This just in… Part 4
Thursday, Aug 9, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* 8:52 pm - OK, this will hopefully be the last thread of the evening. In case you missed it from Part 3, Sen. John Cullerton’s 90 cents per pack tax hike on cigarettes, which also allows counties to raise their taxes by a buck a pack, passed the Senate tonight, 34-24. It now moves to the House, which has adjourned until tomorrow morning.
Lots of stuff may still happen in the Senate, but not until after committee hearings end at, I’m guessing, eleven o’clock or so. I figure they might just try everything tomorrow, but who knows.
It’s up to commenters to keep track of things on the blog from here on out. Audio and video are here. I’ll try to get back to you later on whether Mayor Daley does or does not support the Chicago casino bill.
* 9:52 pm - Chicago registered as ‘no position’ in Sen. Exec. SGOPs have walked out of committee, angry at the way the SDEMs were jamming bills thru without time to look at them. The SDEMs say that’s not true. SGOP staff & nenbers were fully informed and involved they claim.
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This just in… Part 3
Thursday, Aug 9, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
*** 5:39 pm - Various updates after tracking down numerous rumors ***
* There are lots of rumors flying around that Senate President Emil Jones is somehow playing around with the budget bill. Those appear to be wrong. The changes appear to be technical in nature, mainly due to drafting errors.
* Also, once the gaming bill is finally drafted (which could be from any minute to who knows when), the Senate will assign it to committee, wait the hour for the posting, bring it to the floor and vote on it. That’s the intention, at least. The gaming/capital bill might be voted on tomorrow, depending how late it gets, but the gaming bill is said to be completely separate from the operating budget bill, contrary to rumors.
* Speaker Madigan is not expected to call the gaming bill for a vote, of course. He prefers to wait a couple of weeks to do anything more, except perhaps a veto override of the budget.
* We can probably expect a floor vote this evening on the cigarette tax in the Senate.
* 5:59 pm - Remember that letter I wrote about a little while ago in Part 2 from labor leaders to the Senate President? An identical letter was sent to the governor, as well. Both letters urged opposition to the budget bill passed by the Illinois House today.
Well, one of those unions didn’t agree to sign the letter. A spokesman for the Illinois Education Association said a few minutes ago that Ken Swanson, the top dog at the IEA, was asked to sign but declined.
By the way, guess who was asking labor leaders to sign a letter to the Senate Prez and the governor? If you answered “the governor’s office” you win the Buick.
So, apparently, the governor’s office pasted Swanson’s signature onto the letter even though Swanson said he didn’t want to sign it. Brilliant.
* 7:15 pm - The governor is doing an availability right now. I’ll see if I can get audio for the blog in a bit.
* 7:18 pm - I received this e-mail from AARP hours ago and didn’t see it. Oops…
Rich, The budget passed by the House contains severe under funding for Social Services - hitting many vulnerable groups too hard when it comes to the services they need and rely on. I’m hoping you can post the following letter from advocate groups to legislators on the blog. […]
————-
August 9, 2007
HB 3860 HA 2 currently before the General Assembly strikes at the very fiber of Illinois. It reverses our state’s long history of providing for the needs of all of its citizens. After spending over two months in overtime session, we are now faced with a budget that does not meet the needs of those who need help the most. Our working men, women and cherished retirees expect and deserve more from our elected officials.
* 7:40 pm - Senate honchos are attempting to round up their members as I write this to get them ready for floor action. So, it may not be long now.
The Senate Dem leaders are still telling members that their intent is to do the operating budget, gaming/capital bill and the governor’s health insurance bill tonight.
* 7:44 pm - Rep. John Fritchey (verified) just posted this in comments…
The House just adjourned until tomorrow at 10. The Speaker made some interesting comments including the fact that the City of Chicago is now against the gaming bill proposed in the Senate.
* 7:48 pm - The governor wouldn’t answer questions about whether he would sign the operating budget bill or whether he would veto the pay raise out of the supplemental. He also didn’t answer a question about Madigan’s statement that Chicago is against the Chicago casino bill.
Last night, by the way, the governor stunned the other leaders by claiming that Daley was “irrelevant” to the casino negotiations.
* 8:04 pm - Madigan’s spokesman just told me that Chicago’s lobbyists down here told the Speaker that they were informing Democratic Senators that the City is against the gaming bill.
The governor’s chief of staff, however, is reportedly telling people that Chicago will register in favor of the bill at committee. The governor’s press office is saying the same thing.
* 8:10 pm - The Senate is reconvening. Listen or watch here.
