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Capitol Fax

Rich Miller's commentary on State Government

It's been clear from the beginning that Gov. Pat Quinn muffed his budget rollout.

Instead of stressing the billion dollars or so in cuts he made and the additional cuts he might be open to, Quinn has repeatedly stressed the need for a 50 percent increase in the income tax rate and has flatly rejected additional budget reductions.

Polling conducted for the Senate Democrats reportedly shows voters want the exact opposite approach. First, make the cuts, then increase taxes if and only if they are absolutely necessary.

So, Quinn hasn't made it any easier to wrap up the General Assembly's business by May 31st and balance a budget that has a hole somewhere in the neighborhood of $12 billion.

Senate President John Cullerton said last week he believed two of the three major issues facing the General Assembly were going quite well. You'd never know it by hanging out at the Statehouse, but he was more upbeat than I've seen him in weeks.

An ethics reform bill is beginning to take shape as Cullerton negotiates with the governor and the governor's reform commission.

The public works "capital" bill is also moving forward, Cullerton said. The leaders have agreed to a basic outline of revenue sources, including increasing the sales tax on most alcohol; a sales tax expansion to include candy, iced tea and beauty products; privatizing Lottery management and allowing Internet Lottery ticket sales; raising various vehicle registration and licensing fees; legalizing video poker and using Road Fund money that is currently spent elsewhere.

The big problem, Cullerton said, is the budget. And he's certainly right about that. I could tell you lots of stories, but I'll just pass along one.

I spent some time last week with a liberal African-American state Senator from Chicago who has historically fought attempts to cut the budget, but has never been directly involved with the budget-making process. The legislator, who is virtually assured of reelection, stunned everyone in the room by announcing that the General Assembly ought to just pass a budget and go home without a tax increase, no matter what the deficit or damage might be. The legislator couldn't be convinced otherwise, even by a highly respected Democratic budget expert who was also in the room.

When a liberal who represents a district chock full of people who depend on state government services starts talking like that, you wonder how they'll ever solve this budget crisis.

The mushrooms, as rank and file legislators are often called, aren't restless. They're an apoplectic mess.

Legislators elect their leaders to protect them from the harsh realities of political life. Leaders raise most of the money, they run the campaigns, they help members write legislation to benefit their districts or make them more popular with the folks back home. And they protect members from tough votes.

Nobody has taken a truly tough vote in the General Assembly since maybe 1983, when taxes were raised during a terrible recession. They've been spoiled rotten, coddled and shielded at every turn by leaders who have ignored the state's problems until everything finally exploded at once with a fury unmatched since the state government went bankrupt in the 19th Century. Nothing has prepared legislators as a group for the horrific votes they face this month.

Cullerton says he sees the way forward. He believes he can cut a deal with the reform commission that will keep the good government types and the editorial boards off his members' backs through the 2010 election, and iron out the details of a massive public works program to create jobs and mollify the unions. Easier said than done, I know, yet he thinks that's all within reach right now.

But then, as Cullerton says, there's that budget problem.

Quinn has made things even more difficult by caving in too quickly to unions representing teachers and state employees. He had demanded that the workers pay an extra two percent of their salary into their pension funds. The unions pushed back hard, so Quinn announced he was dropping the idea after being roundly booed and heckled during a raucous teachers union rally.

An experienced negotiator would've made the teachers and state workers sweat it out until the end of the legislative session, and then handed them the concession. Now, they want more out of Quinn and he has little to give.

Rich Miller also publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and thecapitolfaxblog.com.

Defending the U.S. Constitution

On May 21st, leaders of many national organizations dedicated to defending the Constitution will retrace the steps of the financial conspirators who quietly gathered in 1910 at Jekyll Island, Georgia to covertly plot the creation of the privately-owned (and unconstitutional), "Federal Reserve System." Next week defenders of Freedom will travel by train from New Jersey to Jekyll Island to join forces in support of the upcoming and historic Continental Congress 2009 initiative.

When the Continental Congress 2009 (CC2009) convenes this year, it will be a multi-week assembly of Delegates from all fifty states to formally document for the nation a century of Constitutional violations and the federal government's refusal to be held accountable to the Law of the nation. Among the violations are the Treasury and Fed bailouts, which use public monies for unlawful expenditures for private benefit.

The CC2009 Assembly will recommend specific actions the People can take to peacefully restore Constitutional Order. These actions may well include a nationwide call for the People to (lawfully) withdraw all financial support from the government until the Constitution is fully obeyed.

