* 2:47 pm - The governor has called special sessions for Saturday and Sunday to take up a one-month budget.
…And here they are… Special Session Proclamation 13, and Special Session Proclamation 14.
* 2:53 pm - There are no available hotel rooms in town because of the State Fair, the Senate has already passed a budget and the House will soon, so I’m betting almost nobody shows up for these specials.
* 3:03 pm - The House passed the one-year budget 98-8.
* 3:41 pm - Ryan Hermes…
I just overheard a House Democratic staffer asking members what days they wouldn’t be available in August.
* 3:47 pm - The Tribune is finally catching on to Mayor Daley’s attitude about the Chicago casino that I’ve been writing about for the past few days…
City Hall sources said the mayor still does want a casino for Chicago, but he does not embrace the current structure of the legislation.
For one, the revenue split is so diverse–with money potentially going to education, schools, construction and other projects–that the Chicago would see very little–maybe less than $30 million a year–even though it would be the host city, the sources close to the mayor said.
The city would like to get a revenue stream significant enough to fund capital programs for schools, parks, museums and other city infrastructure, the mayoral sources said. Secondly, the idea that a casino could start generating money almost immediately is overly optimistic given the elongated process of licensing, bidding and getting a facility up and running, a process that could take several years. […]
And the idea that a gambling facility could be up and running within a few months is ludicrous, he said.
* 3:50 pm - Oy. Speaker Madigan has distributed a perfunctory session calendar that takes the House through the end of October.
Those aren’t actual session days where he will call members in for work, but if special sessions are scheduled on those days then the House could do other work besides what is specified in the governor’s proclamations. Looks like Madigan may be settling in for a long fight, or at least signaling to the governor that he’s not afraid
** 4:03 pm *** Speaker Madigan speaks to the House…
“The purpose of scheduling perfunctory sessions [through the end of October] is to provide that we will be available if needed… if the governor takes actions on bills… Our plan is to give you as much notice as possible… It clearly would be more than a day… The governor has already issued proclamations calling for special sessions for tomorrow and Sunday [to take up a one-month budget]. We’ve since sent the governor a twelve-month budget. We’ve done our job… Given what we’ve done, I don’t think there’s any need for consideration of a 30-day budget.
“Gary Hannig, who lives locally, will be here at the appointed time [much applause]… to convene the special sessions. And in the event there are special sessions next week [Hannig will be there as well].
“My advice to all members would be: Don’t come to Springfield. We’ve done our job. There’s no need to work on a 30-day budget. Again, don’t come to Springfield until you get notice from my office or from Rep. Cross’ office.”
* Madigan also said the budget implementation bills would be taken up sometime in the future.
* The Speaker said the mass transit issue could require a return to town. Madigan said he planned to “get to work shortly after one or two days off” and would take up the issue.
* The Speaker also said he’d be willing to take up the health care issue this summer.
* 4:13 pm - From a press release…
State Representative John Fritchey (D-Chicago) today announced that both the House and Senate have passed legislation that would extend and increase the property tax cap bill which the General Assembly enacted a few years ago. House Bill 664, of which Fritchey is a chief sponsor, will not only extend “the 7% solution” (which limits the increased taxable value of homes to 7% per year) for an additional three years, but also boosts the exemption cap from $20,000 to $33,000 in the first year. The bill also includes several new forms of relief for long-term homeowners, seniors, and veterans
* 4:17 pm - Word’s going around that the governor will use his veto power to reduce the 12-month budget down to a 60-day budget. Stay tuned. It’s also likely that the guv will line-item out the legislative pay raises.
This makes me wonder even more about today’s meeting with Senate President Jones and what Jones may have agreed to. The only way the governor could make any budgetary veto stick is if Jones stood with him.