* From the governor’s office…
Daily Public Schedule: Monday, June 26, 2017
What: Governor Rauner Joins Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds to Break Ground at the I-74 Bridge Project
Where: Leach Park
100 12th St., Bettendorf, Iowa
Date: Monday, June 26, 2017
Time: 1:45 p.m.
Note: No additional media availability.
* From the Illinois Democratic County Chairmen’s Association…
While Democrats Work to End His Crisis, Rauner Attends Out-Of State Photo-Op
Rauner to campaign in Iowa instead of meeting with legislative leaders in Springfield
Springfield, IL – On Monday, June 26th, Governor Bruce Rauner is attending a political photo-op in Bettendorf, IA at the ground-breaking ceremony for the Interstate 74 bridge over the Mississippi River. This project is expected to cost taxpayers up to one billion dollars. While Rauner is in Iowa attending the event, Democrats are in Springfield trying to find a way out of the budget crisis that Bruce Rauner created.
Illinois Democratic County Chairmen’s Association President Doug House issued the following statement ahead of Bruce Rauner’s photo-op:
“It takes a special kind of arrogance to call a $40,000 per day Special Legislative Session and then attend a photo-op out of state to promote a one-billion-dollar construction project that cannot start because of the budget crisis he created. I echo what other Democrats have said. Bruce Rauner should meet with legislative leaders every day until a compromise is reached on the state budget. He shouldn’t be leaving the Illinois for photo-ops while the state burns down.”
House further added:
“Democrats have attempted to meet the Governor halfway on his demands. We want to end the Rauner crisis and start to put the pieces of our state back together, but the governor simply refuses to compromise. Voters are starting to wise up to Rauner. Rauner needs to stop pointing fingers, stop the political attacks, and end this crisis immediately. ”
Fair hit or not? I’m kinda torn. Yeah, he should be in Springfield, but he hasn’t called out individual Democratic legislators for skipping special session days (which would be an easy hit) and he’s not directly involved in the leaders’ meetings. Frankly, it’s probably better that he leaves town for a while, considering what he did to the Senate’s grand bargain.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Sen. Daniel Biss…
“Bruce Rauner had to go to Iowa to find a groundbreaking ceremony because there aren’t any ribbons to cut in Illinois. Due to the budget crisis Rauner has created, the Illinois Department of Transportation will be forced to shut down all construction work in the state in just four days.
“What Illinoisans have learned about Bruce Rauner over the last three years is that while he loves endlessly campaigning to keep his job, he won’t actually do his job.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** Chris Kennedy campaign…
Governor Rauner is failing to lead once again. Instead of focusing on our budget impasse, he has fled Springfield to cut a ribbon for a bridge we can’t pay for without a budget. This bridge is a productive capital project that creates jobs and strengthens infrastructure in the region but without a budget, it will become a bridge to nowhere. Inevitably, Iowa will need to collect Illinois’ share of the I-74 bridge project. When they do, we will need a functioning budget in place to deliver on our commitment. After more than 725 days without a budget, there is little to no faith that Governor Rauner will follow through. It’s time for the governor to start building bridges in our state legislature and not dodging his responsibility to the people of Illinois.
- Anonymous - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 9:06 am:
Legitimate trip, involving a major Iowa/Illinois thouroughfare. Not sure the DGA realizes that a bridge over the Mississippi will end up being in both Illinois and Iowa.
- Huh? - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 9:07 am:
Ground breaking on a mega project is a fair absence provided he hurries back to Springfield.
- Give Me A Break - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 9:10 am:
Lot of things to bash the Gov about but this does not seem to be one of them.
- Clark - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 9:10 am:
I would expect a governor from x party to do things like this and would expect the opposite party to say something negative about it.
Fair hit? I think this visit to Iowa would actually fall under #DoYourJob
- Curl of the Burl - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 9:15 am:
Unfair hit for two reasons:
1. This is legitimate business.
2. This gives the four tops a chance to meet with Rauner far enough away that he cannot barge into the meeting.
- Rabid - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 9:19 am:
Is that travel ban outside the state still in effect , 74 ends at 80
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 9:36 am:
I really have no problem with Rauner attending, I really have no issue with Rauner not attending Special Session.
Partisans will see “great fault” with Rauner not being in Soringfield. The partisans and uninformed is probably the best way for me to say it.
Rauner has been such a hinderence to compromise, any time Rauner can be cut out, at least until Rauner decides to blow up a compromise, but I digress…
… but if any chance compromise can happen and with Rauner out of the picture that chance may increase.
Rauner is the governor. Governors own.
Governors own billion dollar projects, the jobs, the cooperation with all that.
Governors own also has a good side. Candidate Rauner, and Governor Rauner too, seemed to forget that.
