* Back on June 3rd, the Illinois Republican Party highlighted this Chicago Tribune editorial…
Don’t be surprised if they cut a half-year deal and boast for the cameras that they did something big. They’ll blame and spin and preen like peacemakers, then explain in great fogs of detail why this was the best they could do. Heroes, all.
* Today’s press release…
“After proclaiming that the House would be in continuous session and meet on Wednesdays, Mike Madigan has canceled session for the second week in a row. Without a stopgap budget, prisons will not have the necessary funds to operate and schools may not open in the fall. Madigan is again using the working groups as an excuse to stall progress - two stopgap bills backed by the Governor and statehouse Republicans are written and ready to vote on.
Mike Madigan has abandoned the needs of the people of Illinois in his desperate attempt to force a tax hike and prevent reform. Today, news organizations are reporting a ‘mega lobbying effort from Chicago’ to pass Madigan’s 7 billion out-of-balance budget in the Senate. Senate Democrats now face a crucial test – will they put a halt to this madness, or will they cave to political boss Mike Madigan?” – Illinois Republican Party Spokesman Steven Yaffe
So, they were against a stopgap before they were for it?
* But the governor is sitting on a stopgap approp bill himself. And Voices for Illinois Children wants him to sign it…
A month ago, the Illinois House and Senate passed Senate Bill 2038 to provide over $700 million in emergency cash to help service providers keep their doors open after 12 months of no payments from the state. Not a single legislator voted “no;” 167 voted “yes.”
Yet, nearly four weeks after receiving this bill, Governor Rauner has not signed it. His inaction is denying service providers an essential financial lifeline.
As the huge bipartisan support in the General Assembly shows, signing SB 2038 is simply the right thing to do. This is because the money authorized to save service providers is currently just sitting idle in special state funds.
For example, over $400 million sits in the Commitment to Human Services Fund. This money is meant to support human services. SB 2038 simply authorizes the state to spend dedicated human services money on human services.
To be clear, SB 2038 is not a solution to the state’s financial crisis. It is only a temporary, emergency lifeline to providers. Lawmakers and Governor Rauner must finally enact a budget supported by billions of dollars in new revenue to fund essential services and investments for a more prosperous and compassionate state.
An accompanying image…
* Meanwhile…
Without state funding and with an increase in need, the Southern Illinois Coalition for the Homeless is struggling to keep its doors open.
*** UPDATE *** The governor was asked about the bill today and he said he opposes it because it doesn’t include any administration money. Raw audio…
- Mama - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 10:44 am:
I thought he vetoed the stop-gap the other day. NO?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 10:46 am:
Until the Governor decides what hexes to to do with the stopgap bill currently on his desk, this is foolhardy bluster.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 10:46 am:
–Not a single legislator voted “no;” 167 voted “yes.”–
Apparently, the governor isn’t powerless after all.
Because he is the only one holding up the bipartisan emergency appropriation for contracted service providers.
What a thing to use the power of the governor’s office for. To be a royal deadbeat to good people doing great work for those most in need.
Actions matter. His words have proven meaningless.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 10:48 am:
“Until the Governor decides what he’s going to to do with the stopgap bill currently on his desk, this is foolhardy bluster.”
Apologies
- Mama - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 10:48 am:
The State not honoring its contracts for FY16 is a nightmare!
Will this nightmare ever end?
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 10:49 am:
Does this help millionaires or billionaires? Does Rauner care?
- Wensicia - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 10:57 am:
Rauner won’t release his hostages until he gets what he wants.
- And I Approved This Message - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 10:58 am:
OW - I actually think hexes made more sense!
- Honeybear - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 11:21 am:
I hate the fact that somebody is going to have to actually die and for the death to be attributable to one side or the other before this gets resolved. How sick are we?
- Formerly Known As... - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 11:26 am:
@AIATM is on it. =Hexes= works.
The autocorrection in the first comment had a Freudian slip lol.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 11:27 am:
- And I Approved This Message -
Well done. Nice pickup. Maybe you are right, lol
- Chicago_Downstater - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 11:34 am:
I’ve now worked through the denial, anger, & bargaining stages for the Social Services Stopgap Bill on Rauner’s desk. Now I’m just depressed. That being said, I don’t think I’ll ever accept it.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 11:36 am:
===he vetoed the stop-gap===
That wasn’t a stopgap. It was fully funding, without revenues to back it up.
- Ghost - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 12:37 pm:
Hexes just reads better, much more of an expansive explanation…..
- anon - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 12:45 pm:
Homeless children…Nursing care for seniors…What you do for the least of these…
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 12:50 pm:
To all the fun comments on “hexes”…
… my phone auto-correct thanks you, lol
- Wensicia - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 1:11 pm:
I thought all the hexes lived in Texas?
- Juvenal - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 1:26 pm:
The GOP and tronc don’t have a consistent message because they don’t have a plan, or even a strategy, to passing a budget and managing state government.
Like tronc itself, all they have are flashy tactics.
It really isn’t all that different from Google Maps.
Figure out what destination you want to arrive at. Plot the fastest course.
- Honeybear - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 3:13 pm:
–Homeless children…Nursing care for seniors…What you do for the least of these… –
Nothing will be done for them till AFSCME’s head is laid before Rauner.
- RNUG - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 3:50 pm:
== I thought all the hexes lived in Texas? ==
Nope, they’re in Salem … Illinois.
- Huh? - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 4:01 pm:
RNUG - a bright bit of wit on a gloomy day. Thank you.
To the update - Did anyone really expect anything else from 1.4%?
Sigh.
- Juvenal - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 4:09 pm:
To the Update:
We all thought that the Governor would be holding human services hostage so that he could force concessions from public employee unions.
Who would have dreamed he’d be holding nonprofits hostage to ensure state bureaucrats get paid.
- Norseman - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 4:10 pm:
Typical Rauner action. Let people twist in the wind for a long time and then dash their hopes.
We’ll see if GOP will continue their blind obedience.
- Huh? - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 4:15 pm:
After everything is said and done, there will only be a fatal crash. There won’t be enough fuel to burn.
- Wensicia - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 4:26 pm:
Rauner: It’s not in my interest to sign anything that restores funding to my hostages.
#StarveTheBeast
- Rabid - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 5:02 pm:
Why did ck put a gag in the govenor’s mouth when he wanted to raise taxes? Last question?
- Juice - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 5:03 pm:
Well if he would just up and veto it, it would probably at least get everyone back to Springfield.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 5:10 pm:
– The governor was asked about the bill today and he said he opposes it because it doesn’t include any administration money.–
You don’t honor contracts you’ve signed because you want a kickback?
Some people do business like that — slow pay, no pay, it’s the Rauner/Trump deadbeat way.
- Anon221 - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 5:26 pm:
Since these are dedicated funds, there would be no reason at all that on override votes counts shouldn’t be near 167 again. Just saying, the buttons will be monitored!
Vote Accordingly!
- Mama - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 10:04 pm:
If the Senate Dems don’t like Madigan’s budget, they could amend it. Right?
- Mama - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 10:07 pm:
Rauner opposes the stop-gap due to no administration money! What???
- Norseman - Tuesday, Jun 14, 16 @ 10:33 pm:
=== If the Senate Dems don’t like Madigan’s budget, they could amend it. Right? ===
Mama, technically yes practically now. With the higher vote requirement to pass bills with immediate effect date, the House can’t get the votes to pass the amended bill.
- Rabid - Wednesday, Jun 15, 16 @ 8:00 am:
The superstars are about to receive their merit pay from the supermajority