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House sends budget to an unhappy governor

Posted August 10, 2007 11:00 pm

Doug Finke

The Illinois House Friday gave final approval to a new, $59 billion state budget, sending it to an uncertain fate in the governor's office.

Shortly after the vote, House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, sent House members home and told them not to return until instructed to by him - a direct snub of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who issued directives Friday calling lawmakers into special session today and Sunday to consider passage of another one-month budget.

"My advice to all members would be don't come to Springfield," Madigan told the chamber. "We've done our job. There's no need to work on a 30-day budget. Don't come to Springfield until you get notice from my office or (House Republican Leader Tom) Cross's office."

"When the governor issues a proclamation, he takes it very seriously," said Blagojevich spokeswoman Rebecca Rausch. "We're disappointed with Speaker Madigan's disregard for the Constitution."

One House member who lives near Springfield - Rep. Gary Hannig, D-Litchfield - will be present in the House over the weekend to meet the special session requirement.

Madigan did say House members should be prepared to return to Springfield on fairly short notice to deal with the budget should Blagojevich decided to veto the entire plan or parts of it. Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago, called senators back to Springfield Monday afternoon.

Just what Blagojevich will do with a budget he clearly doesn't like - and had little input in - was unclear. Friday morning, he said the budget contains "false promises," is unbalanced, has too much pork-barrel spending and fails to address critical issues such as funding for Chicago-area mass transit, a capital spending plan and health care.

However, Blagojevich refused to answer reporters' questions about whether he would or would not sign the budget into law. He has 60 days to take action or it becomes law automatically. In the meantime, Comptroller Dan Hynes said he still does not have the authority to write checks for state expenses until the governor takes action.

Hynes, though, did reach agreement Friday with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees to keep issuing paychecks through the end of August. The agreement eases some of the pressure for Blagojevich to take quick action of some kind, either signing the budget or vetoing it and giving lawmakers a chance to override the veto.

The margins by which the budget was approved - 52-5 in the Senate and 98-8 in the House - indicate the chambers should be able to easily override a veto.

Lawmakers hailed the budget agreement for the fiscal year that began July because it gives $600 million more to education, allowing for the biggest increase in per-pupil spending in the state's history. The budget also contains money to fill 1,100 jobs, nearly half of them at state prisons, and fully funds the state's pension obligations this year.

Lawmakers didn't mention it, but the budget also contains $250 million for so-called "member initiatives." Each representative will get $650,000 and each senator $1.3 million to spend on projects in their districts as they see fit.

Beyond the budget, there is still unfinished business in the legislature, whose record overtime session has stretched to more than 70 days. For instance, there is no money in the budget to address the Chicago-area mass transit systems' need for cash to avoid fare hikes and service cutbacks. Madigan told the House he plans to resume working on that issue next week.

Lawmakers also haven't approved a capital plan to finance construction of roads, bridges, schools and other projects. Blagojevich, Jones, Cross and Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson, R-Greenville, all say they want a capital plan.

But shortly after midnight Thursday, plans to pass a capital plan in the Senate got derailed when a bill authorizing a bond issue to pay for the projects didn't get enough votes. Jones angrily accused Republicans of reneging on a deal to pass a capital plan, even telling Watson "you don't have a sincere bone in your body."

On Friday, Watson said Republicans were uncomfortable with details of the capital spending plan and the gambling expansion needed to pay for it. Both bills were given to Republicans less than an hour before the planned vote.

"We're not trying to be obstructionist. We just didn't really have a good feeling for what was in it," Watson said. "I said to President Jones, don't rush this. Come back at a later date when we have a comfort level with what's in it."

Asked about the future of a capital program, Jones said Friday, "As it stands now, it's dead."

The Senate never took up the gambling-expansion bill that's needed to finance the capital spending. It includes placing a land-based casino in Chicago and allowing existing riverboat casinos to expand. Republicans complained the gambling bill also was being moved too hastily, and Chicago officials gave mixed signals about whether they supported what was drafted by the Senate. A major problem for the city is how revenue from a casino would be split with the state.

And although the Senate late Thursday approved a 90-cents-per-pack increase in the state cigarette tax, the House did not take up that bill Friday. Madigan gave no indication when or if the House would vote on it.

Money from the cigarette tax hike would be devoted to paying off Medicaid and pension debts.

Also still pending is Blagojevich's plan for universal health-care coverage. Earlier Thursday, senators expected it to finally be called for a vote, but it didn't happen. Blagojevich has scaled back the size and cost of the plan, but it still relies on a payroll tax for financing.

Even many Democratic senators are opposed because of the tax.

GateHouse News Service political writer Bernard Schoenburg contributed to this report. Doug Finke can be reached at (217) 788-1527 or doug.finke@sj-r.com.

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