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* 2:10 pm - House Speaker Michael Madigan has canceled tomorrow’s session. The governor’s office responds via press release…

The Governor is disappointed that the Speaker is backing away from his promise to keep House members in Springfield three days a week during this critical period – especially because the Speaker has said he needs to survey his members on options that come up in budget negotiations during leaders meetings. There is a leaders meeting tomorrow, but any feedback from members will have to wait until they return to Springfield.

Our administration continues to want to meet with House members about the budget they passed. They can’t fix the problems with their budget or even send it over to the Senate if they are not in Springfield. Voters pay them to work, so they should be at the capitol finishing the work of the people.

* 3:28 pm - Speaker Madigan’s spokesman, Steve Brown, has responded in comments. Here it is…

Let’s share with all at the same time.

As the Speaker noted last week, the House has passed a budget. Once the electric rate relief issue is resolved the budget can be approved by the Illinois Senate and signed by the Governor.

That budget funds state government for 12 months and leaves an end of year surplus of about $900 million.

The Governor was invited to several legislative caucuses last week and defered. He is expected this week.

If there are any other new ideas I am sure each member of the legislature has a phone.

I think most will agree the rest of the comments are nonsense

Thanx & Keep in Touch

* 3:35 pm - FYI, the leaders meeting is scheduled for noon tomorrow.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 2:09 pm

Comments

They need to be in Springfield! If they are not here, who will the Governor be able to call from his home in Chicago to talk about his ideas with?

Comment by Ghost Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 2:14 pm
“They can’t fix the problems with their budget or even send it over to the Senate if they are not in Springfield. Voters pay them to work, so they should be at the capitol finishing the work of the people.”
Can the Governor’s office really be this stupid? There has to be some plan in place that we are all to small minded to see, right? They cannot be dumb enough to throw a pot/kettle sentence in every press release can they? Maybe they can.

Comment by Marlboro Man Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 2:14 pm
To bad Madigan can’t cancel Blagojevich.

Comment by Master of Puppets Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 2:20 pm
Does the constitution dictate that the House has to solve all budget issues while the senators and governor play?

Comment by Leigh Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 2:22 pm
What’s the point in having all the mushrooms in town in the first place!

Comment by Anon Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 2:26 pm
Rather than acknowledging that I am not spending enough time in Springfield as Governor, I will instead ignore the critisizm and apply it to others. Brilliant! Does he not know how phony this sounds?

Comment by one of the 35 Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 2:29 pm
Well, it seems Hot Rod is learning the HARD WAY about being absent…why should the legislature come to Springfield when the governor won’t?

Comment by Crimefighter Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 2:35 pm
The governor’s office is desperate. Or they’re losing their minds. Or both. They scold Madigan for canceling a session day when Emil can’t bother to schedule more than one session day at a time and Rod can’t bear to spend more than three hours at a time at the Capitol? Get serious.

Comment by DeepFriedOnAStick Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 2:37 pm
It’s nice to see that the Governor’s office has toned down the rhetoric and is now working in a cooperative manner with all parties to bring this overtime session to an early conclusion.

If they keep up this conciliatory approach, I’m sure the legislature will be out of here by the end of June…2008

Comment by Old Elephant Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 2:39 pm
I was scanning through my AM stations this afternoon and I came across Rush Limbaugh (bleck!). He mentioned something about how compromise and bi-partisanship are bad things. Isn’t that the same ‘tude that Blago and his staff employ? It makes no sense for all of the house members to be in Springfield if there is no official overtime or special session. Have MJM, Currie, Hannig, Cross and the House GOP budget guru sit down across the table from Blago, Nix and whomever else is asked to come.

Comment by Team Sleep Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 2:40 pm
You know its bad when even Rich and Paul are taking time off. I even took a half day. Why not? No one else is working. Maybe in July….

Comment by friday Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 2:55 pm
I spent all morning trying to figure out the hidden meanings in the Soprano’s finale. I get to spend all afternoon figuring out the hidden meaning in this statement. Who said Mondays weren’t fun?

