Quinn Moving Budget Address After Primary Election

Gov. Pat Quinn's budget address, originally scheduled for Feb. 19, will be moved to the week after the Illinois primary, Ward Room has learned.

The speech "likely" will be moved to March 26, Quinn's spokesman said.

Labor unions had planned to hold a large rally at the state capitol on Feb. 19 as part of the pension fight and are not happy to hear of the postponed speech.

“It doesn’t look good for elected officials and the governor to run from their constituents,” one union source said.

Steve Brown, spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan, said the speech was moved "at the request of the governor."

Chicago Teachers Union spokeswoman Stephanie Gadlin said it was no secret the CTU was planning a "mass rally around pensions" on the day of the budget address.

"The governor and the legislators can run but they cannot hide from their constituents who are trying to fend off a municipal pension heist by Rahm Emanuel," Gadlin said. "Be it Feb. 19 or sometime in March—the CTU will be there.”

 

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