* During his Sun-Times editorial board interview this week, Bill Brady was asked about his lack of union support. He quickly pointed to his endorsement by the Fraternal Order of Police. Brady was then asked if he would support applying the same two-tiered pension system to police and firefighters that he supported for state workers and teachers. He didn’t answer directly, saying, rightly, that there are different issues with public safety folks on things like retirement age (although teachers and some others can make the same sort of claims).
Illinois Statehouse News looks at another angle on Brady’s FOP endorsement…
[Brady] said as recently as the first gubernatorial debate on September 29 that he would not be cutting anything other than self-identified “waste” from public safety departments–a far cry from the “dime on every dollar” cuts he has proposed for other areas of government. […]
[FOP president Ted Street] said Brady assured union leaders at a private meeting in July that they would be at the table when cuts are made: a move he said “has never been done before.”
“Senator Brady has reached out and asked that I facilitate a meeting between State Troopers lodge (of the union)…and the Department of Corrections lodge…to come up with and organize cost-cutting measures,” Street said. “Senator Brady has offered us input, a voice of representation in the decision making process.”
Brady blasted Quinn for a deal the governor negotiated with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union shortly after the group endorsed him. The deal will prevent the state from laying off workers in exchange for furlough days, wage freezes and cost-cutting measures, identified by the union itself. […]
But he now finds himself accusing Quinn of selling out the people of Illinois for his suspect deals with political supporters, while negotiating a similar one on a signature issue. His two pronged attack now appears double edged.
Once you bring up a quid pro quo with your opponent’s endorsers, you subject yourself to similar scrutiny. It’s a fair hit.
* Meanwhile, the SJ-R took a look at the agreement between AFSCME and Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration and discovered that while it sets a $100 million budget reduction goal, it specifies just $10 million in immediate cuts…
The immediate $10 million in savings will be met by “reduction in the use of overtime, expansion of the voluntary furlough program and by in-sourcing work that can be provided more economically if performed by state employees,” according to the agreement
A total of $50 million must be found by the end of this month.
* Gov. Quinn attempted to turn the tables on Brady over the Republican’s $50 billion pension bond scheme idea…
Gov. Pat Quinn blasted Republican challenger Bill Brady today for leaving open the option of borrowing $50 billion to shore up state pension funds, saying it would lead to a massive tax increase.
Quinn seized on the issue in an attempt to turn the tables on Brady, who has hammered the Democratic governor for pushing an income tax increase and borrowing money.
Brady, a state senator from Bloomington, has refused to rule out a $50 billion pension loan. He has said all options should be on the table when it comes to ensuring the health of the underfunded retirement systems. The Brady campaign said it is not backing the idea, saying it would be an option only as part of a comprehensive package that could save the state money.
Quinn brushed aside such nuances, saying a $50 billion pension bond “will never happen as long as I’m governor.”
* The governor continues to announce state funding in campaign-style government events…
Gov. Pat Quinn is defending spending $50 million on a new initiative aimed at helping to rebuild struggling neighborhoods while the state has unpaid bills piling up.
The governor’s office says the new anti-violence initiative is a mix of federal money and state money that lawmakers gave Quinn discretion to spend.
It’s the second time in two weeks Quinn has announced he’ll spend some of that money.
The Chicago Democrat recently announced he would use $75 million to keep a temporary jobs program going while Illinois waits for Congress to approve more money for it.
Meanwhile…
Nonprofit organizations that serve some of the nation’s most vulnerable citizens have been forced to freeze salaries, dip into cash reserves and cut programs because government funding is shrinking and often late in coming, according to a report released Thursday by the Urban Institute.
And human service nonprofits in Illinois have been among the hardest hit.
Nationally, 41 percent of human service nonprofits reported late payments from state, federal and local government sources in 2009, the survey found. In Illinois, that number reached 72 percent, highest in the nation.
And…
Despite Gov. Pat Quinn’s call for cost-cutting throughout state government, at least two state agencies are planning to buy or lease new vehicles this month.
* And a group funded by Chicago-area business types is launching a radio and print ad campaign…
Illinois Is Broke, an organization pretty much put together by the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club, this week began spending what I’m told is in the low-to-mid six figures on radio and print ads urging voters to “ask the candidates what they will do: fix the pensions, or just raise taxes?”
