Get ready to rumble
Wednesday, Aug 6, 2008 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The first question that many had yesterday about next week’s special session was: Will the pay hikes kick in?
Yes, unless they’re blocked, which is unlikely at best.
The second question was: Is Senate President Emil Jones on board with this special session plan that will result in pre-election pay raises?
Somewhat reluctantly, but yes…
Under the state’s complicated system, lawmakers are in line to automatically receive a recommended 7.5 percent pay increase unless both the House and Senate reject it. The House did that, but Jones and some fellow senators have sought to avoid a vote on the hot-button issue before the November general election.
Now [Senate President Emil Jones] faces the prospect of the raises taking effect while the Senate is in session, opening him and other Democrats to criticism if they do not act.
Jones spokeswoman Cindy Davidsmeyer said it will be up to the president and his leadership team to decide whether the issue will be addressed next week.
* And check out the second excerpted and highlighted graf from this Sun-Times story…
Sen. Susan Garrett (D-Lake Forest) said she is “willing to do cartwheels and handsprings” to pressure Jones to let the anti-pay increase resolution she is sponsoring be called for a vote.
But Jones spokeswoman Cindy Davidsmeyer wasn’t willing to concede when the increases would kick in, saying no one on Jones’ staff is keeping track of the running clock on the pay raises.
The comptroller will have the final say, I think, but watch for much motion and little movement on this topic. Still, how embarrassing.
* Anyway, this is what is really motivating both Blagojevich and Jones…
Blagojevich is trying to increase pressure on his chief nemesis, House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), to support a statewide public works program that has had tentative backing from other legislative leaders. Madigan has been a steadfast opponent of the governor’s plans, blocking a more expensive version the Senate approved in May.
It’s all about the MJM. Watch how this plays out. It’s gonna be a hoot.
* Quote of the day…
House Republican leader Tom Cross of Oswego said it’s fitting the session comes during the fair because this debate has become like riding the tilt-a-whirl: “You go around and around, going nowhere, but get sick to your stomach.”
- Captain Flume - Wednesday, Aug 6, 08 @ 10:05 am:
Considering who Rep. Cross has aligned himself with lately, no wonder he has problems with his guts.
- Yorkville - Wednesday, Aug 6, 08 @ 10:12 am:
Cross should just change parties, he’d feel better.
- Ghost - Wednesday, Aug 6, 08 @ 10:12 am:
Tom Cross observes people getting off the Blago tilt-a-whirl sick to their stomachs and burned by the undelviered promise of fun, and decides he wants support the ride and call for the republicans to increase attendance on the dizzing stomach churning ride of empty promises.
- North of I-80 - Wednesday, Aug 6, 08 @ 10:15 am:
So the Special Session and “important” budget negotiations will keep the Governor from marching in the parade?
Interesting that the legislators gave themselves a 10%+ pay raise last year and now a 7% pay raise this year…. all while AFSCME and FOP and Teamsters are negotiating contracts. If I was still in the system, I would say that all I wanted was what the legislators gave themselves.
- Just Asking - Wednesday, Aug 6, 08 @ 10:18 am:
To all that think Cross is aligning himself and his caucus with Blago, you don’t see the bigger picture. Cross is not aligning himself with Blago, he is aligning himself with the capital bill. Unfortunately to do what is in the best interest of the state, i.e. build infrastructure and create jobs, he has to work with the people that want a capital bill. Madigan does not want a capital bill so Cross is not working with him. Blago and Jones want a capital bill (along with most Illinoisans) so he has to hold his nose and work with them. The end goal is moving Illinois forward. I believe most people call that reaching across party lines to do what is right. It is called leadership.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Aug 6, 08 @ 10:27 am:
Just Asking, you’re missing the point.
Did you see the Sen. Hendon stories in the Tribune about how he spent all that state cash on after school programs that didn’t really exist?
Now, do you believe that this sort of thing (and much more) will not happen with the BILLIONS of dollars in unspecified project stashes contained within this capital bill?
And if you believe this will not happen, and if you believe that RRB will not hold up your members for political favors every time they ask for a crumb, all I can ask is: Are you freaking stupid?
- Levois - Wednesday, Aug 6, 08 @ 10:28 am:
Are you trying to say Madigan is going hurt Blago in ways that he’s never been hurt before?
- Pot calling kettle - Wednesday, Aug 6, 08 @ 10:35 am:
The main stage at the State Fair is open Tuesday night. I propose a live leaders meeting with Bill Richardson moderating. Proceeds from the gate can be donated to charity.
Richardson has negotiated some tough deals with ruthless dictators. This will be a challenge for him, but, if anyone can make it happen, he can.
- Crystal Clear - Wednesday, Aug 6, 08 @ 10:46 am:
Does anyone have the total dollars that have been skimmed from the road funds to GRF since Blago has been Governor?
- Just Asking - Wednesday, Aug 6, 08 @ 10:52 am:
Rich,
Actually I realize Blago will probably do all of the above to some degree, so no I am not stupid. The point is that $25 Billion will enter the Illinois economy. THIS is the issue that nobody really wants to address. At some point the discussion has to be about creating jobs somewhere in Illinois as opposed to what a particular member will get in their particular district. Things in this state will get far worse. We are now in a stage where a capital bill might just hold the line for our economy as opposed to moving it forward.
