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* As I told subscribers this morning, the real action yesterday was in the Senate Democratic caucus meeting. That didn’t get covered elsewhere today, but here’s some stuff about the House caucus…
For two hours Tuesday morning, House Democrats met privately to hash out budget issues, a first step in the arduous task of determining how much money the state should spend in the fiscal year that begins July 1, where to spend it and how to pay for it. With less than three weeks left to the General Assembly’s scheduled adjournment, they didn’t sound optimistic.
“We came to no conclusions today. We didn’t even attempt to come to any conclusions,” said House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago. “We will engage in discussions with all of the legislative leaders and with the governor. My purpose . . . is to work to bring people together. I’m not interested in working to divide people.”
* The closer we get to adjournment, the less likely an income/sales/service tax hike looks, but, as always, there’s a lot of time to go (in session terms) so things could change dramatically…
“There’s no burning desire to force a showdown with the governor over income and sales tax increases,” said Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago). “Legislators are more inclined to scale back our wish lists rather than vote for an income tax hike that might also be vetoed anyway.”
* Franks did his usual schtick…
State Rep. Jack Franks, a Woodstock Democrat, skipped Tuesday’s closed-door, Democrats-only budget discussion, saying it’s designed to set the stage for a tax increase and he’s unwilling to participate.
* And the door was opened a bit wider yesterday for a change of heart by Gov. Blagojevich…
[ Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Collinsville), the governor’s chief House ally] also suggested the administration is willing to consider alternatives to its plan.
“Does that have to be $7 billion? Can you use gaming?” Hoffman said. “Can you use other forms of revenue enhancements? I believe you can and the governor has indicated that’s all on the table.”
* Scaling back the gigantic proposals is a major option on the table right now, but first they have to meet before anything can be done…
Against that backdrop is the fact that Blagojevich, Madigan and Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago, have yet to meet face to face to begin discussing the budget. Blagojevich has requested a meeting today. Jones plans to attend, but Madigan hadn’t agreed by Tuesday night.
* Meanwhile, there are growing worries among some that universal health insurance may be in deep peril…
With the governor’s $7.6 billion tax plan falling on skeptical ears in the Illinois Legislature, health care activists are worried that their decades-old dream of universal health care in Illinois — a vision that seemed on the cusp of reality — may be evaporating. […]
Simultaneously, they also hinted at various plans — including sending bus loads of people to Springfield and a TV ad campaign — to convince legislators and the public that the governor’s health care reform is worth implementing, whatever the cost.
The “cost” is always a consideration in politics, and rallies don’t do much good at the Statehouse no matter how many people they bring. This idea has just not caught on yet - either among the populace or the General Assembly - and the governor’s allies don’t have much time left to make their case. That being said, I do think there will be something done on health insurance this spring.
* More tax and spend stories, compiled by Paul…
* Cindy Richards: For Illinois’ sake, lets make a deal on health care
* Lawmakers try to decide on new taxes
* Editorial: Debate over governor’s plan sidetracks transit debate
* Skarr: GRT finds a losing record in House defeat
* Sun-Times Editorial: Stop holding transit hostage
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, May 16, 07 @ 9:41 am
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I’m for single-payer health care, but I’m skeptical of attempts to enact universal health care at the state level.
Health care is expensive. How can Illinois cover everyone without a huge–politically impossible–tax increase?
The feds have the money to enact universal health care. I don’t see the states having the resources to do it.
Comment by Carl Nyberg Wednesday, May 16, 07 @ 9:47 am
BTW, Political Animal (Kevin Drum) has an entry with links to a grunch of documentation that shows that the United States has relatively low quality health care compared to countries that have universal health care.
And at Prairie State Blue Jeff Wegerson posted a graph that shows the United States spends far more on health care than the countries that cover everyone and provide better quality health care.
So if universal health care is cheaper and can be done in a way that increases quality of health care, why don’t we replace our current expensive system that provides low quality care with something better?
Comment by Carl Nyberg Wednesday, May 16, 07 @ 9:52 am
here’s my question: does madigan or the house dems lose anything if there’s no healthcare proposal this year? will it be enough if he gets his electric rates proposal passed? is it that madigan can only do one (major) thing at a time, or that he thinks voters will only appreciate one major thing at a time? it doesn’t really seem like blagojevich or jones have a counter-strategy for what madigan is doing…
Comment by bored now Wednesday, May 16, 07 @ 10:28 am
Apparently, families with minor children and incomes of up to at least 90,000 a year are eligible for almost-free health insurance via Allkids under the present budget. This includes some parents as well. One wonders who, exactly, is left uninsured in Illinois and how poor they are. I suspect the remaining uninsured population is comprised of adult illegal immigrants and of twenty and thirty something citizens who think they are immortal and who would prefer to spend their money on something other than health insurance, even though low-cost, high-deductible policies are certainly available for this population (and for illegals as well).
Should taxpayers have to pay substantially higher taxes in order to pay to forcibly insure this population, many of whom have chosen not to purchase insurance that they can well afford even at current prices.
Before we agree to pay gadzillions more to Blago for universal health insurance in Illinois we need more information on who exactly is both uninsured and ineligible for state supported health insurance and why. When you adjust for those who are eligible but haven’t bothered to apply, you may be left with those who can afford it but don’t want to pay. Many of the latter may live near public hospitals where they can already get free care whether insured or not.