Comment by jwscott72 Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 3:01 pm
He guess what y’all… Madigan had to call off this weeks’ party cause a bunch of them just went down to Puerto Rico. At taxpayer expense no less, to discuss the “issues” with mobsters, er, legislators from other states. I heard Emil is down there too. I Kid you NOT!

Comment by The Seer Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 3:08 pm
Let’s share with all at the same time.
As the Speaker noted last week, the House has passed a budget. Once the electric rate relief issue is resolved the budget can be approved by the Illinois Senate and signed by the Governor.
That budget funds state government for 12 months and leaves an end of year surplus of about $900 million.
The Governor was invited to several legislative caucuses last week and defered. He is expected this week.
If there are any other new ideas I am sure each member of the legislature has a phone.
I think most will agree the rest of the comments are nonsense
Thanx & Keep in Touch

Comment by Steve Brown Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 3:22 pm
I can confirm that the person above is actually Steve Brown, Madigan’s spokesman.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 3:25 pm
Us state workers didn’t get a day off…

Comment by Crimefighter Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 3:26 pm
I can confirm that I actually talked with Rich.
He sounds sober and not on the boat — what a waste of a great day

Comment by Steve Brown Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 3:27 pm
Was not Emil Jones and the Senate off until Thursday due to their Carribbean vacation(i mean conference).
Jones and Blago need to follow the Speaker’s lead. The house has done something. That’s more than what the Blago and Jones has done.

Comment by traveling man Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 3:38 pm
I’m fine with the House budget but a little concerned that its passage will require constant ongoing taxpayer vigilance as Emil and the guv start trying to raise taxes in various types of supplemental legislator sessions or whatever they are called in the jargon.

Comment by Cassandra Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 3:45 pm
Brown: Multiple news outlets reported last week that Speaker Madigan acknowledged in comments that the House-approved budget is in fact out of balance by $600 million or so. Were those reports false?

Comment by DeepFriedOnAStick Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 3:50 pm
Seems to me the gov needs a reallity check into the boards. He spends most of the time in chi-town training for some marathon when the real work is south of the Kennedy expressway. Perhaps the 25-30 somthings on 2 1/2 need s a reallity cross check too. This pie in the sky budget plan the G wants is rediculous without a TAX increase. looks like the Mother of all battles is just a mother……. Get to work Milorod

Comment by The Cardinal Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 3:54 pm
“No man’s life, liberty or property are safe so long as the legislature is in session”

Mark Twain

Comment by Dozer Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 3:58 pm
sadly tusk and monk are gone and the governor is being misled by some junior staffer who apparently thinks there really has to be a budget which is passed by the legislature and signed by the governor—how old school—what happened to just saying it is so— all the gov needs to do is say there is a budget—and a utility bill and a gaming bill and a free health plan and a wonderful fuzzy kitten for everyone and it will be so—and then we can all jog in our neighborhood in the afternoon and never show up at the office

Comment by publius Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 4:00 pm
The Governor has taken time from his intense budget planning to inform ILnoyans:
“Illinois hosted a record 71.8 million leisure visitors in 2006, up 9 percent from the previous year due in part to stepped-up tourism marketing efforts, state officials said today.

The State and all of our partners are doing a tremendous job promoting Illinois to people across the state, the country and throughout the world,” Gov. Rod Blagojevich said. “Tourism is thriving today as people have taken notice of all the diverse attractions we have to offer.”

Comment by GettingJonesed Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 4:00 pm
Stick:
How about Mr. Brown? Sounds more civil
As I said the end of year surplus is down to about $900+ million ( this year it will be about $1.1 billion) The $600 million is the nonsense from the 16/2/ or whatever floor they use in Ravensewood

Comment by Steve Brown Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 4:03 pm
Didn’t speaker madigan actually say in a news story last week that his budget had a deficit? How can it have a deficit, but still have a surplus? Well, it can’t. Maybe some wires got crossed over in the speaker’s office…

Comment by demgrrl Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 4:10 pm
demgrrl, are you Sheila Nix?

