JBT: "getyo hand outa my pocket!"

Chicago Tribune (Rick Pearson):

Topinka won't let governor tap state's cookie jar

In a move that could aggravate Illinois' budget crunch, Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka said Wednesday she will no longer let Gov. Rod Blagojevich pay day-to-day state expenses with money earmarked for environmental cleanup, open-space acquisition and other special purposes.

I got an email from my dad that's circulating among environment/ecology activists. They're not buying the idea that Blagojevich's proposal nets the state money without cutting into the purpose of the fund.

See this post for a link to a useful editorial.

Raiding these funds seems like a way to antagonize numerous organized constituencies all at once.