By Jenny Lee,

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Photo: Crystal LoGiudice Greg Rogers, Vice President for Administration at Black Hawk College, speaks to the board about how the Ill. governor's budget will affect Black Hawk College.

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ROCK ISLAND -- They came to a public meeting to voice what many already agreed on.

State legislators, local government officials, school administrators, health- care providers and others attended a Monday hearing at the Rock Island County Office Building to discuss their displeasure at Gov. Rod Blagojevich for cutting about $470 million from the $50 billion state budget.

An analysis done by the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability says the governor cut $50 million from long-term care services, $40 million from ambulatory care, $21.3 million from programs for people with physical and developmental disabilities, $6 million from mental-health programs and about $5.7 million from police and fire departments throughout the state.

Local legislators hosting Monday's meeting were state Reps. Pat Verschoore, D-Milan; Mike Boland, D-East Moline; Jerry Mitchell, R-Sterling; and Don Moffitt, R-Gilson; and state Sens. Todd Sieben, R-Geneseo, and Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline.

The governor has said he vetoed many items in the budget because he thought they were "pork" projects. The projects ranged from building a fire and municipal building for Milan to water treatment upgrades for Orion.

House Speaker Michael Madigan called for 19 budget hearings across the state to allow people to voice their concerns about the cuts. Many legislators want to override the governor's vetoes, but Senate President Emil Jones has said he will not call the budget legislation for a vote.

Legislators hoped that these public meetings would put pressure on Sen. Jones to call the legislation.

Judi Holdorf, of the Illinois Arts Alliance and Quad City Arts Alliance, was one of about 100 people at Monday's meeting. She said Gov. Blagojevich vetoed $24,000 for her program.

Although that may seem like a small amount, Ms. Holdorf said that is the salary of one of her 10 staffers, who promote art at local schools in six counties.

"I know that I'm preaching to the choir here," Ms. Holdorf said. Many others sang the same tune, voicing their frustration at the governor.

The governor's office was prepared to defend the cuts.

Justin DeJong, spokesman for the governor's Office of Management and Budget, said in a statement, "The governor's vetoes represent less than a 1 percent cut to a $50 billion budget. The gross exaggeration of these vetoes made (Monday) only serves to distract the public from the fact that Speaker Madigan and the House didn't include enough revenues to meet the state's health care and education needs and to pay for hundreds of projects they inserted into the budget at the last minute without any public discourse or hearings."

Other people at the meeting pleaded with legislators to do something.

Speaking for the Illinois/Iowa Center for Independent Living in Rock Island, Donna Arnold said, "If you remove this program, it would devastate me."

Ms. Arnold has idiopathic dystonia, a neurological muscle disorder that causes her body to twist uncontrollably. She wears braces on her neck, arms and legs and has to use a wheelchair.

The Illinois Department of Human Services' Division of Rehabilitation Services financially supports Centers for Independent Living, which help people with disabilities live on their own. Ms. Arnold has a personal care assistant, David Wedertz, who attends to her needs.

Ms. Arnold said the governor cut about $10 million from DHS and she's worried about what will happen to the Rock Island center. "Help us get the money back," said Ms. Arnold, her voice breaking as she began to cry.

Black Hawk College expected to get about $10 million in grants to teach learning impaired or physically challenged students and students who are veterans, according to Gregory Rogers, the college's vice president for administration. Because state funding has declined since fiscal year 2002, the school has had to make up for the loss by increasing tuition, he said.

Currently, tuition is about $2,200 per year, or a 45 percent increase since 2002, Mr. Rogers said.

Area project affected by cuts

Area projects affected by Gov. Rod Blagojevich's budget cuts include:

--- $150,000 for water and sewer improvements in East Moline.

--- $100,000 for Illinois City fire and ambulance building.

--- $100,000 for street improvements in Savanna.

--- $100,000 for water system improvements in Port Byron.

--- $100,000 for WQPT television station's operations.

--- $75,000 for a fire and municipal building in Milan.

--- $50,000 for South Moline Township town hall renovations and debt services.

--- $50,000 for water treatment improvements in Orion.

--- $50,000 for the new Rock Island County nursing home.

--- $25,000 for the construction of Geneseo's new library.