* The Sun-Times SOTS story is headlined “Quinn’s State of State address gets cool reception from legislators” and includes the best line of the day…
In his second State of the State speech, the governor facing low approval ratings laid out an array of feel-good ideas whose shelf life will be dictated entirely by the harsh reality of Illinois’ nearly empty treasury and a state Legislature more focused upon the March primaries.
We could probably stop there, but then we’d miss all the other fun.
* It’s not this bad…
Can there be a more miserable chore for an Illinois governor than expounding on grand notions for the coming year in a flat-broke state?
The exercise feels like Old Mother Hubbard standing in front of her bare cupboard and announcing plans for a banquet.
The cupboard might be bare, but Gov. Quinn didn’t announce pans for a “banquet.” More like a TV dinner.
* The Tribune was expectedly over the top…
Wouldn’t it be loverly, too, if Illinois could afford the lavish wish list that the governor crooned during his State of the State address — a fabulous treasure of new spending notions and tax breaks.
Funny how I don’t remember seeing this same level of vitriol when the big corporate tax cuts passed in December.
* This was a familiar refrain…
It’s something the Governor addressed in just one sentence, saying “Suffice it to say, we must have Medicaid reform and pension reform in the coming year.” Trinity President and CEO Rick Seidler says, “I was surprised there wasn’t more discussion of that issue.” There was no discussion about how Quinn would make reform happen.
The budget address is in three weeks. Patience, please.
…Adding… I think because so many of you are affiliated with state government, when you hear “state” you think “government” instead of thinking “Illinois.” The State of the State address is supposed to be about the state in its broadest terms.
* Of course, the Carbondale-area TV station would lede with this…
There was one topic noticeably absent from Illinois Governor Pat Quinn’s State of the State speech Wednesday: how the state plans to pay the backlog of millions of dollars owed to Illinois colleges and universities.
I could probably think of a hundred things that were noticeably absent from the speech if I was expecting a budget address instead of a State of the State.
* And then there’s this headline…
Quinn’s State of State address lacks budget-crisis solutions
Three weeks, people. Three weeks. This was a State of the State address, not a budget address.
* A bit about Gov. Quinn’s proposal to repeal the natural gas tax…
That tax — which is figured as a percentage of usage — generates about $160 million revenue each year, said the state’s Department of Revenue. The typical Illinois household pays about $32 a year for the utility tax, according to rough estimates by the Citizens Utility Board. […]
Illinois Chamber of Commerce president Doug Whitley said talk of ending the utility tax had largely disappeared from the business agenda over roughly the past 25 years. Still, natural gas is vital to some companies, particularly manufacturers, and they would be pleased by Quinn’s proposal.
Natural gas prices are very low right now, and the less than $3 a month savings seems far too low to take such a significant budget hit. But Whitley’s right about the manufacturers. They’d feel the tax cut far more.
* A very legitimate complaint…
“We would be most interested in hearing how that could be paid for, given our current fiscal condition,” said Rikeesha Phelon, spokeswoman for Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago.
* Another legit complaint, from Rep. Chuck Jefferson (D-Rockford)…
“He made excellent points about education, jobs and building the economy as it relates to manufacturing, but my question is, how do we do this? It takes money to make it happen. Early childhood education is fantastic, we need to teach all our children, but how do we fund it? Hopefully he’ll have an answer in our budget speech.
“We know out state is hurting fiscally, and how do we fund all these programs?”
* This quote by Sen. Kyle McCarter (R-Lebanon) falls into a trap of Quinn’s making…
“We’re not moving forward.”
Hugely increased exports, more jobs created last year than anyone around us, factories expanding, high tech beginning to really boom. Yes, we have horrible problems, but this state is still moving forward despite the government’s many errors.
* While using a speech like this to raise campaign money is nothing new, this e-mail blasted out to contributors shortly after Gov. Pat Quinn’s speech ended seems more than a little cynical…
As Governor Quinn delivered the State of the State address today, one sentence stuck out: “Illinois is moving forward.”
Can you help Governor Quinn fight for progress by donating $25, $50, $100 or $250 right now?
* Of course, I agree with every word of this cogent analysis…
“Moving forward on the vision that I laid out today will require true partnership,” Quinn said.
But will that partnership include the leaders of his own party, House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton?
Springfield observer Rich Miller of the influential Capitol Fax Blog says lots of work remains in the realm of interpersonal relationships.
