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This just in… Leaders meet * Governor announces special election dates *

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Illinois

* 2:52 pm - Lots of positive spin after today’s leaders meeting…

3 of the four legislative leaders met with the governor in his Chicago office this morning. The state’s top two Republicans then left to meet with Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan, who skipped the meeting because of a scheduling conflict.

Blagojevich spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff says the plan is for legislative leaders to meet again Tuesday and then head back to Springfield next week to vote on capital and transit.

I’m told that House GOP Leader Tom Cross said it was one of the best meetings they’ve ever had. Senate President Jones’ spokesperson tells me that Jones believes “we are 99.9 percent there.”

* 3:01 pm - Senate President Emil Jones was on Chicago Public Radio’s 848 program last Thursday. He did an excellent job of defining and defending his position. Listen to the entire program at this link, or just listen to the Jones interview below…

[audio:ejones848novtransit.mp3]

*** 3:15 pm *** From a press release…

Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today announced the date for the Special Primary Election and Special General Election to replace retiring Congressman Dennis Hastert. […]

Governor Blagojevich scheduled the Special Primary election on February 5th, 2008, Illinois’ regularly scheduled primary date, as requested by Rep. Hastert to minimize inconvenience to the voters in the counties in the 14th Congressional District. The Special General Election will be held on March 8th, 2008.

Not a lot of time between those elections.

*** UPDATE *** You can download the official proclamation here.

* 3:35 pm - The Tribbies make a good point about the special primary…

One task [the candidates will] have is explaining to voters exactly how to make sure they punch both ballots on Feb. 5, since the regular primary and special primary will be held simultaneously.

From the same, post, they point out this oddity about the special general election date…

That’s a Saturday. Elections in Illinois typically are held on Tuesdays. We’ve got a call into Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration to find out why.

* 4:24 pm - More bad economic news…

Jays Foods Inc. will close its South Side manufacturing plant Wednesday, leaving 220 employees without a job.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Dec 3, 07 @ 2:54 pm

Comments

Isn’t the term “cautiously optimistic”?

Comment by GoBearsss Monday, Dec 3, 07 @ 3:01 pm
I love the “scheduling conflict” excuse in politics.

The conflict was that the other leaders wanted to put it on their schedule, and Madigan did not.

I mean - we all know there is nothing more important to Madigan than giving Blago a capital program, right?

Comment by GoBearsss Monday, Dec 3, 07 @ 3:11 pm
I agree Emil was very good on WBEZ last week, I heard him and was surprised. I’ve seen him speak publicly a few times and he’s usually off message or not focused, but that interview was one of his best.

Comment by Napoleon has left the building Monday, Dec 3, 07 @ 3:20 pm
Oh, 99.9% there, thank heavens.

I’m getting really tired of these things getting expressed as percentages. It’s like when you install a piece of software on your computer.. that little blue bar gets all the way accross the screen to 99%.. then the computer locks up and you need to reboot and start all over again.

I sincerely hope they’re close to funding transit properly, but I’m pretty sure we’ve been at “90% of the way there”, “95% settled on the details”, and “99% sure this is going to pass” several times before.

Comment by Sacks Romana Monday, Dec 3, 07 @ 3:32 pm
I’m told that House GOP Leader Tom Cross said it was one of the best meetings they’ve ever had.

Judging from past results, or lack there of, that’s not saying much.

Senate President Jones’ spokesperson tells me that Jones believes “we are 99.9 percent there.”

Hasn’t Emil Blagojevich been saying that for weeks? That’s part of their p.r. strategy: make false promises that a solution is at hand, that way when it collapses, you can try to blame Madigan.

I’ll be much more interested in what Madigan says.

One point many reports have missed. While alot of folks talk about the January doomsday, and point out that Madigan only needs a simply majority next calendar year, I’m told that the pension deal with the unions requires a funding package to be passed and signed by Dec. 31st. That, to me, is the real Doomsday.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Monday, Dec 3, 07 @ 3:41 pm
How can they say they are anywhere when Madigan wasn’t even in the meeting? Let’s see what he says before we start printing the bills shall we?

Why does Ottenhoff start talking about session and voting when there is no deal yet? I know the plan is to spin Madigan into a corner, but that plan hasn’t really worked yet, has it? Why not just say “we continue to make progress, and hope to have something for the legislature to vote on before Christmas” That leaves them a little wiggle room, and makes it looks like they are actually part of the solution.

