 Governor ignores JCAR's ruling, begins expanding health care
On Nov. 13, the bipartisan Joint Committee on Administrative Rules
blocked Gov. Rod Blagojevich's attempt to circumvent the lawmaking
process and expand taxpayer-funded health care without legislative
approval.
But he is not letting a little thing like a JCAR ruling stop him.
The governor has decided to ignore the committee's vote and begin an
immediate expansion of the health care program. An internal memo
circulated in the Blagojevich administration issued a directive for
employees to begin signing up families that earn as much as 400
percent of the poverty level, or $82,000 for a family of four.
The program expansion is expected to cost hundreds of million of
dollars and is part of an overall expansion of taxpayer-paid medical
care that will have a price tag of more than $2 billion once fully
implemented.
It is rather chilling to witness time and again Blagojevich's
blatant disregard for the legislative process, established rules and
the constitutional balance of power.
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 Governor has not yet approved extra school funding
Nearing midweek, Illinois schools were still waiting to hear when
they will start receiving extra state funding. Lawmakers approved
legislation Nov. 2 needed to implement parts of the state budget
that allocate $550 million to the more than 700 school districts in
Illinois. The governor had not signed the legislation as of Tuesday
afternoon.
The education funding increase was initially approved during the
summer overtime session; however, infighting among Democratic
legislative leaders delayed legislative action that would have
released the money to the school districts.
The legislation increases the state's general state aid
foundation level by $400, to $5,734 per pupil, and fully funds
categorical grants for special education, low-income lunches and
transportation.
Happy Thanksgiving
On behalf of my family and the staff in my legislative offices, I
wish you and yours a blessed and happy Thanksgiving.
[Text from file received from
Sen.
Bill Brady]
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