State Government Too Busy Bickering To Govern

By Margaret Lyons in News on Jul 16, 2008 4:03PM

The Illinois state legislature is sort of a mess this. The House is in session, trying to fix the state budget, but the Senate isn't scheduled to return until after the November election.

Why the long break? Because there's a pay raise on the table, and if the Senate waits to approve the raise, they won't have to face the topic during reelection campaigns. State Senator Susan Garret (D-Lake Forest) says "Some people in leadership would rather us not be in Springfield because we would not have to address the pay raise." By "some people," she means Emil Jones. Jones's spokeswoman denied that that's Jones's plan.

Over at the House, Democrats have come up with a $1.8 billion capital program, which isn't quite the $34 billion the governor's pushing for. Quoth a Blago spokesman: "This House action puts us 1 percent closer to meeting our state's infrastructure needs." Snerk.

Mayor Daley says the problem is Mike Madigan and Blagojevich's ongoing dick-wagging contest. "It's a personal feud. It's the Hatfield and McCoy's, you know that. When people don't trust each other in politics or in families, you have issues." [WBEZ, S-T, Trib]