The Pantagraph from Bloomington, Illinois • Page 2

A-2 The Daily Pantagraph, Jan. 13, 1981 Senate Demos revolt over leadership race 82nd General Assembly It's rough road ahead 1 SPRINGFIELD (AP) A dozen dissident Democratic state senators met for five hours behind closed doors Monday to determine whether to support or block the re-election of Illinois Senate President Philip Rock, D-Oak Park. Democrats hold a tenuous 30-29 advantage, and Rock needs 30 votes to secure another two-year term as Senate president. Rock hopes to use that as a springboard to statewide office. The new General Assembly convenes Wednesday, with the leadership elections the first order of business.

Hanging over the session is the gigantic, politically sensitive and vital task of redistricting, in which the legislative and congressional boundaries are redrawn for the next 10 years. But at least a dozen Democratic senators some from Downstate, some independent Chicagoans and some loyal to Cook County State's Attorney Richard Daley formed a loose coalition that could block Rock's re-election. The senators say they are upset with Rock's leadership, and fear he is too loyal to Chicago Mayor Jane Byrne. Daley and Byrne are arch enemies. Since Republicans now control the House, Downstate and independent Chicago Democrats say they fear Byrne and Republican Gov.

James R. Thompson will strike a redistricting deal that will leave them out in the cold. That could cost some of them their Senate seats. They are seeking concessions from Rock, including a larger voice in the day-to-day decision making, as well as a voice in redistricting. Sen.

Dawn Clark Netsch, D-Chicago, speaking for the group, said each of the dissident senators also has an individ- Tough-talking 'pussycat' Leadership ual want list. She said the group, which met first Dec. 23, would meet again Tuesday to draw up an agenda to present to Rock. She said there would be negotiations Tuesday and Wednesday with Rock. It also appeared the group discussed the possibility of offering an alternative candidate to Rock.

Asked if that was the case, Mrs. Netsch replied only: "There's about nothing we haven't discussed." Rock has been meeting individually with the dissidents in an attempt to quell the uprising. He said last week that he was "desperately" working to head off a crippling leadership fight. GOP House members, now holding a 91-86 edge, unanimously picked Ryan as their speaker candidate. Wednesday's election is just a formality.

Some expect Ryan, at some point, to show he is independent of Thompson. "I wouldn't be surprised if there was a demonstration (by Ryan) at some time that George was independent (of the governor)," said Rep. Jim Reilly, R-Jacksonville. But Reilly still thinks Ryan generally "will continue to deliver for the governor." Ryan is the father of six children, including teen-age triplet daughters. He met his wife of nearly 25 years, Lura Lynn, when the two were in their first year at Kankakee High School.

Ryan likely House SPRINGFIELD (AP) There isn't enough money. The roads are crumbling, and the buses and trains might stop running. And if that isn't enough, there are going to be some people losing their jobs. Sounds like another tale of woe in these economic hard times. But this tale is about the new Illinois General Assembly which convenes Wednesday to face a pile of problems.

The lawmakers must put together a $15 billion budget at a time when the recession has pillaged the state treasury. They must solve Illinois' transportation problems repair the roads and bail out the sinking Chicago-area mass transit system. And they must try to hang on to their jobs when they redraw the state's political map for the next 10 years. That will be impossible for some, because 59 House members have been targeted for a permanent layoff by the new Legislative Cutback Amendment. Senate President Philip J.

Rock and other legislative leaders expect this year's session to be the most politically explosive in years at least since the Chicago-area Regional Transportation Authority was created in 1973 or since the 1969 state income tax. And it's the highly charged political remapping that's already on everybody's mind. big, black cloud hanging over everyone, "of course, will be reapportionment," said Rock, an Oak Park Democrat. "I imagine every (legislative) vote along the way will be tied somehow to redisricting." said outgoing House Speaker William A. Redmond, 72, a 22-year House veteran.

Rock and Redmond were referring to the always difficult task of drawing new legislative and congressional district maps a chore lawmakers face only after every new census. The Legislature wasn't able to complete the job in 1960 or 1970. After the 1960 census, failure to redistrict led to the infamous "bedsheet ballot" of 1964, when all state lawmakers were elected at-large. The Supreme Court had to draw the 1970 map when the General Assembly was hopelessly deadlocked. Rock said the task this year is "nearly impossible" because of the cutback amendment, which slashes 59 of the House's 177 seats.

Voters overwhelmingly approved it Nov. 4, and it takes effect in 1983. It's going to lead to "odd-man-out" in the House, with two-thirds in and one-third out. House members already are jockeying for survival, and some predict it will lead to bitter feuding. "The only bright spot is that we're going to be so preoccupied with hating each other that I don't think we'll do much harm to the state in the next two years," quipped Rep.

