State Rep. Bob Flider, D-Mount Zion, was as discouraged as dozens of his legislative colleagues over the seeming inability of Gov. Rod Blagojevich and the legislature to come together on spending priorities.

Flider issued a news release last week noting he voted to override several of the governor's fiscal 2009 budget vetoes. The overrides would restore funding cuts for programs that benefit the developmentally disabled, children and adults with mental health issues, as well as local health care providers that already are struggling with late Medicaid reimbursement payments from the state.

The refusal of state Senate President Emil Jones to allow his chamber to return to Springfield and vote on the overrides approved by the House has killed any chance to restore funds for the time being.

On Friday, Flider said he was preparing a letter to send to people who had contacted him about funding to assist the Oasis Day Center, which serves low-income and homeless people in Decatur. The center operates under the auspices of the Heritage Behavioral Health Center.

"We'd put $1 million in the budget for centers like the Oasis, and the governor cut all that money out," Flider said. "I'm just one legislator in one district. All you can do is fight at the next opportunity to restore those funds."

Flider said that opportunity likely won't occur until after the Nov. 4 general election, when the legislature convenes for its fall veto session.

"I'll bring the issue up again then to see what we can restore," Flider said.

Flider said he is among legislators still trying to figure out the governor's end game when it comes to budget spending.

"He has pretty much run out of friends in Springfield due to his style of governing," Flider said.

CAN ANYBODY BEAT Peoria state Rep. Aaron Schock? The spry Republican, who at 26 is known for supporting very conservative policies, got better than 70 percent of the vote on the Republican primary ballot in the 18th Congressional District, a district that has not had a Democratic congressman since 1917.

U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood's plans to vacate the seat have brought it into play, but the jump ball seems to favor Schock.

Schock's campaign has chosen to identify him with a popular politician who leads a major party, but the strange part is that the politician is Democrat Barack Obama.

In an interview with the Peoria Journal-Star, Shock campaign manager Steve Shearer said, "Like Sen. Obama, Aaron continues to attract new donors who have never given before because of the promise Aaron has for the future."

Terry Towery, campaign manager for Schock's Democratic opponent, Colleen Callahan, said the name-dropping is telling of just how popular the junior senator from Illinois is in his home state.

"I think it's a tremendous nod to Barack Obama," Towery said, calling the move "unprecedented."

"It's odd. I've never seen anything like it," he said. "I've talked to long-time politicians that say they've never seen anybody who has tried to have it all."

MACON COUNTY Democratic Party Chairman Jim Underwood wants to make sure anyone who is interested has a chance to hear New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson address the Illinois Democratic County Chairmen's Association on Aug. 13.

Richardson will be the keynote speaker for the association's annual brunch, held during the Illinois State Fair. This year it will be at 9 a.m. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Springfield. The event is open to the public, and tickets are $35.

Anyone wanting tickets may contact Underwood via e-mail at macon_county_chairman@hotmail.

com or call the county chairmen's association at 753-3380. Underwood recommends getting tickets early.

Richardson has been a congressman, United Nations ambassador and secretary of energy under President Bill Clinton and has negotiated the freedom of soldiers, hostages and prisoners in Iraq, Cuba, Sudan and North Korea. He has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize five times.

Ron Ingram can be reached at ringram@herald-review.com or 421-7973. Kenneth Lowe can be reached at klowe@herald-review.com or 421-7985.