Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » 2007

Friday, Aug 10, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

If the Senate really is coming back on Monday, then blogging will resume. If not, then maybe not.

Do you remember Pat Thompson? She’s the mother of Annie Thompson on the governor’s staff…

In early May, Thompson’s uninsured mother finally agreed to see a doctor for her abdominal pain. The doctors found a softball-sized mass.

Her mother, Pat, underwent surgery for colon cancer and spent about two weeks in the hospital, piling up nearly $100,000 in debt.

Ms. Thompson’s friends are having a fundraiser to help retire some of that debt on Monday, August 13 from 7:30 to 10:30 at Floyd’s Thirst Parlor in Springfield. They’ll be offering $10 bottomless cups of Miller Lite and Bud Light and Pizza. Be there, please.

In the meantime, head to Illinoize, where the beer is cold and the conversation is hot…

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This just in… Part 2 *** Madigan to members: “Don’t come to Springfield” ***

Friday, Aug 10, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* 2:47 pm - The governor has called special sessions for Saturday and Sunday to take up a one-month budget.

…And here they are… Special Session Proclamation 13, and Special Session Proclamation 14.

* 2:53 pm - There are no available hotel rooms in town because of the State Fair, the Senate has already passed a budget and the House will soon, so I’m betting almost nobody shows up for these specials.

* 3:03 pm - The House passed the one-year budget 98-8.

* 3:41 pm - Ryan Hermes…

I just overheard a House Democratic staffer asking members what days they wouldn’t be available in August.

* 3:47 pm - The Tribune is finally catching on to Mayor Daley’s attitude about the Chicago casino that I’ve been writing about for the past few days…

City Hall sources said the mayor still does want a casino for Chicago, but he does not embrace the current structure of the legislation.

For one, the revenue split is so diverse–with money potentially going to education, schools, construction and other projects–that the Chicago would see very little–maybe less than $30 million a year–even though it would be the host city, the sources close to the mayor said.

The city would like to get a revenue stream significant enough to fund capital programs for schools, parks, museums and other city infrastructure, the mayoral sources said. Secondly, the idea that a casino could start generating money almost immediately is overly optimistic given the elongated process of licensing, bidding and getting a facility up and running, a process that could take several years. […]

And the idea that a gambling facility could be up and running within a few months is ludicrous, he said.

* 3:50 pm - Oy. Speaker Madigan has distributed a perfunctory session calendar that takes the House through the end of October.

Those aren’t actual session days where he will call members in for work, but if special sessions are scheduled on those days then the House could do other work besides what is specified in the governor’s proclamations. Looks like Madigan may be settling in for a long fight, or at least signaling to the governor that he’s not afraid

** 4:03 pm *** Speaker Madigan speaks to the House…

“The purpose of scheduling perfunctory sessions [through the end of October] is to provide that we will be available if needed… if the governor takes actions on bills… Our plan is to give you as much notice as possible… It clearly would be more than a day… The governor has already issued proclamations calling for special sessions for tomorrow and Sunday [to take up a one-month budget]. We’ve since sent the governor a twelve-month budget. We’ve done our job… Given what we’ve done, I don’t think there’s any need for consideration of a 30-day budget.

“Gary Hannig, who lives locally, will be here at the appointed time [much applause]… to convene the special sessions. And in the event there are special sessions next week [Hannig will be there as well].

“My advice to all members would be: Don’t come to Springfield. We’ve done our job. There’s no need to work on a 30-day budget. Again, don’t come to Springfield until you get notice from my office or from Rep. Cross’ office.”

* Madigan also said the budget implementation bills would be taken up sometime in the future.

* The Speaker said the mass transit issue could require a return to town. Madigan said he planned to “get to work shortly after one or two days off” and would take up the issue.

* The Speaker also said he’d be willing to take up the health care issue this summer.

* 4:13 pm - From a press release…

State Representative John Fritchey (D-Chicago) today announced that both the House and Senate have passed legislation that would extend and increase the property tax cap bill which the General Assembly enacted a few years ago. House Bill 664, of which Fritchey is a chief sponsor, will not only extend “the 7% solution” (which limits the increased taxable value of homes to 7% per year) for an additional three years, but also boosts the exemption cap from $20,000 to $33,000 in the first year. The bill also includes several new forms of relief for long-term homeowners, seniors, and veterans

* 4:17 pm - Word’s going around that the governor will use his veto power to reduce the 12-month budget down to a 60-day budget. Stay tuned. It’s also likely that the guv will line-item out the legislative pay raises.

This makes me wonder even more about today’s meeting with Senate President Jones and what Jones may have agreed to. The only way the governor could make any budgetary veto stick is if Jones stood with him.

