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Central Illinois Gazette

Jones retirement talk not a big surprise

Posted by: Tom Kacich

Monday, August 18, 2008 10:28 AM

UPDATE: Sen. Mike Frerichs, D-Champaign, said this morning that there are probably 7 to 8 Senate Democrats interested in succeeeding Senate President Emil Jones, but that he hasn't committed to any of them.

Frerichs, who is 36th of the 37 Senate Dems in seniority, said he isn't interested in pursuing the Senate presidency or any other leadership position.

Frerichs said he wants a new Senate president who will pledge to three things: an understanding of downstate values and concerns, an interest in higher education and a pledge to give individual senators more power, including opening up the budget process and allowing more legislation to reach the Senate floor.

Jones' departure is a huge plus for senators like Frerichs who had been embarrassed by some of Jones' stunts, and by the president's alliance with Gov. Rod Blagojevich. But it will only become a long-term plus if the Senate presidency goes to someone outside of the Jones mold.

The biggest loser in this move is unquestionably Gov. Rod Blagojevich who is losing his biggest legislative supporter. This should mean that next spring's legislative session will be a lot different than the last two.

If Emil Jones does announce today that he is stepping down from his campaign for reelection it shouldn't be a total surprise. State Rep. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, called it way back in May ...

Legislative pay raise fuels Emil Jones retirement talk

News-Gazette, The (Champaign-Urbana, IL) - June 1, 2008

Author: TOM KACICH

One interesting theory making the rounds in Springfield is that Senate President Emil Jones , who will turn 73 in October, may be getting ready to retire. How else to explain his aggressive, yet potentially politically treacherous, insistence on another pay raise for state legislators, the second in two years? Yes, it could be that he's just going to bat for his colleagues who feel underpaid and overworked. Or it could be that he's upping his salary so that his legislative pension will be even more generous. That's the theory of state Rep. Chapin Rose , R-Mahomet, who incidentally voted against the pay raise but said he "probably" would take it if it becomes law. "I think it's awfully suspicious," Rose said of Jones' outspoken support for the nearly 12 percent raise on top of last year's nearly 10 percent increase. "All the flak, deserved, that he has taken on in the last two years, it makes me wonder if he plans on sticking around after this year."