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Complete vetoes
Thursday, Aug 23, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller Up until now, we’ve just looked at reduction vetoes, but there were lots of line items as well. Here are some… * For Charter Schools – Start-Up Grants…… 3,500,000 * For Healthy Kids/Healthy Minds/ Expanded Vision……… 3,000,000 * For Severely Overcrowded Schools as per Senate Bill 198… 5,000,000 * For Arts and Foreign Language Education… 5,500,000 * Community college Student Success Grants….. 3,000,000 * $863,336… reappropriated… for Arts Education * $500,000… to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission for scholarships and living expenses grants to increase the number of forensic science students who are pursuing a program to become qualified to perform DNA testing at Illinois State Police forensic science facilities. * State Board of Elections… For completion of Phase II of the Census 2010 Redistricting Program…. 350,000 * $1,659,400… to the Department of Agriculture for deposit into the State Cooperative Extension Service Trust Fund. * $1,000,000… to the Illinois Arts Council for a grant to the Illinois Channel. * For payment of attorneys’ fees and costs as ordered by the court in National Foreign Trade Council, Inc., et al. v. Alexi Giannoulias, et al… 400,000 * a grant associated with the United Business Association of Midway…. 125,000 * Another big OOF… They zeroed out Mike Madigan’s pet project… the Illinois Global Partnership Act: * $170,000… to the Illinois Commerce Commission for railroad safety and inspection. * Yikes - Historic Preservation Agency: For the Main Street Program…. 204,000 * $3,000,000… to the Department of Natural Resources for contributions of funds to park districts and other entities as provided by the “Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975″ and to public museums and aquariums located in park districts, as provided by “An Act concerning aquariums and museums in public parks” and the “Illinois Horse Racing Act of 1975″ * For Grants to the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center…… 500,000 * $8,000,000… to the Department of Human Services… For all costs associated with funding a “safety net” for mental health community based providers experiencing a financial hardship as a result of the transition to fee-for-service (2,500,000)… grant award of 0.5% of each provider’s contract for specific allowable fee-for-service conversion expenses, such as information technology and staff development (2,500,000)… For all costs associated with paying community mental health providers for Medicaid services above their total contract amount (3,000,000) * $6,620,000… to the Department of Human Services, for all costs associated with a 3% cost of doing business adjustment for community based addiction treatment providers. * For grants for School Based Health Center expansions… 3,000,000 (This was strongly supported in both chambers.) * For expenses associated with development and coordination of birth related * for the Rural Medical Education (RMED) program at the University of Illinois-Rockford………….700,000 * For Operational Expenses of Legacy Public Health Programs…. 335,700 * For expenses associated with newborn hearing programs…. 150,000 * For Expenses associated with Pandemic Flu Preparedness…. 1,183,000 * For a grant to the Have a Heart for Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation… 400,000 * ILLINOIS VETERANS’ HOME AT LASALLE… For the addition of 80 beds…. 2,225,600 * $6,250,000… for a grant to Operation Ceasefire (zeroed out) * The sum of $2,000,000… for a Lincoln’s Challenge satellite campus which must be no closer than a 100 mile radius from the existing program.
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- Bill - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 5:44 pm:
Hey Rod,
Don’t come around here no more!
- Huh? - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 5:50 pm:
So much for caring for the children and their welfare.
- Huh? - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 5:51 pm:
Bill - who are you and what happened to our Bill?
- Off-Topic Alert to Fax Fans - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 6:02 pm:
Check out Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney Bob Milan’s comments at the Chicago Tribune’s Clout Street Blog. I found them by clicking on the right of this screen where all the other breaking news is posted. (”Birkett Weighs In” is the link.)
Does anyone think these political comments are over the top from a prosecutor?
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 6:03 pm:
Bill? Is that really you?
- Bill - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 6:11 pm:
Rich,
Yeah, its me. I’ve been rodomized.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 6:19 pm:
Bill, is the bloom off the rose? “rodomized”…LOL
- Chambananon - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 6:20 pm:
Bill was that meant to reference “lobotomized” or “sodomized”? Both are appropriate, I suppose… but for the sake of curiosity, I’ll ask it anyway.
P.S. Welcome to the gang! It’s nice not having wool over one’s eyes anymore, isn’t it?
- erstwhilesteve - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 6:22 pm:
Rich, as I said at the bottom of the previous thread, you missed the elimination of state funding for CeaseFire - not just in individual communities but in the group of 24 neighborhoods, suburbs, and downstate communities that are on p.606-7 of the budget: $6,250,000 cut in that block alone.