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Friday, Aug 10, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

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This just in… *** State workers to be paid without budget ***

Friday, Aug 10, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* 11:23 am - Thanks to a commenter, I checked on the status of the state operating budget bill that the Senate passed last night.

The Senate hasn’t yet transmitted the bill to the House, which means the House can’t vote on it. A usually very reliable and high-level Senate Democratic source just told me that the governor asked Senate President Jones to hold onto the bill for a while. But Jones will reportedly be sending it over to the House shortly.

Also, I’m hearing there’s not much in store for the Senate today. As of now, there are no plans to run the gaming bill, capital bill or the health insurance bill. Things have a way of changing, so stay tuned. But if the Senate leaves town and the House passes the budget and leaves town, the governor may not be able to bring them back very easily.

* 11:26 am - The Senate is convening now. Listen or watch here.

* 11:48 am - The Senate is standing at ease until the call of the chair. Senate President Jones’ spokesperson said the paperwork process takes a while, but she promises they’ll get that budget bill to the House as soon as they can.

* 11:54 am - Here’s some food for thought that I’m still working over in my own head…

Last night, the Senate Executive Committee approved an amendment to the Chicago casino bill that exempted riverboats for five years from the newly enacted statewide smoking ban. As noted here, Sen. Terry Link admits he was working against the Chicago casino. Link was the very proud chief sponsor of that smoking ban.

* 12:41 pm - Ryan Hermes…

Emil Jones (D-Chicago) did speak briefly to reporters as he left a meeting with the governor. He told us the capital bill is dead.

Rod Blagojevich, also, didn’t have a whole lot to say when he exited the meeting.

“This is a real brief statement and it goes like this; President Jones and I agee that our work isn’t done here and I gotta get back to work,” said Blagojevich.

* 1:22 pm - I’m starting to wonder what Jones and the governor cooked up in their meeting earlier today.

The Senate is adjourning their special sessions until Monday at 2 pm. Also, the budget bill still hasn’t been sent to the House, although I’m told that it will be transmitted today. Something definitely appears to be afoot.

* 1:47 pm - The rumors won’t die that somebody has filed a motion to reconsider the vote on the budget bill which passed the Senate last night. A motion like that would hold up the bill and prevent it from being transmitted to the House. The Senate Dem spokesperson has said no motions were filed and no motions are showing up on the LIS page, but the rumor is persistent and pervasive and won’t die.

So, I called the Senate Journal room and they said no motions have been filed on the bill.

*** 1:54 pm *** There’s an “agreed order” from the court hearing the AFSCME case to force the state to issue paychecks without a state appropriation in place to authorize them.

I have a person in the courtroom who tells me that the comptroller has been authorized to issue paychecks to workers through August 31. More later.

…From the person in the courtroom…

Agreement only extends to Aug 31 and shall not serve as binding precedence on this court… Judge signs order and case will remain open. If need for hearing exists they should set for hearing. Over.

Union members stood up and said thank you your honor and started clapping

* 2:27 pm - The Senate has adjourned until Monday at 2 pm.

* 2:29 pm - From AFSCME Council 31 exec director Henry Bayer…

“Today AFSCME has reached an agreement with Comptroller Hynes that upholds the right of state employees and state university employees to be paid for their work. Formalized in an order issued today in state court, that agreement is effective through the end of August.

“Under the terms of that order, all state employees and state university employees will receive their August paychecks. Comptroller Hynes has already directed his office to comply with the order and begin processing paychecks due on August 15. No one will miss a paycheck this month.

“This order gives AFSCME members and all state employees and state university employees the certainty and peace of mind that they will be paid through the end of August. Despite the state budget impasse they have continued to come to work faithfully. They provide the services that Illinois citizens depend on. They should be paid, and they will be.

“We hope the budget impasse is resolved shortly. We do intend to continue discussions with Comptroller Hynes with the goal of extending this agreement as needed, and we are fully prepared to take further legal action if necessary.”

* 2:34 pm - The House is preparing to start session “shortly” after receiving assurances from Senate Democratic staff that the budget bill will be arriving soon.

* 2:36 pm - The budget bill has finally been sent to the House, and the Rules Committee is meeting, so things should start moving soon. Listen or watch here.

* 2:40 pm - From the governor’s office…

While Governor Blagojevich believes waiting for a lawsuit was unnecessary, he is pleased that the Comptroller and the Attorney General now agree with his position that state employees should be paid on time for the work that they do.

* 2:42 pm - A coinkydink, perhaps? A judge signs the order for state worker paychecks and just-like-that, the Senate sends over the budget.

