Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Sunday, Aug 12, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* 3:20 pm - The waiting continues. The legislature has not yet transmitted the budget bill to the governor. The governor has called a special session for 5:15 this afternoon, so maybe it’ll take place then. I’m planning to be there, just to see what, if anything, is going on.

* 4:42 pm - I’ve changed my mind. After making some calls, I see no reason to show up for today’s 5:15 pm special session. I think I’ll do some laundry, instead.

Also, the Senate claims that it was always the intention to send the budget bill to the governor on Monday, so, they say, the attention placed on whether it’s been transmitted or not is misplaced.

Much, much more for subscribers in tomorrow’s Capitol Fax.

* 4:49 pm - One more thing… Several subscribers know my daughter, Vanessa, through her occasional Capitol Fax columns (mostly about the State Fair). Today is Vanessa’s birthday. It’s hard to believe that the little girl in this picture (with her great-grandma) is now 21 years old. Wow…

Happy birthday, sweetheart!

* 7:23 pm - Can anyone say “irrelevant“?

The governor has been calling one special session after another in an attempt to pressure lawmakers into agreeing to his budget demands. He called two for Sunday, bringing the total number of sessions to 15. […]

Only 6 of 118 representatives bothered to show up [for Sunday’s special sessoin]. They were joined by 5 of 59 senators.

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Saturday update *** Updated x1 - Guv calls yet another special session ***

Saturday, Aug 11, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* 10:53 am - Despite all the headlines, the General Assembly has not yet officially transmitted the budget to the governor. So the governor can’t take action yet.

The House says that they have certified the bill, which is a requirement of both chambers before it can be officially sent to the governor. The Senate has not yet certified it.

So, just like yesterday, we’re waiting a very long time (in relative terms) for the Senate to take a technical action on this budget bill. The games continue.

* Here are some thoughts from a House Dem on what Senate President Emil Jones may or may not have agreed to during his meeting with the governor on Friday. I speculated yesterday that the only way the governor could make any sort of veto stick was to cut a deal with Jones not to override it…

Keep in mind that Jones already agreed to a budget deal with the four leaders that includes votes on all bills and all motions needed to enact the document.

Don’t know how he could agree to something with the governor.

* Meanwhile, the governor’s office responded last night to the Speaker’s statement about members not needing to return to Springfield until there was actual work to do, but I was taking a nap. The governor, you’ll recall, issued two special session proclamations for the weekend…

We are disappointed in Speaker Madigan’s intentional disregard for the Constitution. When the Governor issues a proclamation for Special Session, he takes it very seriously. In this case, he directed members to work on a 30 day budget. Passing a 30-day budget is very important as work continues on a full year’s budget - one that is balanced, funds mass transit, education, health care and addresses capital needs.

* The Senate didn’t do anything at their special session this morning, either, but whatever…

Just 14 of the 118 House members attended, and they conducted no business. Speaker Michael Madigan told members to skip the special sessions.

In the Senate, fewer than 10 of the 59 members showed.

*** 3:52 pm UPDATE *** Gov. Blagojevich has called yet another special session for Sunday at 5:15 pm. This one, which nobody will probably show up for either, has to do with the RTA. As usual, the governor has not introduced or pointed to any legislation that the General Assembly is supposed to consider.

Also, I’m told that when the House tried to hand-deliver the certification for the budget this morning nobody was in the Senate offices. The certification process requires both legislative leaders to initial each page and sign the final page after a bill passes before it can be officially sent to the governor.

Cos people believe that they’re
Gonna get away for the summer
But you and I, we live and die
The world’s still spinning round
We don’t know why
Why, why, why, why

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READER COMMENTS CLOSED FOR THE WEEKEND

Friday, Aug 10, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

If the Senate really is coming back on Monday, then blogging will resume. If not, then maybe not.

Do you remember Pat Thompson? She’s the mother of Annie Thompson on the governor’s staff…

In early May, Thompson’s uninsured mother finally agreed to see a doctor for her abdominal pain. The doctors found a softball-sized mass.

Her mother, Pat, underwent surgery for colon cancer and spent about two weeks in the hospital, piling up nearly $100,000 in debt.

Ms. Thompson’s friends are having a fundraiser to help retire some of that debt on Monday, August 13 from 7:30 to 10:30 at Floyd’s Thirst Parlor in Springfield. They’ll be offering $10 bottomless cups of Miller Lite and Bud Light and Pizza. Be there, please.