* 8:21 pm - Senate Exec and State Government and Veterans Affairs committees are meeting at 9:25 tonight. Judiciary Civil Law and Local Government will meet at 9:40. Education is meeting at 9:55 tonight. Approp 2 meets at 10:10.
* 8:28 pm - As predicted earlier, while they’re waiting for committees to meet, the Senate is now taking up Sen. John Cullerton’s cigarette tax hike proposal.
* 8:32 pm - Here’s the audio of the governor’s media availability, provided by my great pal Ryan Hermes at WLS Radio…
[audio:GOV_RAW.mp3]
* 8:34 pm - Sen. Cullerton’s cigarette tax hike bill, HB 556, has just passed, 34-24.
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This just in… Part 2
Thursday, Aug 9, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* 3:16 pm - That old thread was getting long and unwieldy.
Click here to read AFSCME’s lawsuit to keep state paychecks coming even if the governor doesn’t sign the budget.
* 3:27 pm - From the Tribune’s operating budget story…
Blagojevich’s office criticized the legislation even before the voting started, citing the lack of help for the CTA and contending the budget is a billion dollars out of balance. Blagojevich spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch said the budget “has a lot of problems,” including a failure to address the governor’s desire to expand health care and commit to a multibillion construction program.
Further signaling the governor’s displeasure, Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Collinsville), the governor’s point man in the House, railed against the unbalanced budget proposal as an example of “cooking the books” in a way that ultimately could fall short of its commitment to school funds.
“This budget will never be law,” Hoffman said. “It will not be law. It hurts too many people. … It’s a phony budget put together on a shoestring.”
If the governor doesn’t veto the budget and simply refuses to sign it, the House and Senate may have no choice but to approve a one-month budget next week. That’s why Senate President Jones getting a new appropriations vehicle bill was so important today. He could use that for a one-monther.
…Adding… Sen. Jones would likely come to the guv’s rescue to prevent further problems by running a one-month budget, so then the onus would be on Madigan and the House GOP to also pass it or cause a possible shutdown.
* 3:45 pm - Contrary to rumors, the cigarette tax hike proposal is not dead yet.
Sen. John Cullerton’s amendment containing the 90 cent statewide tax hike and allowing counties like DuPage to increase the cig tax by a buck a pack passed the Senate today with 34 votes. But it’ll need 36 votes on 3rd Reading, so Cullerton is drafting a new amendment which deletes the immediate effective date and changes the implementation day to June 1st, 2008. Therefore, Cullerton will only need to get 30 votes to pass it over to the House.
Sometimes, legislators have a way of jumping off a bill to keep it from passing no matter how low the bar is dropped, so passage is not a completely sure thing, even with the 34 votes on the amendment. And there’s still the House.
* 3:57 pm - AFSCME says its lawsuit will be heard tomorrow afternoon at 1:30. And John Bambenek made a good point in comments…
Anyone notice that the suit was filed in Christian and not Sangamon county? The 1991 case [which established that no budget meant no paychecks] only made it to the 4th district of appeals… Christian County is in the 5th district…
* 4:01 pm - Senate President Jones is telling members to expect to vote on a gaming/capital bill today.
* 4:06 pm - It could be an hour or so before the Senate goes back into session and takes up the operating budget, the cigarette tax and gaming (if they have the votes). Stay close, however. Once the Senate starts, I may bail on blogging because you’ll be able to listen to everything yourself online.
* 4:14 pm - Michael Miner reports on a very interesting development in the federal lawsuit against Illinois Chief Justice Bob Thomas.
* 4:25 pm - AFSCME’s motion for a temporary restraining order can be downloaded here.
* 4:30 pm - IlliniPundit is not happy at all with the Republican role in the state budget process…
Out of this mess, no Republican leader has emerged to capture the public’s awareness by standing for the things that the Illinois public clearly wants - less corruption, less pork, fewer taxes, and an improved education system. Instead, we have both Republican caucuses negotiating on things like a Chicago casino, pork projects for their districts, and a capital bill.
* 4:35 pm - I forgot to tell you about this…
The Senate approved legislation today to extend a key property tax break to Cook County homeowners, and the House prepared to send the measure to the governor.
With one extra tweak in favor of property owners, the Senate pushed through the compromise legislation on the so-called 7 percent cap on assessments with a 53-0 vote, sending the bill to the House.
Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) told House lawmakers to expect a vote later today on the legislation, which is supported by Mayor Richard Daley and opposed by Cook County Assessor James Houlihan, who sought more relief.
* 4:41 pm - This was not exactly unexpected, considering the foul mood in Springfield right now…
The governor will NOT be walking in the parade tonight.