- Anon - Wednesday, Aug 6, 08 @ 10:56 am:
=== The point is that $25 Billion will enter the Illinois economy. ====
No, it won’t. The capital plan will move funds from one point in Illinois to another point, except in the case of federal funds which will be moved to a point in Illinois from out there somewhere, including to some extent from Illinois.
- Just Asking - Wednesday, Aug 6, 08 @ 10:56 am:
And Rich, I did see the story on Hendon, the one ritual I have left is having my dog get my morning Trib. This type of thing is not new to Illinois politics, the dems have just kicked it up a notch because they thing they are invincible. With the voters of today, maybe they are.
- Just Asking - Wednesday, Aug 6, 08 @ 11:00 am:
Anon 10:56am
That means capital dollars will not stay on the sidelines and will enter the general economy as opposed to staying with the folks that hold that capital.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Aug 6, 08 @ 11:02 am:
Just Asking, the way this thing is devised, it’s an open invitation to the G-Men. Good luck with that.
- Just Asking - Wednesday, Aug 6, 08 @ 11:12 am:
Rich,
Can’t say you are wrong. Your statement says a lot about the state of affairs in Illinois. I am not one to say we should bury our head in the sand. Having the G looking at things is not a bad thing, just unfortunate it could come to that.
- 2ConfusedCrew - Wednesday, Aug 6, 08 @ 11:22 am:
Mr/Ms DumberThanUThink has developed a major headache keeping up with the nonsense, so the mantle is passed.
It should be a given now that the Blagoofers have lost all control.
The pressure is so intense they grab whatever pony is close and ride off ( special session on education). Who cares what direction or if today’s pony tramples on yesterday’s pony ( n.b. animals and wonderboy please don’t think animal cruelty intended)
Given the 8-8-08 start of the Games, I am shocked the Blagoofers have not called a special for that.
Meanwhile the quotes piled by StateWideTom has pretty much buried the GOPs in IL for 2 cycles.
Who thought someone could make the Keys campaign look good
We think it best to step back until the Blagoofers come to a complete stop!
- Jaded - Wednesday, Aug 6, 08 @ 11:35 am:
I am not sure it is a forgone conclusion that the pay raises will kick in.
I think it can certainly be argued that since the special session is not about the pay raises, and since the constitution is pretty specific about the issues that can be addressed in a special session, “business encompassed by such purpose…impeachments or confirmation of appointments”, that these session days do not count for the passage of failure of the pay increase resolution.
- Frank Booth - Wednesday, Aug 6, 08 @ 11:37 am:
Did you ever think that the capital bill is designed to bury the G so as to delay investigations going forward, further indictments, etc?
Oh, think you got me on hiring, we’ll here’s $25-34 billion worth of politically connected contracts being awarded for you and your agents to chew on while I seek and serve a third term.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Aug 6, 08 @ 11:40 am:
===I am not sure it is a forgone conclusion that the pay raises will kick in.===
I think the ruling on this comes from Dan Hynes. One guess what he’ll do.
- Greg - Wednesday, Aug 6, 08 @ 11:52 am:
Maybe we could bring in some World Bank analysts to help with the capital bill. They’re good at ascertaining approximately how large a bribe fund each project requires.
- Conundrum - Wednesday, Aug 6, 08 @ 1:15 pm:
I find it hard to believe that President Jones is allowing the pay raises to possibly kick in before the elections without some sort of plan. I’ve wondered all along if there would be a contest on what constitutes a session day for the purposes of determining when the raises would take effect.
I also wonder if there hasn’t been a careful calculation of how many Senate Dems would be hurt in their reelection campaigns by the raises as opposed to how many House Dems might be impacted. After all, even though the House voted down the raises, they will get them, and it will be hard to convince voters that they weren’t in on it all along. As with so much else these days, this assumes that the goal is to reduce Madigan’s power base.
- Anon - Wednesday, Aug 6, 08 @ 1:24 pm:
Just Asking == That means capital dollars will not stay on the sidelines and will enter the general economy as opposed to staying with the folks that hold that capital. ==
The only capital sitting on the sidelines is cash hidden under someone’s mattress (or in shoeboxes or in the freezer).
- Lefty - Wednesday, Aug 6, 08 @ 1:27 pm:
rewrite to do right
do right to impeach little mite
do right to indict tight
do right because he ain’t right
do right alright, alright.
- Just Asking - Wednesday, Aug 6, 08 @ 2:45 pm:
Anon 1:24
==The only capital sitting on the sidelines is cash hidden under someone’s mattress (or in shoeboxes or in the freezer).==
Democrats past, present and from all parts of the country sure like shoe boxes.
- Bruno Behrend - Wednesday, Aug 6, 08 @ 5:34 pm:
Just Asking wrote:
The point is that $25 Billion will enter the Illinois economy.
So you take $25 billion out of people pockets to have go to some one else’s pockets, and you’ve put money in “the economy?!!!”
The CapitOl bill is another slush fund, and most of the money will be siphoned off to increase patronage and pensions.
While the intellectually honest observer knows that IL will have to increase revenues somehow, the electorate would be insane to allow revenue increases with out hard spending caps on every IL governmental entity.
The best solution would be call the HB750 bluff, enact a REAL TAX SWAP that cut property taxes deeply and permanently (gut Education Administration Waste and abuse).
This would be politically popular, as well as good policy.