Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » This just in… House to come back next week *** Jones disses Daley *** Gaming proposal crashes and burns in House *** Madigan: Gaming expansion proposal a “dead issue,” No lame duck tax hike *** Jones: No Senate session until November ***

This just in… House to come back next week *** Jones disses Daley *** Gaming proposal crashes and burns in House *** Madigan: Gaming expansion proposal a “dead issue,” No lame duck tax hike *** Jones: No Senate session until November ***

Thursday, Jul 10, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller

* 11:08 am - The House is preparing to vote on legislation that would allow the governor to finish some of the capital projects that were halted earlier this month. The House Democrats initially said (and continued saying it right up through yesterday) that they were not going to allow the governor to proceed with the projects because they were not pre-approved by the General Assembly, but the HDems appear to have backed off.

Here is the list of projects that were halted by the Capital Development Board and here is the House proposal. You can find some background on this fight by clicking here.

* 11:21 am - The governor’s office defends the decision to not veto out pay raises for himself and lawmakers…

“According to state statute, the amount authorized per year for each lawmaker shall be increased by a percentage equivalent to a cost of living increase,” said Kelley Quinn of Blagojevich’s budget office.

But that view is far different from what Blagojevich espoused in 2003, when he vetoed raises totaling $791,000 for himself and legislators.

“In these difficult times, when state agencies are being consolidated, when the number of state personnel is being reduced — in short, when others are being asked to sacrifice — this is not the time to give pay raises to the governor, the lieutenant governor, to the constitutional officers, to the men and women of the General Assembly, or to the Supreme Court, the Appellate Court or the Circuit Court judges,” Blagojevich said at the time.

*** 11:34 am *** From the SJ-R…

The Illinois House is coming back to work next week to determine the fate of Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s massive budget cuts.

House leaders say after lawmakers wrap up a special session today, they’ll come back for session Tuesday through Thursday of next week. They’ll decide then how to handle the $1.4 billion in budget cuts the governor made Wednesday.

*** 12:42 pm - *** Apparently, Senate President Emil Jones was not happy with the City of Chicago’s testimony yesterday against the gaming expansion bill and the capital bill…

“We’re going to put a tax on the mayor,” Jones told reporters as he walked past the pressbox in the Illinois Senate.

This was after Jones said the city of Chicago should have to send money to Springfield to help pay for the rest of the state, a reference (I think) to the city complaining about having to pay millions for a state gambling license under the expansion plan Jones wants.

*** 1:24 pm *** The House just voted down part of the gaming expansion bill. The vote on Senate Amendment 3 was 47-55. So much for that one.

* 1:28 pm - The Senate Executive Committee will likely take up another bill today to require insurance companies to cover autistm. A previous bill was caught up in legislative bickering over whether to allow the administration to write administrative rules.

* 1:31 pm - After passing the above-mentioned bill to allow the stalled capital projects, Speaker Madigan announced that the House will return next Tuesday and vote on the governor’s budget vetoes on Wednesday. The chamber is in the process of adjourning.

* 1:47 pm - Speaker Madigan will hold a press conference in about ten minutes. Check back.

* 1:51 pm - The governor responds…

Blagojevich says it’s “mindboggling” Madigan has put all his “resourcefulness and cleverness” to preventing the House from voting on a $34 billion capital construction program.

*** 2:04 pm *** House Speaker Michael Madigan just told reporters: “Given the conditions here in Springfield, it is my view that the proposal for the expansion of gaming is a dead issue.”

* Asked about the governor’s claim that Madigan is setting up a post-election income tax increase, the Speaker said: “I’m not going to support an income tax increase during a lame duck session of the Legislature.” Asked about next spring session, Madigan said “Next spring is next spring. It’s a long time away.”

* 2:53 pm - The Senate Executive Committee passed an amendment today to restart the horse racing industry’s subsidy from casinos. The committee also passed a bill to require insurance companies to cover autism.

*** 4:42 pm *** Senate President Emil Jones just said that he does not intend to bring the Senate back in to session next week unless the House passes some revenue enhancers. “We do not intend to come back next week because we have done our business.”

…Adding… I think what happens now is if the House doesn’t pass revenue bills and the Senate doesn’t come back to town, the vetoes of the Senate appropriations bills will stand. That means some bigtime cuts for the AG, SoS, treasurer, etc.

43 Comments

- Little Egypt - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 11:11 am:
Oh goody, the AC in the Governor’s Mansion can be repaired.

- Vote Quimby! - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 11:13 am:
How many $2 million firing ranges do we need?

- Ghost - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 11:17 am:
1.4 mill for a firing range! Are they equiping it with laser guns?

- This Guy - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 11:23 am:
House proposal Section 135 allots up to $54,886 to “replace a domestic hot water heater at Illinois River Correctional Center, Canton.”

First we have to legislate ethics, and now we pay to heat hot water.

Waiter? Check, please.

