This just in… Part 2 *** Updated x7 ***
Thursday, May 31, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* 6:21pm - Not that it would have done any good, but there was no leaders meeting today.
Apparently, the guv is still assessing the situation (yes, he’s in town) and Sen. Prez Jones has been busy meeting with his members.
Jones has quite the situation on his hands. He wants to pass a gaming bill, but downstaters are steamed that the results of the Senate Exec Committee’s passage of the rate freeze weren’t read into the record last night, preventing floor action today. Tomorrow, of course, the bill will require a three-fifths vote to pass.
Yet another coinkydink I’m sure.
* In other news, AT&T’s bill to ease its way into cable TV zoomed out of the House this evening.
* And stay tuned late tonight for some possible developments. Sorry, but I can’t say more than that.
* 6:56pm - Tom Cross just walked into Madigan’s office. He wouldn’t say why. Not even sure why I’m posting this. Just thought you’d like to know.
* 7:20pm - The Speaker just announced a three days per week schedule for the month of June. The guv has yet to speak on this topic, however.
More importantly, the rate freeze negotiations are rapidly heating up, according to two sources involved.
Downstaters in the Senate won’t vote for a boat bill until this issue is taken care of.
* 8:52pm - Strong reason to belive that Sen Jones might have finally compromised enough to pass the gaming bill tonight.
* 9!00pm - Senate Approp Committe is doing a subject matter only hearing on the House approved budget. The parliamentary hold is still in place on the bill in the House, which has adjourned the “regular” session and won’t be beck until tomorrow.
* 9:20pm - Looks like the surprise I told you about earlier is off. Ali Ata’s indictment today means the guv may not make an appearance.
* 10:30 - Here we go. Senate is starting the gaming bill (HB 25). Barring GOP votes, this could be close.
* 10:58pm - The guv’s office says they are monitoring the Senate before making a decision on what to do, so I suppose a presser is still possible.
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* Rep. Holbrook hasn’t returned my call either, and the House Dems have refused comment, but this is as good a theory as any I’ve heard… [Holbrook has now returned my call. See “Update 1″ below]
A downstate Democrat has used a parliamentary procedure to block advancement of a relatively austere state spending plan approved late Wednesday night by the House.
That means the Senate, on the last scheduled day of the Legislatures spring session, must wait to consider the budget plan.
Rep. Thomas Holbrook, D-Belleville, filed a motion to reconsider the House vote in support of the plan. And until the chamber disposes of that motion, it cannot transmit the plan to the Senate for consideration.
Holbrook could not be immediately reached for comment, but his move might be linked to ongoing debate over whether to roll back recent rate hikes imposed by Commonwealth Edison and Ameren, the electric utility serving central and southern Illinois.
* Word is the Senate Democrats will remove all language pertaining to Chicago State University from the gaming bill and run it today. The bill will include other changes as well.
* The so-called “seven percent solution” property tax assesment cap bill will likely be called in the Senate today. It flew out of the House with over a hundred votes yesterday. The governor, however, has privately said that he might veto the bill. Stay tuned.
* Meanwhile, a proposal to levy a quarter-percent sales tax for the RTA/CTA jetted out of a House committee today with bipartisan support. The governor has indicated he will veto the bill if it ever reaches his desk.
* No word yet on when or if the Senate will call the electric utility rate freeze, but check back later.
* Also, a bill to make it easier for AT&T to enter the cable TV industry rocketed out of a House committee this morning and easy passage is expected in that chamber, and perhaps both chambers.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Rep. Tom Holbrook just called me back to answer questions about why he put the hold on the budget bill passed by the House last night. Turns out, Aaron Chambers was right again. It was about electric rate relief.
“We know there will eventually be a budget. We don’t know whether there will eventually be rate relief,” Holbrook said. Holbrook added that the Downstate Caucus voted to put the parliamentary hold on the budget yesterday and that he, as chairman, was in charge of executing the plan.
Holbrook also said that he told House Speaker Michael Madigan before the budget was debated last night that he would be placing the hold on the budget bill, adding, “We’ve told him all along that we don’t wish to vote on a budget until we’ve voted on the rate issue.”
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Daley to governor: “Set your priorities”
Thursday, May 31, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
It’s doubtful that the governor will listen to Mayor Daley, but he ought to…
With time running out in Springfield, Mayor Daley urged Gov. Blagojevich today to abandon his universal health care plan — or settle for a cheaper version of it — to fund the higher priorities of education and mass transit.
“You have to set your priorities. . . . Education is the highest priority [or] should be in the state of Illinois because if you don’t educate children, then you have major issues — not just health. You have criminal activity. That’s what’s happening for many, many years. We have not educated children. Our prisons are loaded up with a lot of young, young people,” Daley said.
