SPRINGFIELD – In an effort to strip powers from Governor Rauner in negotiating a contract with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees by demanding arbitration and no strike options, Democrat House Speaker Mike Madigan was able to pass HB 580 Tuesday with 67 of his 71 Democrat House members' support.
While the 67 votes are enough to move the bill to the Illinois Senate, they will not make the 71 votes needed to override an expected veto of the measure, as Governor Rauner did last summer.
Two Democrats – State Rep. Ken Dunkin and Scott Drury – voted "No" with the Republican House Caucus, and Democrats Jack Franks and Camille Lilly did not vote. Lilly was excused for the day. Downstate Republican Charles Meier did not vote because he was excused and Downstate Republicans John Cabello and Bob Pritchard voted present, but changed to "no" later.
Governor Rauner's office responded quickly.
“Illinois taxpayers cannot afford HB 580 – it’s a $3 billion tax hike masquerading as a labor bill," said Rauner spokesman Lance Trover. "If it becomes law, it will dig Illinois’ fiscal hole even deeper, further squeezing social services and, ironically, it will lead to layoffs.
HB 580 was aimed only at Governor Rauner and is a blatant attempt by career politicians to force a tax hike and help AFSCME secure a special deal by changing the rules of the game in the fourth quarter, Trover said.
“Now it’s up to the Senate to decide if they stand with taxpayers or with special interests,” he said.
The photo above was taken on the House floor Tuesday by WUIS News' Brian Mackey.
If the Governor would have approached this honestly he could have gotten concessions.. his intent is to destroy collective bargaining and to eventually pass “right to work”..
It appears Prichard also voted present. Pick a side sir!
We are already facing layoffs. It has been proposed that Kewanee IYC is supposed to be closed!!!
Madigan really needs to be more careful about what he wishes for; assuming an arbiter would automatically side with AFSCAM on a contract is a mistake. The arbiter could side with the finance experts that know the only way to reduce the unfunded pension liability is to reduce salaries of AFSCAMmers and make them pay a lot more for their health insurance.
What makes you think that Madigan gives a damn about the working citizen?
The only thing he cares about is voting blocks and the donations (read: CASH) that come with said blocks.
I don’t think Madigan cares about working citizens, he only cares about keeping the Democrat majority in the legislature by handing out taxpayer dollars to select blocks. The needs of the few (AFSCAM) far outweigh the needs of the many (taxpayers) in the minds of our leftist overlords
Ok, gotcha, thanks for taking the time to explain.
And I agree completely.
I as a taxpayer don’t want right to work Gov Rauner to steal from state servants contracts to funnel it towards more tax breaks and jobs for only him, his do-nothing wife (wouldn’t include her but she has a 6 figure tax paid assistant but doesn’t actually do any IL work… Not that rauner does: just hangs out in his office until a photo op comes along), and for rauners 10 investors… The billionaires who helped you buy the election: spending 3x prior campaign money to invest in their interest. But Rauner knows all about paying a politician as an investment: he gave huge monthly sums to Blago to secure his ever increasing ridiculous wealth. What kind of sick greed is it to have 800 beautiful chairs in front of you: more than you’ll ever need and then steal our fold up metal chairs that we use everyday because you just want all the chairs. Special place in hell for the likes of Rauner.
Really… you will get real with your next property tax increase. I really wish I could spend spend spend with no accountability and no repercussions on my personal life like our crooked politicians do. Go Rauner, put these people in prison where they belong
Get real Illinois voters. You will wake up in shock with your next property tax bill. I really wish I couyld spend spend spend with no repercussions or accountability as do our Illinois Democrats. Go Rauner, put these crook in prison where they belong. My God how long can this go one before you voters wake up?