* I haven’t been following the “Will Ray LaHood really quit Congress to run Bradley University?” story because I’ve been too busy with other things, mainly the overtime session.
But, I also wondered if he even had a shot. The guy only has a bachelor’s degree, which doesn’t usually qualify someone for a top academic post. Still, he has been making preparations…
A LaHood fund-raising coffee scheduled for last Wednesday on Capitol Hill was called off Monday with a terse e-mail: ‘’Cancelled Till Further Notice.'’ LaHood told me it would be ‘’a little unseemly'’ to raise campaign money while he awaited Bradley’s decision, though that is common practice by congressional colleagues facing similar situations.
But Molly Parker has her doubts about the whole thing…
Since he was at the County Board meeting last week, we asked state Rep. David Leitch if he was gearing up for a congressional run [to replace LaHood].
“There’s not going to be an opening,” he drawled.
Asked later to clarify, Leitch, who was at the meeting to speak on behalf of Firefly Energy Inc., said he had no insider knowledge, just a gut feeling.
That echoes what we’re hearing across the board.
* I know that Jerry Weller is a very hard campaigner, but who else could survive press like this?
Congressman Jerry Weller is keeping tight-lipped about his wife’s finances. Weller says he doesn’t know what Zury Rios de Weller’s financial assets are, and he hasn’t asked about them. The seven-term Republican congressman married the Guatemalan senator in 2004 and they have one child. Weller says he relies on his own income he makes as a member of the U.S. House, and not his wife’s.
The two were married (her fourth) at the compound owned by his wife’s father, a former brutal dictator. She has said she has no plans to become a US citizen.
I fully understand that love is a strange thing. Nobody knows when or where it will strike, and you can’t always choose your in-laws. And while I try not to delve into personal lives too often, this has to be one of the strangest marriages in American politics today.
* From the same story above, it looks like Tim Johnson is doing well…
Financial disclosure reports show Congressman Tim Johnson took in over $226,000 in salary and pension payments last year. Johnson is a three-term Republican from Urbana who collected over $165,000 for his work in the U.S. House, plus another $60,000 in pension payments from the state — from his 24 years as a state representative.
* And this is no surprise whatsoever…
Aurora dairy magnate Jim Oberweis is considering running for U.S. Congress, but only if incumbent Dennis Hastert decides not to seek re-election.
“I would do everything I can to carry on Denny’s legacy,” Oberweis said recently at a Kendall County Republican Party meeting where he announced for the first time that he plans to form an exploratory committee.
This is an Illinois Congresscritter open thread.
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Meltdown roundup and Updates
Monday, Jun 18, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
[Updated and bumped up so that I can use this to give you any further session news.]
*** 9:25 am *** The governor’s press office says there will be no leaders meeting today.
*** 10:17 am *** The guv’s press office says they’ve requested a 2:30 pm leaders meeting for tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the House has canceled tomorrow’s session and the Senate has not yet posted any committee hearings this week.
*** 12:16 pm *** Comptroller Dan Hynes’ memo on crucial dates in a budget meltdown, mentioned below, can be downloaded here.
*** 4:16 pm *** Cheap Trick coming to the Senate tomorrow? That’s the word.
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* My weekly syndicated newspaper column examines the rampant finger-pointing at the Statehouse. Here’s one example, but please go read the whole thing…
Senate Republican Leader Frank Watson has said since he first joined the budget negotiations this month that he believes Gov. Rod Blagojevich is not serious about doing a deal anytime soon. Last week, Watson reiterated his complaint and shared a brief anecdote about the negotiations.
According to Watson, after the leaders had finished discussing the Chicago Transit Authority’s problems during a closed-door meeting, the governor opened the door for discussion on other subjects. Watson said he then asked about the budget. “What’s the rush?” Blagojevich asked, according to Watson.
A spokesperson for the governor claimed that Watson took the governor’s comment out of context. The behind-the-scenes pushback against Watson was intensely fierce and, as a result, was not mentioned in any news stories the next day.
But numerous people who were in the meeting backed up Watson’s claim, insisting Watson did not take the quote out of context.
Does it matter? Some. If there is to be any sort of government shutdown or serious budgetary crisis, it could have serious political consequences.
* Bernie Schoenberg takes a look at the governor’s work ethic, in light of the guv’s demand that legislators be in town five days a week…
In the more than three months listed [March 1 through June 8], the records show the governor spent five nights in Springfield, and was physically in the city for just under 200 hours including those nights. I am assuming his only visits to Springfield were on state planes, and I have no evidence otherwise.
