Posted by Tribune staff at 1:51 p.m.
The Illinois Senate today overwhelmingly booted
aside the changes Gov.
Pat Quinn wanted in legislation to overhaul McPier, with Republicans
charging the governor tried to alter the bill to gain political support
in the November election.
The House quickly joined the Senate today in voting overwhelmingly to
reject Gov. Pat Quinn’s proposed changes to legislation aimed at
overhauling McPier, putting a law in place aimed at luring back
convention business fleeing Chicago because of high costs.
The
House voted 93-19 to override the governor’s proposed alterations that
came in an amendatory veto as he sought to retain some power that the
legislature stripped away. The Senate acted earlier Thursday, voting
51-2, with one lawmaker casting a present vote. The House then adjourned
at 12:24 p.m. as the Senate wrestled over how to get support for a key
piece of the state budget package.
Senators voted 51-2, with one
voting present, to override Quinn’s changes, which included a move to
ensure he would have the ability to name an interim trustee who would be
put in charge of righting the ship at McPier, where conventions were
fleeing because of high costs. Quinn’s amendatory veto attempted to
remove James Reilly, a former McPier chief, as the designated man in
charge during the interim period.
Read more from Tribune Springfield correspondent Ray Long and business writer Kathy Bergen by clicking here.