* The Senate Republicans held a press conference today to say they’ve studied the budget and that cuts must be made, but they adamantly refused to say where those cuts should be made. From a press release…
Radogno said a Senate Republican review of spending and revenue trends makes it apparent that it will take between $4 to $6 billion in additional spending reductions to the Governor’s proposed budget in order to put the state back on track.
Radogno and state senators Matt Murphy (R-Palatine) and Pamela Althoff (R-McHenry), the Senate Republicans’ top two budget experts, said a careful analysis of state spending and revenues shows that massive deficits will occur if lawmakers adopt the Governor’s proposed budget and adhere to “spending caps” that are in fact, far too generous and optimistic than the state’s revenues can sustain.
GOP Senators are working to identify realistic reductions, but before a discussion of cuts can occur, there needs to be a “reality check” so that the public understands how serious the situation is.
“Before you can move on to a solution, you need to define the problem. Unfortunately, too few people in the Statehouse are willing to face up to the problem,” Althoff said. “The spending plan that the Governor put before us would create a deficit every single year for the next five years – and that’s with the 67% tax increase.”
They’ve been saying for weeks that they’d come up with their own cuts, and all they really did today was punt. It’s also quite interesting that they didn’t use any of the highly specific Illinois Policy Institute’s budget cutting proposals.
* To be fair, Leader Radogno stressed today that they didn’t want to offer up their cuts because that would dominate the coverage. They wanted to get the deficit numbers out there instead.
We’ll just have to see whether the strategy worked and the stories generated by this presser will focus on their deficit projections or their refusal to identify any actual spending reductions. Here’s Radogno…
Senate Republicans are the ones that need a “reality check”. The time for Senate Republicans to begin looking for cuts has long since passed.
Governor Quinn has been asking Republicans for input and specific suggestions on ways we can reduce government spending for more than two years. And when cuts have been made in Republican districts, we have heard loud complaints about even the most commonsense cutbacks.
The Governor was the first one to say our fiscal house was on fire, and he has taken strong steps to start putting that fire out and move our state forward.
While Senate Republicans spend their time creating graphics for bombastic press releases, the Governor is continuing to work on a comprehensive strategy to fix our budget. An essential part of that plan is spending reductions, and Governor Quinn has been working with agencies - using budgeting for results measures - to identify areas of state government that can be reduced or eliminated.
As always, the Governor is open to specific, realistic, good-faith suggestions from Senate Republicans. And we look forward to hearing from them.
So Senator Radogno and her team offer no cuts, vote no on increasing revenue and refuse to vote for borrowing. And she needed a press conference for this?
So the GOP is standing up and offering their canned response to every issue. “We don’t have a plan and probably won’t get one, but our position is NO. Don’t ask us to explain it because we can’t beyond the point that we are against whatever the Dems are for. This policy has served us well over the last several years and if it ain’t broke……”
- Reform is needed. - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:23 pm:
Meanwhile Blago can’t get a public defender. His lawyer is owed for 9 months of work. Republicans refusal to pay vendors, universities, and hospitals–is now a public safety isse.
Radogno asked for a little more time I think we should allow it. This years budget is a big deal.
We need everyone in Springfield to work hard to get it right. The last day stampede should end, it just make us look like fools.
This is why my party is “out of touch” with what is going on nationally, and can’t get traction. No solutions, just “bad democrats - all bad democrats”
Nationally, it seems the Republicans, even in the monorities, will take a stand, and then run on that stand … and wIN on that stand …
Here in Illinois? Land of Lincoln ….
“Hey look, a deficit … there it is … a deficit … did you guys get that we are pointing to a deficit?”
OK …now what …
“Did I mention that we are pointing to a deficit … there it is! Def-eye-sit …. plain as day …”
- Reform is needed. - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:30 pm:
That’s why I come to Cap-Fax…learn something new everyday.
- Northernwatersports - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:32 pm:
The Senate GOP should get absolutely NO coverage of this in the media. The media should do its job (Like CapFax) and provide both sides of the issue.
Until the GOP “leaders” actually propose something substantive in terms of what’s gonna take a whack when the cutting starts, Sens. Murphy, Althoff and Radogno are just showing that they are only expert politicians, and not experts at leadership.
I like the phrase in the Death Penalty article. “Turf protection and denial” Seems appropriate here also but more for the D’s than the R’s. Whatever programs are chosen for the cuts, it will be a bloody spring for anyone dependent on state funding for his or her job.
bourbonrich, that cuts both ways. Try telling downstate Repubs to support a bill that would cut sales tax exemptions from agricultural products. Won’t happen. Both sides protect their turfs.
Let’s see what happens with the IPI budget proposal. Does it get some press as a possible starting point in reducing our budget? Or does it get lambasted as draconian and unattainable? Then maybe we can understand why the GOP Sen punts. All politicians will punt because they can’t stand the heat.
I think the Senate Rs have a point. If they talk about specific cuts today, that’s what the media reports. They wanted to start by talking about the deficit. After the substantial tax increase there is still a deficit!
