Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Thursday, Jun 14, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

2:42 pm - It turns out that Senate President Jones scheduled todays meeting with the utility bigshots, so all that dumping on Madigan by Blagojevich & Co was misplaced.

Also, the House Dems who were at the guvs office earlier today were just told that the meeting has been canceled. No condirmation yet from the guvs people.

3:20 pm - Speaker Madigan is on his way tothe wake for Wyvetter Younges husband, so there will be no leaders meeting.

Also, the utility issue seems to be very close to resolution.

3:35 pm - So, were the guvs people telling the truth when they claimed that Madigan insisted on a 10:30 leaders meeting? The Speakers people say that it was Frank Watson who asked for an early meeting.

4:00 pm - Ouch. The new line from the Speaker’s office is that the refusal to allow Majority Leader Currie to represent Speaker Madigan at this morning’s meeting was “insulting” and “sexist.” It just gets worse by the minute.

4:20 pm - The Senate Dem leadership appears to have settled down a bit. Real movement on electric utilities and now the AT&T cable TV bill has zoomed out of committee.

110 Comments

Caption Contest!

Thursday, Jun 14, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

Come up with captions for each of these two cartoons. Winning entries will each receive a t-shirt bearing the slogan.

You can also choose to put one image on the front of the t-shirt and the other on the back, with related slogans.

Have at it. Let’s raise some more money for charity…

“Frown” “Smile”

48 Comments

This just in…

Thursday, Jun 14, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

[Bumped up and title changed to accomodate today’s other events.]

* 8:52 am - The governor has a 10:30 leaders meeting scheduled this morning. His state plane was supposed to take off at 8:22, but according to our new best friends at FlightAware, it’s still on the ground. I tried to bet one of his people $20 last night that he wouldn’t make it on time. No takers.

~~Let’s watch it live, shall we? You may need to hit “refresh” every few minutes. Not sure. We’ll know once the plane takes off.~~ The live view doesn’t seem to work here. Sorry about that.

* 9:01 am - The original Springfield arrival time was supposed to be 9:01 am, but that deadline has obviously been blown.

* 9:17 am - Wheels up at 9:08. They should’ve taken the bet.

* 9:23 am - From the Pantagraph…

Mike Lawrence, director of the Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University, said while Blagojevich’s perceived disinterest in Springfield hurts his ability to lead, it also feeds a larger issue.

Lawrence, a former top aide to Gov. Jim Edgar, said working mostly from Chicago means Blagojevich operates absent the relationships forged with lawmakers just by being in the Capitol. Without this rapport, Lawrence said, Blagojevich is hard-pressed to deliver any of his ambitious budget proposals, which this year included plans for universal health care and billions of dollars more in education funding.

* 10:05 am - Wheels down at 9:48. Even though they wouldn’t take the bet last night, I’ll donate the cash to the blog’s new charity. By the way, don’t forget to buy a t-shirt, mug, button or other paraphenalia.

* 10:05 am - From Paul: “Less than 100 House members present today for the first time in a long time. 99 here. One guy said it was the first time that had happened in 5 years.”

Also, there are persistent but totally unconfirmed rumors of a special session tomorrow.

* 10:33 am - A gubernatorial spokesperson just replied to my text message by saying it isn’t their plan to call a special session.

* 10:43 am - The House just adjourned until next Tuesday at 3 pm.

* 11:17 am - Speaker Madigan might be a no-show at the leaders meeting, according to the governor’s office. They think he could be sending a surrogate.

The reason the meeting started earlier than normal today was at Madigan’s request, according to the guv’s spokesperson, who added that Madigan’s demand that other voices besides Cook County Assessor Jim Houlihan be heard at the meeting on the “7 percent solution” was accommodated.

They’re not starting the meeting until Madigan arrives, the spokesperson said.

Also, Senate President Emil Jones is not there yet, either, but a spokesperson said he will be at the meeting eventually.

* 11:19 am - Cross, Watson and other legislators who had shown up for the meeting have left.

Senate GOP Leader Frank Watson said the meeting broke up because neither Madigan nor Jones was there. He said the governor “pouted” about their absence.

* 11:32 am - According to a good source who was inside the room, the governor showed up 25 minutes late, looked around the room and noticed that Madigan wasn’t there. House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie told the governor that Madigan might not be there and said that she was empowered to speak for him. Currie has been a point person on the assessment freeze, so she knows the issue well.

According to this source, the governor then got miffed, said this was supposed to be a leaders meeting and announced that he was going back to his office to do some work and that everyone was free to leave. He also indicated that the meeting could reconvene if Madigan ever showed up.

* 11:41 am - Turns out, Madigan and Jones are reportedly meeting with Exelon CEO John Rowe about the electric rate issue and that’s why neither man was at the leaders meeting. So, the initial spin from the guv’s office is probably gonna backfire. Why should either leader show up for a mostly pointless meeting when they are working on closing the final deal on electric rates?

* 11:59 am - It just gets worse for the governor. Also at the meeting with Madigan and Jones are ComEd Chairman and CEO Frank Clark, Ameren Chairman and CEO Gary Rainwater and Ameren Illinois President Scott Cisel.

According to sources, the meeting started at 10:30 and it’s still going on as I write this. It’s a hugely important sitdown - far more important than the governor’s little dog and pony show about the assessment freeze stuff.

