STATE OF THE STATE

Here are some calculations.

6  February 1999 Illinois Issues

General funds revenue — tax dollars used for state operations — grew from $12.1 billion in 1994 to an estimated $17.6 billion for the current fiscal year, according to budget figures. If the revenue funds continue to grow annually at the $1 billion level, an optimistic forecast according to economists and pontificators everywhere, then the new funds would work out to a $510 million increase in Ryan's first budget alone. Clearly a nice piece of change.

But that half billion dollar increase would add a modest 7 percent to the $7.3 billion of general funds that went to education this fiscal year.

And what if a recession hits and revenue slows? An August 1998 report from the Illinois Economic and Fiscal Commission looked at several possible revenue projections through fiscal year 2003. The agency's most pessimistic scenario estimated a yearlong recession in fiscal year 2000 that would dampen growth to $245 million, meaning an additional $125 million would go to education that year.

• Ryan also wants to reduce the number of students in each class, especially from kindergarten through third grade.

He would like to limit classes to 18 students. But he has a way to go before he can accomplish that. The 1997 state's "report card" of school districts found that more than a third of the districts average class sizes of 25 students or more.

Meanwhile, the State Board of Education estimates there will be another 300,000 students in the system by 2005. In order to keep up, Ryan promotes hiring more teachers — as many as 10,000 — and building new classrooms. But he's looking to the federal government to foot the bill. He pinned his hopes on getting the state's share of the $7.3 billion President Bill Clinton wanted for recruiting and training teachers nationwide in the next 10 years. But Clinton only got $1.2 billion for fiscal year 1999. Ryan also said he'd get a share of the $19.4 billion Clinton wanted for building and repairing schools. But the U.S. House shot that down entirely.

To get any money, he'd better put the telephone numbers of the state's congressional delegation on speeddial, especially those of the newly elected Speaker of the U.S. House, J. Dennis Hastert of Yorkville, and Illinois' U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin, who now serves on his chamber's Appropriations Committee.

• Ryan has named teacher union official Hazel Loucks his deputy governor for education and workforce development. She will serve as a liaison with the State Board of Education. She is also charged with developing a four-year budget plan for schools.

• He would encourage vocational training by providing $ 1,000 vouchers for Illinois high school graduates who go to vocational school. The vouchers could be used at community colleges, trade schools, or workplace training programs. And he supports a $500 tax credit for families with a schoolage child, whether that child goes to public or parochial school.

Meanwhile, Ryan's ideas on transportation reveal a conflict between George-the-politician and George-the-fiscal-conservative. He says there's no need to increase the state gas tax, but he pledges to build roads, extend and repair the Chicago Transit Authority, buy land for a third major airport near Chicago, keep Amtrak running and prepare for high speed rail.

One potential source for additional transportation revenue would be an increase in the $48 annual vehicle registration fee. A recent task force report on transportation led by State Sen. Dick Klemm, a Crystal Lake Republican, suggested that very idea. But Ryan hasn't signed on -- yet.

	George Ryan is this state's 39th governor. A Republican, he has been House speaker, lieutenant governor and secretary of state.
	Corinne Wood is the state's first female lieutenant governor. The Republican pledged to address women's health issues. "This lieutenant governor won't he sitting by the phone waiting for the call," she says.
	Jesse White is Illinois' first black secretary of state. The Democrat pledged to create a cabinet-level post to oversee school bus safety.
	Jim Ryan, a Republican, will serve his second term as attorney general. He pledged to focus on children's issues.
	Judy Baar Topinka, a Republican, will serve her second term as state treasurer. She pledged to expand a program of low-interest loans to day-care center developers.
	Dan Hynes is the youngest statewide official in more than 40 years. The 30-year-old Democrat is the new state comptroller. He pledged to prohibit state contracts to people who owe child support.

Meanwhile, Ryan wants "Smart Growth" to limit sprawl in the suburbs, but promises no less than seven projects in the Chicago-area alone that will expand or repair congested roads and expressways.

But, once again, he's relying on the

Illinois Issues February 1999 7

generosity of Uncle Sam to get it done. Under Ryan's vision, the bucks to shore up the state's transportation infrastructure would come from the $203 billion federal transportation bill passed last summer. Ryan estimates that TEA-21 will raise the state's annual share of federal road funds from $682 million to $885 million. And Ryan promised to step up efforts to get more of Illinois' tax dollars back from Washington.

His first priority, though, is to "put a noose around the neck of the 'Hillside Strangler' bottleneck, where seven lanes converge into one in the Chicago area."

Ryan supports the more controversial proposal for a third major Chicago-area airport. On that one, he's unlikely to get cooperation from Chicago's mayor, Richard M. Daley. Ryan pledged to begin buying land for an airport near south suburban Peotone anyway.

