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Blagojevich veto seen as potshot at Springfield

Posted August 16, 2007 11:00 pm

Adriana Colindres

Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Friday rejected a proposal to add two members to the Springfield Airport Authority board, but he left intact a similar plan that would allow the Bloomington-Normal Airport Authority to expand.

The governor used his amendatory veto powers to recommend revisions to Senate Bill 38, which sailed through the Senate and House last spring on votes of 58-0 and 115-0, respectively.

The bill, whose lead legislative sponsors are Bloomington Republicans Sen. Bill Brady and Rep. Dan Brady, originally was crafted to reflect growth in the Bloomington-Normal airport authority district.

Springfield Airport Authority vice chairman William Foster later heard about the legislation and asked for it to include Springfield. Foster, who couldn't be reached Friday, has said the Illinois Open Meetings Act prevents two board members from talking about airport business outside of a public meeting.

The Open Meetings Act requires public notice when a majority of a quorum of a public body meets. For a five-member airport authority, that translates to two members. For a seven-member authority, it would be three.

The governor's veto message did not explain his reasoning on the amendatory veto, and his press office did not respond to an inquiry on the matter.

Springfield-area lawmakers who were among the bill's co-sponsors said Friday they didn't know why the governor treated the two airport authorities differently.

"I don't understand the rationale," said Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield.

Blagojevich "doesn't seem to care for Springfield, would be my only reaction," said Rep. Raymond Poe, R-Springfield. "This doesn't surprise me, (with) his attitude toward Springfield."

Another piece of transportation-related legislation, House Bill 4, also included a provision that would add two members to the Springfield Airport Authority. Blagojevich used his veto powers on that bill Friday, too, getting rid of the portion pertaining to the capital city.

Either or both vetoes could be reversed if the House and Senate vote to override. Lawmakers' other options include voting to accept the governor's recommended changes or doing nothing.

Blagojevich signed several other bills into law on Friday. They include:

-- Legislation to classify Salvia divinorum, a plant that allegedly has hallucinogenic properties, as a Schedule 1 controlled substance, the same category as heroin.

House Bill 457 outlaws possession or sale of any form of the plant, which is now sold over the counter in various forms. It takes effect Jan. 1.

Street names for Salvia divinorum are Diviner's Sage, Ska Maria Pastora or Sally D. The plant has been banned in various forms in at least five other states.

-- A measure requiring metal recyclers to keep closer track of who is selling copper, aluminum and brass to them. Starting next year, Senate Bill 69 will require recyclers to log the name and address of anyone scrapping 50 pounds or more of the metals and keep a record for three years.

-- Legislation that covers family pets under court orders of protection issued in domestic violence situations. House Bill 9 takes effect Jan. 1.

Dana Heupel of the State Capitol Bureau contributed to this report. Adriana Colindres can be reached at (217) 782-6292 or adriana.colindres@sj-r.com.

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