“You never know. Maybe he can get . . . something [for health care.] But, you have education and you have public transportation. This session was supposed to be a session of getting things done [on those two key issues.] . . . If the session just ends with nothing happening, that’s a very sad comment on the Democratic Party.” […]
“You need universal health care [nationwide]. You can’t do it city by city, county by county or state by state. You wish you could, but you couldn’t. Because say if I have 500 employees. . . . Now they come along and say, ‘I’m gonna charge you extra to give everybody health care.’ Well, why should I be in the state of Illinois? I’ll go someplace else,” Daley said.
Daley’s comments are pretty much right on the money. There just isn’t the will to raise revenues for education, infrastructure AND health care. Time to back off.
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I happen to like Senate President Emil Jones, despite all the mistakes he’s made this session (and there have been many). But there’s no escaping the fact that his credibility has been shot to hell this year. Phil Kadner puts his finger on it in today’s Southtown column…
State Sen. President Emil Jones (D-Chicago) didn’t realize he was cutting Country Club Hills out of the bidding for a casino in the south suburbs by requiring that any new gambling joint be built within 8 miles of the Indiana border.
That’s his story, and he’s sticking to it.
Jones also didn’t realize his stepson had a big contract with ComEd when he opposed extending the electric rate freeze.
That’s his story, and he’s sticking to it.
And Jones says the $80,000 bump his wife received in her state salary and the $57,000 state job his son received had nothing to do with his support for Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s gross receipts tax proposal.
That’s his story, but you don’t have to believe it.
As I told you yesterday, Country Club Hills has long been a contender for a Southland riverboat. Part of its proposal is to redistribute money from the boat revenues to neighboring towns and the mayor was baffled when it was excluded from Jones’ bill. He shouldn’t have been. The mayor is a strong ally of Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. and Dolton Mayor Bill Shaw is a longtime foe of Jackson.
Kadner’s column finishes this way…
Country Club Hills is about 10 to 12 miles from the Indiana border.
People in the south suburbs who gamble in Indiana would save about 30 minutes driving time by going to Country Club Hills, which can be reached from I-57 or I-80.
I’m not saying that Country Club Hills should get a casino.
What I am saying is that right now it is the best bet for the south suburbs.
To eliminate the city before the competition even starts is a huge mistake.
Jones can play dumb. But I don’t think he is. As always, he’s looking out for his buddies.
Jones has had way too many convenient coinkydinks for my taste this session.
* Related stories…
* Jackson gets involved in casino bill debate
* McQueary: Go ahead, call me a spoilsport
* Waukegan casino buoyed by legislature
* Sun-Times Editorial: If tax hike won’t fly, expand gambling
* Sweeney: Rockford aldermen revved up on gambling
NOTICE: I posted this in comments and I’ll post it here, too, as a further warning…
OK, I’ve already deleted one comment that got way too personal. Let’s avoid that, shall we? There’s enough material here to work with that you don’t need to write that sort of stuff.
Please don’t make me ban you. Thanks.
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Stumbling towards overtime
Thursday, May 31, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
Nobody reported anything about the Senate Democratic caucus yesterday, where the spending and revenue-generating plans (including the casino expansion proposal) put forward by Senate President Emil Jones and Gov. Rod Blagojevich went down in flames. For details on that, you’ll have to be a Capitol Fax subscriber. For the rest of you, here’s the public roundup of yesterday’s events…
* Tribune…
House Democrats on Wednesday advanced Speaker Michael Madigan’s limited-growth state budget plan that would pump $400 million in new money into education but omit the expansive health-care program that Gov. Rod Blagojevich has made the centerpiece of his second term.
With lawmakers staring at a midnight Thursday adjournment deadline, Madigan’s decision to move forward with a plan far less expansive than what Blagojevich and Senate President Emil Jones wanted symbolized the fractured state of Illinois’ top Democratic leadership. It was questionable whether Blagojevich and Jones would accept Madigan’s plan, setting up the potential for an overtime legislative session that would empower Republicans in crafting any final budget.
* Gatehouse…
Some Democrats view what passed Wednesday night as House Speaker Michael Madigan’s starting point for further negotiations. Others see it as a stop-gap measure to keep state government going if the General Assembly runs into a lengthy overtime session. There is widespread belief among lawmakers that Blagojevich will call them back into special session beginning June 1 if they do not approve his plan to provide health insurance to all Illinoisans.