In the meantime, head to Illinoize, where the beer is cold and the conversation is hot…

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This just in… Part 2 *** Madigan to members: “Don’t come to Springfield” ***

Friday, Aug 10, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* 2:47 pm - The governor has called special sessions for Saturday and Sunday to take up a one-month budget.

…And here they are… Special Session Proclamation 13, and Special Session Proclamation 14.

* 2:53 pm - There are no available hotel rooms in town because of the State Fair, the Senate has already passed a budget and the House will soon, so I’m betting almost nobody shows up for these specials.

* 3:03 pm - The House passed the one-year budget 98-8.

* 3:41 pm - Ryan Hermes…

I just overheard a House Democratic staffer asking members what days they wouldn’t be available in August.

* 3:47 pm - The Tribune is finally catching on to Mayor Daley’s attitude about the Chicago casino that I’ve been writing about for the past few days…

City Hall sources said the mayor still does want a casino for Chicago, but he does not embrace the current structure of the legislation.

For one, the revenue split is so diverse–with money potentially going to education, schools, construction and other projects–that the Chicago would see very little–maybe less than $30 million a year–even though it would be the host city, the sources close to the mayor said.

The city would like to get a revenue stream significant enough to fund capital programs for schools, parks, museums and other city infrastructure, the mayoral sources said. Secondly, the idea that a casino could start generating money almost immediately is overly optimistic given the elongated process of licensing, bidding and getting a facility up and running, a process that could take several years. […]

And the idea that a gambling facility could be up and running within a few months is ludicrous, he said.

* 3:50 pm - Oy. Speaker Madigan has distributed a perfunctory session calendar that takes the House through the end of October.

Those aren’t actual session days where he will call members in for work, but if special sessions are scheduled on those days then the House could do other work besides what is specified in the governor’s proclamations. Looks like Madigan may be settling in for a long fight, or at least signaling to the governor that he’s not afraid

** 4:03 pm *** Speaker Madigan speaks to the House…

“The purpose of scheduling perfunctory sessions [through the end of October] is to provide that we will be available if needed… if the governor takes actions on bills… Our plan is to give you as much notice as possible… It clearly would be more than a day… The governor has already issued proclamations calling for special sessions for tomorrow and Sunday [to take up a one-month budget]. We’ve since sent the governor a twelve-month budget. We’ve done our job… Given what we’ve done, I don’t think there’s any need for consideration of a 30-day budget.

“Gary Hannig, who lives locally, will be here at the appointed time [much applause]… to convene the special sessions. And in the event there are special sessions next week [Hannig will be there as well].

“My advice to all members would be: Don’t come to Springfield. We’ve done our job. There’s no need to work on a 30-day budget. Again, don’t come to Springfield until you get notice from my office or from Rep. Cross’ office.”

* Madigan also said the budget implementation bills would be taken up sometime in the future.

* The Speaker said the mass transit issue could require a return to town. Madigan said he planned to “get to work shortly after one or two days off” and would take up the issue.

* The Speaker also said he’d be willing to take up the health care issue this summer.

* 4:13 pm - From a press release…

State Representative John Fritchey (D-Chicago) today announced that both the House and Senate have passed legislation that would extend and increase the property tax cap bill which the General Assembly enacted a few years ago. House Bill 664, of which Fritchey is a chief sponsor, will not only extend “the 7% solution” (which limits the increased taxable value of homes to 7% per year) for an additional three years, but also boosts the exemption cap from $20,000 to $33,000 in the first year. The bill also includes several new forms of relief for long-term homeowners, seniors, and veterans

* 4:17 pm - Word’s going around that the governor will use his veto power to reduce the 12-month budget down to a 60-day budget. Stay tuned. It’s also likely that the guv will line-item out the legislative pay raises.

This makes me wonder even more about today’s meeting with Senate President Jones and what Jones may have agreed to. The only way the governor could make any budgetary veto stick is if Jones stood with him.

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Friday, Aug 10, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

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This just in… *** State workers to be paid without budget ***

Friday, Aug 10, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* 11:23 am - Thanks to a commenter, I checked on the status of the state operating budget bill that the Senate passed last night.

The Senate hasn’t yet transmitted the bill to the House, which means the House can’t vote on it. A usually very reliable and high-level Senate Democratic source just told me that the governor asked Senate President Jones to hold onto the bill for a while. But Jones will reportedly be sending it over to the House shortly.

Also, I’m hearing there’s not much in store for the Senate today. As of now, there are no plans to run the gaming bill, capital bill or the health insurance bill. Things have a way of changing, so stay tuned. But if the Senate leaves town and the House passes the budget and leaves town, the governor may not be able to bring them back very easily.