They wanted to talk about the inadequacy of the spending caps. Nowhere in sight is there sufficient revenue to fund spending at anything close to the caps. That’s a point well made also.
So, today they talked about those things, and they are generally correct in what they said. Now, though, comes the hard part. They have to offer up cuts, real cuts. I hope they didn’t set the bar too high, because I don’t think they are going to offer up 4 or 6 billion in real cuts. I would hope for a real, doable, one or one and a half billion.
They aren’t prepared to say how they will fight the fire, or even tell us how fast the fire is burning, but that they are indeed smelling something that they are certain is smoke.
As to the other party, well they are still pointing out where fire hasn’t yet swept the State, and are pouring more gasoline over those parts.
Yup - we are a national laughingstock. Go ahead North Dakota and pull those conestogas through the Loop telling businesses why they should relocate to Minot.
You are right behind the Mississippi governor cracking Quinn jokes and before “our taxes are better” Delaware.
OW = I heard something about it. But then again I heard that somebody was sayin’ that somebody wanted to borrow some money to pay off a high interest loan that would put money back into the hands of a lot of small businesses. And they would get the money at about half the interest they are currently paying, but somebody else was against that. Crazy, ain’t it?
I can’t imagine who is starting these rumors. Cause there really can’t be a deficit, we raised taxes! And who wouldn’t take a lower interest rate on a loan? Especially when it puts money back into the economy! Got to be a conspiracy! Communists, prolly!!
All the GOP did was point out that the Quinn Cullerton madigan tax hike did not solve the problem. Yes they will need offer cuts. Today was about showing the dems tax increase didnt do the job.
Funny if you run away to another state you get praise on this blog but stay and do your job you get ridicule.
They could take the Pat Quinn approach and be dishonest and claim to cut spending while the budget increases.
Quinns budget was garbage and it should be reported as such. Now the GOP needs to outline some areas that they feel could be cut. I hope a news conference or press release is coming in the weeks ahead.
- Kasich Walker, Jr.'s Consultant for Spiritual Fitness & Sport - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:55 pm:
Regarding the revenue side of the budget:
Assume that 10% of the approx. 9 million Illinois adults (over 18) buy an ounce per year of medium grade marijuana for $300 and its taxed at 10%. That’s $27 million without considering savings from the elimination of enforcement and incarceration costs.
And more marijuana than that is probably purchased illegally by Illinoisans right now — at higher prices.
But there IS a Deficit? Right? … Now I am confused …
Steve -
I hear ya, and you and Rich made the point of what the Repubs are trying to do …They want to set a table, make a case, etc. I get that …
However,
When you have to HOPE the press stays on the point you are trying to make in your press conference, you are not making too strong of a case to STAY on that point.
Are they breaking news? Illinois has a Deficit?
Yay Senate Repubs! One for you!
It MAY look to some rank and file … lack of leaders, but a “Caucus of Captain Obviouses”
- Louis G. Atsaves - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 2:00 pm:
Deficit in the governor’s proposed budget? There is a deficit? Spending caps that are far too generous and short of being effective? Nice of someone to finally try to point this out and catch a few catcalls in the process.
If they offered specific cuts today, they would have been subject to even more catcalls.
The process they are using is sound. Identify the deficit for this year, then start identifying ways to reduce or eliminate it.
If they fail to come up with proposed cuts at a later date, then the catcalls are warranted.
Fed Up @1:52 My point is that this just didn’t come up. I am no fan of the Dems either. But the Repubs have been asked for years what their plan was. Their candidate might have won the election if he had put forth his plan to fix the budget deficit. The Repubs were asked to join in and work in a bipartisan way to come up with a revenue plan. Have they offered a plan? No. The only one that has put forth numbers and areas to make cuts has been JBT.
If we could get Charley Sheen to talk about how the deficit is taking away his tiger blood and impacting his Winning, then there might be some coverage.
Say what you will about Brady and his plan, but at least he suggested the 10% cuts and stuck to his guns. It might not hurt to hear the Senate Republicans get behind that plan and at least support a member of their caucus and tell people they have a plan, albeit a controversial one.
The ones who need a “reality check” are the legislators in Springfield. The public understands the seriousness of the problems and expect the elected officials of both parties to come up with viable plans to deal with it. It is good to know that Sen Radogno has “a firm grasp of the obvious”. Now reveal your plans for a solution or your modification to the Governors Plan. Dems and Republicans have kicked the can down the road so many times that there is no road. Don’t talk about it fix it!
“Governor Quinn has been asking Republicans for input and specific suggestions on ways we can reduce government spending for more than two years. And when cuts have been made in Republican districts, we have heard loud complaints about even the most commonsense cutbacks.
The Governor was the first one to say our fiscal house was on fire, and he has taken strong steps to start putting that fire out and move our state forward.”
That was you, Senate Repubs, losing on your message!
Don’t worry, you have tomorrow to mess it up again.
That must have been a fun response for Quinn’s staff to write. I bet they wish they had softballs like that everyday.
- Little Lewbowski - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 3:03 pm:
- OneMan - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 2:08 pm:
Republicans refusal to pay vendors, universities, and hospitals
Did I miss something? When did the Republicans take over? When did they pass budgets that they knew wouldn’t cover those costs?
