Governor calls General Assembly into Special Session to address capital plan and education funding - General Assembly can take action on Governor’s new Illinois Works compromise and address enhanced school funding
CHICAGO – Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today called on the General Assembly to return to work on August 12 and August 13 to address increasing Illinois’ education funding and to pass a slimmed down $25 billion Illinois Works capital plan to invest in revitalizing our state’s roads, bridges, classrooms and communities.
After weeks of working with the legislative leaders to negotiate a capital plan that eliminates expanding gaming as a revenue source, last week the Governor announced the new plan with former US Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-IL).
“Last week former US Speaker Dennis Hastert and I sat with leaders from the four caucuses to present a compromise that addresses many of the concerns that legislators had posed with the previous capital plan. Now that they have had time to review our proposal, I will convene a special session so that they can pass a plan this summer that will repair and rebuild our states infrastructure and put Illinoisans to work,” said Governor Blagojevich.
On August 12, the Governor will convene a special session of the General Assembly to address education funding. The Governor is committed to increasing state funding for education and has invested more money in education than any other administration in history, including millions more in FY09.
Even with this year’s tight budget constraints where he had to make $1.4 billion in reductions, the Governor was able to increase funding for education by $360 million for a total investment of $8.4 billion more since 2003. Since he entered office, he increased per pupil spending by more than 30 percent.
The Governor has said that he would veto any income tax increase and has called on legislators to make their intentions known before the November elections as to whether or not they would support an increase in the income tax.
“When people are paying more at the pump, paying more at the grocery store and paying more in property taxes it would be financially crippling to make them pay more in taxes,” Blagojevich said. “If the House Democrats plan on raising the income tax on working families, they need to make their intentions known now and not wait until after the election.”
On August 13, the Governor will convene a special session of the General Assembly to pass the new $25 billion Illinois Works capital plan which includes the following:
• Investment of more than $14.4 billion in roads projects, $4.1 billion in education facilities, $3.4 billion in public transit and rail, $800 million environment and water, $310 million in state facilities, $100 million in healthcare facilities, $425 million in economic development, and more than $1.4 billion in other critical infrastructure and quality of life needs for the citizens of Illinois.
• Provides a capital improvement plan clearly identifying timelines, priorities and funding sources for projects within each of these investment categories.
• Funds education construction projects and mass transportation investments with $7 billion partial concession of the Illinois Lottery.
• Creates capital and educational trust funds with “lockbox” accountability guarantees for capital investments and continuation of the current level of Lottery proceeds for P-12 education.
• Uses $150 million in excess motor fuel taxes to support $1.6 billion in additional road projects
• Uses $100 million in excess state sales taxes on motor fuels to support $1.3 billion in additional projects
According to a study by Southern Illinois University, a comprehensive capital plan would have tremendous economic benefits for the state. The study found a $25 billion capital plan would create 443,000 new full-time jobs, lead to $32 billion in economic activity and more than $2.3 billion in state and local tax revenues. [Emphasis added]
*** 4:53 pm *** From the SJ-R, which apparently received a slight advanced warning…
Blagojevich does not intend for lawmakers to take up state budget cuts during the session, Guerrero said.
“Unless they find the funding, there’s nothing much more to do with the budget,” Guerrero said.
Guerrero said the governor decided to call the special session on education funding after being urged to do so by some black lawmakers who have complained about inequities in school funding.
Blagojevich wants lawmakers to consider a plan to significantly increase school funding backed by state Sen. James Meeks, which calls for an income tax increase to provide billions of extra dollars for schools and other needs.
But the governor opposes the income tax increase and wants lawmakers to look at other ways to pay for the increased spending, Guerrero said. He has supported selling or leasing the state Lottery and expanding gambling in the past to accomplish that goal. [Emphasis added]
*** 4:59 pm *** To answer some questions in comments, the legislative and statewide pay raise automatically kicks in during the second day of the scheduled special session.
State Rep. Gary Hannig, D-Litchfield, a top House official, questioned the necessity of the session, since there is no agreement on the infrastructure plan and no specific proposal for education funding.
With the Illinois State Fair underway, some members of the Legislature are concerned there will be few hotel rooms available.
Although a quick check of three on-line hotel booking sites found ample rooms as of Tuesday evening, the fair doesn’t get into full swing until this coming weekend. […]
State Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion, said it is a long shot to think lawmakers will be able to resolve their long-standing differences over a statewide construction plan in just one day.
He said it’s tough to analyze the latest changes to the plan because it remains more a conceptual plan, rather than an actual piece of legislation.
‘’They need to put the proposals on paper,'’ Bradley said.
State Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, said attempting to address a major issue like school funding reform in one day is foolhardy.
‘’It’s just wishful thinking,'’ Brady said. ‘’Without a plan, we’re not going to get anything accomplished.'’