- Anon221 - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 9:38 am:
This is a much better use of Rauner “volunteer” time than his previous trip to the QC for the Property Tax Tour. Once these upgrades are done, travel will be safer for everyone. It’s a pain right now, but I am looking forward to the finish of these projects. Info on the bridge starts at mark 3:10 on the video:
https://iowadot.gov/i74corridor/video
- The Captain - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 9:38 am:
If your governing abilities are so bad that “it’s probably better that he leaves town for a while” then just about anything related to governing is a fair hit.
- Henry Francis - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 9:40 am:
(Chuckling dismissively) focus Bruce . . . Focus Bruce . . . Focus Bruce
- So tired of political hacks - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 9:47 am:
Gov, Rauner to Gov, Reynolds.
Wow, you mean if I lived in Iowa my tax rate would be 8.98%
I Guess my property tax and 3.75 isn’t that bad after all. At least for the wealthiest 1%.
- A guy - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 9:52 am:
The Dem County Chairmen’s Assn. would have done themselves a favor by sleeping in this morning. Whether the “hit” is fair or unfair doesn’t matter much. It doesn’t amount to a hill of beans, it’s inconsequential, and it’s really just dumb.
It says far more about them than him. Petty.
- @MisterJayEm - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 9:59 am:
Golly, seems like it was only last week when Rauner’s defenders said he couldn’t take a stand on Trumpcare because he was so focused, focused, FOCUSED on the task of his Special Legislative Session.
– MrJM
- Harry - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 10:02 am:
Unfair. The bridge is a big deal in that part of the State and it’s not like his presence in Springfield has been helpful.
But, we are so far beyond “fair” or “unfair.”
- Rabid - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 10:09 am:
Lets hope the Iowa state police don’t arrest him for impersonating a govenor
- Ill- will - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 10:14 am:
I don’t post often.
Admittly a drive-by comment.
Reading the fax from Rome. Italy, not Georgia.
To the posting: governs’s own! An original thought/ha!
- hot chocolate - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 10:24 am:
==Frankly, it’s probably better that he leaves town for a while, considering what he did to the Senate’s grand bargain.==
Speaks volumes. What a leader we have.
- DuPage - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 12:50 pm:
A BILLION dollars. I would like to know how much is from Illinois, how much from Iowa, and how much from the feds. The matching Illinois state funds obviously were secured before Rauner took office, I don’t think the federal funding is approved until the states put up the state portion.
- Precinct Captain - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 1:32 pm:
Who will build this on the Illinois side? Bruce’s own IDOT will shut down if Brucey won’t sign a budget.
- Just Observing - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 1:58 pm:
It’s a bit of a stretch to call this out-of-state travel…. what was he… 1,000 feet in the state of Iowa???
- Ducky LaMoore - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 2:09 pm:
The thing that is most angering in this whole story is that the governor came back…;)
- Mama - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 2:19 pm:
“what was he… 1,000 feet in the state of Iowa?”
Illinois’s State Capitol building is not located in Iowa. It is located in Springfield. After all Rauner is the one whom called a special session in Springfield. The last time I looked, Springfield was located in the middle of Illinois.
- Anonymous - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 2:21 pm:
==It’s a bit of a stretch to call this out-of-state travel…. what was he… 1,000 feet in the state of Iowa???==
Actually about 40 feet.
- Chairman McBroom - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 2:22 pm:
Maybe Rich or someone should ask Sen. Biss if he has been in Springfield every day since last Wednesday. Based on his social media activity, it looks like he’s been holding campaign events in the suburbs and walking in parades. Pot, meet kettle.
- Mama - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 2:28 pm:
- Anonymous - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 2:21 pm: =
Anonymous, no one cares how many feet Rauner was into Iowa since the special session is in Springfield, IL.
- G'Kar - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 2:29 pm:
I can picture it now: five years from now, a wonderful arch of a bridge starting in Iowa and then stopping halfway across the Mississippi because Illinois still doesn’t have a budget.
- Curl of the Burl - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 2:59 pm:
Mama - events like this are often set weeks or even months in advance. Is he not supposed to attend an event outside of Springfield - special session or not?!
- unspun - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 3:06 pm:
Governors are fleeing our state to go to Iowa! We need reforms! /s
- Anonymous - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 3:30 pm:
==Anonymous, no one cares how many feet Rauner was into Iowa since the special session is in Springfield, IL==
I was responding to “just observing”, not you.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 4:07 pm:
===”“Democrats have attempted to meet the Governor halfway on his demands.”===
Halfway? He’s kidding, right? Does that Include “decimating” labor unions? Term limits? Government consolidations? Redistricting? (Just to name a few)
All met halfway? Really?
- Just Observing - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 4:22 pm:
=== Illinois’s State Capitol building is not located in Iowa. It is located in Springfield. After all Rauner is the one whom called a special session in Springfield. The last time I looked, Springfield was located in the middle of Illinois. ===
Whether or not Rauner should be in the Capitol is a different argument. I was responding to the accusations that he should not be “out-of-state.”
- Responsa - Monday, Jun 26, 17 @ 5:47 pm:
Oh the speech the Quinnster could have delivered about this beeautiful I-74 bridge spanning the mighty Mississippi!
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