— Yes you did miss something. In the tax increase there is a dedicated revenue stream for a bond to pay off our current back log of bills. That will provide $6B of stimulus to the Illinois economy at a time when it’s sorely needed. But more importantly it will pay providers the money they owed.
Republicans are playing politics with other people’s money. We owe them. We have a means to pay them. And Republicans choose to do nothing and offer no solutions.
The Quinn release is priceless. Where to begin? He was the first to say the house was on fire? He stood by while Blagojevich torched the joint.
Then Quinn dumped kerosene on the place, kept some of Blagojevich’s arsonists around and dropped another match negotiating guaranteed deals with the unions before the election and raising taxes without cutting anything.
He should go put together another list of phony cuts and make a bunch of pronouncements about how he’s going to cut spending, only to take each cut back one by one when the advocates cry.
“it will take between $4 to $6 billion in additional spending reductions to the Governor’s proposed budget in order to put the state back on track.”
The Gov’s plan already called for at least a 6% cut and eliminating many grants for community based human services providers, while the state run programs saw a general increase. Accommodating the proposed additional $6B for the Rep budget cuts should grow that 6% cut well into the 10%-12% range. Will the state run programs get hit too? Please, they got promises. The drug/alcohol groups got a temporary reprieve from cuts that would have closed them this year. The need for those cuts to balance new budget figures still exists. Spreading the joy across the board to a 13%-15% cut sure seems likely. And that’s Brady land. After receiving budget cuts for the last several years and the very delayed payments, it all makes for a wonderful business model for local mental health, aging, disability, and health providers. But as GA members are proud to say, “Human services are important”.
It seems that Radogno and company have disavowed their Gubernatorial candidate’s budget proposal of 10% cuts. They were all on board just five months ago, so what happened?
Are they hoping that the Dems forgot that they had a plan and praying that it doesn’t come up in the campaigns next year? R’s should remember that even the the non-incumbent Republicans were on board for those cuts, but now they can’t remember what they were. Maybe they should explain what they meant, or have Brady at the news conference to explain it.
I agree that we have to pay our vendors, school district, smaller units of government and universities. However, we have to make the borrowing plan more palatable and guarantee the out years won’t also cripple the state. And perhaps the Republicans should make Quinn sign a memorandum of understanding to ensure we don’t have to borrow another $8.5 billion in two years to pay more unpaid bills and pay down programs we couldn’t afford in the first place. I just worry that such long-term borrowing will either keep getting refinanced or that we will find a way to tack on to the amount we borrowed.
“The Senate Republicans held a press conference today to say ____they’ve studied the budget and that cuts must be made, but they adamantly refused to say where those cuts should be made____.”
IF you ain’t part of the solution; you’re just part of the problem.
I think I may soil my pants - can’t stop laughing!
Made my day. Hard to be a republican in this state, right now. Hey, ILGOP, there ain’t no election around the corner - you can come out and play now. Anybody? (there’s that noise again)
“- Old Milwaukee - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 3:08 pm:
The Quinn release is priceless. Where to begin? He was the first to say the house was on fire? He stood by while Blagojevich torched the joint.
Then Quinn dumped kerosene on the place…”
OM-
You are absolutely correct on each of your points. But, frankly, the abysmal lack of leadership shown by the IL GOP lets Quinn skate off easily. Without sane counterproposals to show alternatives, he not only controls the message, he is the only one talking. With dead silence on the other side, his weak-kneed ‘cuts’ sound plausible. (Until his voting bloc cries, as you said…)
Pat Quinn stating he was the first one to say our fiscal house is on fire. Wow this guy can’t stop with the lack of honesty. What happened to the 1 point increase to 4% as an education surcharge. Quinn is in denial about the shape 8 years of him in office has left Illinois. Quinn stated he reduced spending yet his budget spends more this year than last.
–Illinois is on fire. This is the fire department.–
LOL. Better put on your asbsestos jammies. Are you that fake Emanuel dude?
You call a press conference for that? What is the problem with the Republican Party in Illinois? No ideas, at all? About anything? No guts?
Didn’t Tom Cross wave a deficit reduction plan in front of the NYT? He wouldn’t show it to them, but he said it included the heavy-lifting budget-cutting idea of requiring only one license plate per car.
You can’t make this stuff up.
The deficit has been out there for years. It’s been discussed ad nauseum. It’s not a new issue.
The Illinois GOP has members, staff, offices and a budget. Why they refuse to offer an alternative to Dem rule is astounding to me.
Do they need a pencil and something to write on?
Churchill, in the chaos of wartime, would tell his aides to bring issues — and solutions — to him on a half piece of paper. He could work it out from there.
The Illinois GOP, with all its brain-power and resources, can’t even muster that a one-page budget outline showing revenues and expenditures.
The reason Illinois is a one-party state is the other guys are scared to get in the game. They’re content with the status quo, as long as they get their checks.
They have a lot of nerve criticizing the Wisconsin and Indiana Dems.
