|
Senate should vote on governor's budget vetoes Now that the
Illinois House has voted overwhelmingly to override the governor's
changes to the state budget, the long-standing battle between
lawmakers and the governor shifts to the Illinois Senate.
The House of Representatives voted 105-4 on Tuesday to override
most of the governor's budget vetoes. The prospects for a Senate
override don't look good, however, because Senate President Emil
Jones of Chicago has vowed to side with the governor.
We hope to put enough pressure on the Senate president to allow a
vote on the budget vetoes. We encourage anyone who depends on
government services affected by the vetoes to contact their senator,
to contact the governor's office, to contact Sen. Jones' office and
demand that a vote on the budget vetoes be allowed in the Senate.
The governor's budget changes were politically motivated and
vindictive, designed to force legislators to do what the governor
wants. It's bordering on bribery to go in and veto funding for
Senate Republican and House Democrat projects, and leave funding for
House Republican and Senate Democrat projects. It clearly shows that
this governor is vindictive and that he is trying to hold something
over the heads of certain lawmakers.
In September, a series of 19 hearings was conducted in
communities across the state -- including one I attended Sept. 13 in
Pekin -- to highlight how the governor's vetoes will have a
devastating impact on programs that assist some of the state's most
vulnerable residents, such as senior citizens, people with
developmental disabilities, students and veterans.
Funding nursing homes, funding hospitals, funding community
service providers are essential. There are ways and places the
governor can cut in this budget, if he wishes to have the fortitude
to do so, to revamp state government to be more efficient. Rather he
has chosen to cut funding for programs that really help the needy
throughout our state.
Comptroller reports serious revenue decreases for Illinois
State Comptroller Dan Hynes is reporting that Illinois revenues
are down by approximately $885 million compared with the first
quarter of the previous fiscal year.
[to top of second column]
 |
 The comptroller's quarterly report notes that the significant
deterioration in revenue could be attributed to the state's
increased Medicaid obligations and declining returns from the state
sales tax and the corporate income tax.
The comptroller noted that the General Revenue Fund's position is
significantly weaker than in previous fiscal years. Currently $1.4
billion in bills is being held in the fund -- the most quickly and
steeply declining cash balance position in years. In addition, the
lackluster economy has contributed to weak economic revenue returns.
In fact, the comptroller warns that Illinois could end the year
with the largest backlog of unpaid bills since fiscal 2003.
It is important to note that the decline might not have been so
drastic if the state had simply kept pace with the rest of the
country in job creation during the Blagojevich administration. The
latest figures from the U.S. Department of Labor show that Illinois
continues to trail much of the nation in job growth, ranking 45th in
the country. That means lower sales and income taxes for the state.
Total jobs in Illinois dropped for the second straight month in
August, according to the job numbers from the Bureau of Labor
Statistics.
Area farms named Centennial Farms
Agriculture plays an integral role in Illinois' economy. Our
rural communities are the centers of agricultural production, while
agricultural processing and manufacturing strengthen urban
economies.
At the heart of our state's agriculture industry and its rich
history is the family farm. The Illinois Department of Agriculture's
Centennial Farms program honors generations of farmers who have
worked to maintain family farms. To qualify for a Centennial Farm
designation, the agricultural property must be owned by a straight
or collateral line of descendants for at least 100 years.
In central Illinois, two farms have recently been designated as
Centennial Farms. In McLean County, the 80-acre Noud farm near
Shirley was purchased in 1895. In Tazewell County, the 123-acre
Schureman farm near Green Valley was originally purchased in 1852.
We congratulate these families and thank them for their
dedication to preserving the family farm and our state's
agricultural heritage.
[Text from file received from
Sen.
Bill Brady] |
