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Snubbed Repubs will snub back, and the impact on the “real world”

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Illinois

* A Republican refusal to vote for a budget they’ve been shut out of was expected, but GOP Rep. Mark Beaubien’s statement is ominous for the Democrats, who will need three-fifths majorities in both chambers to borrow money to make billions in pension payments…

“They (Democrats) haven’t come to us, they haven’t asked us for anything, they haven’t informed us of anything,” Beaubien said. “Since we haven’t been included, you’re not going to see any Republican support.”

That budget is gonna be ugly, man. Just ugly. Democratic Rep. Frank Mautino fills in a few blanks…

Democrats are being asked about a series of potential revenue generators, although Mautino said the budget being formulated does not include the income tax hike sought by Quinn. The options do include higher taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products and eliminating some business tax breaks.

* Meanwhile, in the real world…

For 26 years, the Holy Angels Shelter in East St. Louis has been there to help homeless moms, women and families get off the streets and into their own homes.

But if the state doesn’t come through with an $80,000 grant by the end June, the shelter will have to close.

“We run it bare bones,” said Joe Hubbard, director of Catholic Urban Programs. “We’ve run it that way for 26 years. They can give us a grant, but if they don’t pay us in a timely manner, we can’t pay our bills, and if we can’t pay our bills, we have to close. We need to come up with other funding.”

If the shelter doesn’t find enough money to fill the hole the state is expected to leave, the homeless shelter will be forced to close its doors.

“And that will be a disaster,” said shelter director Pat Lewis. “They’ll be under the bridge with the tent people, and pretty soon, there won’t be room for them, either.”

* Related and a roundup…

* Vouchers for CPS students advances to House floor: The action would give vouchers not only to the schools where students are poorest and lowest performing. But it also would extend vouchers to students from poor families in the most-overcrowded schools, a change from the bill when Meeks won Senate approval.

* Obama and Quinn Discuss Money for Illinois Education, No Promises: Quinn reportedly said he would ask President Barack Obama for federal money to help pay for education. When asked if the president had obliged, the governor changed the subject… QUINN: We talked about that in general, but I can’t say that he had a pot of gold.

* U46 one step away from $22 million

* Evanston leaders press city’s needs in Springfield

* Illinois House pushed to boost tobacco tax

* Bill would cut tuition on extra college years

* Evaluation shield bill goes to governor

* State mulls show-floor rules at McCormick Place

* Latest slot machines at horse tracks pitch faces uphill climb

* Local video gambling bans could clear way for slots at Arlington Park

* Lawmakers push slots for horse tracks

* SouthtownStar: Tracks a good place for slot machines

* Harristown fourth-graders hold press conference with Quinn

* House panel OKs bill to save DuPage Water Commission

* New law requires stopping for pedestrians, not yielding

* Law seeks to monitor red-light cameras

* Tollway chief sets new course for challenged agency

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 7:23 am

Comments

We have a group of leaders comfortable with their single party dominance. They have enough power and enough votes to play politics among themselves, hoping to pass bills without bipartisanship. Yeah, it often seemed silly to ask the GOP corpse for it’s opinions on issues, but if the Democratic leadership was professional, intelligent and humble, they would have never stopped building bipartisan consensus.

Illinois Republicans are not National Republicans in that there are many more of them willing to reach across the aisle when asked. The Illinois GOP is more moderate, so there are really no excuses not to include them into daily governing.

Mr. Beaubien is no Rush Limbaugh. When a legislators like Mr. Beaubien is fed up with how the General Assembly’s Democratic leadership refuses to build bipartisan consensus, then the problem is HUGE.

The only good thing about this, is how easily it is to pin every single issue sucking Illinois into the grave, onto Mr. Madigan, Mr. Cullerton and Mr. Quinn. They’ve owned it all, and under their harsh leadership, Illinois no longer works.

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 9:12 am
I’m glad you included the story about the shelter in East St. Louis. Legislators are so busy getting their backs up about supposedly being snubbed, or doing the snubbing, for political gain that they are forgetting all about the people who need services and whom legislators are supposed to be working for.

Comment by Really?? Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 10:13 am
So if the Republicans won’t vote for the borrowing, what will the Democrats do? Skip the pension payment. I’m not sure that’s going to be a deal breaker.

Comment by siriusly Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 10:46 am
At some point the budget is going to be nothing but debt repayment. At some point, someone is going to have to say enough.

Raise taxes, cut spending but enough with the borrowing

Comment by OneMan Friday, Apr 30, 10 @ 11:56 am