The guv’s reaction to Madigan’s absence was, in my opinion, extremely childish. Instead of stomping out of the room in a snit, he should have high-tailed it over to Emil Jones’ office and participated in some substantive discussions for a change.

* 2:11 pm - Speaker Madigan just emerged from the utility negotiations and told reporters “Substantial progress has been made.” No details are yet available. Check back later for further updates.

35 Comments

Question of the day

Thursday, Jun 14, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

Yesterday I asked about your favorite political memories. Today, let’s talk about your least favorite political memories.

And if you’re tempted to just write “The day (fill in the blank) was elected” or something like that, try to restrain yourself and instead come up with an actual story. Thanks.

29 Comments

Obamarama - Rezko and DeLeo

Thursday, Jun 14, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The New York Times has taken major notice of Tony Rezko. There isn’t a whole lot new in the story, but it’s significant because the DC/NY media pack usually follows the NYT’s lead on such things. Here’s part of the story…

By 2004, Mr. Rezko’s pizza restaurants were in trouble, and creditors were suing him. Yet after the Obamas bid $1.65 million for their house in January 2005, Mr. Rezko got involved. Mr. Obama has said that he mentioned the deal to Mr. Rezko.

People familiar with the transaction said that the sellers did not want to close until that June 15, and that the sale would go through only if someone bought the adjacent lot from them on the same date. Rita Rezko paid $625,000 to outbid others for the lot and later sold the Obamas one-sixth of that land, for $104,500.

After The Chicago Tribune reported the transactions last November, Mr. Obama said he had acted ethically, though it had been a mistake to let Mr. Rezko do anything that could be seen as a favor.

The disclosure came four days before Michelle Obama was to appear as a special guest at a charity fashion show organized by Mrs. Rezko. Mrs. Obama attended, though others there said it seemed a bit awkward.

* I usually try not to criticize opinion pieces because everyone has a right to their own opinion. However, this segment from today’s John Kass column on Obama just makes no sense…

During his years in the Illinois State Senate, Obama’s mentor was another party boss, state Sen. Emil Jones (D-ComEd). And Jones still snaps to attention whenever the real governor of Illinois, state Sen. James DeLeo (D-How You Dooin’), calls on the phone. He knows Obama too.

First, if DeLeo was indeed the “real” governor, we wouldn’t be in overtime session right now. The guy knows how to cut a deal and gets along with pretty much everyone.

Second, Emil Jones doesn’t snap to attention for DeLeo. Jones kicked DeLeo out of SDem leadership years ago for disloyalty (DeLeo was accused of plotting a coup), and only brought him back in after DeLeo made repeated amends and proved he could and would be loyal. If there’s any snapping to attention going on, it’s being done by DeLeo. Jones and Jones alone runs that caucus, and it’s obvious that he doesn’t listen to much advice.

And why wouldn’t DeLeo know Obama? The two served in the Senate together. I don’t see the point there.

Creating your own mythical political world for literary purposes can be a lot of fun and genuinely entertaining. But that was a little much.

25 Comments

More twists and turns

Thursday, Jun 14, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Is the governor trying to strong-arm not-for-profits that receive state funding to get in line behind his budget negotiating stance? Gatehouse media has the scoop, buried way down in its story about how the gaming bill died in a House committee…

On Tuesday, the governor’s people took their message directly to organizations reliant on state funding, arranging a conference call with social-service providers and other groups to discuss programs that will see funding cuts if the House budget ultimately is enacted.

The administration prepared nine pages of briefing papers that detailed spending reductions, including $42.3 million from the Home Services program, $2.2 million from Centers for Independent Living and $7 million from mental health grants, not to mention the elimination of 400 jobs at the Department of Human Services.

“I heard from some of our constituents. They were shocked the governor’s office would take this approach,” said Don Moss, a lobbyist who represents 50 not-for-profits for people with disabilities.

“They were shocked that his office would want them to become directly involved in the budget struggle.” Moss said. “We’re mostly not-for-profit agencies. We can’t take sides and get involved in these disputes. We don’t want any of the heavy hitters angry at us.”

The governor’s budget office denied there was any undue pressure to get involved in the legislative process, but House Speaker Madigan’s spokesman had this to say…

“It didn’t sound like it went over real well,” he said. “It’s another segment of the ‘defeat your allies’ program they tried in 2004. It’s the same strategy they tried then.”

It’s felt like 2004 for weeks. Remember that awful overtime session? If it hadn’t been for the Democratic National Convention, they might’ve stayed in Springfield all year.

* Meanwhile…

House Speaker Michael Madigan urged Senate President Emil Jones on Wednesday to pass the state budget the House already approved, saying the state should avoid a government shutdown that would be “calamitous for all Illinois citizens.”

Using a formal letter to buttress his point, Madigan appealed to senators to join House Democrats and “pass the most realistic spending plan that is currently available to us.” […]

But the governor’s budget office immediately challenged Madigan’s plan, suggesting it would lead to cuts in education. A Jones aide said the proposal has “serious fiscal problems.” […]

Madigan acknowledged his budget plan is not balanced, but only in the “narrowest sense.” He said the state could correct any deficiencies by drawing down an anticipated $1.2 billion end-of-year balance and carefully managing other spending. He said the state still would have $900 million in the bank under his budget, an amount that is “more than sufficient.” Blagojevich aides said Madigan’s budget would be hundreds of millions of dollars short once bills are paid.

