Thursday, March 20, 2008 5:51 PM CDT
Righter urges Edgar approach to deficit
By ROB STROUD, Staff Writer
rstroud@jg-tc.com
OAKLAND — State Sen. Dale Righter joked Tuesday that he and state Rep. Chapin Rose presented a “good cop, bad cop” routine at the Oakland Chamber of Commerce’s annual legislative luncheon.
Rose, R-Mahomet, discussed the state’s accomplishments fighting methamphetamine crimes, while Righter, R-Mattoon, followed with a grim assessment of the state’s budget shortfall. They spoke to more than 60 Oakland and Coles County civic leaders during the lunch at the Oakland Christian Church.
Updates about the ongoing feud between Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Speaker of the House Mike Madigan, both Chicago-area Democrats, has dominated the news, Rose said. Nevertheless, he estimated 80 percent of votes taken at the Capitol are not contentious and are agreed to by the vast majority of legislators.
State government took a bipartisan approach when meth crimes were on the rise five years ago, Rose said. As an example of this rise, he said 40 percent of the inmates at the Coles County jail at that time were incarcerated directly or indirectly in connection with meth crimes.
In one bipartisan initiative, Rose said he co-chaired a House task force on meth crimes that sought input at forums throughout Illinois.
“We had suggestions from all over,” Rose said.
The legislature ultimately streamlined the “hodge podge” of state laws regarding meth and put more controls on the sale of pseudoephedrine cold medicines that can be used as meth precursors, Rose said. The Illinois attorney general has reported that meth lab busts declined by 50 percent statewide within a year after these actions, he said.
In regard to the state budget, Righter said legislators are supposed to be working on the 2008-09 budge,t but most of their meetings are on how to address current budget shortfalls.
Righter said the governor reported there will be a $750-million shortfall in the 2007-08 budget, while the state comptroller has reported a backlog of $1.7 billion in unpaid bills. The state senator said there are “loads of bills” that have not been sent to the comptroller yet and he speculate the unpaid bills might be closer to $3 billion.
Many of the unpaid bills involve Medicaid and other human services, Righter added.
The two principal ways to solve the shortfall are to cut spending or bring in more revenue through a general tax increase, Righter said. The state senator predicted the Democratic leadership of the legislature will seek Republican support for a tax increase.
“This is a chance for us to say no, not without some change in the way we are spending money,” Righter said. “That conversation has to take place before state government as a whole comes to you and digs a little deeper in your pockets.”
Righter said it is difficult for him to foresee the state working through 2008-09 without a tax increase.
Nevertheless, he said the persistent budget troubles could be worked out over time without tax increases by following former Republican Gov. Jim Edgar’s example. He said Edgar achieved fiscal stability through hard decisions and disciplined spending.
Contact Rob Stroud at rstroud@jg-tc.com or 348-5734.
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