Comment by Leigh Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 4:14 pm
Leigh, you should try being a bit more original than that, but I can already tell that’s probably not your strong suit.

Comment by demgrrl Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 4:18 pm
I seem to remember that there was something in law that one chamber cannot be in session without the other chamber by more than a couple days. If the Senate isn’t in this week until Thursday, then the House can’t legally be in session until Wednesday. Am I crazy or does anyone else remember this?

Comment by Former Staffer Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 4:43 pm
Balanced budget is really a misnomer anyway. The whole thing starts by folks making guessses/estimates about how much money will come in from exisitng sources, and how much will be raised by new revenue ideas. They then spend the estimaed revenue. If the number made up fro revenue (estimate) equals what they want to spend, we call that a balanced budget. But if we do not take in the money they estimate, then the balanced part quickly falls away. I would be interested in some news outlet comparing the Governors prior revenue estimates with what we actully took in. i.e. are our budget guessers good or bad, are the off on the high side or the low side. After all, if we get the revenue income guess wrong, the fact that we make it equall our outgo does us no good.

Comment by Ghost Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 4:48 pm
Former Staffer: It’s Article 4, Section 15 of the Constitution. “…neither house without the consent of the other shall adjourn for more than three days…”

Comment by Old Elephant Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 4:54 pm
Thats right demgrrl, I am just one of those whack job republicans who is totally embarrassed that our state is being controlled by a bunch of spoiled brat democrats who can’t get along. Not original by a long shot just completely disgusted.

Comment by Leigh Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 4:56 pm
Demgrrl makes a good point. I remember the speaker saying that the house passed budget was $600 million out of balance. What gives, Mr. Brown?

As for those frustrated by the overtime and the clash of egos, I prefer to be in overtime debating important issues like education and health care. The process may not be pretty, but democrats care about the right things.

Comment by Buck Naked Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 5:04 pm
drmgrrl - Is the gov in Springfield today and working in his office? Is he going to be in Springfield all week, working? Or are you all alone in there holding the fort down?

Comment by A Citizen Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 5:11 pm
cat fight

Comment by nino Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 5:11 pm
If there’s a 900 million dollar surplus in the proposed budget, and something like the RTA needs 226 million of a 27 billion dollar budget (.008 percent…) What’s the big deal with using that money for the RTA? Providing utility rate relief? Does Madigan’s budget include these things?

Comment by michael_k Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 5:11 pm
I gotta give this one to the guv’s press spokesperson over Madigan’s.

At least Ms. Nix knows how to spell ‘thanks’.

Comment by The 'Broken Heart' of Rogers Park Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 5:15 pm
I’m just wondering…where’s the governor’s disdain for the Senate for not even meeting two days this week while having hyperbolic pique to bitch that the House cancels one of three days…come on you guys, we just aren’t that stupid.

Comment by Commonsense in Illinois Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 5:16 pm
C’mon, people, leave Demgrrl alone. She’s not Sheila Nix. Respond to her posts, not her identity.

Also, to Michael-K, the “surplus” is used to pay off bills that come due after the fiscal year expires.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 5:18 pm
“Mr. Brown”

Deep Fried and Demgrrl are correct. Madigan definitely indicated that the house approved expenditures were over estimated revenue. (Help us out, Rich. Wasn’t that the whole point of your “come up with a billion in cuts” question last Tuesday?)

Have revenue estimates been revised upwards, as Ghost suggests. Do revenue estimates need to be in the appropriation bill? Where does the revenue number come from that is used in determining constitutionality?

(By the way, I think Madigan has been the most reasonable in the whole process so far.)

We just don’t need more spin.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 5:19 pm
The HDems do, indeed, admit that there is at least a $600 million “hole” in the budget, but they say the guv can get around that by laying off more state workers, delaying Medicaid payments to providers, etc.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 5:22 pm
My personal favorite story over the weekend — not that this has all that much to do with what we’re talking about — was that the developers of this new “Branson” were ordered by the Gov’s office (well, DCEO) not to divulge any information about the project until the Gov could make a major announcement.