* And…

State lawmakers soundly rejected a massive gambling plan Wednesday that would have dotted the Chicago area with four new casinos and let the existing fleet add more slot machines.

The proposal’s 20-2 drubbing by the Illinois House Gaming Committee effectively kills off yet another avenue for finding billions of additional dollars as lawmakers and Gov. Rod Blagojevich differ on how and how much state taxpayers’ money should be spent.

Having already blown a May 31 deadline for a deal, they’re now at risk of beginning the state’s next budget year on July 1 without one, which could threaten a government shutdown.

A top aide to Blagojevich said the governor wants lawmakers to work through Father’s Day weekend and come to the Capitol every day in hopes of striking a deal.

That’s such a phony proposal. The governor knew the idea of working on Father’s Day would be rejected, which is exactly why he proposed it.

* The State Journal-Register editorial board curses all sides today…

It’s time for the governor to take a one-way flight back to Springfield with a well-packed suitcase. It’s time for Madigan to stop playing his crafty games. It’s time for all the other supporting characters to take their jobs seriously and demand a resolution to this mess.

* More budget-related stuff, compiled by Paul…

* CTA and Blagojevich talk possible funding

* Sun-Times Editorial: Public transit needs reforms, not bailout

* City Council proposes downtown fee to fund CTA; more here

* Governor a hypocrite?

* Lots of complaints, but no progress on new budget

* Green Party poised to reap rewards of budget

11 Comments

Jack Franks slams the guv

Thursday, Jun 14, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

Rep. Jack Franks (D-Woodstock) is definitely no Rod Blagojevich fan. He’s also more than a bit of a press hound.

That being said, the suburban Democrat did make some good points during a long rant on the House floor yesterday. Here’s a setup from the AP…

An Illinois lawmaker condemned Governor Blagojevich during an angry speech on the House floor today. Representative Jack Franks said the governor spends more time jogging than he spends at the Capitol working on state problems. He says it’s insulting for Blagojevich to question the work habits of lawmakers.

Franks also says the Democratic governor can’t make a public defense of his policies because then Blagojevich would face uncomfortable ethics questions. Franks gave the example of a Blagojevich campaign donor who was given a state job and now has been indicted. Franks, a Woodstock Democrat, accused Blagojevich of helping create the state’s electric-rate crisis and showing no leadership to fix the problem. This is the second time in recent weeks that a Democratic lawmaker has publicly criticized Blagojevich as officials remain deadlocked over a new state budget.

You can download the text of the full speech here.

Franks also claimed to have called every state agency, ostensibly to talk to the directors about the budget. Franks said he discovered that only eight out of 29 directors were in Springfield…

. The governor’s office spent about $26 million on transportation for its staff last fiscal year. At the very least, they should be here while we are in session.

Franks then went off on the governor’s demand that legislators put in five day weeks in Springfield…

For the governor to now berate the House for not working five days a week, while the Senate will meet for only one day this week and while the governor has spent more time jogging in Chicago than he has spent in Springfield all session, is tantamount to lunacy. The governor spent more time on running diary tracking his running time, temperature and wind speed than he has on any legislative item. […]

The governor has shown that he can campaign but he has yet to show that he can govern. His hypocritical stance on the House’s work ethic is insulting. He has failed to spend the necessary time and energy in Springfield and has created a mess of budget when he had a real opportunity for reform. Instead we get the same old tired complaints, business as usual and a budget crafted on dead-end tax schemes.

And then he really let him have it…

The reason the governor is not pounding his bully pulpit is because he can’t. Like the emperor of our children’s tales, he can’t afford to be exposed. He can’t and won’t answer questions about whether his campaign fund has been subpoenaed. He can’t and won’t answer why he appointed Ali Ata to a directorship of a state financial agency after Mr. Ata gave over $50,000 to the governor’s campaign. He can’t and won’t answer when and how the indicted Tony Rezko introduced Mr. Ata to the governor. He can’t and won’t answer how Beverly Ascaridis got a job after her husband gave the governor $1,500. He can’t and won’t answer a simple question about the number of subpoenas his administration has received from the federal government, even though he has been directed to answer by the Attorney General.

The governor needs to come clean and answer all of our questions and should sit here with each of his directors and make them defend their budgets line by line. The governor should submit himself to a continuous Committee of the Whole and agree to answer every question.

Thoughts?

19 Comments

Morning Shorts

Thursday, Jun 14, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson

* Firm that lost state contract takes case to capitol

* IIS: Teen drinking, sex offenders

* Last horse slaughterer waging legal battle to stay open

“It’s a black mark on the community. It’s a stigma,” said Gail Vacca, who moved her horse-training business away from DeKalb because she said owners were worried their animals would be stolen and sold to the plant. “DeKalb is a lovely community. It’s horrible they’ve been stigmatized by this nasty industry.”

* Countries where horse meat consumed follow Illinois case

* Constable: We don’t eat horses, but we will slaughter them?

