BUT DEMOCRATS PARTY IN SPRINGFIELD

August 13, 2008

(SPRINGFIELD) – With a hard hat and shovel in hand, Senate Republicans went to work Wednesday, calling on Illinois’ Democrat leadership to “put aside the political gamesmanship, the inter-party conflicts and the hypocrisy.”

Senate Republican Leader Frank Watson said, “Today, we want to remind them that Illinois desperately needs to fix its schools, roads and bridges. We need to put people to work. We need a responsible budget. We need leadership.  

“Senate Republicans are here and ready to work on the problems created by Governor Blagojevich and his Democrat majorities,” Watson said.

“The Governor called today’s special session to deal with infrastructure. But just yesterday, the special session he called on education ended almost as soon as it began. And the word ‘education’ was never uttered on the floor of the Illinois Senate in that special session,” Watson said.

August 12, 2008

Springfield . . . By a vote of 43 to zero, with three members voting ‘present,’ the Illinois Senate voted to reject a pay raise proposal from the Compensation Review Board.

51st District Senator and Senate Republican Leader Frank Watson who voted to reject the proposal told colleagues there should be no pay raises at a time when the administration of state government is in such disarray.

“State government is in shambles; nothing is getting done; people won’t even sit in the same room together; it’s just not the time at all for anyone, anyone in the legislative process to think they deserve a pay increase,” said Watson (R-Greenville).

August 8, 2008

Springfield . . . Legislators are scheduled to return to Springfield August 13 and 14 for another round of special sessions called this week by Gov. Rod Blagojevich to once again discuss a capital plan and education funding.

Discussions regarding a capital plan have festered since the General Assembly approved a state budget at the end of May, but no agreement has been reached.

Continued disagreements between Democrat leaders have virtually gridlocked the process, said State Sen. Frank Watson (R-Greenville).  Watson, the Senate Republican Leader, said he and his fellow Republican senators will be in Springfield ready for work.

August 1, 2008

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Senate Republicans stressed the importance of ethics reform this week as legislative leaders and Gov. Rod Blagojevich met once again to discuss a capital construction plan, however, no agreement has been reached yet on a final proposal.

During the July 31 meeting, Senate Republican Leader Frank Watson asked Gov. Blagojevich for a commitment to bring ethics legislation addressing pay-to-play contracts into the mix with any capital plan.

Currently, an ethics reform package, House Bill 824, sits on the Governor’s desk, awaiting approval, said Senator Watson (R-Greenville).  Watson said having laws in place that ban state contractors from giving campaign contributions to statewide office holders responsible for awarding contracts provides assurances that state money from a massive capital plan will not be used in ‘pay-to-play’ schemes.