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Question of the day

Friday, Aug 10, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

The Post-Dispatch runs through Gov. Blagojevich’s options on the operating budget, which will likely land on his desk later today…

If the bill reaches Blagojevich’s desk, he could veto it, but Thursday’s votes demonstrated there is more than enough support to muster the three-fifths majority necessary for an override of a veto.

If Blagojevich takes no action, the bill will go into effect automatically in 60 days — but that would mean a likely shutdown of state government in the meantime, because the state can’t legally spend money without a budget in place. […]

Blagojevich’s other option once the bill reaches his desk would be to sign it
into law to avoid a government shutdown, and then continue to force awmakers to remain in Springfield this summer until they address the health insurance and construction measures he believes the state needs.

There’s one more option as well: He could line-item veto the bill to punish people like House Speaker Michael Madigan.

Question: Which of these actions do you think the governor will take? Explain.

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Blagojevich can’t stop being a backbencher

Friday, Aug 10, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

My Sun-Times column this week discusses something that I’ve been talking to Statehouse types about for years…

Aside from his unhealthy Nixonian penchant for secrecy, political revenge and personal isolation, and all the corruption investigations targeting his administration, what really bothers me about Gov. Blagojevich is his failure to grow as a leader.

Blagojevich was a backbench state legislator and he was a backbench U.S. congressman. But he has been governor for almost five years and still has that same mentality.

Political reporters, particularly ones looking for an easy story, love backbench politicians. They usually hold news conferences on slow news days to announce grandiose ideas that have no chance of becoming law. But their announcements make for good copy, so they get coverage.

A backbencher’s constituents see that coverage and assume their representative is actually doing something. That erroneous assumption gets him re-elected. And then the cycle begins all over again. Blagojevich rode that cycle all the way to the governor’s office.

Go read the whole thing before commenting, please. Thanks.

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On pork and hypocrisy

Friday, Aug 10, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Once again, the governor’s hypocrisy shines through. Yesterday, he complained about all the “pork” in the budget which passed both the House and the Senate…

Blagojevich also criticized the number of pork-barrel projects.

“It’s got so much pork in it that if you were to hold the budget document itself, you’d probably be unable to hold it because it’s so greasy,” Blagojevich said.

* How much?

(E)ach representative was getting $650,000 and each senator $1.3 million. That would put the total around $153 million.

* But, Blagojevich himself is drafting a capital plan that makes the budget pork look like child’s play…

Senate Democrats quietly working with the governor revealed that lawmakers could receive as much as in $400 million in pork-barrel projects through a construction program on top the pork in the separate operating budget.

There’s more than that. Every project will essentially be a “pork” project because Blagojevich will be able to use that cash as leverage against individual legislators. Is it any wonder why Speaker Madigan isn’t thrilled with the capital plan idea? Blagojevich will use it to mess with his caucus as long as he’s in office.

* And this is just goofy…

Further, critics complained of what they called pork spending, pointing to Madigan’s wife Shirley, the board chair of the Illinois Arts Council, which is getting $3.6 million in state funding, a 17 percent increase over last year.

So, now the Illinois Arts Council’s funding can’t be increased because it’s pork? Please.

This is the same governor who offered one state Senator (Mike Jacobs) a $75 million project for one vote and he’s complaining about relatively small member initiative projects in the state budget?

Give me a break.

The public is conditioned to automatically reject the idea of “pork projects,” because a few of the ideas get out of hand. But, overall, I really don’t see a huge problem with state legislators deciding to allocate money to their districts.

The biggest problem I have is when they hide the pork in the budget with lump sum allocations. Blagojevich also railed against that practice during the 2002 campaign. And who is the only caucus leader to do that exact thing in this budget? Senate President Emil Jones, Blagojevich’s ally. But you don’t hear a peep from the guv about that.

…Adding… The governor is using the truly huge capital spending proposal to entice Senate Democrats into voting for his health insurance proposal. And the guv’s allies in the House used the capital projects in a failed attempt to pry votes away from the operating budget yesterday. As Comptroller Hynes said of Blagojevich on a different topic, the man’s hypocrisy knows no bounds.

* Here’s a small list of alleged “pork” projects in the south suburbs, to give you an idea of how ridiculous the governor’s argument is…

Police equipment and technology upgrades for Oak Lawn: $50,000.

Police equipment for Evergreen Park: $50,000.

Undefined cash grant to Midlothian Police Department: $25,000.

Renovations to the Hometown police station: $50,000.

Firefighting equipment for South Holland: $35,000.

Surveillance cameras in the 14th and 23rd wards in Chicago: $300,000.

Discuss.

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More on the casino intrigue

Friday, Aug 10, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The Daily Herald throws more light on what happened last night with the Chicago casino bill, which was never called for a vote…

The long, strange, increasingly expensive quest for a state budget took yet another odd political twist Thursday when Chicago officials reportedly began lobbying against a casino for the city.