“I think putting it in the hands of the Senate Democrats, if we need to have a continuing appropriation so things don’t shut down, I think it’s a decent start,” said Rep. Frank Mautino, D-Spring Valley.
* Daily Herald…
The budget includes provisions but no money for things like pay raises for members of the state employees’ union. Supporters said the governor’s free to come up with the money from elsewhere or reduce the workforce to come up with the cash for the raises.
Similarly, the budget includes a more than $500 million increase in the state’s contribution to the state pension system. But the actual funding portion doesn’t include money to cover it. Again, the answer was the governor could probably find the money somewhere in the budget.
What that means is the pension funds will get their money (no matter what the Republicans claim) because it will come right off the top. Funding for the rest of state government will be shortchanged as a result.
* Sun-Times…
The Madigan budget plan would increase state spending by $800 million. Of that, $500 million would come from growth in the state’s tax base, while the balance would come from ending several corporate tax breaks.
The proposal would boost education spending by about $400 million, a far cry from the $1.5 billion boost Blagojevich originally envisioned for schools.
No new funds exist for the cash-strapped Chicago Transit Agency, but Cook County Hospital would get a $100 million grant under the Madigan plan.
* Daily Herald…
“That’s a heck of a lot of money,” said Steve Brown, spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan, a Chicago Democrat, casting off critics’ contention this is a “no-growth budget.” […]
But even before it emerged, the plan was assailed as woefully lacking by interest groups and those backing Blagojevich’s nearly $60 billion budget proposal that would sell off the lottery and impose various new business taxes to pay for health coverage for all Illinoisans and ultimately provide billions more for schools. […]
“It addresses needs rather than wishes,” said state Rep. John Fritchey, a Chicago Democrat.
* Post-Dispatch…
Although the Senate is under the same constitutional deadline as the House, powerless Senate Republicans will remain that way after today, regardless. The Senate’s Democratic majority is so overwhelming that even under the “three-fifths'’ rule, Democrats still will be able to pass a budget bill there without any Republican votes.
Nonetheless, Cross said, if he gets a seat at the table, he’s bringing Senate Republican Leader Frank Watson of Greenville with him — whether Blagojevich, Madigan and Jones want him there or not. “Frank’s going to be there,'’ Cross said. “He’ll go with me.'’
* Meanwhile, the governor seems to be preparing for the summer session and may bring his family to town. I broke this yesterday, and Bernie leads his column off with the item today…
Illinois’ first family seems to be contemplating a significant stay in the Executive Mansion this summer.
“In the event we are in overtime session this summer, Mrs. (PATTI) BLAGOJEVICH called the Springfield Park District to ask about swim lessons for ANNIE and ice skating opportunities for AMY,” said REBECCA RAUSCH, spokeswoman for Gov. ROD BLAGOJEVICH. […]
This, of course, is good news for those who have long thought the governor and his family, who live in Chicago, should get to know Springfield a little better. It’s not such good news for lawmakers, who just may think they have personally spent enough time in the capital city this spring.
* More budget stuff, compiled by Paul…
* Illinoize: What’s left before adjournment?
* House Dems approve limited growth budget
* House approves budget proposal
* Democrats need deal today or it’s overtime
* State House approves budget with new business tax
* Dan Miller: Here’s one vote for budget sanity
* Editorial: Hold off on health care expansion
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Morning Shorts
Thursday, May 31, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson
* Ad touting Blagojevich still on the air
But under the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act, statewide elected officials cannot be named or shown in ads or public-service announcements for state-administered programs. The law is often cited by Blagojevich as an example of his push for governmental reforms.
* Editorial: Make the right moves on mass transit
* Rep. Fritchey: State must renew 7% solution
* House Oks plan for county sales tax
“I really like the idea,” said state Rep. Roger Eddy, R-Hutsonville, who is also a school superintendent in Crawford County. “If lawmakers in Springfield aren’t going to do anything on a statewide basis, why not let the local residents decide?”
* Lawmakers approve license plate bill to support private out-of-state schools; more here
* Revising home value caps
* Eric Zorn: Giving new life to debate on death penalty
Any humane reform of the justice system that includes ending the death penalty, they say, must also include adding opportunities for lifers to earn their release. This side of the debate is behind the ongoing work of an Illinois House committee formed to study issues related to long-term incarceration, and it includes key members of the Illinois Coalition Against the Death Penalty.
* Governors start to back 2008 candidates
* County incapable of fixing juvenile center say critics
* State approves Cook Co. pension buyouts
* Sad day for alderman after dad’s ID arrest
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This just in… *** Updated x5 ***
Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
The House will pass its own budget tonight.
