From the Southern

Lawmakers angry over Blagojevich's threat to university budgets
BY KURT ERICKSON, The Southern Springfield Bureau
Friday, April 4, 2008 6:15 PM CDT
SPRINGFIELD -- Lawmakers slammed Gov. Rod Blagojevich Friday for threatening to cut funding to Illinois universities.
''I don't respond well to threats, especially threats that aren't grounded in reality'' said state Rep. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, who represents Eastern Illinois University.
''These games are ridiculous,'' added state Rep. Mike Bost, a Murphysboro Republican who represents Southern Illinois University. ''We're sick and tired of these tactics. It's so sad.''
Blagojevich wants university presidents to lobby lawmakers to support a plan that would allow him to tap into special state funds to help close a budget hole.
The measure was approved in the Senate Thursday, but its prospects for passage in the House appear slim. Opponents say it would give Blagojevich the ability to continue spending money despite a massive backlog of bills that are owed to hospitals, nursing homes and other vendors.
If it doesn't receive House approval, Blagojevich says universities will not receive state aid payments in June, which amount to cuts of about 8 percent.
SIU would lose about $12 million, which could result in unspecified job cuts, said President Glenn Poshard. Illinois State University would see a drop of $7 million in funding, which would force the university to take ''extreme'' measures, said President Al Bowman.
EIU would face a $4 million cut, while Western Illinois University would see a $5 million reduction.
The governor also is threatening to slash funding to numerous other state agencies and programs in hopes of leveraging a deal with lawmakers. Among them is the University of Illinois Extension program and local school districts.
He made similar threats last year, but did not carry through with them.
Lawmakers say the latest ''scare tactics'' aren't working.
''Obviously it's politics,'' said state Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington ''The governor is putting the university presidents in a trick bag. It's unfortunate that he's using them more or less as chess pawns.''
''They shouldn't be put in the middle of this,'' Brady said.
Rose said if there is truly a budget problem, Blagojevich could spread smaller cuts across state government so that the pain is shared.
''I will participate in productive, bipartisan negotiations. But I'm not going to do it with a gun to my head based on phony, cooked-up budget numbers,'' Rose said.
Bost decried the governor's ''strong-arm tactics'' of using universities as political pawns in the budget fight.
''I'm sorry our presidents have been put in this position. We need to keep politics out of the universities,'' Bost said.
Rose said the governor's maneuver points to the need for voters to have the ability to recall elected officials.
The House on Tuesday approved a proposed constitutional amendment allowing recall. It now awaits action in the Senate.
''That recall amendment can't come soon enough. People want this guy out yesterday,'' Rose said.