PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) The regular Session of the 95th General Assembly will please come to order. Will our Members please be at their desk? Will our guests in the galleries please rise? The invocation today will be given by Father John Ossola, of Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, here in Springfield, Illinois. Father.
(Prayer by Father John Ossola)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Please remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Senator Maloney, to lead in the Pledge.
(Pledge of Allegiance, led by Senator Maloney)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) NewsChannel 20, here in Springfield, seeking leave to videotape the proceedings. Hearing no objection, leave is granted. Madam Secretary, Reading and Approval of the Journal, please.
Senate Journal of Tuesday, June 19, 2007.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Good morning, Senator Hunter. How are you?
Mr. President, how are you?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Hunter.
Mr. President, I move that the Journal just read by the Secretary be approved, unless some Senators has additions or 1 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 corrections to offer.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you. Senator Hunter moves to approve the Journals just read by the Secretary. There being no objection, so ordered. Madam Secretary, Resolutions, please.
Senate Resolution 258 {sic} (257), offered by Senator Radogno and all Members. It’s a death resolution, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Resolutions Consent Calendar.
Senate Resolution…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Madam Secretary, Messages, please.
A Message from the House by Mr. Mahoney, Clerk. Mr. President - I am directed to inform the Senate that the House of Representatives has adopted the following joint resolutions, in the adoption of which I’m instructed to ask the concurrence of the Senate, to wit: House Joint Resolution 28. Offered by Senator Brady. Adopted by the House June 5th, 2007. Mark Mahoney, Clerk of the House. It is substantive, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Purposes of an announcement, I’d ask all Members please report to the Senate Floor immediately. We will be doing final action. Would all Members please report to the Senate Floor 2 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 immediately? All Members within the sound of my voice, please report to the Senate Floor. Thank you. For the purposes of announcement: the Rules Committee will meet immediately in the President’s Anteroom. All members of the Rules Committee will be asked to report to the Anteroom immediately. Rules Committee meeting immediately. Thank you. Madam Secretary, Committee Reports, please.
Senator Halvorson, Chairman of the Committee on Rules, reports the following Legislative Measures have been assigned: Refer to Executive Committee - a Motion to Concur with House Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 778; refer to Higher Education Committee - Floor Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 858; refer to Insurance Committee - a Motion to Concur with House Amendments 1, 3 and 4 to Senate Bill 1523; refer to Public Health Committee - a Motion to Concur with House Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 545; refer to State Government and Veterans Affairs Committee - a Motion to Concur with House Amendments -- House Amendment 3 to Senate Bill 82 and Floor Amendment No. 4 to Senate Bill 766; and refer to Transportation Committee - a Motion to Concur with House Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 577. Senator Debbie Halvorson, Chairman. June 20th, 2007.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Garrett, for what purpose do you seek recognition, ma’am? Senator Susan Garrett.
Thank -- thank you, Mr. President. For -- for purpose of announcement. Public Health will meet today at 1:30 in Room 400.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) 3 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 Thank you very much, Senator. Senator Garrett just announced Public Health at Room 400 at 1:30. Senator Munoz. Senator Munoz. We’ll come back to… Senator Bond, for what purpose do you rise, sir?
Senate Transportation will meet at 1:45 today. The -- in Room 400. Senate Transportation at 1:45 today, Room 400.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you. Senator Silverstein, for what purpose do you rise, sir?
…of an announcement, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Please state your announcement, sir.
Senate Executive Committee will meet at 2 o’clock in Room 212.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you. Senator Demuzio. Senator Demuzio, for what purpose do you rise, ma’am?
Yes. Thank you, Mr. President. Purpose of an announcement.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Please state your announcement.
Yes. State Government and Veterans Affairs will meet today at 2 o’clock in Room 409.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you. Senator Haine, for what purpose do you rise, 4 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 sir?
Point of information, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you. Please state your information for the Body, sir.
Thank you. The Insurance Committee will be pleased to meet at 2:15 p.m. today in Room 400.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you. Senator Maloney, for what purpose do you rise?
For an announcement, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) State your announcement, sir.
The Senate Higher Education Committee will meet at 2:15 this afternoon in Room 409.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you, sir. Senator Sieben, for what purpose do you seek recognition, sir?
On a point of personal -- privilege, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Please state your point, sir.
Thank you very much, Mr. President. I -- I rise today to recognize a person in this Chamber who holds tremendous power. This individual has the ability to make us sound good, make us sound bad or make us not sound at all. She controls the sound 5 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 board here up in the President’s Well. Today happens to be Bernie’s birthday. So, I would ask that we would all recognize our sound person today. Bernie Emery has a birthday today, so let’s give her a -- a nice round of applause for all her good work.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Bernie, would you please stand up and be recognized by the Illinois State Senate? Thank you for a job well-done. Senator Maloney, for what purpose do you seeking recognition, sir?
A point of personal privilege, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Please state your point, sir.
I’d like to introduce in the gallery behind me, Cindy Williams, from St. Germaine School, who had a group of students down here recently and is in town on a conference. She does a terrific job over at the school. I’d like the Senate to please recognize her.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Our guest please rise and be recognized? Welcome to Springfield. Welcome to the Illinois State Senate. Senator Righter, for what purpose you seek recognition, sir?
Thank you, Mr. President. If I might, for two announcements, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Please state your announcements, sir.
6 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 Thank you. First, is I would like the record to reflect, please, the absence of Senators Dillard, Senator Dahl and Senator Lauzen today. Senators Lauzen and Dillard are at home on business. Senator Dahl has an illness in the family back home that he’s attending to.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) The record will so reflect. Thank you.
Thank you…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) And your second announcement, sir.
Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. I would like to introduce to the Senate and ask them to give a warm welcome to Miss Emma Dively, who is joining me here today. She is a friend and a constituent from back in God’s country back in the 55th Senate District. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Please rise and be recognized by Illinois State Senate. Welcome. Welcome. Welcome to one of these historic overtime Sessions. You’re experiencing history. Leader Halvorson, for what purpose do you seek recognition, ma’am?
Thank you, Mr. President. I’d like the record to reflect that Senator Viverito is not here due to personal business.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you very much. The record will so reflect. With leave of the Body, I’d ask, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, 7 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 go to Senate Calendar - printed Calendar - Senate Calendar page 7 of your Calendar Senate Bills 3rd Reading. On -- is Senate Bill 782. Senator Forby. Senator Gary Forby. Senator Forby seeks leave of the Body to return Senate Bill 782 to the Order of 2nd Reading for the purpose of an amendment. Is that correct, sir? It -- no amendment. With leave of the Body, we will return to Senate Bill 782 in just a couple moments. Ladies and Gentlemen, I’d ask you to go forward on your Calendar to page 10. Page 10 of your Calendar is Senate Bill 837. Senator Haine. And I believe the gentleman is seeking leave of the Body to return Senate Bill 837 to the Order of 2nd Reading for the purpose of an amendment. Is that correct, sir? Hearing no objection, leave is granted. Now on the Order of 2nd Reading is Senate Bill 837. Madam Secretary, has there been any amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Haine.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you. Senator Haine, to explain your amendment, sir.
Thank you, Mr. President and Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. This language was in the House Bill 828 when it came over to us some time ago and that was the vehicle for a number of changes in the cell phone fees that went to the 9-1-1 system, both downstate and the City of Chicago. In the various amendments to that bill, it was inadvertently through a scrivener’s error, the language, the initial language, which is the subject of 837, was deleted. And all -- all it is, is a proposal to reimburse the local fire districts for any time that 8 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 they have -- that they expend as far as personnel costs in an a - - in a -- in an emergency for 9-1-1. It also does a very momentous thing in correcting the spelling of “moneys”, which had disturbed many, many people throughout the State, especially those on the English faculties because it was a mistake in spelling or usage of “m-o-n-i-e-s” and we’re changing that to “m- o-n-e-s” -- “e-y-s”. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator. Senator Haine. Senator Haine, could you explain what kind of error was that?
This -- this was an error in the usage of moneys. “M-o-n-i- e-s” apparently, I stand to be corrected again by an -- an English major, but that refers to multiple currencies. “M-o-n-e- y-s” refer to large amounts of the same currency. Oh, it’s a scrivener’s error. I’m sorry. Thank you, Senator Ronen. It’s a scrivener’s error. A scrivener is a literate person that writes things down.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Is there any discussion? Seeing no discussion, Senator Haine moves the adoption of Floor Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 837. All those in favor will say Aye. All those opposed will say Nay. And the Ayes have it, and the amendment is adopted. Madam Secretary, are there any further Floor amendments approved for consideration?
No further amendments reported, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you. 3rd Reading. Now on the Order is 3rd Reading is 9 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 Senate Bill 837. The sponsor, do you wish to proceed, sir? He indicates he wishes to proceed. Madam Secretary, please read the bill.
Senate Bill 837. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Haine, to the bill, sir.
