Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – “The title on that door shouldn’t be ‘Speaker of the House,'” said House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch (pictured, center) (D-Hillside). “The title should be ‘Listener of the House.'”
Listening to members of his caucus, Welch said, is what made the “mega projects” bill a resounding bipartisan success — and what made him decide not to call the proposed constitutional amendment for a three percent surcharge on incomes in excess of $1 million. Welch said based on what other lawmakers have told him, the bill still needs work — and thus is all but assured to miss a deadline to get onto the November ballot.
And the decision could come as a surprise to State Rep. La Shawn Ford (D-Chicago), that amendment’s sponsor, who texted Capitol City Now during Welch’s news conference that he still expected a vote Thursday.
Speaking of people being in or out of the loop, Welch did not directly answer a reporter’s suggestion that the fast-moving changes to the “mega project” bill caught Gov. JB Pritzker and Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) off guard.
“It is my job to listen to those representatives” — his House Democrats — “who are speaking for their people,” said Welch. “And we did that. And because of that, we delivered a huge bipartisan victory (on the “mega project” bill). I believe this was done right in the House. And I believe this is going to pass the Senate. And I believe the governor is going to put his signature on it. And let’s be clear — it wasn’t done in a vacuum.”
Thursday is the last session day in the House until Tuesday, May 5.
