90 Comments - Lincoln's tears - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 9:41 am: According to Donnie Trotter he forgot to mention ” Allah Akbar” - Anonymous - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 9:41 am: Or maybe he takes so much pleasure in hurting the poor that he was worried he’d lose his composure if he brought it up. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 9:43 am: “This…” === - 47th Ward - Wednesday, Feb 18, 15 @ 1:18 pm If you want to cut funding for orphans and the developmentally disabled, have the guts to say it in your speech, not hide it in the budget books. Own it. He wants to be seen as a tough guy budget cutter, but he doesn’t want to talk about many of the cuts he’s making. This was easily one of the most cowardly speeches I’ve ever heard.=== Yep. “This…” - Demoralized - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 9:44 am: It’s funny that he says government needs to get back to its core mission while at the same time cutting programs that are part of that core mission. I can’t think of anything more core than Medicaid. Of course, we shouldn’t be surprised at the ax he took to Medicaid given his “CFO’s” utter hatred of the program (as evidenced by her public statements and past history). - John Boch - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 9:45 am: The State of Illinois can’t be all things to all people. John - very old soil - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 9:47 am: Or He is the CEO and can not be bothered with insignificant little details. - bloval27 - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 9:48 am: Pure bargaining tactic, he’s reaching for the moon on cuts, but we all know they all won’t stick, at least he’s put out something, may not be what most folks like, but it starts the talks which is good. - MrJM - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 9:49 am: “he just didn’t have the guts to talk about them.” Occam’s Razor. – MrJM - Demoralized - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 9:49 am: ==The State of Illinois can’t be all things to all people.== It might want to be some things to the people who need it the most. But good bumper sticker slogan. Really helpful. - Griz - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 9:52 am: Zero for all of these: After School Matters Agricultural Education Arts and Foreign Language Education Children’s Mental Health Partnership Lowest Performing Schools National Board Certified Teachers Teach for America - A guy - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 9:53 am: He’s making some choices that will cause others to make choices they’ve never had to make. We’ve spent a lot of time talking about GOP reps who will have to be bold for the first time (true!). The Dems are going to have to be bold in deciding what to fight for too. As Schnorf said, this is the kind of budget our revenues will support. Ugly as it may be, this is what it covers. If people want more (and I think they will), a consensus could develop to demand more revenue in the least painful way to acquire it. It’s all about choices now. His, theirs, ours…everyone. - forwhatitsworth - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 9:54 am: John … why not? Is the state government only for Rauner and his buddies? - Abe the Babe - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 9:55 am: ==The State of Illinois can’t be all things to all people.== That’s a nice slogan that sounds good in a speech or on a bumper sticker. It gets a little garbled when you explain that to the autistic child or the family members of a heroin addict. For all his talk about shared sacrifice it sure looks like one segment is getting the brunt. - archimedes - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 9:56 am: If this is truly what Rauner sets as priorities and budget solution its easy to see why he was vague and avoiding any questions about finances and budget during the campaign. Even with the cuts that may be legal (though not compassionate) - the budget is highly dependent on changes that would be illegal (pensions) and contractual (health insurance). You take away the stuff he can’t do (even though it is in the budget) and this budget still needs $3 billion to $4 billion in more revenue. - MrJM - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 9:56 am: “insignificant little details” • Youth ages 18 to 21. • Care for senior citizens. • Children on ventilators. – MrJM - MrJM - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 9:57 am: “He’s making some choices that will cause others to make choices they’ve never had to make.” And he’s not man enough to make those choices out in the open. Just a fact. – MrJM - alas - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 9:58 am: He thinks by yammering on about state employees will appeal to his base and to dimwits, thus distracting them from the results of the global klepto-capitalist approach that he has to everything. Oh wait, he is protecting wifey’s hobby area some.. - Lincoln's tears - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 9:58 am: I think this budget will force people to start thinking about revenue. Income tax increase, Chicago casino video poker at Ohare & midway, legalize & tax pot, expand the sales tax, higher gas tax, higher fees for DL’s Lic plates. Going to have to pick and choose. - RetiredStateEmployee - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 9:59 am: No pain for the wealthy, all the pain for the poor and middle class. No surprises. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 9:59 am: ===The Dems are going to have to be bold in deciding what to fight for too.