I would request an Aye vote based upon the numerous facts elucidated in my last presentation, especially referring to correcting a scrivener’s error.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen, seeing no discussions, the question is, shall Senate Bill 837 pass. Those in favor will vote Aye. Those opposed will vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Madam Secretary, take the record. On that question, there are 54 Ayes, 1 -- 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. Senate Bill 837, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. I’d ask the -- please turn your Calendars to page 23. Page 23 of your Calendar. On the top of page 23 comes Senate Bill 1035. Senator Martinez. Senator Iris Martinez, on 1035, ma’am. Senator Martinez will seek leave of the Body to return Senate Bill 1035 to the Order of 2nd Reading for the purposes of amendment. Is that correct, ma’am? Hearing no objection, leave is granted. Now on the Order of 2nd Reading is Senate Bill 1035. Madam Secretary, has there -- has there 10 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 been any amendments approved for consideration?
Floor Amendment No. 1, offered by Senator Martinez.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Martinez, to explain your amendment, ma’am.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. House -- Floor Amendment No. 1 actually -- it becomes -- deletes all and becomes the bill and it amends the Public Aid Code to allow the collection of child support. And I’ll be happy to explain the bill on 3rd Reading.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Seeing no discussion, Senator Martinez moves the adoption of Floor Amendment No. 1 to Senate Bill 1035. All those in favor will say Aye. All those opposed will say Nay. The Ayes have it. The amendment’s adopted. Has there been any further Floor amendments approved consideration, Madam Secretary?
No further amendments reported, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you. 3rd Reading. Now on the Order of 3rd Reading is Senate Bill 1035. The sponsor -- the Lady wish to proceed? She indicates she wishes to proceed. Madam Secretary, read the bill.
Senate Bill 1035. (Secretary reads title of bill) 3rd Reading of the bill.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) 11 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 Senator Martinez, to the bill, ma’am.
Thank you, Mr. President, Members of the Senate. Floor Amendment No. 1 and Senate Bill 1035 does two main things. It allows for the Department to suspend the driver’s license of any individual who does not pay his or her child support. It also allows the Department to work with municipalities to add child support debt to the -- list of reasons for which a vehicle may be booted. One of the things that I want to just point out is that even though -- although HFS has dramatically improved the collection of child support for Illinois, right now in the State of Illinois, there are over three billion dollars - three billion dollars - in unpaid child support that is owed to Illinois children. And that’s why I think that this is the right bill for us to be able to take care of our children here in the State of Illinois. And I’ll be happy to answer any questions.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Is there any discussion? Is there any discussion? Senator Righter, for what purpose do you rise, sir?
Thank you, Mr. President. Will the sponsor yield, please?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Sponsor indicates she’ll yield for a question, sir.
Thank you. Briefly, Senator Martinez, who are the opponents to Senate Bill 1035 as it is now positioned? And can your articulate the basis for their opposition?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Martinez. 12 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007
The only opposition that we have is the Illinois State Bar Association, and they did testify in committee and basically they’re only opposed to it on -- on the matter of principle on the fact that you are booting. But I just got to say that we have put -- the Department of Health and Family Care {sic} Services have put in safety nets to make sure that anyone that is actually -- owe -- that owes child support, they will work with those individuals to make sure that they don’t take away their means of a vehicle if they have to get to work. The whole idea behind this bill is to make sure that the uncollected child support, which adds up to three billion dollars to the Illinois children, is collected. And this -- this also has worked in other states that have really gained a lot of money back into their states for child -- for child care.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Righter.
To the bill, please, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) To the bill, sir.
Thank you. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate, I rise in support of Senate Bill 1035. I do hope as we go forward with this, and -- and if this measure becomes law, that the Division of Child Support will be very careful with regards to whose vehicles they decide to seize and whose they do not and make sure that the information that they’re acting on is accurate as does Senator Martinez. And I, and I assume everyone in this Chamber, 13 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 knows that is not always the case. And we would -- the last thing we’d want to see is someone’s vehicle booted and impounded and that person not to get to work when, in fact, they’re not behind on their child support payments. With that, Mr. President, I rise in support of this legislation. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you. Senator Martinez, to close, ma’am.
Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Senator Righter. I -- I really believe that this is another step in us making sure that our children are taken care of by those parents out there that are not paying what needs to be for their children. And I -- there is many safety nets put in play here so that this doesn’t happen where we go after people who need their cars to get to work. The most important thing is to work out payments of -- somehow of some kind to make sure that we start the collection of over three billion dollars that are owed to the children in the State of Illinois, and I ask for a favorable vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you. Ladies and Gentlemen, the question is, shall Senate Bill 1035 pass. Those in favor will vote Aye. Those opposed will vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Madam Secretary, take the record. On that question, there are 52 Ayes, 0 voting Nay, 0 voting Present. Senate Bill 1035, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Madam Secretary, Resolutions, please.
Senate Resolution 258, offered by Senator Trotter. 14 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen, Senator Trotter moves to suspend the rules for the purpose of immediate consideration of Senate Resolution… Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen, back on the Order of Resolutions, Senator Trotter moves to suspend the rules for the purpose of immediate consideration of a -- Senate Resolution 258. Those in favor will say Aye. Those opposed will say Nay. And the Ayes have it. The rules are suspended. Senator Righter, for what purpose you seek recognition, sir?
Thank you, Mr. President. The Senate Republicans would request a caucus immediately in Senator Watson’s Office and would request thirty minutes, please.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Okay, that request is always in order, sir. The Senate Republicans have asked for a caucus in Leader Watson’s Office immediately. We will return to the Senate Chamber at the hour of 10 -- excuse me -- 12:45. 12:45 the Senate will stand in recess to the call of the Chair at the hour of 12:45. (SENATE STANDS IN RECESS/SENATE RECONVENES)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) The Senate will come to order. Ask all Members please be at their desk. All Members within the sound of my voice, please return to the Senate Floor immediately. All Members within the sound of my voice, please come to the Senate Floor. The State Journal-Register is seeking leave of the Body to photograph still photos of the proceedings. Seeing no objection, leave is 15 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 granted. Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen, the Senate will come to order. Continuing on Senate Resolutions, Senator Trotter, on Senate Resolution 258, sir, to explain your motions.
Thank you very much, Mr.…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Excuse me -- to explain your resolution, sir.
Thank you very much, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. Senate Resolution 258 is a resolution to reject Senate Bill 1132, as amended by the House. I’m asking all of us to do that for the following reasons. On May 25th, the Senate originally passed Senate Bill 1132. In that legislation, it contained appropriations for the hospital assessment program for 1.2 billion dollars, the line of duty awards to families of fallen soldiers for 7.7 million dollars and memorial medals to soldiers that served in Iraq and Afghanistan for forty-five thousand. On May 30th, the House passed Senate Bill 1132, as amended by House Amendments 1 and 2. Those amendments deleted the supplemental language and added language that contained appropriations for Fiscal Year ’08. Senate Bill 1132 is currently being held in the House due to a motion to reconsider that was filed subsequent to the passage of the bill. Senate Bill 1132, as amended by the House, does not meet the requirements set forth by the Illinois Constitution, Article VIII, Section 2(b). Senate Bill 1132 is not balanced and would cause funding originally intended for public education to be spent on mandated health care and pension programs. Excuse me. Senate Bill 1132 does not include funding to meet the increasing 16 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 demands associated with providing assistance to Illinois citizens for health care, prescription drugs, and for needs of the mental health and developmentally disabled community. And because Senate Bill 1132, as amended by the House, is not balanced, the Medicaid payment cycle will increase. It would lead to over four thousand physicians refusing to provide services to over three hundred and fifty thousand children because the agreement to keep the payment cycle at fewer than thirty days will be broken. Senate Bill 1132 does not include adequate funding for Illinois’ increasing public safety, transportation and infrastructure needs. Senate Bill 1132 further does not include sufficient funding to meet the contractual obligations with collective bargaining units that represent employees that staff Illinois prisons, veterans’ hospitals, mental health facilities, and provide for child welfare. Overall, Senate Bill 1132, as amended by the House, does not provide the resources necessary to serve the citizens of Illinois, including students, veterans, and all citizens served by our public safety programs and agencies. An Aye vote on this resolution is a vote to reject eleven thirty -- Senate Bill 30 -- 1132, as amended by the House.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you, Senator. Is there any discussion? Senator Hultgren, for what purpose do you rise, sir?
Thank you, Mr. President. To the resolution.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) …the resolution, sir.
I am getting up and saying I’m going to vote No on -- on the 17 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 games that are being played, the posturing, No on this process, No on the lack of leadership that’s happening from the Governor’s Office, from this Body, from the House. To me, it’s ridiculous that we’re at June 20th; we knew January 1st that we had significant budget issues. We should have started those negotiations at that time. So, my vote is -- is No to the games. Let’s get on. Let’s get some real discussion going. Thank you very much.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you, Senator. Senator Radogno, for what purpose do you rise, ma’am?
Thank you, Mr. President. To comment on the resolution and question for Senator Trotter.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Sponsor indicates he’ll yield for a question, ma’am.
