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Let’s just get outta here

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Illinois

Back in 1966, with the Vietnam War escalating by the day, Vermont Sen. George Aiken famously said the United States should just “declare victory and go home.”

History may have repeated itself last week when the two men assigned by Gov. Rod Blagojevich to forge a compromise on a multibillion-dollar capital construction plan unveiled a $31 billion proposal for roads, bridges, schools and mass transit and then quickly left town. Their war was unwinnable.

* We’ve had this discussion before. Nobody trusts the governor. Nobody is getting along.

* The solution? You got me. Hopefully, the General Assembly can pass a budget and get out of town this week and avoid another long overtime session. Maybe they can come up with a new plan later this year. But there’s a little problem…

There are 1.7 billion reasons the House and Senate have their work cut out for them as they try to negotiate a state budget by the end of the month.

That’s the difference between the chambers’ closest budget proposals, according to Sen. Donne Trotter, a Chicago Democrat and the Senate’s lead budget negotiator.

The big difference is the pension bond scheme, discussed below.

* Also one potential flashpoint was avoided, but another may be on the way…

Gov. Rod Blagojevich Friday decided to go ahead with two extra state aid payments that were promised to schools as part of this year’s state budget. The governor sent a letter to state Comptroller Dan Hynes directing that the payments be made in June as scheduled.

As recently as Wednesday, administration officials had said they were considering a postponement in the payments until July as a money-saving move for a state budget hemorrhaging red ink. School districts were making contingency plans.

Now that he won’t manipulate the numbers to shaft the schools, the governor is gonna have to find money somewhere to balance this fiscal year’s budget, so oxen may be gored. One can only hope that this happens after the General Assembly leaves town - if they leave town, and if he lets them stay gone.

* I’ve been telling subscribers for a couple weeks that one big key to adjourning is this item…

As Illinois lawmakers try to work out a state budget by the end of this week, they also could be moving toward their second consecutive pay raise. Gov. Rod Blagojevich and other top state officials would get a pay bump, too, unless the Senate votes to reject the raise.

* Why is that so important? Here’s a hint…

The Senate has 30 working session days to reject the raises or they automatically take effect. There are varying interpretations on whether to count extra days scheduled when none of the senators is required to show up, so there could be as many as 10 more session days before the raises take effect.

No Senator wants those raises to kick in during a long summer session. Even if they have no opponent, they’d get grief like crazy. So, their fear is our best hope of adjourning on time. Pray for fear.

* More session stuff…

* Ideas sunk, stalled in Capitol

* It’s crunch time at Statehouse

* State lawmakers urged to give $180 million more to Chicago Public Schools

* Senate budget contains 6 percent spending increase

* State Capitol Notebook

* Who’s pimping whom?

* Limits should be placed on House, Senate leadership

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, May 27, 08 @ 9:06 am

Comments

But a deadline’s a deadline, so Hendon will just have to let them get their wish—even over the mock protestations of Senate President Emil Jones, who pleaded with his ally Hendon to allow a vote. Speaking of being disingenuous.
Jones “is not chairman of rules, he is president of the Senate,” Hendon said. “And he can do a lot of things that he wants to do. But as long as I am chairman of rules, I am going to make a lot of the decisions here.”
TRANSLATION: I will do what I’m told.

Comment by Vote Quimby! Tuesday, May 27, 08 @ 9:10 am
SB790 has a new floor amendment, now in Rules, that would allow a fund sweep up to $530 million I think for expenditure on certain obligations during FY2009. Is that going anywhere?

Comment by anon Tuesday, May 27, 08 @ 9:58 am
No one wants Blagojevich involved.
The budget will be “balanced”.
The deadline will be met.
Special session demands will be ignored.

Or so legislators are praying…

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, May 27, 08 @ 10:04 am
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Pingback by Trib Weighs In On Spending - A Chicago Blog Tuesday, May 27, 08 @ 10:10 am
Reconciling a bare-bones budget, then a little benign neglect until after the Rezko verdict and the election would be good for all parties, including the citizens. Get to work in November with clearer heads.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, May 27, 08 @ 10:35 am
I predict the oxen will first gore themselves by not rejecting the payraise. Isn’t that expected and typical of Illinois politics?

Comment by Little Egypt Tuesday, May 27, 08 @ 11:09 am
All of the elected inhabitants of the Statehouse were raised in a time when parents told they’re children to do their best at all times, show up for work, don’t whine and help others. People today complain that children don’t receive that information from parents or society anymore. Since I know quite a few young people, I think that they would be better equipped to make state government run properly and on time.
The current so-called public servants are a disgrace to the values taught them by their parents.

Comment by Disgusted Tuesday, May 27, 08 @ 11:39 am
Any member of the Illinois State Senate or House that either votes for the pay raises for themselves or takes the spineless coward’s way out by voting “Present” should be voted out of office come the next election. No exceptions (whether they be Democrat or Republican). Throw their sorry “posteriors” out of Springfield this next election because they are not fit to contaminate our state government any longer. They are simply “career politicians” rather than political representatives of the people of Illinois.

Comment by Mad Max Tuesday, May 27, 08 @ 1:54 pm