The situation may not be nearly as dire as Blago and other ultraliberal Dems would have us believe. Maybe that’s why legislators aren’t getting that many calls about health insurance or the lack thereof.
Comment by Cassandra Wednesday, May 16, 07 @ 10:45 am
Time for real “BUDGET CUTS”! Not more government as Blago and his minons propose.
It’s your ball Mike!
Comment by Failed Propaganda Wednesday, May 16, 07 @ 11:47 am
YES - Trim the fat of ever expanding State of Illinois Government
Comment by Skydog Wednesday, May 16, 07 @ 12:33 pm
Actually, a March 2007 study for Health and Disability Advocates shows that of the 1.4 million uninsured Illinois adults, 303,656 are ages 19-24, and the rest are between 25 and 64. Every Senate district has at least 10,900 uninsured adults over age 24. 80.8% of all uninsured adults have incomes below 400% of the federal poverty level.
Comment by A. Potter Wednesday, May 16, 07 @ 12:41 pm
Calafornia had the better approach to health care. They started by gathering a summit comprised of various experts to look at the sitution. Tehy came up with some great ideas, such as breaking up the cost of coverage for currently uninsured folks between care providers, buisness and individuals. I also like the idea of putting health clinics in schools to help make sure kids have actual access to care. I wonder if part of the problem here is the perception that there is not an actual solid solution in place; and lack of knowledge of the true details behind such programs. i.e. we are being asked to fund ideas with unknow structures created behind closed doors (perception).
Comment by Ghost Wednesday, May 16, 07 @ 12:44 pm
Since the GRT failed and the guv won’t increase sales or income taxes and his stated alternative is one billion in cuts I’d say they should get to work on the budget cuts. We can call this the Illinois Wins Program. They can still get outta town by the 31st and avoid the overtime costs as well.
Comment by A Citizen Wednesday, May 16, 07 @ 1:28 pm
Rod and Emil are clueless….. tax more, spend more it will never end as long as they are in their power ego trips.
Someday they will gone and Illinois will be better for it.
Comment by Vague Wednesday, May 16, 07 @ 1:30 pm
Bring on the “One Billion In Cuts”.
Comment by Your scaring me Milo Wednesday, May 16, 07 @ 1:32 pm
So, of the 80% of uninsured Illinois adults with incomes below 400 percent of the federal poverty level according to the study above, how many are already eligible for Medicaid or one of the other state-supported programs (Allkids, Allkids parents, etc)but have not applied. Remember, the existing plans are quite generous in terms of income limits. If they are already eligible, they don’t count in terms of a tax increase since I believe the guv claims programs for the currently eligible, enrolled or not, are funded already.
Comment by Cassandra Wednesday, May 16, 07 @ 1:55 pm
The study is based on individuals’ answers to the CPS Census question whether they have health insurance–and it’s probable those 80% are not already eligible under existing programs. There’s a big gap between the parent cutoff for FamilyCare eligibility and 400% of the poverty line. For a family of 3, the fpl is $17,700, and Family Care cuts off at $31,764– (at which income, monthly premiums and co-pays apply). http://www.familycareillinois.com/cost.html
Comment by A. Potter Wednesday, May 16, 07 @ 2:15 pm
If Milo really cut 1 billion, he’d have to unload all his friends who received plum jobs from him.
Milo doesn’t understand the concept of subtraction.
Comment by Tarnished Blue Suede Shoes Wednesday, May 16, 07 @ 3:03 pm
Since we haven’t seen any income bands on the Illinois uninsured, to assume that they are not already eligible is a huge assumption. A large percentage of new enrollees into Allkids were, in fact, already eligible before the expanded eligibility went into effect. Again, we shouldn’t be asked to pay higher taxes for those already eligible for a program that we have been told by the guv and staff is already funded.
I do think one solution which might help without
requiring a substantial tax increase would be legislation to require insurance companies to allow young people to stay on their parents’ insurance until their late twenties, as the guv has suggested. Private insurance is far superior to Medicaid in quality, and many parents might decide to pay any additional premium costs themselves (this is a healthy group, so the increases should be minimal)rather than charge the kids, but in any case the cost to the the taxpayer would likely be lower than giving the adult kids free or almost free Medicaid or Illinois Covered or whatever.
As to illegals–if hundreds of thousands of illegals are included in the multibillion price tag Illinois residents are being asked to take on for Illinois Covered, at least the government should be honest about it. So far, they haven’t been. How many and at what cost?
Comment by Cassandra Wednesday, May 16, 07 @ 3:29 pm
It’s all about “FREE EVERYTHING” for votes.
Give it all away Milo!
Comment by Heads must roll Wednesday, May 16, 07 @ 3:46 pm
It makes sense for us to pay higher taxes to cover 1.4 million uninsured adults, because 1) our insurance premiums and health care costs will go down when hospitals and providers aren’t charging us for their care in padded bills; 2) our premiums and health care costs will go down as more people get preventive care; 3) kids are more likely to get health care and good parenting when their folks are insured and can stay healthy and alive; 4) business and school and government health care costs will go down for the above reasons, relieving pressure on our property taxes and lowering the prices we pay; 5) it is the right thing to do to allow sick people to get early treatment, and to reduce the anxiety uninsured people live with; 6) the leading cause of bankruptcy is medical bills.
The uninsured are present in large numbers in every single legislative district.
Comment by A. Potter Wednesday, May 16, 07 @ 4:21 pm