- Vote Quimby! - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 11:26 am:
And they’re calling Obama a flip-flopper? Nice to see Blago has the courage to change the way things are done in Springfield!

- Steve Brown - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 11:26 am:
House Dems have said they did not support unauthorized spending from lump sum reappropriations. That has not changed.

After being caught by the legislative budget safeguard, CDB provided the list, a line item approp bill was prepared and passed. Some of the items CDB wanted for the future were declined.

- anon - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 11:34 am:
legal bills are costly

- Dan S, a voter and Cubs Fan - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 11:43 am:
Will that be enough session day to put thru the pay raises? Bet Emil is loving this! LOL

- scoot - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 11:46 am:
So was the Guv here for the special session he called?

- Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 11:53 am:
Wait a minute… is it only the House that’s coming back next week? If so then the pay raise clock won’t run out just yet. Not that those pay raises are any big secret anymore.

- wordslinger - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 12:01 pm:
Did I miss something? What was the purpose of the governor calling the special session this week? Did he really expect them to deal with his vetoes today?

- John Bambenek - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 12:07 pm:
Nope, it’s 30 days for both chambers, so the House isn’t pooching the Senate on this.

- BandCamp - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 12:13 pm:
How do you keep a straight face and say you deserve raises when the very people working for you (non-union) at state agencies do not see that same COLA?

Three years, earlier in the decade, did I work w/o a raise, much less a COLA, all the while taking on more responsibilities from the first early retirement exodus.

What. A. Crook. er…I mean Crock.

- anon - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 12:33 pm:
Pay raises are not that big a deal for the electorate. I don’t think anyone will lose or win seat over that issue. Raises might be used as part of a laundry list of criticisms, but it is not a tipping point, IMO.

- Anonymous45 - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 1:00 pm:
ooh, now this is getting interesting…let’s see Jones and Daley go at it…

- John Bambenek - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 1:03 pm:
Ever get the feeling we’re watching a legislative fight club…

- Levois - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 1:06 pm:
Hmmm, Daley if you want to tweak the governor you should tweak his ally.

- Phineas J. Whoopee - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 1:14 pm:
One of the million problems with the Blago administration and their cronies is their absolute disregard for planning. You cannot add casinos without the support of the city where you want to put them and bad mouthing the town mayor seems counterproductive-to say the least.

By the way, I wonder how Blago’s mid-summer inner city jobs program is doing? Have they hired supervisors yet or have the just taken to dropping millions out of helicopters to bored teens.

The only thing this administration plans is their next press release.

- Don't Worry, Be Happy - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 1:26 pm:
The mayoral tax can be used to pay for Emil’s food stamps.

- anon - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 1:28 pm:
fight club???? sssshhhh . . . don’t know what you’re talking about . . .

- iPhone - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 2:32 pm:
RIP Capital Bill. :’(

- Toni H. - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 2:43 pm:
From the City Room-Produced by Amanda Vinicky on Thursday, July 10, 2008, “Along with the budget cuts, the Governor says he’s also ordering state agencies to hold back money. That could leave state services and employees in limbo. One item Blagojevich didn’t trim was an annual cost-of-living-increase for himself, legislators and other state officials. His office says the nearly 4 percent pay bump is required by law.”

Why does it make perfect sense to the Gov that since it’s a “law” the 4% raise goes through? What about the “law” that says the Pensions must be funded??? Whatever suits his agenda…that repeatedly FAILS btw! Is he not able to “learn” from negative experiences?

- hmmmmm? - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 2:45 pm:
So is the House gonna post the rollcall on gaming?

- DumberThanUThink - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 2:45 pm:
Blagoof spends/promises millions to lobby for his gambling bills and gets FEWER votes in the House
Yikes
He even lost Bus Ride Bob Pritchard who told a Rockford presser everyone should travel to Madigan’s district — He voted no Double Yikes

- Railfan - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 2:53 pm:
As the International Olympic Committee watches and takes notes…

- wordslinger - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 4:06 pm:
So Mike and Rich vs. Rod and Emil is now in the open.

It’s “mind-boggling,” to borrow a phrase that the guv probably uses a lot, that they didn’t have Daley lined up on the casino deal before they pushed it. Who did they think they’re dealing with? There’s been a Daley running the show up here for 41 of the last 53 years. That’s a long time. This isn’t Mayberry. You can’t roll a guy like that at the last minute.

I seem to recall a few years ago, Daley finally came off the fence and said he wanted a Chicago casino. Rod let him twist in the wind, then self-righteously put the hammer down, over the phone while the mayor was in Paris, saying he was against expansion of gambling.

What goes around….

- Cassandra - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 4:42 pm:
Well, next spring isn’t THAT far away. And there is the problem of Lisa’s first year as governor…does she want to be the income tax increase governor.Hardly. So, Dad needs to step in and get that tax increase going before she is inaugurated. She can blame it, and everything else, on our Blago.

The time to watch our wallets will, in fact, be next spring. I’m ready.