* Opinion: A tougher line on first-time DUIs

* Poshard’s privacy subject of battle

Blakemore said the school routinely releases details about pay and benefits contained in employee contracts, so there is no need to make the documents themselves public. For example, the school says Poshard is paid $300,524 a year. He also receives a housing allowance, pension and benefits worth $84,481 annually, the school says.

* Sun-Times Editorial: Kids spray, parents pay

* Troutman indicted on bribery count; more here and here

* Council delays vote on police standards reform; more here

* Sweeney: Rockford mayor mobilizes residents to get sales-tax bill signed

4 Comments

This just in…

Wednesday, Jun 13, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* 11:16 am - At last check, the leaders meeting was scheduled to begin around 2 o’clock today.

* 11:19 am - You may remember that Supreme Court Chief Justice Bob Thomas won a defamation lawsuit in state court. That was a little odd since he runs the court system and many of his fellow Justices testified on his behalf. Anyway, the defendant in the case has now counter-sued in federal court. Mike Miner has the scoop.

* 11:22 am - The House Gaming Committee will take up the Senate-approved casino bill today at 3 pm. You can listen live to the committee by clicking here.

I’m told they’re gonna kill it in committee, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens. It’s certainly dead if it ever makes it to the floor.

* 11:27 am - You may know that CTA officials have been invited to present their case for more funding before the four tops and the governor at today’s leaders meeting. Crain’s has this extra tidbit…

A spokeswoman for the RTA said the agency was not invited to the meeting. Metra did not immediately return a call.

* 11:48 am - A blogger named Seth posted this on his LiveJournal page yesterday [h/t: Curry]…

I totally saw Gov. Blagojevich today. He lives about a block from where I work, and he was playing ball with a couple of kids in his yard.

I’ve sent Seth an e-mail asking what time of day that was.

* 12:36 pm - Looks like the governor’s plane is about on time getting into O’Hare Airport. But that sure is an optimistic turnaround.

* 1:39 pm - While waiting for the govenor’s plane to take off (it appears to be still on the ground as I write), I thought I’d tell you that I’ve added a few more items to the “Overtime in Hell” fundraiser which benefits the Sojourn domestic violence shelter and its affiliated programs.

The infant/toddler t-shirt has been generating interest, believe it or not, so I added a kids t-shirt. And the official Capitol Fax masthead is now emblazoned on a golf shirt, a mousepad and a coffee mug. Get over there.

More on Sojourn from a faithful reader…

Good to see the proceeds going to this worthy charity… You might want to mention on the blog that their major fundraiser is a resale shop, for which they take donations. They also take old cell phones, which they decommission to allow dialing only 911, then pass along to victims of domestic violence.

* 1:47 pm - Wheels up at 1:41 pm, almost an hour behind schedule. Looks like the leaders meeting could be a tad late.

* 2:37 pm - OK, this is pretty funny. An eagle-eyed blog reader was tracking the guv’s plane with the rest of us and noticed it made an odd maneuver right before it got to Springfield…

Think he was having second thoughts about coming back? lol

* 3:27 pm - The guv was spotted in the building around 3 pm. Paul is there now and says that Madigan just walked in. He said he’s not sure that Jones will make it today because, he said, the word is he isn’t feeling well. So let’s be kind in comments, OK? Thanks.

Oh, and this indicates that the governor is scheduled to fly home again at 4:30. Sheesh.

* 6:05 pm - Audio clips from after today’s leaders meeting:

Speaker Madigan:

[audio:Madigan13th.mp3]

Minority Leader Watson:

[audio:Watson13th.mp3]

Deputy Gov. Nix:

[audio:Nix13th.mp3]

Minority Leader Cross:

[audio:Cross13th.mp3]

84 Comments

Question of the day

Wednesday, Jun 13, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

What is your favorite political memory? Try to keep it state-focused if possible.

73 Comments

Obamarama - Sun-Times unearths Rezko letters

Wednesday, Jun 13, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Almost nine years ago, state Sen. Barack Obama wrote a couple of perfunctory letters to the Department of Housing and the Illinois Housing Development Authority supporting a Tony Rezko project in his district. The Sun-Times fills us in…

As a state senator, Barack Obama wrote letters to city and state officials supporting his political patron Tony Rezko’s successful bid to get more than $14 million from taxpayers to build apartments for senior citizens.

The deal included $855,000 in development fees for Rezko and his partner, Allison S. Davis, Obama’s former boss, according to records from the project, which was four blocks outside Obama’s state Senate district. […]

The letters appear to contradict a statement last December from Obama, who told the Chicago Tribune that, in all the years he’s known Rezko, “I’ve never done any favors for him.” […]

“This wasn’t done as a favor for anyone,” [Bill Burton, press secretary for Obama’s presidential campaign] said in a written statement. “It was done in the interests of the people in the community who have benefited from the project.”

Rezko’s spokesperson denied to the Sun-Times that the indicted man had reached out to Obama about the project.

A few things before you start whaling on the guy.

First, according to the letters Obama sent, the company was seeking a second mortgage. That little factoid was never spelled out in the piece. The company wasn’t asking for cash money.

Second, as the article notes, Obama wasn’t the only politician to send a letter. Ald. Preckwinkle and Rep. Lou Jones also offered their support of the project, which, according to Obama’s letters, included a home health care service, adult day care and a wellness center. The place is still open and functioning.