$290M more for schools
$801M in net approp growth
$300M from loophole closings from SB1544
UPDATE: Add $84M to schools for categoricals.
Also, word is that Sen. Pres. Jones may run the 3 year rate freeze to the guv’s desk so that Downstaters will vote for the budget.
It’s looking like the Senate might (or not) run this low growth budget to keep the gvt running. The governor is then likely to call us into special session to deal with things like health care and education funding.
Also, HDems voted in caucus on Lang’s gaming bill but it came up way short of what they’ll need to pass it.
More later.
UPDATE 2: 4:25pm It looks like HB1500 (to get AT&T into cable) has Madigan’s OK and may be moving soon.
Also, one reason for MJM moving a budget tonight is that the guv has been prodding him publicly to come up with a plan.
And those of you who think this is the final budgetary word ought to think again.
By the way that “growth” listed above is net appropriations growth.
UPDATE 3: The House budget will be SB 1132 House amenment 1
UPDATE 4: 10:16PM… The debate has begun. Republicans are complaining that the bill didn’t pass thru the proper hoops. .
UPDATE 5: By the way, the HDems tacked the budget onto the supplemental bill, which is worth $1.2 Billion in federal funds to hospitals over the next two years.
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Priest threatens to “snuff out” legislators
Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
Rev. Michael Pfleger, pastor of St. Sabina’s Church, went way over the top this week. During a protest against Chuck’s Gun Shop, Father Pfleger twice threatened to “snuff out” the shop’s owner and threatened the same fate for legislators who oppose his position on gun control.
“We’re gonna find you and snuff you out,” Fleger said about the gun shop owner, likening the man to a “rat.” He later repeated his threat to “snuff out” the owner.
Fleger also had this to say to state legislators who vote against gun control measures.
“We’re gonna snuff out legislators who are voting [garbled] against our gun laws and we’re coming for you because we are not going to sit idly.”
The Illinois State Rifle Association, which has employed some pretty harsh rhetoric of its own but hasn’t, to my recollection, called for anyone to be “snuffed out,” had this reaction…
“Certainly Fr. Pfleger has offered Absolution to a murderer or two during his tenure as a priest,” commented ISRA Executive Director, Richard Pearson. “That’s why it’s shocking to hear him actually advocate the murder of a gun shop owner who has never committed a crime in his life. He then compounds the problem by calling for the murder of legislators who disagree with his personal political views — something I suspect is a felony in this state. Pfleger’s comments were disgusting and dangerous. And, I seem to remember that the Fifth Commandment frowns on murdering one’s neighbor.”
Audio…
[audio:pflegersnuff.mp3]
[Clip is fixed now.]
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Illinois children can’t wait another year for reform
Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - Posted by Capitol Fax Blog Advertising Department
The following is a paid advertisement
The 2007 legislative session ends on Thursday, and lawmakers are dangerously close to leaving Springfield without any improvements in school funding and quality.
Every year that state leaders refuse to act is another year that Illinois ranks nearly dead last in the nation for its share of school funding. While officials delay improvements to school funding and quality, Illinois children face another year of overcrowded classrooms, outdated materials and unsafe buildings. Students in poor areas face a growing achievement gap and lack of opportunities. Homeowners face another year of skyrocketing property taxes and a bigger share of the state’s school funding burden. And employers face a local workforce without the skills to compete in the global economy.
Fed up? Call your lawmakers on A+ Illinois’ toll-free legislative hotline: 1-800-651-0315
Tell Gov. Blagojevich and your state lawmakers to pass legislation that gives every Illinois child access to a world-class education. Don’t let them end this legislative session doing nothing on school funding and quality reform. Our children have waited long enough.
For more information, please visit www.aplusillinois.org
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Question of the day
Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
Next year, voters will get the chance to cast their ballots for or against calling a state constitutional convention.
I usually don’t express my opinion on QOTDs, but I’m heavily leaning towards the idea. Unless you’re a fan of gridlock, the system sure appears to be broken. It’s too easily dominated by powerful players with axes to grind. Individual legislators have few, if any, rights, and they too easily give up whatever they have. The list goes on and on.
Today’s question: Do you support a constitutional convention? Why or why not? What changes would you propose?
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Complications are many
Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This Tribune story makes the claim that the dispute over gaming is standing in the way of a budget deal…
Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Senate President Emil Jones blamed House Speaker Michael Madigan on Tuesday for failing to advance a new state budget, but Madigan said there isn’t enough support among his members for the massive gambling expansion that the other two want. […]
Jones and the governor have embraced a broad gambling package that would include casinos in Chicago and three suburbs as well as subsidies for horse racing tracks, Internet betting between boats and bookie-style betting over the telephone.