Trading away state park land…bringing hundreds of construction and fulltime jobs…but don’t say anything, because we want to get the credit for it.

They ALMOST got away with it, too. Nosy reporters and loud legislators, how dare they.

Comment by So Ill Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 5:25 pm
[…] The paralyzed amusement park ride known as state government in Illinois continues to leave citizens hanging upside down without a state budget. The Democratic in-fighting continues at Capitol Fax, with chronic truant Governor Rod Blagojevich, from his special tax break hideout in Chicago, continuing to implore legislators to get to work in Springfield. […]

Pingback by Reverse Spin » Stuck in Springfield Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 5:37 pm
we’ve been nixxed!

so nix recently wags her finger at the house dems and tells the speaker how often his chamber needs to meet.

emil cancels session days in the senate so his members (and maybe himself, too?) can LEAVE THE COUNTRY for a few days despite the budget stalemate.

yet nix & co. have the chutzpah to scold the speaker even though he’s the one who passed a budget (+/-$600m or not).

and they have the chutzpah to scold the speaker even though he’s not the legislative leader to have altered his chamber’s calendar so a few of his members can take a little vacation.

doesn’t nix get it? comments like what the guv’s office put out today don’t do anything to move us towards any budget solution. in fact, it moves the leaders further away. there is NO LEADERSHIP IN THE GUV’S OFFICE.

maybe we should bring in dr. phil to deal with our dysfunctional governor and staff.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 6:01 pm
Anon @ 6:01: “emil cancels session days in the senate so his members (and maybe himself, too?) can LEAVE THE COUNTRY for a few days despite the budget stalemate.”

I would just like to point out that if you visit Puerto Rico, you are not “leaving the country,” as you’re merely visiting a United States commonwealth.

Comment by Kiyoshi Martinez Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 6:18 pm
Brown,
As you well know, the speaker’s budget is not balanced and is based upon faulty revenue projections as well understated expenses. The speaker himself said that a tax increase is needed. Was he lying? Or was he just playing the usual posturing games. While you are here maybe you won’t mind a couple more questions.
What is with these “surveys” of legislators. Everybody knows that the speaker does whatever he wants and then makes the house dems vote his way. Does he tell them what to write on the surveys or does he let them asnwer however they want and then just ignore them?
Don’t you find it somewhat unethical to accept “pr” contracts to lobby legislators while acting as the speaker’s “spokesman”?
You are doing a great job, Brownie!

Comment by Bill Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 6:30 pm
Kiyoshi Martinez - Heck, we all know it’s just one of the collar counties, right?

Comment by A Citizen Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 6:30 pm
Whether or not the Speaker’s budget is balanced is fully up to the Governor who would ultimately execute that spending plan. The numbers in the state budget represent spending caps approved by the legislature. It means the Governor can’t spend more than that, but he could spend less.

What Madigan is saying is “Here is a budget, Governor. Now manage it.” If the Governor spends every dollar that is appropriated in that budget, he’ll be deficit spending by some amount. But if he actually shows some discipline, and manages within that budget, he’ll be fine. As the Governor, he has a lot of powers that he could take to unilaterally to reduce spending. But he doesn’t want to manage. He wants to spend more.

Brown is right, guys. Lay off. This overtime is about the desire of two people to spend a ton of your money. I’m glad somebody is telling them to get lost.

Comment by Truth Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 6:54 pm
Trurh,
This overtime is about one of the stooges trying to make the other two look bad.

Comment by Bill Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 6:59 pm
Rod Blagojevich criticizing anyone for not being in Springfield to do their jobs is about as phony as Rush Limbaugh criticizing someone for drug addiction.