Third, buried down deep in the article is the revelation that the law firm Obama worked for did not represent the company in question, although the company was co-founded by the guy who hired Obama.

Lastly, take a look at the letters. This is basic stuff. The letters are identical, down to the same typos and grammatical errors in both. (”I hope the Department of Housing will provide a second mortgage financing this valuable project requires.”)

Also, as noted parenthetically above, Obama’s letter to IHDA expresses his hope that the city’s Department of Housing “will provide a second mortgage” for the project. IHDA has nothing to do with the city department.

Conclusions? Legislators write letters like these all the time. It doesn’t look to me like he went overboard for Rezko and his former boss, and considering the obvious errors in both letters, he probably didn’t even proof-read them.

But, any Rezko taint can’t help “Mr. Clean’s” claim that he is above all that dirty political stuff.

23 Comments

Now Yous Can’t Leave *** Updated x1 ***

Wednesday, Jun 13, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* That should have been the headline of today’s Capitol Fax, but I sent it out before I came up with the idea. [Reference here.] Oh, well. Such is life.

What I mean by that is the lottery lease and pension bond deal could have freed up a bunch of budet cash, as I told my readers this morning. It could have been an escape route for budget writers. But now yous can’t leave…

Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan said Tuesday he “strongly rejected” the idea of leasing the lottery to a private vendor so the state can pay down its crushing pension debt. […]

“I think it’s safe to say we aren’t even close, not even close, to having any kind of budget done,” said House Republican Leader Tom Cross of Oswego. […]

Instead, Tuesday’s meeting was devoted to Blagojevich’s plan for leasing the Illinois lottery to a private operator and issuing $16 billion in pension bonds. The bond proceeds and an estimated $10 billion from the lottery lease would be used to pay down the $40 billion owed to the five state-funded pension systems.

* More…

Senate President Emil Jones Jr. said it was “rather foolish” to reject the pension plan. “The other caucuses don’t want to do it, which seems ridiculous to me, because if we do a bond issue and sell the lottery, we’ll cut down on the indebtedness we have with the pension. And we save money,” he said. “Maybe they’ll come to their senses and realize that we have this obligation.”

Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson and his caucus members haven’t taken a final position on leasing the lottery, said his spokeswoman Patty Schuh, but they have “serious reservations.” “Sen. Watson’s concerned that it’s perhaps being proposed not for pension relief, but rather for budget relief, to free up cash for the governor to spend.”

* And…

Madigan said he hopes other legislative leaders eventually embrace the budget approved last month by the House, but Nix said that budget plan is not balanced. Madigan has said his budget plan boosts education spending by 7 percent, but Nix questioned whether it would lead to school cuts.

In fact, Nix flat-out said that the Madigan budget would lead to education funding cuts. The budget, she said, “will actually results in cuts to education.” She repeated that line several times. Here’s the audio…

[audio:Nix12th.mp3]

* This e-mail came from inside the administration yesterday when I asked for an explanation of why the governor would cut education funding instead of other areas of the budget…

By his own admission, the speaker’s budget has a $600-plus million deficit (our analysis shows it at roughly $624 million). The only new spending in his budget that can help close that gap is his $410 million increase for education. Because his budget already underfunds contractual obligations to areas such as union contracts, which we are legally bound to pay, he leaves nothing else on the table to cut other than an additional $200 million in education funds in order to fully eliminate his deficit.

* Meanwhile, this AP story looks at the overtime session squabbling…

If lawmakers had to hang out at the Capitol five days a week with little to do, their frustration levels could climb sharply. Some would be away from their regular jobs. They would miss local meetings. They’d be paying for Springfield hotels and meals out of their own pocket, since daily expense payments stopped after the Legislature’s May 31 deadline.

That might put pressure on legislative leaders to agree to something — anything — to end the impasse. House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, has negated that potential advantage for Blagojevich by calling his members to Springfield only two or three times a week.

Um, OK, then what’s Emil Jones’ reason for taking a week off?

More…

But [yesterday’s leaders] meeting did include a 20-minute discussion of who was the better third baseman, the Cardinals’ Ken Boyer or the Cubs’ Ron Santo, said House Minority Leader Tom Cross, R-Oswego.

Gee, I wonder who distracted everyone with that topic?

*** UPDATE *** In case you missed it yesterday, here are my notes from what the leaders told the media as they walked out of the guv’s office…

Madigan regarding the governor’s involvement with the utility rate issue: “The governor has never taken any interest in that issue… To my knowledge he’s never been around the issue.”

Nix: Madigan’s budget “actually results in cuts in education.”

Nix: “Not entirely accurate” that Lottery lease is off the table now. Madigan said that he did not support it, but his members weren’t here today so he wasn’t able to caucus on the issue. The issue has not been surveyed in his caucus, so we think that there may still be open to negotiation. “The other leaders had some questions, but actually did not rule it out.”

Nix: “The House Democrats did not understand what they voted for” (regarding budget), so they should be brought back to town and be informed that they had voted to cut education funding.

Nix: “They’re getting paid to work, so they should be able to be here without a special session.

Watson: “I just don’t know for sure whether the governor really truly wants to get out of here… If he did, we’d be focusing on the budget, we’d be talking about the issues of revenue and spending.”

