It was a story state Sen.
Frank Watson, R-Greenville, the Senate minority leader, told with relish at Thursday's golf outing dinner for Sen. Gary Dahl,
R-Granville.
It was about how Watson
said he turned an embarrassing moment for himself into one for Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Watson told the story
to highlight the state's slippage to 45th nationwide in terms of job creation, which he blamed on the business tax policies
of the Blagojevich administration.
Watson said while at a
Chicago reception
he was introduced to two economic development officials from Indiana.
"They said, 'We want to
thank you, because what you've done in Illinois, we could
have never done for ourselves. You've created more jobs in Indiana because of your policies
in Illinois.' "
Watson said he was protesting
being associated with the changes when his cell phone rang and it turned out to be Blagojevich.
"I said 'I've got a couple
of people here that thanked me and want to thank you.' "
Watson said he passed
his phone to the Indiana men who passed their thanks to
Blagojevich.
"I get the phone back
and I get a 'bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep' from the governor," Watson said. "The point of it was I tried to tell the governor
what you do, what this state does, what your administration does on tax polices and the workers compensation costs and all
those things that run up the cost of doing business in Illinois have a very big impact on our job creation -- and that's why
we ended up being 45th in the country."
Watson agrees with the
governor's contention the latest state budget is $2 billion off balance. He said Republicans will work with Democrats to make
the needed cuts, but cautioned their priorities differ.
He used a local "hot-button"
cause to make his point.
"His priority was not
the La Salle Veterans Home. Our priority will be the La Salle Veterans Home."
Money budgeted in last
year's budget to open an 80-bed addition and fully staff the home was cut by Blagojevich.
Watson said Dahl was the
reason the funds were put back in this year's budget.
Watson said when Dahl
spoke on the topic to the Senate, "You could have heard a pin drop.
"He got up and he talked
about the disgrace of not providing for the veterans who served our country who live in this great state of oursÉ about not
providing the necessary beds for them at the La Salle Veterans Home.
"He went after the other
side and embarrassed them to the point where they put the money in the budget the next day.
"The only one reason that
happened is because of the comments and the speech Gary gave
on the floor of the Senate that day. So veterans in this area and all over Illinois
owe a debt of gratitude to this man."
Vigilance will be necessary
to prevent the funds from being cut again, Watson said.
"But I have a feeling
we're going to prevail."
The dinner at Senica's
Oak Ridge Golf Club drew more than 150 supporters, most of whom spent the day golfing.
Guests Watson introduced
were fellow Republican Senators Dale Risinger of Peoria and Dale Righter or Mattoon.
