Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

This just in…

Posted in:

Illinois

* 3:50 pm - The Senate is coming back to town on Monday and Tuesday. Agenda items reportedly include a slightly different transit bill than the House tried to pass yesterday (not much by way of changes, but some) and the capital package.

Details in tomorrow’s Capitol Fax.

* 6:11 pm - From Crain’s…

A spokeswoman for Senate President Emil Jones said only that the session would involve “discussion of a transit issue.”

But Sen. John Cullerton, D-Chicago, said he believes the Senate will consider a slightly different version of a CTA bill sponsored by state rep. Julie Hamos, D-Evanston, that the Illinois House rejected Tuesday. “I think we’re going to try to pass the bill Julie tried yesterday,” said Mr. Cullerton, who often handles CTA-related bills in the Senate. “It puts pressure on the House to do something. We can’t just sit around and do nothing.” […]

Mr. Cullerton said he would not be surprised if the Senate also took another run at voting on a bill to allow a casino in Chicago as part of a plan to raise money for a statewide capital plan. Such a bill failed earlier this summer and President Jones had declared the issue dead, but House Republicans have insisted on a capital bill as a condition for them providing the necessary votes for a transit bill.

* 6:33 pm - From ABC7…

But next Monday, the Senate will give it another try with transit and infrastructure bills that would be paid for with three new casinos. That approach has been tried before unsuccessfully.

I don’t think that’s totally right. Mostly, but not totally. Tomorrow’s Capitol Fax will have more.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Sep 5, 07 @ 3:51 pm

Comments

How exciting…

Comment by Commonsense in Illinois Wednesday, Sep 5, 07 @ 4:18 pm
Rumors abound that there will be more gaming too
What are they thinking!

Comment by CaseyJones Wednesday, Sep 5, 07 @ 4:37 pm
Why bother.

Comment by Little Egypt Wednesday, Sep 5, 07 @ 5:57 pm
Remember Rocky 2 …..” My prediction, PAIN”. or was it Rocky 3?

Comment by downhereforyears Wednesday, Sep 5, 07 @ 7:11 pm
Casinos?
That money would be available in about 3 years.
Hope the METRA riders can hoof if for awhile. Maybe Naperville can issue everyone thee Cole Hahns with the Air Jordan inserts.

Comment by CaseyJones Wednesday, Sep 5, 07 @ 8:41 pm
I like this solution.

Over project revenues from the casino. Pack the operation with political cronies so expenses become bloated.

Instead of augmenting the transit budget with the new revenue, remove city and state funding for mass transit; replace it with revenue from the casinos (VERY proven tactic: just like they did with school funding and the lottery).

Wait three years for another “transit doomsday scenario”, and with all the associated mushroom hand wringing hold all the Chicago hipster residents hostage again. (having your hand out for state gimmes the whole time to get your support for the bailout). Then start all over again.

The city that works…..

Comment by Leroy Thursday, Sep 6, 07 @ 6:34 am