Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Emptying my in-box

Posted in:

Illinois

* I was talking with someone about this very point over the holiday. These big infrastructure bills usually take weeks, even months, to sort out. But the new bill was put together in record time and lots of projects were lump-summed, which gives the governor enormous influence…

State Rep .Mike Unes (R-East Peoria) said he is displeased with the way the capital bill quickly took shape. […]

“There was thousands of pages of bills introduced in a matter of hours that spent over $40 billion that we were supposed to vote on without anybody reading it. That’s bad form,” he said.

The Republican legislator said lawmakers were asked to vote on doubling the state motor fuel tax without getting a chance to actually know which projects would benefit.

In his district, Unes said a project to upgrade Court Street (Illinois Route 9) in Pekin was left out of the bill, and expenses for the widening of U.S. Route 24 in Peoria and Fulton Counties from two to four lanes didn’t have itemized expenses, but was instead funded by a lump sum amount.

* Rep. Andrade has become a Facebook Live pro, partly because of this studio…

An Illinois state lawmaker who spent $20,000 from his campaign coffers to build a video and podcast studio in his Springfield office plans to use the power of social media to share his work and bring his message to more people, something lawmakers throughout the state are trying and testing.

State lawmakers are using social media more and more to reach their constituents and beyond. They share graphics, facts, figures and other information along with videos, either live or produced via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media platforms. It comes from their state offices or their campaigns.

He showed up for a press conference with the governor last month and wandered around the podium before the VIPs came out. He told his Facebook followers about the upcoming presser and even read aloud from some of the notes on the podium.

* Tom Kacich…

State Treasurer Mike Frerichs of Champaign was at Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Rebuild Illinois announcement last week at the Illini Union and got a shoutout from the pudgy chief executive.

“You always say you stand tall for Illinois,” Pritzker said to the 6-foot, 8-inch Frerichs. “It’s funny. I know and I stand short and squatty for Illinois.”

Um, OK.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jul 8, 19 @ 12:41 pm

Comments

Wonder if Rep. Andrade solicited bids under the State Purchasing Act since he was making “improvements” to state property…property he doesn’t own.

Also wondering if he received any approvals from state officials…Secretary of State, CDB, Speaker’s Office?

Comment by Commonsense in Illinois Monday, Jul 8, 19 @ 1:03 pm
I hope Mr. Unes doesn’t show up to these groundbreakings. Then again, he has NO idea what is up, admittedly.

That’s fun.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Jul 8, 19 @ 1:04 pm
=== since he was making “improvements” to state property===

Oh, stop. He bought some equipment. He didn’t do any construction. Sheesh.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Jul 8, 19 @ 1:08 pm
At the haberdashery, we used to call Pritzker’s suit size category, “portly “.

Comment by Langhorne Monday, Jul 8, 19 @ 1:16 pm
Speaking of emptying old need items … I see Montgomery Gentry is going to be the free State Fair concert.

Comment by RNUG Monday, Jul 8, 19 @ 1:20 pm
Sorry Rich, I must have mis-read the original post. It wasn’t clear there was no construction.

Comment by Commonsense in Illinois Monday, Jul 8, 19 @ 1:28 pm
“Short and squatty for Illinois”

Now that’s funny stuff. And hey, I resemble that remark.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Monday, Jul 8, 19 @ 1:31 pm