* 4:52 pm - The rationale…
“I don’t believe he’s going to be there because things are very fluid at the Statehouse right now,” spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch said late this afternoon.
While there has been some speculation that the crowd reception in Springfield might involve booing for the governor embroiled in an overtime state budget battle, Rausch said that was not the reason for the decision.
Instead, she said, a Senate committee is dealing with budget matters, with action expected shortly.
“It’s our expectation they’re going to return to the (Senate) floor and take action on an operating budget, and potentially on other things like a capital program, maybe a gaming bill and maybe our health care bill,” Rausch said.
Frankly, I don’t blame him. I was honestly worried about the man’s safety if he marched in that parade.
* 5:06 pm - I didn’t think Flannery’s shirt was ugly at all. Kinda green, but not ugly.
* 5:16 pm - Union leaders allied with the governor and the heads of the two teachers unions have sent a letter to Senate President Jones asking him not to support the budget passed by the House. Read the letter here. The teachers unions sent a separate letter to all legislative leaders and the governor, which ends thusly…
Recently, we unveiled an income tax increase proposal that we believe has strong support in both caucuses of the House and Senate. We urge you to introduce and pass legislation that follows the framework of that proposal. The General Assembly still has the ability to finally fix our flawed system of school funding. The time is now.
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This just in…
Thursday, Aug 9, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* 11:10 am - The House is debating the operating budget at the moment. Listen or watch here.
* 11:26 am - Rep. Jay Hoffman, the governor’s floor leader, warned members earlier that the operating budget under consideration now in the House will never be signed. The governor’s office, meanwhile, is dissing the document…
Spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff says the revenue and expenses in the budget don’t add up. She says that could mean some services would have to be cut to make the budget balance.
She also complained that it contains about $200 million for legislative pork projects.
Ottenhoff stopped short of saying Blagojevich would veto the bill if it reaches his desk.
* 11:36 am - From a press release…
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31 will hold two news conferences today to announce details of its lawsuit seeking to compel the state of Illinois and Comptroller Dan Hynes to pay all state employees in full and on time, even absent a new state budget.
* 12:33 pm - Just nine House members voted “No” on the operating budget.
* 12:36 pm - Good news, I suppose. Speaker Madigan just announced that the Senate has finally agreed to put the now agreed operating budget on a House bill that’s sitting in the Senate, pass it today and send it over to the House, so the House can then vote on it today and send it to the governor right away.
Subscribers know what this means. The trust level between the House and Senate is growing and the governor will be on the spot.
* 12:34 pm - It’s not posted at the moment, but the House roll call of the budget bill can be found here.
* 12:55 pm - Remember this?
On April 15th this year, nothing had even started yet.
* 1:06 pm - The House is recessed until 4 o’clock, when they will vote on the 7 percent solution bill and, likely, the operating budget.
* 1:30 pm - House members voting against the operating budget today were Arroyo, Black, Dunkin, Granberg, Hoffman, McCarthy, Phelps, Reitz and Ryg.
* 1:40 pm - Some days have ups and downs. Today’s Alton Telegraph editorial quoted my line about the governor’s “flailing, wild-eyed, veto-threatening man behind the curtain” behavior, while an illiterate, barely readable hack at the Peoria Journal-Star who I never heard of before saw fit to call me stupid. She explained in a subsequent e-mail that she was just trying to get my attention. She succeeded. That Gatehouse Media crowd and I just can’t seem to get along this week.
* 1:55 pm - Something to consider… The House vote on the operating budget today and Jones’ intention to run a different but identical bill in the Senate means Jones now has a vehicle bill (the one that passed the House today) that he can shell out and use for other budgetary purposes, like the gaming/capital stuff or a one-month budget.
* 2:27 pm - OK, there’s quite a bit of confusion out there about the House passing a budget and then the Senate using a different bill to pass an identical budget. A friend of mine and I just had this conversation on AIM about what has happened so far today. I’ve slightly edited it…
FRIEND: hello
CAPITOLFAX: what’s up?
FRIEND: i need you to explain what happened today please
CAPITOLFAX: the house passed a budget. the senate couldn’t vote on that bill until sunday
FRIEND: so?
CAPITOLFAX: so, the senate will use the vehicle bill that mjm sent over several days ago, amend it with the budget language, send it right back to the house and the house will pass it and send it to the guv
FRIEND: all today?
CAPITOLFAX: yes
CAPITOLFAX: and emil has a new house vehicle that he can use after saturday for gaming or a 1-month budget
FRIEND: so the budget the house passed this am is useless at this moment
CAPITOLFAX: it’s useful for emil’s future
FRIEND: yes but not for paychecks
CAPITOLFAX: the budget will be passed today
FRIEND: thank you, that is what i understood but it is getting bogged down in rumors
FRIEND: and the gov wont sign?
