Posted on 07/05/2003 10:14:58 AM PDT by Ford Fairlane
SPRINGFIELD -- Fireworks came early to the Illinois statehouse.
In an unusual breach of political etiquette, Gov. Rod Blagojevich's administration was called incompetent by a Republican congressman and was accused of lying by the Democratic secretary of state.
Secretary of State Jesse White was incensed Thursday by Blagojevich's decision to initiate negotiations for cuts in the constitutional officers' budgets and then to impose 7.5 percent reductions on most offices with no agreement in hand. Blagojevich, a Democrat, cut $48 million from White's budget alone, though the legislature could overturn the action in the fall.
White had this message for Blagojevich: "Since you have lied to us five times, bargained with us in poor faith, in bad faith, I wonder what you have done to the people of the state of Illinois."
White noted that Blagojevich submitted a state budget for secretary of state and other constitutional offices that kept funding the same as the previous fiscal year. The legislature approved the budgets. On Monday, a day before the new fis cal year began, Blagojevich invited the constitutional officers to a meeting where he told them that he wanted to cut 7.5 percent from their budgets with his line-item veto.
The next day, the constitutional officers countered by offering a 3 percent reduction. White said Blagojevich agreed. Half an hour later, his staff called proposing a 5 percent reduction, White said. On Thursday, he imposed 7.5 percent cuts on White, Illinois Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka and Comptroller Daniel W. Hynes and a 3 percent reduction on Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
Only Hynes and Madigan had agreed to the reductions.
"I'm really upset about the process, and I'm upset about not bargaining with us in good faith," White said.
Spokesman Tom Schafer said he wasn't aware of what happened inside the negotiating sessions. He noted that Blagojevich had asked other constitutional officers to join him when he and Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn cut their office budgets by 15 percent.
"The reason he is doing that is to provide more money for things like education, public safety and health care," Schafer said.
The charge of incompetence came from U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Peoria.
LaHood offered a litany of complaints during a statehouse news conference called to discuss federal prescription drugs legislation.
"This is probably one of the most incompetent administrations I've ever seen. I mean, they've had 180 days to get their act together," LaHood said.
LaHood spoke hours before Blagojevich signed most of the state budget.
"He hasn't even signed his own budget. He's jerking around his own statewide officeholders by saying now he needs money from them," LaHood said. "He's done things to people in Central Illinois that are shameful in the sense that he continues to tell people in Peoria that Zeller (Mental Health Center) may still open up. He continues to tell people in Lincoln that the Lincoln Developmental Center may still open up."
Schafer noted that money to partially reopen the Lincoln Developmental Center in January is in the state budget. Schafer said no decision has been made about Zeller and denied Blagojevich is telling people it would reopen.
As for general charges of incompetence, Schafer said: "Partisan politics is a longtime American tradition, and it's not surprising to see a Republican congressman take issue with a popular Democratic governor (and) is saying these things on the eve of the Fourth of July."
Richard Goldstein can be reached at 789-0865.
Getting Jesse White mad at him is not a good move
Notice he didn't hardly touch Madigan's budget
If it hadn't been for his father in law's dead constituents voting in the primary, we would at least have a competent democrat governor
It'd be nice, though, I know many that would be behind a recall.
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