Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » 2007

DeFraties and Casey reinstated *** Updated x1 ***

Wednesday, Aug 8, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

The long wait is finally over for the “CMS 2”

A Sangamon County judge has ordered the reinstatement with back pay and benefits of fired state workers Dawn DeFraties and Michael Casey.

Circuit Judge Patrick Kelley ruled the state Civil Service Commission lost jurisdiction in the case when it failed to rule on the case within 60 days after it had received transcripts of proceedings.

*** UPDATE *** From the AP…

Circuit Judge Patrick Kelley ruled Wednesday that the Illinois Civil Service Commission mishandled the case, so Dawn DeFraties and Michael Casey can return to work. Kelley calls the facts in the case “bizarre.”

DeFraties and Casey were accused of manipulating job applications to help people with political connections. Governor Rod Blagojevich cited their case as a key example of his ability to fight corruption.

56 Comments

Caption contest!

Wednesday, Aug 8, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

I didn’t think I was a “paid site,” but whatever…

Ted Schurter wrote:
Hi Rich.

Noticed our photo for the caption contest. Looks nice. However, our Creative Commons license doesn’t apply to paid sites. We’d be happy to send you a bill if you want to pay the licensing fee. Otherwise, please take down the photo.

Let me know if have any questions.

Best,

Ted

Adding… I’m not sure what he’s talking about.

By the way… I did send Schurter a question, as he suggested, but haven’t heard back yet. I’ll let you know when or if I do.

Hey, I just realized, even if the SJ-R is totally wrong, we can still continue our caption contest. They might be spoil sports, but we can’t let them interrupt our fun.

Just go here and then come back and comment.

92 Comments

This just in…

Wednesday, Aug 8, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* 11:20 am - Remember, just because they have an agreement to move an operating budget doesn’t mean this session is over. There’s still a capital plan/casino and the governor’s health insurance plan to deal with, and the governor has said he won’t sign a budget until he gets those two things…. [UPDATED at 11:54 am - Jones ~~may be~~ was wrong.]

Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago) just told reporters - before he walked into the chamber this morning - he hopes to get a budget from the Illinois House today.

He says it should be a budget that the two chambers have agreed on.

* 11:24 am - Rep. Bill Black, a House institution, has sent a letter to his House Republican colleagues announcing that he’s not running for re-election. I’ll have the letter uploaded in a minute or so.

Here’s the letter.

From the letter…

“I have enjoyed being in the Illinois House for the past 22 years and I intend to fulfill the balance of my term. I am proud of my accomplishments, but it is time to slow down… At this age, I just want to spend more time with my wife, Sharon, my children and my grandchildren. My grandchildren are growing up before my eyes and I want to enjoy them.”

* 11:50 am - Yet another House Republican is announcing his retirement. This time, it’s Rep. Jim Meyer (R-Naperville). Meyer said this morning he will serve out his term. “I love this place,” Meyer said.

More in tomorrow’s Capitol Fax about both of these retirement developments.

*** 11:54 am *** A House Republican spokesman just said that it was his understanding that the chamber wouldn’t vote on an operating budget until tomorrow. But, he said, the people who gave the HGOPs that schedule are the same ones who said there’d be a vote last Friday, so take it for what it’s worth.

*** 12:18 pm *** It looks like that House GOP spokesman was right and Sen. Jones was mistaken, for whatever reason. The House has adjourned until tomorrow morning.

* 12:26 pm - Subscribers know that I had a brief story this morning about the governor’s announcement of $175 million in no-interest loans to school districts to help them through any budget shutdown. There are lots of problems with this plan, which will be financed by the Illinois Finance Authority. The Bond Buyer has more…

The program raises several significant questions for the IFA. First, Blagojevich announced that districts could borrow at no cost, yet legislative approval would be needed to cover interest on any financing or loan or the IFA could get stuck covering the cost.

Second, the IFA would need to tread cautiously and have some certainty that the proceeds would be used, given the scrutiny pooled bond programs face from the Internal Revenue Service. “There are many details to work out and we are hopeful that this program will not be needed,” IFA spokeswoman Diane Hamburger said.

They may be “hopeful” that it won’t be needed because it is so screwed up.

* 12:33 pm - As subscribers already know, there’s a renewed push to increase cigarette taxes in the Senate. The proposals are being taken up in the Senate Revenue Committee today. Revenue is also hearing the “7 percent solution” measure today.

Adding, the House Approp committees will be holding “testimony only” hearings later this afternoon. House Dems are being briefed on the operating budget as I write this.

* 12:55 pm - Russ Stewart’s latest newspaper column, “Blame the Republicans,” has been posted at Illinoize.