Visit www.wethepeoplecongress.org to learn about the 900 year history and profound power of the Petition clause ­ the fifth unalienable right in the First Amendment.

Rogene Hamilton

Winnebago County Coordinator

We The People Congress

P.O. Box 489

Pecatonica, IL 61063

815-239-1459

Spring Cleaning in Savanna

Savanna residents have 2 great recycling/reuse opportunities coming up soon. First, on May 23rd, the city bulky waste cleanup offers the chance to have unwanted household items removed for free, either by those items being picked up by people that see "treasure" in the trash or by Moring Disposal Inc., the new waste removal contractor for the city of Savanna.

For those items that are scavenged it is a good example of reuse. Please keep in mind that anything picked up by the hauler will go directly to a landfill, including electronic devices. As items in landfills break or decompose, they can produce toxic liquids and air pollutants that can escape into our air or water sources. For this reason, recycling and reuse is a better option than landfilling our unwanted items.

Please take advantage of the June 6th electronics and appliance recycling collection, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., at the Savanna Fire Department parking lot. The June 6th collection is provided to you by Jo-Carroll Solid Waste Agency and the Jo-Carroll Extension Unit, and serviced by Recycling For Illinois (RFI). RFI accepts all kinds of electronics, and appliances for recycling, mostly for free. All items collected are either put to reuse (if working) or recycled (if not working). The items that have a fee are computer monitors, televisions, and large or Freon appliances. The $10.00 fee on computer monitors, televisions, and Freon-containing appliances allows RFI to properly dispose of and recycle the hazardous elements contained in them, especially the lead contained in the monitor and television screens. Please note that large screen televisions and console radios and televisions are subject to a higher cost.

In this economy, it may be a hard choice for a household to decide to recycle an item for a fee when it can be disposed of at no charge. Please consider it as an investment in the future of our environment to recycle as much as possible.

Items accepted for free by RFI is too long to list here, "If it has a cord, recycle it!" is their motto. A flyer is available at many Savanna merchant locations. Please pick up the flyer or contact me at 815-244-9444 or by email mfrieden@illinois.edu.

Maggie Friedenbach

Recycling & Conservation Programs Coordinator

Thanks for Veteran's Wall Support

Thank you goes to all the readers of the Prairie Advocate for the donations of money, and the caring and sharing, to buy a stone at the Veteran's Memorial Wall in the Lanark Cemetery for Lt. CG Elmer who was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in WW1. Without your interest his heroism might otherwise have been forgotten.

Thanks are due the Prairie Advocate also for their bringing this information to you by their generosity. It's the personal touch, the "we-mail," not technology, e-mail! Please see the article, "Please Don't Quote Me," (at www.pacc-news.com) for summary of another Lanark veteran whose pioneering career in the new US Air Force in WW1 in which he was awarded the prestigious French medal, the Croix de Guerr for "deeds beyond the call of duty." Let us remember him also.

Donations may be sent to the American Legion in care of Ellis Boughton, 25156 Spring Valley Road, Shannon, IL 61078.

Ellis Boughton

Shannon, IL

Two Regarding Savanna Skateboard Park Location

To the good people of Savanna,

We elect the city board members to be our eyes, ears and voices. A person in our community came up with a great idea for a skate park. This man has worked effortlessly for a few years to get his project what it needs to be completed. He secured a location and equipment at no expense to the tax payers.

As a tax payer, I feel good about getting something so great for our kids for free. Portland Avenue is a perfect place. It is easily accessible. Emergency personnel would have easy accessibility, there would be plenty of parking and this location is very visible. This would be a safe destination for our skate park.

If this project was moved to the Old Mill Park it would be in the woods. Our children need to be able to be seen. Old Mill Park is already very congested with three ball diamonds, two play areas, Frisbee golf, a volleyball court, and tennis, not to mention all the picnic areas. I walk with many mothers several times a week during ball season and the park is getting very congested.

There are many parks around town for our little kids, let's give our big kids one. If the city wants to do something, donate a couple benches for the parents to have a place to sit. Let this man from our community be heard.

Thanks,

Tammy Holmbo

Savanna, IL

More Skateboard Park

Petitions have been signed, money has been granted, a layout has been drawn up, a location has been foundor not. Talk about a skate park in Savanna has been circulating for quite sometime now, so what is the hold up? Location? What is wrong with the original spot that has already been approved?