Thank you. Senator Trotter, you and I have worked on Appropriations for a number of years together and we are both budgeteers for our caucus. And it seems to me that typically at this point in the process, you would be presenting a budget and we would be voting on it. You -- you would not be presenting a resolution that we are voting on. And what would typically happen is if all the problems that you’ve identified in the resolution - some of which, frankly, are inaccurate, for example, the statement that says that the pensions are not funded; they are, in fact, funded to the statutory level this year, so there’s some things that aren’t even right about this -- resolution - but if that was in a bill that came over, we would be having an 18 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 Appropriations meeting. We would be talking about those concerns and we could amend the bill that came over from the House and send it back and address the concerns and let them know what we in the Senate, and particularly what you Democrats who have the supermajority in the Senate, are in favor of. That is not happening. We’re wasting a lot of time on a resolution that is absolutely meaningless in terms of resolving this process ultimately. We’re wasting time by being here. We’re wasting a lot of money. We’re continuing with the scam of the Leaders’ meetings that are really not producing any results whatsoever, and now we’re trying to enter into this game of bouncing resolutions back and forth between the Chambers. So my question to you, Senator Trotter, is why is it you are not presenting a budget to us? You have the ability to introduce something. Why is that not happening?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Trotter.
Thank you very much. Just to address the -- one of the comments that you made of why we have not acted upon Senate Bill 1132, as amended. One, it has not come to our Chamber. Secondly, you asked or mentioned that we should at -- at least be looking at it and amending it. It’s a concurrence. We cannot amend a concurrence. So, with that being said, we are working towards finding some kind of resolution to the impasse that’s been before us over the past few months, certainly the last few weeks. We have until the 30th to do so. Even if you’ve read the Comptroller’s statement of our deadlines, you know that we still have some kind of time before we’ve reached that -- that point 19 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 of, if you want to call it, no return. So we will have something in a bill. What this resolution does, it just gives us, one, a clear picture of even if that concurrence comes over here, we, as a responsible Body, should not act upon it, just in case many of our Members have not read what was not in that budget. So that being the case, again saying and stating that under our Constitutional requirement of Article VIII, Section 2(b), that we do have responsibility to give a balanced budget, and we will be working to that end up until the 30th of June.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Radogno.
Thank you, Mr. President. With respect, again, to the process, we passed three budget shell bills out of Approp last week. If we were serious, if you were serious about getting this issue resolved, if the Senate Democrats were serious about getting this issue resolved, what you would have done is taken a good look at the Speaker’s budget, which you apparently don’t like, and amended that on with your changes to a bill that we could actually vote on and stop playing these games. I, too, am going to vote No and suggest that everyone else do so to send the message that we are not in favor of this continuing gamesmanship.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you, Senator. Senator John Jones, for what purpose you seek recognition?
Thank you, Mr. President. To the resolution.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) …resolution, sir. 20 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007
Well, I -- I want to kind of echo what everybody else is saying here right now. You know, it’s -- it’s amazing how many games are played in this -- in this Capitol. The -- the biggest game, I guess, is down on the second floor with the Governor showing his lack of leadership in -- in trying to work with all the General Assembly Members, you know, not just handpicking a few people. It’s my understanding, yesterday, that the meeting that the Leaders had dealt with the universal health care. I -- I think a message has been sent from both sides of the aisle that there’s not support out there for universal health care right now. So why are we even talking about it? You know, the Governor needs to get off dead center and start talking about a budget. Senator Trotter, you know, I have a lot of respect for you in -- in your budget negotiations and -- and the way you’ve been able to work with both sides. Whenever Senator Rauschenberger was here, I know you -- you and he and the other budget people worked very closely together to try to come to a budget. And quite frankly, I think that’s what we ought to be voting on today, not a resolution. You know, the people back home don’t care about a resolution. This is just another way of, you know, of -- of gouging the other -- the other Body over there, and it is high time that we quit that. You know, I don’t really know whether I support the -- the Speaker’s budget or not. As you said, it’s not come over here yet. But I also have a problem of -- with supporting a resolution. All of you should look at your -- at your computer and it says, you know, Senate Resolution 258, no analysis for the current legislation. So, I don’t know what you’re going by, but we’re going by what we’ve 21 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 heard, you know, that’s in the resolution. And -- and, quite frankly, I have a -- a real problem of voting for anything that I can’t see. And -- and we can’t see this. There is nothing on the -- on the computer right now. It says, “No analysis available.” So, having said that, I’m going to vote No on this. I -- I think we need to quit playing the games. Let’s get down and -- and really get serious about doing a budget. All four Leaders, I think, are -- are attending the meetings. It’s time that -- that all of us got engaged in this. And, quite frankly, I think we can start sending a message, especially your side of the aisle. You got thirty-seven Members over there; you don’t need a one of us to pass anything you want to pass right now. You can pass a budget. So, Senator Trotter, put a budget together and put it out there on the Floor. Let your Members vote for it. Send it over to the Speaker and we’ll see what he does with it. And it -- you know, maybe he might agree with -- with what you send over there and then he will call it for a vote and we’ll send it to the Governor and we can all get out of here. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you, Senator. Further discussion? Senator Cronin.
Thank -- thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen. To the bill: You know, you come down here and you leave your family and your place of business and your friends and neighbors and you realize - and if you don’t realize this, you’re in real trouble down here, I think - but you realize that people back home, most people, they could care less about this resolution and this gamesmanship and this silly, egotistical back-and-forth between 22 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 the Leadership of the two respective Chambers and the Governor. I mean, let’s face it, and you all know it whether you want to admit it publicly or not, this process is shameful. It’s frivolous. It’s childish. I refuse to engage in the gamesmanship that’s going on here today. There are features in this budget proposal - Senate Bill 1132 - that have merit. There’s some need for revisions. There’s two hundred million dollars in pork. There’s money for Cook County Hospital that I wouldn’t necessarily be in favor of. But the process is supposed to call on us to be responsible. Instead of aimlessly wandering around here in the government offices thinking what we do or who we are are so important, we should be taking up the business and getting the job done. And I know my friends and colleagues on the other side of the aisle think government is the end-all and be-all and, if you’re down here, you must be doing something important. Well, I got news for you, you’re not. None of us are because we’re not taking our responsibility seriously. We’re not debating a budget. We don’t have meetings. We aren’t negotiating. We aren’t talking to people. We aren’t finding solutions. And I’m ashamed to be part of it, and I’m voting No.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you, Senator. Further discussion? Senator Hunter.
Thank you, Mr. President. To the resolution.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) …the resolution, ma’am.
Mr. President, I rise in strong support of this resolution for one main reason. The House budget does not ensure that our 23 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 schools will receive the resources that they need. As we heard in the Appropriations III Committee this Session, we all agree that the General Assembly should do what it was sent to do down here in Springfield, which is to close the achievement gap in Illinois schools. The budget that this General Assembly passes this year should take dramatic steps to close the achievement gap that exists between rich and poor school districts in the State of Illinois. The House budget does not do this. The Senate had hearings on the budget over the past nine weeks. This budget was adopted by the House on the moment’s notice without a minute of public debate, of negotiations between the Legislative Leaders. I would urge a Yes vote on this resolution to reject the House budget. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you very much. Further discussion? Senator Luechtefeld, are you seeking recognition, sir?
Thank you, Mr. President. A question of the sponsor and also maybe a comment on the resolution.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Sponsor indicates he’ll yield for a question, sir.
Senator, earlier Senator Radogno asked you the question, why wouldn’t you put a budget forward? I mean, you have thirty-seven votes. Obviously, you have some ideas about what should be solved. You know, you do make a good point, that the budget that the, I think, the House passed is -- is -- is probably not a balanced budget and it doesn’t do a lot of things that, you know, people, -- you know, I think both Republicans and Democrats have 24 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 gone around to your districts and says, “You know, we’re not paying our bills on time.” “You know, there’s a shortage of workers.” “We sure didn’t mean to take from the pension funds.” “We didn’t mean to -- steal from other funds.” But, you know, the budget hasn’t been balanced the last two or three years and - - and -- and I think you know that. I know that. Everybody knows that, or we would -- or we would be paying our bills. I guess my question to you is, why -- why haven’t you done that? And not just you, but your caucus and your Leader. You would -- you would think that if you don’t like the House budget, that you would put forth a budget that you do like. You have thirty-seven votes. Pass it tomorrow, send it over to the House and see what happens and maybe there can be some compromise. I’m not real sure you answered that question.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Trotter.
In the spirit of the democratic process, there are negotiations continuing as -- and hopefully as we speak, of not only today, but through the next week as we go towards the June 30th. With that, it would be sort of inappropriate to throw a budget on the table at this point, however, as long as we are -- are still talking. With that being said, it is important that we also demystify and debunk the -- one, the inadequacies of -- that of, at least, of what has been portrayed as a budget as been presented by the House. That’s what this resolution does. So negotiations will continue in the next ten days, and then also in keeping with the -- the spirit of the Senate joint resolution that was put forth by Senator Radogno and Senator Watson, Althoff 25 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 and Pankau, that asked for seven days of sunshine on the budget. So, with that spirit, if we were to pass the budget today, you can truly say that we’d -- we’re not acting on the spirit of that resolution that has been proposed by your side.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Luechtefeld.