"The concept of a third airport presents us with the greatest opportunity to build an economic engine that will bring a whole new era of prosperity," Ryan said during his inaugural address, as Daley sat nearby on the stage. "It will create tens of thousands of jobs. I'm not kidding myself, or you. This project won't be easy to bring to life. But do you know what? This third airport will be built."

As for mass transit, Ryan suggests what he calls "transportation-oriented development," a noble idea that entails encouraging businesses to open or expand around central transport hubs like Chicago Transit Authority stops. That idea would require cooperation from commuters who would have to climb out of their cars and onto trains and buses.

Health care is also on Ryan's agenda. During the campaign, he raised concerns about premium costs for managed care, though overall he believes the system works pretty well.

The former pharmacist proposed a Managed Care Patient's Bill of Rights to address fears that some providers work more on the bottom line than on patient's health. He

The freshmen state legislators settle in For new lawmakers, it helps to know powerful people in powerful places. And the 91st General Assembly's freshman class has a couple of potentially mighty individuals who have long had an up-close view of the workings of the legislature. New Democratic Sen. Lisa Madigan from Chicago's North Side 17th District has drawn considerable attention because she's the daughter of House Speaker Michael Madigan. "There's been a lot of hype and it's all because of my last name," says Sen. Madigan. "It's a double-edged sword. In some ways, it will help. But in other ways it will hurt. I'll be under more scrutiny." Despite the hype and scrutiny, a name can be an undeniably powerful political tool. So can familiarity with the process. Rep. Julie Hamos of the 18th District can claim more than 20 years of experience making laws in Springfield, though she was just sworn into office. The Chicago Democrat came to Illinois in the early '70s to establish the first legislative advocacy office for low-income families. Later, she drafted the state's first domestic violence laws. And as an adviser to then-Cook County State's Attorney Richard M. Daley, she was an architect of laws on sexual assault and child abuse. Her interest in fighting for the powerless comes out of her immigrant background, says Hamos, who was 7 when she fled Hungary with her parents during the 1956 revolution. "This whole notion of reaching for the American dream is a reality in my family. I was raised to believe you can change the world around us. Because we did." Hamos also is married to former state representative andcurrent Appellate Court Judge Alan Greiman. "In some ways, I hope to follow in his footsteps," she says, noting his style as a "coalition builder." Rep. Randall Hultgren, a Wheaton Republican who represents the 40th District, knows people in important places, too. Hultgren, who, like Madigan and Hamos, is a lawyer by trade, was a member of U.S. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert's staff from 1988 to 1990. Hultgren says he wants to focus on getting constituent services going. The DuPage County Board member, who specializes in estate planning law, says he has experience in privatization of government services. Madigan wants dollars for transportation, the arts and recovery from the loss of hundreds of trees in her district that were infested with the

8  February 1999 Illinois Issues

supports the right to emergency care without prior approval from insurers;an independent appeal process when there are disagreements over treatment; and a ban on gag rules that prevent physicians from discussing treatment options with patients.

However, this issue has been a politically contentious one in Congress and in the Illinois legislature, where Republican and Democrat versions have stalled for the past couple of years.

An unscientific review shows that Ryan made more promises regarding agriculture and rural development than he did in other programs combined. Yet he took the middle road on the controversial mega-hog farm issue, advocating local review of such operations while leaving ultimate siting authority to the state.

To get all the grain and hogs to market, Ryan wants to modernize the lock-and-dam system on the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. He'll need the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to upgrade the 60-year-old system.

But Ryan didn't wait to call on lawmakers to approve the top item on his anti-gun agenda. The proposal, dubbed "15-20-Life," is modeled on a 1 -year-old California law setting tough sentences for crimes committed with a gun. It would add 15 years to the sentence of anyone over the age of 14 who commits a felony with a gun and 20 years for criminals who fire a gun while committing certain felonies. And it would require a life sentence for anyone who intentionally injures someone with a gun while committing a felony.

California prosecutors believe the law has helped reduce crime in their state, though the law is too new to be sure.

Ryan says he expects "all the handgun groups, the domestic violence prevention people and, yes, the NRA to join me in this fight."

At the same time, the recent high profile killings in schools by young students spurred Ryan to call for a lifetime ban on gun ownership for those under 18 who are convicted of a violent crime. Currently, such offenders can buy a gun after they turn 21.

Ryan also wants a law that would fine parents $1,000 if an unsecured handgun is within reach of children under age 18. Parents would be required to use a trigger lock, container or other device to secure the gun. The National Rifle Association has argued such laws are often unenforceable because parents are fined after a child has been injured or killed while playing with an unsecured gun.

Though he promised much while on the campaign trail, Ryan was realistic during his inaugural address.

"During the course of the campaign, I campaigned on a variety of issues and pledges to do certain things. Some of those pledges are totally within my power and ability as governor to fulfill. Some of the other pledges are going to need your help," Ryan said.

"There is not much that happens just by wishing for it. It takes work and it takes compromise." 

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