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BY CHRISTOPHER WILLS
Associated Press Writer | Tuesday, May 20, 2003 | (No comments posted.)
SPRINGFIELD -- The spring legislative session is nearing its end, and -- as usual -- many key issues remain unsettled, from the budget to gambling expansion to death penalty reforms.
What's different this year is that with a new governor in charge, no one seems sure how to go about working out the differences on these issues.
Will Gov. Rod Blagojevich sit down with the four legislative leaders and cut deals on everything? Will he sit back and wait until legislators send him bills before taking a stand? Is he going to work with Democratic lawmakers to cut Republicans out of the process?
Democrats and Republicans alike say Blagojevich, who is spending little time in Springfield, has not indicated how he wants to proceed.
"It's his budget," said Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville. "OK, now come here and defend your budget and sit down and make some compromises, and let's get this thing done. But this governor, so far, has not been engaged in this process."
Lawmakers were scheduled to wrap up their session Friday, May 23, but that plan has been all but abandoned. Lawmakers now focus on finishing by the end of the month. Once June arrives, it will require more votes to pass legislation, making it that much harder to put together compromises that can pass.
Some Republican lawmakers suggest they may not be interested in cooperating later if they don't get more of a say now. They hint at being willing to let Democrats pass a budget and then take the blame if it angers voters.
"It's a Democratic show. If they want to include us they can. Whether we want to be is another matter," said Senate Republican leader Frank Watson of Greenville.
The Democratic legislative leaders expect the key decisions to be made the same way as in past years -- with the governor and top lawmakers meeting to hammer out deals, said spokesmen for the leaders.
Blagojevich's aides did not return repeated telephone calls seeking comment.
The governor has defended his handling of the budget, particularly his strategy of making his case to the public instead of to lawmakers. Blagojevich says he is trying to change the way decisions are made in Springfield.
The biggest decision is how to fill a $5 billion deficit and passing a new state budget. Blagojevich proposes to do this by eliminating thousands of empty state jobs, cutting some services, raising business fees, increasing casino taxes and even selling some state property.
But just about every part of his plan is generating opposition. Unions says too many state jobs are being cut. Business groups complain about higher fees and the end of various tax exemptions. Advocates for the poor say his service cuts hurt the needy.
Nearly everyone is looking for ways to avoid some of the more painful measures. The most likely answer is to bring in more money by expanding gambling.
Blagojevich says he will consider just about any gambling plan lawmakers send him -- except the legalization of video poker. Lawmakers, however, are reluctant to risk voting for more gambling without being sure the governor will sign it.
Other issues for lawmakers to handle before they adjourn include:
* O'Hare expansion: Blagojevich and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley want to expand O'Hare International Airport but have not agreed on how much authority the city should have. Some lawmakers oppose the plan entirely, and others are wary of giving Daley power to seize land in other communities.
* Death penalty: The Senate has twice approved broad proposals to overhaul the state's death penalty system. The bills have not come up for a House vote yet.
* Gay rights: The Senate, now in Democratic hands after a decade of GOP control, has yet to vote on legislation to bar job and housing discrimination based on sexual orientation.
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