Budget battles shaping up at the Capitol

SPRINGFIELD -- Five years after Gov. Rod Blagojevich blasted them as "drunken sailors" bent on a "spending orgy" with taxpayers' dollars, it is the Illinois Senate Democrats who are preaching financial restraint at the Capitol as a budget deadline approaches.

"Seriously, this is within our means. It's not writing a blank check that we can't pay," said state Sen. Terry Link, a Waukegan Democrat, referring to a budget plan that relies on no added taxes and therefore includes little new spending.

Lawmakers have been unable to strike a deal on how to pay for health care or education expansions, and the chances of finding support decrease as the fall elections draw closer.

Link's comments come as both the Senate and House maneuver budget plans for possible votes. The House is expected to first push a "bare-bones budget" and follow up with spending expansions as agreement can be found.

Senators, however, say they don't plan on entertaining more spending until there's a deal on producing the needed dollars.

"You can't order up the dinner and know that your Link card, the ATM card's gonna bounce, MasterCard, whatever they (House members) think they have over there. We're broke," said state Sen. Rickey Hendon, a Chicago Democrat.

Meanwhile, lawmakers in both the House and Senate say they're prepared to move ahead with a state budget that does not include billions worth of construction borrowing.

At the same time, former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert and SIU President Glenn Poshard unveiled Tuesday their final recommendations for just such a plan, one that would rely on slots at horse tracks, a Chicago casino, bigger existing casinos, the sale of the lottery and the state's taxes on gasoline to finance Illinois' share of $31 billion in spending over six years.

Noticeably absent were any legislative leaders and the governor. Business and labor groups also had yet to endorse the plan and said issues persist.

For perspective, numerous variations of this exact idea have annually stalled at the Capitol as lawmakers are reluctant to expand gambling, raise taxes or fees, or trust the governor with billions of new dollars.

"Is this pudding perfect? No," said Hastert. "But it's the best we could cobble together, and I think it has a very good chance of moving if everybody comes to the table and works together. Will that happen? I can't predict that."

Hastert, a Plano Republican, said he was confident Blagojevich would honor any funding commitments in the construction deal and urged Republicans to support it. But both he and Poshard said they told the governor that trust -- of lack of it -- remains a huge stumbling block with lawmakers.

Blagojevich has repeatedly gone back on funding promises or taken funding from projects lawmakers approved and used it for things he wanted.

The proposed construction deal includes a laundry list of disclosure and meeting requirements in an attempt to ensure the money is spent as lawmakers intended.

The General Assembly's spring session is scheduled to end on May 29, but many doubt there'll be a timely adjournment.