With budget ax in hand, governor orders lawmakers back to Capitol

SPRINGFIELD - Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Wednesday ordered lawmakers back to the Capitol next week, demanding they come up with more money so he won't have to cut programs for seniors, veterans and others.

If there's no deal on July 9 or 10, Blagojevich warned he'll ax $1.5 billion in spending and order agencies to hold another $500 million in reserve to balance the budget lawmakers approved May 31.

"Two days and two days only," the Democratic governor said Wednesday.

The sea of red ink in the state budget plan occurred because the House did not approve a series of moneymaking proposals that cleared the Senate. They include draining nearly $500 million from special state accounts and borrowing $16 billion to refinance the state's enormous pension debt, which would dramatically lower this year's payment.

House leaders, however, say the plans are flawed, question whether they have enough votes to pass, and say the governor should do his job and use the powers of his office to manage state finances.

But the governor is loath to take the blame for cutting things like an addition to a veterans' home. In response to public outcry, he's already taken his threats to cut Amtrak, 4-H and rape crisis programs off the chopping block.

Blagojevich claims this is all part of a plot by House Speaker Michael Madigan, a Chicago Democrat, to force a tax increase.

"Wrong," said Madigan spokesman Steve Brown. "We ruled out tax increases a long time ago."

At a Chicago news conference, Blagojevich also cast aside questions regarding whether he feared lawmakers would use the time to begin impeachment proceedings against him.

"I think it's a side show and ridiculous," the governor said of recent impeachment talk.

The special session means lawmakers will get $129 a day for housing and meals plus 50.5 cents per mile for the commute to the Capitol and back. And if they're in Springfield long enough, they could be in-store for a lot more.

The return to the Capitol starts the clock ticking on pay raises for lawmakers and state officials. If the Senate doesn't vote soon to reject the raises - which the House already did - they automatically take effect.

There are questions over exactly when the clock runs out, but the governor indicated it could happen if the session carries over into a second day.

Senate President Emil Jones Jr., a Chicago Democrat who supports the raises, however, saw no need for it to get to that point. "This can all be handled in a day," Jones said in a statement sent to media outlets.

Meanwhile, suburban lawmakers weren't eager to revisit the political ego battles.

"Every time you think things can't get worse," said state Rep. Elaine Nekritz, a Northbrook Democrat, "they do."

Daily Herald staff writer Nick Shields contributed to this report.