Starving the enemy
Wednesday, Jul 2, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I hate stories like this…
The Blagojevich administration has halted work on 39 construction projects across the state, saying the newly passed budget for the fiscal year that began Tuesday contains language prohibiting them from moving forward.
Rep. Gary Hannig, the Litchfield Democrat who helped draft the budget, said the administration is misreading the bill.
“I think they are trying to create a crisis again where none exists,” Hannig said.
On Tuesday, the Capital Development Board, which oversees Illinois’ non-road construction, began issuing stop-work orders on projects that were undertaken after Aug. 31, 2007. The agency said language contained in a 475-page budget bill passed by the Legislature at the end of May prohibits the projects from proceeding and prohibits the state from spending money on them.
“It would be unfair for us to ask contractors to continue working if we cannot guarantee if or when they are going to be paid,” said CDB spokesman Dave Blanchette. “Our legal experts have reviewed the language and have determined that it is fairly cut and dried.”
Blanchette said the work will stay on hold until the General Assembly changes the language. He said lawyers have reviewed the bill and determined that Gov. Rod Blagojevich doesn’t have the authority to change it on his own using his amendatory veto powers.
What we get from that piece is a classic “He said, she said” argument devoid of actual facts.
* Here’s the language in question…
No monies may be expended from any appropriation or reappropriation under any section of this Article 48 unless a grant or contractual agreement for the expenditure was agreed to in writing prior to August 31, 2007. The Comptroller shall not approve the expenditure until he or she receives a copy of that signed grant or contractual agreement.
* The projects that the Capital Development Board says have to be halted can be found at this link. The CDB claims that the budget bill removes their spending authority on those projects. That is correct.
If you check the language of the appropriations and reappropriations for Fiscal Year ‘08, which just ended, you’ll see that CDB was given lump-sum authority to spend reappropriated money. You can find the authorization to spend the cash on page 887 section 240, page 888 sections 247 & 250, page 889 sections 255 & 260 and page 890 section 265.
* However, this year the House Democrats decided that they wanted to force the administration to spend money only on projects that appear on a previous budget’s appropriations list and were never begun. So, they clamped down on all spending from lump-sum appropriations that weren’t previously agreed.
The CDB’s projects that were just suspended weren’t negotiated with the General Assembly, and as a high-level House Dem just told me, “that’s the chance they took.”
* The Senate Democrats now apparently support giving the Capital Development Board the authority to spend money on those halted projects, but the House Dems are opposed.
Bottom line: More gridlock.
- Ghost - Wednesday, Jul 2, 08 @ 12:16 pm:
Given the Gov expansion of breat exams was upheld by the court based upon the GA basically giving broad (or if you will lump sum) spending authority, this reaction is understandable. They want to identify and limit spending to keep money from being shifted to cover things which they have not approived. unfortunetly lump sum authority give the ability to spend th emoney on anything, upto the amount, and thus would allow things like giving 14 million for jobs to teenagers in Chicago etc.
Seems like a good plan by the house! lets stop the Gov from being able to make up his own projects and use funds not intended for those purposes under the loophole of broad spending authority.
The governor sowed the seeds for this and now its time for him to reap what he has sown
- Here we go again - Wednesday, Jul 2, 08 @ 12:20 pm:
Letting the rain come in thru an unpatched roof to ruin the Lincoln-Herndon law office, because Blago can’t get one over on the Speaker, yes, that is excellent stewardship.
It just boggles the mind…
- If It Walks Like a Duck... - Wednesday, Jul 2, 08 @ 12:24 pm:
Lest we forget the Constitution of the State of Illinois PREAMBLE
We, the People of the State of Illinois - grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberty which He has permitted us to enjoy and seeking His blessing upon our endeavors - in order to provide for the health,
safety and welfare of the people; maintain a representative and orderly government; eliminate poverty and inequality; assure legal, social and economic justice; provide opportunity for the fullest development of the individual; insure domestic tranquility; provide for the common defense; and secure the blessings of freedom and liberty to ourselves and our posterity - do ordain and establish this Constitution for the State of Illinois.
Happy 4th everyone!
- We The People or Enemy???......... - Wednesday, Jul 2, 08 @ 12:31 pm:
and I hope both — voters unite against them all that “urinate” on our Constitution!
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Jul 2, 08 @ 12:35 pm:
== This year the House Democrats decided that they wanted to force the administration to spend money only on projects that appear on a previous budget’s appropriations list and were never begun. So, they clamped down on all spending from lump-sum appropriations that weren’t previously agreed.==
There is nothing wrong with this approach considering this governor’s legacy. It makes the process more transparent and doesn’t actually force projects to go undone - it merely requires that the project be approved beforehand.
