The bickering never ends
Tuesday, Nov 20, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sen. Bill Brady, a likely Republican candidate for governor, has proposed limiting the governor’s ability to call special sessions…
For instance, a governor would have to give at least four days’ notice before the first scheduled day of a special session. A special session could be convened on shorter notice if legislative leaders and the governor agree that an emergency exists.
Also, the governor would have to be physically present in the chambers of the Senate and House on the first day of a special session, and the session must be “permanently adjourned” if, after 15 consecutive session days, the House or Senate fails to pass legislation dealing with the stated reason for the special session.
* Brady made his pitch on the same day that Blagojevich called yet another special session, this one dealing with mass transit…
“This is the 17th one. He’s made a mockery out of them and the system,” said Brady, a Bloomington Republican who ran for governor in 2006.
“I’m hoping to remove a governor’s ability to use these special-session calls from the perception of a little kid that doesn’t get his way,” he added in a phone interview Monday.
* Meanwhile, the governor has not yet proposed any actual legislation to bail out mass transit. This has been a constant complaint about every single special session the governor has commanded this year…
“If there is legislation proposed, then we’ll have something for the House and Senate to consider,” Brown said of the session, adding that he considers that prospect “a big ‘if.’”
* The administration’s response…
Blagojevich spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff said it’s the job of lawmakers to draft legislation they can vote on in special sessions.
Ottenhoff noted there is a pending piece of legislation proposed by a House Republican that would redirect sales tax revenue the state collects on gasoline purchases in Cook and the ‘’collar'’ counties to the mass transit agencies to create a steady stream of revenue for them.
That’s a concept Blagojevich said he favors, although questions still remain about how best to replace that revenue in the state budget.
‘’He can like all the concepts he wants,'’ said Steve Brown, spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan, adding that lawmakers need specifics to vote on.
* More…
BROWN: And if he doesn’t identify bills, then there’s nothing for the Senate or the House to consider, and it’s just a meaningless act.
Brown says most of the governor’s special sessions this year have been “absolute failures.” A spokesperson from Blagojevich’s office says the governor is not required to specify bills for special sessions.
* Meanwhile…
Pace is nearly $50 million short of the $261 million needed to run its fixed route and paratransit services next year. To make up the difference, transit officials will cut scores of Metra shuttles as well as weekday and weekend routes. They also are planning to drop all service after 7 p.m. and raise all fixed route fares to $2. Most now are now $1.25.
- Levois - Tuesday, Nov 20, 07 @ 10:07 am:
Wouldn’t the governor be technically correct (or his spokespeople for that matter) that it’s the legislature’s job to draft legislation even in a special session? Though I would believe it would help if the governor had a plan he favored than it would if he just wanted the legislature to pass some random legislation to solve the problem in question.
- DumberThanYouThink - Tuesday, Nov 20, 07 @ 10:10 am:
Perhaps the SpinSisters might want to drag their pinkies through 1970 IL Constitution Article IV, Section 5(b) to see what the Governor should or should not be doing.
I know it is one of those silly details we like to ignore, but just thought we would pass it along. Maybbe Slick Willie Quinlan will draft a proclamation with a real bill # or cite the Skipper Solution (which seems to be opposed by the Road Builders)
Brown forgot to mention that impeachment is in bounds for special session get to gethers.
- the Other Anonymous - Tuesday, Nov 20, 07 @ 10:14 am:
A spokesperson from Blagojevich’s office says the governor is not required to specify bills for special sessions.
Sure he’s not required. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a good practice.
The more interesting thing is that when the Governor doesn’t want to make a hard decision, it’s “the job of legislators.” But when it comes to providing goodies without paying for them — health care expansion, e.g. — then the legislature has no say in the matter.
Nor, apparently, is the legislature capable of determining the hour at which it will convene.
Apparently, Blagojevich thinks the legislature is just a service agency working at the pleasure of the Governor. It drafts legislation (like LRB) and works the hours the Governor asks (like his staff).
I’m surprised he even got a “C” in constitutional law.
- archpundit - Tuesday, Nov 20, 07 @ 11:15 am:
Ah hell, I thought it was a good step forward that he didn’t call the Special for tomorrow. You guys are gloomy guses
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Nov 20, 07 @ 11:17 am:
===I thought it was a good step forward that he didn’t call the Special for tomorrow.===
Yeah, but then he’d have to be here. I doubt his family would like that too much.
- GoBearsss - Tuesday, Nov 20, 07 @ 11:20 am:
Rich, I think it is pretty clear that the Governor identified a piece of legislation to be considered.
Furthermore, Madigan and Mr. BrownFrown could also pass their sales tax increase & transfer tax increase.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Nov 20, 07 @ 11:23 am:
GoBearsss, we had this argument yesterday, which you (or someone with your viewpoint, I can’t remember which) sidestepped. That bill doesn’t solve the problem because it’s not paid for.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Nov 20, 07 @ 11:24 am:
As I pointed out on Illinoize, the bill of particulars against King George in the Declaration of Independence included:
“He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.”