* 11:26 am - The Senate is convening now. Listen or watch here.

* 11:48 am - The Senate is standing at ease until the call of the chair. Senate President Jones’ spokesperson said the paperwork process takes a while, but she promises they’ll get that budget bill to the House as soon as they can.

* 11:54 am - Here’s some food for thought that I’m still working over in my own head…

Last night, the Senate Executive Committee approved an amendment to the Chicago casino bill that exempted riverboats for five years from the newly enacted statewide smoking ban. As noted here, Sen. Terry Link admits he was working against the Chicago casino. Link was the very proud chief sponsor of that smoking ban.

* 12:41 pm - Ryan Hermes…

Emil Jones (D-Chicago) did speak briefly to reporters as he left a meeting with the governor. He told us the capital bill is dead.

Rod Blagojevich, also, didn’t have a whole lot to say when he exited the meeting.

“This is a real brief statement and it goes like this; President Jones and I agee that our work isn’t done here and I gotta get back to work,” said Blagojevich.

* 1:22 pm - I’m starting to wonder what Jones and the governor cooked up in their meeting earlier today.

The Senate is adjourning their special sessions until Monday at 2 pm. Also, the budget bill still hasn’t been sent to the House, although I’m told that it will be transmitted today. Something definitely appears to be afoot.

* 1:47 pm - The rumors won’t die that somebody has filed a motion to reconsider the vote on the budget bill which passed the Senate last night. A motion like that would hold up the bill and prevent it from being transmitted to the House. The Senate Dem spokesperson has said no motions were filed and no motions are showing up on the LIS page, but the rumor is persistent and pervasive and won’t die.

So, I called the Senate Journal room and they said no motions have been filed on the bill.

*** 1:54 pm *** There’s an “agreed order” from the court hearing the AFSCME case to force the state to issue paychecks without a state appropriation in place to authorize them.

I have a person in the courtroom who tells me that the comptroller has been authorized to issue paychecks to workers through August 31. More later.

…From the person in the courtroom…

Agreement only extends to Aug 31 and shall not serve as binding precedence on this court… Judge signs order and case will remain open. If need for hearing exists they should set for hearing. Over.

Union members stood up and said thank you your honor and started clapping

* 2:27 pm - The Senate has adjourned until Monday at 2 pm.

* 2:29 pm - From AFSCME Council 31 exec director Henry Bayer…

“Today AFSCME has reached an agreement with Comptroller Hynes that upholds the right of state employees and state university employees to be paid for their work. Formalized in an order issued today in state court, that agreement is effective through the end of August.

“Under the terms of that order, all state employees and state university employees will receive their August paychecks. Comptroller Hynes has already directed his office to comply with the order and begin processing paychecks due on August 15. No one will miss a paycheck this month.

“This order gives AFSCME members and all state employees and state university employees the certainty and peace of mind that they will be paid through the end of August. Despite the state budget impasse they have continued to come to work faithfully. They provide the services that Illinois citizens depend on. They should be paid, and they will be.

“We hope the budget impasse is resolved shortly. We do intend to continue discussions with Comptroller Hynes with the goal of extending this agreement as needed, and we are fully prepared to take further legal action if necessary.”

* 2:34 pm - The House is preparing to start session “shortly” after receiving assurances from Senate Democratic staff that the budget bill will be arriving soon.

* 2:36 pm - The budget bill has finally been sent to the House, and the Rules Committee is meeting, so things should start moving soon. Listen or watch here.

* 2:40 pm - From the governor’s office…

While Governor Blagojevich believes waiting for a lawsuit was unnecessary, he is pleased that the Comptroller and the Attorney General now agree with his position that state employees should be paid on time for the work that they do.

* 2:42 pm - A coinkydink, perhaps? A judge signs the order for state worker paychecks and just-like-that, the Senate sends over the budget.

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Question of the day

Friday, Aug 10, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

The Post-Dispatch runs through Gov. Blagojevich’s options on the operating budget, which will likely land on his desk later today…

If the bill reaches Blagojevich’s desk, he could veto it, but Thursday’s votes demonstrated there is more than enough support to muster the three-fifths majority necessary for an override of a veto.

If Blagojevich takes no action, the bill will go into effect automatically in 60 days — but that would mean a likely shutdown of state government in the meantime, because the state can’t legally spend money without a budget in place. […]

Blagojevich’s other option once the bill reaches his desk would be to sign it
into law to avoid a government shutdown, and then continue to force awmakers to remain in Springfield this summer until they address the health insurance and construction measures he believes the state needs.

