House Rejects Plan to Lease Lottery

Blagojevich lashes out in dispute over budget

By KURT ERICKSON, JG/T-C Springfield Bureau
kurt.erickson@lee.net

SPRINGFIELD — They may be from the same city and the same political party, but Gov. Rod Blagojevich and House Speaker Michael Madigan are worlds apart when it comes to finding common ground on a state budget.

As lawmakers faced the prospect of spending the weekend in Springfield mired in more gridlock, the two Chicago Democrats stepped up their war of words Friday with Blagojevich repeatedly accusing Madigan of acting more like a Republican than a Democrat.

“Mr. Madigan, unfortunately, has chosen not to be a Democrat anymore, has chosen to be part of a right-wing Republican effort to take health care away from children and take meals away from senior citizens and actually cut education,” Blagojevich told reporters.

A spokesman for Madigan called the comments an example of the governor’s “immaturity.”

The salvo was the latest in a high-profile spat between the two faces of Illinois’ Democratic Party, which controls state government. Blagojevich is the chief executive and Madigan serves as state party chairman.

The two are at odds over a state spending plan, with Blagojevich wanting to boost spending by $5 billion at a time when Madigan believes a $1 billion increase has a better chance of winning legislative support.

To drive home that point, Madigan shepherded legislation through the House Friday to reject Blagojevich’s proposal to privatize the state lottery.

The governor’s plan, which would use the proceeds of the sale to prop up the state’s pension funds, was defeated on a 78-6 vote.

Opponents said it is a bad idea to sell off a state asset that brings in a large chunk of cash every year.

“You don’t mortgage your future to pay your grocery bill,” said House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago.

Blagojevich said the defeat of his plan was “predictable” in light of a similar, earlier vote in which the House overwhelmingly voted down the governor’s plan to raise taxes on businesses.

“Mr. Madigan has consistently taken solutions off the table and has not offered any alternative solutions,” said Blagojevich. “It’s part of the three-ring circus that he’s conducting there in the House as opposed to sitting down with us and negotiating in good faith.“

Madigan spokesman Steve Brown dismissed Blagojevich’s verbal attacks.

“I think the continued string of insults really shows his immaturity and does nothing to solve the budget impasse,” Brown said.

Despite the heated rhetoric, Blagojevich couldn’t point to any solid progress on resolving the stalemate after spending nearly two hours behind closed doors with Senate Democrats.

“The way to be finally able to get budgets that achieve the objectives of health care and education for families is to get Mr. Madigan to be a Democrat again and stop being a George Bush Republican,” Blagojevich told reporters.

His comments came two days into a special session aimed at finding agreement on a state budget that is now more than six weeks overdue.

The cost of the special session has topped the $72,000 mark and has left rank-and-file lawmakers frustrated and angry.

“These sessions when we come to Springfield should not be a waste of time,” said state Sen. James Meeks, D-Chicago. “We’re here because whenever the leaders of our chambers decide to act childish they are allowed to do so.“

“Ladies and gentlemen, we ought to be embarrassed,” said state Sen. Bill Brady, R-Bloomington.