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Senate lets stand most of governor's budget cuts

Posted October 11, 2007 11:00 pm

Doug Finke

The Illinois Senate concluded the two-week veto session Friday after failing to approve a bill that provided money to hire hundreds of new prison guards and mental health workers.

With no plans to return to Springfield next week, it means the chamber will allow most of Gov. Rod Blagojevich's budget cuts to stand.

Before leaving, though, the Senate did pass a bill giving a raise and health insurance to home care workers for senior citizens.

The acrimony that's marked much of this year's legislative session continued Friday as senators bickered over restoring the governor's cuts. Senate President Emil Jones, D-Chicago, accused Republicans of being more interested in their own "pork" projects than hiring new prison guards. Republicans countered that the Senate Democrats were trying to pass a "phony" prison-hiring bill that really didn't accomplish anything.

Senate Democrats tried to advance a bill that contained about $19 million to hire new prison guards and mental health workers. Money to make the hires was included in the state budget sent to Blagojevich in August. However, he cut the money as part of the $463 million he eliminated from the $59 billion budget for the fiscal year that began July 1.

Republicans pressed Jones to allow a vote on overriding Blagojevich's budget veto, like the House did last week. A vote to do that would have automatically reinstated the money.

Instead, the Democrats put the money into a supplemental spending bill that the House and Blagojevich also would have had to OK.

"It's a sham," said Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield. "My guess is the governor will veto it anyway, and we are right back where we started."

"This is phony, really," agreed Sen. Dale Risinger, R-Peoria. "All this is, is a chance for the Democrats to say that they've voted for restoration. It's a show. I could vote 'yes' and be part of the show, but I'm not going to do it."

"What's silly about this is they want to pass a bill that's got to go to the governor who's already vetoed this bill once before," said Sen. Dave Syverson, R-Rockford.

All three men voted "present."

Democrats, many of whom want to restore many of the cuts made by Blagojevich, argued the bill was better than nothing.

"We want to restore as much money as we can," said Sen. John Sullivan, D-Rushville. "It's a small step, but it's a step in the right direction."

The bill needed 36 votes to pass, but it got only 33. Although Democrats have 37 seats, two of them voted "present" and two others did not vote.

Senators did agree long enough to approve a bill giving home care workers for seniors a $1-an-hour raise. The bill also provides money to cover some health-care costs for the estimated 18,000 workers who get funding through the Department on Aging.

"These workers do great work, and they are underpaid," said Sen. Rickey Hendon, D-Chicago. "They often work without insurance. Many of them make less than a person in a fast-food restaurant. They deserve this small increase."

The Service Employees International Union Local 880 represents the workers. It said they earn an average of $7.80 an hour, and more than half of them have no health insurance.

Some senators noted that Blagojevich cut money from the budget to give cost-of-living increases to home care workers for the developmentally disabled and others. The bill approved by the Senate Friday does not cover those workers.

"We should be taking care of those workers as well," argued Sen. Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline.

The Senate voted 56-1 for the bill. It now goes to Blagojevich for his signature.

Doug Finke can be reached at (217) 788-1527 or doug.finke@sj-r.com.

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