Mixed reactions to state address

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Gov. Rod Blagojevich urged a bipartisan effort to pass legislation to create more jobs, give tax credits, provide health care and ban assault weapons during his State of the State address at the Capitol.

"We are making real progress," Blagojevich said. "But there is much more to do."

The governor mentioned Washington, D.C., more than 20 times in his speech, citing the lack of effective federal lawmaking and policy and the necessity for the state government to improve conditions for Illinois residents.

"When the federal government stalled or took steps that have hurt working and middle class families, we've consistently stepped up and filled the void," Blagojevich said.

Blagojevich's gubernatorial opponents, however, said he was avoiding taking responsibility.

"He always has to blame somebody," State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka (R) said in response to Blagojevich's Washington, D.C., blame for state problems. "At some point you have to face the facts that this state is in trouble."

Gubernatorial candidate State Sen. Bill Brady (R-Bloomington) said the governor's speech was phony and full of propaganda.

"We need to clean house," Brady said. "How a governor in the state of Illinois could present a state of the state address without dealing with ethical reform is beyond me."

Republican candidate for governor Jim Oberweis said the speech was another example of governance by gimmicks and that Blagojevich missed the point with Illinois economics.

"He's driven businesses out of the state with a very anti-business attitude," Oberweis said.

The governor asked the General Assembly to look past party politics and pass a jobs bill he said would create 230,000 jobs across the state in construction and manufacturing. He also urged the legislature to take action, or else the state would risk losing $3 billion in federal transportation funding.

"These are good jobs and good paying jobs," Blagojevich said. "And if we are prepared to put partisan politics aside and work together in a constructive way, we can create these jobs all over Illinois."

The governor's proposal to give tax credits drew praise and criticism. One proposal would give a $500 sales tax rebate to people who purchase fuel-efficient cars that use biodiesel fuel or have high gas mileage. Another proposed tax credit of $1,000 aims to help families sending students to college in Illinois, provided students maintain a "B" average.

"Incentives that can be offered to (students) are real pluses," Rep. Naomi Jakobsson (D-Urbana) said about the governor's higher education tax credit plan. "That's going to help their families and them better pay back tuition."

The governor's opponents, however, contended that a tax credit would not be necessary if higher education had been properly financed before.

"Year after year the governor has reduced the amount of money going to higher education," Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron Gidwitz said. "As a consequence, we've seen tuition rise."

Brady said the governor has been attacking higher education and caused tuition to escalate more than any other state in terms of percent increase. In response to Blagojevich's automobile tax credit, Brady said the proposal disqualifies Chrysler and Mitsubishi, which manufacture cars in Illinois.

"Time and time again we find this administration attacking jobs in Illinois and he did it again today," Brady said.

Also proposed in the governor's address was a plan to give veterans health care coverage, which would initially cover veterans with low income and live outside a reasonable driving distance from Va. hospitals.

"There are 1.7 million veterans in America today who do not have health care," Blagojevich said. "If we don't do something here in Illinois . our veterans will be left without health care and without hope."

The governor also mentioned proposals to reinstate an assault weapons ban in Illinois, although he cited a seven percent decline in crime in the last two years. Previously, an attempt to ban assault weapons in Illinois failed.