- Muskrat - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 6:26 pm:
Someone was kidding before that the governor would release the veto on the day of the Ryan decision, but maybe he did even better. The Tribune’s main web page a minute ago had not a word about the budget– all local news slots were filled with storm stories. What kind of favors do you have to call in to get that kind of distraction?
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 6:30 pm:
erstwhilesteve, no I didn’t. Look.
I’m still going through this thing, so be patient already.
- El Salsa - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 6:30 pm:
Its great to point out what got cut, but I think we need to keep in mind that it could be ALOT worse. Let me remind people that if the legislature would have passed the employer assesment on employers who didnt provide health insurance, none of these cuts would have had to be made. Instead, the House decided to stand with big business so instead of taxing corporations, these programs get cut (even though most of them are STILL getting most of their money).
- ILPundit - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 6:30 pm:
Those mental health cuts are very interesting. Isn’t Emil’s wife the state Mental Health Director at DHS???
- El Salsa - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 6:33 pm:
Yes. Instead of the Wal-Marts of the world paying a fee because they dont provide quality health insurance to their employees, programs like Cease Fire get cut.
Big Business and their lobbyists def won the overall battle.
- Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 6:40 pm:
Bill, say it ain’t so!
On to the post, the $400k in legal fees for “National Foreign Trade Council v. …” is the “loser pays” fees for the State trying to defend the first version of the Sudan pension divestment law. Rod & Co. seem to think paying these fees is somebody else’s problem, so this will inevitably end up costing the State more than $400k once the Federal Court learns of the veto and adds on some fines to the tab. I wonder if they have ever paid up for the video game fees?
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 6:43 pm:
El Salsa, you act as though the governor had no choice but to do this. Wrong. He could’ve agreed to a cigarette tax hike for health care and got a lot of what he needed, especially if it was matched by the feds. We’re talking $700 mil instead of the $500 mil he says he can get from these vetoes, but probably can’t.
- Esteban - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 6:44 pm:
It would be appear that most of the reductions
or total “wipeouts” deal with health issues in
one way or another, which seems rather ironic.
- Budget Hack - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 6:45 pm:
This was a lot more than a veto of pork projects. I noticed $5 million cut from the Employer Training Investment Program at DCEO. Of all the pork loaded up in that agency, that is the one program that actually works and is good, despite the politicization of the program by the agency’s Chicago leadership structure.
I have it on good authority that the brainics at OMB made these cuts without consulting agencies. Given that most of their staff have less than a year of experience, and most have no relevant budget experience, I’m sure that we’re going to find lots more problems as time goes on.
As for the cut of the speaker’s pet project, the Illinois Global Partnership - look at the Comptroller’s recent audit of that organization - they are the poster child for bureaucracy gone wrong. How that agency even still exists is unknown to me - didn’t the Governor shut them down a year ago? Typical Rod - all press release, no action.
- Silent Majority - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 6:46 pm:
I doubt that Bill is really Bill. I hope that it isn’t. The real Bill adds much humor to this blog with his Chairman Mao type party line tripe. Will the real Bill please come forward and expose the imposter.
- schley 1 - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 7:00 pm:
Is there room for negotiation on these line item vetos?
- El Salsa - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 7:04 pm:
Rich, I agree, but Madigan saying he supports the cig tax for health care and actually following thru using if for health care are very different things.
I dont blame the Gov for not trusting Madigan. The guy has tried to undermind him throughout this entire process by forcing an overtime, refusing to negotiate, and meddling in the Senate Dem caucus.
Funny how Madigan NEVER brought this up as an option in the leaders meeting and only mentioned it TWICE in the press that he would support it. Saying he would have been for the cig tax sure is nice cover to once again say blame the Governor by saying we had other options. I dont buy it.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 7:06 pm:
Please. No supporter of the governor can complain about the lack of trust of someone else.
- El Salsa - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 7:12 pm:
Touche. I understand your point, but what I said is still true. Trust is a two-way street and Madigan has done nothing to warrant trust on the governors part.
Anyway, sorry to get off topic. Carry on!
- Southern Illinois Democrat - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 7:23 pm:
I have supported Rod in the past but these cuts make absolutely no sense. Why cut current programs that are working or deny needed funds to groups that do good work (veterans home, Main Street) and add an insurance program not wanted? There are definately some overrides needed but I just dont see Emil giving in. I have a feeling the next couple are years are going to make this one look like a picnic in the park.
- South of I-80 - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 7:31 pm:
If that’s how G-Rod spells “PORK” I hope at his next residence he’s not working in the kitchen, but either in the barbershop or making license plates!
- Gene Parmesan - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 7:40 pm:
Rod’s Plan?