There’s one more option as well: He could line-item veto the bill to punish people like House Speaker Michael Madigan.

Question: Which of these actions do you think the governor will take? Explain.

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Blagojevich can’t stop being a backbencher

Friday, Aug 10, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

My Sun-Times column this week discusses something that I’ve been talking to Statehouse types about for years…

Aside from his unhealthy Nixonian penchant for secrecy, political revenge and personal isolation, and all the corruption investigations targeting his administration, what really bothers me about Gov. Blagojevich is his failure to grow as a leader.

Blagojevich was a backbench state legislator and he was a backbench U.S. congressman. But he has been governor for almost five years and still has that same mentality.

Political reporters, particularly ones looking for an easy story, love backbench politicians. They usually hold news conferences on slow news days to announce grandiose ideas that have no chance of becoming law. But their announcements make for good copy, so they get coverage.

A backbencher’s constituents see that coverage and assume their representative is actually doing something. That erroneous assumption gets him re-elected. And then the cycle begins all over again. Blagojevich rode that cycle all the way to the governor’s office.

Go read the whole thing before commenting, please. Thanks.

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On pork and hypocrisy

Friday, Aug 10, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Once again, the governor’s hypocrisy shines through. Yesterday, he complained about all the “pork” in the budget which passed both the House and the Senate…

Blagojevich also criticized the number of pork-barrel projects.

“It’s got so much pork in it that if you were to hold the budget document itself, you’d probably be unable to hold it because it’s so greasy,” Blagojevich said.

* How much?

(E)ach representative was getting $650,000 and each senator $1.3 million. That would put the total around $153 million.

* But, Blagojevich himself is drafting a capital plan that makes the budget pork look like child’s play…

Senate Democrats quietly working with the governor revealed that lawmakers could receive as much as in $400 million in pork-barrel projects through a construction program on top the pork in the separate operating budget.

There’s more than that. Every project will essentially be a “pork” project because Blagojevich will be able to use that cash as leverage against individual legislators. Is it any wonder why Speaker Madigan isn’t thrilled with the capital plan idea? Blagojevich will use it to mess with his caucus as long as he’s in office.

* And this is just goofy…

Further, critics complained of what they called pork spending, pointing to Madigan’s wife Shirley, the board chair of the Illinois Arts Council, which is getting $3.6 million in state funding, a 17 percent increase over last year.

So, now the Illinois Arts Council’s funding can’t be increased because it’s pork? Please.

This is the same governor who offered one state Senator (Mike Jacobs) a $75 million project for one vote and he’s complaining about relatively small member initiative projects in the state budget?

Give me a break.

The public is conditioned to automatically reject the idea of “pork projects,” because a few of the ideas get out of hand. But, overall, I really don’t see a huge problem with state legislators deciding to allocate money to their districts.

The biggest problem I have is when they hide the pork in the budget with lump sum allocations. Blagojevich also railed against that practice during the 2002 campaign. And who is the only caucus leader to do that exact thing in this budget? Senate President Emil Jones, Blagojevich’s ally. But you don’t hear a peep from the guv about that.

…Adding… The governor is using the truly huge capital spending proposal to entice Senate Democrats into voting for his health insurance proposal. And the guv’s allies in the House used the capital projects in a failed attempt to pry votes away from the operating budget yesterday. As Comptroller Hynes said of Blagojevich on a different topic, the man’s hypocrisy knows no bounds.

* Here’s a small list of alleged “pork” projects in the south suburbs, to give you an idea of how ridiculous the governor’s argument is…

Police equipment and technology upgrades for Oak Lawn: $50,000.

Police equipment for Evergreen Park: $50,000.

Undefined cash grant to Midlothian Police Department: $25,000.

Renovations to the Hometown police station: $50,000.

Firefighting equipment for South Holland: $35,000.

Surveillance cameras in the 14th and 23rd wards in Chicago: $300,000.

Discuss.

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More on the casino intrigue

Friday, Aug 10, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The Daily Herald throws more light on what happened last night with the Chicago casino bill, which was never called for a vote…

The long, strange, increasingly expensive quest for a state budget took yet another odd political twist Thursday when Chicago officials reportedly began lobbying against a casino for the city.

