Gov. 'High stakes budget fight hurts kids' CPS could lose $106 mil

The standoff between some House Democrats and Gov. R. Blagojevich may be headed towards a budgetary "meltdown" because the "stakes are high" and repercussions are great, especially for the children, the governor warned Sunday. And, if this battle isn't resolved, the governor said: "The impact on Chicago is onerous because Chicago schools would lose $106 million in the wake of ten Chicago schools having recently closed, and 50,000 men, women, and children who have health care in Chicago would lose it; so, the stakes are very high.

"And, the consequences are severe because they impact people, and when people think about budgets, they think about numbers matching up, but, they're supposed to match up so they can help people, not just [satisfy] accountants," he said on V-103's Cliff Kelley show.

While saying there has been some progress, the governor said he has met with legislative leaders. "There is a consensus, for the first time, that we ought to close some corporate loop holes, not as many as we'd like, but there are some.

"It's the first time we've gotten all of them to agree to that.

"We've agreed to reduce spending in state government in agencies, with the exception of education and health care, around two percent" though he said there will be some exceptions with that.

"The big issues are whether we are going to invest more money in education and health care. That is the area where we still have a great deal of disagreement," Blagojevich said.

Explaining the difference, the governor said he and Senate President Emil Jones, Jr. want to invest more money in schools and provide more health care for working men and women and for children.

"We also want to invest more money in preschool so more kids can have access to preschool -- particularly kids from at-risk communities."

Blagojevich said his budget will also help seniors offset the high costs of prescription drugs.

"Yet, Speaker (Michael) Madigan and Senate Minority Leader (Frank) Watson, the Republican leader in the state senate from downstate Illinois -- the two of them are sort of working hand-in-hand right now -- if they have their way, the effect of their budget" would be devastating, the governor said.

Explaining, Blagojevich said, "The effect of what their budget would be would mean a cut in education; a cut in health care."

He said under their budget 150,000 men, women and children would lose the health care they enjoy today; 8,000 "kids who're about to go to preschool under our budget wouldn't be able to go."

He said 56,000 men and women who work but are unable to afford health care wouldn't get it, but "would get it under the budget Senate Jones and I support -- that passed the senate.

"The 20,000 kids about to be enrolled in the KidCare program -- kids who don't have health care who would get health care -- wouldn't get if Speaker Madigan and Senator Watson have their way."

While Democrats and Republicans are flexing their political muscles, Blagojevich has begun to publicly fight back saying: "The battle is do we make these investments?"

He said the money is there to pay for agenda items and in a way "that doesn't require us to go back to the taxpayers to ask for an income or sales tax increase.

"The money is there by closing corporate loopholes, closing prisons we don't need, by consolidating funds that exist in state government that have a surplus --the people's money -- and use that for these purposes by reduction in other areas in state government.

"There is a way to do it. It's just a question of getting Speaker Madigan and Senate Minority Leader Watson to see it as we see it," the governor said.

He explained that they had until May 31st' to pass a budget. "Senate President Jones and I reached an agreement and a budget was passed before the deadline that included no income or sales tax increase with more money for education.

"It was sent to the House," he said. "They didn't act on the budget. Speaker Madigan disagreed with those investments; so, they didn't act on the budget. It sat there. He didn't call it for a vote."

As a result, the three-fifths rule for passing any legislation went into effect which requires a super majority. Both houses are now Democratically controlled.

Blagojevich said "ironically, it was the Democrats in the House that pushed for a six-months budget for Health and Human Services Director Dr. Carol Adams led by Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie (D-25th). Things are upside down right now."

Article copyright REAL TIMES Inc.