Not only that, it’s the dumbest p.r. strategy. The last thing Rod Blagojevich needs is stories about work ethic. Rod’s lack of one is notorious, and Madigan has more work ethic in his little toe than Rod Blagojevich has ever demonstrated in his life.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 7:09 pm
Mr. HB750 has now chimed in.
Never mind.

Comment by Bill Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 7:15 pm
Bill, theses guys make themselves look bad all on their own - that the pitch in to help each other look worse is just pure comedy.

Comment by A Citizen Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 7:18 pm
A,
You are absolutely right. At least I don’t have to drive to the patch tonight.

Comment by Bill Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 7:21 pm
So Bill doesn’t “have to drive to the patch tonight,” eh? A clue to his real identity, perhaps?

Comment by 'Lainer Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 7:31 pm
Overtime is about Rod’s grand plans for spending a bunch of our money, his inability to understand the people don’t want that, and his buddy’s desire to keep his family members cashing huge state paychecks. That’s the truth.

Comment by Truth Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 7:33 pm
While Madigan may be the better strategist, the budget passed by the House is really really really bad. Unfortunately, crafting a budget, even a maintenance budget, is not the House Dem’s forte. It’s somewhere around $1.1 Billion short of a maintenance budget. It doesn’t fund the negotiated union contract, leaves Medicaid bills to stack up, and short-funds secondary and higher education. And yet despite its many faults, it’s the only viable game in town.

It didn’t have to be like this.

Comment by A Painful Prediction Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 7:34 pm
Why is it that when the buffoons at the Capitol and their egotistical leader can’t agree on the budget, the rank and file state workers take another hit. If they lay off any more, this state will come to a grinding halt. They can’t pay bills, can’t send out information to clients or providers, can’t keep buildings clean or cooled, and can’t keep the computers running, because as it stands at the moment, most of them are doing the work of two and sometimes three people. All of this while the legislators stay home and the illustrious Mr. Jones and his cohorts take a trip to Puerto Rico on the taxpayer’s dime. And to add insult to injury, AFSCME will probably have to retain an attorney to get the pay raises signed off on in the last contract. Negotiations and contracts with this bunch aren’t worth the paper they’re written on. The leaders of this state can’t be trusted and would be perfectly typecast if “The Sopranos” ever becomes a movie. A pox on all their houses.

Comment by Disgusted Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 7:40 pm
Who elected these guys…exactly…anybody got a list?

Comment by headsupchicagoland Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 8:14 pm
“Who elected these guys…exactly…anybody got a list?”

Start with the Cook County cemeteries…vote early and vote often!

Comment by NimROD Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 8:27 pm
I thought the guv was going to give 7 percent raises to MC employees this year. Perhaps they already have received them. After all, many are patronage employees, hired because of their political ties or contributions to Blago and pals.
It’s important to keep your political supporters happy, especially when you probably plan to run again in 2010.

Unfortunately, this raises the ante for AFSCME which will no doubt demand 7 percent annual raises for unionized employees so they can keep up with the hacks.

State employees, unionized or no, legislator or civil servant, are completely insulated (courtesy of our taxes) from the economic pressures of middle class life in Illinois. Free health care, free pensions, ironclad job security…they are a little Sweden right in the middle of Illionois.

Comment by Cassandra Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 8:55 pm
hey Bill,

Answer this question, whats up with Rod re-nigging on alot of promises he made? Don’t you think that has something to do with this budget fiasco? Funny to see why alot of former staffers (including campaign staff) have jumped ship to other constitutional officers b/c of the inability to trust Blago. Whatever BS you answer with just keep in mind, we all know your tendencies to distort the facts.

Comment by Osunlade Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 9:07 pm
You know, just when you think that Blago can’t get any weirder or more stupid…I truly think he is insane. I always have. Remember when he first got elected and came out with guns blazing against the legislators (the drunken sailors)? Then it was his father-in-law and landfills. Since then, he has fallen flat on his face every time. Not to mention the investigations…and Elvis! I have been watching the Legislature for 30 years. No one has acted like this village idiot. Impeach the fool! Picking fights with Madigan….certifiable.