=== Actually, no. Cullerton and MJM are going to hold the 10 and 13 Democratic votes hostage… “You want to close an orphanage? That’s all 47 GOP House votes.” “You want to eliminate breast cancer funding? Only if all 20 GOP Senate votes are on it.” - A Guy -, you’re asking the wrong questions. “How much damage to the GOP Caucuses are they willing to take, and how much will the GOP Caucuses sacrifice before the Leaders can’t protect the seats they got?” - A guy - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 10:00 am: MrJM, I sympathize with your view, but we’re talking about them now. They’re certainly in the open in the media. - Anonymous - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 10:01 am: I see a lot of sacrifice in this budget state workers, for people that use low income services, for medicaid recipients. Not seeing a lot of sacrifices for the uber wealthy. - AnonymousOne - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 10:01 am: ==if people want more, a consensus could develop to demand more revenue in the least painful way to acquire it== True. However,the least painful way to acquire it runs into a roadblock with the our governor who was put into office to protect against that least painful way. The millionaire surcharge was approved overwhelmingly by voters. Where has that all gone? Buried forever, I’m sure. Obviously, if you want more money you have to look at where the money is, not where is isn’t. That would be in the cronies and manipulators standing behind our governor, who are protecting themselves from payin’ one more nickel. Our state has great wealth. But instead we have to squeeze a few pennies out of children on ventilators? Really? The people who are most capable of helping out are the ones refusing steadfastly to do so. Doesn’t that make us all proud? - old-pol - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 10:03 am: = It’s all about choices now. His, theirs, ours…everyone.= Says it all. This is the process. I hope we can rise above using this blog to argue for our individual priorities in a vacuum. In the end, the budget must balance. When advocating your priority please advocate the corresponding cut or revenue necessary to make it work. - Big Joe - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 10:05 am: Didn’t have the guts to lay out the specific cuts to services to children and the less fortunate in our state. And spending the money that will not come the State’s way when the pension reform bill is struck down makes his budget even more severe. I hope Madigan pushes for the 3% millionaires tax that the people voted in favor of in the last election. Cuts alone won’t solve our budget issues. More revenue is critically needed. - Well then - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 10:08 am: His proposed cuts to Medicaid may illustrate his lack of understanding of how the program obtains matching funds from the Federal government and where the greater proportion of Medicaid money goes. - efudd - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 10:11 am: John-if our government, on the state or federal level, can’t be there for children on ventilators, what’s the point of this whole society? - Anonin' - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 10:11 am: BVR touts more school cash but does not mention cuts for transportation and special ed and other ed programs Probably no better than a wash for many districts… oh then there is the tax freeze Bo Hoo you Lose - Walter Mitty - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 10:12 am: Great idea… Cut funding for expelled students… Got it… Glad prisons are getting more funding! - forwhatitsworth - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 10:17 am: AnonymousOne @ 10:01 - I agree with every word you say. In regard to your question - I am not very proud and I did not vote for Rauner. - Andy S. - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 10:19 am: Rauner’s proposed pension changes are most likely unconstitutional based on past Illinois court rulings. That said, in many ways they are fairer and less draconian than SB1, which is also likely unconstitutional. From what I can discern, Rauner is proposing only to cut state contributions for future work, which would not have any impact on those already retired, and would have only a small impact on those who are near retirement. This is at least consistent with what has been done in the private sector. In contrast, by drastically reducing the AAI, SB1 slashed the present value of my pension by about 20%, even though I was already retired when it passed. Until very recently with regard to multiemployer pension plans, this hade never been done for private sector retirees. To be sure, the retirement systems are enormously complex, with numerous different benefit formulas, and I reserve final judgement until all the details have been disclosed. For example, I have no idea what (if any) changes Rauner is proposing with respect to the money purchase formula in SURS, which SB1 attempted to completely gut for future retirees. But for now, I must sheepishly admit that I find Rauner less objectionable than Madigan, Cullerton, Quinn et al. - hakuna matata - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 10:20 am: The adult Medicaid dental services were just reinstated due to the costly burden on the hospitals ER services. It actually costs taxpayers more to cut adult dental services and our ER’s were filled with people who could have easily been taken care of IF they had the resources to see a dentist. - Nearly Normal - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 10:23 am: A friend of mine who follows education matters posted the following education cuts on her Facebook page (some have been noted here but others have not):The Governor is recommending FY increasing General State Aid and Early Childhood Education, but these increases are being paid for by zeroing out the following line items: Advance Placement, Arts/Foreign Language, Agricultural Education, After School Matters, Parent Mentoring Program, Lowest Performing Schools, funding to East St. Louis SD 189, Regional Safe Schools, Children’s Mental Health Partnership, National Board Certified Teachers, Tax Equivalency Grants, Teach for America, and Targeted Initiatives. The Governor is also recommending a lump sum appropriation for agency operations. The lump sum would reduce funding for ISBE operations by $2.0 million GRF. While increasing k-12, the Governor