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The most interesting thing here is that not a single person in the Illinois House - and, yes, the governor still has several allies there - was willing to stand up for Rod Blagojevich on this vote…
After Gov. Blagojevich approved the construction of 32 special tollway signs bearing his name, taxpayers footed a $480,000 bill.
Now some lawmakers are trying to close a loophole in state ethics laws that enabled Blagojevich to bill taxpayers for the $15,000-apiece signs that read “Open Road Tolling, Rod R. Blagojevich, Governor.”
“[Blagojevich] was the major poster boy on using this loophole,” Rep. Elizabeth Coulson (R-Glenview) said.
“Taxpayer dollars should be going to market a program, not the elected official.”
The bill passed unanimously.
The Sun-Times editorializes on this topic today…
Unanimously approved in the House last Friday, it likely will have a tougher time in the Senate, where we can only hope President Emil Jones doesn’t use his power to block it. Even if this practice were ethical, spending all that money to promote the governor would fly in the face of much higher budgetary priorities during these hard times.
A similar bill introduced by a Republican state Senator has been bottled up in the Senate Rules Committee all year, leading some to believe that Jones won’t move Coulson’s legislation either.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, May 1, 07 @ 8:23 am
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If you read the legislation it says nothing about tollway signs. It talks about billboards. The bill does not do anything to eliminate the practice of allowing the governor to put his name on the tollway signs. The Senate bill stuck in rules does, but not the Coulson bill.
Comment by Apple a day Tuesday, May 1, 07 @ 8:32 am
Why should the Illinois taxpayers and the Illinois tollway customers pay for something that truly about Governor Blagojevich’s ego/vanity?
Seems like a no-brainer to eliminate these all these loopholes to allow these WASTEFUL things to happen. But that’s ILLINOIS!
Comment by It's A Big State Tuesday, May 1, 07 @ 8:51 am
It’s a wonder Tony Rezko’s name isn’t on those stupid Illinois Tollway signs too.
Tollway took a bath with Rezko deals.
Comment by Todd Tuesday, May 1, 07 @ 8:55 am
Hot Rod is the GREATEST governor that ever governed, and we should be lucky that we have such a leader and should be worshipping the very ground he walks on! Barf.
Comment by Crimefighter Tuesday, May 1, 07 @ 9:12 am
Before worrying about corporations using loopholes to pay less or no taxes, the Illinois legislature needs to close loopholes that our “no more business as usual” GoverNOT is using.
Comment by Little Egypt Tuesday, May 1, 07 @ 9:27 am
The thinking behind such signs is that taxpayers are such dodos that they will vote for candidates based on name recognition alone.
And that thinking may well be right.
Comment by Cassandra Tuesday, May 1, 07 @ 9:42 am
Patrick Fitzgerald - Help Us, Help Ourselves!
Make Governor Blagojevich accountable.
Comment by Word Up Tuesday, May 1, 07 @ 11:04 am
Let’s keep something in perspective. State reps and senators are allowed to place their names on handouts/pamphlets and are allowed to send out “legislative fliers” to people in their districts. Hmmm. How much does it cost for a state rep to print out thousands of pamphlets regarding senior services or aide for the poor? It’s probably quite a bit, especially in years when a target is up for re-election and has a tough race. But who cares about that? Let’s blast open-road tolling signs! I would much rather have five legislative updates mailed to my house.
Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, May 1, 07 @ 11:08 am
TS, legislators are bound by limits on when they can send out those legislative newsletters. Gov. Blagojevich’s tollway signs don’t have to be pulled down before an election. In fact, they were put up during his reelection bid.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, May 1, 07 @ 11:11 am
Once he’s gone, they’re gonna have to be redone again. It’s a nice double whammy.
Comment by think ahead Tuesday, May 1, 07 @ 11:52 am
I support this measure wholeheartedly. I am tired of politicians seeking to maximize their public recognition by promoting themselves on the taxpayers’ dime. A few years ago, the Cook County Board (the same Board doubles as the Forest Preserve Commissioners) did away with the practice of permitting the President of the County Board to have his name affixed to every sign outside of Forest Preserve groves and parks. The same ought to apply to Blago and the tollways. Bobbie Steele spent four months of her interim County Board Presidency replacing photos and signs in government buildings. How much money did that waste?
Comment by Honest Abe Tuesday, May 1, 07 @ 12:08 pm
Off the subject - has anybody heard that the Chicago Tribune deal was structured such that they won’t have to pay income taxes?
Comment by Huh? Tuesday, May 1, 07 @ 1:02 pm
So Rich, are you trying to justify those signs for Rod now?
Comment by Substance Tuesday, May 1, 07 @ 1:12 pm
15 large per sign ??????? look at it ! that’s a crime in an of itself. wonder who’s “contact”, birthday party goer or friend of his wife got that deal ???
Comment by annon. Tuesday, May 1, 07 @ 4:09 pm
The $15K signs were gifts from Jack Hartman and Brian McPartlin.
Thanks for saving the State of Illinois $480K! NOT!
Comment by Sky King Tuesday, May 1, 07 @ 4:22 pm
If you think the toll road signs are blatant, you should get a gander at the material for all the new state programs that were conveniently needed to be mailed BEFORE NOVEMBER (Governor’s office instructions). All Kids, Vet’s Care, Healthy Women, etc., etc. His name was in the biggest type on the pages and in the All Kids application alone it appeared 11 times. What an egomaniac.
Comment by Disgusted Tuesday, May 1, 07 @ 5:21 pm
Nice…
Comment by Loukas Tuesday, Jun 5, 07 @ 7:54 am