He was physically in the city on parts of 25 days, but on 15 of those days, his airport-to-airport time was less than seven hours. And on one of those days, the Springfield presence was just a 15-minute stopover between Harrisburg and Moline.
* And the cost of his commutes…
Not including a handful of helicopter trips on the March 1-June 8 logs, the governor took 21 one-way trips between Springfield and O’Hare, which would amount to $31,101 in real costs. The 13 one-way trips listed between Springfield and Midway would come to $18,616.
That’s more than $49,700 in just more than three months - and it doesn’t count the miles those planes are flying without the governor on board as they go to pick him up or return to their hangar space. Adding those miles would double the amount to nearly $100,000 for those King Air flights alone.
* And Gatehouse has a helpful article that examines the timeline for a state budget shutdown…
About 4,900 employees of statewide elected officials could miss a payday if a budget isn’t in place by July 9, the report says. If a budget still isn’t approved by July 19, more than 8,100 employees of the Illinois State Police, Department of Transportation, Department of Central Management Services, Environmental Protection Agency and State Board of Education will miss a payday.
The deadlines continue throughout the month, culminating July 25, when 28,000 workers with the departments of Corrections and Human Services will go unpaid unless a budget has been approved by that date. […]
More than $2 billion was paid out by the comptroller’s office last July for nonpayroll expenses. For example, $270 million was paid in Department of Human Services grants to social service providers, $25 million for foster-care grants and $750 million in Medicaid payments. All of those would be affected by an ongoing impasse this July. Unlike state payrolls, there isn’t a specific schedule for making these payments, the report says, making it “impossible to assign a specific date at which services are disrupted.”
Court orders require the state to continue issuing checks for programs such as Temporary Assistance to Needy Families and Assistance to Aged, Blind and Disabled. A court ruling also requires that state judges be paid. Although not covered by a court ruling, pension payments to retirees, tax refunds and payments on College Savings bonds will be made even without a budget.
* More budget stuff, compiled by Paul…
* Rep. Fritchey: Collateral Damage
* Althoff, Franks, Tryon: Gridlock in Springfield
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Hmmm…
Monday, Jun 18, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
*** 10:43 am *** The problem with the website appears to be fixed now. Sorry about the slow-loading this morning.
———————————
Also, to my friends and family out there, Wasan’s family (except for her father) is at the border as I write this waiting in a very long line to get across (the nationwide curfew created a huge backlog of emigres). Her father should be leaving in a week or two, but it appears everyone else got out just in time. I’ll tell you more about it once all are safe.
*** 1:47 pm *** They’re across the border and have arrived safely.
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Question of the day
Monday, Jun 18, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
First, the setup…
The state treasurer’s office is the latest government agency to extend health benefits to same-sex couples.
The office will offer medical, dental and vision benefits to same-sex partners of employees who have lived together for at least a year and share financial responsibilities.
“All employees, regardless of race, gender and sexual orientation, should have the same access to health care,” said Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias.
In May 2006, Gov. Blagojevich extended same-sex benefits to non-union employees under his jurisdiction. (A union contract previously guaranteed the benefit to union employees.)
Judy Baar Topinka didn’t offer same-sex benefits for her employees ostensibly because of the tight budget situation, so, as noted above, Giannoulias’ office is the last one to do so.
Question: Was this the right move? Why or why not?
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* This Obama profile from the AP follows the standard formula, which was concocted months ago. Liberal state Senate voting record, ability to work with Republican colleages in Springfield, quotes from his poker-playing buddies, questions about his experience, comments from Sen. Donne Trotter, who also ran against Bobby Rush when Obama tried to move up. You may not want to bother even reading it because it’s all rehash. You’d think the AP’s “top” national political reporter could come up with something new. You’d be wrong.
* But this Sun-Times story does move the ball forward, and may cause Obama more headaches…
During his 12 years in politics, Sen. Barack Obama has received nearly three times more campaign cash from indicted businessman Tony Rezko and his associates than he has publicly acknowledged, the Chicago Sun-Times has found.
Obama has collected at least $168,308 from Rezko and his circle. Obama also has taken in an unknown amount of money from people who attended fund-raising events hosted by Rezko since the mid-1990s.
Go read the whole thing. Now that the NY Times has jumped on the Rezko story, dutifully followed by the AP and the cable nets, any new Rezko revelation could create problems.
