|
 Quinn on Monday said he will call for a special session to address
Illinois' statewide construction plan -- $31 billion in new building
projects approved two years ago -- but he has not set a date.
"The General Assembly, the bottom line, did not pass the
authorization for this construction program," Quinn said. "What we
have to do is get everyone together and have them finish their
business."
The governor said unless lawmakers vote for more spending, this
summer's work will grind to a halt. Quinn wants some action from the
legislature before the new budget year begins July 1.
"The bottom line is the House didn't act; the Senate didn't act.
When they don't act, it's time for the governor to act," Quinn said.
Lawmakers left Springfield this past week after sending Quinn a
state budget. But the money for this summer's roadwork was tied to a
separate measure that would have added $431 million to the
trimmed-down state budget. The Illinois Senate, with the backing of
only Democrats, approved the additional funding, but the plan was
never called for a vote in the House.
But Quinn is going to have a tough time getting any extra money.
Democrats in the Illinois House worked with their Republican
counterparts and had support from the Senate GOP to hold the line on
spending. The budget on Quinn's desk limits spending to $33.2
billion, and even Quinn's own Democrats are sticking to that price
tag.
"I'd like to spend more too, but I think the simple fact of the
matter is we may not have it," said state Rep. Greg Harris,
D-Chicago. "And we cannot be spending more money than we have." State Sen. Dave Syverson, R-Rockford, said he warned Senate
Democrats not to add more spending, in part because no one has any
idea where the extra money would come from.
"For them to tack on almost a half a billion dollars of more
spending that the state doesn't have onto that capital plan, we
warned what the end result would be. And here we are," said Syverson
about the newly called special session.
[to top of second column] |
 Any agreement to spend more in the budget is going to take a
supermajority in the legislature -- 71 votes in the House and 36 in
the Senate -- according to state law. Democrats' majority in both
chambers is not large enough, so lawmakers and the governor will
have to come to an agreement.
Harris said that's unlikely.
"I think there are a couple of ways it could get resolved. One, the
House could agree to spend more. Two, the Senate could agree to
spend less," said Harris. "Or three, we could come back, maybe, in
six months ... and we could then adjust things six months down the
road."
Syverson said that calling lawmakers back to the Capitol during the
summer for "political games" is dangerous.
"If (Democrats) want to hold out for additional spending that the
state doesn't have, and they want to kill the capital and road
program for this year, then they have to go home and explain to
their constituents and the taxpayers why they did that," said
Syverson.
Several lawmakers have said roadwork will not come to a halt,
because the General Assembly gave the governor an extra three months
to pay late state bills, extending lapse-period spending until Dec.
31.
Quinn said a special session "has to happen now."
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By BENJAMIN YOUNT]
 |
