 CPS teachers received an “unsatisfactory” rating from 2003 to 2006. That says far more about empty evaluations than excellent teaching.
“The disconnect between teacher performance and student performance is striking,” deadpans the report by The New Teachers Project, which was funded by the Chicago-based Joyce Foundation.
* Carol Marin on David Axelrod
* Illinois’ US senators press for health-care funding
* Press release
: Survey Highlights Deteriorating Transit Service - Two-thirds Support a Tax Increase to Improve Transit Service
* Legislators tell smokers to take it elsewhere - State law bans smoking in public spaces
* U of I probes ties to military contractor
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