*** UPDATE *** This statement by Barack Obama, distancing himself from the D-Punjab hit piece on Hillary Clinton, has no credibility…
“It was a screw-up on the part of our research team,” Obama told editors and reporters with The Des Moines Register, according to the paper’s Web site. “It wasn’t anything I had seen or my senior staff had seen.”
More…
“That particular quote was a joke, I think, that Hillary Clinton made to an Indian-American audience,” Obama told the Register. “The research team thought it would be clever to put that at the top.”
Obama continued, “I thought it was stupid and caustic and not only didn’t reflect my view of the complicated issue of outsourcing … it also didn’t reflect the fact that I have longstanding support and friendships within the Indian-American community.”
Sorry, but there’s just no way that D-Punjab memo went out without “senior staff” seeing it and approving it. No way. The research director isn’t “senior staff”?
Also, all campaigns, large and small, have protocols for this sort of stuff. If something is distributed to bigtime reporters, then the communications director has to see it first. That’s his/her “constituency.” And from what I’m told, there was no breach of protocol here.
Either Obama isn’t telling the truth, or someone on his staff isn’t coming forward with the whole story.
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Will YouTube kill the MBC project?
Monday, Jun 18, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
It may be a vast overestimation, but the Sun-Times has an interesting article today about the future of the Museum of Broadcast Communications…
Development plans for the Museum of Broadcast Communications have been on hiatus for more than a year while CEO Bruce DuMont fights to save the 20-year-old institution from fading to black. According to the original script, the MBC was to move to a state-of-the-art facility at State and Kinzie this year after leaving its previous home at the Chicago Cultural Center at the end of 2003. After Gov. Blagojevich reneged on promised financial support, however, construction plans halted, and DuMont is now trying to sell naming rights to bridge a $10 million gap.
While DuMont understandably blames Gov. Blagojevich for the quagmire, the real culprits may be Steve Jobs, YouTube CEO Chad Hurley and any of us who download and view television on the Internet .
Largely due to its 85,000 hours of archived programming, for years the MBC ranked among the city’s top tourist destinations. Yet the value of presenting those archives diminishes as more programming becomes accessible online, and viewers can go to iTunes to watch reruns of “Lost” and YouTube for vintage episodes of “The Mike Ditka Show.” Given that more than 90 million Americans have viewed video on the Web to date, is a broadcast museum today even necessary?
“The world has changed dramatically since we planned to build the museum,” acknowledged DuMont, a television journalist and producer whose uncle founded the DuMont Television Network. He added that more resources are being put into the MBC Web site, found at www.museum.tv, as the museum continues to court financiers.
Again, I’m not sure that YouTube and similar sites will deal the museum it’s ultimate death blow, but I’m wondering what you think about all of this, since many of you are hardcore Internet users.
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Morning Shorts
Monday, Jun 18, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson
* Statehouse Insider: Budget ideas common, few real solutions
* Shutdowns loom as stalemate continues
* Hilkevitch: Will politics allow for doomsday CTA cuts
* Opinion: A congestion fee? Transit funding is better choice
* Metra would cut service in 2008 without new funds
* Chambers: Hospital money held hostage in political war
* Illinois Review: The future of the Illinois GOP
* Latest cable measure would finally bring competition to Illinois
* Editorial: Latest indictment another sign of need for reform
With each new report of investigations into Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s campaign fund and other dealings, the need for stronger ethics legislation in Illinois becomes readily apparent to everyone except, apparently, the governor and some top legislative leaders.
* Sun-Times Editorial: Illinois wins toll break in Indiana…Now it is on to Ohio
* AG Madigan sues two Champaign Co. clinics
* Sun-Times Editorial: City should keep its nose out of plaza plan
* Diverse pool vie to be Chicago’s top cop
* City, unions discuss long-term contract
* Repairs, updates begin for Lincoln’s Springfield home
* Too late for Rockford’s early sales tax collection?
* Not talking about my generation
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New T-Shirt available
Monday, Jun 18, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
OK, here’s the new t-shirt design, as promised…
We have several different styles and colors available, including a golf shirt. I’m sure you can find something you like.
Go here to buy, and, remember, all profits go to the Sojourn domestic violence shelter.
*** UPDATE *** Marie Carnes over at Disarranging Mine blog has posted a photo of her new mousepad in action…
Sweet.
