Blagojevich touts health care expansion in inaugural speech

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SPRINGFIELD (LEE) - Gov. Rod Blagojevich launched his second term Monday, promising to expand the state's health insurance system to serve more people. Offering few details about his proposal in a brief inaugural speech, the Democrat from Chicago focused his comments on boosting state services for families, while again not raising taxes. &#8220I want to continue to make our state a national leader in providing affordable health care for everyone,” said Blagojevich, whose first term was marked by his effort to offer health care for all Illinois children. &#8220I will continue to chart a course that will ease the burdens on working and middle class families, not increase them,” he added. The swearing-in ceremony was significantly more subdued than four years ago, when Blagojevich became the first Democrat elected chief executive in more than a quarter century. Part of the toned-down event was by the governor's own design - the privately funded event cost about one-third of the $1.5 million price tag in 2003 - but the downtown convention center where the ceremony was held was less than two-thirds full. Few Republican lawmakers were in the audience. State Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, chose lunch at a Springfield buffet restaurant over attending the festivities. &#8220I didn't mean any disrespect by not going, but we've all heard his stories before,” Bost said. Also sworn in Monday were Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Secretary of State Jesse White, Comptroller Dan Hynes and Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias - all Democrats from Chicago. Giannoulias is the lone new face among statewide officials. He takes over for three-term treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, who was beaten by Blagojevich in the November election. Just as the ceremony was a quieter affair, the governor's wish list this time around also was far less expansive. In his 2003 inaugural address, Blagojevich said, ''I will govern as a reformer.'' This time, with his administration under investigation by federal prosecutors, he made no mention of corruption. His decision to avoid talk about ethics reform was highlighted when Giannoulias, Hynes and White all mentioned their efforts to clean up government corruption in their inaugural speeches. &#8220I feel he should have addressed it head on,” said Senate Minority Leader Frank Watson, R-Greenville. Blagojevich, 50, offered no specific details on how much his health care initiative would cost, nor did he say how the state would pay for the expansion. &#8220We will work to improve the quality of care. We will expand our effort to cover the uninsured. We will protect consumers. And finally, we will provide real premium relief for families across Illinois,” he said, adding that he will provide details about his plan in the next few months. Most lawmakers predict that the big fight in Springfield this spring will be over state finances. State Rep. John Bradley, a Democrat from Marion, called the state's budget problems an &#8220800-pound gorilla.” Specifically, Bradley said Blagojevich needs to work with Democrats and Republicans to pass a statewide construction program. The governor made no mention of the issue in his speech. ''There are some significant challenges that the state faces,'' Bradley said. Republican state Rep. Dan Brady of Bloomington noted the absence of many of his GOP colleagues at the event. He said he attended because he wanted to ''get off on the right foot with the administration.'' But, Brady also said he is concerned Blagojevich's health care initiative may be a promise the state can't afford. &#8220I don't know if there are the dollars here to do all of this,” Brady said. Blagojevich earned a second term - the first Democrat to do so in 42 years - after winning the November balloting with less than 50 percent of the vote. Nonetheless, he called his victory a ''mandate for action'' to improve health insurance, schools and job creation. &#8220'We have made our state government smaller, more efficient and fairer,” he said. &#8220And we changed a system of government that was more interested in serving itself instead of the people it was supposed to serve.” Kurt Erickson can be reached at kurt.erickson@lee.net or (217) 789-0865.