Crystal Lake State Representative Mike Tryon has sent what I believe is a monthly emailed letter to his constituents. His words appear below:
Governor Needs To Quit Playing Games
“Choosing to ignore the General Assembly’s rejection of his grandiose and irresponsible plans, Governor Blagojevich continues to make a mockery of Illinois government. It seems he is so blinded by his desire to leave a legacy, that he has alienated and appalled nearly every member in the House chamber. He has mastered the skill of piling up debt so much so, that he does not give it a second thought.
“Recently the Governor called a special session for House members to hear his proposal on leasing the state lottery for 75 years to generate fast cash of $10 billion as a payment toward the sate’s pension obligation. Anyone with a tiny bit of financial sense knows that the state lottery will generate at least $60 billion over the course of 75 years. Yet our state’s leader wants to give the money away, so that he can generate a press release proclaiming that he made a massive payment toward the pension debt.
“At this late point in the game, the Governor seems to just be throwing out plans to stall the General Assembly from adjourning in order to get what he really wants: the Gross Receipts Tax, another outrageous idea that will raise taxes by $7.6 billion dollars. The Illinois House defeated the Governor’s proposal to lease the lottery, just as we defeated his Gross Receipts Tax.
“It is long past time to create a balanced budget for the state of Illinois, a plan that doesn’t borrow from one state agency to pay another, but a plan that is genuinely balanced. I can guarantee you that the Governor would start to care if the debt he was creating was coming out of his personal checking account. But instead the Governor and the Democratic leaders are wasting valuable time arguing over who has the authority to dictate what time session will begin.
“This political game of chess over who has more power is ridiculous. The Governor’s childish antics are being met with bi-partisan aggravation. Republicans and Democrats alike are ready to pass a budget and it’s time to get serious. Illinois residents deserve leadership from Springfield; they deserve to be represented by honest people who care about how their tax dollars are being spent.
“The House Republicans exemplified leadership when we proposed a No Tax Increase budget that the Governor and Democratic leaders ignored. We also proposed a capital plan to help rebuild infrastructure in Illinois – without raising taxes and creating more debt.
“I urge you to call the Governor’s office at 888-261-3336 or email him at governor@illinois.gov, and remind him it’s your financial welfare he is playing games with. Urge him to pass a responsible No Tax Increase Budget, introduced by the House Republicans. Ask him to start showing up and to be the leader that he was elected to be.
”For more information, contact me at (815) 459-6453.”
I noted in an earlier article that the Governor is doing a favor to rank and file legislators by calling them into at least one special session.
Without a special session, legislators don’t get paid expenses.