Return of Planetarium Pork

by Cal Skinner

Remember during the presidential campaign when John McCain picked a member earmark for the Adler Planetarium to criticize?

Well, it's back.

I've been doing a pork look-up for Illinois congress critters and it showed up in the Commerce, Justice and Science bill.

And Adler wasn't the only Illinois planetarium to get money.

The other earmarker listed isn't even in Congress anymore.

This information was published on McHenry County Blog first.

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Governor Vetoes Legislative Pork – Want to Apply $463 Million to Health Care Program

Since the Governor’s Office stopped sending me press releases, I haven’t printed any.

I’ll make an exception today because he vetoed the pork-member initiatives-earmarks, whatever you want to call it, out of the budget bill and is trying to allocate the $463 million to get his health program off the ground.

That will, of course, build a big hole in the budget for next year, and, if demand is greater than expected, a gap that needs to be filled before next July 1st.

The legislators can override his line item vetoes with a bare majority vote. I would not assume that won't happen.

I well remember what the veto session was called under the last Democratic Party governor, a populist with fewer big spending ideas named Dan Walker.

We all called it the "veto override" session.

I have read the press release and no where does he mention his goal is to force Illinois taxpayers to pay for the health care of illegal aliens.

Little wonder why, because if that were known the idea would sink like a millstone.

The governor is removing the $500 million, presumably with his line item veto power, but, as is typical with this chief executive, no paperwork but a press release has been filed.

Take a look at the press release. Use my perceptual screen and you can see where the illegal aliens will obtain health care.

You can, of course, sense my frustration that the real motivation behind the governor's health care initiative is never mentioned in news stories. If a politician is trying to accomplish a major change in public policy, he or she should be forthright. That is not an attribute of the governor in his health care proposal.

The press release can be found here at McHenry County Blog.

The governor's summary chart can be enlarged by clicking on it.

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Obama Earmark Requests

According to KC for Obama, the following projects have been requested by Senator Barack Obama be included in the United State budget for McHenry County. (All the other ones can be found at the Kansas City Obama web site.)

McHenry County, for its Sheriff's Office law enforcement communication system, $1,000,000

The radio system owned by McHenry County and operated by the McHenry County Sheriff's Office needs to be replaced. This critical link between residents, dispatchers, and public safety officers was designed in 1953 and it has run its useful life and needs to be replaced with a new 800 MHz system. New technology will allow McHenry County to meet the communication needs of its Sheriff's Office and the 9 municipal police agencies for which it provides dispatch services, and will provide McHenry County with regional interoperability.

McHenry County, to widen Miller Road, $500.000,

The state routes (Illinois Route 120 and Illinois Route 31) through the City of McHenry are heavily congested. Due to continued growth in this area, the existing Miller Road corridor is also heavily congested. The widened Miller Road corridor would enhance the mobility of the area by reducing congestion and improving safety and decreasing emergency response times.

McHenry County, for Flexible and Sustainable Training Solutions Initiative, $600,000

The Flexible and Sustainable Training Solutions Initiative would provide training so that employers' needs for skilled workers, and residents' needs for livable wages, can be met. "Boot camps" would provide intensive short-term occupational training in fields identified by employers through their participation on the McHenry County Workforce Investment Board.

Johnsburg, IL, to support construction of additional sewer lines, $2,000,000

The Village of Johnsburg is the largest municipality on the Illinois portion of the Fox River lacking a sewer system. An estimated 300,000,000 gallons per year of raw or partially treated wastewater is discharged from failing or failed septic tanks into the Fox River. This situation is problematic not only for residents, but also for visitors and the 200,000 individuals for whom the Fox River is a primary source of drinking water.

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The picture of Obama comes from his campaign web site.

There is more on the weekend at McHenry County Blog; and a Friday article about the McHenry County Democratic Party's boycott of the 4th of Day Parade.

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