Trust me on this, it’s not the gaming bill. Yes, the gaming proposal is a problem. A big problem. But there’s a whole lot more going on in this fight than a disagreement over a riverboat bill.
* This is the problem…
Deputy Gov. Sheila Nix took aim at House Democrats — who have rejected many of the governor’s budget priorities — for not providing a plan of their own. “We believe it’s time for them to get their act together,” she said.
Returning fire, Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said House Democrats have offered ideas.
“Maybe it’s Ms. Nix’s inexperience … but we sat in the meeting, and they talked about not making bombastic statements. I don’t know what she hopes to accomplish,” Brown said.
They don’t talk, and when they do talk they don’t listen.
* This is also the problem…
Democrats in both the House and Senate say that an education-funding increase is their top priority. They’ve been lukewarm about Blagojevich’s plan to provide health insurance to everyone in Illinois.
Universal health insurance is seen as a federal priority, not a state priority. The governor just didn’t have enough skill or time to convince legislators to back his ideas.
* And this is another huge problem…
As he exited the Capitol on Tuesday evening, the governor said, “My only regret today is that I didn’t get a chance to go down to Marion and be there for the first pitch for the new single-A baseball team.”
Asked about budget issues, Blagojevich said, “I wish I could have gone to Marion.”
Focus, governor. Focus.
* And now events appear to be rapidly devolving. Sen. Meeks has played the race card yet again…
The South Side’s Sen. James Meeks fears the Chicago Public Schools that are his top priority will not get the big funding increase he says they need.
“We need to call it what it is: racism. We need to return to the marches and protests of the ’50s and ’60s. And say to Springfield, enough is enough,” Meeks said.
Meeks said at a Black Caucus event last night that if the Chicago public school system was all white then Madigan would be a lot more eager to fully fund it.
We’re in for a long summer.
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The Senate Democrats privately insist that Calumet City is in the strongest position to get a new south suburban riverboat, but Carol Marin is absolutely right to suspect that Bill Shaw’s Dolton is in the running.
The only thing about the Shaws to be grateful for, I suppose, is that their mother had twins, not triplets. These two have wreaked enough havoc on the notion of good government in 50 years of elective and appointed office.
That includes a civil racketeering suit against the village, convicted felons getting honorary police badges, and the testimony of a convicted drug smuggler in federal court saying he paid Mayor Shaw $30,000 to join the force.
In recent years, voters have gotten restless. Bob was deposed as alderman of Chicago’s 9th Ward, dumped as a commissioner of the Cook County Board of Review (but not before voting to reduce his brother’s property taxes), and defeated in a run for mayor of South Holland. Bill, meanwhile, only narrowly won a third term as Dolton mayor a couple of years ago after being clobbered by state Sen. James Meeks, who ejected him from his legislative seat in 2002.
So why be worried that these guys could get the cash windfall of a casino along the Little Calumet River in their south suburb?
Because, people, this is Illinois.
One of Mayor Shaw’s best friends is Senate President Emil Jones, and, as we’ve seen time and time again, Jones hasn’t exactly been shy about helping out friends and family this year. Jones has been pushing very hard for a south suburban casino in private leadership meetings and in talks with the governor - perhaps a bit too hard to take him at his word that his best buddy isn’t somehow in the mix.
Besides Dolton and Cal City, the other eligible towns for a casino in the Senate proposal include Harvey and Chicago Heights. Country Club Hills is too far from the Indiana border (the limit is eight miles from the Indiana border) to qualify, and Mayor Dwight Welch is not happy about that.
Country Club Hills has been a leading contender for a possible south suburban casino. Investors have a site chosen and a business plan that won high marks from state gaming board staff in 2004. And Welch has gotten neighboring towns to sign on by promising to share the revenue.
Welch is allied with Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr., who is not exactly a major Jones ally. So it’s no surprise that his town was dumped.
Meanwhile, the Senate Democrats claimed that they’ve cleaned up the gaming bill, but it doesn’t look like they did nearly enough sweeping…
A top Jones ally, Sen. Rickey Hendon (D-Chicago), said other controversial elements of the gaming package had been scaled back. A provision was removed that would have compensated investors in the failed Emerald Casino planned for Rosemont, he said, and plans to dedicate casino revenue to Chicago State University, a favorite of Jones, was trimmed to about a quarter of what had been an estimated $40 million. The remainder would go to other state universities, Hendon said.
So, Chicago State still gets $10 million a year while other universities split $30 million? That’s fair. Not.
Discuss.