Watson: Not getting message that GRT is dead. He talked about it “several times” today.

Watson: Too many people in the room. 25 last week, 30 today.

Madigan: House spending is not going to go over the 3 percent in the House-approved budget.

40 Comments

Sojourn will benefit from merchandise sales

Wednesday, Jun 13, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

The vote yesterday was overwhelming. The Sojourn domestic violence shelter will receive all profits from our “Overtime in Hell” merchandise sales.

Sales have been pretty good, but the markup isn’t very much, so get on over there and buy something, for crying out loud.

I’ve added a couple of different coffee mugs, an infant/toddler t-shirt and even a trucker’s hat.

To refresh your memory, here are a few of the other items….

Here’s the image on the front of the shirts, taken from the mousepad, which is also available…

And there’s a small image on the back…

Here’s a smallish photo of one of the several t-shirts available…

There’s also a button, sure to become an instant classic…

As suggested by some friends, these products have been added.

A golf shirt with just the cartoon Capitol Fax logo on it, as well as one of those “baby doll” t-shirts (another special request)…

And a new button with a different logo…

Comments Off

Morning Shorts

Wednesday, Jun 13, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson

* Blagojevich move may doom region’s planning group

* CTA bailout may threaten suburban transit

* ComEd rates worst on the Southwest Side

* Cook Co. picks connected city official as budget director

* Reward raised for fugitive with ties to ex-Ald. Troutman

* City might close ‘why are they driving?’ loophole

* Judge says foie gras ban just ducky

* Kadner: Legislature OKs towing safety law

* Illinois farmland value continues to increase

* Latest survey of Illinois farmland value

* Editorial: New tool to battle child pornography

But there is reason to believe many such pornographers and child predators can be caught under Madigan’s bill. She notes that more than 50,000 individual IP addresses were involved in trading or distributing child pornography in the past two years.

* Opinion: Rural cell phone network needs a boost

Illinois is fast becoming a wireless state. Cell phones are no longer just luxury items; they are a fundamental necessity to law enforcement, personal safety and commercial prosperity. And, of course, the need for reliable service is the same in our rural areas as it is in our big cities.

* IIS: State fruit, cell phone drivers

* Cockfighting bill awaits Blagojevich’s signature

* Theme park proposal brings hope to Pickneyville

* Former colleagues among crowd at Walker book signing

* Republican to seek nod to unseat Bean

* Animal Farm: GOP finds Bean foe

* Daley OK with small cut in graffiti fine

* Sun-Times Editorial: Compromise on vandal law

* Crains: Hospital gets OK for heart transplant program

* State OKs surgery for Waukegan hospital

4 Comments

This just in…

Tuesday, Jun 12, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* 1:18 pm - House Speaker Michael Madigan was the last person to walk into the leaders meeting a few minutes ago. It was supposed to start at noon, but was delayed for whatever reason.

* 2:03 pm - Voices for Illinois Children has a new position paper on how the state income tax could be made more progressive without amending the Constitution, which requires a flat tax. Go here to read the pdf file.

* 3:25 pm - Meeting should be wrapping up soon. Paul will have audio as soon as they’re done talking.

* 4:45 pm - Here are audio clips from the leaders after the meeting…

Speaker Madigan-

[audio:Madigan12th.mp3]

President Jones-

[audio:Emil12th.mp3]

Minority Leader Watson-

[audio:Watson12th.mp3]

Deputy Governor Nix-

[audio:Nix12th.mp3]

* 4:59 pm - I haven’t listen to all of the audio yet, but it appears that three of the four legislative leaders have rejected the idea of leasing the Lottery to bail out the pension funds. Only Emil Jones supports it, Jones admitted.

Madigan regarding the governor’s involvement with the utility rate issue: “The governor has never taken any interest in that issue… To my knowledge he’s never been around the issue.”

Nix: Madigan’s budget “actually results in cuts in education.”

Nix: “Not entirely accurate” that Lottery lease is off the table now. Madigan said that he did not support it, but his members weren’t here today so he wasn’t able to caucus on the issue. The issue has not been surveyed in his caucus, so we think that there may still be open to negotiation. “The other leaders had some questions, but actually did not rule it out.”

Nix: “The House Democrats did not understand what they voted for” (regarding budget), so they should be brought back to town and be informed that they had voted to cut education funding. [I’ve asked for an explanation on this, but have yet to receive a reply.]

Nix: “They’re getting paid to work, so they should be able to be here without a special session.

Watson: “I just don’t know for sure whether the governor really truly wants to get out of here… If he did, we’d be focusing on the budget, we’d be talking about the issues of revenue and spending.”

Watson: Not getting message that GRT is dead. He talked about it “several times” today.

Watson: Too many people in the room. 25 last week, 30 today.

Madigan: House spending is not going to go over the 3 percent in the House-approved budget.

44 Comments

Question of the day *** Updated x1 ***

Tuesday, Jun 12, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

OK, campers, we need to come up with a charity that will benefit from our t-shirt and button sales.

First, let me say that I’d appreciate it if you’d actually buy some of the stuff so the charity that’s chosen will get more than a few bucks. The markup is not huge, so we need to move these items.

Yesterday, quite a few of you suggested donating the money to the Illinois Military Family Relief Fund. The fund helps out the families of Illinois National Guard and Reserve soldiers deployed to our conflicts overseas.

