Question of the day
Thursday, Oct 31, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Bernie…
With questions of ethics swirling in and around the Statehouse, can anything get done?
It depends who you ask. And while both political parties can have ethical lapses, those caught in binds for the moment are Democrats — and their party-mates are more optimistic about being able to go on with business as usual than their GOP counterparts.
“I think that this is going to give people in the chamber pause to do anything of a significant nature,” said House GOP Leader JIM DURKIN of Western Springs. […]
But state Sen. ANDY MANAR, D-Bunker Hill, said, “It doesn’t have an impact on me.”
He noted that a bill he’s sponsoring to cap out-of-pocket costs for insulin has been pushed since May — and it passed out the Senate this week shortly after we spoke.
* Yesterday, Gov. Pritzker seemed to say that alleged corruption was impeding progress…
You know we have challenges in the state of Illinois. I’m disgusted by all of what’s going on in this regard, and I also view it as they’re throwing obstacles in the way of us accomplishing pension consolidation and lowering taxes, property taxes and other things in the state.
* The Question: Will the federal probe impede legislative progress? Make sure to explain your answer.
- Ron Burgundy - Thursday, Oct 31, 19 @ 11:24 am:
Yes and No. In the subject matters under scrutiny (gaming, utilities, etc.) it may, and that may be a good thing. The effect on other subjects should be minimal, however. It should have a positive effect on passing ethics reform.
- Give Me A Break - Thursday, Oct 31, 19 @ 11:32 am:
For issues like transportation Yes, but I don’t see the routine work of law and budget making being impacted to the point anyone outside of the Statehouse world will notice.
On a related note, I explained to buddy of mine who works in the political world in Oklahoma who was laughing at Illinois’ history of lawmakers and officials going to jail, the difference between Illinois and his and other states is we catch our crooks.
- @misterjayem - Thursday, Oct 31, 19 @ 11:34 am:
“Will the federal probe impede legislative progress?”
Yes. The customary amount of not-improper horse-trading won’t take place as the corrupt decline out of fear and the ethical decline as an overcorrection.
– MrJM
- Not a Billionaire - Thursday, Oct 31, 19 @ 11:35 am:
Agree with Ron. Also I think Capital Bill would not have made it .
I have gone through it and there are only 2 questionable projects. A readability study near….Quincy and that Peotone interchange.
I have been doing some cost per mile and am going to check on some road sites how it compares to other states.
Distribution of the few new construction projects seems very few. There are not many anwhere.
The Govs. Statement is true.
- Smalls - Thursday, Oct 31, 19 @ 11:43 am:
“they’re throwing obstacles in the way of us accomplishing pension consolidation and lowering taxes, property taxes and other things in the state.”
Did I miss a bill introduction to reduce taxes or property taxes?
- Steve - Thursday, Oct 31, 19 @ 11:45 am:
It depends if more stories come out about corruption. It depends on if anyone gets indicted.
- Back to the Future - Thursday, Oct 31, 19 @ 12:08 pm:
I think the consolidation idea is not moving because the people who have control over the investment of their money are objecting to sending their money to Springfield. The corruption probe has nothing to do with a 25 year old idea getting rejected again.
- Just Sayin' - Thursday, Oct 31, 19 @ 12:12 pm:
Right now, not much. Are more legislators or lobbyists in jeopardy of being tangled in the corruption web? If more is yet to come, then obstruction to the process could become greater, especially depending on who else get caught up.
- Chicagonk - Thursday, Oct 31, 19 @ 12:55 pm:
No question the answer is yes. When you have senators wearing wires, how does that not put a chill on any deal making?
- Annonin - Thursday, Oct 31, 19 @ 12:58 pm:
Depends on what you call “progress” It is a little like defining “lobbyists” if it means lawyers scrambling around village halls
or “auctioneers”unloading real estate then speed might be sparse.
- SSL - Thursday, Oct 31, 19 @ 1:17 pm:
I definitely think it will impede any progress on lowering taxes. Of course I didn’t think there was ever a chance that taxes were going to be lowered. That isn’t really the goal, is it?
- Bruce( no not him) - Thursday, Oct 31, 19 @ 1:44 pm:
“Will the federal probe impede legislative progress? ”
No, we’re used to it. It’s not like it never happens here.
- Responsa - Thursday, Oct 31, 19 @ 1:50 pm:
Yes. It will impede. The legislative people who already know (or can guess) they may be in trouble will be newly shy and lobbyists will increasingly find it hard to get lunch and dinner dates where deals are discussed. It’s amusing to think that a lot of money has been spent/wasted to influence items that will not come to fruition.
- Anon - Thursday, Oct 31, 19 @ 2:32 pm:
It may impede sweepstakes legislation.
- Been There - Thursday, Oct 31, 19 @ 2:58 pm:
I think it will impede something issues. If it wasn’t for Pritzker understanding that the Chicago casino money is needed I would think the GA would put the break in any gaming issue.
Also, and maybe ironically, some of the various diversity language in different bills might actually have a fair hearing. As many of us know when Arroyo and Sandoval said legislation needed changes to help “their people” you had the feeling (and maybe more than a feeling) they were really asking “what’s in it for me?”.