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As I noted below, 1,548 Springfield homes were damaged by Sunday night’s storm and 1,000 may be uninhabitable. Many are still without power.
Despite this, the General Assembly went ahead with session this week, clogging hotel rooms with legislators, lobbyists and citizens group members in town for the festivities. As a result, some Springfieldians are finding it difficult to book hotel rooms to get away from their damaged and/or powerless homes.
On the other hand, session always means big dollars for Springfield, which needs all the cash it can get right now.
The question is, do you think the General Assembly should have called off session this week?
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 8:48 am
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No, it was too important to get down here to keep all these poor people from smoking cigarettes in response to the stress of all their damage.
Really, it was just par for the course. The legislature (and this governor) has always seemed to have a contempt for Springfield, so why should their conduct at this time be any different.
They’re probably celebrating, actually….
Comment by Anon. Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 8:59 am
It is unreal that they would continue to have session this week not only taking up much needed hotel rooms but clogging resturants that people without power go to eat and adding to the traffic issues. I agree that Springfield needs the tax money, but right now we need hotel rooms more.
Also how about the hotels that have raised the price of rooms to over $150– great community support.
Comment by Still without electricity Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 9:06 am
Rich,
About a week ago, you were hinting that Madigan was starting to worry about getting done on the expidited schedule, so it shutting down wasn’t likely.
What’s your best guess of being done by April 7?
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 9:08 am
No, I don’t think session should have been cancelled. Last I heard, the legislature has less than three weeks to pass the budget.
At least 2-3 commercial districts were hit by the storm. I drove by Parkway Point last night - what used to be a well lit area was completely dark. I miss my fedex kinkos!
Comment by Marta Elena Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 9:09 am
I think it was idiotic for the legislature to try to finish the 2006 session in early April, making it neccessary to hold three days of legislative sessions the week before the Primary Elections.
The only good that may come of this is that a number of voters in and around Springfield might remeber this in the fall of 2008 and decide to vote in favor of calling for a new state Constitutional Convention.
Comment by Randall Sherman Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 9:14 am
Will the people in Illinois who took damage to their homes be compensated by the government like the victims were New Orleans?
Comment by Agitator Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 9:19 am
Not that i’m a fan of this but could they just not have met in Chicago, they have the facilities to accomodate them and for once it would have been a legitimate excuse. Although one cannot go without Sapudo’s for very long!
Comment by ISU REP Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 9:47 am
The end date of the General Assembly was chosen by the leadership. They could have delayed a week and still finished well before the May 31 deadline.
In the past there were lots of times that the GA would slow down to almost a halt during Feb and early March so legislators could campaign for the primary. Then, they would come back into session and hash things out until adjournment.
A friend had a Tuesday meeting at the Illinois State Library that was postponed. I told her on Monday prior to postponement she should call and see if her hotel was still there and had a room for her.
I think the restaurant is Saputo’s–reminds me of the Lucca Grill in Bloomington where the Dems used to hang out when the Baldini’s were alive and active in politics.
Comment by Nearly Normal Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 10:14 am
Yes, it is….I was half awake and attempting to do work while posting, never a good idea!
Comment by ISU REP Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 10:35 am
Oh Lord. Yes anon 8:59 - it is the governor’s fault that the Legislature went into session. Every dumb comment like that eats a little more of the credibility of people who use every occasion to whack at the governor until it fades away like so much white noise…
The Legislature should have worked with Springfield and Sangamon Co officials to determine the best course of action. That said -an object in motion tends to stay in motion - and when that object is the entire body of a state’s government, it is kind of tough to just halt it and turn it around.
Comment by SenorAnon. Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 10:55 am
Able bodied members of th GA should help in the clean up or in the shelters, that would be the most good they do all session.
Comment by It's 5 O'clock somewhere Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 11:10 am
Everyone in the legislature should do one of two things right now. Roll up their sleeves and organize a work day for those who need help. Or, open up their pocket books and start a fund to help local businesses and families recover. A special fund with donations from individual legislators should be the GA’s way of saying thank you to the city that has hosted them for all these years. Doesn’t that sound reasonable? Who is going to organize that?
Or, will we see more of the same attitude of “If it didn’t happen in Chicago, then it must not be a problem.”
Comment by I still don't have power! Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 11:11 am
Perhaps they could have held session in Chicago. They do everything else there. I know for a fact that the Route 55 Hotel on South Sixth Street in Springfield cancelled out any out of town reservations they had to give the rooms to the Springfield people. Hooray for them for standing up for what’s right and taking care of our own citizens. Meetings and session can be postponed until another day. But we have many people homeless now with no warm place to stay and no food to eat. We need to get our priorities straight.
Comment by LittleEgypt Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 12:09 pm
Sorry - typo - it was the Route 66 Hotel in Springfield (formerly Holiday Inn South).
Comment by LittleEgypt Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 12:10 pm
All the damage was south of the captiol, so the people from up north wouldn’t be in the way. I heard on WMAY that one TALL hotel jacked their rates up by $100 a night. Nice!