Madigan and the House Dems pass the Capital Bill that Emil wants that includes using casinos/cigarette tax to fund what the gov just vetoed, roads, and transit. All the pork/initiatives of the House and Senate get passed, the vetoed funds are restored, Emil gets his payoff through the casinos, and Rod gets to keep his quasi-constitional health care money.
- Wumpus - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 7:41 pm:
* For a grant to the Have a Heart for Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation… 400,000
What does the Black Caucus have to say about this? Weren’t they some of his more staunch supporters? As far as I know, only Blacks get sickle cell.
* ILLINOIS VETERANS’ HOME AT LASALLE… For the addition of 80 beds…. 2,225,600
Duckworth for gov?
- stallion - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 7:43 pm:
I dont believe the word TRUST even exsists in Springfield, at least in the last 5 years. There was a time when we could carry on with our stressful lives without adding more stress because someone wants to dictate whats good for this state and whats not!! These cuts add stress to the already difficult times we live. This could all have been avoided if the word NEGOTIATE exsisted in Springfield. So now everyone needs psychlogical medical healthcare. Am I covered ??
- stallion - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 7:47 pm:
No one has told Rod what Sickel Cell is yet. He has been advised by his circle that its a division of the Department of Corections…
- Gregor - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 8:26 pm:
Rod confused sickle cell with Splinter Cell, thought it was a violent video game, and banned it.
Seriously, some of these cuts are amazing, even for a goofus like Blago and his crew. Friend and foe alike hurt, he’s firing wild. It’s like he’s playing Russian Roulette with the budget as the gun against his own head. And ostensibly, all for his mystical health care plan.
It boggles the mind. It flipped poor old Bill into the majority opinion, and that’s saying something. I think the dam in the senate is not going to hold for Jones, looking at these cuts, his caucus is going to eventually dump him in self-preservation, and when the dam breaks thru, may it wash him and Blago way down the river. Let Louisiana have them.
- Mooseheart - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 8:32 pm:
Rich — Has Madigan waited for the Gov’s Veto Message to decide whether to challenge him constitutionally?
All — Who didn’t get cut, who are those little weasels who remain friends of the Gov?
- Constitutional question? - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 8:33 pm:
Rich, Is it true that it only takes 250,000 signatures on a petition to have a referendum?
I’m thinking we don’t need discuss a RECALL or wait for a Constitutional Convention. We can simply by the will of the people remove the worst Governor in Illinois History…
By the way, I’m a true democrat.
- A Citizen - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 9:58 pm:
If Emil goes along with this veto package he will earn a very bad name for himself. Surely he will be a bit more selective on what he sustains vs what he lets get over ridden. If not, he does not deserve the title of “leader”! This has become visible as insanity on the gov’s part. What a total destructive tantrum.
- A Citizen - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 10:04 pm:
The only worthwhile leadership left in Illinois State Gov’t is the Speaker, Treasurer, Comptroller, AG,Lt. Gov. and possibly Emil if he is smart enough to realize what this gov has wrought, and assist in setting it right. The gov has marginalized himself - and by his own hand. What a total disaster.
- BillyC5022 - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 10:18 pm:
I’m trying to figure out what Rod cut. Is there a bill/document that says “Here is the $X the legislature approved and Gov Rod Amends the amount to $Y ??
- steve schnorf - Thursday, Aug 23, 07 @ 11:27 pm:
Folks, I’ve told you for years that to make cuts of any size in a budget you’ve only got two places you can go; human services, education. Everything else is nickel-dime.
Some of you will say he didn’t need to cut at all. Remember, WE elected HIM GOVERNOR. He gets to make these sorts of decisions.
- RickMonday - Friday, Aug 24, 07 @ 6:49 am:
I view this as a silver lining in the whole budget mess. As far as I am concerned, the more line item cuts the better. I mean does Madidgan really need $8million for the Illinois Arts Council?
- Khan Noonian Singh - Friday, Aug 24, 07 @ 7:21 am:
Arts council cuts were aimed at Mayor Daley’s wife and Shirley Madigan.
- Anonymous - Friday, Aug 24, 07 @ 9:20 am:
A lot of the commentary on these “cuts” is off-base. Illinois has a lot of grant programs and statutory programs that distribute money to a lot of good purposes according to objective criteria, review panels, need, etc. The “add-ons”, almost by definition, are attempts by legislators to circumvent the objective process to steer money according to a single legislator’s biases/prejudices/corruption. If these “add-ons” get “cut”, it in all likelihood is a good thing. After all, why should one school/non-for-profit/nursing home/etc. get singled out for special treatment just because some legislator has a tie to them (especially if there’s a general program that addresses the same need that the school/NFP/home just didn’t qualify for or score high enough to merit. Even if it goes to “good guys”, it’s still pork if it goes outside the normal process.