Unclear on the concept; And pot, meet kettle
Tuesday, Nov 24, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Riopell…
Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration said Monday it’s preparing to make loans to communities and state vendors after legislation to send communities a long-delayed share of gasoline and gambling tax money stalled. […]
Republicans in recent weeks agreed to a Democratic plan to approve legislation to free up money for local communities, lottery winners and others after Rauner said he’d be OK with the move.
The governor suggested additions to the proposals that Democrats didn’t add, and a lieutenant of Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan put a hold on the legislation from state Rep. Marty Moylan, a Des Plaines Democrat, blocking it from moving forward even though the House voted to approve. And the Senate has no plans to reconvene in Springfield to consider it soon if Democrats allowed it to advance.
Moylan called the loan idea “completely ridiculous.”
“We’ll continue to push this bill,” he said.
Um, Marty? You do realize, right, that the Speaker put a brick on your bill? Yes, that very same bill you say you’ll “continue to push”? You already passed the thing.
Also, too…
Rikeesha Phelon, spokeswoman for Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, said the Senate has not been given any indication when the House bill might be sent to the Senate for its action. If the bill does get sent to the Senate, she said, the chamber will schedule additional days in order to deal with it. As of now, the Senate is not scheduled to return to Springfield until January.
If there was no brick, the Senate would’ve very likely come back to town next week.
* Meanwhile…
In a letter sent to state lawmakers Monday, a Rauner administration official accused House Democrats of holding hostage a bill that would provide funds to local governments.
This from the same administration which slashed child care funding for months in a failed bid to pry loose a Turnaround Agenda deal.
Yet, now they’re all verklempt about local governments and lottery winners.
Such compassion.
* And speaking of the lottery, let’s go back to unclear on the concept…
In a move so emblematic of this state’s government it makes my eye twitch, the Illinois Lottery bought newspaper ads to thank its players and apologize for its inability to pay its big prizes until the budget crisis is resolved in Springfield.
On behalf of the newspaper industry, let me say thank you to lottery officials.
On behalf of people who live and work in Illinois, however, let me say I can’t say what I want to say because there may be young children around who should learn this sort of language from their own irate parents.
Deep breath. Exhale.
Spending money to say you’re sorry you don’t have access to your prize money? The optics are not good.
The Illinois Lottery is lucky no one has tried to break its thumbs.
- Anon221 - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 12:37 pm:
I imagine THE Bill will play a key “talking” point on December 1st. From Brick to Hot Potato.
- Cubs in '16 - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 12:38 pm:
You can’t make this stuff up.
- Name/Nickname/Anon - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 12:40 pm:
Every time I’ve seen a TV ad for the IL lottery I wonder how they have the spending authority for those ads.
- Georg Sande - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 12:43 pm:
“Um, Marty” knew only limited portions of his bill when he presented it on the House Floor. And he knew nothing of the discussions between the Governor’s office and Speaker’s office about expanding that bill, which the Speaker ultimately rejected.
Thus it stands to reason that “Um, Marty” doesn’t know the Speaker stopped the bill dead in its tracks after it passed out of the House.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 12:44 pm:
Enough with hostages. It’s an illegitimate and reckless tactic, whether it’s Rauner or Madigan.
Campaign less, govern more. That’s the actual gig.
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 12:47 pm:
Who is going to appropriate money to pay back Rauner’s loans later on?
- justacitizen - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 12:53 pm:
N/N/A===Every time I’ve seen a TV ad for the IL lottery I wonder how they have the spending authority for those ads.===
I believe Lottery’s advertising vendor gets reimbursed by Lottery so they are getting stiffed too.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 12:54 pm:
The Governor could just do the right thing …. Govern and release the money… The whole concept of no authority to release funds that rightfully belong to Municipalities & Lottery winners is a joke.
- thunderspirit - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 12:57 pm:
That shoe evidently pinches when it’s on the Governor’s foot.
On the whole, though, I have to agree with wordslinger here: Enough with hostages.
- Precinct Captain - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 1:06 pm:
I thought the governor was supposed to be a big, hotshot negotiator?
- Tuesday's Pizza - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 1:21 pm:
@precinct captain
Only when he has them down and his foot on their throat.
- Huh? - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 1:27 pm:
Aon @12:54 - The MFT money that is due the local agencies is tied up in the IDOT operating budget.So until there is a bill signed by the governor to pay the MFT separate from the IDOT budget, no payments will be made.
