Governor Rauner Busy On First Full Day In Office
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CBS) -- New Governor Bruce Rauner's first full day on the job was a busy one.
CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine caught up with the style-setting new governor, wearing a jacket but no tie, and khakis, as he walked down a basement hallway of the state Capitol.
He is still learning his way around the building but already taking decisive action to void 11th hour executive orders and appointments of his predecessor.
"We have too much evidence that he was not making decisions that were for the good people for the long term," Rauner said.
On this first day the Republican governor found an unlikely Democratic ally: Senate President John Cullerton, who agreed that Quinn exceeded his authority.
Cullerton was part of a surprise meeting with the four legislative leaders.
"We had someone capable that was actually capable of running a meeting and moving the discussion forward in a productive manner," said Republican Christine Radogno, the Illinois Senate Minority Leader.
And by all accounts it seemed to go well.
"State's got a lot of problems, a lot fiscal problems should've been solved a long time ago," said Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan. "I always wanted to work to solve them a long time ago and now Governor Rauner would say he wants to solve those fiscal problems he'll get my support and cooperation."
Durkin
If you look historically at how the speaker has worked with governors, he has worked better with Republicans than Democrats," said Republican House Minority Leader Jim Durkin. "History has shown that."
Madigan is optimistic.
"If everybody works together, everybody comes to it in good faith, then we'll get solutions to problems," he said.
Rauner also signed a sweeping ethics order covering lobbying, gifts and contracts, and said that given the state's financial crisis, even money already appropriated for specific purposes, like renovation of the governor's mansion, should be used where it's needed most.
"A dollar's a dollar and the fact it's already appropriated…I don't care what's appropriated, where's the dollar coming from?" Rauner said. "If we haven't spent it, that means it is in the taxpayers' pocket. We should protect the taxpayers.
Here's an irony, perhaps richest man ever to hold the governor's office, looks like he's be the cheapest when it comes to state spending.