- late to the party - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 4:20 pm:
==When did paying off bills with borrowed money become a good idea?==
When did the idea of borrowing from community providers, shelters, schools, group homes, hospitals, etc become a better idea than borrowing from a bank?
When did paying 12-24% interest a year on late payments become a better idea than paying 5 or 6%?
When did leaving $6-8 billion out of our economy for services rendered become a good idea?
“The need for those cuts to balance new budget figures still exists. Spreading the joy across the board to a 13%-15% cut sure seems likely. And that’s Brady land.”
So we could end up with the worst of BOTH candidates’ worlds — a tax hike double what Quinn said he would accept, combined with budget cuts substantially harsher than what Brady promised? Yikes.
==When did paying off bills with borrowed money become a good idea?==
when it was discovered that the interest penalty on some late bill payments was greater than the interest charged by debt purchasers.
Just looked at the IPI stuff. Not sure how much is realistic.
IPI claims jobs and business will help economy recover and stabilize Illinois yet their FY12 proposal severely cuts the Personal Services lines at most agencies which would equate to putting people out of work. Ditto programs that pay for services rendered by private sector.
Makes lots of cuts to traditional entitlement programs - what is their recommendation on dealing with the feds on that issue or should we expect the charitable goodness of the illinois citizens to pick up the slack?
Also, they seem to adopt most of the revenue projection then go on to slash many of the lines that generate Medicaid revenue.
And this Competitive Grant Fund - is their version of the General Assembly throwing their hands up and saying “you deal with it, Governor” in the lump sum budgets we have had?
Those mean old Republicans snuck out in the middle of the night and left the Democrats in charge of everything…both houses and the guv’s office. Yeah, that’s it. They put the Democrats in power and now they are…..complaining about the budget. Yeah. They refuse to tell the Democrats what to do. Those dirty dogs…..
I can call this right now the Dem will do nothing on the budget until either the last day of the session or we will be in overtime again. They don’t need one GOP vote to pass a budget yet they will blame the GOP. I disagree with what they are doing in Wisconsin but they don’t wait until a lame duck session or 2am on the last day of the session or even go into overtime. The dems will ignore the budget problems until the last moment pass another fake balanced budget and put Illinois deeper in debt. Which will soon lead to drastic solutions like Wisconsin to get serious talk.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 5:49 pm:
@Schnorf -
Rarely do I disagree with you, but how can you pretend that a budget deficit and spending cuts are separate issues?
Again, here’s what Republicans said:
“it [is] apparent that it will take between $4 to $6 billion in additional spending reductions to the Governor’s proposed budget in order to put the state back on track.”
Okay, you want to accuse the Governor of over-spending? Fine. But you should be ready for questions on what you think should be cut if you are a “leader.”
Why does this budget crisis have to be pushed to the wall again and again and again? I’m not surprised in this horrible economy there continues to be a shortfall. Actually two shortfalls; revenues and ideas.
I give the D’s credit for committing the political suicide of passing a tax increase without any “R” support whatsoever. Hey R’s, if you think we are still underwater, where would we be without the tax increase?
How about some ideas? The State’s vendors (including me) are dieing out there waiting for payment. You want cuts, what are they? You have priorities that involve $$, what are they?
You want to lead, tell us where we should be lead. Most of the State’s vendors are about to loose it all.
PS: Indiana, Wisconsin, and Iowa only wish they had our income tax rates.
The R’s know that Pat Quinn is constitutionally, physically, personally, absolutely unable to cut programs or spending. Any progress will have to be made through Madigan or Cullerton. Probably not much luck there either. The D’s created this problem, brick by brick, and will have to solve it on their own. Don’t count on it so long as there is one more bond issue to pursue.
I can see why all those R senators and reps are leaving. Their job can’t be any fun.
Dog, too many people are still saying, “Hey, you passed a tax increase, there shouldn’t be any more cuts and we can start restoring the ones already made”. Wrong, and you and I and most of the regulars on here know it, but they weren’t talking to us. I don’t mind them laying out their message in the order they want, they just can’t forget to finish the message.
–I can see why all those R senators and reps are leaving. Their job can’t be any fun.–
Indoor work, no heavy lifting, no responsibility, no accountability, no expectations, the pay’s good, the benefits sweet. I don’t see any dearth of folks lining up for the chance.
- Solomon - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:00 pm:
Well, she should’ve at least offered up some easy cuts that aren’t being done to avoid looking like she’s got absolutely no answers.
- Dirty Red - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:08 pm:
=They’ve been saying for weeks that they’d come up with their own cuts=
Don’t you mean “years?” They didn’t use the IPI’s Piglet book from last year, either. Weird.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:12 pm:
So Senator Radogno and her team offer no cuts, vote no on increasing revenue and refuse to vote for borrowing. And she needed a press conference for this?
This just in: Generalissmo Franco is still dead.
- Irish - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:13 pm:
So the GOP is standing up and offering their canned response to every issue. “We don’t have a plan and probably won’t get one, but our position is NO. Don’t ask us to explain it because we can’t beyond the point that we are against whatever the Dems are for. This policy has served us well over the last several years and if it ain’t broke……”
- Reform is needed. - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:23 pm:
Meanwhile Blago can’t get a public defender. His lawyer is owed for 9 months of work. Republicans refusal to pay vendors, universities, and hospitals–is now a public safety isse.
