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* As I’ve written before, a big capital bill could help Gov. Rauner smooth out a whole lot of Statehouse problems. Rauner reiterated his support for an infrastructure bill while at the White House the other day…
He said he also met Thursday with Illinois Republican Ray LaHood, transportation chief during Obama’s first term, and on Friday with current Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and several other key administration officials.
“We have got to find ways to invest in our infrastructure, upgrade our infrastructure and expand it so it’s world class,” Rauner told reporters. “Illinois is the crossroads of America. We’re the heart of the transportation network for the United States. We need to invest in our infrastructure in Illinois.”
He said he and Pritzker talked about ways to improve economic opportunity and achieve more rapid growth. Illinois, he said, was “suffering with low job-creation rates and a difficult economic climate.”
* From my post-election Crain’s column…
Members of the General Assembly, for the most part, love capital bills. Projects help their districts and help boost their own images back home when they cut those ribbons.
The Republican governor-elect will need to heal some of the wounds he inflicted during a very bitter, brutish campaign. He also will need to ease the partisan panic of Democrats, who hold supermajorities in both chambers and have controlled just about every major state institution for the past 12 years. Aside from jobs and contracts, there’s almost no better way to do that than by giving out gifts in the form of fixed roads and bridges, new public buildings, etc.
Mr. Rauner also will face a tricky problem with GOP legislators, who have been shut out of power for so long that they’ve grown accustomed to opposing every budget and bashing almost every major piece of legislation the Democrats propose.
By my count, a grand total of 13 Republican legislators who previously have served under a GOP governor will be members of next year’s Legislature. The 54 other GOP members have no idea what it’s like to vote for unpopular stuff to help their party’s governor cut a deal with the other side.
The legislative tradition is that members of the governor’s party sponsor all budget bills. So, not only will many have to vote yes on a state budget for the first time ever, but some will have to actually sponsor the monsters and accept full responsibility.
Mr. Rauner has implied that after the income tax rate automatically rolls back to 3.75 percent in January, he may want to temporarily jack that rate up closer to the current 5 percent before stepping it back down. If so, that will require Republican sponsors and lots of Republican votes.
Pleas for partisan unity and arm-twisting go only so far with legislators. You must offer them some carrots to go with the big stick. Those capital projects can be parceled out judiciously to grease the squeaky wheels.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Dec 8, 14 @ 2:09 pm
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Where does the funding for a capital bill project come from? And still fully fund the pension?
Comment by Say It Ain't So!! Monday, Dec 8, 14 @ 2:19 pm
It sure would make things easier for him and grease the wheels, but the money simply is not there at this moment. This would not be shaking up Springfield, this would be more of the same.
It was a mistake using newly-freed up funding sources to slip through the $1.1 Billion ==mini-capital== bill in the last days of spring session instead of other pressing needs, and this would be a mistake as well.
Comment by Formerly Known As... Monday, Dec 8, 14 @ 2:23 pm
===Pleas for partisan unity and arm-twisting go only so far with legislators. You must offer them some carrots to go with the big stick.===
The Legislative Liaisons will be making a list, checking it twice, gong to give goodies to all who vote “right”, Bruce Rauner is coming to “twist”…arms.
It’s going to be up to the Press Shop to sell all the Grants and spending as…good.
The 1st six months, LLs & Press Shop, critical.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Dec 8, 14 @ 2:29 pm
Same as it ever was.
Waiting to see those legislators who ran on the message “the state is bankrupt” say “No” when money is coming to their districts.
When does the shaking start?
Comment by walker Monday, Dec 8, 14 @ 2:37 pm
= Where does the funding for a capital bill project come from? And still fully fund the pension? =
Hello, service taxes… to support new capital spending, rather than to patch the enormous budget hole.
Comment by cover Monday, Dec 8, 14 @ 2:38 pm
Politics aside. Capital bills tend to be going or for the economy and the citizens as well. If we hire in state people
Comment by Ghost Monday, Dec 8, 14 @ 2:40 pm
Good old pork funded by more taxes.
There’s your Hammer & Shake.
Comment by too obvious Monday, Dec 8, 14 @ 2:41 pm
The Capital Bill will be very important and it will be used wisely. Money, even borrowed money, is greatly appreciated and soothes a lot of impatience and anger.
Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Dec 8, 14 @ 3:16 pm
Oh, it’s coming. People have got their lists of pork submitted already. It’s going to be a monster too.
Comment by Bobby Hill Monday, Dec 8, 14 @ 3:33 pm
@too obvious 241pm:
I guess, in your mind, its easier and cheaper to settle the lawsuits from bridges and such collapsing, than to repair or replace. Why that would never put people to work.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Dec 8, 14 @ 3:51 pm
Will make the director of Capitol Development a real popular person for sure.
Comment by senior citizen of goverment Monday, Dec 8, 14 @ 3:58 pm
Since my expertise is more on the federal side, I offer a dual explanation:
If the U.S. House and Senate leadership want to broker a deal with President Obama, you will see a HUGE, multi-year federal transportation plan (similar to the SAFETEA-LU from 2005). If that happens, it will have plenty of strings attached and will require states to match certain amounts/levels for certain projects. Governor-elect Rauner would be foolish not to cut deals and work towards a capital plan that pleases the feds.
Also - keep an eye on TFIC and their efforts. If the ILGA can pass a version of TFIC’s blueprint, that would free up capital funds for new projects.
Comment by Team Sleep Monday, Dec 8, 14 @ 4:35 pm
So it sounds as if Rauner will raise some regressive taxes to fund a new capital program, while slashing spending on core programs in the state budget. If Rauner does try to raise the income tax “temporarily,” some Republicans will have to eat crow to vote or it. Most of them signed on to bills to repeal the whole 5% hike soon after it was enacted. If the state could get by with a 3% rate when a big spending Democrat was in power, why can’t 3.75% suffice when a small government Republican is governor?
Comment by anon Monday, Dec 8, 14 @ 4:42 pm
VanillaMan, Rauner has rejected borrowing as a primary tool
Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Dec 8, 14 @ 6:33 pm
If it is from a specific tax generating fund to fiancé a project, fine. for example the gas tax funds roads, bridges etc.
Otherwise, the contractors will just have to suffer. If other capital projects are funded then the politicians will look even more corrupt than many perceive them to be already.
Comment by Federalist Monday, Dec 8, 14 @ 6:58 pm
Say what?
Is it free?
Comment by Wordslinger Monday, Dec 8, 14 @ 8:55 pm