Senator, we’ve been here for a long time. In fact, the end of Session was supposed to take place at the end of May and -- and you knew that was happening and -- and there was no budget. You -- you did not put -- again, I -- I’m -- I don’t think you’ve really answered the question. Wouldn’t you -- shouldn’t you have put forth a budget if you don’t agree with his budget? And, you know, you talk about it -- the budget being inadequate. The budget has been inadequate the last several years or we wouldn’t owe everyone in this State for six months. So, if -- if you really are serious about taking care of those bills, maybe hiring State workers where they’re short, things like that, then put something together. And -- and, again, I know it’s too late now, but why wasn’t that done a month ago or two months ago? And, right now, what we’re doing is just playing a game. I mean, we - - we’re going -- we’re going to get back at -- at Speaker Madigan. President Jones is going to shoot something back at him and -- and I don’t know who’s going to look bad or who’s going to look the worst when it’s over. But, it is a game and you know it, I know it, everyone -- everyone in the press box knows that. And -- and -- and, I think let’s just vote No. Let’s start over. Let’s get -- let’s get the job done. And you got thirty-seven votes to do that. Get it done. Thank you. 26 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you, Senator. Further discussion? Senator Hendon, are you seeking recognition on this issue, sir?
Yes, Mr. President. First of all, I want to commend Senator Trotter for being so patient and so kind and just taking this ridicule that’s being thrown at you from the other side of the aisle like such a statesman, the statesman that you are. And it -- it -- it behooves {sic} me why people would simply tell half the truth when dealing with this issue, saying things, hurling words at you like “steal” and “lie” and “cheat”. It is ridiculous. And, Senator Cronin, if you don’t feel like you’re doing anything down here, then you should simply resign. I’m sure there are some other Republicans from your area who take this job seriously. So if you feel in your heart that you’re doing absolutely nothing, by all means, just leave - just leave. I’m sure there is something else that you can do. And if not a Republican in your area, perhaps we can elect a sensible, reasonable Democrat. What would you have us do? Just lay down for Mike Madigan, is that it? If we rolled over like little puppy dogs for Mike Madigan, you’d criticize us for that. If we challenged the other side in a woefully short budget that shorts KidCare and ALL KIDS and veterans and our people who are risking their lives and losing their lives over in Iraq right now, you would say, “Oh, look at ‘em, they don’t care about the veterans. They don’t care about the children. They don’t care about the schools. They don’t care about the senior citizens.” So, no, we’re not laying down for Mike Madigan. We’re not laying down for the Speaker. You should be commended for that, Senator 27 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 Trotter, and President Jones should as well. We’re not a rubber stamp for the other Chamber. We are the upper Chamber. You all need to understand that we’re the House of Lords. They’re the House of Commons. We shall not be led by the House of Commons. Now, if they want to sit down and negotiate and work something out -- how many times -- how many hours is the President supposed to spend trying to negotiate with that man? You talk about we got thirty-seven. Senator Trotter is seeking bipartisan cooperation. What’s wrong with that, Senator Radogno? Bipartisan cooperation. We put some on it, you put some on it. Is it a game? No, it’s not a game. It’s called politics. I urge an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you for those remarks. Senator Syverson, are you seeking recognition, sir?
Yes, Mr. President. To the -- to the resolution: You know, I certainly, Senator Trotter, understand your frustration. And - - and in our fifteen years of working on the Appropriations Committee with you and you’ve always been an honorable person that’s -- that’s worked well and -- and had an open process, and so I know this is frustrating for you. And as you’ve heard today, this is very frustrating for all of us as well. But, you know, that frustration is even greater for the people back home who are already suffering from high utility costs or suffering with high gas prices. Now they’re suffering from the uncertainly of -- they don’t know what their schools are going to get for funding next year. Human service providers don’t know if they’re even going to get paid in a couple weeks. Individuals aren’t -- 28 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 don’t know if they’re going to be laid off or not. There is a lot of uncertainty that is scaring people throughout the whole State. And dealing with a resolution, as opposed to dealing with the substantive {sic} of the budget, is not going to do anything to help address that problem, especially as we get closer and closer to -- to July 1st. You know, I -- I think it’s important to point out that even though it’s worded that way, voting No on this resolution doesn’t mean that we -- we are supporting the proposal that came from the House. Voting No, I think, is just saying we’re frustrated with the process; that this is not addressing the problems of our State budget. And if we are the upper Chamber, then we ought to be leading by passing a budget and not responding always to what the House is doing. We ought to take the lead and sit down and pass a budget. We’re certainly willing to sit down and work with you or, as has been mentioned a number of times, you certainly have the votes to pass any budget that you want over to the House to start that process. So, I -- I -- I just want to make that point clear. And, again, I guess urge, Senator Trotter, you and the Legislature and certainly the Governor to get serious about working out a budget. We are willing to stay here. We’re willing to work on that, but that means all the parties have to be serious, too, about addressing that issue. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) …you, Senator. Senator Delgado, for further discussion.
Thank you, Mr. President. To the resolution: I, too, stand in strong support of Senate Resolution 258 and I commend Senator Trotter for his patience. And I keep hearing the word “games” 29 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 being thrown around here. I am not here to play games. My community cannot stand for me to be here to play games. Thirty- two kids killed in the Chicago area in the school systems and around our State and city; that’s not here to play games. A resolution is nonbinding and a resolution is made to use as an articulation point in order to take a process and send a message. That’s all it is. And I, too, stand as a person who works strongly in public safety, in human services, and in education. The truth is, what will happen if I accepted and stayed quiet on a resolution and just accept the budget from my colleagues? But I still don’t understand how many of us, over there, would impact four hundred thousand meals to seniors that will be eliminated under the home-delivered meals program. That I cannot accept in a do-nothing maintenance-level budget. I can’t stand seeing six hundred and eighty seniors who are going to lose in-home services that help them maintain independence, such as dressing, bathing, meal preparation. I don’t play games in my community. I can’t stand to let that happen. I took a risk and work always with my friends in the rural south in making sure that Wheels on Meals {sic} (Meals on Wheels) are down south. That entire program will be scrapped, whereas they’re trying to develop a workforce development in the south and working with the rural task force. We’re going to talk about prisons, like Sheridan, that are going to start closing in terms of the programming, the programming that will occur for our -- reintegration programs and bringing inmates back in. I’m a former parole agent. I’m a former Chair of the Criminal Law Committee. I know a little bit about that. I know how important that is that we’re going to see those programs in our communities. Those are the real issues we’re 30 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 going to be dealing with. We’re talking about in public health and public -- and -- and -- and in human services, where so many of our families rely on us. To talk about a budget that is cut, cut, cut, did not come up with one idea of how to raise new revenue to address your families and mine, the ones who are not in the sandbox playing games. I grew up out of that sandbox a long time ago. Where I don’t want play is in the quicksand box and become the only child. What I need us to do is understand that a budget that only allows an eight-hundred-million-dollar growth and cuts in the areas of public safety, that are all in your areas and mine, when it cuts in human services, when we talk about education. Hey, I was born in north New Jersey, pero yo hablo Espanol. And bilingual education - that we know the fastest growing population in this State are Latinos. We have Polish and Asians and others, and we’re talking about a -- a -- eight million and wants it reduced to four million. That is unacceptable to me, totally unacceptable. My son’s a teacher. I’m a former local school council member. I don’t come to play. I’ve worked my way here and I have -- I live on the other side of that fancy postcard. Look on the other side of that postcard. You’ll see my district. Let me help you understand. We are here to do a job. It is what it is. Now it’s up to us. When life gives you lemons, my mama said always spread it on lobster, so let’s not make lemonade out of it. It is what it is. We need to now be innovative and, yes, we did bring some propositions to this Floor. I have a difficult time voting on a large gaming proposition, but I did so, ‘cause I know that that will bring up a revenue source to bring in education into my schools. We need to help our school systems and building new schools. Put kids 31 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 back in P.E. for heaven sakes. We got to talk about those -- those realities. We have to talk about diabetes are breaking loose in my Humboldt Park district, twenty blocks of folks with twenty-one percent of diabetes. Who’s playing games? I’m not. So this is an articulation message - and you’re all veterans in here - this is just a message to the House that we have a lot of work to do. We should be talking to all of our Representatives as I’ll be talking to my two, to help me understand how they allowed eight million go down to four. How they can allow Meals on Wheels to wind up on a bicycle. Help me understand. So, I think all of you know me. Some people say I’m a little bit too serious, but you know I love a little bit of salsa, too; however, I’m not here to boogie. We’re here to work. And if it takes it that long, then let’s do it. But there’s no gamesmanships. This is a real, honest approach to just sending the message that we have to answer, ‘cause if not, then how are we going to know? So, Senator Trotter, I commend you and let’s take it step by step because I, too, have many issues as to moving on the health care legislation, on moving on how we do education. Because at the end of the day, will they be balancing it on the backs of my community? So I ask you to please keep your hearts open and your minds fresh and let’s try to move forward as a Chamber. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you. Further discussion? Senator Schoenberg.
Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Senate. I rise in support of Senate Resolution 258. And I’d like to make a couple of comments -- in doing so, I’d like to 32 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 make a couple of comments in response to some of the claims that were made earlier in -- in debate by opponents to this resolution, and perhaps more importantly, to things that have gone unsaid. Last week, about a week ago, The New York Times reported that forty-two states were reporting higher than anticipated revenues, and therefore, because of their strong financial positions, that they were going to be able to address a number of needs that they hadn’t been able to do so, to set up rainy day funds, to be able to do some capital spending with those surpluses, to do a variety of things that hadn’t been done before. Despite the fact that we in Illinois are going to once again realize an increase in our revenues this year, we are not going to be able to do that. We’re not going to be able to do that because we can’t forget the fact that five years ago, when this administration took office, there was a five-billion-dollar structural deficit, and much of that deficit was driven -- much of that deficit has been driven by increased cost of health care and inadequacy of support for our pension systems. There -- on the point of the pension systems, there is plenty of red ink on everyone’s hands here at the Capitol for the underfunding of the pensions. It’s not a problem that just emerged when this administration took office. It was a problem that was twenty- five years in the making. And these last several years, we have made some progress - for some, it’s not as much as we would have liked - but we have made some progress in funding our retirement systems and addressing some -- some perceived abuses to those systems. We are not in the clear on that and I think we all understand it. But to make the representation that Senate Bill 1132 fully funds the pensions is a bit deceiving, because what -- 33 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 Senate Bill 1132 does is it establishes a continuing appropriation for this year’s scheduled contribution. So not only does that money come right off the top, which means that we have no choice but to extend payment cycles or find other -- some kind of sleight of hand to short somebody else in order to take that money off the top, it also takes us off the path that we’ve been on to administer some form of tough love with respect to reducing the unfunded pension liability. So to say that this fully funds the pensions, doesn’t -- is really a setback and a reversal to a course that we’ve been on these last several years. Like everyone else here, I have a -- a certain level of disappointment. Some of that disappointment stems from the lack of cooperation - bipartisan cooperation - on school construction. We’ve actually tried to pass bills on school construction with not a single vote from the other side of the aisle, despite the fact that many of these projects have been in the queue for some time, that the referenda have been passed in many instances, and that the disproportionate number of those schools and school districts actually fall within districts on the other side of the aisle. So what this resolution does today - Senator Trotter has made an excellent point - what this resolution does is finally put a line through Senate Bill 1132 on the menu of options available at the Capitol cafeteria. The kitchen is not going to serve up Senate Bill 1132. And I agree with everyone else that we need to move on. But to represent that Senate Bill 1132 is addressing our core functions and our basic needs in the State simply falls short. Thank you very much.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you, Senator. Further discussion? Senator Sandoval. 34 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007
I’d like to comment on the resolution, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) To the resolution, sir.
My comments are not as theatrical as the gentleman from the west side or as dramatic as the gentleman from Humboldt Park or as in-depth as the gentleman from Skokie -- Evanston. Coming from the southwest side of Chicago, we tend to be plain-spoken and direct, and I’ll try my best. As I sit here, I think about the -- the years I spent in the federal government and when the government shut down and we were out of a paycheck for two months. It’s June 20th. We’re -- ten days away from a government shutdown in the State of Illinois and Senate Resolution 258 is the best that this General Assembly can dish out for the people of Illinois. I’m also reminded - and I’ll probably be corrected by my colleague, Reverend Senator Meeks, ‘cause I don’t usually have my -- Biblical stories straight all the time, although I spent a few years in the seminary - but the comments today, it reminded me of the Biblical story of the woman that was being stoned and by the -- the -- someone standing up and indicating, “He who has no sin, cast the first stone.” And the woman live -- and the woman’s life was saved and the woman was not stoned. It’s easy to cast stones today at a budget that was passed by the House of Representatives. It’s a very difficult day and a very shameful day for the people on the southwest side of Chicago because they have no budget. There is no budget for the people of the southwest side of Chicago today, nor will there be one tomorrow, and perhaps there will not be one 35 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 on June 30th. We have not resolved the rate freeze in Illinois. We have not resolved the crisis in Illinois as it relates to electrical rates. We have not discussed the overcrowding of the southwest side of Chicago, the three thousand children that are bussed out of our communities who are not guaranteed a school in their neighborhood like most children in Illinois. We have not discussed the crisis of public transportation. We have not discussed the shutdown of the lines that will affect many of our communities, especially the poor communities, the Black and the Latino communities in Illinois. We have not discussed -- we’ve not discussed property tax relief. There isn’t a week that goes by that I go back home in the 23rd Ward on the southwest side in Archer Heights, in Gage Park and the residents of my community tell me that they need property tax relief. Well today, the General Assembly, both the House and the Senate, have demonstrated their lack of commitment to providing relief for overcrowding -- the overcrowded schools in my community. They’ve -- we’ve provided no solution to resolving the issue -- reflecting public transportation, the crisis that is faced by public transportation. We have not resolved the issue of providing property tax relief and we’ve not taken care of the electrical rates, which are skyrocketing out of this world in the State of Illinois. I am not prepared to vote on any budget, whether it’s the House budget, or any temporary budget, or any two-month budget, or any six-month budget that doesn’t take care of the issues that I’ve just mentioned. This is what we’ve all got elected on. This is what we continue to write memos and waste government taxpayers {sic} on newsletters telling them that we are working to resolve the education crisis, the 36 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 transportation crisis. We have neglected our responsibilities in trying to resolve the issues that face most Illinoisans today. I am not, once again for the record, prepared to vote on any budget that doesn’t meet the needs of my community. This Senate resolution is either a manifestation of massive testicular virility in the General Assembly or the lack of any as we see it on the southwest side of Chicago.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you, Senator. Further discussion? Senator Althoff, are you seeking recognition, ma’am?
Thank you, Mr. President. To the resolution: I -- I’m looking across this Body and realizing that we have spent, again, more time debating a resolution that in effect does nothing as opposed to debating and considering a budget. It is June 20th and we are still all here in Springfield and we don’t have a budget. With due respect to the other side, Senator Hendon, you stated that this Body doesn’t follow the other -- the House. Where is our budget? We’ve had Appropriation meetings all Session. We’ve talked about that other budget. We know the good and the bad and yet we’ve crafted nothing? You have a majority. We know where our responsibility lies. It’s to our constituents, it’s to our school districts, it’s to our other taxing entities, it’s to the employees of the State of Illinois, and we’ve done nothing. A vote No on this resolution isn’t a vote to accept that budget. It’s a vote that says that we should have been here doing our duty and doing our jobs, and we haven’t done it. And, you know, we have worked on other issues. We’ve passed multitudes of bills that are now sitting and waiting for the 37 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 Governor to sign. Where was the will to do our most important responsibility, which is to craft a budget to take care of our constituencies? I urge a very strong No vote on this resolution.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you, Senator. Further discussion? Senator Carol Ronen.
Thank you, Mr. President. It’s heartening to hear the other side wanting to support a -- a budget and I -- I look forward to their support as we move towards that part of the process when we have a budget. But let’s be clear, today is part of the budget process. It would be wonderful if we could vote on the budget that the House passed, but we can’t, because they haven’t sent it to us. Today, though, we can make very clear what we stand for. This is not about -- this is not a game. It’s never a game, when you’re standing up for what you believe in. That budget would be hurtful to most of our communities, to all of our communities. We know that very clearly. Voting Yes on this resolution is standing up for the people in our districts, standing up for the schools that would lose money, standing up for the children that would lose their health care, standing up for the seniors who will lose services that they need, standing up for our State services, for the pensions, for the safety of -- of our constituents. That’s what we’re doing today and taking another step in the budget process. Maybe we’re not important as individuals, but the people we represent are very important and the positions we take are very important and the issues we fight for are very important. Today, by saying Yes to this resolution, we’re saying the budget that you passed that you’re now calling a 38 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 high watermark is not going to make it. We’re setting the tone for the negotiations for the next, at least ten days when we have to have a budget. Your budget in the House is not -- cannot be the high watermark. We have to do better. Our constituents need us to -- do better. It is all our responsibility to do better. I want to commend the -- the sponsor of this and the hard work that he’s been doing and the other two Appropriation Chairs have been doing in crafting budgets, in negotiating and those negotiatings -- negotiations do continue. And I would hope, again, that as we -- as we move forward, the other side will work with -- with us and support a budget that is going to preserve and protect the principles and the people that we all care about.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you, Senator. Further discussion? Senator Martinez.