* 2:44 pm - From WBBM Radio…

As Illinois lawmakers take another look at authorizing a Chicago-owned casino, anti-gambling forces are mobilizing to fight the plan they’re demanding a public referendum before any legislative action is taken. […]

The task force to oppose gambling says as appealing as it might sound to generate revenue from a casino, it ignores the hidden costs of what opponents call exploitainment. […]

The Rev. Blackwell says in a city that can’t even hire trucks without corruption, how can you imagine running a casino without it.

* 3:55 pm - The Senate is back in session. Go here to listen or watch. Posting may be light for the rest of the day as I have lots of work to do. Commenters are encouraged to jump in and post updates as they develop.

95 Comments

Question of the day

Wednesday, Aug 8, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

Now that you’ve spent almost your entire summer in Springfield, and therefore have probably had an opportunity to experience it more than most years, what would you do to improve the town?

100 Comments

Movement, or just motion?

Wednesday, Aug 8, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* There’s a basic agreement on a state budget, but lots of issues are still up in the air…

…the four legislative leaders met again without Blagojevich and said they moved closer to a bipartisan agreement on a spending plan for a full fiscal year, including money to pay for state employees and money for schools.

Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson (R-Greenville) said a budget deal is “getting very, very close,” but he warned it is “very fragile.”

Still in question is whether a final deal would include a land-based casino in Chicago and possibly an additional casino elsewhere, as a way to boost education spending and fund a capital program to build and repair roads, bridges and schools.

Schools would get an increase of $600 million in operating money without expanded gambling, but the amount could rise to $900 million if lawmakers approve a Chicago casino and allow riverboats to expand the number of gambling positions. But those figures were in flux Tuesday as lawmakers tried to figure out whether a bill to expand gambling could pass or whether there is another way to boost money for schools without it.

* There was also a long meeting last night in the governor’s office…

Working into the night, Gov. Rod Blagojevich huddled in his Capitol office with Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago), Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson (R-Greenville) and House Minority Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) for more than four hours. House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) was not at the meeting with the governor, who has feuded with the speaker throughout the session.

The topic at hand centered on working toward a consensus on a capital budget, which would provide money for school construction, roads, bridges, universities and other projects. […]

Most lawmakers think they are close to sealing a deal on the operating budget, and voting on it could begin Wednesday. Politically, though, issues can get tied together at the end of sessions. And in this extraordinary session, a proposal for a Chicago casino is in the middle. […]

Is a casino agreed to among all the participants in the meeting—the governor, Watson, Jones and Cross? “I think that’s certainly the case. Yes, a Chicago casino.” [Blagojevich said.]

With the three leaders in the room tonight and yourself? “That’s right.”

Do you see a chance that another casino could be brought into the package? “I don’t foresee that. That was never discussed in there.”

* Ryan Hermes adds…

Today appears to be a BIG day at the statehouse.

But ask anyone who’s been here before and they’ll tell you it could just as easily be a bust.

Things can change really quick around here.

Yep.

* More budget and end of session stories, compiled by Paul…

* State expected to finally vote on budget

* Lawmakers closing some gaps in stalled budget

* Budget crisis may begin hitting pocketbooks

* Phil Luciano: Overtime session alternative is charity

* Democrats won’t hold up budget over electric rates

* Eric Zorn: Governor gets off his high horse, but is it too late?

* Local schools feel burden of state’s missing budget

* For now schools OK without state budget

* Illinois schools are left hanging by budget crisis

* Blagojevich wants to change who’s in charge on info. requests

* Editorial: Abandon amendment to keep governor in town

* Expand rail service, lawmakers, officials say

* Editorial: Law on dams may spare needless grief

* CTA vote could mean $3.25 per L ride

32 Comments

Constitution, schmonstitution

Wednesday, Aug 8, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The governor and AFSCME claim that state and federal law require the comptroller to issue pay checks to state workers even if no budget exists. They didn’t actually cite any specific statutes, however, and the state’s Constitution is pretty specific…

The General Assembly by law shall make appropriations for all expenditures of public funds by the State.

* The Daily Herald got a bit sarcastic about the situation…

Budget? We ain’t got no budget. We don’t need no budget.

That, with all apologies to the Treasure of the Sierra Madre, sums up Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s view on whether state spending should continue even though Illinois has no budget.

On Tuesday, Blagojevich suggested state Comptroller Dan Hynes keep writing checks regardless of the budget situation, saying the state continues to collect money and it should all work out in the end.

“Refusing to pay state employees for their hard work is tantamount to shutting state government down,” Blagojevich said in a letter to Hynes.

But Hynes, the Chicago Democrat elected to keep watch on the state’s checkbook, begs to differ.

He said the governor is playing politics with people’s paychecks and lives and needs to stop. And he strongly questioned the soundness of the governor’s belief that a budget isn’t needed to make payroll.