I wore my t-shirt with that same logo on it to the supermarket Saturday and ran into a guy who said he hadn’t ordered one yet, but was planning to get one soon. Don’t be left out! Order your schwag today!
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Father’s Day thoughts from my brothers
Sunday, Jun 17, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
Three of my four brothers posted something about our dad here at the blog on Friday. They summed him up pretty well.
Let’s start with the youngest first. Devin…
 Besides keeping 5 of his sons in line, the man worked up to 3 jobs at a time to keep his family fed and in a decent home.
Strong German work ethic, loving and self-educated who knows as much about American political history as many professors do.
Doug…
When growing up I felt my dad was too much of a hard a$$. He raised 5 boys, 4 of them were teenagers at one time, and now having raised 3, with one still at home, I understand where his dictatorship mentality came from.
 He was one of the hardest working men I have ever known. He was and is the energizer bunny, always full of energy. There was always a project to be done, and idle time was few and far between.
My father has also turned into being the greatest grandfather on earth, a trait he learned from his father in law. He calls my little one when her mother is out of town just to keep her company, will drive nearly 1000 miles to babysit when the need arises and always sings the loudest at birthday parties, even though he can’t sing a lick.
 He is also a great advisor, and although the 5 sons don’t always follow his advice, it usually is spot on.
And last but not least, my father has been a husband to my mother for nearly a half a century. While he grew into the role as he matured, he is now the greatest protector and cheerleader for our mother who in my book is a saint.
Denny Ray…
In our house there was always great music - “The Sun Sessions” by Elvis, Willie Nelson’s “Red Headed Stranger”, my Dad’s incredible collection of 1950’s 45 RPM records, and of course - the Rocking Rolling Stones!
My Dad loves his music and he loves it LOUD!
 There’s a funny story about a hidden portable record player, a factory intercom system, and a bunch of people running around wondering why “It’s Your Thing” by The Isley Brothers is playing over and over on the public address loudspeakers throughout the entire factory! But we won’t get into that -
My Mom and Dad had 5 sons - and we could go through some groceries! So they worked - and they worked hard.
I remember my Dad working two full time jobs at the same time - he had one Sunday off a month.
But he always had time to throw around a baseball or football, and he always seemed to have plenty of time to give long, involved lectures!
 Politics and history were his fields of expertise. I think I was the only person in elementary school who knew the name “Estes Kefauver”!
My Dad could have been a great history professor - but during some of those ‘longer’ lectures - man - I was wishing he had three jobs!
Muhammad Ali was a big hero in our house - his fights were always big events. “Cool Hand Luke”, “Patton”, any John Wayne movie - we watched and we learned.
I’m still watching and still learning - thanks Dad for all the hard work, the knowledge, and most of all - the loud Rock and Roll!
I couldn’t have said it much better myself.
This post couldn’t be complete without pics of Dad’s infamous Obamallac (click pics for larger images)…
  
Happy Father’s Day, Dad!
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READER COMMENTS CLOSED FOR THE WEEKEND
Friday, Jun 15, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
I’ve been in a sour mood all day, so I’m glad it’s over. Have a great weekend and I’ll talk to you Monday.
As always, keep the conversation alive at Illinoize, where the talking never ends.
And don’t forget our charity project to benefit the Sojourn domestic violence shelter and express our collective frustration with this session without end.
There are several items with the Capitol Fax masthead, including this cup…
“Overtime in Hell” hats, buttons and cups…
The ever-popular “Where’s Tusk When We Need Him?” button…
Several different products with “Overtime in Hell” slogan winners…
And the cartoon logo…
Get yours today!
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This just in…
Friday, Jun 15, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* 11:29 am - The Senate has adjourned until Tuesday. Apparently, not enough members were present today to do anything more than a few resolutions.
* 12:29 pm - Obama’s Macaca moment. Actually, it’s much worse because it was planned.
When United States Senator Barack Obama entered the American Presidential race, he staked out his turf on the moral high ground with a call for a new kind of politics, devoid of personal attack and characterised by debates on the issues that matter.
His campaign apparently has not been listening: Members of the Senator’s campaign staff have been circulating a document that, in its title, slightingly refers to Democratic rival Senator Hillary Clinton as the Democrat from Punjab — a seeming slur on Clinton’s ties with India and Indian Americans.
Whoever ordered this racist/xenophobic hit on Clinton needs to be fired. Right away. And I don’t mean the person who wrote it. From what I understand, the first draft was much more acceptable, but it was rejected and sent back with a demand that it be infinitely tougher. If the author is fired and the person who ordered the rewrite is not, then Obama is a huge hypocrite. The full memo is here.