Comment by State of Farce Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 9:16 pm
When they start serving fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches in the Rathskeller and the blind guy under the stairwell pushes quaaludes we’ll know he’s in town. Elvis, that is.

Comment by A Citizen Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 9:30 pm
Rich, I’m sorry that you’ve had to take up a part-time job of coming to my defense. I always welcome a good, honest debate, and there are plenty out there on your blog willing to do so even if I don’t agree with most of them. And, if folks think I’m sheila nix, that’s fine by me. She’s a very decent person.

And, your point about the speaker’s comments that the gov can lay off folks and increase medicaid payments to make up for his $600 million-plus deficit (which he did indeed make) will never fly in his caucus. They spent half the time beating up the gov during his three-hour marathon with them for medicaid payments being too far overdue and not having enough docs in the program — which happens to be totally untrue since the payment cycle is 70 days or so less today than it was four years ago, and the governor’s budget would bring it down to 30 days. With that said, the madigan budget could add another 30 days to the payment cycle and wouldn’t provide rate increases to docs. I don’t think the house dem caucus had any idea what they were voting for when they passed madigan’s budget, but when they find out I’m sure they’ll have a lot of questions for their speaker.

Comment by demgrrl Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 9:36 pm
Fair is fair. If the Governor’s press assistant can be a Deputy Governor, then Brown can be a Deputy Speaker. Congrats Mr. Deputy Speaker.

Comment by anon Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 9:40 pm
With “his” budget the pmt cycle would be 30 days? Geez, with 6 or 7 BILLION dollars they should be paid 6 months plus in advance! The gov’s attempted money grab is outrageous and unaffordable. NO growth is the responsible budget.

Comment by A Citizen Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 9:42 pm
A Citizen,

Are you saying that the governor’s budget would provide another 6 or 7 billion for health care? You would be horribly mistaken if that’s the case.

Comment by demgrrl Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 9:46 pm
I’ve had enough of Cassandra’s inane comments. Last month my “free” state insurance cost me $178.00. My “free” pension cost me $276.28.

And job security? Tell that to the thousands of state employees who have been laid off since the current regime took power.

Enough said…

Comment by Fed up State Employee Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 9:50 pm
drmgrrl - Are you saying the gov’s health care budget is just for medicaid pmts? You parse to finely - and then gloss over grossly. Your arguments become specious.

Comment by A Citizen Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 9:53 pm
Fed up,

there have not been thousands of employees laid off since this admin took office. Totally false. Maybe a couple hundreds, tops. However, I think you’re totally in the right to be fed up over your rising health care costs. If we provide health care to the uninsured, your costs will stop skyrocketing year after year.

Comment by demgrrl Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 9:58 pm
A,

please stop using big words. I’m getting to close to my bedtime to think.

No, that’s not what I said nor what I mean. the gov’s medicaid budget includes a reduction in the payment cycle of 30 days. it also includes a lot of other good things, including rate increases to hospitals and docs. These are on top of the Illinois Covered proposal.

Comment by demgrrl Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 10:02 pm
dmgrrl - …If we provide health care to the uninsured, your costs will stop skyrocketing year after year…. - If we provide? Then costs would be zero to the individual. Except they would pay through the nose in increased costs for everything the increased taxes are squeezed out of as well as direct taxes. The citizens will NOT be getting something (health ins. etc.) for nothing! You don’t have enough wool to cover everyones’ eyes. Really, they are not that stupid.

Comment by A Citizen Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 10:05 pm
dmgrrl, that headache is coming from a bad case of cognitive dissonance - come over to the light side while you still can. You’re too caring for the dark side. Night, night.

Comment by A Citizen Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 10:09 pm
Can someone please share the answer with me. Will illegals be covered under the “health insurance for all?” Are we currently supporting illegals through allkids? I have heard that the majority of kids in allkids are illegals, but tend not to believe the right wing any more than the left.