The grants are “intended to help families defray the costs of food, housing, utilities, medical services, and other expenses that become difficult to afford when a wage-earner has temporarily left civilian employment to be placed on active military duty.”

Another option mentioned was a program for the homeless, although more than one was nominated. If you want this option, we’ll narrow it down again tomorrow if it “wins.”

Yet another favorite seemed to be Sojourn Women’s Center in Springfield, which helps victims of domestic violence.

Have at it.

[I just noticed that we had quite a few orders yesterday. Thanks for that.]

*** UPDATE *** As suggested by some friends, two new products have been added.

A golf shirt with just the cartoon Capitol Fax logo on it, as well as one of those “baby doll” t-shirts (another special request)…

And a new button with a different logo…

54 Comments

More details emerge about that weird land-swap plan

Tuesday, Jun 12, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* So, was the governor unfairly criticized for doing what he normally does - hog all the attention for himself? This was in the Post-Dispatch over the weekend…

Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration has ordered private developers not to talk about plans for a huge new resort near Pinckneyville until Blagojevich himself can announce it, sources say. […]

The Toney Watkins Co., a Glen Carbon-based investment group, wants to build a Branson-like, 5,000-acre resort near Pinckneyville, possibly under a controversial land swap arrangement with the state. That controversy has been heightened in the past week by the dead silence of the company and its lobbyists, to the point of failing to even answer reporters’ phone calls.

* Seems believable enough, considering the guv’s past behavior. But now there’s a new story…

On Monday, [Geri Boyer, a Belleville consultant working with the developers] told The Associated Press no such gag order existed. Calling it “just a misunderstanding,” she said a DCEO letter to developers months ago had “boilerplate language” that they not discuss any negotiations with the state publicly. Developers misconstrued that as meaning they could not publicly talk about the project at all, she added.

Boyer declined to produce a copy of the letter to the AP, calling it confidential.

Andrew Ross, a spokesman for the state DCEO, said only that that agency was aware of the project and that “our discussions typically remain confidential, which is standard practice even when we are still in the very preliminary stages.”

In Monday’s statement, Toney Watkins, the development firm’s chairman and chief executive, said “the lack of communication with area media was based on a misinterpretation of communications” between the company and the DCEO.

* This is what Boyer and others connected with the proposal told the Post-Dispatch over the weekend…

Belleville consultant Geri Boyer, who is working with the developers, said the gag order was contained in a letter from the agency. “It says we are not allowed to talk with the press until the governor announces the project,” Boyer told the Post-Dispatch.

She didn’t specify what the letter referred to and said she couldn’t provide more details because of the agency’s confidentiality directive. She said she and others are pressing the agency to allow the developers to say more. “We really would like to talk with you,” she said.

Chicago attorney Walter R. Dale, general counsel and vice president for the Toney Watkins Co., also confirmed on Friday the existence of the letter, though he said he couldn’t detail its contents because it wasn’t in front of him. He said the company’s public silence has been partly because “we’re trying to get a clear reading on what we’re allowed to discuss” as laid out in the letter.

* Anyway, this massive project has been shrouded in secrecy from the get-go and the silence from the developers, whether ordered by the governor or not, has done a lot of harm to their project. Regardless, it still faces an uphill climb…

Lawmakers are pushing hard for the company to find private land for the resort, billing the land swap as a last resort.

“No matter what, (environmental) groups will oppose (the swap), and that makes it extremely difficult to get this done,” said state Sen. David Luechtefeld, R-Okawville, who is helping to shepherd a bill through the Legislature that would authorize the natural resources department to make the trade. […]

Lawmakers, the developer and environmentalists met last week to discuss the proposal, and the environmental groups have spent the weekend preparing feedback.

Objections raised have included losing unique grassland habitat, dividing the park into two sections and establishing a precedent for “selling” state parkland.

Needless to say, more openness would be appreciated here. A lot more openness.

* RELATED: Developer wants state to help expand golf club

18 Comments

Overtime ramblings

Tuesday, Jun 12, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Most Statehouse types respect House Speaker Madigan. If they don’t respect his priorities, they do respect his leadership abilities. The following was written by Rep. Jim Sacia, a downstate Republican. You won’t find much like this written about any other legislative leader by a member of the opposing party…

…Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago) who, in my opinion, is unquestionably the brightest politician in Springfield and knows more about this process than the majority of us could ever hope to know. Three years ago during our 54 day overtime session he was the steady leader. My expectation is he’ll do it again.

* Those who opposed a massive tax increase this year, like Sacia, are undoubtedly happy that Madigan helped push the General Assembly into overtime.

Unlike Madigan, the governor isn’t popular at the Statehouse. Neither was Jim Edgar, for much the same reasons - legislative aloofness and an inability to close the big deals. Edgar had several go-arounds with Madigan during his first term. By his second term, both men declared a mutual truce and worked together. Yesterday’s statement from the governor’s office was yet another indication that Blagojevich is not eager to follow the Edgar playbook and try to get along with MJM…

Amid a budget deadlock, the Illinois House has canceled a day of session this week, and Gov. Rod Blagojevich is not happy about it.

