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* The governor claimed yesterday that he and the other legislative leaders (sans Michael Madigan) have cooked up a secret plan to solve the RTA and CTA’s budget woes…
“We have an idea and a plan,” Governor Rod Blagojevich said during a news conference in Chicago Tuesday.
* The governor would reveal no details, but said there was a deal on the table…
Gov. Rod Blagojevich said Tuesday that he, House GOP leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) and both Senate leaders have “signed off” on a new proposal to provide additional revenue streams to pay the operating costs of the CTA, Metra and Pace.
Now, they have to sell the idea to Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), who has continued to back a proposal to provide new funding streams through a regional increase in the sales tax and an increase in the Chicago title transfer tax, even though Blagojevich has pledged repeatedly to veto any such bill.
Madigan steadfastly refused to take part in the transit funding discussions that have taken place in recent weeks, involving the other legislative leaders, the governor and his staff.
“I’m optimistic that we will have a very sound, solid, long-term proposal to address the RTA-CTA problem that includes accountability and a sustainable source of revenue that does not raise taxes on people,” Blagojevich said.
* Yep. It’s all Madigan’s fault…
Blagojevich said Cross is supposed to meet Wednesday with Madigan, and he said Cross will explain the plan so Madigan will abandon a proposed regional sales tax increase in the Chicago area to pay for mass transit.
“Hopefully he can get him on board,” Blagojevich said of Cross and Madigan.
* All on Madigan’s head…
“We do know that Mike Madigan wants to call the House back into session to try once again to raise sales taxes on people. On top of the two percent sales tax that Todd Stroger wants to impose on the people of Chicago in Cook County, on top of the record property tax increase that the city of Chicago, Mayor Daley, is asking for, on top of the bottled water tax,” Blagojevich said.
* Curiously enough, however, there are several holes in the governor’s story…
Blagojevich says he wants to announce the mass transit plan with State Senate President Emil Jones. But a spokeswoman for Jones says the president has only heard rumors of the plan.
* Turns out, nobody else knows what the governor is talking about, either…
But David Dring, a spokesman for House Republican leader Tom Cross, said there was “not a set concrete plan.” And Patty Schuh, a spokeswoman for Senate Republican leader Frank Watson, said there have been discussions with the governor but “none of those have produced a plan.”
* And…
The comments by Blagojevich came as a surprise to Metra and Pace, whose spokespersons said they had not been advised that a funding alternative had emerged. Spokespersons for the CTA and RTA had no immediate comment.
Governing by press conference has apparently been taken to an all-time low.
Discuss.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Oct 24, 07 @ 9:19 am
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I think his plan is to put slot machines on buses and trains.
Comment by What planet is he from again? Wednesday, Oct 24, 07 @ 9:29 am
this is just typical Blago. The masses complained about the horse trading done by the Ryan, Edgar and Thompson administrations and called it cronyism, but guess what; it worked! Now we have a system that doesn’t work not even a little. Shame on Blago for dumping on Stroger. If Rod kept his promises to the people of Cook County, the county would not be in the budget shortfall it’s in. Don’t blame me I voted for Judy.
Comment by are you kidding me Wednesday, Oct 24, 07 @ 9:30 am
Hmmm is this what politicians do is create a cover story in the press and name names only for said names to say that they don’t know what’s going on?
Comment by Levois Wednesday, Oct 24, 07 @ 9:31 am
I’m finally feeling sorry for the Gov. Poor man is hallucinating. Deals with people that haven’t heard of the deals. What next, will he be seeing dead people.
Comment by Hearing voices Wednesday, Oct 24, 07 @ 9:33 am
You had better be careful, Rich. You once rode on a bus with the Governor–next thing you know, your name might appear on a press release endorsing him! I think this is what is called “attributing” quotes.
Comment by Squideshi Wednesday, Oct 24, 07 @ 9:33 am
How are they going to spin this one? And. . . a serious question, really: Has the Governor finally completely lost his mind? It’s not like a supposed agreement with the three leaders couldn’t be checked out? Has the Governor become so completley delusional?
Comment by Ivote Wednesday, Oct 24, 07 @ 9:40 am
Rich,
I am glad to see you point out the tremendous difference in what we pay in property taxes down in Springfield vs what they pay up north. I am tired of the belly aching about their need for relief. Their property is valued substaintially more than ours but yet they have tax bills a third of ours? What gives??
Comment by One of Three Puppets Wednesday, Oct 24, 07 @ 9:40 am
Governing by press release with this administration is nothing new, but at least in the past there was some modicum of fact. Now we get announcements of agreements between parties that the other parties haven’t even heard of let alone seen. I just wonder who the first headline editor will be who runs, “Governor lies again-nobody knows what he’s talking about”.
Comment by Common sense in Illinois Wednesday, Oct 24, 07 @ 9:41 am
If you are unhappy with your taxes in Springfield vote in officials who will have the taxpayers well being as their number 1 priority. They will eliminate waste and corruption and the need for those unbelievably high property taxes. That’s what we do in Cook County and, aparently, it works. Thanks to the efforts of those guardians of our dollars, Todd, Rod, and Little Dick we can enjoy adequate public services and comparativly low taxes.