The radio version of the spot has a mother gently griping that, “Our family has to live within our means, but Illinois state government doesn’t.”
The ad then goes on to talk about “free health insurance” for state retirees and a state debt amounting to $25,000 per family.”
The spot doesn’t name any names, but it should be mildly helpful to GOP gubernatorial nominee Bill Brady — a Republican, like the bulk of those who paid for the ad are believed to be. But neither he nor Democratic incumbent Pat Quinn has been specific on what they’d do to close a hole of at least $75 billion.
* Related…
* Obama comes home for Alexi; to help Quinn: Quinn campaign spokesman Mica Matsoff told me that Obama cut a radio spot for Quinn — to start Monday — where he says he will be voting for Quinn on Nov. 2 and urging others to cast their ballot for Quinn… White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Wednesday during a briefing that Obama will be greeting Quinn when he lands at O’Hare. Matsoff said Quinn will be bringing two people who benefitted from his “Illinois to Work” jobs program to the tarmac to meet with Obama. While the Obama ad for Quinn starts Monday, on Wednesday, Vice President Joe Biden joins Quinn in Chicago for a ‘’Putting Illinois Back to Work'’ get-out-the-vote rally at the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local 130 Hall on the near West Side.
* Teachers union endorses Quinn
* Teachers endorsement means donations, volunteers: For candidate Pat Quinn, Wednesday was like walking into a room filled with money. The governor and his running mate, Sheila Simon, can expect six-figured campaign donations from the 103,000 member teachers’ union.
* Sun-Times endorsement: Quinn has best plan to serve all Illinoisans
* Morris Herald: Our choice is Sen. Bill Brady
* Brady brings GOP bid for governor to Alton: “We’re going to clean house in Springfield,” Brady said. “We’re going to get rid of all the political patronage bureaucrats, and we’re going to bring in real professionals to run Springfield for your benefit and not their personal interests.”
* Brady will be in Olney next week
* Brady, Schilling rally with supporters in Quincy, Pittsfield: “It’s you who are going to decide the future of this state, not the special interests,” Brady said, flanked by his wife, Nancy and running mate, Jason Plummer.
* Libertarian candidate for governor wants to get party’s message
* VIDEO: CBS 2’s Bill Kurtis reports on the Illinois Is Broke campaign (Part 1)
* VIDEO: CBS 2’s Bill Kurtis reports on the Illinois Is Broke campaign (Part 2)
* MFT Funds Released to Illinois Municipalities
* Pantagraph: Politicians do little as financial picture worsens
* Mitchell says he’ll vote ‘yes’ for local education sales tax hike
* McPier issues $1.1B in bonds
* McPier issues $1.1B in bonds to restructure debt, add hotel rooms
* Parents put out by DCFS bureaucracy
LIVE session coverage...
- wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 10:41 am:
–The Brady campaign said it is not backing the idea, saying it would be an option only as part of a comprehensive package that could save the state money.–
Where did the idea come from, then? How was the $50 billion figure arrived at?
- Pat Robertson - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 10:44 am:
I care, and PQ is just plain wrong on the pension funding. As Mr. Miller has pointed out before, using pension bonds converts “soft” debt in to “hard” debt, but the simple fact is that the debt already exists and it is costing us a higher interest rate than the bonds would. Unless we do find some faerie dust or magic beans, we are going to have to raise taxes someday to pay the pensions. Lowering the rate we pay on the debt would lessen the amount of the tax increase.
I have less respect for PQ every day.
- CircularFiringSquad - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 10:57 am:
Wow another blunder by NoTaxBill..get the FOP backing and promise to leave the local police pensions alone and make no cuts.
Sounds a big pay to play to us
- Wizard of Ozzie - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 10:58 am:
@Pat Robertson- if you read more yesterday about the $50B “solution” you would have figured out it impossible to get done. If you think the bond markets have an appetite for $50B in pension obligations your wrong. If you don’t realize that a $50B pension obligation would cripple the state’s budgeting flexibility you’re not informed or not paying attention.
The Sun Times endorsement should be a must read. At least there is one sane paper in Chicago.
From the Sun Times endorsement. “if Illinois voters are looking for a governor who is both pro-business and pro-people, Pat Quinn is the easy call.
- Wizard of Ozzie - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 10:58 am:
Ugh, “you’re” not “your”. My bad.