“There is still a lot of tension there between those three gentlemen,” he said.
* On style points, I’d also give the speech high marks…
Although Quinn’s plans drew more questions than support, the governor did receive high marks for his delivery. The speech clocked in at just under half an hour and Quinn used a teleprompter to read the address, a departure from his usual habit of delivering off-the-cuff remarks.
“This was his most gubernatorial (speech), though the bar was low,” said Sen. Kirk Dillard, R-Hinsdale, like Murphy a potential governor candidate in 2014.
Yes, the bar was low, but he did well this time. Maybe he’s learning.
* Related…
* Text of Gov. Pat Quinn’s State of the State speech
* Tax-break proposals have price tags - Ending natural-gas tax would cost state $164 million a year; child tax credit would cost $130 million
* Lawmakers express funding concerns after State of the State
* ISN fact checks Quinn’s State of the State
* Reaction to Gov. Pat Quinn’s State of the State: “Cuts alone will not get us to a better budget. We must build and grow our Illinois economy like never before to keep Illinois moving forward.” Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn.
* Quinn pushes for government expansion
* Governor outlines programs aimed at growing Illinois’ economy
* Quinn’s speech raises questions for IL lawmakers
* Navistar CEO to lead Quinn exports group
* Is the recovery real? These reports offer encouraging signs
* Governors’ speeches: glimmers of hope, lots of caution, few grand proposals
- Its Just Me - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 10:18 am:
Rich, I don’t agree with your belief that we should just wait until the budget address to hear the Governor’s thoughts on our State’s finances. The “State of our State” is that we are broke.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 10:20 am:
It’s the state of the state, not the state of the government.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 10:22 am:
“Three weeks, people. Three weeks. This was a State of the State address, not a budget address.”
Rich- Sorry, but that is absurd, whether you say it or the Gov’s office says it. The state of this state is financial chaos, and to not acknowledge it shows abysmal judgement. Even worse, using the speech to bring up new cost items puts the lie to that argument– how is it sensible to not address the budget problems but somehow ok to add new costs?
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 10:25 am:
What is absurd is believing that a State of the State address should be a budget address. It’s about the state, not the government.
- soccermom - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 10:30 am:
The Governor made the right call in focusing on the state of the entire state, not just the Illinois state budget. He’ll deal with the numbers in the budget speech, which is why they call it the budget speech…
And it was not “cynical” to send out an email to supporters on the day when his vision for the state was being rolled out. I got some great emails from the President’s campaign the day of and after the SOTU — it’s smart to jump on a news story as a springboard for donations. (See Planned Parenthood…)
The problem is, the Governor was relying on lackluster fundraising help for a long time after the election; if there had been a regular, professional, ongoing email program, this one would not have gained so much media notice.
- Small Town Liberal - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 10:36 am:
- It’s about the state, not the government. -
I live in this state. I’m full of hope that things will get better and I wouldn’t live anywhere else. Quinn conveyed that same hope, and to me, that is the state of my state.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 10:43 am:
It’s fascinating those that think the state budget is the be-all and end-all to everything. Yeah, it’s a problem, but it’s not the only problem nor the only dynamic in the state.
The gloom-and-doomers can never get enough.
They probably shouldn’t read the Crain article on small business, particularly the poll that shows government regulation is a relatively minor concern of small business owners.
http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20120201/BLOGS06/120209982/is-the-recovery-real-these-reports-offer-encouraging-signs#ixzz1lEsgEpgn
- speeches - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 10:45 am:
Should we just do 1 long speech every year instead of separating them? It would seem if you laid it all out at once, we could avoid this back and forth about finances.
- Shock & Awww(e) - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 10:51 am:
- Seeing as how we’re more populous than surrounding states, I should hope we added more jobs than them. Now if we can just do something about that pesky unemployment rate that keeps increasing…
- This was not a budget speech. There is, however, a sense of tone-deafness about the speech when you read it and when you listen to it. We were one day removed from a scary Civic Fed, report, one month removed from a massive tax break package, one year removed from a massive tax increase and hemmorhaging $.
The Gov.’s topic of choice? Spending and tax breaks. Not reducing them. Increasing them!
There’s nothing wrong with his ideas. They’re actually positive, good ideas. It just seems unbalanced and poor timing.
