From the Daily Illini:
Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives, Michael Madigan, announced Monday that the House will hold a series of public hearings regarding the Illinois state budget.
The 19 hearings are designed to give private citizens the opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns regarding the $59 million budget. They will take place in various locations throughout the state and are scheduled to begin Monday, March 10.
"Our hope is that these forums will increase the transparency of the budget-making process, complement the works of standing House appropriations committees and perhaps provide a new model for us to follow in the future," Madigan said in a press release.
This isn't the first time Speaker Mike Madigan has done something like this. It will unsurprised, however, when some of the local media dutifully reports on the eventual Champaign hearing as being something unique orchestrated by Rep. Naomi Jakobsson rather than one of several dozen being held around the state by the Speaker's staff.
We'll post more about the Champaign-area hearing when the details are announced.
UPDATE: Hearing details here.
ANOTHER UPDATE: Some local media thought I was being unfair. I should have said "...some of media dutifully reports..." above. Corrected, and apologies.
Naomi had a letter to the editor about this today. The hearing will be on
MondayTuesday, March 18 at 6pm in room D-244 at Parkland.(date corrected. when I'm wrong I can admit it, make the change, and move on. It's a skill we would like our neighbors in Run4cvrlib world to develop, but we're not holding our breath :)
Very good.
Thanks, Arvid.
CONSPIRACY REVEALED! Nothing gets by Illini Pundit. A real shocker that House Democratic staff is helping a Democratic House member organize a regional House budget hearing. Film at 10.
Far be it for me to be making corrections but I hope the Budget is larger then in the Millions and March 18th is a Tuesday.
Unless Arvid world has a different calendar then this one, which is fine, although this is the year of the Rat. :-)
but we're not holding our breath :) We in Run4cvrlib land were hoping you would bring up your breath. :)
Unless Arvid world has a different calendar then this one, which is fine, although this is the year of the Rat. :-)
I'm like David Letterman! I'm still wring the year of the" Pig" on my checks.
"CONSPIRACY REVEALED! Nothing gets by Illini Pundit. A real shocker that House Democratic staff is helping a Democratic House member organize a regional House budget hearing. Film at 10."
That's not the shocker. The shocker is that such an obvious and important fact so often goes unreported by more significant media outlets. I don't begrudge the practice at all.
In fact, I think these hearings are a great idea, and wish that the House Dems (and other caucuses) would organize them and encourage public participation in and discussion of the State's budget even in years when they're not in pissing matches with the Governor.
I agree the last round of public meetings for the cuts in non-profits had a huge turn out.
I was unable to attend the meeting, the other night, but had a close friend who is involved in politics (not a Republican) who was there. Apparently Naomi moderated and allowed 10 minutes of public input and answered no questions from the panels, then rambled for 4 hours or so.
Somethings never change.
To that end, I am, and shall always remain;
Rex Bradfield
I was there Rex, I don't think that was what happened. I think there was far more public comment.