* Somebody finally notices, but he buries it way down so nobody else will likely notice…
With all of the budget folderol from last week, it’s worth remembering that back in May, the House passed another budget that didn’t increase spending nearly as much as the one that landed on Blagojevich’s desk. However, it was never called for a vote in the Senate, so that was that.
Basically, this budget mess didn’t have to be this way.
It’s difficult for readers to remember if hardly anybody ever told them it happened in the first place.
* A downstate editorial goes on and on about the veto overrides and the general nastiness in Springfield without mentioning the budget bills still sitting in the Senate…
The entire Senate should have a say on whether to accept the cuts made by the governor - and senators should have that say before November and without any threats regarding what will happen if they don’t follow the wishes of Jones.
But, in refusing to bring the Senate to Springfield to act on the governor’s amendatory veto, he is following the same pattern he did a year ago, so no one should be surprised.
* This editorial blames the governor for the budget mess, but also doesn’t mention the bills idling in the Senate…
Now there will be pain. And no matter how he prefers to view it, the pain comes from the governor’s hand. Unless voters send a radically new membership to the House in the November elections, the governor should plan on either coming up with more realistic revenue plans or inflicting more pain in the next two years. He should also plan on being held accountable for it.
* Related…
* Lawmaker pay rates exceed neighbors
* Emil Jones finagles a raise
* Illinois budget cuts to have broad impact
* Stalled renovations empty Lincoln Hall
* Ralph Martire: Ideas to generate new state revenue woefully lacking