That sentiment comes across in many of the comments and media coverage concerning his lack of plans to pay for this stuff… when it WASN’T a budget speech.
Either that, or people simply doubt he’ll submit a serious budget proposal next month and are just warming up. We’ll see.
- Shock & Awww(e) - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 10:54 am:
@Word - haha, I was just about to say, “there’s another upbeat piece located here (insert crain’s article link) that may interest you “.
Then I realized it was the exact link I was going to post.
One step ahead, sir. Well done, as always.
- Shock & Awww(e) - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 10:56 am:
or ma’am… I suppose “wordslinger” is gender-neutral. No offense intended sirmaam.
- George - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 10:57 am:
All this was entirely predictable. Look at every single piece of coverage from the State of the State addresses for probably the past 20 years.
They will say: “The Governor did not detail how he would pay for it.”
Oftentimes, as the headline.
I really wish Governors would learn their lesson. Just do one address (I think Rod did this a couple times), or do not talk about spending issues at all in the SoS.
I bet you I can predict next year’s headline already: “Governor fails to detail how he will pay for big state spending wish list.” Without even knowing the content.
- Shemp - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 10:58 am:
I think the finances are such that the State of the State does warrant more discussion of them. “Don’t tell me where your priorities are. Show me where you spend your money and I’ll tell you what they are.” - James Frick
- George - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 11:01 am:
I know Governors like to do two different addresses so they get two entirely separate days of coverage.
But you need to deflate your ego - the pain is not worth the 30-second mini-clip on Chicago TV that is dominated more by the responses (GOP and your own party) than what your message is.
These guys should know better by now.
- Dirty Red - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 11:03 am:
I too would have liked more budget talk, but I think Rich is right. There’s more to the state than state government. Plus, lapse period ended only four weeks ago. I’m willing to bet most budget managers have not seen exactly how fiscal 11 ended for them yet. Add that to the problems the Governor’s Office is reportedly having with preparing its fiscal 13 proposal and it’s no surprise why we were left on a cliff hanger.
I wonder what people would have been saying about the speech had the Civic Fed report come out after the speech and a couple more days before, which would have given Quinn’s people more time to rearrange the work they poured into the speech he gave.
I think the most telling reactions from yesterday were from the Senate Democrats. All of the PRs that came out before Cullerton’s (at least what I saw) said they expected more from the Governor. Pat Quinn has a Rahm problem, Carol Marin? He has a problem with Democrats in general.
- Peter Snarker - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 11:05 am:
If it isnt a budget speech, and it’s not expected to contain details on finances, why propose tax cuts? In the courtroom Quinn is the witness who just opened the “relevancy” door himself to finance-related questions, no?
- Jim - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 11:11 am:
Rich, I think you’re putting yourself in the position of defending the indefensible when you try to define distinctions between the state of the state and the state of the budget. How can you talk about one without talking about the others.
As for moving backwards or forwards, when your unpaid bills will go from an outrageous $9 billion to a mind-boggling $36 billion, that’s going in the wrong direction. Is everything in Illinois a total disaster, no. Is the state’s picture as rosy as you/Quinn contend, I just don’t see how you make that argument in a credible fashion.
- dupage dan - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 11:15 am:
So, yesterday there was a post about the Civic Federation indicating that in short order the state will have, what, 35 billion in unpaid bills. Most who responded concluded that the Federation is not over-estimating the problem. Now, we have posters who say that things are just not that bad - in fact looking up.
I don’t get it. Which picture is real? Can the Federation be right AND the picture be rosy, too?
BTW - the budget address coming in 3 weeks. What budget? Has there been a true annual budget laid out, debated and voted on recently? Or has it been these short term things that, IMO, don’t really clarify what is happening? I seem to remember some lamentation about the lack of a true budget being discussed here - perhaps my memory is fading, like my optimism.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 11:18 am:
===Is the state’s picture as rosy as you/Quinn contend===
Bite me.
I defend the governor a bit and point out some positives and you think I believe it’s all roses?
Your perverse self-hate will kill this state faster than any pension or Medicaid crisis.
We have problems. Big problems. But there are lots of things right with Illinois. If you can’t see that, you’re blind.
