In late 2002, Illinois legislators threw themselves into a final wild spending bacchanal. In the years just before that, Gov. George Ryan had given lawmakers $1.6 billion in play money to distribute to favored friends, relatives and constituents for their pet projects.
But then Rod Blagojevich got elected governor. Blagojevich spent his entire campaign professing zero tolerance for such pork spending. He decried the lack of oversight or accountability for the projects. He fumed about the waste.
He said the party was over.
But the party’s on!
Blagojevich is making just like George Ryan, handing out free money to legislators’ friends, relatives and constituents for their pet projects.
The Tribune reported Wednesday that Blagojevich and a few legislators awarded $12 million in after-school grants last year. They’ll hand out another $24 million in the next school year. How some of that money has been thrown away would make you laugh–if it wasn’t your money getting thrown away.
Sen. Rickey Hendon’s sister got $25,000 to run a drama program that wound up with only four students. They were going to put on a play–but skipped that idea.
A Chicago woman and her son received $30,000 to conduct a hip-hop exercise class at a shopping mall. They say they had 12 to 20 students.
One group got money to run an arts education program but wound up providing lunchroom monitoring.
Some grant money went to pay off personal debts and taxes that recipients owed the state.
The applicants for these grants received only superficial review and follow-up. Why would they? They had political sponsors, which in the Ryan, and now Blagojevich, tradition apparently exempts applicants from needing to show experience, success or accountability.
The Tribune got a peek at some of the applications, which looked a bit like this:
Name of organization: Tribune Editorial Board.
Requested grant amount: $50,000
Objective: To train students in essential life skills that will assure future workplace advancement.
Number of students served: Three. Possibly two.
Activities: Students will learn beverage ordering and acquisition skills in a real life office environment. Student discussions will be conducted to facilitate understanding of individual worker needs in re: coffee. Travel opportunities included (to Starbucks, across the street.)
Benefit to organization: Continuous caffeination.
Benefit to student: Whatever.
The governor and select lawmakers have chosen more than 200 groups to share next year’s pot of after-school money. We can’t wait for this time next year, when we can read about all the worthwhile after-school activities provided. We only hope one of those activities involves coffee acquisition in a Michigan Avenue office building.
