Jun 22, 2009 6:03 pm US/Central
Quinn Jumps With Supporters Amid Budget Talks
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Gov. Pat Quinn jumps with supporters during a Humboldt Park rally endorsing an income-tax hike to balance the state budget.
CBS
With huge budget cuts just eight days away, Gov. Pat Quinn was hardly jumping for joy today. But he was jumping.
After his impromptu performance, the governor left for a series of meetings with legislators. He's called the General Assembly into a special session that begins tomorrow.
CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery explains the goals of another group of demonstrators.
Quinn performed his version of "River Dance" on the North Side. On the South Side, another rally targeted a man who has been at odds with Quinn in budget negotiations.
From the Southwest Side campus of Daley College, they marched a dozen blocks to the district office of the man some regard as the most powerful figure in Illinois politics: House Speaker Mike Madigan, D-Chicago. They found his door locked.
A spokesman said Madigan was already in Springfield, preparing to preside at Tuesday's special session. It could be one of the most momentous in Illinois history.
Madigan's House Democrats have blocked a big increase in the state income tax sought by Quinn. It's been approved by the state Senate. The protest at Madigan's district office was organized by the AFSCME union local representing some 700 adult education instructors at the City Colleges.
"The Speaker could work harder," Mark Freeman, president of AFSCME Local 3506, said. "There are a lot of Democrats waiting for his leadership."
(SOT Ana Pintor, GED Student:
"I would say people deserve a second chance," Ana Pintor, a GED student, said.
"Even if it means an income-tax increase?" Flannery asked.
"Education comes first," Pintor said.
The budget cuts would be "very bad news," English teacher Natasha Kidacka said. "These people need to help their children, too. How can they help them if they don't speak English?"
Earlier, Gov. Quinn spoke to a group of several hundred who oppose the budget cuts, at a Humboldt Park rally. Several of supporters became so excited, they began jumping in time to their chants. He suddenly joined them.
When reporters asked what exactly that was all about, Quinn said, "I believe in jumping for the common good. Some of these proposed budget cutbacks would result in 100,000 people losing their jobs," Quinn said.
"Do you view the Speaker as the biggest obstacle to a balanced budget?" Flannery asked.
"No, we're teammates," the governor responded.
At this point, there is no sign of an agreement in Springfield that would avert these unprecedented state budget cuts. The governor's estimate of 100,000 layoffs indicates how broad the service cuts would be.
State lawmakers must plug a budget hole that the governor says is $9.2 billion deep. Some organizations affected could see their funding cut in half. Others could see it eliminated.
Tuesday, Illinois lawmakers will reconvene for a special session to discuss the budget.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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