The House was scheduled to meet today through Thursday, but Speaker Michael Madigan decided Tuesday’s session wasn’t necessary. Spokesman Steve Brown said most legislation has been taken care of, so lawmakers have little to do until top officials come up with ideas for breaking the impasse over a new state budget.

The Senate won’t be in session either, and Blagojevich will be talking to legislative leaders Tuesday. But the Democratic governor says House members should be in Springfield so they can respond to any new budget proposals.

“Voters pay them to work, so they should be at the Capitol finishing the work of the people,” spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff said in a statement.

She argued it’s more important for the House to be in session than for the Senate because Madigan frequently surveys his members to see what measures they would support.

* That last point is correct, but the leaders haven’t made enough progress yet to survey members on much of anything. Actually, they haven’t made any progress, prompting this aggravated sigh from Rep. John Fritchey yesterday…

I’ve previously posted my thoughts about the Governor now claiming gridlock because of our not being in Springfield after months (years?) of his absence in Springfield.

And I will share that, without exception, the many people who approached me on the issue over these last few days are not buying his statements either.

To Abby’s credit, at least she doesn’t attempt to say that it was the Governor himself that wants to meet with us, but rather his Administration. I’m sure that meetings between the House members and his administration would be very productive.

Our future would be more secure coming from a fortune cookie.

* The governor’s people apparently leaked this to CBS2, but they never mentioned it last week, focusing instead on the guv’s opposition to raising local sales taxes to bail out the RTA…

Gov. Rod Blagojevich has told the state’s top legislative leaders that he will not approve a budget that does not include $100 million in additional funding for the CTA.

It is the first time Blagojevich has put a dollar figure on possible aid for the CTA, which has a $110 million deficit for 2007.

If true, he didn’t bother to tell the TV station how he intends to pay for it. That would be, you know, kinda crucial.

* And, finally, just remember that while overtime sessions are often frustrating, they’re historically common…

Missed budget deadlines are not all that uncommon in Illinois.

Although the new fiscal year begins July 1, a report from the General Assembly’s Legislative Research Unit shows the General Assembly adjourning after then two of every three years between 1970 and 1994. […]

While the administration is again raising the specter of a shutdown next month, historically that’s not a problem, said Charles Wheeler, director of the Public Affairs Reporting program at the University of Illinois-Springfield and a close observer of the budget process for more than three decades.

Previously, when budget negotiations stretched into July, there was an agreement that state employees would continue to get paid and state government would continue to operate at existing levels for the few more weeks it took to iron out a budget deal.

* More overtime stuff, compiled by Paul…

* Legislative overtime could bring sudden death to some issues

* Speaker Madigan: Urging Senate to OK ‘7 percent solution’

* Funds for McHenry Co. road project ‘missing’; more at Illinoize

* Freshmen legislators find gridlock frustrating, educational

* Key votes taken by freshmen Senate Democrats

* Former Gov. Walker: Lawmakers lack ethics

25 Comments

Morning Shorts

Tuesday, Jun 12, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson

* Should Chicago push its gambling luck?

* Scandal-ridden trade agency may be revived

* Statehouse Reeder: More fallout from Jacobs-Blago battle

* Opinion: No place for politics in stem cell science

* Sun-Times Editorial: Schools need three Rs, not silence

Teachers who see some value in starting their school days with one are already doing it. Other teachers place more value in starting their day a different way. Still others buckle down and start educating their students right away. Should they be the ones to decide what’s best for their classroom, or should the Legislature? For us, that’s an easy call. The governor shouldn’t let this unnecessary and silly bill become law.

* Opinion: Protect rights of college journalists; more at Illinoize

* Governor wants to stop gift card fees

* Sun-Times Editorial: Wine shipment law should protect choice

* Record ‘06 numbers for Illinois tourism

* Getting Lipinski’s message out cost taxpayers $230K

* Top 20 Illinois farm subsidy beneficiaries

* State legislatures reflect election changeover

* Study creates new round in death penalty debates: Do executions deter other murderers?

* Tribune Editorial: The art of transparency

* Todd H. Stroger: Critics of Cook Co. Board ignore its steps forward

* Cook Co. tightens up on ethics but stalls on vote

* Cook Co. to fund immigrants ‘ care

* County to end long-term hospital care

* Group Oks Daley plan for investigations

* Daley police reform plan advances

* Mayor says that IDOT’S delays on project approval costs money

5 Comments

“Overtime in Hell” t-shirts, buttons now available

Tuesday, Jun 12, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

I took a few of the funnier responses to Friday’s Question of the Day and put them on a t-shirt. All profits will go to a charity to be named later by blog readers (I’ll hold an “election” next week).

Here’s the image on the front of the shirts, taken from the mousepad, which is also available…

And there’s a small image on the back…

Here’s a smallish photo of one of the several t-shirts available…

There’s also a button, sure to become an instant classic…

They’re not expensive and we’ll make sure all the profits go to a good cause, so get yours today. It may seem like overtime session will last forever, but even goofy things must eventually come to an end. Go here now! Express your frustration by wearing something cool.

*** UPDATE *** As suggested by some friends, two new products have been added.

A golf shirt with just the cartoon Capitol Fax logo on it, as well as one of those “baby doll” t-shirts (another special request)…

And a new button with a different logo…

Comments Off

« NEWER POSTS