What is Blago waiting for on rate relief?

Under the Illinois State Constitution, once a bill passes both houses of the legislature, the governor has 60 calendar days to take official action on it. After that time period, the bill becomes law. The citizens of Illinois are seeing this provision in action as everyone waits on the governor to pass, change or veto the new state budget that the legislature sent to him more than a week ago. But the governor's delays on the electric rate relief bill are difficult to justify.

Under SB1592, Ameren alone would provide close to $500 million in direct relief to its customers based on the increased rates they have paid since the beginning of the year, with all customers receiving at least $100. ComEd customers are also guaranteed at least an $80 check.

The agreement would also provide for a new power auction system that would attempt to limit future rate increases along with some aid packages to low-income citizens that were hit especially hard.

The agreement has come under legitimate fire, especially by those who charge that it does not go far enough in its rebates and grants immunity to both utilities from several currently stalled lawsuits.

The governor says he's holding off because "We'll see if we can make the deal better or not."

While that is great sentiment, the problem is that the governor's office was never involved in the negotiations in the first place. It seems that Blagojevich sat on the bench during one of the most contentious political issues of the year.

Unfortunately, the white horse the governor wants to ride in on looks to be mired in the almost certain lawsuits that a new rate freeze will trigger and a hostile legislature that has no patience for the kind of fruitless theatrics this administration has become known for.

Instead of spearheading the negotiations at the onset, Blagojevich is content to, at best, play Monday morning quarterback on the issue or, at worst, completely squander the efforts of the Statehouse and the Attorney General.

In the meantime, Illinois citizens, power company employees and numerous businesses are left to twist in the winds of uncertainty.

Make no mistake about it, this deal could be better. But all parties besides the governor agree that this is the best that can come about. And the longer everyone is left hanging, the worse the situation grows.

No matter what course of action Blagojevich takes, he should do it sooner rather than later. And not just because winter is inching closer, but because everybody is losing this waiting game.