* 1:00 pm - I haven’t yet decided who won yesterday’s caption contest, but I’ll have the new t-shirt, mugs, etc. ready by Monday. As always, don’t forget to go buy something at our charity store. I’ve belatedly realized that the markup is way too low, so there could be a price increase next week. Get something today!
* 1:35 pm - I had remembered somewhere in my addled brain that “Punjab” was used at one time as an actual slur, so I did a bit of research. From the Racial Slur Database…
Punjab is the Indian character from “Little Orphan Annie.” Also represents the Punjab region of India (near the Punjab river). When the British took over India, they used it as a derogatory term for the natives there.
[Emphasis added.]
The headline from the Obama hit piece…
* 1:55 pm - Despite the headline on this story in The Hill, Dan Lipinski was never an “Accidental Congressman.” His “election” to Congress was carefully planned…
Democrats upset by how Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-Ill.) acquired his seat and what he’s done with it will give the second-termer another primary challenge in 2008.
Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Mark Pera has filed papers with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), and yesterday told The Hill that he will announce his candidacy for Lipinski’s seat after July 4.
* 4:39 pm - In this video, Obama pledges that he will “not make ad hominem attacks” on opponents and will not use opposition research to “suggest that they have untoward motives.”
Also, the chairman of the United States India Political Action Committee, which is referenced in the OR memo, is upset at what has transpired…
I am writing on behalf of the over 50,000 members of USINPAC, the largest bi-partisan political action committee representing the Indian American community. As representatives of the Indian American community, we have been encouraged by your message of inclusion and your promise to bring a new kind of politics to our country. This is why we are so concerned about media reports indicating your staff may be engaging in the worst kind of anti Indian American stereotyping.
We are very proud of the contributions Indian Americans have made, and continue to make, to our country. USINPAC represents members across the nation, from all walks of life, who are caring for the sick, building businesses, educating our children and supporting their families. We are extremely proud to be Americans, and are working everyday for the brighter future you regularly speak about.
[H/T: The Swamp]
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Blowup
Friday, Jun 15, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* There’s always at least one big blowup during overtime session, and yesterday probably qualifies as the first. I told you about it on these two posts yesterday afternoon, but here are a couple of mainstream media reports, starting with the Tribune…
The electricity meeting dominated the statehouse activity on Thursday and kept Jones and Madigan away from a meeting Gov. Rod Blagojevich had called with Cook County Assessor Jim Houlihan over how best to renew a property tax relief plan. Jones and Madigan, both Chicago Democrats, have passed different versions of a plan.
The governor halted the meeting after the two legislative leaders sent deputies instead, leading to the latest round of personal rancor that has marked interactions between the governor and his fellow Democrats since they pushed the legislative session into overtime.
Madigan sent Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago) to the meeting. Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said “it appears to be a sexist thing” that the governor would not recognize Currie as Madigan’s proxy.
Deputy Gov. Sheila Nix vigorously disputed Brown’s assertion, saying “there was nothing sexist about” the governor’s decision. She called Brown’s remarks a “smoke screen” for Madigan’s absence.
Currie called Blagojevich’s actions “very bizarre behavior.”
* Sun-Times…
The governor “was like a child,” said Rep. Kevin Joyce (D-Chicago), who was at the meeting and said Blagojevich went on a “tirade” about not having all four legislative leaders present.
Another Democrat there went so far as to contact the Legislature’s research arm to learn about the rules of impeaching a governor, though later maintained there is no plan to initiate impeachment proceedings against Blagojevich. […]
“In response to the speaker’s spokesman’s comments, we think they are inappropriate and not based in fact,” Blagojevich spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch said.
The governor’s Senate floor leader, Sen. Carol Ronen (D-Chicago), said Brown’s statement about the governor went over the top considering Madigan is chairman of the state Democratic Party.
“As speaker of the House and as chairman of the party, [Madigan] is responsible for what his spokesperson is saying,” she said. “Mr. Madigan should denounce what [Brown] said. He should say he doesn’t agree with him. The speaker is not acting in good faith if he’s letting his spokesperson throw gasoline on everything.”
That statement was fully authorized, by the way.