Ain’t life funny sometimes?
Comment by Bill Wednesday, Oct 24, 07 @ 9:48 am
I think Blago basically believes what he announced. He seems to hear what he wants to hear and run with it–turns a snowball into a snowman. I more or less stopped paying attention to Blagos’ press releases/interviews long ago.
Comment by Princeville Wednesday, Oct 24, 07 @ 9:50 am
Bill, that was funny.
Look, I don’t begrudge the governor’s comparitively low property taxes. I just wish he’d stop whining about it or start addressing everyone’s tax bills besides those of his own neighborhood.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Oct 24, 07 @ 9:51 am
Now, let’s move the property tax discussion here please. Thanks.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Oct 24, 07 @ 9:52 am
If no one knows what you’re talking about, then it’s not a lie now, is it?
Savvy. Very savvy.
Comment by Macbeth Wednesday, Oct 24, 07 @ 10:20 am
Oh wow, he’s found a revenue source (besides casinos, that one’s milked) that doesn’t involve taxes? WBBM: “the proposal would provide enough money to cover both operating costs and some of the capital needs facing Chicago area mass transit”
Oh wait, he said “raise taxes on people.” He thought the GRT wouldn’t do that, either. I dunno, Portland and Paris fund their systems through payroll taxes.
Comment by PCC Wednesday, Oct 24, 07 @ 10:59 am
Rich:
Iss it just my imagination or are you the only one who talked to Blaggo negotiating partner and determined he was diping too far into that bowl of white powder yesterday?
I know their stories were better ’cause they did not get all behoodled with the facts.
Comment by Reddbyrd Wednesday, Oct 24, 07 @ 11:35 am
You may not like Blago’s tactic but it worked. I listened to WBBM radio about 1/2 hour ago. The jist of their story was that Blago and the 3 tops had everything worked out and Madigan was the problem.
Comment by Silent Majority Wednesday, Oct 24, 07 @ 12:11 pm
[…] Update: Rich Miller has another story up today about our Dear Leader. The Governor did a press release saying he met with all the Legislative leaders, except for Mike Madigan, and hammered out a deal to save the RTA. The release went on to say that Tom Cross was to meet with Madigan to convince him to get on board and drop his support for SB 572. […]
Pingback by Blago Utterly Collapsing…Still in Denial « Illinois Reason Wednesday, Oct 24, 07 @ 12:19 pm
Luckily, we have the Hamos Plan aqvailable as a back-up should the Governor’s phantom plan mysteriously dematerialize. It is almost Halloween after all.
Governor, your effort to blame Mike Madigan for the impending mass trsnsit meltdown are doomed to failure. Madigan has an effective comprehensive plan that would work. Apparently your plan is just wishful thinking - three of the four tops deny knowing anything about your miracle solution.
Almost everyone here at Capital Fas is in awe about your appallingly bad Rasmussen poll numbers. How low can you go?
Courage, Governor, the worst is yet to come.Plummeting poll numbers appear to be your destiny when the legislature fails to enact your miracle plan by November 4th. Maybe you could shave your head to show genuine repentance. Ultimately, your political epitaph may be that you were a man of “conviction.”
Comment by Captain America Wednesday, Oct 24, 07 @ 3:15 pm
Watching the Gov spar off against Madigan is like watching a 5th grader with osteogenesis imperfecta in a boxing match with 1970 era Muhammad Ali.
Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Oct 24, 07 @ 3:53 pm
Since I today spotted Madigan buying his lunch in a shop on Madison St. in Chicago, I doubt the pot is boiling very hard.
Comment by Anon Wednesday, Oct 24, 07 @ 5:35 pm
I like the suggestion of putting slot machines on buses and trains. Just think of the possibilities, more people would want to ride therefore you would have more revenue. Then you could set up a little sandwich/soda shop in the back of the bus – more revenue coming in. The bus driver could charge a percentage for all bills they need to change to coins, hey – more revenue. Set up a ATM machine before you get off at the back door and charge ridiculous fees – hey, more revenue. With this method the CTA will be rolling in dough.
Comment by revenue rouser Wednesday, Oct 24, 07 @ 7:35 pm
This governor is a joke. Has any one else noticed lately that he heeps piling on Todd Stroger. I certainly am not crazy about Stroger but the guy inherited a total train wreck. Personally, I think he has done more with reforms in his one year than his father’s several terms. Maybe Stroger can have a heart to heart with him when pathetic Blago panhandles Black Ministers at his next Church Outing. Anyway…Blag will use any gimmick he can. Why he continues to go after Mike Madigan is pathetic though. Politics is inclusive. This governor has no respect. Madigan is arrogant but I have respect for the man. How did this guy ever get elected again????????
Comment by anon Wednesday, Oct 24, 07 @ 9:49 pm