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Special Edition -
March 29, 2011
RCGA and Leadership Council
Southwestern Illinois Meet with Legislative Leaders During Annual
Illinois Lobby Day
On March 16th a delegation of business
leaders and government affairs executives from the St. Louis RCGA
and Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois met with legislative
leaders and state officials from both parties in Springfield to
discuss regional priorities for the coming
year. Reducing the state's deficit
and balancing the budget were at the top of the group's list for
fiscal responsibility and improving the state's business
climate. (Click here
to view the delegation's legislative agenda.)
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(clockwise from top) Rep. Tom Holbrook
(D-Belleville), Rep. Eddie Jackson (D-East St. Louis) and Rep.
Dan Beiser (D- Alton) speak to the joint
delegation about the Capital Bill projects in Southwestern
Illinois.
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House Chief of Staff Tim Mapes
(standing) explains Speaker Mike Madigan's
priorities to RCGA and Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois
members.
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In the morning the group met with Rep. Dan
Beiser (D-Alton), Rep. Tom Holbrook (D-Belleville),
Rep. Eddie Jackson (D-East St. Louis),
and House of Representatives Chief of Staff Tim
Mapes, who said that House Democrats and Republicans
were working together to scrutinize expenditures and cap
spending. The House Democrats voiced support for the
Governor's $8 billion borrowing plan that would allow the state
to pay back vendors ($6 billion), fund pension obligations ($1
billion) and make Medicaid payments ($1 billion). The
delegation was also assured that construction projects in
Southwestern Illinois like the new SIUE Science Lab and New
Mississippi River Bridge would move forward with Phase I funding
from the 2009 Capital Bill.
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Senate President John Cullerton
(D-Chicago) speaks
about ways to strengthen funding for the
2009
Capital Bill.
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Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago), Senate
Majority Leader James Clayborne (D-Belleville) and Sen. William
Haine (D-Alton) also spoke on the Capital Bill projects,
saying that they are focusing on generating new revenue for the
construction projects to ensure that the construction season
isn't missed while the Bill is held up in court. The Senate
is considering a tax increase of $1 per pack of cigarettes to
help fund a new comprehensive capital infrastructure
program. The cigarette tax proposal would generate $300
million in new revenue. The General Assembly might also
reconsider revenue sources that were passed in the 2009 Capital
Bill besides video poker, such as the privatization of the
Lottery, Internet lottery sales, increases in drivers'
registration fees, and alcohol taxes.
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RCGA Illinois Public Affairs Committee
Chairman Doug Sitton (left), President of Sitton
Construction Group, listens as Sen. James Clayborne
(D-Belleville) speaks on the Capital Bill projects in
Southwestern Illinois.
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Sen. William Haine (D-Alton)
(left) speaks to the joint delegation about the
complexity of workers' compensation issues in
Illinois.
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Rep. Dwight Kay (left)
and Rep. Tim Schmitz (center) speak to the
group about the Republicans' proposed
budget plan.
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Deputy Republican Leader Rep. Tim Schmitz (R-Geneva)
and Rep. Dwight Kay (R-Collinsville) spoke to the group about the
budget proposed by their Republican colleagues in the
Senate, which would cut $6.7 billion to help balance the
state budget and allow for the roll-back of the recent individual
and corporate income tax increases. According to their
fiscal analysis, Illinois could face a $22 billion deficit in
five years if the Governor and General Assembly don't take
immediate steps to reduce spending. The Republican plan
includes cuts of $725 million to K-12 education and $200 million
to higher education, as well as changes to the state's Medicaid
program by narrowing eligibility standards to the national
average and increasing co-pays, saving $1.3 billion annually.
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(from left) Patrick McKeehan,
Leadership Council Southwestern Illinois; Judy
Dungan,
SSM Health Care;
Leadership Council Chairman Gerry
Schuetzenhofer, Coldwell
Banker
Brown Realtors;
Monica
Bristow, River Bend Growth
Association; IPAC Chairman Doug
Sitton, Sitton Construction
Group; Sen. Kyle McCarter
(R-Lebanon);
Frank
Miles,
Tri-City
Regional Port District;
Emmy
McClelland, St. Louis
Children's Hospital; Dennis
Wilmsmeyer, Tri-City Regional
Port District; Chip
Casteel, St. Louis RCGA;
John
Twombly,
St. Louis Children's
Hospital;
RCGA lobbyist
Kevin Riggs,
SNR Denton.
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Senator Kyle McCarter (R-Lebanon) advocated for
additional state employee pension reforms, explaining
that the Senate Republicans' budget plan addresses the $80
billion unfunded liability by changing the pension system to
allow current employees and retirees to choose between paying
more to keep the existing defined benefit plan in the future, or
choose to accept a defined contribution plan.
The delegation also met with Malcolm Weems,
Chief of Staff for the Governor's Office of Management &
Budget, who discussed Governor Quinn's eagerness to work
with both chambers to scrutinize funding for each agency so
resources can be allocated to the programs that produce the best
results. Weems said that the Governor will be making cuts
across the board, and will also continue to advocate for his
proposed $8 billion borrowing plan mentioned above.
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Office of Budget & Management Chief of
Staff Malcolm Weems (right) describes
the Governor's borrowing plan to the
delegation.
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Make plans to attend RCGA's Annual Illinois
House-Senate Softball Game on April
13th!
On
Wednesday, April 13th the RCGA will host its
19th Annual Illinois House-Senate Softball Game at
5:30 p.m. in Springfield's Lincoln Park.
Come watch the legislators face off
as the House tries to defend their bragging rights against their
rival chamber. For more information please contact Sherri
Bailey at sbailey@stlrcga.org or (314)
444-1134.
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The Illinois House team smiles proudly
after coming back from their 2009 loss
with a triumphant 21-3 win over the
Illinois Senate in 2010. More than 200
people came out to watch the rivalry game
in Springfield's Lincoln Park.
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