Friday, March 16, 2007 10:36 PM CDT
Blagojevich survey on health care: PR ploy or research?
By KURT ERICKSON, JG/T-C Springfield Bureau
kurt.erickson@lee.net
SPRINGFIELD -- Gov. Rod Blagojevich has directed dozens of local economic development officials to conduct a survey of small business owners about his massive health care expansion plan.
But an administration spokesman Friday could not say how the survey results would be compiled or even used, raising questions by critics about whether the surveys were little more than another piece of the governor’s aggressive, campaign-style marketing of his proposal.
“Its part of our education process,” said Andrew Ross, spokesman for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. “It’s a way to get information across.”
The governor on March 7 unveiled a massive overhaul of the state’s business taxes, saying the $6 billion raised could fund an expansion of health insurance programs, as well as put more money into schools.
State Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion, said it was odd that the administration was only now collecting information about the health insurance needs of small business owners.
“Don’t you do that before you announce the plan?” said Bradley. “It’s an interesting approach to governance.”
Kim Maisch, Illinois director for the National Federation of Independent Business, said local economic development officials are questioning the directive because it relies on them to identify only businesses that are favorable to the governor’s plan.
“They feel that it is using taxpayer dollars for the governor’s public relations machine,” said Maisch.
In addition to using local officials to spread the word of his “Illinois Covered” health insurance proposal, Blagojevich is appearing in television advertisements. He also has sent letters to 345,000 small businesses at a cost to taxpayers of $110,000 trying to counter what he calls “misinformation” about the 10-day-old proposal.
Blagojevich also has hired a former Chicago television reporter for $50 an hour to travel around the state promoting the plan.
According to the documents, local officials have been directed to contact small business owners about their “willingness to show support for Illinois Covered.”
“Attached are talking points for Illinois Covered, as well as a script that may assist in guiding through the conversation with the business,” the message noted.
The talking points outline what other states are doing to provide health insurance to all residents.
“Since Governor Blagojevich took office in 2003, over 560,000 more men, women, children and seniors have health care who didn’t have it before. We need to build on that progress,” the memo says.
Officials also are supposed to walk small business owners through a six question survey about their health insurance needs.
At the Millikin University Entrepreneurship Center in Decatur, director Connie Beck said she began calling small businesses on Wednesday, the same day the administration issued the directive.
“For the most part, I keep with the script,” said Beck, who is among dozens of local economic development officials who received the directive.
Beck said she’s found most of the business owners interested in finding solutions to the high cost of employee health care. But, she said the business owners remain skeptical about the governor’s plans.
“Most people’s reaction is a ‘wait-and-see,”’ said Beck. “They say the proof will be in the pudding.”
Kurt Erickson can be reached at kurt.erickson@lee.net or 789-0865
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