Thank you, Mr. President. To the resolution: First I want to commend also Senator Trotter on his hard work and trying to keep it together and -- and keep us talking about this issue. To some of the comments that were made here today: I -- I -- I don’t know if people really have looked at what is in the House budget, a budget that we have not received over on this side. But I -- I read it and I can’t believe that we talk about in this Chamber about how we care about education, how we care about health care, how we care about our communities, and I -- when I look and see what this budget would do, when it eliminates so many programs or cuts programs in half that right now have an effect on our communities and what that effect will be after, if that budget ever passes. You know, we’re talking about removing fund from programs that are so important, programs like the full- 39 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 day kindergarten program expansion that right now there are so many moms and dads that are working so hard and depend on full- day kindergarten so they can go out and work. We cut those -- that kind of a program, how are they going to be able to go to work? When you look at the fact that we got -- we talk about how parents need to be involved in the education of their kids, you’re eliminating mentoring and parent programs. You are talking about eliminating rural education initiatives. You’re talking about gifted education. We are talking homeless children services. We’re talking about small school support grants. These are all education programs out there that we -- that they’re looking to eliminate. How can we go back home and live with that? We have to stay very focused on what we need, and definitely that budget is not, but we have Senator Trotter working -- working hard. I have a hard time with when you’re saying no to -- doesn’t even contain a capital bond program for our roads. We don’t even have money for the capital on the RTA. And we’re talking about delaying veterans’ home capacity expansion of forty-nine beds and we have to reduce it to ninety beds. What are we talking about for our veterans? How can you say no to that? How can you say no to getting rid of services to new disabled clients that right now -- disabled clients that cannot care for themselves? How can we eliminate those kind of programs? How can we eliminate for women? How can we eliminate three million dollars in funding for breast and cervical cancer that’s going to affect over four thousand women? How can we say no? How can we say no? How can we say no to eliminating over six million dollars in rental housing programs that are out there? People need to live somewhere. This is the kind of 40 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 things that are in that budget, and I’m glad that this is out so the Members in the House can see that this is not a good budget. And this Chamber needs to work hard, and I know and I’m very confident that Senator Trotter is going to continue to work hard to make sure that all these things are addressed. So I urge an Aye vote when it comes to dealing and voting for the people that we represent in all of our districts in the whole entire State of Illinois. I urge an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank -- thank you, Senator. Further discussion? Senator Righter.
Thank you, Mr. President. To the resolution.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) …the resolution, sir.
Thank you, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Chamber. You know, Mr. President, I’ve enjoyed -- several parts of today’s debate. I mean, we’ve had some impassioned rhetoric, and we’ve had the usual forceful and heated comments from my friend from the west side. We have had what I know are heartfelt words from my good friend Senator Delgado, particularly with regards to the death of thirty-two children in the Chicagoland area. We’ve had a story from the Bible. And we’ve even had one of your Members somehow try to assign blame for the fact that, on the twentieth day of overtime Session, we are debating a resolution on a party that controls not one square inch of State government here in Illinois. It has been entertaining. You know, Mr. President, as often happens when I’m here in 41 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 Springfield; I see things and hear things that remind me of when my children were younger. And I’m reminded of another story like that and that is, when my two boys were much younger, they slept in the same room and one of their duties was, was to take turns cleaning up the room. And my -- my boys, brothers are different like all brothers are, and one of ‘em was pretty industrious about that and -- and he did his best. He would try to make the bed as best he could and he would make sure everything was picked up and put in the right place. And he didn’t always do it perfect and sometimes there were disagreements with him and his parents about where things belonged and we talked those through and we got it resolved. Now the other boy wasn’t quite like that. My youngest was more interested in the sleight of hand. He would close the door to the bedroom and then he’d make noises and you’d hear thumping and -- like there was some construction work going on in that bedroom, and then he would open the door about twenty minutes later and usher everyone in to see how well he’d cleaned up the room. Well he hadn’t cleaned up the room. He’d thrown socks under the bed. He’d put shirts under the bedspread and try to smooth it out as best he could. But it didn’t take much inspection, whatsoever, to find out that while he’d gone through the motions and he’d done a lot of talking and he put on a pretty good show, he got nothing done. In the end, Mr. President, he had to go back and actually do the work. He had to take some responsibility for the fact that it was his turn to clean up the room. And I’m reminded of that story through this exercise right here, Mr. President. When my youngest son tried to fool his family that he’d cleaned up the room, it was a useless and, in the end, an embarrassing exercise for him, 42 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 likewise this -- this resolution is both a useless and embarrassing exercise, and we should all reject it. Thank you, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you. Further discussion? Senator Jacobs.
Question of the sponsor, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Sponsor indicates he -- yield for a question, sir.
Senator, how many new dollars does the House budget add?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Trotter.
They’re using the -- the natural growth of eight hundred million dollars and they have a -- an additional 300.5 million dollars in closed loopholes.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Jacobs.
Does the House budget include dollars for the Teachers’ Retirement System?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Trotter.
Yes.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Jacobs.
43 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 Is there a capital budget for school construction?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Trotter.
No.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Jacobs.
Are you aware of the hundred million dollars that is going to Cook County Hospital under this bill that my friends, who I know are not for this across the aisle, may -- may be unaware of. Is there a hundred million dollars for the Cook County Hospital? And if there is, how much money for other hospitals?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Trotter.
Yes, there -- it has been proposed that there be a hundred million dollars that is tied to no programs, and as a consequence of being tied to no programs, whereas it could have been two hundred million dollars because we could have gotten a match, that will not happen, and the answer -- the -- the last of that question, there are no other dollars for any other hospitals.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Jacobs.
On my Thomson Prison, my hundred-and-forty-million-dollar empty Thomson Prison, that is currently about ten-percent capacity, what -- what is the operating budget next year that the House sent over to me -- my House Member, Representative Boland, 44 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 sent to me on Thomson Prison?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Trotter.
I’m -- I’m sorry, I was having two conversations and I do apologize.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Jacobs, could you repeat the question, please?
The question is -- excuse me, the question is, how much -- my -- my Thomson Prison, hundred-and-forty-million-dollar basically empty prison, that -- that is lightly funded, what is - - what does the House budget do for the Thomson Prison?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Trotter.
It funds it at last year’s level, which in itself was just half of the funding that it needed for it to progress and open up.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Jacobs.
Would just like to close by saying that anytime you’re cutting kindergarten programs, anytime you’re cutting mentoring programs, anytime you’re cutting charter schools, anytime you’re not funding our prisons, anytime you’re spending eight hundred million dollars and giving a hundred million dollars to Chicago hospitals, I don’t know how my friends across the aisle can keep a straight face and vote against this. Now, I understand that it 45 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 is gamesmanship and sometimes we do play politics in this Body, but we need some position and we need to let the House know that they may have a budget. We should come up with a new budget ourselves, but this is the best we have at the -- at the time. I’d ask my friends on the other side of the aisle to just consider moving forward as a Senate body, rather than as a Republican Senate and a Democrat Senate. And remember, in this fight, there’s the House, there’s the Senate, and I’ll do my best to remove the Governor from the equation.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you, Senator. Ladies and -- Ladies and Gentlemen, Senator Lightford, for further discussion, the last Member seeking recognition, and then we have the two Leaders and Senator Trotter to close. Senator Lightford.
Thank you, Mr. President. Then I’ll be brief. Will the sponsor yield?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Sponsor indicates he’ll yield for a question, ma’am.
Senator Trotter, can you give us an idea of the total increase that our education system would receive under this particular suggested House budget?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Trotter.
Certainly. Four hundred and ten million dollars.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Lightford. 46 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007
Senator Trotter, then what would that number resolve as our foundation level per student?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Trotter.
…foundation level will go up to three hundred and eighty -- an additional three hundred and eighty-seven dollars per student.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Lightford.
Thank you, Mr. President. To the resolution: I rise in support of this resolution because it’s really bothering that -- year after year after year that we have not come up with education funding reform for the State of Illinois. Many of our school districts are functioning in the red. They have so many inadequacies and I believe that this is the year for us to get it done. Senator Righter spoke a moment ago, saying how entertaining things are here. Well I don’t find it to be entertaining. I -- if -- if nothing else, he added to the HBO specials, telling us about his children uncleanliness. None of that really matters. What’s important is that your children are learning academically, and that’s the problem that many of our children are having. And as I look over the Governor’s -- I’m sorry, the Speaker’s plan, there is much more to be reminded of. So many Members on the other side of the aisle keep saying we have thirty-seven. We know how many Members are here and I know you have twenty-two. I’m clear about the numbers and what I realize is that you have not set forth any suggestions on 47 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 anything. All you do is sit over and complain, complain, whine, whine and that little five-letter word I would love to say, but it’s just not within me right now, but that’s all you guys do. Not once did you say you would support an income tax increase to fund education. Not once did you say you would support gaming. Senator Sieben, you may be the only one. Senator Winkel was the only one, and as you can see, he’s no longer here. None of you have come up with any suggested ways to fund our education system and then you just complain and whine and complain. Where, Senator Trotter, I’m only in support of this resolution because it in no way supports our education system at the level it should be. In fact, this recommendation for the foundation level will be six times less than our recommendation by the Education Funding Advisory Board - six times less the amount that we should be adequately funding our children. In addition to that, it does not address class-size reduction. It deals not with categoricals increase. It does nothing to support special education personnel reimbursements. And we all know we need special education teachers in our schools. The -- the number, per-student ratio of special ed children, they’re not learning because they need more help. It does nothing to address the social ills. Many of our children arrive in school unprepared to learn academically because there are so many other social ills. We need truant officers in our schools. We need nurses. We need -- we need social workers. We need people who can go a little beyond the traditional learning environment because that’s where we are in times like today. It does absolutely nothing to close the academic achievement gap. We have to acknowledge that there’s a inconsistency on how our children learn depending on their race 48 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 and their geographic area across the State of Illinois. And so I rise to say let’s vote Yes on this resolution, because we have to come up with a budget that’s going to adequately fund our school system. We have to figure out a way to improve the education across the State of Illinois, not just in Senator Sandoval’s district, not just in Senator Lightford’s district, not just in Senator Trotter’s district. We have to find a way to fix the education system across the entire State of Illinois. And I’d be happy to learn from your leadership on what’s your suggestions and ideas on fixing the education system, and not sitting back waiting for us to put all our votes on it and then you reap the rewards in your districts.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you -- thank you, Senator. Leader Watson, for what purpose do you rise, sir?