- Northside Bunker - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 4:48 pm:
At least Mike Madigan has “resourcefulness and cleverness”.
What are Rod Blagojevich’s strong suits? Compulsive liar, corruptive and the list goes on and on if anyone cares to add.

- What planet is he from again? - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 4:51 pm:
Ok, so Gov. Goodhair won the suit that says Madigan has to convene the sessions when the Gov orders, but Emil can decide to not hold a session at all? Something is rotten in the state of Demar….I mean Illinois.

- Capitol View - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 4:52 pm:
I think everyone is overreacting. What the House did this week was clean the slate, remove all the Senate actions at the end of May, and simply leave next week for final budget actions - the sweeps bill and accepting most of the Governor’s vetoes.

The GOVERNOR’s veto actions / budget cuts — as of earlier this day, the veto actions were not even noted on the Governor’s official web site; it is as if the legislative budget process was still going on, and he had not taken any action.

- Shell Game - Illinois Style - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 4:54 pm:
Inaction…. What a surprise.

- cardsmama - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 4:58 pm:
as a friend mentioned to me…
“It is EASY to boggle little minds”

- walter sobchak - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 5:20 pm:
Is there any interest group in the history of Illinois politics that has had more clout with less rationale for that clout than horse racing? And, we’re not talking about an ‘industry’ but, with one exception, uber wealthy families. It’s money clout I know, but what a blatant, excessive, ignoble exercise of clout than this extension of the confiscation of casino profits to line the pockets of track owners. Nothing represents the true nature of the politics of Illinois circa 2008 than this.

- steve schnorf - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 6:38 pm:
Rich, do you agree that the House will accept most of the Gov’s spending vetoes? I would think it more likely the Speaker will at least attempt to override some of the most popular spending items (and that will include some big numbers), essentially putting the House Rs on the spot, and, when they go along (Medicaid payment cycle) the hot potato is back in the Senate. When the Senate goes along, it’s back to the Governor to do the impounding thru his executive powers and wear the jacket. That’s my guess, at least.

- Plutocrat03 - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 6:55 pm:
Less popular than the President, but more popular than the Democratically controller Congress..

- fed up - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 9:08 pm:
Cassandra you are correct.

- Disgusted - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 9:48 pm:
AFSCME, I hope you’ve taken note of the “required by law” pay raises that we all knew were going to go through for the knights and princes of the legislature. Make sure that this gets hammered into the head of that fast-talkin’ slicky lawyer who is “representing” the state in the contract negotiations. Damn fools can’t do their own negotiating?? No money for the serfs but lots for the “feuding” lords. Medieval England didn’t die, it just jumped the Pond.

- Mr. Wizard - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 10:23 pm:
Steve, imo, if the House restores the elected officials and legislative agencies, as I think they will, and Emil really keeps the Senate from meeting, as he says, all I can say is: he BETTER retire, because all hell will break loose.

- Oberon - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 10:42 pm:
It is unconstitutional for either House to adjourn for more than three days without the consent of the other; so has Jones consented to the four-day break for the House, and has Madigan consented to Jones’ adjournment to an unspecified date past next week? If not, it seems both schedules violate constitutional requirements. And what is with all this Senate action on bills having nothing to do with the Governor’s Special Session proclamations? That also appears to be prohibited by the Constitution. And even if the House overrides the vetoes, won’t Jones simply (and unconstitutionally)refuse to allow a vote on them, as he did at least once before? Why do all these leaders feel free to disregard at their whim the very document from which they derive their power and authority? If these vetoes stand, there will be very serious repercussions in a number of agencies, making the Traffic Safety Division issue pale by comparison. This gaming is not without serious consequences for lots of people. I’m voting for Con-Con.

- Sweet Polly Purebred - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 10:44 pm:
Again, Mo Money Jones is holding the entire state hostage. This time the reason is what… to keep the raises from occurring until after November? Hate to be the one to tell him, but I believe the raises are the worst kept secret in the Universe! The state of Illinois will continue to decline until Mo Money is removed from his throne. Replacing governors will never fix the problem as long as this greedy, arrogant little jack-a-nape of a Senate president remains in that position. NO ONE MAN should be able to hold an entire state hostage until he gets his way. If we are lucky he will threaten to hold his breath until he does….

- Just wondering - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 11:10 pm:
If the House impeaches Blagojevich, does the Senate have to come back even if Jones doesn’t want to?

- Bookworm - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 11:36 pm:
Wondering, I don’t think so. The House can vote to impeach, but there’s nothing in the constitution that says the Senate would have to hold the trial immediately. Speaking of which, does the House really need three days to consider veto overrides… or might they really be discussing something else?

- Sweet Polly Purebred - Thursday, Jul 10, 08 @ 11:55 pm:
Bookworm - Federal Investigations?? Patrick Fitzgerald and his team could earn their “Shining armor and their white horses” and pull Illinois out of the gates of Hell if they could manage an idictment before fall veto.

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