*** 4:10 pm *** Here we go. From a press release…
Governor calls General Assembly into Special Session to address capital plan and education funding - General Assembly can take action on Governor’s new Illinois Works compromise and address enhanced school funding
CHICAGO – Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today called on the General Assembly to return to work on August 12 and August 13 to address increasing Illinois’ education funding and to pass a slimmed down $25 billion Illinois Works capital plan to invest in revitalizing our state’s roads, bridges, classrooms and communities.
After weeks of working with the legislative leaders to negotiate a capital plan that eliminates expanding gaming as a revenue source, last week the Governor announced the new plan with former US Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-IL).
“Last week former US Speaker Dennis Hastert and I sat with leaders from the four caucuses to present a compromise that addresses many of the concerns that legislators had posed with the previous capital plan. Now that they have had time to review our proposal, I will convene a special session so that they can pass a plan this summer that will repair and rebuild our states infrastructure and put Illinoisans to work,” said Governor Blagojevich.
On August 12, the Governor will convene a special session of the General Assembly to address education funding. The Governor is committed to increasing state funding for education and has invested more money in education than any other administration in history, including millions more in FY09.
Even with this year’s tight budget constraints where he had to make $1.4 billion in reductions, the Governor was able to increase funding for education by $360 million for a total investment of $8.4 billion more since 2003. Since he entered office, he increased per pupil spending by more than 30 percent.
The Governor has said that he would veto any income tax increase and has called on legislators to make their intentions known before the November elections as to whether or not they would support an increase in the income tax.
“When people are paying more at the pump, paying more at the grocery store and paying more in property taxes it would be financially crippling to make them pay more in taxes,” Blagojevich said. “If the House Democrats plan on raising the income tax on working families, they need to make their intentions known now and not wait until after the election.”
On August 13, the Governor will convene a special session of the General Assembly to pass the new $25 billion Illinois Works capital plan which includes the following:
• Investment of more than $14.4 billion in roads projects, $4.1 billion in education facilities, $3.4 billion in public transit and rail, $800 million environment and water, $310 million in state facilities, $100 million in healthcare facilities, $425 million in economic development, and more than $1.4 billion in other critical infrastructure and quality of life needs for the citizens of Illinois.
• Provides a capital improvement plan clearly identifying timelines, priorities and funding sources for projects within each of these investment categories.
• Funds education construction projects and mass transportation investments with $7 billion partial concession of the Illinois Lottery.
• Creates capital and educational trust funds with “lockbox” accountability guarantees for capital investments and continuation of the current level of Lottery proceeds for P-12 education.
• Uses $150 million in excess motor fuel taxes to support $1.6 billion in additional road projects
• Uses $100 million in excess state sales taxes on motor fuels to support $1.3 billion in additional projects
According to a study by Southern Illinois University, a comprehensive capital plan would have tremendous economic benefits for the state. The study found a $25 billion capital plan would create 443,000 new full-time jobs, lead to $32 billion in economic activity and more than $2.3 billion in state and local tax revenues. [Emphasis added]
*** 4:53 pm *** From the SJ-R, which apparently received a slight advanced warning…
Blagojevich does not intend for lawmakers to take up state budget cuts during the session, Guerrero said.
“Unless they find the funding, there’s nothing much more to do with the budget,” Guerrero said.
Guerrero said the governor decided to call the special session on education funding after being urged to do so by some black lawmakers who have complained about inequities in school funding.
Blagojevich wants lawmakers to consider a plan to significantly increase school funding backed by state Sen. James Meeks, which calls for an income tax increase to provide billions of extra dollars for schools and other needs.
But the governor opposes the income tax increase and wants lawmakers to look at other ways to pay for the increased spending, Guerrero said. He has supported selling or leasing the state Lottery and expanding gambling in the past to accomplish that goal. [Emphasis added]
*** 4:59 pm *** To answer some questions in comments, the legislative and statewide pay raise automatically kicks in during the second day of the scheduled special session.
*** 6:03 pm *** From the Post-Dispatch…
State Rep. Gary Hannig, D-Litchfield, a top House official, questioned the necessity of the session, since there is no agreement on the infrastructure plan and no specific proposal for education funding.
*** 6:19 pm *** From Lee Newspapers…
With the Illinois State Fair underway, some members of the Legislature are concerned there will be few hotel rooms available.
Although a quick check of three on-line hotel booking sites found ample rooms as of Tuesday evening, the fair doesn’t get into full swing until this coming weekend. […]
State Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion, said it is a long shot to think lawmakers will be able to resolve their long-standing differences over a statewide construction plan in just one day.
He said it’s tough to analyze the latest changes to the plan because it remains more a conceptual plan, rather than an actual piece of legislation.
‘’They need to put the proposals on paper,'’ Bradley said.
State Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, said attempting to address a major issue like school funding reform in one day is foolhardy.
‘’It’s just wishful thinking,'’ Brady said. ‘’Without a plan, we’re not going to get anything accomplished.'’