Yes. Thank you, Mr. President. I appreciate the time that’s being spent on this, which I think is kind of a meaningless effort, but I do appreciate the time. What this has -- what I’ve learned here today is, just hearing from your side and -- and then from our side, is that we are a -- a long, long way from getting this matter resolved, a huge division. I sense it downstairs when we meet at the Leaders’ meeting, but I certainly sense it here on the Floor, that the -- the desires and wishes of your side on the spending aspects of State government versus what we have to do, and that is obviously live within our means, which is what, I think, we’re all about on this side. I just think we have to be responsible in what we do. And I do appreciate Senator Trotter. We’ve gone back a long way together. I feel 49 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 bad for him to be put in this situation where he has to present a resolution, which is as toothless as a -- as -- as anything that we do in this process, a resolution. People always say, “They don’t really matter anyway.” But we do ‘em, and here we are doing one that really doesn’t really matter. But I do appreciate and I’ve always respected Senator Trotter and I know he’s a good soldier and he’s just doing what -- what he’s been asked to do. And it is June 20th. I mean, come on, this is twenty days after the constitutional deadline by which we’re to -- to adjourn. And if you read this resolution - if you read it and not just the “Resolves”, but the “Whereases” - if you read all of this, it is truly a tax-and-spend document. Truly is. It’s all about more and more and more money. Now if that’s the case, then let’s trot out Senate Bill 1, the gross receipts tax, which is the Governor’s means by which to fund this, which by the way is not dead. When I go down to those meetings on the second floor, the gross receipt tax comes up over and over and over again. Let’s just see how much support there is for a gross receipts tax in the Illinois Senate. Let’s bring that bill on the Floor and debate something meaningful and see how much support there is. There’s twenty-two of us on this side on the gross receipts tax who are absolutely No. We don’t want any part of it. It’s not good public policy. We think it sends the wrong message. And ultimately the consumer pays. Let’s bring that out. Let’s bring it out and just have a little debate, and let’s hear some of the speeches on the other side about how wonderful the spending is going to be. And then put a vote behind what you really think we ought to do. If you think the gross receipts tax is the answer here, bring it out. Let’s see it. I want to hear you support it 50 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 on the Senate Floor, just like you want to support all the spending that’s in this resolution. Twenty-two of us on this side of the aisle will vote No, Mr. President. We are -- we are confirmed in that. When you go down to the -- when I go down to the -- the second floor and I hear the Speaker talk about the high watermark, and Senator Ronen mentioned that and that’s -- that’s his exact words. He says, “This is the high watermark, Governor, this is as high as we go.” I asked him one day, I said, “Speaker, is that today, this is the high watermark?” I said, “What about tomorrow? What about next week? What about next month? Is this the high watermark?” Absolutely. This is the high watermark. This is his position. This is his view. Now, we have had a multitude of people come in and talk about issues that make no difference in regard to this process of putting together a budget. The “Speaker’s Bureau” I call it. We have a -- a -- a lecture series going on down in the Governor’s Office on issues that really don’t really matter. Oh, sure, they may matter in some areas, but do they make a difference in the budget process? Absolutely not. Today - Mike Quigley, whoever he is - I’m sure those of you in Chicago know Mike Quigley; I don’t have it -- know any idea who the gentleman is - he’s going to be in there to talk about TIF districts, tax increment financing, TIF districts. Well, why don’t -- I -- when I heard it was about TIF, I thought, well, finally we’re going to get something done. Somebody’s going to try to resolve the tiff between the Governor, the Speaker and the President of the Senate. This big tiff that’s going on. Well, no, it’s going to be Mike Quigley, not about electric rate relief for consumers, not about that at all, not about issues that are important to the 51 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 people of this State, not about a budget, but about TIF districts. And we’ll waste another day, no progress, no movement forward.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Leader -- Leader Watson. We’re -- we’re -- we’re on the Senate Resolution 258, sir. Could you -- bring your remarks back with -- inside the four corners of the resolution, sir? That -- we’d -- we’d really appreciate it, and thank you.
Exactly, Mr. President, what I’m talking about, is the -- the futility that we feel, that many of us feel that go into the room down there and the lack of movement and effort and lack of sincerity and desire to get this done. There’s just no leadership. There’s none. There’s none. The 20th of June and we don’t have a budget and we put a -- a resolution such as this up. I mean, somebody’s liable to say, “Well” -- as we’ve heard, “Well, okay, Senate Republicans, the twenty-two of you that are over there, where’s your budget? Where have you been?” Twenty- two of us over here. You constantly talk about the supermajority. You’ve got it all over there. What are we going to do here? What -- what we’re about is something -- you’ve had five months, by the way, to put something together. We go into Session the second Wednesday of January to May 31st and now June 20th. You’ve had all this time to bring something to this Floor to debate about for the people of the -- Illinois, and what’s going to be meaningful for the -- the elderly, the veterans, the women, whatever it may be. You all get up and talk about it, but where is it? Where is it? Five months - nothing - nothing. We are about -- we are about a meaningful, responsible budget, and 52 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 living within our means, and paying our bills. That’s what this side’s all about. That’s why we ought to reject this resolution. Not because if we reject this - and the language in here which so eloquently says this resolution -- you’re voting -- if you vote to -- No on this resolution - you’re voting to support the budget proposal of Speaker Madigan. That’s not exactly what it says, but that’s what it is. That’s what it says. That’s not what we’re voting No on. We’ve got a lot of problems with that budget. We have a lot of problems with that budget coming over and we’re willing to work with you and the Speaker and the Governor to live within our means. That’s all we’re asking. I think that’s what the people of Illinois want us to do and we’re willing to do it and we’ll step up to the plate and get it done, but this isn’t the way to do it. I urge a No vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you. Thank you, Leader Watson. Our last speaker seeking recognition is President Jones. Leader Jones.