“The host city is against the bill,” House Speaker Michael Madigan, a Chicago Democrat, told reporters late Thursday. The comments immediately reverberated through the Capitol. […]

“I have been lobbying against it, too. Right now, I think it’s killed,” said state Sen. Terry Link, a Waukegan Democrat who wants a casino for that city added to any deal. “I want a more comprehensive solution. If you’re going to do this, let’s do it the correct way.”

Translation of Link’s comments: I want more boats and I will withhold votes from the bill until I get ‘em.

* More…

Speaker Michael Madigan… questioned why senators were focusing on a Chicago casino proposal. Madigan said Mayor Richard Daley’s administration is advising lawmakers that the city is against the casino plan.

“So I would simply ask, ‘Why are they doing this?, ” Madigan said, shortly after adjourning the House for the night.

The mayor’s office eventually declared in committee that they had “no position” on the bill’s merits. The city reportedly went neutral after the Senate Dems and the governor’s office threatened to kill off a plan to boost funding for its 911 calling system.

* As I told subscribers this morning, the lack of Senate votes for a casino bill probably had a lot to do with Jones pulling the rug out from under the capital program, which was funded by the casino. That probably had a lot more to do with things than this chain of events last night…

By two votes, the Senate rejected a bid to authorize $9 billion in borrowing for state construction after Republicans complained that Blagojevich’s administration could not be counted upon to make good on its promises to fund projects.

“We don’t have any trust in the governor for good reason,” said Sen. Dale Risinger (R-Peoria).

In unusually harsh terms, Jones lashed out at his Republican counterpart, Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson (R-Greenville), for failing to help pass a construction plan for roads, bridges and schools. Thirty-six votes were needed for passage, but only 34 voted in favor of the borrowing deal. Twenty-two voted present.

“Sen. Watson,” Jones bellowed, “I am through meeting. My patience has worn thin because there’s not one sincere bone in your body. You’re not interested in doing anything about the roads. You aren’t interested in doing anything about the bridges, and you don’t give a damn about whether our schools across the state of Illinois have a capital bill.” […]

After the Senate adjourned about 12:30 a.m., Jones pronounced a state capital program dead. “The Republicans just killed it,” he said.

Or they’re a convenient scapegoat. We’ll see today how things shake out.

* More budget-related stories, compiled by Paul…

* DuPage closer to taxing smokers

* How the state got to this point in the budget impasse

* Hynes apparently wants to be ordered to cut paychecks

* Breaks continue for property owners

* Parade goes on without Blagojevich

* State Fair set to open today despite lack of state budget

* Proposed budget boosts school funding

* Budget looks to have no cash for Cook Co.

* Proposed budget boosts school funding

* Budget looks to have no cash for Cook Co.

* Budget has some health advocates worried

* Sun-Times Editorial: It is time to gamble on Chicago casino

* Editorial: Boost funding to stabilize mass transit

* Opinion: Illinois needs roads and bridge program now

* Illinois Senate passes wind farm measure

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax

Friday, Aug 10, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Morning shorts

Friday, Aug 10, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson

* States Atty. Devine to announce that he will not run for reelection

* Democratic Judge considers run to replace LaHood

* Phil Rosenthal: Sun-Times chief dismisses talk of merger

* Respected group to run search for next top cop

* Only 24 homeless live in downtown Chicago, says census

Ed Shurna, executive director of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, branded the city’s downtown count “ludicrous.”

“I could find 24 people walking from my office [at 1325 S. Wabash] to City Hall. The Pacific Garden Mission has 600 people every night. They’re downtown. They’re homeless. There’s got to be at least that many living on the street,” he said.

Shurna accused the city of trying to “sanitize” Chicago’s marquee shopping district to bolster Daley’s Olympic dream.

* Editorial: Illinois ethics vote long overdue

Comptroller Hynes long ago tired of waiting for the governor and lawmakers to do something; he directed his office to follow a self-imposed pay-to-play ban.

We understand that Senate President Jones has been busy with budget talks and electricity rate relief legislation. But this bill sounds like a shoo-in, with ample bipartisan support. And if Illinois ends up with a capital budget, construction firms will be jockeying for millions of dollars in new infrastructure contracts. Senators should be allowed to vote on House Bill 1.

* License plate covers will get you a ticket

* Lake Shore Drive bus lanes?

* Developer says city is trying to crush lawsuit with zoning threat; more here

* John Kass: You scratch our back, we’ll stab yours

* Joliet officials fault Silver Cross Hospital’s moving plan

* Friday Beer Blogging: Matt lynch edition

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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.

52 Comments

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.

70 Comments

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.

68 Comments

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

28 Comments