The last session of the General Assembly ended with a flurry of activity- including the vote on the expansion of gambling in the state. The General Assembly did not, however, give Governor Quinn the amount of money he wanted to spend for fiscal year 2012. In response, he's called state legislators back into special session.
Last week, the General Assembly voted for a general funds budget of $33.2 billion for fiscal year 2012 (starting July 1, 2011). That number is $2 billion less than the amount Quinn wanted to spend and $1 billion less than the amount Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) wanted to spend.
After the general funds budget passed the House, the state senate, led by Sen. Cullerton, attached an additional $430 million in spending by including it with a capital spending project for highway and other state construction projects. Rather than caving to the pressure to add additional spending to the $33.2 billion budget, Speaker of the House Michael Madigan allowed the House to leave without taking up the additional spending bill. Speaker Madigan's position is that the general funds budget bill passed budgeting $33.2 billion for FY2012- which is relatively responsible in terms of spending for our state. Madigan believes the senate should drop the request for an additional $430 million in spending and send the budget to Quinn for signature.
Pat Quinn, unhappy he didn't get more money to spend, stood outside at a construction project at Wacker and Randolph Streets in Chicago and threatened to shut down summer construction projects for lack of funds if the legislature did not return to Springfield to vote on the bill with the additional $430 million in spending. Quinn argued that without the spending bill being passed he can only pay for bills incurred before July 1st forcing him to start laying off construction workers June 17th.
State Republicans are calling Quinn's ploy what it is: bullshit.
Sen. Matt Murphy (R-Palatine) called this a "manufactured crisis." House Republican leader, Tom Cross (R-Oswego) said that if Quinn wants his funds for summer construction season, he should call the Senate back into session and have it drop the request for an extra $430 million tacked on the budget. Even Speaker Madigan called Quinn's bluff. Madigan's spokesman, Steve Brown stated that although the House is ready to work with the governor, there is "no need for the layoffs that's being talked about" because Quinn was already given an extra six months to pay bills in another measure.
But why did Quinn threatened construction projects when the additional $430 million is for education and social services? Quinn has said the budget is incomplete without more money for education and "people programs", while Senate President Cullerton's office echoed the need for the legislators to return for a special session (that taxpayers pay for) because "without sufficient funding for education and human services, the budget is incomplete," said Cullerton spokeswoman Rikeesha Phelon.
So, we'll see. Although I applaud Michael Madigan- not something I do often- for standing firm with respect to reducing spending, will he ultimately give in when Quinn offers to trade his signature on something Madigan wants, like the casino bill, for the additional $430 million in spending Quinn wants?
Given we're dealing with Governor Quinn "pro quo"- who may have traded a state job for a yes vote on the tax hike- do not think he's beneath such a trade. You'd think that with his former boss on trial for seeking political deals, Governor Quinn might be a little less brazen on his attempts to get this extra spending.
08 Jun, 2011--
Source: http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/your-doubting-thomas/2011/06/governor-pat-quinn-threatens-lawmakers-again-to-get-more-of-your-tax-dollars.html
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