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Fresh veto thread

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Illinois

It’s time to open a new thread. I’m cutting and pasting as I go through the budget. I wasn’t able to do so earlier because I was working on my Sun-Times column and was having big trouble writing it.

The key to understanding the following is the first number listed is the amount appropriated by the General Assembly. The second number, which is in bold, is the reduced amount approved by the governor. Add your own in comments. I’ll be adding to this as I go along, so refresh your page every now and then…

* TEACHING AND LEARNING SERVICES FOR ALL CHILDREN - For Personal Services - 5,241,200 5,035,500

* Supplemental Payments to School Districts, For Fast Growth Schools as per 18-8.10 of the School Code……… 15,000,000 7,500,000

* For Parental Guardian Programs/ Transportation Reimbursement……… 29,454,700 11,954,700

* For the School Safety and Educational Improvement Block Grant…….. 84,941,000 74,841,000

* Section 62. The sum of $4,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois State Board of Education for costs associated with the Re-Enrollment Student Program of the Alternative Schools Network. 1,000,000

* Section 55. The sum of $1,500,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the Board of Higher Education for competitive grants for nursing schools to increase the number of graduating
nurses. 1,000,000

* Section 95. The sum of $500,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois Board of Higher Education for grants to the Illinois Education Foundation. 250,000

* from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois Community College Board for distribution to qualifying public community colleges for the purposes specified: Base Operating Grants…………. 204,818,000 197,818,000

* For college savings bond grants to students who are eligible to receive such awards… 650,000 325,000

* ordinary and contingent expenses of the Legislative Information System: For Personal Services……….2,504,800 2,289,000

* ordinary and contingent expenses of the Legislative Research Unit: For Contractual Services…. 689,900 626,500 Legislative Staff Intern program, including stipends, tuition, and administration for 20 persons…… 581,400 564,500

* ordinary and contingent expenses of the Legislative Reference Bureau: For Personal Services…… 1,845,900 1,772,400

* ordinary and contingent expenses of the Office of the Architect of the Capitol: For Contractual Services……….. 1,101,600 1,010,900

* ordinary andcontingent expenses of the Office of the Auditor General: For Personal Services: For Regular Positions…5,000,000 4,500,000 For Contractual Services… 1,064,200 736,200 For Electronic Data Processing…. 120,000 90,000

* The sum of $5,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the Office of the Attorney General for disbursement to the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation in accordance with the terms of Section 25 of the Illinois Equal Justice Act 3,500,000

* For Personal Services: Official Court Reporting…………………..38,017,200 36,217,900

* State Board of Elections for its ordinary and contingent expenses as follows: ElectionsFor Personal Services……1,542,400 1,422,300 Campaign Disclosure For Personal Services……….. 713,700 692,400 Information Technology For Personal Services………553,300 411,900

* for ordinary and contingent expenses of the Circuit Court: For Probation Reimbursements…. 62,454,600 60,052,500 Judicial Conference and Supreme Court Committees…… 1,158,700 729,500

* OOF… Illinois Arts Council For Grants and Financial Assistance for Arts Organizations…. 8,041,000 4,705,900 For Grants and Financial Assistance for Special Constituencies….2,868,200 1,813,500 For Grants and Financial Assistance for International Grant Awards……1,000,000 719,000 For Grants and Financial Assistance for Arts Education…… 1,711,400 1,116,900

The sum of $992,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois Arts Council for the purpose of funding administrative and grant expenses associated with humanities programs and related activities. 713,200

The amount of $377,100, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois Arts Council for grants to certain public radio and television stations for operating costs. 271,100

he amount of $4,860,600, or so much thereof as may be necessary is appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the Illinois Arts Council for grants to certain public radio and television stations and related administrative expenses, pursuant to the Public Radio and Television Grant Act. 3,494,800

* Department of CentralManagement Services: BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM For Personal Services…… 740,100 540,780 For Contractual Services……… 301,000 54,200

* Central Management Services: BUREAU OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT For Contractual Services……. 17,439,200 13,439,200

* For Grants, Contracts and Administrative Expenses of the Employer Training Investment Program……..17,492,600 12,492,600

* For grants, contracts, and administrative expenses associated with the Bureau of Homeland Security Market Development………3,581,500 1,581,500

* For a grant associated with the Brainerd Development Corp.. 460,000 200,000

* WOW… The sum of $3,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the Historic Preservation Agency for a grant to the llinois Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission for expenses and activities related to promoting knowledge and understanding of the life and times of Abraham Lincoln and observances commemorating Abraham Lincoln’s birthday on February 12, 2009. 500,000

* The sum of $3,124,300, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Natural Resources for costs and 3
expenses related to or in support of an environment and economic development shared services center. 2,968,100

* Department of Natural Resources: OFFICE OF RESOURCE CONSERVATION For Contractual Services: Payable from General Revenue Fund… 600,500 400,500 OFFICE OF LAND MANAGEMENT AND EDUCATION For Personal Services: …………15,249,100 14,524,100

* For Multiple Use Facilities and Programs for conservation purposes provided by the Department of Natural Resources, including construction and development, all costs for supplies, material labor, land acquisition, services, studies and all other expenses required to comply with the intent of this appropriation…. 805,200 0

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 3:52 pm

Comments

This is why you make the Big Bucks, Rich. The private sector functions well. The state would need a couple hunnerd employees to do what you accomplish.