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More reform and renewal
Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
The repeated flouting of state ethics laws really needs to cease and desist…
Despite an ethics act that promised to shine a light on unpaid advisers to statewide officeholders, no one has filed the required paperwork for the last three years, including a close friend of Gov. Rod Blagojevich who helped inspire the law.
The provision in the ethics law was embraced by the Democratic governor in 2003 after being added at the insistence of Republican lawmakers. They raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest arising from what one lawmaker described as a “shadow government” of advisers to Blagojevich who wielded influence on state policies.
Christopher Kelly, a longtime Blagojevich confidant singled out by Republicans, was one of two people who filed the economic disclosure form after the special designation took effect. But a recent review of state records shows the administration requested that Kelly be removed from the list just before Christmas 2004. […]
After being removed from the list, Kelly flew on the state’s airplane with Blagojevich and the governor’s aides on at least four occasions in 2005, though the governor’s campaign fund picked up the costs for Kelly. In addition, Kelly met with Blagojevich and top aides in February 2007 at the governor’s campaign headquarters, a campaign spokesman has said.
[Emphasis added]
As usual, the administration refused to answer questions about why Kelly is no longer on the list. They never feel a need to explain this stuff.
But Kelly isn’t the only person who hangs out with the guv. Lon Monk, his former chief of staff, is now a bigtime lobbyist. John Wyma, his chief of staff for his congressional office, is a major Illinois lobbyist who rarely shows his face in town (he doesn’t need to as long as he has direct access to the governor). But according to the Tribune story, nobody has filed disclosure reports in the past three years.
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Morning Shorts
Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson
* Internet filters for libraries hits a snag
* Illinois bill calls for insurance to cover HPV vaccine
“I don’t see (a mandate) happening for a long time,” said state Rep. Elizabeth Coulson, R-Glenview, the bill’s sponsor in the House. “We need a lot more medical data on side effects and all of those other types of things. This is too new to mandate.”
* Senate Oks bill to aid young sex offenders
* School wind farms get state aid
* Tougher driving bill awaits governor’s signature
* IIS Radio: HPV vaccine, specialty licenses, highway markers
* Michael Sneed: Former Gov. Dan Walker, Obama
* CTA plea for help comes amid last minute capitol rush
* CTA considered $7 a ride for rush hour commuters
* Why suburban residents may bail out CTA
* Parents, students: CPS proposal on wrong ‘track’
* Feds: Alderman’s father took photos for fake Ids; more here
* Stroger says he will consider property tax hike
* Rail authority creation on right track
* State passes Peoria airport tax bill
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Oh, bloody hell *** Updated x2 ***
Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
House Speaker Michael Madigan walked out of the leaders meeting after about an hour and fifteen minutes this afternoon.
Madigan said he was able to ask some questions but didn’t necessarily get any answers.
But here’s the kicker. Madigan said his caucus would meet about today’s events tomorrow sometime.
Tomorrow would be Wednesday, the day before scheduled adjournment. Oy. Long summer ahead.
Meanwhile, the smoking exemption for casinos zoomed out of Senate Exec today.
More in tomorrow’s Capitol Fax
UPDATE: At 4:45 pm, the governor walked into Madigan’s office. The guv wouldn’t say why, but presumably it was to jump start the budget talks.
UPDATE 2: The guv left after about a half an hour. He didn’t report any progress but said it was a good meeting.
He all but sprinted to the elevators near Sen. Jones’ office, avoiding questions from the press. Paul and I snagged him for a couple of minutes, though and we’ll have some audio tomorrow.
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Perpetually blundering
Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
Way to go, Republicans! There’s nothing quite like keeping the bipartisan “combine” story alive during an election year. From Lynn Sweet’s blog…
Bob Kjellander, the sometimes controversal Illinois Republican, will be the vice chairman of the 2008 Republican National Convention, to be held in Minneapolis/Saint Paul.
So, I guess this means that Kj isn’t fading away any time soon?
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Question of the day
Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
It’s possible that a serious Statehouse showdown is on the horizon. The governor has claimed that he isn’t afraid to call legislators back into special session if they don’t approve a budget that he can live with, and as I’ve already told you, no agreement is in sight at the moment.
The governor has the power to use the state police at his discretion to require attendance at such special sessions, and one of the big jokes around the taverns is where legislators might flee outside the state police’s jurisdiction in case they don’t want to show up.
I’m partial to either St. Louis or Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Both would provide plenty of entertainment opportunities and I could also tow my new boat to either locale and host receptions during any potential exile.
Today’s question: Where should legislators go to avoid the state coppers? You don’t have to choose either one of my preferences. Explain the benefits and potential drawbacks (if any) of your choice.