* And Rep. John Fritchey, who was at the meeting, had several choice words for the guv in his own blog post…
We were seated around the Governor’s office, with Watson and Cross seated at the conference table, and three remaining seats for the President, Speaker and Governor. The Governor came in about 20 minutes late, briefly shook hands with a number of us, took his seat, and then it started.
Not the meeting, the farce.
He said that he was prepared to start as soon as Madigan and Jones got there. Majority Leader Currie stated that he may be late or not coming at all due to another commitment, but that she was authorized to act in his stead. The Governor then went on a weird diatribe that this was a leaders’ meeting and that he would not take part until all of the leaders were there.
I very politely suggested to the Governor that Rep. Currie had been the point person in the House on the discussions, that we had a large number of legislators who had been involved on the issue in the room, the Assessor was present and as such, I ‘didn’t see the harm in beginning the conversation prior to the arrival of Jones and/or Madigan.’
The Governor’s response was that he ‘didn’t see the harm in waiting’. He stood up and told the assembled group that he was going to go to his other office to do work and that we could wait around or that they would call us when the meeting was going to start.
He turned to leave the room less than five minutes after he had walked in.
If there was a soundtrack for that moment, it would have been that of 20 legislators being simultaneously slapped in the face.
[Emphasis added.]
What some commenters here misunderstood yesterday was that Wednesday’s leaders meeting was held without Senate President Emil Jones, so the governor’s refusal to meet yesterday was inexcusable. There’s a method behind the guv’s madness (at least, they think so), but that’s for subscribers on Monday (there was no Capitol Fax this morning because, apparently, getting home by 8:30 makes me ill).
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“Substantial progress”
Friday, Jun 15, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I’m hearing the electric utility rate relief negotiations produced about a billion dollars over four years with people getting actual refund checks. Some sort of Illinois Power Authority language, which would allow the state to build power plants, is also close to fruition, but could turn out to be a snag…
After meeting privately for about three hours Thursday to discuss Illinois’ problem with soaring electricity rates, top utility company executives and Democratic legislative leaders said little other than that they made “substantial progress.”
The sketchy description nonetheless caused some lawmakers and others who have closely monitored the electricity issue to express guarded optimism that a resolution is just around the corner.
* Officially, all anyone would say yesterday is this…
“We made substantial progress,” said House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago.
“Substantial progress has been made, and we’re encouraged by that,” Ameren Illinois President Scott Cisel said.
“We made substantial progress to get the issues resolved,” said Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago.
That sentiment has been uttered for months as lawmakers work to convince the utilities to compensate Ameren and ComEd customers to make up for the power rate hikes that began Jan. 1.
“I look for negotiations to keep on going,” state Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, said March 30. “I am all for them.”
* Crain’s…
Neither Mr. Madigan nor Mr. Jones would elaborate much, but sources close to the matter said the utilities offered about $1 billion in rate relief, twice as much as had been on the table previously.
Some of that money reportedly would come from Exelon, and some from ComEd, its wholly owned Chicago-area subsidiary.
Talks to finalize the deal may continue later Thursday, sources said.
The lack of a deal has been a key factor in preventing lawmakers from concentrating on a second series of disputes over a fiscal 2008 state budget. If the utility matter indeed is completed, odds will increase of a deal on the budget deal, too.
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Morning shorts
Friday, Jun 15, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Editorial: Keep out of state schools off of Illinois license plates
* Krol: Is Madigan seeking the chance to turn back time?
* State should reject casinos for Chicago, suburbs
* CPR: Transit talks in Springfield
* More money for Chicago mass transit?
* Senate committee OKs cable competition bill
* Ethics bill could again hit snag in Illinois Senate
“The Senate president over there has already, essentially, hijacked and stalled (the proposal),” said Rep. John Fritchey, D-Chicago, the sponsor of the initial House legislation. “It’s frustrating that the unanimous will of the House of Representatives (and) the overwhelming demand of the people of the Illinois is being single-handedly thwarted in the state Senate.”
* Judge allows horse slaughter plant to temporarily stay open; more here
* SIU fights to block public’s access to staff contracts
* Indiana resolves tollway dispute with Illinois
Illinois drivers who have electronic passes entitling them to discounts on their tollways will get the same reduced rates that Indiana drivers with transponders will receive on the Indiana Toll Road when electronic tolling starts.
* Agreement ends interstate toll spat
* Electronic toll breaks to IL drivers
* Daley promises curfew crackdown
* Daley wants anti-gun outcry
* Chicago buildign dept. gets new chief
* Friday Beer Blogging: Prom Edition
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