Comment by A Citizen Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 3:57 pm
None of these cuts seem TOO outrageous. They are STILL getting a good chunk of change. As well they should…

Comment by El Salsa Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 4:06 pm
Moderate Repub - PLEASE share your Excel sheet with every county GOP chairman and any and all GOP politicians. Thank God someone is keeping track of all of Blago’s lies.

Comment by Just My Opinion Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 4:07 pm
El Salsa - none of the cuts or reductions are “outrageous” by themselves true. What’s outrageous is the Governor’s hypocrisy.

He has cut funding for programs that he championed and claimed were essential just one year before. He blasted this budget as unbalanced and “right wing Republican” when it is practically the same budget he campaigned on on year ago. He cut certain “pork” projects but let others stay - not based on their merits or alignment with state priorities as he claims - but based on petty pissing matches. The governor claims to have testicular virility, I think he is acting like a man with a genetalia-Napolean complex.

Comment by Napoleon has left the building Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 4:13 pm
I mean Napoleon, apologies for mis-spelling my own name.

Comment by Napoleon has left the building Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 4:14 pm
never a good idea to wack the Auditor General, the Attorney General, the Legislative Research Unit and on and on. I wonder if he had the chance would he try and cut Patrick Fitzgerald’s budget.

Comment by 69 Mets Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 4:30 pm
Gov apparently doesn’t like the arts, wonder why?

Comment by 69 Mets Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 4:34 pm
Napolean, I see your point. However, all because you cut the level of funding that the house recomended does not mean you dont support the program. The Governor is still showing his support by giving them a large amount of money in most cases.

The pork projects is pure political reality. The House Dems felt that Blago was irrelevent, but it turns out that was not the case. Those that stood with the Governor on the budget will get much, much more I am sure. More than the 650k buyout that Madigan offered to his members. Boy they are a cheap vote!

Comment by El Salsa Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 4:36 pm
The Governor is quoted in the press release as saying, “A budget should reflect the priorities of the people who elected us to make their lives better.” By making such drastic changes and additions, he’s almost totally assumed the powers of the Legislative Branch. At the very least both houses should override on principle.

Comment by It's Broken Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 4:36 pm
I agree with It’s Broken. And the sad thing is MOST people (voters) don’t even know it.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 4:39 pm
Doesn’t this play into Madigan’s hands? Every cut has a constituency and each constituency will scream. It will unite a very diverse group in opposition of an arbitrary decision to take their money and spend it on a non legislative program: the Governor’s obsession with a non starter health plan. Beyond all the adjectives used over the last six weeks we might add one: dangerous. A dangerous and unprecedented misuse of power by a Governor.

Comment by Walter Sobchak Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 4:43 pm
Fritchey’s stuff was essentially all spared because he was smart enough to put it into his local schools, schools that happen to be located around the Governor’s house.

Wonder how the other JCAR members fared…

Comment by To silentk Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 4:55 pm
Walter, your point may be relevant if the governor gave in to these groups. Since many stood by and did nothing while he tried to pass GRT and health care, I dont expect that he will pay them much mind. The time has come for people to wake up and get behind the governor.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 4:55 pm
we got a responsible budget based on natural revenue growth with limited pork. Sounds a lot like what the Speaker said he wanted in JANUARY.

Now if we could only fund mass transit, we’d be good to go.

Comment by So in the end... Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 4:58 pm
Does this budget include the electric rate relief

Comment by Wondering Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 4:59 pm
well said so in the end.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 5:03 pm
Who is getting juiced with all this money being thrown at “Abraham Lincoln”?

Between that crazy museum (how much did THAT cost?) and these $3 million parties, someone, somewhere is getting funneled quick a bit of money.

Comment by Leroy Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 5:04 pm
Anon: I agree with you 100%. In fact I would get way, way behind him, so far he couldn’t see me to screw me over. I see no real hammering in the above except perhaps he hates Lincoln. You know, a man of great wisdom, integrity, leadership. He spends his time and energy getting even instead of leading. Too bad, so sad!