Summer is right around the corner and the kids still won't have a place to skate all because there seems to be an argument on where to have the park. Why not off Viaduct? It seems to be a legitimate location. It will be easy for the kids who live in town to get to or easy for out of towners to find. I feel the kids will be safe near houses that they can go to if they find themselves in an emergency situation. I also feel that it will bring more business to the Savanna Station/McDonald's from the people who are coming from out of town to visit the park.

I know that issues of a bathroom or the lack of one has been brought up and I also know that Senator Jacobs has promised that in one year of the opening of the park that adequate bathrooms will be provided. The skate park itself is comparable to those in the upper scale neighborhoods of the Western Suburbs and quite a few of those parks are lacking in bathrooms.

I feel the kids just want to see this park up and running so that they will finally have a place to skate as promised and if they take part in building the park then they will certainly take pride in it and keep it clean. We hope to see the park up and running this summer and if Viaduct is where it was originally planned to be then why try and fix something that isn't broken?

Tiffany Mendez

Savanna, IL

Eagle Crest Camp

Hey Boys and Girls!

It's time to get your application filled out for another fun week at Eagle Crest Camp! If you are between the ages of 8 and 12 you can enjoy a fun filled, safe week at camp! The camp is offered by The Salvation Army and is located north of Peoria.

Achartered bus picks us up and takes us there. Karen will have lunches packed for you to eat on the bus.Mom will have to let me know if you have allergies (no peanut butter). Camp will be in session July 20 -24, and we will leave from the Savanna Pamida parking lot on Monday, July 20 at 10 a.m.

Call Karen @ 815-273-2062 for an application. You may also pick one up at "The Answer" in downtown Savanna.

I have to have them back by June 20th. There is no cost, but you may want to bring about $5.00 spending money for the country store. All counselors and employees have had background checks and are screened for your child's safety.

You can take a look on line at the camp eaglecrestcamp.com

See you then! Karen4u

Karen Carvell

Savanna, IL

Capitol Report

By Jim Sacia, State Representative, 89th District

"If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read it in English, thank a veteran". I love that bumper sticker because it reflects my admiration for both teachers and veterans.

As I wrote last week, more than 3,000 members of the Illinois Education Association (IEA) descended on Springfield. I, of course, met with many of them, and my message was consistent. To my great disappointment, my comments were reported back to area teachers as follows "Others were able to meet with Representative Jim Sacia, but from what I understand, he was less willing to commit to anything."

I guess that's a polite way of saying that I didn't readily agree to each and every demand of the teachers' union. I won't get an "A" in tact, but here's exactly what I said: "I will absolutely fight for retired teachers' pensions to be fully funded. I will absolutely fight to protect teachers' pensions for those currently teaching."

Now here's what the union doesn't want to hear me say, and I guess it translates into I was "less that willing to commit"future hires perhaps will come in under a different pension system. Yes, they will still have an excellent pension but the state, like private industry, must reevaluate employee perks and recognize we may need to slightly scale-back benefits for future hires. Under a scaled-back plan, I want to reiterate that incoming new teachers would still receive a very good pension and better than many of you reading this.

That said, I believe that Governor Quinn's proposal for new hires is over-the-top and unacceptable. I also believe the teachers' union needs to be willing to negotiate.

I think back to my own youth when I started in the marketplace. My pension wasn't my greatest concern. The union states as a concern that if any plan but theirs is implemented, there will be no more good teachers. I disagree. I believe there will always be wonderful, dedicated individuals who will choose this noble profession.

Senate Bill 43 continues to be a huge issue and it's another area where unions and those paying the labor are going nose to nose. What the legislation says, in a nutshell, is that if your residence, your property, or the municipality in which you live, happen to be in a Tax Increment Finance District (TIF) or Enterprise Zone, you will pay prevailing wage for any work done. In my opinion, this is a very invasive piece of legislation that may well hit you right in the pocketbook. I would encourage everyone to look it up at www.ilga.gov and see just how onerous it is. My guess is we will see it in the waning hours of the session in late May to ensure it passes, and that the posse can be out of Dodge when the bells and whistles go off.

Those pushing this legislation promise an amendment, but they cannot make this concept acceptable. If they get their way, the state will tell you how much you are to pay your employees. Fight this one, folks. It will gobble you up.

You may remember that two weeks ago I asked you to contact Speaker Madigan's office and members of his party to stop a pay raise for legislators? It worked. Now the Speaker is in agreement on the need to reject the pay raise. We need to do the same for Senate Bill 43.

As always, you can reach me, Sally or Barb at 815/232-0774 or e-mail us at jimsacia@aeroinc.net. You can also visit my website at www.jimsacia.com. It's always a pleasure to hear from you.

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