* If you have an iPhone, do not download the latest 2.0.1 update. It just doesn’t work right. Wait a couple of days, which is what I should’ve done. None of the new apps I’ve installed - several of which I paid for - work since this morning’s update. Wonderful.
Spokesmen for Gov. Rod Blagojevich say it’s not decided yet whether he’ll show up for the twilight parade in downtown Springfield or what his other plans for the fair will be.
The governor has made the fair a staple of his first five years in office. He usually walks the parade route, stopping regularly to talk with onlookers. In 2003, his first year in office, he even decided to run the parade path, winding up near the Grandstand soaked with sweat on a muggy evening.
But that changed last year. Tied up in an ugly budget mess with state lawmakers, Blagojevich skipped the parade and made only a brief appearance at the ribbon-cutting the following day.
He could have good reason to do the same this time.
Blagojevich’s popularity is low, and his feuding with lawmakers continues. Plus, this time he has to face employees and Springfield residents upset with him for trying to move the Department of Transportation’s traffic safety division to southern Illinois.
* The question: If you were Gov. Blagojevich, would you march in this week’s Twilight Parade through Springfield?
Be honest with yourself and with us. Explain fully and do your best to stay on topic. Thanks.
* Get ready for more drama from the state’s Drama Queen in Chief.
This was pretty much ignored or buried in the coverage of Gov. Blagojevich’s press conference yesterday. As I told subscribers, it likely amounts to a new front against House Speaker Michael Madigan…
Blagojevich said he wants to talk to Michael Bischof about strengthening other laws to help domestic violence victims. Blagojevich said he could do that as part of a “Rewrite to Do Right'’ campaign he plans launch later this week.
Blagojevich said he intends to rewrite bills passed by the Legislature “to make them better for the people of our state.'’ Lawmakers would have to approve the changes.
Depending on what bills Blagojevich rewrites, it could further inflame tensions with lawmakers he has feuded with and who are balking at a statewide construction program he wants them to pass.
Blagojevich said one of the bills he is interested in “taking positive action'’ on is a campaign finance reform measure. Lawmakers have voted to impose the state’s first major restriction on money politicians can accept but Blagojevich has yet to sign it. [Emphasis added]
“Rewrite to Do Right.” Catchy slogan. I wonder if this new initiative will have its own website?
* Meanwhile, Eric Zorn thinks he has a “solution” to the budgetary “doomsday”…
Let’s look at a promising quick fix, the so-called funds sweep.
It seems that the state comptroller’s office oversees somewhere around 700 special-purpose accounts—the Industrial Hygiene Regulatory and Enforcement Fund, for example—that are supported by licensing fees and fines. These funds often run a surplus, and it has become common practice for the state to “sweep” that extra money toward unrelated budget items.
Simple solutions are usually neither. And Zorn admits at the bottom of his column that sweeping these funds won’t be as easy as it looks…
[Sen Jeff Schoenberg] is busily hammering out a more detailed and more modest sweep proposal with Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago), and both lawmakers hope the General Assembly will hold a special session and consider it this month.
“If we can create greater accountability and transparency concerning these funds, that’ll be a good thing,” Schoenberg said.
Q: So since this is the fastest, least painful way to silence the drumbeats of doom, the Republicans and the governor will go along with it, right?
A: I’ll let Feigenholtz answer: “Please,” she said darkly. “Don’t try to apply logic to this situation.”
Not mentioned is that Senate President Emil Jones dismissed the last attempted funds sweep compromise as a “drop in the bucket.” Also, considering the depth of the stated budget problem (over $2 billion in the red), a $300-500 million sweep won’t solve all problems. Also not mentioned is the legit suspicion that the governor has allowed many of these funds to accumulate artificial surpluses to make it appear that more money is available than there really is.
* SJ-R: Capital bill should include list of projects
*** UPDATE 1 *** It seems, at times, that the governor’s people believe that their troubles with Speaker Madigan are somehow new and unique. As I’ve tried to point out time and time again, this is not new behavior. John Patterson points the Way-Back Machine to the summer of 1988…
Gov. Jim Thompson wants an income tax increase. The media is behind it, as are most interest groups. Everyone thinks higher taxes are a great idea.
Everyone, that is, except Madigan, who refuses to go along and is eviscerated as an obstructionist in daily news stories.
In a June 1988 story, Thompson told the Chicago Tribune that Madigan’s opposition reflects “a narrow little world” in which Madigan lives.
Madigan’s response to the paper was that Thompson “does not live in a neighborhood as I live in a neighborhood,” but spends most of his time in a state-financed mansion in Springfield far away from the mood of the people. [Emphasis in original]
*** UPDATE 2 *** CLTV quotes Blagojevich enemy state Rep. John Fritchey as saying that the governor was using children as “human shields” during yesterday’s press conference. The report also highlights the governor’s “Rewrite to Do Right” plan and it’s probable impact on Fritchey’s ethics bll…
* Thanks to a reader for sending this direct mail piece from Republican congressional hopeful Marty Ozinga. I strongly encourage all readers to do the same.