Comment by Leigh Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 10:11 pm
A,

again, I let facts, rather than irrational statements, make my case. Illinois Covered is not for free. It’s based on income. Bills for the uninsured get passed on to those of us that have our own insurance. That’s why premiums skyrocket year after year for everyone.

I’m not sure how people will pay through the nose in increased costs for everything the increased taxes are squeezed out of as well as direct taxes…wait. What the heck are you getting at? Again, it’s past my bedtime so I may be a bit slow right now.

Comment by demgrrl Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 10:13 pm
Illegals?? Of course. I’m holding out for coverage for my beagles! It’s all free courtesy of those mean big bad corporate boogeymen. Te Blagster said so!

Comment by A Citizen Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 10:15 pm
Leigh,

From what I’ve been told the majority of kids in all kids are not “illegal” (god forbid we should give children health care — it’s not as if they had a choice in coming here) and “illegals” are not covered in IL Covered.

Comment by demgrrl Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 10:19 pm
drmgrrl - past my bedtime - Bill, where’d you find this lady - she’s NO party girl! Never make it in Springfield. The real business is done at night, not in chambers.

Comment by A Citizen Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 10:19 pm
A,

I’m saving up my strength for the week. Good night!

Comment by demgrrl Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 10:27 pm
To Cassandra- MC employees are not getting 7 percent. The typical raise (Blago’s plan is on a calendar year basis so is about half done) gives almost everyone between 1.5 and 2.5 percent. Eligibility for “bonuses” was severely limited in most departments per CMS order, so please, please, limit your comments to something closer to the truth.

Comment by Peoria Pete Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 10:42 pm
Pete
A fellow employee (MC) told me he had just had his review before the plan was implemented. Said he was told he wouldn’t be eligible for his raise for another year.

Comment by Fed Up State Employee Monday, Jun 11, 07 @ 11:14 pm
Cassandra, don’t forget about payless paydays… some of the longtime people in my office (legislative branch) have gone through one or two of them. It’s relatively rare, but it does sometimes happen during end-of-fiscal-year budget crunches, often enough that people are starting to worry about it. Our healthcare isn’t “free” either. Maybe more affordable than a lot of private companies offer, but by no means “free.”

Comment by Lainer Tuesday, Jun 12, 07 @ 6:04 am
The Democrats fiddle while the State burns.

Comment by The Conservative Tuesday, Jun 12, 07 @ 6:37 am
To all Merit Comp employees - wake up, we are getting screwed. This Governor hates our guts and shows his contempt by not giving us the compensation that we merit. For those who think AFSCME isn’t a viable option to protect your rights - get your head out of the sand. SIEU is the Gov’s “union.” They have nothing to offer.

Comment by Wake Up Tuesday, Jun 12, 07 @ 7:06 am
I know I’m worried about the next fiscal year, if the budget doesn’t include an increase for more staff. Where I’m at we’re working with 25% overtime a pay period. Makes no sense, paying that much money out when we should hav hired staff at regular pay to fill positions. Mandation every day for everyone every shift. People want to see their kids, don’t want to get sick because of working so much. Ridiculous. It’s everywhere you go in the state.

Bad enough now that even I’m looking for another job. And I swore I’d never do it.

People in charge don’t know what they’re doing and how it’s affecting the people doing the work or the people we care for. Maybe someday a legislator will look at one of these posts and get a clue. Probably not.

Comment by Tessa Tuesday, Jun 12, 07 @ 7:32 am
I was actually dumbfounded to see on this blog (Not in the newspapers) that a component of Madigan’s so-called budget is to simply ignore the State’s commitment to fund public employee pensions….Again!! With underfunded pensions being one of the most dangerous of Illinois’ many fiscal situations it is inexplicable that the House democrats could again be this irresponsible. I have seen absolutely no one from either legislative branch or either party say one word about this. Unbelievable. Is there no responsible person left among Illinois’ elected officials??

Comment by Skirmisher Tuesday, Jun 12, 07 @ 10:23 am