- Bigtwich - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:24 pm:
and if it ain’t broke……”
I thought they were saying we were broke?
- mokenavince - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:24 pm:
Radogno asked for a little more time I think we should allow it. This years budget is a big deal.
We need everyone in Springfield to work hard to get it right. The last day stampede should end, it just make us look like fools.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:24 pm:
RIN, don’t be daft. That’s federal.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:24 pm:
This is why my party is “out of touch” with what is going on nationally, and can’t get traction. No solutions, just “bad democrats - all bad democrats”
Nationally, it seems the Republicans, even in the monorities, will take a stand, and then run on that stand … and wIN on that stand …
Here in Illinois? Land of Lincoln ….
“Hey look, a deficit … there it is … a deficit … did you guys get that we are pointing to a deficit?”
OK …now what …
“Did I mention that we are pointing to a deficit … there it is! Def-eye-sit …. plain as day …”
(crickets)
Thanks Senate Repubs!
- Irish - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:28 pm:
OW (crickets)
nice lol
- Reform is needed. - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:30 pm:
That’s why I come to Cap-Fax…learn something new everyday.
- Northernwatersports - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:32 pm:
The Senate GOP should get absolutely NO coverage of this in the media. The media should do its job (Like CapFax) and provide both sides of the issue.
Until the GOP “leaders” actually propose something substantive in terms of what’s gonna take a whack when the cutting starts, Sens. Murphy, Althoff and Radogno are just showing that they are only expert politicians, and not experts at leadership.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:33 pm:
Thanks, Irish …
BTW, did you know there is a Deficit?
- bourbonrich - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:34 pm:
I like the phrase in the Death Penalty article. “Turf protection and denial” Seems appropriate here also but more for the D’s than the R’s. Whatever programs are chosen for the cuts, it will be a bloody spring for anyone dependent on state funding for his or her job.
- Solomon - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:36 pm:
bourbonrich, that cuts both ways. Try telling downstate Repubs to support a bill that would cut sales tax exemptions from agricultural products. Won’t happen. Both sides protect their turfs.
- Dwight - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:39 pm:
Let’s see what happens with the IPI budget proposal. Does it get some press as a possible starting point in reducing our budget? Or does it get lambasted as draconian and unattainable? Then maybe we can understand why the GOP Sen punts. All politicians will punt because they can’t stand the heat.
- steve schnorf - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:48 pm:
I think the Senate Rs have a point. If they talk about specific cuts today, that’s what the media reports. They wanted to start by talking about the deficit. After the substantial tax increase there is still a deficit!
They wanted to talk about the inadequacy of the spending caps. Nowhere in sight is there sufficient revenue to fund spending at anything close to the caps. That’s a point well made also.
So, today they talked about those things, and they are generally correct in what they said. Now, though, comes the hard part. They have to offer up cuts, real cuts. I hope they didn’t set the bar too high, because I don’t think they are going to offer up 4 or 6 billion in real cuts. I would hope for a real, doable, one or one and a half billion.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:49 pm:
Illinois is on fire. This is the fire department.
They aren’t prepared to say how they will fight the fire, or even tell us how fast the fire is burning, but that they are indeed smelling something that they are certain is smoke.
As to the other party, well they are still pointing out where fire hasn’t yet swept the State, and are pouring more gasoline over those parts.
Yup - we are a national laughingstock. Go ahead North Dakota and pull those conestogas through the Loop telling businesses why they should relocate to Minot.
You are right behind the Mississippi governor cracking Quinn jokes and before “our taxes are better” Delaware.
- hisgirlfriday - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:50 pm:
Are Radogno & Co. staying away from the IPI budget cuts because of the group’s ties to the suddenly toxic Koch brothers?
- Irish - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:51 pm:
OW = I heard something about it. But then again I heard that somebody was sayin’ that somebody wanted to borrow some money to pay off a high interest loan that would put money back into the hands of a lot of small businesses. And they would get the money at about half the interest they are currently paying, but somebody else was against that. Crazy, ain’t it?
I can’t imagine who is starting these rumors. Cause there really can’t be a deficit, we raised taxes! And who wouldn’t take a lower interest rate on a loan? Especially when it puts money back into the economy! Got to be a conspiracy! Communists, prolly!!
- Fed up - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:52 pm:
All the GOP did was point out that the Quinn Cullerton madigan tax hike did not solve the problem. Yes they will need offer cuts. Today was about showing the dems tax increase didnt do the job.
Funny if you run away to another state you get praise on this blog but stay and do your job you get ridicule.
They could take the Pat Quinn approach and be dishonest and claim to cut spending while the budget increases.
Quinns budget was garbage and it should be reported as such. Now the GOP needs to outline some areas that they feel could be cut. I hope a news conference or press release is coming in the weeks ahead.