“Keep in mind, he’s the one who admitted himself he got a C in constitutional law and brags about it,” Hynes told downstate WICS-TV. “So, I’m not sure his opinion is the one that’s going to rule the day.”

* The State Journal-Register, which often advocates for state employees, also parted ways on the issue…

A new wrinkle in the state budget developed Tuesday. It turns out we don’t need one. […]

The state constitution requires a budget. There is a lot of wisdom in following that constitution rather than making up rules on the fly because the General Assembly and governor could not get their acts together enough to abide by state law.

The better solution here is not to skirt state law but for state officials to do their jobs. […]

If [Hynes] doesn’t cut checks, even if he doesn’t believe he has the legal authority to do so, then he becomes the fall guy. At least it appears that’s what Blagojevich would like.

Exactly right. For the governor, at least, this is about shifting blame for the lack of a budget.

* Lisa Madigan was asked her opinion yesterday…

[Attorney General Madigan] declined to issue an opinion but forwarded to Hynes a state appeals court ruling on a 1991 AFSCME lawsuit that sought to force Comptroller Dawn Clark Netsch to issue paychecks during a budget impasse.

The court held Netsch had no authority to do that, and a Hynes aide said that would be the basis for the comptroller not to distribute paychecks during the stalemate.

* So, why did AG Madigan refuse to issue an opinion?

a spokeswoman said the attorney general would not issue an opinion because of AFSCME’s threat of a lawsuit.

* But the hooplah is a bit overblown on both sides…

The first group of state employees to miss checks would be those paid on the 15th and last days of each month. Hynes said last week he needed to begin processing those payments today. Schools receive their state money on the 10th and 20th of the month.

Another group of state employees would normally receive their paychecks Aug. 22, Lindall said. They include employees of the Illinois State Police and the Department of Central Management Services, he said.

In other words, today is the day that Hynes would normally begin processing pay checks. He could probably set up a contingency plan to process them now and issue them as soon as a budget deal was reached. Compromise would be nice.

20 Comments

Add another waffle to the stack

Wednesday, Aug 8, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

The governor is all over the map on everything from whether he’d support more casinos to whether a state government shutdown is inevitable. He flip-flops so much that you need a scorecard to keep track.

Fortunately, John Patterson keeps his scorecard by his side at all times. Remember earlier this week when the governor said he has always supported the idea of citizen recall of elected officials?

“I think the concept and the idea of having people have the ability to recall their elected officials and put term limits on terms is a good idea and one I’ve supported since I’ve been in elected office,” Blagojevich, a former state legislator and congressman, said at an unrelated Chicago appearance.

Well, not really. From comments the governor made in 2003…

“You’ve got to love Pat Quinn. He believes in the power of referendum and the power of petition and a lot of the stuff that arguably has gotten California in the mess it’s in. Most of the time he and I agree. Some of the time we don’t,” Blagojevich told Capitol reporters in 2003. […]

“To his credit he (Quinn) believes in the things he believes in. I think the lesson from California is that it’s awfully hard to govern a big state like that with a big economy like that when you’re discretion is curtailed by different referendum the California constitution grants and allows.”

7 Comments

Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s issue of Capitol Fax (Use all caps in password)

Wednesday, Aug 8, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Morning Shorts

Wednesday, Aug 8, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson

* NEW Illinois statehouse press corp big winners at journalism awards ceremony

* Not all saying cheers to wine bill

Some supporters said Illinois could ultimately see more wine business if out-of-state wine retailers decide to set up shop in Illinois to avoid the proposed law’s restrictions.

But some lawmakers said successful Illinois wineries would suffer as well and the new regulations would punish them for growing. As proposed, the largest Illinois wine producers would lose the ability to sell directly to restaurants and retailers and instead would have to enter into agreements with distributors.

* Illinois lawmakers OK bill covering wine purchases

* Missouri, Illinois working on a bridge plan

* U of I hopes to land world’s fastest computer

* Vrdolyak pleads not guilty to new federal charges

* Illinois beaches rank high in grime

Illinois ranks third among the five states with the highest frequency of contaminated beaches last year, according to an annual report released Tuesday from the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Water samples at the state’s most popular beaches fell short of national standards 15 percent of the time, the report found. It also cited Jackson Park Beach at 63rd Street in Chicago as the fourth most polluted beach in the nation, with samples found to be contaminated more than half of the time.

* Minority firm win more city business

* Daley joins Sharpton rally

* Worker claims Shakman violations

*Alderman like revamped Olympic Village

* EPA cites 6 coal plants in IL

* Union election growing volatile

* New lawsuit hits union official - It’s at least the 5th to target candidates in Local 150 election

* Keyes backers to attend Ames straw poll

21 Comments

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