Despite what Abby says, I would suggest Legislators wait to hear what Madigan has to say before they start booking their Springfield hotel rooms for next Tuesday.

All that said, I hope they are all close (whatever the hell close is) because I am sick and tired of this crap.

Comment by Jaded Monday, Dec 3, 07 @ 3:57 pm
Taribune is asking about March 8 and that it’s a saturday.
Does Illinois law allow for the election on saturday?

Comment by True Observer Monday, Dec 3, 07 @ 3:58 pm
The Gov press release did not critise Madigan for not being at the meeting, or threaten more special sessions if the deal did not go through. The real question is who convinced Blago to starting taking his meds, and will he stay on them long enough to get a deal done?

Comment by Ghost Monday, Dec 3, 07 @ 3:59 pm
YDD -

It actually was Cross and Watson who spent all November saying they were “making progress.” That’s when Blago invited Daley into the meeting, and all hell broke loose.

But I do agree on the point about Dec. 31st. That seems to be the real deadline. Now, if Madigan and Cross will just put some votes on a transit plan, we can all have a nice holiday.

Comment by GoBearsss Monday, Dec 3, 07 @ 3:59 pm
If there 99.9% there is there a chance they can still screw it up?

Comment by Levois Monday, Dec 3, 07 @ 4:04 pm
Feb 5, 2008 is a Tuesday…the 9th is the Saturday…

Comment by siyotanka Monday, Dec 3, 07 @ 4:05 pm
Sorry…my bad March 8 is a Saturday…wrong election…see I already confused…

Comment by siyotanka Monday, Dec 3, 07 @ 4:07 pm
I realize that a budget deal, capitol spending plan, and transit bailout are all of critical importance. However, I am still appalled that we are utilizing tenuous gambling revenues as the foundation. Our state economic future is is a house of cards.

Comment by one of the 35 Monday, Dec 3, 07 @ 4:10 pm
Jaded, maybe the members better start booking anyway, given that Blago has already threatened to call specials on the topic if he doesn’t get his way.
I seem to recall he also threatened to call a special on Cook County property taxes “by mid December” but he might have forgotten about that.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Dec 3, 07 @ 4:12 pm
Pat, obviously minorites already own 27% of the wealth in the US and Women 51%, since there is no problem and all. Heck women and minorites probably dont even need to be allowed to vote anymore since we have reached such an even keel.

Comment by Ghost Monday, Dec 3, 07 @ 4:14 pm
March 8 must be a typo.
It could/should be March 18.

Comment by True Observer Monday, Dec 3, 07 @ 4:16 pm
dang back arrow, need to watch which spot im posting in.

Comment by Ghost Monday, Dec 3, 07 @ 4:16 pm
True Observer, that is no typo. The governor’s press release does say Saturday, March 8th, and so must the writs of elections.

Captain Jack Harkness

Comment by Captain Jack Harkness Monday, Dec 3, 07 @ 4:48 pm
The official proclamation says Saturday, March 8.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 3, 07 @ 4:51 pm
That is bad news about JAYs Foods. Back in WWII they were known as JAP Foods and for obvious reasons changed their name to Jays. Hope they can pull it out and keep the plant open - we do not need to lose any more business and industry AND jobs!

Comment by A Citizen Monday, Dec 3, 07 @ 6:06 pm
You scooped me by a minute! LOL! The plant is in my general neck of the woods and often I believed I could smell the making of potato chips. So when I saw the news about Jay’s I was surprised.

Comment by Levois Monday, Dec 3, 07 @ 6:16 pm
With two legal victories in its pocket and estimates it is $1 billion behind in generating revenue for the state, the Illinois Gaming Board says. So with the BIG boys fighting over who gets this. We lost 1.Bil.for our state

Comment by Ed Monday, Dec 3, 07 @ 6:58 pm
Gary Hannig was in the meeting on Madigan’s behalf - I think - there was a guy that looked like him on TV. That’s better than not being there at all.

Comment by beavis Monday, Dec 3, 07 @ 9:56 pm
Do we know how many of our black legislators are intending to go to LR? What about Emil?

Comment by mark/marcus/transituser Tuesday, Dec 4, 07 @ 1:18 pm