Section: Local & State
Page: 3B
Senate leader: Syverson handicap to district
Chuck Sweeny
ROCKFORD Illinois Senate President Emil Jones Jr. said
Wednesday that he knows full well where
Rather, it is state Sen. Dave Syverson, R-Rockford, who
doesn't know the
Jones has caused consternation among Rockford-area residents
by answering "Where's
Calling out to former Democratic state senators Joyce
Holmberg and Vivian Hickey in the crowd, Jones said, "When we had great
senators down in
"I don't need the newspaper to tell me all the great
things about
Jones said Syverson doesn't represent Rockford because he
voted against the $3.2 billion capital spending bill, against raising the
minimum wage, against a $1 billion school construction bond, against the budget
and against giving women equal pay for work equal to a man's. Jones talked
about a state bill to make up for federal cuts to veterans' health benefits.
"The governor said (the cuts) cannot be, so we came up
with a health-care bill for veterans. The so-called senator from this district
voted against it. Maybe he doesn't know where Rockford is," Jones
thundered.
Continuing his attack, Jones said Syverson doesn't advocate
for Rockford on the Senate floor but only rails against Gov. Rod Blagojevich
and against the city of Chicago, which Jones has represented in the Legislature
since 1973.
"Come on in here, Syverson, I know you're in the bar,
come on in here. The record speaks for itself," Jones said. Syverson was
in an adjoining ballroom, attending the Ryan Jury charity golf banquet. Jones
"can say what he wants about helping Rockford," but in reality, Jones
is only interested in funding projects that benefit Chicago, often to the
detriment of the rest of the state, Syverson said.
"When money is taken away from Rockford and given to
Chicago, I speak up on the Senate floor. Jones wants puppets in the Senate who
would be beholden to Chicago," Syverson said.
Lewandowski said Rockford-area legislators need to work
together in Springfield to get things done for the area.
"Leadership is having a plan that works for your area.
Republicans, Democrats, independents must come to gether as one to benefit your
district. That's not happening with Dave Syverson, but it's going to happen
when I'm your state senator," Lewandowski said.
Lewandowski presented Jones a laminated map of the 34th
District and a plaque in the shape of Illinois.
"We've got Rockford at the top, and dots and a line that
says 75 miles to Chicago and a line from Rockford to Springfield, which is 195
miles. We're having a little fun here because we're going to work
together," Lewandowski said.
Lewandowski said he's raised about $35,000. He wasn't sure
how much Wednesday's event would generate. The state Board of Elections report
says that from Jan. 1 through Feb. 19, Lewandowski had raised $4,965. In the
same period, Syverson, who last had an opponent in 1996, raised $41,990.
Reach Political Editor Chuck Sweeny at 815-987-1372 or
csweeny@rrstar.com.
BREAKOUT BOX About Emil Jones
Emil Jones Jr. served in the Illinois House of
Representatives from 1973 to 1983. He was elected to the Senate in 1982. He has
served two terms as president of the senate.
The 70-year-old is a 1953 graduate of