- Kasich Walker, Jr.'s Consultant for Spiritual Fitness & Sport - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:55 pm:
Regarding the revenue side of the budget:
Assume that 10% of the approx. 9 million Illinois adults (over 18) buy an ounce per year of medium grade marijuana for $300 and its taxed at 10%. That’s $27 million without considering savings from the elimination of enforcement and incarceration costs.
And more marijuana than that is probably purchased illegally by Illinoisans right now — at higher prices.
- Watchin & Laughin - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:57 pm:
“And they would get the money at about half the interest they are currently paying, but somebody else was against that.”–there’s a cut right there.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 1:58 pm:
Irish …
But there IS a Deficit? Right? … Now I am confused …
Steve -
I hear ya, and you and Rich made the point of what the Repubs are trying to do …They want to set a table, make a case, etc. I get that …
However,
When you have to HOPE the press stays on the point you are trying to make in your press conference, you are not making too strong of a case to STAY on that point.
Are they breaking news? Illinois has a Deficit?
Yay Senate Repubs! One for you!
It MAY look to some rank and file … lack of leaders, but a “Caucus of Captain Obviouses”
- Louis G. Atsaves - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 2:00 pm:
Deficit in the governor’s proposed budget? There is a deficit? Spending caps that are far too generous and short of being effective? Nice of someone to finally try to point this out and catch a few catcalls in the process.
If they offered specific cuts today, they would have been subject to even more catcalls.
The process they are using is sound. Identify the deficit for this year, then start identifying ways to reduce or eliminate it.
If they fail to come up with proposed cuts at a later date, then the catcalls are warranted.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 2:04 pm:
So far, Louis, the only coverage they’ve received is here.
- Irish - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 2:04 pm:
Fed Up @1:52 My point is that this just didn’t come up. I am no fan of the Dems either. But the Repubs have been asked for years what their plan was. Their candidate might have won the election if he had put forth his plan to fix the budget deficit. The Repubs were asked to join in and work in a bipartisan way to come up with a revenue plan. Have they offered a plan? No. The only one that has put forth numbers and areas to make cuts has been JBT.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 2:05 pm:
(crickets)
- OneMan - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 2:08 pm:
Did I miss something? When did the Republicans take over? When did they pass budgets that they knew wouldn’t cover those costs?
- OneMan - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 2:09 pm:
If we could get Charley Sheen to talk about how the deficit is taking away his tiger blood and impacting his Winning, then there might be some coverage.
- Team Sleep - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 2:41 pm:
Say what you will about Brady and his plan, but at least he suggested the 10% cuts and stuck to his guns. It might not hurt to hear the Senate Republicans get behind that plan and at least support a member of their caucus and tell people they have a plan, albeit a controversial one.
- WRMNpolitics - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 2:42 pm:
The ones who need a “reality check” are the legislators in Springfield. The public understands the seriousness of the problems and expect the elected officials of both parties to come up with viable plans to deal with it. It is good to know that Sen Radogno has “a firm grasp of the obvious”. Now reveal your plans for a solution or your modification to the Governors Plan. Dems and Republicans have kicked the can down the road so many times that there is no road. Don’t talk about it fix it!
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 2:48 pm:
Quinn responds … and “boom goes the dynamite”
The message of the … deficit … is now,
Quinn, in the release…
“Governor Quinn has been asking Republicans for input and specific suggestions on ways we can reduce government spending for more than two years. And when cuts have been made in Republican districts, we have heard loud complaints about even the most commonsense cutbacks.
The Governor was the first one to say our fiscal house was on fire, and he has taken strong steps to start putting that fire out and move our state forward.”
That was you, Senate Repubs, losing on your message!
Don’t worry, you have tomorrow to mess it up again.
Brutal!
- Montrose - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 3:03 pm:
That must have been a fun response for Quinn’s staff to write. I bet they wish they had softballs like that everyday.
- Little Lewbowski - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 3:03 pm:
- OneMan - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 2:08 pm:
Republicans refusal to pay vendors, universities, and hospitals
Did I miss something? When did the Republicans take over? When did they pass budgets that they knew wouldn’t cover those costs?
— Yes you did miss something. In the tax increase there is a dedicated revenue stream for a bond to pay off our current back log of bills. That will provide $6B of stimulus to the Illinois economy at a time when it’s sorely needed. But more importantly it will pay providers the money they owed.
Republicans are playing politics with other people’s money. We owe them. We have a means to pay them. And Republicans choose to do nothing and offer no solutions.
- Old Milwaukee - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 3:08 pm:
The Quinn release is priceless. Where to begin? He was the first to say the house was on fire? He stood by while Blagojevich torched the joint.
Then Quinn dumped kerosene on the place, kept some of Blagojevich’s arsonists around and dropped another match negotiating guaranteed deals with the unions before the election and raising taxes without cutting anything.
He should go put together another list of phony cuts and make a bunch of pronouncements about how he’s going to cut spending, only to take each cut back one by one when the advocates cry.
- zatoichi - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 3:10 pm:
“it will take between $4 to $6 billion in additional spending reductions to the Governor’s proposed budget in order to put the state back on track.”