CAPITOLFAX: lol
CAPITOLFAX: dunno
FRIEND: and now the budget passes but emil has his opening?
CAPITOLFAX: yes
Jones is now preparing a gaming bill, a capital bill and a bond authorization bill. Not sure what vehicles he will use yet, when the votes will take place, or what Madigan will do with them in the House if Jones can pass them.
* 2:52 pm - If you’re still confused, “Ghost” posted this in comments, for which he gets an A+…
Rich, if I understand your AIM explanation, the senate has a bill in front of it that under senate rules is immediately elligible to be called for a vote. The Senate takes that Bill, deletes all of its current contents, and replaces them with the budget. This then allows them to vote on it today in compliance with whatever the internal process stuff is for calling bills. If they did not use an existing bill there is a delay before it can be called for a vote. But the existing budget already passed by the house that has moved to the senate can have its language removed and replaced with whatever jones needs in the future.
Perfect.
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Question of the day
Thursday, Aug 9, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
First, the setup. The state has a new law banning license plate covers….
License plate covers, a thin piece of plastic that goes over the plate, often purchased to keep thieves from stealing registration stickers, keep the plate free of bug splatter or improve the overall appearance of a vehicle, are now illegal.
The problem…
“Covers reduce their visibility, especially at night,” Settingsgaard said. “Tinted covers are worse, but even clear covers can obscure. It gets worse as the covers age and yellow.”
Another reason why the covers aren’t well liked by police is many times the tinted ones can make it hard to see from which state the plate was issued.
The question: Do you agree or disagree with this new law? Explain.
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End in sight? Don’t hold your breath
Thursday, Aug 9, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Don’t get your hopes up…
Friday could be the day. Local lawmakers are saying they’re getting a good sense that a tardy state budget will through the House today and to the Senate on Friday for approval.
If the House runs the budget on a shell bill that hasn’t yet been sent over by the Senate, the earliest the Senate could vote on the measure would be Saturday, not Friday. But subscribers know there are still some glitches to be dealt with.
* Despite about a $2 billion increase in spending over last fiscal year (8 percent), and one of the biggest ever increases in education spending without a tax increase, the governor’s people are still complaining…
Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Collinsville, a close ally of Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s, called the plan “woefully inadequate.”
“The proposed budget is going to result in cuts to health care, it’s not going to provide the needed money to schools, and there’ll be no capital bill,” Hoffman said.
* More on the spending…
The proposed spending plan agreed to by legislative leaders would provide for a $597 million increase for schools, which would boost per-pupil spending in Illinois by about $400. Universities would see a 2 percent increase.
* More…
It would not provide $100 million to Cook County Hospital sought by Cook County Board President Todd Stroger or provide funds for the cash-strapped CTA.
* You can see more details here.
* The gaming negotiations continue, but without Speaker Madigan’s input…
Separately, Blagojevich, Jones and the two Republican legislative leaders are trying to put together a bill that would give Chicago a land-based casino, hoping that could fuel a multibillion construction program and push funding for school operations up to $900 million. Left out of the meeting was Madigan, who said he was not invited. The speaker said he wants to craft a construction program but noted, it’s “very interesting that they’re attempting to work on a major gaming bill and they have nobody from the House Democrats.”
* And, of course, there’s plenty of pork to go around, but not nearly the sort of spending that the governor wants in the capital bill…
State lawmakers stand to bring home as much as $200 million for largely local pork-barrel projects if they pass a budget deal being negotiated by leaders of both parties in the House and Senate.
Senators are eyeing more than $1 million each for projects in their districts, and House lawmakers hope to get at least $650,000, according to rank-and-file lawmakers who have handed in their wish lists.
* But there’s a key difference in how the projects are funded…
House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) said the projects going to the lawmakers in his House Democratic caucus would be included in specific line items, but he did not specify how much the overall allocation is for his caucus.
“The public is going to see everything,” Madigan said. “The public is going to see everything. We have nothing to be concerned about, nothing to hide. Not a bit. Where you ought to look for hiding is among the Senate Democrats, where they’re going to do a lump sum.”
* Meanwhile, gaming opponents are starting to gear up…
Some activists in Chicago… are objecting strongly to the secretive way this downtown casino deal is being negotiated behind closed doors in Springfield, with little or no input from the public.
They are demanding that before any new casino is built, voters be given the opportunity to cast ballots on the issue in a referendum.
“We think that if a referendum was held, a casino would fail, but that would remain to be seen,” said Doug Dobmeyer of the Task Force to Oppose Gambling.
