 The Senate voted 37-20 for legislation that would tweak a plan to
let power companies raise rates so they can make improvements,
including the creation of a high-tech "smart grid." Approving the
changes is meant to win over the extra votes needed to reverse
Quinn's veto of the underlying plan.The Democratic governor has
fought the proposal vigorously. Just hours before the Senate vote,
he held a news conference to complain that the changes don't make
any substantial improvements in what he dubbed a "smart greed" bill.
"There is no way to put perfume on this skunk, and that's what it
is," Quinn said.
The changes, contained in what is known as a "trailer bill,"
include lowering the profit rate guaranteed to utilities, toughening
the performance standards they must meet and increasing the amount
of money they must spend to improve basic infrastructure. If
everyone who voted for the trailer bill supports the underlying plan
when it comes up, Quinn's veto would be overridden in the Senate.
The measure's fate would then depend on the House -- unfriendly
territory for Quinn right now.
Madigan rose on the House floor Tuesday to deliver a stinging
rebuke of his fellow Chicago Democrat -- a resolution limiting the
governor's power in union contract negotiations and forbidding
agreements that say state government cannot cut jobs.
Madigan said Quinn was wrong last year when he promised not to
cut any jobs or close any state facilities in exchange for
concessions from the American Federation of State, County and
Municipal Employees.
Quinn is now moving to break that agreement by cutting nearly
2,000 jobs and closing prisons and other state institutions. He is
also canceling raises required under the union contract.
Quinn blames legislators, saying they did not give him enough
money to run state government for a full year without making cuts.
Lawmakers say he negotiated a generous deal with a politically
powerful union without considering the financial implications.
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Madigan implied Quinn and his aides -- or "those people" -- can't
be trusted to negotiate financially realistic contracts. Instead,
lawmakers should play a role so that they don't get any nasty
surprises.
"We can stand on the sidelines, let those people go off and do
what they do and send us a bill, or we can interject ourselves now
and be present through the negotiations so that our position is
known and understood as those people are bargaining," Madigan told
fellow lawmakers.
Madigan, who said his idea has the support of Senate President
John Cullerton, said a House committee will determine an acceptable
percentage for union raises in the next contract and then vote on
the resolution before the Legislature adjourns its fall session next
month.
Quinn spokeswoman Brooke Anderson called Madigan's resolution "an
interesting suggestion."
AFSCME spokeswoman Anders Lindall objected to Madigan "stirring
resentment toward working people."
____
The bills are
HB3606 and
HJR45.
____
Online: http://www.ilga.gov/
[Associated Press]
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This
material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or
redistributed.
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