Bernard Epton, R-Chicago. "It'll be the 'last hurrah' for many of these people their last fling because of the cutback amendment," said Rep. George Hudson. Sen. Terry L.

Bruce, D-Olney, said the one-two punch of redisricting and the cutback "will be all-encompassing." "I think redisricting is important in the big scope picture of downstate versus upstate, in how much school aid we get, that kind of thing," said Bruce. "The map is on everybody's mind." Illinois also is losing two congressional seats, so the Assembly must come up with a map there that leaves two Illinois congressmen out in the cold While redistricting and the cutback dominate, there will be other critical issues. Here's a lineup of the major ones: Economy 'I frankly think the economy and people's attitudes against any increased taxes will be as big or bigger than reapportionment and the cutback," said Rep. Peter Peters, a GOP leader from Chicago. Gov.

James R. Thompson has warned that the state's huge budget cannot increase by any more than $400 mllion next year. State agencies already have requested more than $1 billion in increases. ('There's going to be lot of blood in Thompson once said of the new budget. Illinois' sagging economy spells many problems.

It swells jobless rates and welfare rolls, and that increases public aid payments and cuts into state sales and income tax collections. Rock, Peters and others say the new Legislature will be fiscally conservative, even though special interest groups still will be clamoring for more money. think the interest groups will probably have a more difficult time than they'ver ever had getting money oul of this Legislature," said Peters. Letters Mail to Illinois senators should be addressed to Senate Post Office, Springfield, 111., 62706. Mail to state House members should be sent to House Post Office, Springfield, 111., 62706.

"But I don't think expectations of people are as high as maybe they were in tdo nicf in nit paoi. "People are not going to buy the notion that you can spend and spend and spend without raising taxes and they are not for raising taxes," he said. Transportation Thompson and Redmond both want an increase in gasoline, liquor and cigarette taxes to save the state's highways and bail out the financially troubled RTA. Redmond filed such legislation last week. One lawmaker said rescuing RTA could be 1981's biggest "bugaboo." In his legislation, Redmond also proposed a direct state subsidy to keep the six-county Chicago area mass transit system from collapsing.

The bill so far has met with vocal opposition from downstate Democrats and suburban Republicans. Every legislator contacted said the RTA's money woes are going to be a statewide headache in 1981. But Peters said the poor economy and an anti-tax hike mood "might increase pressure for only a patchwork solution this year to the RTA's woes." He said that might be the best solution this year. Thompson has said the state's highway and bridge program is falling apart, and needs a drastic, expensive overhaul. Thompson has talked about raising the state's 7V2-cents-a-gallon gasoline tax to 10 percent of the sale price.

For example, the new tax would be 13 cents a gallon on $1.30 gas. Lawmakers two years ago engaged in a traumatic struggle when Thompson proposed raising license plate and vehicle registration fees to bolster Illinois' highway program. The Senate dumped the fee increases. Then Thompson teamed up with Democratic Chicago Mayor Jane Bryne. After a bitter fight and a special legislative session, a multibillion-dollar, four-year road program emerged.

It increased sales taxes in the RTA area. But Thompson now says the plan fell into a pothole because of federal budget cuts, which cost Illinois some $900 million in federal funds overall. State gasoline tax revenues decreased, meanwhile, because motorists conserved fuel. Business Republicans will control the House for the first time in six years. Rock said that means "it's pretty clear there will be a whole slew of more truly business-backed proposals." Business, which won some big victories last session, wants more revisions cut down on the cost of workers' compensation and unemployment insurance programs.

Business wants strict medical standards defining what is an on-the-job injury, and "right to work" legislation that would prohibit labor union "closed shops." Crime Thompson has declared an all-out war this year against adults who exploit children for pornography or prostitution. And state Attorney General Tyrone Fahner wants lawmakers the power to conduct statewide grand juries, mostly to go after white-collar criminals and "midnight dumpers" of toxic wastes. ERA "The (Equal Rights Amendment) looks to me like it's pretty dead very dead," said Redmond. Others agreed, saying the proposed federal amendment to ban sex discrimination has no chance this year. Education Illinois educators have requested new budgets that would eat up nearly 75 percent of the $400 million Thompson says is available for increases in the entire budget.

Elementary and secondary schools are seeking $185 million more. Colleges want about Sliw million more. Thompson ha3n't unveiled his education budget. But he's flatly said there is nowhere near $285 million available just for education. There still lurks a fear that last year's $850 million bail-out of Chicago's schools wasn't enough, and that the nation's third-largest school system needs more state money.