* More budget stuff, compiled by Paul…
* Bill to boost cigarette taxes advances; more here
* Another deadline comes and goes
* Vote may come today, but skeptics remain
* Editorial: Rumbling toward a budget wreck
* Tribune Editorial: If the schools win more money… …from Illinois’ bet on casinos
* Chicago’s Teacher’s Union: 3% raise won’t be enough
* Editorial: To boo or not to boo at Gov. Blagojevich
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More on DeFraties and Casey
Thursday, Aug 9, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
The transcript of Judge Patrick Kelley’s ruling in the case of Dawn DeFraties and Michael Case can be downloaded here. Important excerpt…
“The issue here is straightforward: Is the Commission’s remand for additional evidence a finding and decision within the meaning of Section 11. The facts in this case can really be described as somewhat bizarre, and even perhaps as Kafkaesque.
“None of the parties asked for a remand. The Administrative Law Judge felt he had all the evidence he needed. The Commission made no finding as to why a remand was necessary, nor did they specify what evidence they were asking for, just that additional evidence was needed.
“Truly, these are the actions of a mysterious and calculating bureaucracy with motives we can only speculate about.”
He can say that again.
* Background…
Sangamon County Circuit Judge Patrick Kelley ruled that the Illinois Civil Service Commission mishandled the matter. DeFraties and Casey had a hearing last winter to get their jobs back, but the commission in May called for resuming the case to collect more evidence.
State law requires a ruling within 60 days of the end of testimony, a deadline Kelley agreed the commission blew. He noted commissioners did not explain why they wanted more evidence or what they were seeking. [,,,]
The decree is a significant blow to Blagojevich. He fired the former personnel workers in April 2006 for allegedly rigging the state hiring process after an investigation by the state’s executive inspector general.
DeFraties and Casey claimed they were being singled out for giving politically connected job applications — many of which came from the governor’s office — special treatment to divert attention from federal prosecutors’ inquiries about Blagojevich’s hiring practices.
* The administration’s response…
Blagojevich spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff said in a written statement the administration found Kelley’s decision “unfortunate” and said the decision was based more on a technicality than the merits of the case.
“Dawn DeFraties and Mike Casey were terminated at the direction of the independent inspector general after a long investigation into hiring practices at CMS,” she said. “It’s unfortunate that the court’s decision today is based on the Civil Service Commission’s review process, not on the merits of the inspector general’s findings.”
* An important point overlooked by the handful of DeFraties/Casey detractors…
The ruling by Kelley comes three months after a hearing officer recommended to the commission the two only be suspended for 14 days because the case against them was too weak to support their dismissal.
DeFraties and Casey were used as campaign scapegoats by a governor under siege by the US Attorney and the FBI. Pure and simple. Blagojevich was desperate to claim he was rooting out corruption, so he had two people fired - even though his own patronage office was allegedly putting extreme pressure on those two to bend and break state hiring laws. This has been a disgusting affair all around.
The governor’s office is expected to push for an appeal. DeFraties and Casey may return to work as early as Monday.
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Morning Shorts
Thursday, Aug 9, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson
* Higher fares, fewer buses for CTA; more here and here and here
* Cook Co. has the largest black population in the country
* Sun-Times Editorial: Governor’s delay on electricity rate relief bill costs us more
* Teen driving laws could get tougher
* Winemakers not toasting new legislation
* Chicago mail ‘most improved,’ but still nation’s worst; more here
But mail delivery in city ZIP codes remains the nation’s worst. In the most recent audit, Chicago lagged behind big cities including Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York City, which each posted at least 95 percent overnight delivery rate.
“We’re happy, but we’re not satisfied until Chicago [overnight delivery] is where it needs to be and then we sustain it,” Postal Service vice president and consumer advocate Delores Killette says.
* Sun-Times Editorial: Indiana’s awful new automatic pay system
IPass and I-Zoom electronic payment boxes should just change their names to I-Stop when it comes to the Indiana Toll Road. That’s because for the past six weeks traffic at the Interstate 80/90 Hoosier toll booths has come to a halt as drivers are confronted with Indiana’s clunky new electronic payment system.
ITR Concession, the company that took over running the Indiana Toll Road last year, would like us to think that the miles of cars that have been sitting on the hot pavement outside the toll booths just can’t figure out which lanes to pull into or how to use their I-Pass or other electronic payment boxes. Many are the same drivers who are cruising through the Skyway tolls with their I-Passes, only to meet a parking lot on the Indiana side.