Of course, this entire post is (mostly) tongue in cheek. But let’s have a little fun anyway.
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Yet another poll shows backing for tax hike
Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
I posted my syndicated column on Saturday, but comments were disabled. So, let’s do it again, shall we?
As you probably know, Gov. Rod Blagojevich has flatly ruled out an income- or sales-tax hike in exchange for a property-tax cut and more money for education. House Speaker Michael Madigan has said there isn’t sufficient support in his Democratic caucus to pass an income- or sales-tax hike.
But there’s a recent poll out that shows the public disagrees with both politicians. The poll showing majority support for a tax-swap plan also seems to be right in line with previous surveys. In addition, the poll found strong opposition to the governor’s super-controversial gross-receipts-tax plan.
The survey, conducted independently by the Glengariff Group, found that about 57 percent of Illinois voters support a so-called “tax swap,” while just less than 28 percent oppose it.
The question was put to respondents in a very neutral manner and is one of the better polling questions on this subject that I’ve ever seen […]
The poll showed 36.7 percent “strongly support” the tax hike, with 20.5 percent “somewhat” supporting it, 14 percent “somewhat” opposed and 11 percent are “strongly” opposed. Seventeen percent are undecided, according to the survey. […]
The poll found that even a majority of Republican voters supported the tax-swap proposal (52.6 percent, with 31.9 percent saying they “strongly” support it and just 20 percent saying they “strongly” opposed it). A whopping 65 percent of African-American voters say they back the plan, while 53.6 percent of whites say they support it. Females backed it 61.3 to 24, while men supported it 53 to 31.6.
Suburban collar county voters backed the proposal 56.8 to 31. Majorities of downstate voters supported the swap idea except in southern Illinois, where the backing was more tepid. In western and northwestern Illinois, 67.3 percent of voters supported the plan, while 51.8 percent of central Illinoisans backed it and 44.3 percent of southerners endorsed it (with 27.9 percent against and the rest undecided). However, the margins of error are quite high on those numbers since they are such small subsets — so they may be right, but beware.
Several polls in recent months have shown broad support for the tax swap idea. Read the whole thing for those results and discuss below.
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Long summer ahead?
Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The final budget deal is a mess. There is no deal. It’s not even near final. They aren’t even close.
“I think the lines in the sand have been drawn so deep, it’s been very difficult to come to some type of agreement,” said State Rep. Marlow Colvin, D-Chicago.
* And stuff like this, tucked into the gaming bill, just makes it more difficult to get anything done…
Nearly two dozen female and minority investors in the failed Emerald Casino could get bailed out of their multimillion-dollar, bad investment under a massive gambling expansion backed by Gov. Blagojevich and Senate President Emil Jones.
Tucked within the 218-page gambling bill is a controversial provision that could allow the clout-heavy group to recoup $32.8 million lost on the Emerald deal and have an ownership stake in one of four new casinos proposed for Chicago and the suburbs.
Lawmakers from both parties and a top government watchdog condemned the plan, questioning why taxpayers should be expected to swallow the losses of the politically influential group or to wade anywhere near the legal morass involving Emerald.
* As I told subscribers this morning, there are a whole lot of other problems with this gaming bill. Here are just a couple more, but the list is long, including, but not limited to, the $40 million annual Chicago State subsidy…
But the fine print of the current plan is raising both eyebrows and opposition at the Capitol.
As proposed, the state would legalize and license bookies to take horse racing bets over the phone or Internet. Horse tracks would be able to create electronic poker networks that could allow people to gamble online from their homes.
* The fact that the governor’s former chief of staff is lobbying for the tracks is not helping the bill’s credibility much…
As talk of gambling has surfaced in recent days as a way to help plug holes in the state’s budget, Monk signed on May 22 to represent the Racing Associations of Illinois, which is based at Balmoral Park Racetrack in Crete, according to state records. Horse-racing interests want legalized slot machines at the tracks as part of any gambling deal.
* The rancor has put the legislative leaders on a dangerous collision course, and yesterday’s meeting between Gov. Blagojevich and the entire House Democratic caucus didn’t move the ball forward at all…
Gov. Blagojevich went before House Democrats for more than two hours Monday to try to broker a budget deal but left with some members predicting an agreement is more remote than ever.
The governor appealed to House Democrats to back him on a budget or risk letting Republicans dictate terms of a deal if the General Assembly spills into overtime Thursday. But lawmakers said the governor seemed unwilling to compromise.
“To be honest with you, I don’t think it looks very good for an adjournment date for this Thursday unless he’s playing a great game of chicken,” said Rep. Marlow Colvin (D-Chicago), chairman of the Illinois House Legislative Black Caucus.
