Jul 9, 2008 8:57 pm US/Central
Blagojevich Slashes $1.4B From State Budget
Governor's Cuts Include State Funding For Free Or Reduced Transit Rides For Seniors, Kids, Disabled
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CBS) ―
Gov. Rod Blagojevich made good on a threat Wednesday and slashed $1.4 billion from the state budget to balance it, cutting money for health care, education, social service programs and public transportation.
The cuts mean hospitals, pharmacies and nursing homes will wait longer for state payments; caseloads for Department of Children and Family Services workers will grow; community colleges will get less money; and public transit subsidies will take a hit.
Blagojevich slashed the money the day lawmakers came back to the Capitol at his behest to deal with the budget.
"Governor, we're here for two days. We're not done yet," Republican Rep. Bill Black of Danville shouted from the House floor, saying Blagojevich's cuts were done with a "dull ax" and would harm people.
Chief House budget negotiator Democratic Rep. Gary Hannig said they have 15 days to reverse the cuts. Hannig said Wednesday evening he had not yet reviewed them. The House spent the day holding a hearing on Blagojevich's $34 billion capital construction program.
"It will take a while to analyze them," Hannig said.
CBS 2's Dana Kozlov in Springfield reports a budget official says without House input, Blagojevich's cuts will likely affect folks across the board.
But the only items discussed in the House Wednesday had nothing to do with those cuts.
Blagojevich had complained the $59 billion budget the General Assembly sent him was $2 billion out of whack and that he would have to make substantial cuts unless lawmakers came up with more money. They haven't.
The cuts include $1.2 billion from a House appropriations bill and about $211 million from Senate bills. The governor's office says they expect to make up the rest -- about $500 million -- through belt-tightening at state agencies and reserves.
Meantime, there were three battles being fought in the Illinois capitol. One, about the need to pass a $36 billion capital plan for the state's roads and schools.
"This is affecting our families. This is affecting the quality of life in Illinois. There is no reason why anyone in this chamber should not be calling for a vote on this subject. Pass the capital bill!" said New Lenox Republican Rep. Renee Kosel.
The others are personal, between Blagojevich and House Speaker Mike Madigan and between Blagojevich and frustrated lawmakers, in general.
"I think his work with the legislative branch of government has been dismal and it's up to the executive to bring both of these leaders on board with his plan," said Chicago Democrat Sen. Martin Sandoval.
Blagojevich called a special session to try and get the House to pass his spending plan and ways to pay for it, which include expanding gambling and leasing the Illinois lottery. But House Democrats say among their concerns is that the plan, as is, would give the governor too much control over how and where new money was spent.
That's not what Madigan wants. But some Democrats say they don't care.
"I'm gonna do what's right for the citizens here in the state of Illinois, not for one individual leader," said Rep. Ken Dunkin (D-Chicago).
While all that gets hashed out in the House, Blagojevich still has one daunting task—filling a $2 billion budget hole handed to him by the House in May.
The House committee on the whole will meet again Thursday, when the speaker could call items up for a vote.
But lawmakers say even if there's a vote, they don't expect he'll let anything pass, putting all the cuts in the governor's lap.
Blagojevich has blamed lawmakers, specifically the Illinois House, for not passing enough revenue to fund a budget he called "unconstitutional, fiscally irresponsible and dishonest."
"I did their job for them. I balanced the budget. Now the ball's in their court," Blagojevich told reporters, again imploring House members to pass additional revenue measures.
Minus the cuts Blagojevich made, he signed the rest of the state budget into law. The state's fiscal year began July 1 and bills started to come due.
The Democratic governor slashed the money the day lawmakers came back to the Capitol to deal with the budget and give his $34 billion capital construction program a hearing.
The cuts Blagojevich made also include more than $37 million in state subsidies to reimburse transit agencies for free or reduced rides on public transportation for students, seniors and the disabled.
Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero said cutting the subsidies won't do away with the rides.
"They're still going to do this, they still have to do this," Guerrero said.
Regional Transportation Authority and Chicago Transit Authority officials did not immediately comment Wednesday evening.
CBS 2's Dana Kozlov and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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