- The Captain - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 11:16 am:
It’s got to be a little bit harder for Quinn to get Obama’s help after he fired the firm that still owes Axelrod a lot of money.
- Wizard of Ozzie - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 11:26 am:
Additionally, on the FOP, local Mayors will NOT be happy about Brady’s deal as police and fire pensions are one of (if not the) main problem municipalities are facing. If there were any Mayor’s on the fence, reading that will push them over quickly.
- LincolnLounger - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 11:27 am:
So the Sun-Times gang that endorsed Rod Blagojevich for re-election now wants us to vote for the man who vouched for him twice?
Seems appropriate.
- Pat Robertson - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 11:28 am:
Ozzie, I basically agree with you with two exceptions. First, and most importantly, those weren’t the points that PQ was making. Second, the so-called “budgeting flexibility” allowed by failing to fund the pension plans is getting smaller every day, because all you are doing is postponing the matter while the fiscal consequences grow worse. It’s not “kicking the can down the road,” but “rolling the snowball futher down the hill.” It gains momentum and size as it goes.
- vole - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 11:39 am:
Brady’s blast on special interests in Springfield may fool some voters, but it fails to mask a huge part of the business of government in the state capital — the balancing of special interests. Brady will bring his own value judgments to this balance. Those interest groups in his corner will be weighed more heavily and those that are not will be discounted in the bargaining. Nice rhetoric Brady but absolutely meaningless. Follow Brady’s campaign money to get some idea of which special interests would be sharing the seat of power.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 11:45 am:
I am very surprised by the tone of the Sun-Times’ endorsement of Quinn. I am not at all surprised that the paper endorsed him, of course– given its repeated endorsements of Blago it was basically a given for Quinn as the Democrat candidate. But, using showering him with such effusive praise and flowery language while concurrently dismissing Brady seems way over the top. Either way they pick, I believe most voters are choosing the ‘least bad’ candidate in their eyes, so the Sun-Times comes across as far out of touch here.
- dupage dan - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 11:49 am:
As a state employee I am aware that AFSCME is seeking suggestions about how to reduce the deficit from the rank and file. A volunteer furlough program is being floated again. There seems little appetite for accepting salary freeze/cuts in raises. That kind of stance will not sit well with tax-payers, I think. The members will be asked to vote on proposals later this month. Maybe a bake sale would help?
- Wizard of Ozzie - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 11:59 am:
“…it was basically a given for Quinn as the Democrat candidate. ”
Tell that to Debbie Halvorson.
The Sun Times is at least thoughtful It wasn’t too long ago that the Sun Times was considered less rationale than the Tribune. I’m obviously biased about the endorsement, however, I appreciate the Sun Times willing to put thought into their endorsements. The Tribune’s endorsement of candidates who didn’t even take the time to fill out their questionaire should tell you more than enough.
Maybe the Sun Times increasingly focused and thoughtful reporting (which seemed unlikely not long ago) has something to do with a certain columnist they employ who is known for telling it like it is.
- Dead Head - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 12:05 pm:
Nobody noticed the SJ-R refers to the wrong fiscal year for the AFSCME concessions?
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 12:11 pm:
Rich,
Your title is snippy and misleading.
Not all unions are alike. While they claim a form of solidarity, history shows otherwise.
No conservative politician is going to bash a union of public safety civil servants. We hold policemen and firemen in esteem. They get what they want. Even when they endorse an opponent, conservatives do not attack these people.
So Brady gets a “union” endorsement and naturally does not bash them. Had they endorsed Quinn, Brady would not bash them either. Brady could lump them all together as a “union” knock, but if a journalist cared to corner him if that was the case, he would have made the same kind of remarks and would have walked back on it. But if that was the case, no journalist would have given a conservative a break in this hypothetical anyway.
The “narrative” regarding unions and GOP candidates is always about how to make the conservatives look like Simon Legree. Even when they are not. Even when they are the longest serving union boss in Holywood history, remember? Our only union boss president was bashed as anti union. Because he was not a Democrat. And made his bones off of the illegal PATCO strike.
So thems the breaks when youre a conservative candidate You are automatically anti union. Unless a union endorses you, then you are a corrupt hypocrite.