The Gov’s plan already called for at least a 6% cut and eliminating many grants for community based human services providers, while the state run programs saw a general increase. Accommodating the proposed additional $6B for the Rep budget cuts should grow that 6% cut well into the 10%-12% range. Will the state run programs get hit too? Please, they got promises. The drug/alcohol groups got a temporary reprieve from cuts that would have closed them this year. The need for those cuts to balance new budget figures still exists. Spreading the joy across the board to a 13%-15% cut sure seems likely. And that’s Brady land. After receiving budget cuts for the last several years and the very delayed payments, it all makes for a wonderful business model for local mental health, aging, disability, and health providers. But as GA members are proud to say, “Human services are important”.
- Ahoy - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 3:13 pm:
The Gov should try to make cut’s in Dem districts as well, don’t just put it in R’s.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 3:14 pm:
Um, Ahoy, did anyone say he hasn’t?
- John Parnell - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 3:20 pm:
It seems that Radogno and company have disavowed their Gubernatorial candidate’s budget proposal of 10% cuts. They were all on board just five months ago, so what happened?
Are they hoping that the Dems forgot that they had a plan and praying that it doesn’t come up in the campaigns next year? R’s should remember that even the the non-incumbent Republicans were on board for those cuts, but now they can’t remember what they were. Maybe they should explain what they meant, or have Brady at the news conference to explain it.
- Team Sleep - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 3:42 pm:
John Parnell, great minds think alike.
I agree that we have to pay our vendors, school district, smaller units of government and universities. However, we have to make the borrowing plan more palatable and guarantee the out years won’t also cripple the state. And perhaps the Republicans should make Quinn sign a memorandum of understanding to ensure we don’t have to borrow another $8.5 billion in two years to pay more unpaid bills and pay down programs we couldn’t afford in the first place. I just worry that such long-term borrowing will either keep getting refinanced or that we will find a way to tack on to the amount we borrowed.
- Old Milwaukee - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 3:46 pm:
When did paying off bills with borrowed money become a good idea?
- sal-says - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 3:46 pm:
“The Senate Republicans held a press conference today to say ____they’ve studied the budget and that cuts must be made, but they adamantly refused to say where those cuts should be made____.”
IF you ain’t part of the solution; you’re just part of the problem.
Apparently they need more study?
- dupage dan - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 3:49 pm:
(crickets)
I think I may soil my pants - can’t stop laughing!
Made my day. Hard to be a republican in this state, right now. Hey, ILGOP, there ain’t no election around the corner - you can come out and play now. Anybody? (there’s that noise again)
- Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 3:57 pm:
“- Old Milwaukee - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 3:08 pm:
The Quinn release is priceless. Where to begin? He was the first to say the house was on fire? He stood by while Blagojevich torched the joint.
Then Quinn dumped kerosene on the place…”
OM-
You are absolutely correct on each of your points. But, frankly, the abysmal lack of leadership shown by the IL GOP lets Quinn skate off easily. Without sane counterproposals to show alternatives, he not only controls the message, he is the only one talking. With dead silence on the other side, his weak-kneed ‘cuts’ sound plausible. (Until his voting bloc cries, as you said…)
- Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 4:02 pm:
OW - Senate Republicans have a message? Hadn’t noticed.
- Fed up - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 4:03 pm:
Pat Quinn stating he was the first one to say our fiscal house is on fire. Wow this guy can’t stop with the lack of honesty. What happened to the 1 point increase to 4% as an education surcharge. Quinn is in denial about the shape 8 years of him in office has left Illinois. Quinn stated he reduced spending yet his budget spends more this year than last.
- Bigtwich - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 4:15 pm:
==When did paying off bills with borrowed money become a good idea?==
Currently we are, in effect borrowing, the money from the people to whom we owe it, and at a very high rate of interest.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 4:17 pm:
–Illinois is on fire. This is the fire department.–
LOL. Better put on your asbsestos jammies. Are you that fake Emanuel dude?
You call a press conference for that? What is the problem with the Republican Party in Illinois? No ideas, at all? About anything? No guts?
Didn’t Tom Cross wave a deficit reduction plan in front of the NYT? He wouldn’t show it to them, but he said it included the heavy-lifting budget-cutting idea of requiring only one license plate per car.
You can’t make this stuff up.
The deficit has been out there for years. It’s been discussed ad nauseum. It’s not a new issue.
The Illinois GOP has members, staff, offices and a budget. Why they refuse to offer an alternative to Dem rule is astounding to me.
Do they need a pencil and something to write on?
Churchill, in the chaos of wartime, would tell his aides to bring issues — and solutions — to him on a half piece of paper. He could work it out from there.
The Illinois GOP, with all its brain-power and resources, can’t even muster that a one-page budget outline showing revenues and expenditures.
The reason Illinois is a one-party state is the other guys are scared to get in the game. They’re content with the status quo, as long as they get their checks.
They have a lot of nerve criticizing the Wisconsin and Indiana Dems.
- late to the party - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 4:20 pm:
==When did paying off bills with borrowed money become a good idea?==
When did the idea of borrowing from community providers, shelters, schools, group homes, hospitals, etc become a better idea than borrowing from a bank?
