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Starting off on the wrong foot

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Illinois

Reporters, legislators and a whole lot of others are pretty upset today because the governor will not hold any budget briefings tonight. Historically, off-the-record briefings are held the evening before a budget address, which allows reporters to get their stories ready (or simply break the embargo altogether) and allow appropriations staffs to prepare analyses for their respective caucuses.

So, no briefing means no analyses tomorrow, and no analyses means seriously grouchy legislators. I’ve talked to several today (in the House and the Senate in both parties) who all had about the same response: “This is not a good way to start off the session.”

Indeed.

…Adding… Aaron Chambers notes…

By the time state officials settled on a new state budget last fall, it little resembled the one Blagojevich introduced last spring. The governor’s ambitious plan for universal health care did not pass. Neither did his plan for a gross receipts tax on Illinois businesses (it would have been the largest tax hike in state history). Lawmakers took the budget in another direction. Blagojevich retaliated by cutting more than $400 million of their earmarks and other spending.

When Blagojevich announces his next budget plan on Wednesday, the question will be: How much does his budget plan even matter?

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 3:53 pm

Comments

Guess we ain’t seen nothing yet? The show must go on!!

Comment by Dan S, a Voter Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 3:57 pm
I guess the question might be how close are they holding some stuff to the vest.

I suspect he is going to go very populist (free CTA rides on days ending with y, every child in Illinois under 15 gets a Nintendo DS, etc) and doesn’t want the gripes to make the same news cycle.

He got some good play from the free rides thing so I expect to see more of the same.

Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 4:02 pm
I can hardly wait to hear who’s going to be this year’s whipping boy/scapegoat for all the state’s problems… it’s almost like waiting for the Oscar nominations

Comment by Bookworm Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 4:11 pm
Hey, don’t forget about the free reading books for children. Perhaps he will resurrect that idea too. But I am absolutely opposed to a free Nintendo DS for children under 15. First of all, there should be no age limit on the free game system, and secondly, we should have our choice of which system we want.

Comment by Little Egypt Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 4:12 pm
It will be dead on arrival. Emil Jones won’t be able to do much to put life into it.

Comment by Crimefighter Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 4:14 pm
Why would he do that? It seems to be antagonistic for no purpose. That’s not a naive statement - I think in the past he’s thought his antagonisms made him appear to be strong. Maybe they’re not ready and are pulling an all-nighter.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 4:22 pm
=== It seems to be antagonistic for no purpose. ===

And this surprises you?

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 4:25 pm
This governor is, IMHO, all or nothing and nothing in between.

I just can’t see him playing nice and fair and all that jazz. It simply ain’t in him.

Look out, y’all. And keep your heads down.

Comment by This Guy Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 4:32 pm
I wonder where GoBearsss is today?

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 4:33 pm
Well this should make it fun when all the Departments do their Budget Briefs after the address. What will lobbyist and advocates do without asking the questions the House and Senate staffers have planted with them.

Comment by Anon Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 4:37 pm
GoBearss is probably practicing his speech tomorrow…

In all seriousness, is this that big of an issue? It seems like a very inside-baseball issue that could mean a number of different things.

Maybe it is vindictive.

Maybe they want it to be a surprise.

Maybe they didn’t want, like you said, people to break the embargo.

Maybe they are re-writing it?

Or, maybe, they just weren’t ready with all the stuff that happened this past week?

Comment by j Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 4:41 pm
J, this is an inside baseball blog. lol

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 4:42 pm
And, yes, it certainly is a big issue with legislators, staff, reporters, associations, etc.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 4:43 pm
Hypothetically, if I was going to trot out another $20 billion in pension bonds when the markets are tanking and the bond insurers are circling the drain, I would give the shortest possible advance notice. Just hypothetically, of course.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 4:45 pm
“No more business as usual!”

Seriously though, I know it is precedence and everything, but doesn’t it minimize the impact of giving a speech if you are going to tell the “insiders” what you are going to say the day before?

Comment by Balance Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 4:51 pm
===but doesn’t it minimize the impact of giving a speech if you are going to tell the “insiders” what you are going to say the day before?===

Perhaps, but this has been the SOP since before I started reporting here, and that was almost 18 years ago.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 4:54 pm
Good point, Rich.

But to the last statement in the Aaron Chambers article: “How much does his budget plan even matter?”

Let me refer you to the last time people started calling the Governor “Irrelevant”.

Please. Don’t show that article to him, whatever you do. Let’s not go through that again.

Comment by j Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 5:06 pm
LOL

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 5:12 pm
I don’t think there were detailed pre-briefings on the Governor’s first budget in 2003.