There is a lot of waste in lump-sum monies, and this administration has clearly demonstrated an affinity for this kind of waste. It is wise for the House to demand accountability and transparency in this process during these difficult bugetary years.
- Been There - Wednesday, Jul 2, 08 @ 12:54 pm:
This is from the list of projects:
Michael A. Bilandic Building, Chicago, Central Management Services. Upgrade HVAC and domestic water system. Project cost $5.5 million, total remaining on contract $2.6 million. Impact: One of the three chillers to be replaced has been demolished and a replacement has been ordered. The remaining chillers cannot maintain suitable temperatures in warm weather, including at the day care center operated within the building.
Isn’t Madigans Chicago office in this building? Trying to turn up the heat?
- Dan S, a voter and Cubs Fan - Wednesday, Jul 2, 08 @ 1:08 pm:
King Soloman stikes again, is Blago trying to force the impeachment issue or is this like a burgler that is about to get cauight and trashes the place before the get hauled off?
- Little Egypt - Wednesday, Jul 2, 08 @ 1:38 pm:
I have a very good friend who worked as a mechanical engineer for CBD and quit to go to another wonderful job. He said he was sick and tired of telling congtractors that he couldn’t pay them. That was when this state had a budget. Not only do the medical providers not get paid on time, neither do the road and building crews. I have another good friend who is a small business owner who’s product is highly sought by the state and they refuse to do business with the state unless they get paid first, which doesn’t happen. They aren’t going broke not picking up State business. In fact, they are doing quite well without it.
- RGA - Wednesday, Jul 2, 08 @ 3:15 pm:
Hey! Think about this for just one moment!!!
How can they site the section in the budget as the reason for stopping the projects when—–wait for it— THERE IS NO BUDGET and the GOV hasn’t signed anything. HELLO—–and if he wanted to he could VETO it out. If he were to ever sign the Budget.
- Captain America - Wednesday, Jul 2, 08 @ 5:02 pm:
It’s strange how the governor suddenly became a stickler for legal technicalities given his past actiosn and behaviors.
- Big Mama T - Wednesday, Jul 2, 08 @ 5:16 pm:
I don’t see anything murky contained in the passage cited. Did Blago and crew mistake the Aug. 2007 date for Aug. 2008?
- dupage progressive - Wednesday, Jul 2, 08 @ 5:51 pm:
“Been there” is absolutely right.
MJM’s office is in the Bilandic building.
Could be a long, hot summer in many ways for his staff…
Here is the listing of the project halted at bilandic bldg.:
“Michael A. Bilandic Building, Chicago, Central Management Services. Upgrade HVAC and domestic water system. Project cost $5.5 million, total remaining on contract $2.6 million. Impact: One of the three chillers to be replaced has been demolished and a replacement has been ordered. The remaining chillers cannot maintain suitable temperatures in warm weather, including at the day care center operated within the building.”
They had to halt a project at the AG office bldg. too - but sounds like not a very big project that deals with a snow melt system or something…
(that squeaky noise is the adjusting and placement of tin foil hats…)
- In the Sticks - Wednesday, Jul 2, 08 @ 9:16 pm:
There has been no concern with this administration for any repair and maintenance at state-owned facilities since they took office. Fixing roofs and plumbing doesn’t gather enough positive press, and can’t raise enough campaign funds or assist in that election to higher office.
GOMB continually asks why it’s important to patch a leaking roof and if a DHS residential facility actually needs heat and air conditioning. Those are just delaying tactics since there never is any intention to release any money to fix the problems unless it appears on the Chicago TV news. (witness the recent window replacement at ISVI that only happened after the parents of a student from Chicago persuaded the Chicago press to do a piece on the dangerous windows).
The repair and maintenance lines for a number of code agencies are either drastically reduced each year, or GOMB will never release the funds for use on smaller projects. Everything is an emergency these days - and now even those can’t be fixed since there are no funds.
- trafficmatt - Wednesday, Jul 2, 08 @ 10:42 pm:
This is just really sad. While the Guv and the four tops try and one-up each other and beat each other up in the court of public opinion, some poor contractor, who just geared up for a project, has to tell a bunch of guys that they are going to be laid off temporarily because they have to shut down a construction project.
I mean fine - go over to each other’s office and nail the door shut, take Madigan off the Christmas Card list, go in and re-arrange the furniture - whatever, make life hard on each other. But when they start doing this ^#$^% and it hurts some poor guy just trying to make a living, it is just sad.