- Pot calling kettle - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 11:28 am:
While I realize that this wasn’t a budget speech, and I agree with the Gov. that we need those things. However, listening to him list them and knowing the State’s financial situation; it was very difficult to stop my eyes from rolling. I know it wasn’t the budget address, but by the end, it seemed completely disconnected from reality, especially when you consider Quinn’s history of not following through.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 11:32 am:
Concentrating on economic development and “jobs, jobs, jobs” was absolutely the right approach for the Governor to take. My WAG is that those are the most pressing concerns of the general population. His manner and delivery also conveyed optimism. If his office can stay on message with substantive legislation and keep public attention on economic development, he can help himself and the state of the state.
- I Love Springfield - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 11:34 am:
In the big picture approach to his “State of the State” speech, Gov. Quinn has a kindred spirit today in Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke…
From AP:
WASHINGTON (AP) — Ben Bernanke is urging lawmakers to balance their desire to cut deficits with policies that could help boost the weak economy in the short run.
Bernanke told the House Budget Committee that he recognizes that huge budget deficits represent a serious threat to the economy.
“Even as fiscal policymakers address the urgent issue of fiscal sustainability, they should take care not to unnecessarily impede the current economic recovery,” Bernanke said. “Fortunately, the two goals … are fully compatible.”
- Bill - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 11:43 am:
YESSSSSSSSS! What a beautiful day for a Groundhog’s Day ‘bite me’!
- had enough - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 11:43 am:
Rich, your nothing but a democrat bully!!!
Bite me
Ban me for life who cares!!!
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 11:46 am:
===Ban me for life who cares!!! ===
Happy to oblige, dingbat.
- steve schnorf - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 12:20 pm:
I doubt very much if Governor Quinn’s “ego” is looking forward to his budget speech. This speech seemed to me to be his best one yet, in terms of delivery, focus, and vision. I too believe it was somewhat “tone deaf” to talk about additional spending during these times. The absence of discussion of the budget didn’t bother me. It will bother me if his budget speech pays insufficient attention to the budget.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 12:39 pm:
===It will bother me if his budget speech pays insufficient attention to the budget. ===
I love me some Steve Schnorf.
- dave - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 1:02 pm:
**Has there been a true annual budget laid out, debated and voted on recently?**
Ummm… it helps when, before commenting, you have an understanding of what has happened in the recent past. Did you completely miss last year’s budget process?
- Jim - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 1:10 pm:
Rich,
Calm down. Take a cold shower. No need to take disagreement so personally.
Nobody is saying you’re a bad person, just that it’s hard to share your support for Quinn’s exercise in delusion.
Happy birthday. Congrats on the fundraiser.
I enjoy reading your blog and think you’re very knowledgeable about state politics and policy.
And — please — don’t bite me.
- Bill - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 3:03 pm:
lol
- dupage dan - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 5:05 pm:
dave,
Had remembered so many partial budgets that I forgot that the state actually passed one this year. My post stands for the most part. The state isn’t facing up to the reality of the mess we’re in. The “state” includes the elected officials and those who elected them. If pressed, many voters would be glad to see some other person’s sacred cow program be cut, however, they would argue vehemently to save the program they directly benefit from. That is an ordinary response, IMO. However, we are now living in extra-ordinary times and strong measures are needed to avoid catastrophe. I didn’t get the sense that Gov Quinn sees it that way. That is why I am worried.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 8:24 pm:
As usual, Rich and Schnorf are right.
If Quinn had said we need to create jobs, without laying out some proposals, he would have been criticized for that.
If he’d explained how he planned to pay for it in the budget, some folks would have criticized him for not explaining how he was going to “get it done.”
BTW, Quinn didnt give a budget speech because he doesnt have a budget yet. They are still crunching numbers, figuring out priorities, looking for efficiencies, and yes, thinking about the implications of the civic fed report. A big report which is four days old.
Which, btw, the civic fed probably would have given to the gov before sunday if they wanted him to comment on it in the sots.
- Ok - Thursday, Feb 2, 12 @ 9:40 pm:
Civic fed always releases a report the Monday before the state of the state or budget address. They know how to get their media…
- wordslinger - Friday, Feb 3, 12 @ 7:54 am:
–I don’t get it. Which picture is real? Can the Federation be right AND the picture be rosy, too?–
Life does get a little complicated, doesn’t it, what with the ups-and-downs, the good and the bad, the conflicts and the issyues.
If you’re looking for simple and concrete answers, I suggest you watch an episode of “Alf.”
- Rich Miller - Friday, Feb 3, 12 @ 7:57 am:
LOL, word.