Illinois budget delay nears a record
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By Kurt Erickson | Wednesday, July 18, 2007 |
SPRINGFIELD — Just three years after breaking their previous record, Illinois lawmakers are poised again to set a benchmark for futility.
On July 24, which is less than a week away, the General Assembly and Gov. Rod Blagojevich will surpass their 2004 record for the amount of time the state has gone into a new fiscal year without an overall spending plan.
With little progress to report Tuesday, observers said the record is almost sure to be broken.
Frustrated lawmakers spent Tuesday taking potshots at Blagojevich, who has been under fire for not spending enough time in Springfield to help resolve the stalemate.
Republicans won passage of a non-binding resolution requiring the governor to stay in town until a budget is approved.
“We have not had this problem before. We have it now,” said state Rep. Jerry Mitchell, R-Sterling.
Some Democrats called the attack on the governor’s commuting between Chicago and Springfield “frivolous.”
“We don’t have time for people playing games,” said state Rep. Monique Davis, D-Chicago.
The stalemate is causing frustration for more than just lawmakers.
In a hearing on education funding Tuesday, senators were scolded by school board officials from across the state.
“It is difficult to do our job when the Illinois General Assembly doesn’t do theirs,” said Chris Slowick, president of the North Palos school board in DuPage County.
Lawmakers have been stuck in neutral since May 31, when they failed to reach an agreement on a spending plan for the fiscal year that began July 1.
The governor has pushed hard for his plan to boost state spending on health care, but lawmakers have resisted his proposals to raise taxes on businesses and sell the state lottery.
Other sources of new revenue, such as a hike in cigarette taxes, remain potential options for those who want to see more money go to education or a statewide construction program. A proposal to expand gambling in order to raise revenue appeared to be faltering.
There was no meeting between the legislative leaders and the governor Tuesday. Blagojevich made no public appearances, but did send a letter to Republican leaders and House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, calling on them to identify ways to boost spending on schools if gambling revenue is off the table.
The state is operating under a temporary, one-month budget that expires July 31. If no budget is approved before then, there is talk of a government shutdown.
Attendance by lawmakers picked up Tuesday after several days where dozens failed to show up to work. In the Senate, 36 of 59 members were on the floor when the session got under way. The roll call in the 118-member House roll topped 100 for the first time in a week.
Kurt Erickson can be reached at kurt.erickson@lee.net or 217-789-0865. Comment on this story at qctimes.com.
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