Rolling out the Pork Barrel

Tribune on rolling out the pork-barrel in Springfield:

State lawmakers stand to bring home as much as $200 million for largely local pork-barrel projects if they pass a budget deal being negotiated by leaders of both parties in the House and Senate.

Senators are eyeing more than $1 million each for projects in their districts, and House lawmakers hope to get at least $650,000, according to rank-and-file lawmakers who have handed in their wish lists.

No "progress" yet. Mike Madigan had a few choice words for his fellow Democrats in the "leadership":

House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) said the projects going to the lawmakers in his House Democratic caucus would be included in specific line items, but he did not specify how much the overall allocation is for his caucus.

"The public is going to see everything," Madigan said. "The public is going to see everything. We have nothing to be concerned about, nothing to hide. Not a bit. Where you ought to look for hiding is among the Senate Democrats, where they're going to do a lump sum."

Latest at Capitol Fax.

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