Such a move surely would spark bitter opposition from downstate and suburban lawmakers. SENATE 30 Democrats 29 Republicans tlllCC HOU5C 91 Republicans 86 Democrats SESSION Jan. 14-June 30, plus fall veto-override session CENTRAL ILLINOIS MEMBERS 38th DISTRICT SENATOR John E. Grotberg R-5t. Charles REPRESENTATIVES Betty J.

Hoxsey R-Ottawa Thomas W. Ewing R-Pontiac Peg McDonnell Breslin D-Serena 43rd DISTRICT SENATOR Jerome J. Joyce D-Reddick REPRESENTATIVES George Ryan R-Kankakee Edward McBroom R-Kankakee Roy A. Christensen D-Morris 44th DISTRICT SENATOR John W. Maitland Jr.

R-Bloomington REPRESENTATIVES Gordon L. Ropp R-Normal Sam Vinson R-Clinton Gerald A. Bradley D-Bloomington 45th DISTRICT SENATOR Roger A. Sommer R-M6rton REPRESENTATIVES John C. Ackerman R-Morton Judith Koehler R-Henry Joe D.

Ozella Jr. D-Pekin 48th DISTRICT SENATOR Mary Lou Kent R-Quincy REPRESENTATIVES Michael F. McClain D-Quincy Craig J. Findley R-Virginia Jeffrey D. Mays R-Quincy Philip Rock, left, Oak Park Democrat, is seeking second term as Illinois Senate president.

George Ryan, Kankakee Republican, is likely to become House speaker Wednesday when leaders are chosen. (AP Laserphotos) A Rock spokesman said Monday that Rock would not discuss the situation until after the party's legislative caucus Tuesday night. It appeared unlikely the situation would be resolved by Wednesday, raising the specter of 1977's record-long leadership fight. It was not resolved until former Sen. Thomas Hynes, DChicago, was selected on the 186th ballot, and the fight paralyzed the Senate for more than a month.

Even in the unlikely event the dissidents were satisfied by Wednesday, Mrs. Netsch said the chances were "very slim" all 30 Democratic senators would be in attendance. leader He vows his new duties won't interfere with his family life. Won't neglect family "I'm not going to neglect my family. That's my first priority," said Ryan, adding that Mrs.

Ryan and the children would be at his side on the first day of the new session this week. Ryan's Democratic colleagues generally speak well of him, and outgoing Speaker William A. Redmond, of Bensenville, said he expects Ryan to be a "very colorful (and) good speaker." "I think he'll be fair," said Redmond, 72, a 22-year veteran and the House's senior member. But he cautioned that Ryan "may not be at full tilt" because of demands from the Thompson administration. pound a day or more with every other method Weight Loss Center 20 SPRINGFIELD (AP) Tough-talking, chain-smoking George H.

Ryan once was the guy who bellowed up at the Democratic Illinois House speaker for having crushed another GOP legislative effort. But when Republicans take control of the House on Wednesday, that same George H. Ryan is destined to be sitting in the speaker's chair himself. And Ryan is ready, even though he expects Democrats will be no kinder to him in the next two years than he was to them the past four. "Certainly there's a lot of power in the gavel, and I'm confident I can handle it," said Ryan, of Kankakee, who has been in the House for six years, four of them as minority leader.

Swift rise At 46, Ryan's rise through the General Assembly has been swift. In his first session, he was given the top GOP spot on a powerful appropriations committee. And in 1976 he won a bitter leadership battle against 20-year House veteran, Rep. William D. Walsh, R-LaGrange Park.

The co-owner of a family pharmacy business in Kankakee, Ryan's image is that of a savvy, rough-and-tumble politician one who can browbeat an unwieldy House colleague into submission, and then patiently listen to a colleague's problem. Pussycat "He's got a rough exterior, but underneath he's a pussycat," said Rep. Bernard Epton, R-Chicago, a 12-year House veteran and sometime critic of Ryan. But Epton said that soft heart doesn't mean Ryan should be taken as anybody's fool. "If it were necessary to shoot Bernard Epton at sundown to achieve a particular goal, George would surely consider shooting me.

He does what has to be done," said Epton. Colleagues say one of Ryan's best traits is his intense loyalty to those who stand by him. But Epton said that intense loyalty especially when given to Gov. James R. Thompson also could be Ryan's downfall.

"He's extremely loyal to the governor, I think to a fault," said Epton. But he added quickly that Ryan is "nobody's stooge." Ryan is sensitive to critics who portray him as a "yes" man for the governor, and said that as speaker, he will try to balance the governor's desires with those of House members and the taxpayers. No yes man "If you're asking me whether I'm going to be a yes man for the governor, the answer is no. If you're asking me whether I'm going to be confrontative with the governor, the answer is no," Ryan said. "My door will be open to anyone who wants to come in." But some colleagues theorize Ryan might not be so cozy with the governor this year.

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