Comment by Anon Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 5:15 pm
Bookworm - Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 4:11 pm:

I can hardly wait to hear who’s going to be this year’s whipping boy/scapegoat for all the state’s problems… it’s almost like waiting for the Oscar nominations

The same whipping boy he has used for the past 5 years. BUSINESS - THEY ARE THE DEVEIL - fee increases, sweeps, loop holes, GRT….and now carbon tax!!!Whats so hilarious is this guy (Gov) has us bursting at the seams on the budget because of his new programs, expansions, and backloaded operational bonded debt.
Yet he keeps making it more difficult on business who is the entity who is mostly responsible for filling the state coffers with cash. Business pays over 85% of taxes. The only way to get more money into the coffers is to create more jobs, so they pay more taxes, or have a tax increase (which can be somewhat regressive) but thats really the only way to do it, one time fixes just create problems for future generations.

Its a hopeless scenario. Since the inception of the last constitution, not once has a Governor not held a courtesy press, legislative staff briefing Blazing new trails everywhere. I hope that no MEMBERS show up tomorrow and state its because Filan didnt even have the courtesy to call anyone in the General Assembly (any of the 4 caucuses will do)and say that they are not going to give out budget books till tomorrow, so your members will have to wait till after the adress to get anything from their own staff on the budget.
This is a PERFECT example of what these people (BLAGO) in the executive branch are like, and exactly why the environment has changed into what it is today. Not the Speaker, not the presedent or eithier minority leader, they have all been here forever, its this guy. Can’t trust anyone anymore, everyone always looking to get screwed, nothing ever dies, we are here for eternity, I have to listen to the 28 million special session being read into the record every god damn day, all respect of any and every thing in Springfield in now gone because of him, which makes everyone around here miserable.

Hers a funny about Filan (BOB head referenced above for non insiders)Filan, this is a guy who really believes this Gov is quote, “ahead of his time, and everyone hates a guy who is ahead of their time”. To which I thought to myself, “I can show you a hell of a lot more guys that “thought” they were ahead of their time but were really just plain stupid, then guys that were really ahead of their time”.

Comment by Moderate REpub Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 5:16 pm
wow!!! sorry about that, its been one of those days, didnt mean to rant that bad.

Comment by Moderate REpub Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 5:17 pm
===I don’t think there were detailed pre-briefings on the Governor’s first budget in 2003.===

Anon, I’m pretty sure there was, because I was there. I could be misremembering (or whatever the word is), but I recall it because that was the only briefing I’ve ever attended.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 5:17 pm
Well, I would like to know where he’s going to come up with any type of revenue in this economy right now to do everything he always wants to, short of……gasp…. raising taxes, oops I mean imposing increased fees on businessess and services in Illinois.

Comment by Concerned Voter Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 5:23 pm
Perhaps Fitz has embargoed the budget speech as evidence? Or maybe with no loose change left to play with this will really amount to a doomsday budget. Lowball the heck out of the budget and force the legislative folks to increase spending to keep the state afloat. guv ricochet rabbit strikes yet again.

Comment by A Citizen Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 5:32 pm
Rich is right, this is very weird and very unusual. From a practical standpoint, I have to believe that the numbers are pretty settled (they have thousands of CDs to burn, after all) but the rhetoric is not. Otherwise, it could just be another example of arrogance. This is how he’s changed the way we do business. One more Bush parallel?

Comment by David Starrett Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 5:46 pm
hey, all, at least he didn’t call you and tell you all to ’stay tuned, stayed’. With the one tidbit the office mentioned being to “focus on how to make life easier for families” (*wthitv among others) I think the budget address is going for expansions and it’s a coin toss as to who/how it’s paid for.And while you all are wonderering who this year’s ‘villian’ is, I’m sure he won’t forget to take a few swipes at state workers, they don’t fall into his idea of families/workng families.

Comment by Princeville Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 5:52 pm
Does this mean layoffs?

Comment by Macbeth Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 6:21 pm
The governor seems to have a history of starting off on the wrong foot.

Comment by Levois Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 6:36 pm
GoBearsss is in mourning due to the release of Moose Muhammed. We must always keep our priorities straight. Besides, Chambers is right. They are just going to ignore the governor’s budget anyway.
…and AA is correct also. Its too late for a bond issue now. They should have done the whole 40 billion two years ago when the conditions were favorable. Look out big business. Here comes the taxman!

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 6:38 pm
Rich, I have the same recollection of the 2003 (FY 2004) budget preview. I can also remember thinking but for Filan, AA and a couple other old coots, that the crowd looked like Zeta Beta Tau/Sigma Delta Tau rush parties.