Comment by Justice Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 5:07 pm
A quick review shows that Blagojevich cut the following amounts totaling nearly $330,000 from Williamson County alone, home of state Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion:
- $25,000 for a new roof on the Marion Senior Citizens Center.
- $63,40 to Williamson County for community development projects.
- $30,000 to REDCO for a “ground leveling project” - likely clearing some of the abandoned mine lands in the REDCO Industrial Park so they would be available for industry.
- $50,000 to Herrin for purchase of equipment and drainage improvements.
- $80,000 to Marion for community development projects.
- $35,000 to Carterville for equipment.
- $25,000 to Johnston City for expansion of their City Hall.
- $20,000 to the Williamson County Program on Aging for the Meals on Wheels program.

Comment by Down in Egypt Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 5:22 pm
http://www.state.il.us/agency/iac/

Illinois Arts Council
Shirley R. Madigan, Chairman

According to Rich’s numbers, that’s a cut of over $7 million, or 35% of her budget…

Comment by Scorekeeper Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 5:33 pm
It looks like Steve Brown somewhat underestimated the governor’s staff.

Comment by Balance Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 5:45 pm
Senator Jones and retirement.

Your retirement benefit is based on your salary and credited service on your last day of service using the following formula:

3.0% for the first 4 years of service
3.5% for the next 2 years of service
4.0% for the next 2 years of service
4.5% for the next 4 years of service
5.0% for each year after 12 years

Accruals

The 3% increase also accrues each January 1st for GARS members who remain in service after age 55 with 20 years of credited service. These increases are payable on January 1 or July 1 following the first full year of retirement at age 60.

Example:

Using the table above, a member retires at age 60 in December 2001 with 25 years of credited service. On January 1, 2003, the member would receive a pension increase of 18%.

Click here http://www.state.il.us/srs/SERS/reciprocal_sers.htm to see the list of systems that participate in the Retirement Systems’ Reciprocal Act

Comment by MIDSTATE Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 5:46 pm
Physically, where is the budget bill now? In the House? When will they “hear” the bill and vote on the vetoes? Should be good audio.

Comment by A Citizen Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 5:53 pm
More cuts ($212,500) in the 117th District (Bradley’s) from Franklin County, one of the strongest Democratic counties in the state:
- $120,000 to Franklin County for community development projects.
- $30,000 to Benton for community development projects.
- $37,500 to West Frankfort for community development projects.
- $25,000 to Christopher for purchase of a mill machine.

Comment by Down in Egypt Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 5:53 pm
To those who claim that blago is relative, he is made relative only because his only supporter will not permit a veto override.

Comment by Huh? Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 5:58 pm
To A Citizen in the first comment in the thread.

As noted Rich makes the big bucks and we need to close the corporate loopholes that he takes advantage of. LOL.

Comment by Balance Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 6:42 pm
I think we should just get him a big fat historic preservation grant. He memorializes the strange stuff that goes on in state gov’t. And then somehow makes sense of it all. I’m thinking 15 or 20 million.

Comment by A Citizen Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 6:47 pm
JCAR’s budget itself got trimmed by about $38,000 or 3 percent. Not huge or catastrophic, but definitely rare.

Comment by Lainer Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 7:29 pm
Also, anyone know (or care to speculate) what his beef is with DNR?

Comment by Lainer Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 7:58 pm
govs carbon footprint is just huge, what with his charter taxpayer paid flights back and forth between Chicago and Springfield on almost a daily basis. DNR just deplores such wasteful behavior gov or not, it’s just extravagant jetsetter crappo. Maybe he will learn and be humbled by his abject failures in this budget. The boy went down in flames bigtime!

Comment by A Citizen Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 8:27 pm
I guess I should be glad that I’m out of the legislative intern program now, but we definitely earned our little stipend. Thanks Governor…

Comment by former intern Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 8:28 pm
Lainer the answer to your question is Beverly Ascaridis.

Comment by silver lining Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 8:29 pm
He HAD to destroy the village, in order to save it, don’t you know.

Destroy health care services in order to give them right back under his brand name.

I give Thelma and Louise, er, I mean, Rod and Emil, about a month, after the house overrides nearly unanimously and the senate looks at three weeks of daily headlines that look like today’s blog posts, and blinks hard.

Comment by Gregor Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 8:37 pm
Rod and Emil = Dumb and Dumber. They really are oblivious to what this defeat means!

Comment by A Citizen Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 8:45 pm
A friend of mine was at Boones tonight and saw someone who looked like Blago talking to someone who, he said, looked like Madagin and the gov guy was pleading for a do-over. The Madagin guy said sure gov let’s call it the FY2009 Budget!

Comment by A Citizen Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 8:58 pm
Interesting that Mr. Jones’ favorite cause is education and the governor cuts education money and Mr. Jones still protects him. Mr. Jones’ real favorite cause is himself. What a pair of putzes.

Comment by Disgusted Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 9:45 pm
I know the state constitution provides for a governor BUT where does it say we have to have one? Seems the office should simply be vacated.

Comment by A Citizen Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 10:28 pm