* Challenger rips McHenry Co. prosector
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The long wait is finally over for the “CMS 2”
A Sangamon County judge has ordered the reinstatement with back pay and benefits of fired state workers Dawn DeFraties and Michael Casey.
Circuit Judge Patrick Kelley ruled the state Civil Service Commission lost jurisdiction in the case when it failed to rule on the case within 60 days after it had received transcripts of proceedings.
*** UPDATE *** From the AP…
Circuit Judge Patrick Kelley ruled Wednesday that the Illinois Civil Service Commission mishandled the case, so Dawn DeFraties and Michael Casey can return to work. Kelley calls the facts in the case “bizarre.”
DeFraties and Casey were accused of manipulating job applications to help people with political connections. Governor Rod Blagojevich cited their case as a key example of his ability to fight corruption.
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Caption contest!
Wednesday, Aug 8, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
I didn’t think I was a “paid site,” but whatever…
Ted Schurter wrote:
Hi Rich.
Noticed our photo for the caption contest. Looks nice. However, our Creative Commons license doesn’t apply to paid sites. We’d be happy to send you a bill if you want to pay the licensing fee. Otherwise, please take down the photo.
Let me know if have any questions.
Best,
Ted
Adding… I’m not sure what he’s talking about.
By the way… I did send Schurter a question, as he suggested, but haven’t heard back yet. I’ll let you know when or if I do.
Hey, I just realized, even if the SJ-R is totally wrong, we can still continue our caption contest. They might be spoil sports, but we can’t let them interrupt our fun.
Just go here and then come back and comment.
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This just in…
Wednesday, Aug 8, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* 11:20 am - Remember, just because they have an agreement to move an operating budget doesn’t mean this session is over. There’s still a capital plan/casino and the governor’s health insurance plan to deal with, and the governor has said he won’t sign a budget until he gets those two things…. [UPDATED at 11:54 am - Jones may be was wrong.]
Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago) just told reporters - before he walked into the chamber this morning - he hopes to get a budget from the Illinois House today.
He says it should be a budget that the two chambers have agreed on.
* 11:24 am - Rep. Bill Black, a House institution, has sent a letter to his House Republican colleagues announcing that he’s not running for re-election. I’ll have the letter uploaded in a minute or so.
Here’s the letter.
From the letter…
“I have enjoyed being in the Illinois House for the past 22 years and I intend to fulfill the balance of my term. I am proud of my accomplishments, but it is time to slow down… At this age, I just want to spend more time with my wife, Sharon, my children and my grandchildren. My grandchildren are growing up before my eyes and I want to enjoy them.”
* 11:50 am - Yet another House Republican is announcing his retirement. This time, it’s Rep. Jim Meyer (R-Naperville). Meyer said this morning he will serve out his term. “I love this place,” Meyer said.
More in tomorrow’s Capitol Fax about both of these retirement developments.
*** 11:54 am *** A House Republican spokesman just said that it was his understanding that the chamber wouldn’t vote on an operating budget until tomorrow. But, he said, the people who gave the HGOPs that schedule are the same ones who said there’d be a vote last Friday, so take it for what it’s worth.
*** 12:18 pm *** It looks like that House GOP spokesman was right and Sen. Jones was mistaken, for whatever reason. The House has adjourned until tomorrow morning.
* 12:26 pm - Subscribers know that I had a brief story this morning about the governor’s announcement of $175 million in no-interest loans to school districts to help them through any budget shutdown. There are lots of problems with this plan, which will be financed by the Illinois Finance Authority. The Bond Buyer has more…
The program raises several significant questions for the IFA. First, Blagojevich announced that districts could borrow at no cost, yet legislative approval would be needed to cover interest on any financing or loan or the IFA could get stuck covering the cost.
Second, the IFA would need to tread cautiously and have some certainty that the proceeds would be used, given the scrutiny pooled bond programs face from the Internal Revenue Service. “There are many details to work out and we are hopeful that this program will not be needed,” IFA spokeswoman Diane Hamburger said.
They may be “hopeful” that it won’t be needed because it is so screwed up.
* 12:33 pm - As subscribers already know, there’s a renewed push to increase cigarette taxes in the Senate. The proposals are being taken up in the Senate Revenue Committee today. Revenue is also hearing the “7 percent solution” measure today.
Adding, the House Approp committees will be holding “testimony only” hearings later this afternoon. House Dems are being briefed on the operating budget as I write this.
* 12:55 pm - Russ Stewart’s latest newspaper column, “Blame the Republicans,” has been posted at Illinoize.