Not to provide more evidence of AA’s coot-hood, but I recall the budget briefings all the way through Thompson time (FY 78, omg…)

Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 6:53 pm
Rich, I’ve been in this biz a little longer than you and there has always been an informal briefing before the big speech. Thompson loved that stuff. The older guys told me that the tradition went back a long ways before him as well.

Various departments had their practice sessions today to get ready for their ’splainin sessions tomorrow, so that much is the same. That also means that they aren’t “pulling an all nighter”. The numbers are on paper- the Guv just doesn’t feel like sharing.

Comment by DuPage Dave Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 6:55 pm
“that the crowd looked like Zeta Beta Tau/Sigma Delta Tau rush parties.”

Apparently Arthur Andersen, amongst other things, appears to be somewhat of an anti-Semite. Very classy, AA!

Comment by The Doc Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 7:07 pm
The budget briefings go back to the 70’s at least
Does the word sociopath ring a bell?

Meanwhile, Chairman Andy, the guy who had to pull out all the stops to keep Andy Martin off the GOP ballot,scores huge by suggeting unspecified
tax
and spending cuts to solve the budget woes. Looks like he forgot to ask RiverBoat Tom Cross about gambling and stopping member initiatives as the real way to go….here is a little of ChairmanAndy’s rant from the Belleville News…
Guest view: We won’t get change with business as usual
BY ANDY MCKENNA
The word “change” is sweeping the country like wildfire, but here in Illinois we’ve heard it all before. We have heard politicians talk about change and reform, but the people of Illinois end up getting more of the same….
On Wednesday, Blagojevich will give his sixth budget address, laying out his vision for the future of Illinois, at least for the next year. In light of this budget address and the voters’ thirst for change, here are a few ideas that would certainly present change to Illinoisans; ideas you probably won’t hear in Blagojevich’s budget address:….
• Spending increases must stop; in fact, spending must decrease.(Like Where?) ……
• What about tax cuts? (WHICH Ones?)
• Comprehensive ethics legislation must get passed. For more than six months the Illinois Republican Party has called for the passage of the ethics package sitting in the Illinois Senate. (Why not refuse to vote for more gambling until Jones calls for ethics? —Frank must have been dozin’) …..”
Let’s skip the voting and give ChairmanAndy the Golden Bamboo Spear for hollowest rhetoric of 2008!

Comment by SockPuppet Express Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 7:08 pm
Doc, AA is a number of things, but anti-Semitic ain’t one of them. I used the scientific method of picking the frat closest to where I lived in college and the sorority closest to where my college girlfriend lived. Didn’t realize this produced 2 so-called “Jewish houses” until you made it an issue.

And now, may I say that you appear to be somewhat of a tool.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 7:36 pm
Will the budget address be televised? If so what channel?

Comment by Dan S, a Voter Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 7:39 pm
All i can say is keep up the good work Gov it will be another 24 years before another Dem. is Gov.

Comment by Springfield Watcher Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 7:40 pm
the speech will be live in my area on Peoria WTVP at noon. Don’t know about your area, check your public broadcast station maybe.

Pantagraph paper is stating in a AP story that there is to be a briefing tomorrow morning and is late this year due to other demands that needed thier attention. Does not say when in morning so still may be way too late to do much good for those who attend them. Maybe Rich will get more details?

Comment by Princeville Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 8:06 pm
Media at 9:30 a.m.
Speech at noon.
The community college system has a Capitol news conference scheduled for 11 a.m. Brilliant timing guys.
Gov. Rod has done a day/night before briefing each previous year, though some of his big budget ideas have come outside the briefings and speech, as I believe was the case in 2003 with the pension-bond deal, which he and Filan compared to a home refinancing — no wonder the real estate market collapsed.

There was once even a time when governors would show up to open the budget briefing and take questions.

But this guy was elected — the first time — promising “no more business as usual” so I’m surprised it’s taken this long to do away with the briefing routine.

I predict he’ll sign the speech, declare it law and retire to Chicago for the rest of the session having done the work of the people.

Comment by Frank Booth Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 8:55 pm
yup sociopath is a dead on diagnosis

Comment by SockPuppetExpress Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 9:03 pm
It’s the same thing Dan Walker did in his first year in office.

Comment by Cal Skinner Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 9:28 pm
Cal, Vic de Grazia was the puppet master, Walker was just the corruptible puppet. Not that what we have now, the subsequent dem guv is any better. The prison gates beckon.

Comment by A Citizen Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 9:52 pm
The traditional budget briefing was a courtesy–and courtesies under the Dome have pretty much evaporated. Since Administration foes (which numbers pretty much everyone) will likely shoot the hell out of the budget anyway, why supply the bullets the night before?

Comment by David Ormsby Tuesday, Feb 19, 08 @ 10:20 pm