Comment by Tornado Chasing Dork Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 12:20 pm
I would have to agree with Senor Anon above. It is crazy to blame this on the Governor. Afterall, he hasn’t taken responsibility for anything that has happened in Springfield in the last 3 years how could you pin this on him. He can’t even find Springfield without a plane, a pilot, and a GPS locator.
The downstate legislators don’t have any say anyway. even the downstate Dems are only there to protect the majority. Why not just go to Chicago, then maybe the Gov could actually participate in the legislative process.
If you really think the people running this state give two hoots about Springfield you need to lay off the sauce. They want downstate to protect the majority, that is ALL. The gov had no hesitation to request IDOT employees go to New Orleans, but doesn’t consider sending resources to get Springfield back on its feet or even request the legislature recess for a week and inconvienience Mr. Madigan and Mr. Jones.
If you live south of I 80 and vote for any democrat you should realize you are serving Chicago at the expense of the rest of the state.
Comment by the Patriot Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 1:09 pm
You’re right Patriot. You know, I don’t pay any taxes. Not a cent. In fact, I receive a Chicago-area stipend from the state each month. It is sweeeet.
The toll roads - free for Chicagoans.
And the mandatory foot rubs I get from IDOT minutemen previously driving the southern segment of I-55 - MAGNIFICENT!
As soon as the guv signs that legislation mandating all women 18 and over from south of I-80 come to Chicago to feed us grapes and fan us, boy, it really will be worth electing all of those toadies downstate who are too stupid to think for themselves.
Comment by SenorAnon. Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 1:31 pm
Nope. Springfield is the state capital, and it is important to preserve it’s importance as the state capital to an administration that doesn’t see anything beyond I-80 and I-495.
Wrecked or not, Springfield is where the action is supposed to be at.
Doesn’t it seem really strange now that we have a governor who tried to convince voters that Chicago would be a less corrupt place to run state government than Springfield? It is like having the mayor of Las Vegas blame Joliet for creating millions of gambling junkies.
Please Lord, let this Blagojevich fiasco pass from our eyes, and allow professional adult leadership to restore order in our state!
Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 1:33 pm
Had anyone mentioned Monday that hotel room were in short supply, my guess the legislature might have cancelled.
On Monday, I think Capt Blog was alerting folks o come to the Jones Fundraiser, so apparently was not the tip of the tongue.
Tommorrow some local lawmakers plans to collect some dough for the local Red Cross. Maybe the Capt fax can drop a few dollars in the hopper too.
Comment by Reddbyrd Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 2:07 pm
My sister-in-law from Chebanse, was to be in Spfld for a teacher’s conference. I don’t know what happened to their hotel rooms, but they are having to stay in Decatur.
Comment by shelbyville Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 8:16 pm
Maybe they could fill up the Abraham Lincoln Hotel that we always hear about being on the verge of bankruptcy? Or, Blago (who truly cares for the people of Springfield) could pickup the tab at Cellini’s hotel for these poor people that need accommodations down in Springfield. That way we can knock off two birds with one stone.
Blago has over $20 million in his campaign war chest that he doesn’t know where or who to spend all of that money on. Cellini and his other deadbeat investors owe the Illinois taxpayers millions for their hotel investment that they are stiffing the Illinois taxpayers for. Have Blago pay the Abraham Lincoln Hotel bill for those people needing shelter. I think his father-in-law said Rod told him that “he feels their pain” or else it was “let them eat cake”, I can’t remember which one it was.
Comment by Beowulf Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 8:27 pm
Not only did the hotels raise rates, but Casey’s is at it again. I guess one knuckle-rap wasn’t enough. I passed by the Walnut St. Casey’s in Chatham at 6:30 p.m. Gas was $2.55 for reg, $2.58 for hi-test. Huck’s was $2.49.
By the time I drove back by the same Casey’s at 8 p.m., the price had dropped to $2.49 for regular, just like Huck’s. Think I’ll call Lisa tomorrow.
Comment by Ex-Newfie Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 9:46 pm
Yes, the legislature should have taken a day off and offerd its services (along with staff) to give the home city for State Government a hand.
Comment by Shadrock Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 11:07 pm
Does that really surprise anyone?
Comment by The Exponential Cynic Wednesday, Mar 15, 06 @ 11:23 pm
Yes they should have postponed for a week. We certainly didn’t need the extra traffic at a time when public service and utility vehicles are clogging the streets that are open. The legislature artificially imposed the early deadline. They could have just as easily changed the schedule.
While the damage is extensive, someone should have asked Mayor Davlin to take a second to ponder his statement that it was similar to what hurricane Katrina did to New Orleans. There is no comparison to the hundreds of sqare miles of damage done along the gulf coast. Timmy needs to get a grip on reality, but he can be forgiven for speaking hastily in the midst of adversity.
On the other hand the television news anchor who repeated the Katrina comparison (as if it was his own observation) 3 days after the storm should just be slapped.
Comment by stoney Thursday, Mar 16, 06 @ 1:35 am