Long Live King Rod!
- GoBearsss - Tuesday, Nov 20, 07 @ 11:41 am:
I didn’t sidestep - I said, essentially, that you could do the Cross plan first to meet the doomsday timeline, and then the replacement revenue could be discussed in the General Assembly over a longer timeline.
In the end, you may even see the sales tax and transfer tax passed as the revenue replacement.
But then you don’t have to worry about a January 20 timeline (but really Dec. 31 - since that is when the union deal expires) to get it done. You remove the threat of doomsday, and the hassle that causes people.
- GoBearsss - Tuesday, Nov 20, 07 @ 11:44 am:
And another point that I just thought of -
Correct me if I am wrong, but if Madigan wanted to pass his plan in January with a simple majority, wouldn’t that mean that the RTA, etc. wouldn’t get any new revenue until the bill became effective July 1?
- the Other Anonymous - Tuesday, Nov 20, 07 @ 11:50 am:
Go Bearss:
A bill passed in January with a simple majority could have an immediate effective date.
A bill passed in December with a simple majority would not be effective until June 1.
Of course, this assumes that the Governor would sign the bill in a timely fashion.
- GoBearsss - Tuesday, Nov 20, 07 @ 11:52 am:
OK - gotcha. Sorry, my brain got ahead of me.
- My thought - Tuesday, Nov 20, 07 @ 12:27 pm:
Shouldn’t the gov have something in mind if he’s going to call a special session? It just seems like another power trip on his part?
Rich, how long has it been since there have been this many special sessions? Ever?
- Brady fan, somewhat - Tuesday, Nov 20, 07 @ 2:12 pm:
Well, I like some of what Brady suggests. The governor having to actually appear and state his case in the chamber for at least the first day if he calls a SS makes sense to me, and might curb some of Rod’s abuses. The legislators would of course be free to hiss and boo and carry on as they like, while cameras roll….
The 4 days advance notice thing with the exceptions for emergencies is a waste of everyone’s time. A Special by it’s very nature implies urgency, giving it a 4-day hold before it can start is stupid, especially since you would also be able to selectively ignore that by declaring the emergency is grave enough… then we can get into yet more court fights over who can call it an emergency, etc etc. let’s just skip that whole wasted blind alley. The problem is not the choice of timing, but the criteria for declaring.
I rather more like the idea that to declare a Special, the governor should, thru one of his legislative lackeys like Hoffman, propose an actual bill, or at least put a simple Question before the House for an advisory referendum. Such a move could perhaps help logjams such as we have now: In the case of the casino-based budget, Rod could put the question: “shall the state proceed to negotiate a budget based on increased gaming or one based on a tax increase?” and everybody would have to take a stand on the record, instead of playing this “I’ll show you mine after you show me yours” game…
After that, one would expect the tops to get together and start drafting the plan most in line with that advisory vote. Well, adults would. There’s the crux of the problem with Brady’s suggestions; they are an adult solution to a juvenile situation, one that would not need consideration if people acted like civil servants instead of (expletive delted)s.
- Pot calling kettle - Tuesday, Nov 20, 07 @ 2:18 pm:
I thought all of the special sessions were a promotional gimmick to increase subscribers to the Capitol Fax and promote readership of the Blog.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Nov 20, 07 @ 2:20 pm:
Busted!
So much for Rod’s cut.
- Little Debbie - Tuesday, Nov 20, 07 @ 3:39 pm:
I just don’t get it…the whole reason the governor had to call a special session is because madigan couldn’t pass his bill (twice). A special session is more than just an opportunity to vote up or down on a bill, it’s a opportunity for leaders and legislators to meet and work towards a solution that provides stable transit funding and is politically palatable. If Madigan is such a political wizard and wants a solution, shouldn’t the problem be fixed already? It’s obvious that Madigan is holding up progress playing the blame game or isn’t the god that he’s made out to be. The Hamos bill is dead, time to move on.
- DC - Tuesday, Nov 20, 07 @ 4:20 pm:
If it’s time to move on from the Hamos bill (specious argument at best - let them vote and let the Governor veto it if he wants), then let the Governor propose legislation. What’s he for? We know what he’s against. It’s easy to point fingers and say “no”. Be a leader… be a “Little Debbie Nutty Bar”: put your chocolate where your peanut butter is…
- Rodger - Tuesday, Nov 20, 07 @ 6:00 pm:
DC–
Don’t know if you get news from Illinois out in DC but they already voted for the Hamos bill during veto session and it didn’t come close to passing. Governor B came out yesterday in support of Rep. Saviano’s bill (HB 4161) to divert money from the gas tax to fund mass transit. Sounds like the only one pointing fingers and saying ‘no’ is the Speaker.
- Loop Lady - Wednesday, Nov 21, 07 @ 8:10 am:
Gambling expansion is a tax on working people Governor…public transit that is reliable and affordable is vital to the State’s economy…I am hoping that this blows up next month in everyone’s face who has been ineffectively involved to their personal detriment at the voting booth in February…