Yeah. Thank -- thank you, Mr. President. I’ve been waiting all Session for this demonstration, Minority Leader. Last time, I believe, I heard it, you had -- we had thirty-two Members, you had twenty-seven. So keep on doing it, you hear. I enjoy it. The whole thrust of this resolution is to send a clear signal that we should be in serious, serious budget negotiations. The Speaker did say this is the high watermark. It’s really the low watermark. And listening to Members on the other side of the aisle talk about what we should be doing, I feel we all are elected. We all should be able to sit down and do a budget. We decided not to try to ramrod a budget through in May. I felt 53 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 that reasonable, responsible individuals can sit down and work out their differences on the budget. I recall three years ago, the high watermark, as relate to the budget, was cutting the education, cutting health care, cutting -- early childhood education, but we have patience. We can wait. And three years ago, that same speech I heard on this Senate Floor, but when we concluded overtime Session, education was funded at a level that we felt was appropriate, so was early childhood education. We did all of that. Here’s the problems with this budget, the real problem - you often talk about the pension system - in this bill, there’s a continuing approp for approximately five hundred and sixty, maybe, million dollars for the appropriation. Right off the top. It’s not budgeted in the bill. Coupled with the fact that the federally mandated programs which the Governor’s obligated to pay, by law. He must pay that. And they talk about they have three hundred million dollars in new dollars for education. It’s impossible for ‘em to have that money because they got to choose between paying for the pension and the mandated programs and education. It just does not work. So why wait until next Friday for them to attempt to send a budget that they’ve been playing games with over in the House and say this is it. No, they need to know today that this is it; that when you sit down, sit down and -- and -- and be sincere as it relate to health care, education, cutting bilingual, cutting Meals on Wheels, changing the payment cycle for ALL KIDS from thirty days to approximately ninety days, which means over two hundred thousand children across this State will not have access to health care. Sometime I wonder what happens in the House as it relate to the Members. Do they read? But you support that. I 54 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 listened to your spokesperson on Appropriation, and it -- it shocks me. I was shocked, to say we ought to take the bill and amend it. This comes over on a conference committee report -- concurrence, rather, which you cannot amend. Can’t do that. I believe in the Appropriation Committees, several approp bills have been moved and put in position where you can have your input on. If you want to vote to cut education by two hundred million dollars, if you want to vote to cut all these children off health care, you want to cut Meals on Wheels, you want to cut bilingual, it don’t make any difference to you, but it makes a difference to the majority of the Members on this side of the aisle. We are not playing games. The games have already been played. Leader Watson, when you and I were down in the Governor’s Office with the Speaker, and were seriously talking about a budget, little did we know - talk about games being played - that while we were talking, behind the scenes, they were drafting this no good budget. I wouldn’t do that. I would not put forth a budget if I’m sitting down talking to you about putting together a budget. I would not do that. But that’s what happened in the House. This resolution sends a clear message that the high-water budget that they talked about is really a low-water budget that the Senate is going to reject. And if that budget got over here and was called for a vote, I believe most of you on that side of the aisle would probably vote for it. Even though you recognize the pitfalls of that budget, you would vote for it. Everyone talks about the pension system, twenty-five years in the making, the deficit that we have as it relate to the pension system. It didn’t start with the -- with the current Governor. It was Edgar, it was Ryan, it was Thompson. That’s where it all 55 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 started. And we’re still with that. You must be willing to admit we do have a problem. But if you’re not going to be supportive of any effort to solve the problem, then don’t complain. I want to commend the sponsor. He doesn’t have to feel sorry for doing the right thing, doing the right thing on behalf of people of the State of Illinois. Don’t say I want more school construction or roads if you’re not willing to vote for the resources to get it done. Time after time, we have put forth legislation along those lines. You say, we want more roads. We need bridges. We need money for our universities. But when it comes time to vote for the resources so that we have those things, all of a sudden you get lost. It’s been a dull Session until today. I was waiting for the papers to fly, the theatrics, playing to the cheers of the crowd. I heard folks even talk about the utility rates, folks playing games with that - not sincere - not sincere, whatsoever, but want to play those old, dumb, stupid, political games. This is a sincere effort, this resolution, to really jump-start the negotiations that we are not going to -- to accept that low-water budget. But you should sit down and genuinely sincerely work now, work together, and come up with a budget that we all can support. And when that agreement is made, I want to see you on that side of the aisle, and especially your Leader, stand up and say, I can support this. That’s what I’m looking forward to, and I urge an Aye vote.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you, Senator. Senator Trotter, to close, sir.
Thank you very much, Mr. President. I want to thank all of the speakers today. Those that have, certainly on this side, who 56 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 have spoken in favor of this resolution and even to those who spoke against it. It is clear, and I know I’ve heard and others have heard, that you are frustrated, but yet you are very passionate in your frustration. We all want to do the right thing for our citizens. We are all - all fifty-nine of us - are elected to come down here with those two promises and that is to enhance and to enrich the quality of the lives of the 12.5 million people who live here in the State of Illinois. And without a budget - in the absence of a budget - we aren’t doing that. But the proposal that the House has, Senate Bill 1132 as amended, doesn’t enhance nor enriches the quality of life for the people of the State of Illinois. To the contrary, it does just the opposite. It dismantles those things that we have done over the past five years, over last year. Because by not funding programs at the level addressing, one, cost of living, addressing inflation, we are essentially tearing apart those programs that we care dearly for. We can come up with another plan in the next ten days. We’ll be working on that. There has been discussions, not all the times have they been cordial and certainly they have not even been fruitful in many cases, but there are discussions. There’s no constitutional amendment that says that we had to be out of here May 31st. That is something that we voted on in this Chamber, to change the date so we would not meet that doomsday scenario that so many people are running around with talking about. That’s the scenario as mentioned; hasn’t happened in this State since 1991. It’s because we do do the right thing here in this State. This resolution basically just delineates; it outlines the shortfalls of what’s been put on the table. And also individuals have been saying that we don’t have a plan. We 57 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 do have a plan here in the Senate. We’ve sent one over there, a revenue plan, that raised enough dollars and also gave us a continuing appropriation of 1.4 billion dollars annually to pay for those things that make a difference in the quality of life of our citizens. We have sent over there a proposal looking at, one, not only the things that we should be doing and that’s closing loopholes, but one that would close any egregious loopholes and they have not been addressed and have not been recognized. Unfortunately, many of the House Members probably did not read the bill that they voted on. If they would have, then they should be ashamed. But what our resolution does, it also clarifies for them that they can’t go home with that low watermark because we can do better here in the State of Illinois. What the House has done, the House Republicans have done, is as they have put a proposal on the table. Give ‘em credit for that. They have said -- they haven’t said we’re in the minority and this is all we’re going to do is sit back and wait for you to give us a budget. They’re at the table. They’ve been there, and even when they weren’t at the table, they were at the door knocking and saying, here’s my proposal. What we’re going to need to do to pass a budget that makes a difference to all of us, is that we all talk, not the rhetoric, not the hyperbole, not -- not all of the -- the theatrics and we don’t even need the parables to get this done. We need some -- some -- some people to sit down, some real leadership from all of us, not to kick another proposal in the -- in the back end, and this doesn’t do that. This just clearly tells you what we cannot do as being one of the richest States here in the State of Illinois {sic}. Live within our means, live within our means, well, if we just stay at 58 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 the same spot, then we’re doing all of us injustice. There is room for growth. We know that we need to close some loopholes, ‘cause those are dollars we’re leaving on the table. We know, then, we’re not going to cannibalize anyone if we go ahead and -- and get tourists’ dollars. Anybody who wants to spend money for education, for our kids’ education, spend dollars for health care, and it doesn’t come out of your pocket, it comes out of tourists’ pockets and those individuals that want to leave their dollars on the table, then why should you care? There are some good things that were done and attempted to do here in the State of Illinois. We have ten more days to get that done. This is one of the first steps in that process, and I ask for an Aye vote for Resolution 258.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Senator Trotter.
Mr. President, can we have a -- a roll call vote?
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) That request is in order, sir. Ladies and Gentlemen, the question is, shall Senate Resolution 258 pass. All those in favor will vote Aye. All those opposed will vote Nay. The voting is open. Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Have all voted who wish? Madam Secretary, take the record. On that question, there are 33 Ayes, 19 Nays, 2 voting Present. Senate Resolution 258, having received the required constitutional majority, is declared passed. Senator Lightford, for what purpose you seek recognition, ma’am?
Mr. President, on the resolution that was just before us, 59 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 somehow my green light didn’t show, and I would love to have voted Aye and been vote number 34. Thank you.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) The -- the record will so reflect your intentions, ma’am. Senator Watson, for what purpose do you seek recognition, sir?
Yes, I know you were hesitant to do that, but I appreciate the -- the recognition. I would like to just take this opportunity to introduce the Mayor of Vandalia, Ricky Gottman. Mayor Gottman, from Vandalia, is on the -- our side of the aisle and…
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Will our guest from Vandalia please rise and be recognized? Welcome to Springfield. Welcome to the Illinois State Senate.
As you know, Vandalia was the second capital of Illinois. They just had their Grande Levee this last weekend. It’s a wonderful place to visit and I hope you -- on your way to southern Illinois and the deep south sometime, you’ll stop by Vandalia and visit the old State Capitol and I’m sure the mayor would appreciate that also. Good to have you here.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Again, welcome. Welcome again, Mayor. Madam Secretary, on the Order of Resolutions.
Senate Joint Resolution 67. (Secretary reads SJR No. 67)
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Okay. Thank you, Madam Secretary. Senator Halvorson moves 60 STATE OF ILLINOIS 95th GENERAL ASSEMBLY REGULAR SESSION SENATE TRANSCRIPT 58th Legislative Day 6/20/2007 to suspend the rules for the purpose of immediate consideration and the adoption of Senate Joint Resolution 67. Those in favor will say Aye. Those opposed will say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the rules are suspended. Now Senator Halvorson moves the adoption of Senate Joint Resolution 67. All those in favor will say Aye. All those opposed will say Nay. The Ayes have it, and the resolution is adopted. Ladies and Gentlemen, if I may have your attention, please, for purposes of announcement, Ladies and Gentlemen. The committees that were scheduled earlier today that were announced by the committee Chairmen have been canceled. All committees have been canceled, so there’s no need to go to any committee rooms. Thank you. We will now proceed to the Order of Resolutions Consent Calendar. With leave of the Body, all those resolutions that were read in today will be added to the Consent Calendar. Madam Secretary, has there been any objections filed to any resolution on the Consent Calendar?
No objections filed, Mr. President.
PRESIDING OFFICER: (SENATOR DeLEO) Thank you. Is there any discussion? If not, the question is, shall the resolutions on the Consent Calendar be adopted. All those in favor will say Aye. All those opposed will say Nay. The Ayes have. The motion carries, and the resolutions are adopted. All right, Ladies and Gentlemen, pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 67, the Senate stands adjourned until 12 noon on Tuesday, June 26th, the year 2007. The Senate stands adjourned. 61