Blago Backers Put It in Writing

By Kevin Robinson in News on Jul 9, 2008 4:21PM

Rod Blagojevich's office has enlisted bipartisan bigwigs Dennis Hastert and Glenn Poshard to send a flashy memo (PDF), jam-packed with information they hope will convince lawmakers that Blagojevich can be trusted with a construction plan that would fund roads, bridges, and schools, among other capital projects.

The former U.S. House Speaker and former congressman, respectively, want lawmakers to feel secure in knowing that Blagojevich won't tamper with a statewide construction plan. To that end, the assurances they are offering include limits on bonding authority and other guarantees that would limit the governor's discretionary spending to 3 percent of a $23.2 billion piece of the proposed $34 billion Illinois Capital Works Program. Other parts of the "oversight" plan include a formula for distributing spending equitably across the state, granting the general assembly the authority to refuse to re-appropriate "authority for spending in future fiscal years," and a "lockbox which restricts use of the funds to only the Illinois Works Capital Program."

Blagojevich has called legislators back into session this week to try and close a $2 billion gap in this year's spending plan. Whether sending surrogates out into the media wilderness to negotiate a capital spending program, rather than sitting down with the leadership of the General Assembly will work remains to be seen. Actually, no it doesn't. Because it won't.