SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – While the Illinois Senate zeros in on Gov. Rod Blagojevich in a historic impeachment trial, other vital state issues are being shoved aside. There will be no discussion of how to fill the enormous budget deficit that is delaying payments to hospitals and pharmacies. No early start on next year's budget. No work on a huge public works program that would create jobs during the economic downturn. "Until we get this taken care of, it is very, very difficult to think that we're going to concentrate on revenue, spending, programs and all of that," said Republican state Sen. Dan Rutherford. Then, there are the problems created by the governor's legal difficulties. After Blagojevich was arrested Dec. 9 on corruption charges that included scheming to sell President-elect Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat, the state's bond rating fell, costing it an extra $21 million in interest on a loan to pay overdue bills. But the trial, scheduled to get under way Jan. 26 and finish...
Post je objavljen 20.01.2009. u 22:21 sati.