“The host city is against the bill,” House Speaker Michael Madigan, a Chicago Democrat, told reporters late Thursday. The comments immediately reverberated through the Capitol. […]

“I have been lobbying against it, too. Right now, I think it’s killed,” said state Sen. Terry Link, a Waukegan Democrat who wants a casino for that city added to any deal. “I want a more comprehensive solution. If you’re going to do this, let’s do it the correct way.”

Translation of Link’s comments: I want more boats and I will withhold votes from the bill until I get ‘em.

* More…

Speaker Michael Madigan… questioned why senators were focusing on a Chicago casino proposal. Madigan said Mayor Richard Daley’s administration is advising lawmakers that the city is against the casino plan.

“So I would simply ask, ‘Why are they doing this?, ” Madigan said, shortly after adjourning the House for the night.

The mayor’s office eventually declared in committee that they had “no position” on the bill’s merits. The city reportedly went neutral after the Senate Dems and the governor’s office threatened to kill off a plan to boost funding for its 911 calling system.

* As I told subscribers this morning, the lack of Senate votes for a casino bill probably had a lot to do with Jones pulling the rug out from under the capital program, which was funded by the casino. That probably had a lot more to do with things than this chain of events last night…

By two votes, the Senate rejected a bid to authorize $9 billion in borrowing for state construction after Republicans complained that Blagojevich’s administration could not be counted upon to make good on its promises to fund projects.

“We don’t have any trust in the governor for good reason,” said Sen. Dale Risinger (R-Peoria).

In unusually harsh terms, Jones lashed out at his Republican counterpart, Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson (R-Greenville), for failing to help pass a construction plan for roads, bridges and schools. Thirty-six votes were needed for passage, but only 34 voted in favor of the borrowing deal. Twenty-two voted present.

“Sen. Watson,” Jones bellowed, “I am through meeting. My patience has worn thin because there’s not one sincere bone in your body. You’re not interested in doing anything about the roads. You aren’t interested in doing anything about the bridges, and you don’t give a damn about whether our schools across the state of Illinois have a capital bill.” […]

After the Senate adjourned about 12:30 a.m., Jones pronounced a state capital program dead. “The Republicans just killed it,” he said.

Or they’re a convenient scapegoat. We’ll see today how things shake out.

* More budget-related stories, compiled by Paul…

* DuPage closer to taxing smokers

* How the state got to this point in the budget impasse

* Hynes apparently wants to be ordered to cut paychecks

* Breaks continue for property owners

* Parade goes on without Blagojevich

* State Fair set to open today despite lack of state budget

* Proposed budget boosts school funding

* Budget looks to have no cash for Cook Co.

* Proposed budget boosts school funding

* Budget looks to have no cash for Cook Co.

* Budget has some health advocates worried

* Sun-Times Editorial: It is time to gamble on Chicago casino

* Editorial: Boost funding to stabilize mass transit

* Opinion: Illinois needs roads and bridge program now

* Illinois Senate passes wind farm measure

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax

Friday, Aug 10, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Morning shorts

Friday, Aug 10, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson

* States Atty. Devine to announce that he will not run for reelection

* Democratic Judge considers run to replace LaHood

* Phil Rosenthal: Sun-Times chief dismisses talk of merger

* Respected group to run search for next top cop

* Only 24 homeless live in downtown Chicago, says census

Ed Shurna, executive director of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, branded the city’s downtown count “ludicrous.”

“I could find 24 people walking from my office [at 1325 S. Wabash] to City Hall. The Pacific Garden Mission has 600 people every night. They’re downtown. They’re homeless. There’s got to be at least that many living on the street,” he said.

Shurna accused the city of trying to “sanitize” Chicago’s marquee shopping district to bolster Daley’s Olympic dream.

* Editorial: Illinois ethics vote long overdue

Comptroller Hynes long ago tired of waiting for the governor and lawmakers to do something; he directed his office to follow a self-imposed pay-to-play ban.

We understand that Senate President Jones has been busy with budget talks and electricity rate relief legislation. But this bill sounds like a shoo-in, with ample bipartisan support. And if Illinois ends up with a capital budget, construction firms will be jockeying for millions of dollars in new infrastructure contracts. Senators should be allowed to vote on House Bill 1.

* License plate covers will get you a ticket

* Lake Shore Drive bus lanes?

* Developer says city is trying to crush lawsuit with zoning threat; more here

* John Kass: You scratch our back, we’ll stab yours

* Joliet officials fault Silver Cross Hospital’s moving plan

* Friday Beer Blogging: Matt lynch edition

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