Gov hopes House will hug lottery deal
SPRINGFIELD | Privatizing it could fund capital plan — Daley cautious
Will the celebrated hugfest at the Democratic National Convention produce concrete results for Illinois — in the form of a long-stalled capital plan for roads, mass transit and school construction?
It just might, according to Gov. Blagojevich.
On Wednesday, the governor could barely contain his enthusiasm after his political nemesis-turned-hugging partner, House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), summoned the Illinois House back to session for two days next week to consider the governor’s plan to lease the Illinois Lottery to bankroll a state construction program.
“That’s a good sign. And if he actually passes it, and it’s real, and we start putting people to work, I may not just hug him. I may actually kiss him,” Blagojevich said.
“Having said that, I love women. I’m happily married. That would be a kiss because I want to put people to work. It would have nothing to do with anything else. And if he wants me not to kiss him, I’d be happy not to do that, too, so long as we put people to work and pass the jobs bill.”
Madigan has had his doubts about leasing the lottery. But that may have changed following private talks between the speaker and governor during the Denver convention.
“I’m not going to divulge private conversations that were held in a corner. They were good conversations. It was all good and friendly. Let’s see where it takes us,” the governor said.
Mayor Daley has his fingers crossed for a capital plan that could pay big dividends for the CTA and Chicago Public Schools. But after leasing the Chicago Skyway and downtown parking garages and attempting to do the same with Midway Airport and Chicago parking meters, Daley doubts that the lottery lease can be finalized quickly.
“Remember, these are very, very complicated legal complications when you decide to lease an asset. . . . You just don’t pass a bill,” Daley said.
“But, everybody realizes that assets can be used for infrastructure. Europe has done that. We should be able to do that in America.’’