Senate Democrats will recede
Thursday, Jun 16, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the Senate President…
“The state’s construction program should continue uninterrupted. The Senate intends to return to the Capitol on Wednesday to fully fund the construction program for the full 12-month period.
There are still major structural deficiencies in the House budget that will become clear in the months ahead. I look forward to having the opportunity to address issues such as the underfunding of education and social service commitments.”
The Senate is scheduled to return to regular session at noon on Wednesday, June 22.
Translation: The Senate Democrats have backed off their attempt to attach budgetary add-ons to the capital/road bill. The drama appears to be over. Subscribers can learn lots more by clicking here.
…Adding… The House Speaker has already directed his members to return next Wednesday and his spokesman said that nothing has changed so far.
…Adding More… The decision couldn’t have come too soon. Illinois’ unemployment rate rose for the first time in 15 months…
Illinois employers added 8,200 new jobs in May but the state’s unemployment rate inched up to 8.9 percent from 8.7 percent in April as more 9,800 people joined the ranks of job seekers, the Illinois Department of Employment Security reported Thursday. […]
Since the recovery began, Illinois has experienced 1.9 percent job growth versus 1.4 percent nationally. But the May statistics indicate that while the state continues to add new jobs, the rate of growth is slowing. The three-month moving average of monthly job additions slipped to 6,600 in May from 15,400 in March. The agency also revised April’s reported increase of 9,900 new jobs down to 9,100.
That could help explain the uptick in the state’s unemployment rate, which derives from a separate survey. But an agency spokesman said the increase may also owe to other seasonal and cyclical factors and wasn’t entirely unexpected.
He said May tends to produce a surge in the number of people looking for jobs because students and workers whose jobs are tied to the school year begin to enter the workforce. Also, at this point in the economic cycle people who lost their jobs during the recession and became too discouraged to look for a new one may be reentering the market, which increases the percentage of unemployed, but may actually reflect increased optimism.
…Adding still more… From the governor’s office…
In a decision that is critical to Illinois’ continued economic recovery, the four legislative caucuses have agreed to the Governor’s proposal to pass a 12-month capital appropriations bill next week, and in the fall discuss reallocation of funding within the $33.2 billion state budget based on the priorities of the Senate Democrats.
This agreement will ensure that the state’s biggest jobs program continues, creating thousands of jobs building roads and repairing bridges throughout our state, and boosting our economic recovery.
- Realist - Thursday, Jun 16, 11 @ 4:34 pm:
So does this mean the House will not be in session? Or will they still bring the House in to possibly vote on other pending issues?
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jun 16, 11 @ 4:37 pm:
Check the “adding” above
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jun 16, 11 @ 6:32 pm:
You can’t bluff when the other players at the table have better face cards.
- Capitol View - Thursday, Jun 16, 11 @ 9:46 pm:
Once again, we see that Illinois State Government is the biggest obstacle to Illinois economic recovery. More human services providers being driven out of business by rates cut again with no hope of responsible payment cycles of 30 days or less, and an infrastructure continuing to fall apart - with more use of asphalt rather than concrete repairs of highways.
In the 1800s, governments built ports and city roads. Early in the 20th Century, government built locks and dams, and later airports and interstate highways. Today, we “accomplish” balancing budgets and letting government services languish. Rest assured that our children and grandchildren will not be calling us a great generation or our federal and state leaders worthy of their elected positions.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jun 16, 11 @ 10:13 pm:
In the United States, bordered on the east by the Atlantic, the west by the Pacific, and the north and south by two undefended borders, we now spend $700 billion a year on “defense.”
That’s nearly 5% of GDP and more than the next 17 largest spenders on arms combined.
http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/06/military-
Meanwhile, the federal tax burden is the lowest it’s been in 60 years. We’re just borrowing and printing money.
That’s conservative these days.
- Michelle Flaherty - Thursday, Jun 16, 11 @ 10:59 pm:
tell it all to AARP
- QC Transplant - Friday, Jun 17, 11 @ 9:27 am:
I’m not I understand why the House is coming into session. The House non-concurred on the Senate Amendment & sent the bill to the Senate. All that has to occur is for the Senate to recede from the Senate Amendment and the bill is declared passed by both chambers. So what is the House going to do since they do not have to take any action on the Capital Bill?