- Anon221 - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 1:32 pm:
Huh?- Or the munis take the State to court…sigh.
- NixonHead - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 1:37 pm:
Sorry, but what were the “additions” that democrats didn’t like? Were the additions added to the bill?
- Anonin' - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 1:48 pm:
Same SuperStars blockin’ access to vendors assistance program….now Supetstar pal can collect fees for the loan scam. ..
Hmmmm.
- DuPage Bard - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 1:48 pm:
Bigger things to do then hold this bill up. Give everyone including lottery winners a break at Christmas.
- GA Watcher - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 1:49 pm:
The snowstorm over the weekend probably gave the Rauner Administration pause. Goldberg’s letter is likely an attempt to avoid a “Bilandic” moment in the event the locals don’t get the MFT funds needed to purchase road salt for other storms that hit over the weeks ahead.
Don’t know about elsewhere, but the local arterials and streets in the north suburbs were not “down to pavement” after the weekend storm. They were by Monday afternoon, but the sun and the temps in the upper 30s helped with that.
- Formerly Known As... - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 2:02 pm:
==Enough with hostages.==
Hostage takers have demands. Madigan has no demands.
Those are not hostages. They are additional victims of the ==war== he is now escalating and extending after refusing the ==peace== gesture on the child care bill. Goldberg had even stopped the snark for a couple days.
- Formerly Known As... - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 2:07 pm:
==Give everyone including lottery winners a break at Christmas.==
As well as salted roads.
- Lincoln Lad - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 2:14 pm:
Thanks Rich for continuing to shed light on this. Many seem to want to blame the Gov for what really is the Speaker’s hold on Moylan’s bill. That follows putting the Senate’s bill that would address this in the drawer. Gov said he’d sign it while offering additional input, but I guess that means the Speaker won’t send it. The reduction in lottery sales reduces funding to education, but I guess that isn’t as important as political ‘wins’ in the epic battle the Speaker thinks he’s waging. Sad.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 2:27 pm:
Another example of a lack of trust breaking down the institution of government and governing.
Rauner has made it clear, he said January when a simple majority is needed is probably the time things move.
He hopes.
- Anon221 - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 2:36 pm:
OW- The “January Thaw”…
http://www.slideshare.net/Leopoldfoundation/january-thaw
- Wordslinger - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 3:00 pm:
FKA, you crack me up.
You’re hopelessly partisan if you condemn a tactic used by one but approve the same tactic used by another.
- Dilemma - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 3:05 pm:
FKA ==Those are not hostages. They are additional victims of the ==war== he is now escalating and extending after refusing the ==peace== gesture on the child care bill. ==
“Peace offering?” Restoring a large portion of eligibility for people in need of childcare so they can work is not a “peace offering,” it is the minimal amount that could be done to avoid the political fallout that would have happened when GOP members voted for the bill.
As for demands, I would think it is clear that Madigan wants the governor to propose the cuts and revenue he wants and more importantly needs (NOT revenue that democrats want). In addition, I’m pretty sure uncoupling the constitutional duty to propose a balanced budget from unrelated non-budgetary demands would be appreciated as well.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 3:16 pm:
===Madigan has no demands===
lol
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 3:20 pm:
===Madigan has no demands===
You must’ve missed the whole Archbishop Cupich and Pope Francis Union discussion.
No demands? Hmm.
- cannon649 - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 3:54 pm:
Madigan has been largest “demand” from the start.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 3:58 pm:
- cannon649 -,
Since you hace no clue what your comment meant, how do you expect anyone to understand either? lol
- internal angel - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 7:28 pm:
I think maladaptive schemas (like a predetermined script or prejudice prediction of how things go) got us to this confusing messed-up point. Google 18 early maladaptive schemas and see which ones fit like a “belief” system. Traps. Seeing them is the only to escape the “script” and get some fresh thinking, fresh action going on.
- The obvious - Tuesday, Nov 24, 15 @ 10:36 pm:
Liberals hyperventilating about Rauner….talk about a lucky governor.
- Huh? - Wednesday, Nov 25, 15 @ 8:35 am:
How about the Gov demanding the income tax expire? The started the whole line of dominoes to start falling. The Gov demands on the backs of seniors, children and the poor is the lowest I’ve seen anyone go. It’s really sad and narsassistic.