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The first thing you should do is check yesterday’s comprehensive coverage at the blog to see if you missed anything, then take a look at these new links.
· Sun-Times: Gov’s $10 billion jackpot for schools
· Sun-Times: Proposal praised by Dems, ripped by Topinka
· Sun-Times: Who would want to buy Illinois lottery?
· Brown: Gov’s lottery jackpot plan looks like bad bet for schools
· Richards: Sale of lottery looks like good bet
· Tribune: State school plan bets on a lottery windfall
· Tribune: Critics have doubts about lottery’s benefit to schools
· Register-Star: Gov: Sell lottery to fund schools
· Copley: $10 billion proposed for schools
· Daily Herald: Long-term costs would come with governor’s plan
· Daily Herald: Effects of lottery-lease plan still unclear
· NW Times: Indiana hasn’t scratched off lottery privatization
· Lee: School officials, lawmakers leery of lottery plan
· Indy Star: Everyone’s talking about our lease
· Chicago Defender Editorial: Meeks’ education plan will force ‘Black leaders’ to put up or shut up
When State Sen. James Meeks delivered a passionate sermon denouncing the Democratic Party on Feb. 26 in his church’s massive worship facility, the House of Hope, it was clear that he was fed up with the empty promises made by a plethora of elected officials.Unwilling to be another Black elected or civil rights official who spends their time holding news conferences to complain about the problems facing African Americans, Meeks used his political savvy, power base as the head of a 22,000-member church, and solid relations with social conservatives (white Republicans) to plan a third party bid for governor that would have done significant damage to the re-election chances of Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Clearly, Blagojevich – who has his eyes set on a potential presidential run in the future – didn’t want a South Side pastor to derail his dreams. So he broke down and hammered out a comprehensive education plan that will result in $6 billion in funds for education for the state.
For those of you who think that all Meeks has done is extract a “promise†from Blagojevich, let us be clear: the plan announced yesterday stands a serious chance of getting passed, even if House Speaker Michael Madigan – who was conspicuously absent from the announcement – tries to derail it. The public pressure will be too much for him to even stop this from happening.
Six billion dollars. Six Billion Dollars. SIX BILLION DOLLARS!
It is necessary to trumpet this fact because the player haters have already started their sniping. Some have called Meeks an opportunist while others are saying he’s lusting for power. Others are simply jealous because he had the temerity to look the governor in the eye and threaten to pull Black voters away from the party if he didn’t acquiesce. No longer satisfied with threatening the party, Meeks did it – effectively.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, May 24, 06 @ 8:57 am
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Regarding the Defender editorial – isn’t it really four billion dollars, not six?
Comment by grand old partisan Wednesday, May 24, 06 @ 9:24 am
This plan is a glorified shell game. By the time the General Assembly meets after the General Election, this plan will have been torn to shreds in the press and Blagojevich will have gone down to defeat. Sen. Meeks will have NOTHING to show for his actions, save for the scorn of those who had tried to help him craft a third-party ticket (and were repeatedly told that there was no way he would abandon his candidacy for Governor).
RANDALL SHERMAN
Secretary/Treasurer, Illinois Committee for Honest Government
Chicago
Comment by Randall Sherman Wednesday, May 24, 06 @ 9:34 am
I’m really skeptical about the veracity of the numbers. Really, really, really skeptical.
Before anyone rushes to spend this windfall, the numbers should be independently scrutinized. I hate to say that I don’t trust the Governor’s fiscal people, but…..
Comment by Budget Watcher Wednesday, May 24, 06 @ 9:35 am
If it is Blago’s figures it is more like 3 billion.Then you toss John Wyma’s name in representing a firm that will most likely get it.All Meeks done was show Illinois that he would not of been a good governor if he had won.So we got rid of him now to get rid of Blago in November.
Comment by DOWNSTATE Wednesday, May 24, 06 @ 9:37 am
There is no problem at all, every one can sleep well. I read in the Sun Times today that Filan will have a “task force” to address longer term school funding holes, after this ELECTION GIMMICK has run its course in four years.
Wait a minute! The $4B all gets spent in four years, and then is gone forever? Isn’t four years just exactly long Blago would be in office if re-elected? Hmmmmm.
“Task Force”! I can’t stop laughing at that one. As if he has aircraft carriers deploying for the attack!
Isn’t “task force” French for “committee”?
The massive con game out of Springfield continues.
