State Rep. Candidate Katherine Ruocco has once again condemned the Illinois House for taking a month-long recess in the midst of the state’s fragile financial condition.
Ruocco, who is vying for incumbent Jay Hoffman’s District 113 seat, took to her Facebook page to express her disapproval of the House break.
“Springfield is quiet with only the State Senate working. Our State Representatives have opted to take a tax-payer funded four week Spring Break,” she wrote.
Ruocco didn’t stop there. She penned a letter to the editor of the Belleville News-Democrat condemning the House, particularly Hoffman, for not stepping up to prevent the recess.
“I and many neighbors are very disappointed that the Illinois House of Representatives will not be in session for the entire month of March, and that State Rep. Jay Hoffman didn’t join colleagues in urging that the chamber stay in session,” Ruocco wrote. “How many of us in the private sector would have a job to return to if we left work to go on break with mandatory and necessary work unfinished?”
On March 3, Rep. Tom Demmer (R-Dixon) asked members of the House to avoid the recess and continue working to resolve the state’s budget impasse, but the motion was quickly dismissed by Democrat leadership before a debate on the issue could ensue.
“State Representative Tom Demmer, R-Dixon, made a motion to bring the House back in session, but the Chicago Democrat leadership ignored the motion and House rules by adjourning session business until April 4,” she wrote. “I’m beyond disappointed the state has gone eight months without a budget and Hoffman chose to side with his Chicago allies to take a four-week spring break. The Illinois House should be in session every day this month until a compromise is reached.”
According to House rules, a motion to adjourn can be made at any time, except when a prior motion has been defeated.
Illinois House Rule 66 (e) states: “A motion to adjourn for more than three days is not in order unless both chambers of the General Assembly have adopted a joint resolution permitting that adjournment. Notwithstanding any other provision of these rules, a resolution filed under this rule may be referred to the Rules Committee by the presiding officer or may be immediately considered and adopted by the House."
Although Demmer’s motion was perfectly in line with House rules, the motion was ruled as out of order by Democratic-led leadership, leading many to believe the scheduled break was politically driven.
“The session schedule in Illinois is set at the sole discretion of the leader of the respective chambers, and was selected by House Speaker Michael Madigan who was heavily engaged in primaries throughout Illinois,” Ruocco stated. “By contrast, Illinois Senate President John Cullerton scheduled (the) session throughout the month of March.”
This isn’t the first time Ruocco has run for a seat in Springfield. In 2014, she challenged incumbent James F. Clayborne for the District 57 Senate seat, but came up short.
Ruocco now hopes to defeat Hoffman in the November election. Hoffman was elected to the Illinois General Assembly in 1990. After four years, he was promoted to floor leader for the House Democrats, and later became chairman of the House Transportation and Motor Vehicles Committee.
During his time in Springfield, Hoffman has earned several awards and honors including Outstanding Legislator from the Illinois State’s Attorney’s Association.
Still, Ruocco criticized Hoffman’s lack of action in defying the recess.
“There is no sense of urgency. Hoffman should have joined his colleagues in urging Speaker Madigan to stay in session until a budget compromise is reached,” Ruocco wrote.
Ruocco first voiced her frustration at House leadership by filing a petition to send the House back to work soon after a video surfaced showing Demmer’s motion being denied. The petition emphasized the urgency in resolving more than $7 billion of unpaid bills, which has greatly impacted the most vulnerable, higher education and many social services.
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