* 2:44 pm - From WBBM Radio…
As Illinois lawmakers take another look at authorizing a Chicago-owned casino, anti-gambling forces are mobilizing to fight the plan they’re demanding a public referendum before any legislative action is taken. […]
The task force to oppose gambling says as appealing as it might sound to generate revenue from a casino, it ignores the hidden costs of what opponents call exploitainment. […]
The Rev. Blackwell says in a city that can’t even hire trucks without corruption, how can you imagine running a casino without it.
* 3:55 pm - The Senate is back in session. Go here to listen or watch. Posting may be light for the rest of the day as I have lots of work to do. Commenters are encouraged to jump in and post updates as they develop.
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Aug 8, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
Now that you’ve spent almost your entire summer in Springfield, and therefore have probably had an opportunity to experience it more than most years, what would you do to improve the town?
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Movement, or just motion?
Wednesday, Aug 8, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* There’s a basic agreement on a state budget, but lots of issues are still up in the air…
…the four legislative leaders met again without Blagojevich and said they moved closer to a bipartisan agreement on a spending plan for a full fiscal year, including money to pay for state employees and money for schools.
Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson (R-Greenville) said a budget deal is “getting very, very close,” but he warned it is “very fragile.”
Still in question is whether a final deal would include a land-based casino in Chicago and possibly an additional casino elsewhere, as a way to boost education spending and fund a capital program to build and repair roads, bridges and schools.
Schools would get an increase of $600 million in operating money without expanded gambling, but the amount could rise to $900 million if lawmakers approve a Chicago casino and allow riverboats to expand the number of gambling positions. But those figures were in flux Tuesday as lawmakers tried to figure out whether a bill to expand gambling could pass or whether there is another way to boost money for schools without it.
* There was also a long meeting last night in the governor’s office…
Working into the night, Gov. Rod Blagojevich huddled in his Capitol office with Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago), Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson (R-Greenville) and House Minority Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) for more than four hours. House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) was not at the meeting with the governor, who has feuded with the speaker throughout the session.
The topic at hand centered on working toward a consensus on a capital budget, which would provide money for school construction, roads, bridges, universities and other projects. […]
Most lawmakers think they are close to sealing a deal on the operating budget, and voting on it could begin Wednesday. Politically, though, issues can get tied together at the end of sessions. And in this extraordinary session, a proposal for a Chicago casino is in the middle. […]
Is a casino agreed to among all the participants in the meeting—the governor, Watson, Jones and Cross? “I think that’s certainly the case. Yes, a Chicago casino.” [Blagojevich said.]
With the three leaders in the room tonight and yourself? “That’s right.”
Do you see a chance that another casino could be brought into the package? “I don’t foresee that. That was never discussed in there.”
* Ryan Hermes adds…
Today appears to be a BIG day at the statehouse.
But ask anyone who’s been here before and they’ll tell you it could just as easily be a bust.
Things can change really quick around here.
Yep.
* More budget and end of session stories, compiled by Paul…
* State expected to finally vote on budget
* Lawmakers closing some gaps in stalled budget
* Budget crisis may begin hitting pocketbooks
* Phil Luciano: Overtime session alternative is charity
* Democrats won’t hold up budget over electric rates
* Eric Zorn: Governor gets off his high horse, but is it too late?
* Local schools feel burden of state’s missing budget
* For now schools OK without state budget
* Illinois schools are left hanging by budget crisis
* Blagojevich wants to change who’s in charge on info. requests
* Editorial: Abandon amendment to keep governor in town
* Expand rail service, lawmakers, officials say
* Editorial: Law on dams may spare needless grief
* CTA vote could mean $3.25 per L ride
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Constitution, schmonstitution
Wednesday, Aug 8, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The governor and AFSCME claim that state and federal law require the comptroller to issue pay checks to state workers even if no budget exists. They didn’t actually cite any specific statutes, however, and the state’s Constitution is pretty specific…
The General Assembly by law shall make appropriations for all expenditures of public funds by the State.
* The Daily Herald got a bit sarcastic about the situation…
Budget? We ain’t got no budget. We don’t need no budget.
That, with all apologies to the Treasure of the Sierra Madre, sums up Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s view on whether state spending should continue even though Illinois has no budget.
On Tuesday, Blagojevich suggested state Comptroller Dan Hynes keep writing checks regardless of the budget situation, saying the state continues to collect money and it should all work out in the end.
“Refusing to pay state employees for their hard work is tantamount to shutting state government down,” Blagojevich said in a letter to Hynes.
But Hynes, the Chicago Democrat elected to keep watch on the state’s checkbook, begs to differ.
He said the governor is playing politics with people’s paychecks and lives and needs to stop. And he strongly questioned the soundness of the governor’s belief that a budget isn’t needed to make payroll.