Comment by Bubs Wednesday, May 24, 06 @ 9:46 am
I’ll give credit to Meeks for raising the stakes. African Americans have a right to expect more from the Democrats in power in Illinois, and he’s done well for his people by raising the ante.
Having said that, this scheme harms the African American community in the long term. Privatizing the lottery is a bad precedent, expands gambling in Illinois, provides opportunities for sweetheart deals, and does little to solve the school financing problem in the long term.
Besides, the lottery is one of the most regressive forms of government revenue. A privatized lottery will just suck even more money from the pockets of lower-income residents. This time, however, instead of going to schools, the money will go into the pockets of some connected insiders (or a firm that will buy connections).
This stinks. This philosophy of government is why loyal democrats like myself are flirting with supporting Topinka.
Comment by the Other Anonymous Wednesday, May 24, 06 @ 9:57 am
I don’t understand everyone’s beef with Blago’s plan - especially because some of the details are still being hashed out. This is a proposal to funnel the proceeds from the Illinois Lottery back to where they were SUPPOSED to be going in the first place - education. Anyone who thinks $10 billion, or even the low-ball $3 billion is a joke doesn’t know anything about state-wide education - that’s a LOT of money, and the schools need it. The only alternative is Blago raising taxes, and if you want talk about a sure-fire way to get a Republican Governor…
Comment by Unwaivering Liberal Wednesday, May 24, 06 @ 10:14 am
I found Congressman Jackson’s remarks on the school funding plan but they do not appear to have drawn that much attention. He essentially said that if a public-private venture on the lottery can be acheived for school funding, then the same can be done for HIS south suburban airport.
One has to wonder of this is the Jackson-Meeks end game. Give the Gov his media pop/campaign platform to run on an issue that won’t be voted on until after the election (and likely will not go anywhere) and then come out guns ablazing on the south suburban airport issue. Perhaps another part of the puzzle to get Meeks out ?
Comment by Helm Wednesday, May 24, 06 @ 10:17 am
Unwaivering Liberal: riddle me this, in four years, where is $4 billion going to come from when the current funds expire? And in 19 years, when the “trust fund” runs out, where is $650 million going to come from?
Oh, and funds from the lottery do go to education. Just that every dollar increase from the lottery the legislature took a dollar out of general revenue funds to the schools.
Comment by Anon Wednesday, May 24, 06 @ 11:32 am
Anon - you’re right, I misspoke about the lottery proceeds. Either way, the problem was that the original intention of the program wasn’t fulfilled, and schools suffered. I applaud any effort to remedy that problem.
As to what to do in four years, and then in 19 - I don’t have an answer. I didn’t have an answer for what to do for these next four years either, that’s a job for the beauracrat. But something has to be done, and with education funding being such a political hot potato, I’d rather provide a realistic stop-gap measure now which will address most of the real, immediate issues, than wait until a school collapses, or or watch as our test scores plummet, drop out rates fall and hope evaporates more than it already has. Getting the money in four years for sustainability will be difficult, but we will have to find a way. Sitting around for the next four years will only increase the amount our children need, so people should get past their Blago-bitterness and give the plan a real shot.
Comment by Unwaivering Liberal Wednesday, May 24, 06 @ 12:17 pm
Unwaivering Liberal,
I don’t understand why you say that we should “give the plan a real shot,†especially since some of the details are still be hashed out.
Comment by grand old partisan Wednesday, May 24, 06 @ 12:48 pm
No new funding should be proposed until our current shortfalls are made whole (pensions, Medicaid, etc.)
Putting off these tough choices and decisions for a future administration to worry about is playing chicken with all of our futures.
Comment by Anon Wednesday, May 24, 06 @ 1:46 pm
Sorry, that should be “no new spending…”
New, responsible sources for money are good (selling the lottery doesn’t count).
Comment by Anon Wednesday, May 24, 06 @ 1:49 pm
I thought privatization was a Republican idea generally opposed by Democrats. When it comes to the lottery, however, it seems the party positions are reversed. How come?
Comment by respectful Wednesday, May 24, 06 @ 5:08 pm
One sure thing has come out of this - another Blagojevice fiasco. It shows that even a true man of God can be bought and for so little. Just promises.
Comment by Disgusted Wednesday, May 24, 06 @ 5:58 pm
This administration continues bringing up ideas to solve the Budget problems in the state by coming up with “creative ideas†like selling and leasing pretty much everything in the state.
Well, can me lease or sell the Executive Mansion, since G-Rod is never there?
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, May 25, 06 @ 11:18 am