You can click the pics for larger images…
Thoughts?
* The Illinois Republican Party has a new Internet video bashing Democratic congressional candidate Dan Seals. The Repubs have been attempting for several days to make some hay out of fundraising for Seals done by powerful Congresscritter Charlie Rangel, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. You can find more background on the story here, here, here, here and here. It’s a mostly inside the beltway “scandal” that isn’t exactly earth-shattering. Rangel is accused of using a rent-controlled apartment for his campaign headquarters, in apparent violation of NY law. He’s since closed that office.
Anyway, the IL GOP vid ends with this tag line: “Dan Seals. He’ll do anything to buy your vote.” That’s quite the charge.
And here it is…
* The Rangel thing is also an issue in Democrat Debbie Halvorson’s campaign versus Marty Ozinga…
[Halvorson[ also has set up a joint fundraising committee with Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., and chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, for a future fundraising event. The Ozinga campaign has sought to portray the relationship negatively following a story in the New York Times alleging that Rangel, whose home and office in Harlem are in a rent-controlled building, is getting favorable treatment from his landlord. The office is the address listed for the joint fundraising committee with Halvorson.
Rangel responded Friday to the article, telling reporters at a news conference he is paying the maximum rent allowed by law and he is not getting special treatment. […]
Regarding Halvorson’s fundraising, Sere said Halvorson’s affiliation with Rangel shows she has a pattern of “forming close alliances with fellow career politicians who just so happen to have this scandal or that scandal attached to their names,” a reference to efforts by the Ozinga campaign to tie her to unpopular Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Ozinga issued a press release Wednesday calling attention to the committee titled “Halvorson Fundraising Committee Based out of Rangel’s Sweetheart Apartment.” […]
[Halvorson campaign manager Brian Doory] declined to respond to the Ozinga criticism of her joint committee with Rangel.
* Meanwhile, Bobby Rush announced yesterday that he’s cancer free…
Rush returned to Congress last Wednesday. His doctors said they are not discouraging him from jumping back into politics as he continues his recovery.
“I don’t know that asking Congressman Rush to sit down and relax would be good for him,” said Dr. Elizabeth Blair, the surgeon who removed a tumor the size of a large plum from his jaw earlier this year.
* Congressional hearing today on CN, EJ&E purchase
* For lawyers who choose public service over private enrichment, new financial hope - Legislation to unburden some of up to $60,000 in law school debt is awaiting president’s signature
One part of the Illinois Constitution is clearly broken (even Dawn Clark Netsch agrees) and that’s the provision that governs redistricting.
The General Assembly gets to draw the map. And if they can’t, then a Commission is set up to do the job, 4 Dems and 4 Republicans. And if they can’t do the job, then guess how the ninth member of the Commission is chosen, pursuant to the Illinois Constitution?
That leaves a state Constitutional Convention. Truly, I’d be glad if we didn’t have to resort to opening up the entire constitution to alteration as the price of straightening out this state. But what else is there?
So, to the well-funded special interests that oppose a Con Con, as the convention is informally known, I again ask this question: What is your solution?
In the past three decades, Chicago has undergone changes that are routinely described as gentrification, but are in fact more complicated and more profound than the process that term suggests. A better description would be “demographic inversion.” Chicago is gradually coming to resemble a traditional European city–Vienna or Paris in the nineteenth century, or, for that matter, Paris today. The poor and the newcomers are living on the outskirts. The people who live near the center–some of them black or Hispanic but most of them white–are those who can afford to do so.
White, who fancies himself an amateur historian and idolizes Lincoln, said he’s been trying to think of a way to send a message to Blagojevich and state lawmakers.
“What better way than to send pennies down to Springfield?” White said. “Lincolns for Lincoln.
Faced with a gaping budget deficit, Mayor Daley is making it clear he wants union workers to share some of the pain.
Last week, he set the tone with non-union city employees. He ordered them to take two or three unpaid furlough days and canceled the next two rounds of pay raises. He also offered buyouts.
The state’s main evidence against Dugan is his DNA that was allegedly found on the victim. Dugan’s team of attorneys contend that the case against Dugan is based primarily on DNA evidence, and that they want to leave no stone unturned in the 25-year-old case.
There’s a good but depressing article in the Wall Street Journal about how newspapers are continuing to fall behind in the local online advertising derby–even as their print ad revenues are ebbing away. According to Borrell statistics cited in the story, newspaper share of the local online ad market has fallen to 27.4 percent from 35.9 percent two years ago. Things aren’t going in the right direction. That’s not good–especially when the overall local online advertising market is growing, ahem, at a 57 percent annual clip.
* The Web of Wanton Cruelty As ‘Trolling’ Turns More Vicious, What, If Anything, Can Stop It?
* Photo appears to show McCartney at Clear Lake Circle K