When did paying 12-24% interest a year on late payments become a better idea than paying 5 or 6%?
When did leaving $6-8 billion out of our economy for services rendered become a good idea?
- Secret Square - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 4:22 pm:
“The need for those cuts to balance new budget figures still exists. Spreading the joy across the board to a 13%-15% cut sure seems likely. And that’s Brady land.”
So we could end up with the worst of BOTH candidates’ worlds — a tax hike double what Quinn said he would accept, combined with budget cuts substantially harsher than what Brady promised? Yikes.
- Robert - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 4:22 pm:
==When did paying off bills with borrowed money become a good idea?==
when it was discovered that the interest penalty on some late bill payments was greater than the interest charged by debt purchasers.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 4:38 pm:
–Let’s see what happens with the IPI budget proposal. Does it get some press as a possible starting point in reducing our budget?–
It got press. I read about it. Does it have sponsors?
- washedmyhands - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 4:43 pm:
Maybe it is “Deaf I Sit” - and my vision of the future is not in good shape either.
- what the? - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 4:43 pm:
Just looked at the IPI stuff. Not sure how much is realistic.
IPI claims jobs and business will help economy recover and stabilize Illinois yet their FY12 proposal severely cuts the Personal Services lines at most agencies which would equate to putting people out of work. Ditto programs that pay for services rendered by private sector.
Makes lots of cuts to traditional entitlement programs - what is their recommendation on dealing with the feds on that issue or should we expect the charitable goodness of the illinois citizens to pick up the slack?
Also, they seem to adopt most of the revenue projection then go on to slash many of the lines that generate Medicaid revenue.
And this Competitive Grant Fund - is their version of the General Assembly throwing their hands up and saying “you deal with it, Governor” in the lump sum budgets we have had?
- cassandra - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 5:24 pm:
Those mean old Republicans snuck out in the middle of the night and left the Democrats in charge of everything…both houses and the guv’s office. Yeah, that’s it. They put the Democrats in power and now they are…..complaining about the budget. Yeah. They refuse to tell the Democrats what to do. Those dirty dogs…..
- fed up - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 5:43 pm:
I can call this right now the Dem will do nothing on the budget until either the last day of the session or we will be in overtime again. They don’t need one GOP vote to pass a budget yet they will blame the GOP. I disagree with what they are doing in Wisconsin but they don’t wait until a lame duck session or 2am on the last day of the session or even go into overtime. The dems will ignore the budget problems until the last moment pass another fake balanced budget and put Illinois deeper in debt. Which will soon lead to drastic solutions like Wisconsin to get serious talk.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 5:49 pm:
@Schnorf -
Rarely do I disagree with you, but how can you pretend that a budget deficit and spending cuts are separate issues?
Again, here’s what Republicans said:
“it [is] apparent that it will take between $4 to $6 billion in additional spending reductions to the Governor’s proposed budget in order to put the state back on track.”
Okay, you want to accuse the Governor of over-spending? Fine. But you should be ready for questions on what you think should be cut if you are a “leader.”
- Barry S - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 6:21 pm:
Why does this budget crisis have to be pushed to the wall again and again and again? I’m not surprised in this horrible economy there continues to be a shortfall. Actually two shortfalls; revenues and ideas.
I give the D’s credit for committing the political suicide of passing a tax increase without any “R” support whatsoever. Hey R’s, if you think we are still underwater, where would we be without the tax increase?
How about some ideas? The State’s vendors (including me) are dieing out there waiting for payment. You want cuts, what are they? You have priorities that involve $$, what are they?
You want to lead, tell us where we should be lead. Most of the State’s vendors are about to loose it all.
PS: Indiana, Wisconsin, and Iowa only wish they had our income tax rates.
- Park - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 6:43 pm:
The R’s know that Pat Quinn is constitutionally, physically, personally, absolutely unable to cut programs or spending. Any progress will have to be made through Madigan or Cullerton. Probably not much luck there either. The D’s created this problem, brick by brick, and will have to solve it on their own. Don’t count on it so long as there is one more bond issue to pursue.
I can see why all those R senators and reps are leaving. Their job can’t be any fun.
- steve schnorf - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 6:52 pm:
Dog, too many people are still saying, “Hey, you passed a tax increase, there shouldn’t be any more cuts and we can start restoring the ones already made”. Wrong, and you and I and most of the regulars on here know it, but they weren’t talking to us. I don’t mind them laying out their message in the order they want, they just can’t forget to finish the message.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 7:16 pm:
–I can see why all those R senators and reps are leaving. Their job can’t be any fun.–
Indoor work, no heavy lifting, no responsibility, no accountability, no expectations, the pay’s good, the benefits sweet. I don’t see any dearth of folks lining up for the chance.
- just sayin' - Thursday, Mar 10, 11 @ 8:19 pm:
What good are the Republicans in Springfield. Seriously.
- downhereforyears - Friday, Mar 11, 11 @ 8:34 am:
@ Steve Schnorf’s comments house and senate D’s are still introducing legislation for increased spending. So are the R’s!!!