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Budget tidbits

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Illinois

* Rebecca Rausch talked to the SJ-R about today’s upcoming budget address. Here are a few highlights of the story…

She said that could include “sweeping” money from special-purpose funds, which has been done in some past years and she said could be done “pretty painlessly.”

As I told subscribers this morning, if he closes his budget hole by relying on fund sweeps, it’s pure smoke and mirrors. It’s doubtful that legislators will agree to huge sweeps.

* More…

Another recurrent proposal from the governor, but rejected by lawmakers, is a plan to increase the tax certain corporations pay for software programs, which could generate $65 million annually. Closing the “canned software loophole,” Rausch said, is among “things that should be done” for the current fiscal year.

That idea has failed every year he has proposed it.

* And the theme of today’s address?

“The governor’s focus is again on helping working families,” Blagojevich spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch said Tuesday. “We have a keen awareness of the national economic picture and what’s going on nationally, and we think that if you start by helping families, that will improve the economy.”

* The Post-Dispatch has another piece…

Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration today is expected to propose that the casinos be required to withhold the state’s 3 percent income tax from all gambling winnings of $1,000 or more before paying out those winnings.

The idea is to collect that owed tax while the gambler is still standing there in the casino, instead of trying to collect it at tax time — which is virtually impossible if the person doesn’t file an Illinois state income tax return.

* We’ll live-blog today’s budget address in a different thread. I may be on Public TV just before the speech begins, if you care about that sort of thing. Kevin will be handling the live blogging duties.

* Here are some more budget-related stories….

* Blagojevich Unveils Budget Proposal Wednesday

* Lawmakers await state budget

* Blagojevich a control freak with state budget

* One Version of the Budget Address

* Backlog of maintenance needs building to state facilities across Illinois

* Taxpayers pick up $10,000 tab for DNR chief to commute to work

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Feb 20, 08 @ 8:40 am

Comments

According to what the buzz has been since late last night - sounds like that fund sweep and loophole stuff is just to fill the 08 budget hole.

That’s the same stuff they have been saying for a couple weeks.

Comment by j Wednesday, Feb 20, 08 @ 8:46 am
I like where Rausch says in the Springfield paper that they have slowed down state spending by restricting travel and hiring. Perfect paired with the Kurt Erickson article from the QC Times about the 10,000 commute cost of Sam Flood. Which is it, slow down or special allowences?

Comment by Princeville Wednesday, Feb 20, 08 @ 8:55 am
C’mon…you can’t expect a political veteran like Flood to pay his own way, can you!?

Comment by South of I-70 Wednesday, Feb 20, 08 @ 9:16 am
The dread we are hearing and reading about is the result of having a governor who has shown repeatedly his disinterest in governing. After five SOS addresses, most Illinoians just want this guy to go away and not come back.

The mood is the result of a man who holds the office but treats it as a game, not as a responsibility. At a time when our state is facing incredible difficulties, Blagojevich hasn’t tried to build working relationships with legislators or even shown a willingness to listen. Consequentially, when he has his annual time in the spotlight, we reflect with weariness the ridiculous egotism and bloviating nonsense of the past five years.

Blagojevich is like a stalker who harrasses you endlessly with silly talk and knows that at some point you will do what he wants just to get him off your back. But when we give in, he trumpets his win over you, and starts all over again; wearing us down with new stupid ideas.

Blagojevich can’t get a clue. He wore out his welcome two years ago and no one in his party seriously tried to push him out of office. So not only is he our gubernatorial problem, the Illinois Democratic Party is also to blame for this political farce.

Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Feb 20, 08 @ 9:34 am
He is oddly disinterested in governing, isn’t he? I still try to find some rational modus operandi for this guy, but it escapes me. Perhaps he’s just bracing for the coming storm.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Feb 20, 08 @ 10:16 am
Don’t worry about the ten grand tax payers. I hear the DNR more than makes it up through Sam’s son Scott. How? He never shows up for work.

Comment by Leave a light on George Wednesday, Feb 20, 08 @ 10:32 am
Why do I get the feeling that we are either in for a repeat of last year or year were nothing real get accomplished and the state continue to slide into a worsening fiscal state.

Comment by RMW Stanford Wednesday, Feb 20, 08 @ 12:34 pm