WSIU: Senate Dems Want to Restore Budget Cuts (2007-09-24)

Although projects they requested remain in the state's budget ... some Senate Democrats are putting on pressure to restore cuts made by Governor Rod Blagojevich. Amanda Vinicky reports:

The Democratic Governor denies politics were behind the nearly 500-million-dollars he vetoed out of the General Assembly's budget. However ... a review of the cuts shows the projects that got the axe were ones that would have benefited his political enemies. Blagojevich left in tact his allies' projects.

One of his strongest allies is Senate President Emil Jones. Jones says he stands by Blagojevich's budget choices. He has said the Senate won't vote to restore the cuts.

It's yet to be seen if Jones will follow through with that.
Senator John Sullivan ... a Democrat from Rushville ... says he's one of many who has made clear to Jones that he's disturbed by the budget cuts.

"Once we actually got the vetoes, once we saw what the vetoes were, I think that we, we better understand better what kind of an impact it has on constituents. I think he's listening to that."

Projects that Blagojevich cut ranged from funding for a salsa dancing event ... to support for Mothers Against Drunk Driving ... to sewage system repairs. Blagojevich says it's all "pork."
Hearings organized by the Speaker of the Illinois House on the repercussions of Blagojevich's actions are ongoing through this week.
I'm Amanda Vinicky.