Voters have learned the game and are rejecting that old tripe. They are not judging all unions equally. Always have, actually.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 12:23 pm:
–But if that was the case, no journalist would have given a conservative a break in this hypothetical anyway. –
You’re seeing conspiracies in hypothetical situations now? Whatever you do, don’t look under the bed.
If you’d read the post, and had followed Brady on right-to-work, minimum wage, etc., you’d understand the headline.
I’m guessing you’re more of a “Waits to Talk” than “Listens” conversationalist.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 12:25 pm:
I’m with wordslinger. VM, you’re ignoring history. And, I would add, wordslinger forgot about that Brady union ad last week.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 12:36 pm:
Ah, yes, the bad AFSCME bosses. As opposed to the good FOP bosses who will be at the table when Brady cuts his budget.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 12:37 pm:
===Ah, yes, the bad AFSCME bosses===
No. It was union bosses in general. AFSCME wasn’t mentioned.
- Quinn T. Sential - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 1:25 pm:
{there are different issues with public safety folks on things like retirement age (although teachers and some others can make the same sort of claims).
While you can retire from fire fighting or law enforcement, and then go into to teaching, it is virtually impossible to retire from teaching (fully vested) and then become a fire-fighter or law enforcement officer.
Many firefighters and law enforcement officers do not seek other employment after retirement; not because they are living high on the hog from their pension, but more so because their body just can’t take it anymore.
Campaigning against Public Safety agency union employees seems to me to be a losing cause.
The physical demands, and physical fitness requirements in the field of fire service and law enforcement are dramatically different than those of teachers. Although I do wish they would impose some tighter physical fitness standards as a condition of continued employment in the law enforcement field on the local level.
- ShadyBillBrady - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 1:38 pm:
And VM, it’s not that he got the union endorsement and didn’t “bash” them. It’s that he got the endorsement and has essentially said the only cuts he’ll make are in mangement (which as we know won’t come anywhere close to 10%) …
- fed up - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 2:18 pm:
Wow CFS and others never attacked Quinn over his Pay to play getting big money from Laborer’s to help them with their strike or taking big teamster cash to rewrite the McCormick place work rules to help them or even having his budget director make campaign appearance at union endorsements(that might be illegal). if their is one thing Quinn learned from his old boss and running mate Blago its how to turn favors into campaign cash. remember how Quinn has been trying to place a guy with no law Enforcement experience as head of State Police, or maybe its him letting dangerous felons out of prison early so they can commit more crime yeah I think I understand why FOP has seen enough of Quinn
- lincolnlover - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 2:39 pm:
My neighbor just retired from the state police after 25 years. He is 55. His future plans? Teaching and coaching (apparently his body is still in pretty good shape).While receiving his full pension, of course. Teachers and AFSCME members, on the other hand, must have many more years of employment to qualify for FULL retirement - in my case 45 years. Now why are we making demands on AFSCME and teachers retirement to change, but, oh no - the sacred cow of law enforcemnt is entitled to so much more already???
- dumb ol' country boy - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 2:55 pm:
I believe that the State Police Sworn Personnel do not pay into social security, and that portion that would normally go to SS goes into the pension as well. So common sense would tell me that by them adding more $$$ into their retirement they would be able to retire earlier then other state employees in different unions. But they are not elegible to draw social security, which the way its looking might not have been a bad way to go. I also agree with fed up, you want to upset FOP members, try and place someone thats never been through the State Police Academy into a sworn position. I think that might be another reason as to why the FOP endorsed Brady.
But the funny thing about this situation is the very guys that run 24 hr protection for the gov, the executive security detail are FOP members…hummmm
- lincolnlover - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 3:25 pm:
Teachers do not pay social security either.The state has also never robbed the FOP’s pension system to pay bills, as they have with TRS and SERS. Perhaps is they had, those nice law enforcement people might not be so nice to the politicians
- steve schnorf - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 4:22 pm:
Why in God’s name would any sane person expect a candidate to treat groups that endorse him the same as groups who trash him, or endorse his opponent. If you treat your friends no better than your enemies you won’t end up with many friends.
- Leave a Light on George - Thursday, Oct 7, 10 @ 4:47 pm:
State Police are in the SERS however they use something called the alternative formula when calculating benefits and retirement age. So yes, their pension system was robbed too.
The FOP is the union that represents troopers.