“Keep in mind, he’s the one who admitted himself he got a C in constitutional law and brags about it,” Hynes told downstate WICS-TV. “So, I’m not sure his opinion is the one that’s going to rule the day.”
* The State Journal-Register, which often advocates for state employees, also parted ways on the issue…
A new wrinkle in the state budget developed Tuesday. It turns out we don’t need one. […]
The state constitution requires a budget. There is a lot of wisdom in following that constitution rather than making up rules on the fly because the General Assembly and governor could not get their acts together enough to abide by state law.
The better solution here is not to skirt state law but for state officials to do their jobs. […]
If [Hynes] doesn’t cut checks, even if he doesn’t believe he has the legal authority to do so, then he becomes the fall guy. At least it appears that’s what Blagojevich would like.
Exactly right. For the governor, at least, this is about shifting blame for the lack of a budget.
* Lisa Madigan was asked her opinion yesterday…
[Attorney General Madigan] declined to issue an opinion but forwarded to Hynes a state appeals court ruling on a 1991 AFSCME lawsuit that sought to force Comptroller Dawn Clark Netsch to issue paychecks during a budget impasse.
The court held Netsch had no authority to do that, and a Hynes aide said that would be the basis for the comptroller not to distribute paychecks during the stalemate.
* So, why did AG Madigan refuse to issue an opinion?
a spokeswoman said the attorney general would not issue an opinion because of AFSCME’s threat of a lawsuit.
* But the hooplah is a bit overblown on both sides…
The first group of state employees to miss checks would be those paid on the 15th and last days of each month. Hynes said last week he needed to begin processing those payments today. Schools receive their state money on the 10th and 20th of the month.
Another group of state employees would normally receive their paychecks Aug. 22, Lindall said. They include employees of the Illinois State Police and the Department of Central Management Services, he said.
In other words, today is the day that Hynes would normally begin processing pay checks. He could probably set up a contingency plan to process them now and issue them as soon as a budget deal was reached. Compromise would be nice.
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Add another waffle to the stack
Wednesday, Aug 8, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
The governor is all over the map on everything from whether he’d support more casinos to whether a state government shutdown is inevitable. He flip-flops so much that you need a scorecard to keep track.
Fortunately, John Patterson keeps his scorecard by his side at all times. Remember earlier this week when the governor said he has always supported the idea of citizen recall of elected officials?
“I think the concept and the idea of having people have the ability to recall their elected officials and put term limits on terms is a good idea and one I’ve supported since I’ve been in elected office,” Blagojevich, a former state legislator and congressman, said at an unrelated Chicago appearance.
Well, not really. From comments the governor made in 2003…
“You’ve got to love Pat Quinn. He believes in the power of referendum and the power of petition and a lot of the stuff that arguably has gotten California in the mess it’s in. Most of the time he and I agree. Some of the time we don’t,” Blagojevich told Capitol reporters in 2003. […]
“To his credit he (Quinn) believes in the things he believes in. I think the lesson from California is that it’s awfully hard to govern a big state like that with a big economy like that when you’re discretion is curtailed by different referendum the California constitution grants and allows.”
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Morning Shorts
Wednesday, Aug 8, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson
* NEW Illinois statehouse press corp big winners at journalism awards ceremony
* Not all saying cheers to wine bill
Some supporters said Illinois could ultimately see more wine business if out-of-state wine retailers decide to set up shop in Illinois to avoid the proposed law’s restrictions.
But some lawmakers said successful Illinois wineries would suffer as well and the new regulations would punish them for growing. As proposed, the largest Illinois wine producers would lose the ability to sell directly to restaurants and retailers and instead would have to enter into agreements with distributors.
* Illinois lawmakers OK bill covering wine purchases
* Missouri, Illinois working on a bridge plan
* U of I hopes to land world’s fastest computer
* Vrdolyak pleads not guilty to new federal charges
* Illinois beaches rank high in grime
Illinois ranks third among the five states with the highest frequency of contaminated beaches last year, according to an annual report released Tuesday from the Natural Resources Defense Council.
Water samples at the state’s most popular beaches fell short of national standards 15 percent of the time, the report found. It also cited Jackson Park Beach at 63rd Street in Chicago as the fourth most polluted beach in the nation, with samples found to be contaminated more than half of the time.
* Minority firm win more city business
* Daley joins Sharpton rally
* Worker claims Shakman violations
*Alderman like revamped Olympic Village
* EPA cites 6 coal plants in IL
* Union election growing volatile
* New lawsuit hits union official - It’s at least the 5th to target candidates in Local 150 election
* Keyes backers to attend Ames straw poll
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