|
No state budget thanks
to lack of leadership As the General Assembly heads into an
unprecedented third month of overtime, the state of Illinois and the
citizens have no budget.
The General Assembly missed its scheduled May 31 adjournment
deadline, as well as the 2008 fiscal year deadline on June 30. A
one-month budget to keep state government running, approved late in
June, ran out July 31.
Comptroller Dan Hynes has indicated that a budget is needed by
Aug. 8, when the state is scheduled to issue $170 million in general
state aid to schools and payday arrives for nearly 5,000 state
employees.
On July 25, the General Assembly set a record for the longest
legislative overtime. The governor continues to convene multiple
special sessions in response to the continued budget impasse. The
cost for special sessions is estimated at up to $42,000 per day.
The people of Illinois and the employees of the state of Illinois
deserve better.
Sen. Brady, Rep. Mitchell announce town hall meeting Aug. 18 in
Forsyth
Rep. Bill Mitchell and I are planning a series of town hall
meetings, starting Aug. 18 in Forsyth. The first meeting is
scheduled from 10 to 11 a.m. in the Forsyth Village Hall, 301 S.
Route 51.
This meeting will allow citizens to receive legislative updates,
express their opinions on issues or seek assistance.
People who are unable to attend but wish to express a concern on
legislation or need assistance with a state agency, may contact me
at 2203 Eastland Drive, Suite 3, Bloomington, IL 61704, phone
309-664-4440; or contact Mitchell at 32 W. Marion, Suite N1,
Forsyth, IL 62535, phone 217-876-1968.
[to top of second column] |
Check out Brady's talk show -- "Capitol Connection" -- online!
My monthly television talk show, "Capitol Connection," is now
available at
http://www.brady.senategop.org/. The 30-minute show spotlights
issues facing Illinois citizens, and my guests offer unique
perspectives and insight into these issues.
New law boosts FutureGen project
The state took another step toward landing the FutureGen project,
a $1.4 billion zero-emissions fossil fuel plant. The governor signed
legislation July 30 that gives the project additional legal and
fiscal protections.
Mattoon and Tuscola are competing with two Texas communities to
win the project, which could make Illinois a leader in the
clean-coal industry.
Senate Bill 1704 includes an incentive package to make Illinois
more competitive with Texas, which is also seeking the FutureGen
project. The new law provides greater liability protections for the
FutureGen Alliance in the rare event of an accidental release of
carbon dioxide -- similar to protections already guaranteed by
Texas.
FutureGen would bring approximately 200 permanent jobs and 2,000
construction jobs to the region and yield more than $100 million
annually in economic output.
The federal government will announce the location of the project
this fall.
[Text from file received from
Sen.
Bill Brady] |