* The basic disagreement is over the scope of the governor’s proposals…
Several Democrats emerged from the meeting saying there remains a huge gap between what the governor wants to spend and what House members think is a realistic spending increase. Blagojevich remained adamant that he wants lawmakers to approve his universal health-care plan, even though lawmakers have made it clear they won’t approve the tax hikes needed to pay for it.
* More on that topic…
Many lawmakers consider the plan too big, especially after other recent expansions of health care programs. It would cost at least two billion dollars a year and cover people making up to four times the federal poverty level.
Senator William Delgado compares the ambitious plan to trying to eat a large pizza all at once — “It’s not going to happen.”
* Afterwards, the governor attempted to blame the House Democrats and Speaker Madigan for the impasse, which just threw fuel on the fire…
The Democratic governor emerged from the meeting and lashed out at House Speaker Michael Madigan of Chicago and his Democratic members, suggesting that it will be their fault if an agreement cannot be worked out before the General Assembly’s scheduled May 31 adjournment deadline.
* More tax and spend and end-of-session stories, compiled by Paul…
* Democrats skeptical of Governor’s call
* Illinoize: Gov: it’s your turn, House Dems
* Illinois would OK more casinos to fund health plan
* Governor battling lawmakers’ lack of enthusiasm for health care
* Seven steps to a state budget
* Highlights of governor’s health care plan
* Sweeney: Governor’s health plan pushed in casinos
* Morrissey to back push for Rockford casino
20 Comments
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Obamarama - Putting the GOPs in play here
Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
This is exactly right…
The unintended byproduct of Illinois moving up its primary to boost White House hopeful Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is putting the state in major play for the GOP presidential candidates.
“It really is wide open on the Republican side,” said Illinois Republican Party chairman Andy McKenna. “It’s ironic,” he said. “A move to help Obama helps the Republican Party.'’
When Gov. Blagojevich signs the legislation setting Feb. 5 as the primary date, switching from March, Illinois joins more than 20 other states holding elections that day, creating a new national primary. While Obama has a near lock on Illinois, the three top Republican contenders — former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) — see Illinois as fertile territory and are establishing statewide campaigns.
In order to draw attention to Illinois, McKenna said the party is considering organizing a straw poll on Aug. 16, five days after the influential Aug. 11 Iowa Republican party straw poll.
Illinois may also steal some serious thunder from Iowa and New Hampshire’s Republican contests because early voting will begin here just after New Year’s Day - before anyone in those two goofy states cast a ballot. Hillary Clinton is most likely taking a pass on Illinois, of course, but her campaign is gearing up to focus on early voting opportunities in other big states, so there is a belief that the Republicans will do the same with Illinois…
Tucked away in a Hillary Rodham Clinton campaign memorandum that leaked out this week was a brief note about a quirk in next year’s primary election calendar that could have a profound effect on the strategies and spending of all the candidates.
The memorandum, by Mike Henry, the deputy campaign manager for Mrs. Clinton, made a case for ignoring Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucuses next Jan. 14 and devoting the candidate’s limited time and resources to contests in much bigger states in the following three weeks, including Florida, Arizona, California, New Jersey, Georgia and Texas.
Mr. Henry noted that all of those states, and several others whose primaries are set for early February, will be mailing out millions of absentee ballots in the weeks before Iowans gather for their caucuses, potentially diminishing Iowa’s importance. Iowa, along with New Hampshire, which holds its primary a week after the Iowa caucuses, have jealously guarded their status as early arbiters of who’s hot and who’s not.
Thoughts?
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Morning Shorts
Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson
* Editorial: Elected officials get insurance perk that others don’t
* Editorial: No election to fuel gas price talk; outcome the same
* Tribune Editorial: Strong hearts and steel backs
* Sun-Times Editorial: $139 bar bill? University owes public, auditors answers
* Editorial: Clipped wings saves lives
* Bill gives state health site board new life
* Legislature honors Illinois fallen
* Senate passes bill to honor military
* Lawmakers approve more than a dozen new license styles
* Illinois lawmakers pass ban on ‘remote’ hunting
The issue emerged in early 2005, when Texas entrepreneur John Lockwood set up a Web site that allowed subscribing hunters with a high-speed Web connection to shoot antelope, wild pigs and other game on his 220-acre San Antonio spread via remote control – from anywhere.
* State OKs permit for airport in Will Co.
* Sun-Times Editorial: Stroger can blame his own mismanagement
* Rep. Fritchey: Stop playing politics with property tax law
* Stroger opens door to property tax increase
* Naperville tax gets first OK
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