has proposed a 31% cut to all public universities. This is a $387 million reduction to those items, and an average 5.7% reduction in total spending for all universities. With respect to the Illinois Board of Higher Education, GRF funding is cut 50%, and almost all IBHE grant are eliminated including the Washington Center Intern Program, the Quad Cities Grad Center, Grow Your Own Teachers, and the Diversifying Higher Education Faculty Program. The University Center of Lake County is cut 11% from FY15 - The Dude Abides - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 10:24 am: The top bracket state income tax rate in Missouri and Kentucky are 6%. In Wisconsin it’s 7.65% and in Iowa it’s 8.98%. Rauner is going around the state saying that a 5% rate is high. A constitutional amendment to incorporate a progressive multi bracket income tax is the best way to address the structural deficit which has existed for a long time here in Illinois. - haverford - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 10:28 am: The lack of long-term thinking always shocks me. What do you think will happen to the majority of those DCFS wards when they’re suddenly on their own at 18? You’re going to see them in Medicaid, in the prison system, and in the mental health system. You pay some now or you pay lots more later (with the added benefit of large social costs in terms of these folks not being able to contribute to the workforce, etc.) - 47th Ward - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 10:29 am: Leaders Radogno and Durkin were on with Jak Tichenor after the speech. Radogno said they’d be drafting bills based on Rauner’s budget and both she and Durkin pledged to sponsor them in their respective chambers. What do you think the over/under will be on those votes? I think Durkin will be taking home the dreaded century award. Following the GOP leaders was Madigan, who pledged to engage the House committee process as is the normal course of business. He said he’d welcome the various agency heads to come in and argue for their budgets as they see fit. In other words, Madigan read the budget book before the speech and apparently Rauner, Radogno and Durkin didn’t. Bottom line, if Rauner isn’t a coward for the way he presented these proposed cuts, then it’s only because Donna Arduin didn’t tell him about the specifics. So if your choice is that you’re gutless or ignorant, I think ignorant is a better option. - Wordslinger - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 10:29 am: There aren’t Republican votes for those cuts, much less Dems. Phony proposal all the way around. Going to be a long spring, maybe summer. Don’t count on Dems to be in a hurry to get out of town. No problemo making GOP votes relevant this year. - Call Me Crazy - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 10:30 am: Sorry for the off topic post, but Cap Fax’s commenters are the best; even those I disagree with. Cap Fax and its commenters should be required reading for all legislators and their staff regardless of party; especially through the session. - RNUG - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 10:34 am: Long session coming up doesn’t even begin to describe it. Unless there is some grand deal struck between revenue and cuts, I’ve got a feeling someone needs to have a continuing resolution in their back pocket to fund state payroll for at least 3 months after July 1. - Langhorne - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 10:35 am: Education is our number one priority (applause). Never mind the cuts…arts, languages, AP classes, etc. etc etc. Now let’s talk about freezing property taxes, that will help. — Rauner is staking his position way out there, and now waits to see who screams the loudest, and who can be played off whom. I expect madigan will repeat his budget exercise of starting w a revenue resolution, make allocations to various areas, then fully realizing the ramifications. Excellent methodology. But it will be difficult for a liaison to say cut my agency to shreds, and be followed by all the advocacy groups in opposition. - crazybleedingheart - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 10:38 am: Cuts to Amtrak, Metra, Pace, CTA. No word on selling that state plane yet. - Six Degrees of Separation - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 10:43 am: That said, in many ways (Rauner’s pension proposals) are fairer and less draconian than SB1, which is also likely unconstitutional. This is true. Cap Fax and its commenters should be required reading for all legislators and their staff regardless of party It’s one of the leading leisure activities in office cubicles in the Stratton building and elsewhere. - RNUG - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 10:45 am: == It’s one of the leading leisure activities in office cubicles in the Stratton building and elsewhere. == Yep. It’s required reading in some State agencies. - Rivercabin - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 10:52 am: “Cap Fax and its commenter” readings in state offices during breaks and lunch times are encouraged - Skeptic - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 10:57 am: “Yep. It’s required reading in some State agencies.” (Shameless plug for Rich) Too bad they aren’t all subscribers. - Grow Up - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 11:01 am: “eliminate services for youth ages 18 to 21″ Sorry, but 18 year-olds are not “youths.” They can enroll in the army. They go to college. They can vote. Let’s not fool ourselves into thinking they are not responsible and let’s stop being a nanny State. This change will force the transition back into society earlier for 18 year olds. - walker - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 11:05 am: Rauner’s budget with all these cuts, which people are saying should not stand, is still actually short $2.2B. A reality not to be ignored. - 47th Ward - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 11:08 am: ===Let’s not fool ourselves into thinking they are not responsible and let’s stop being a nanny State.=== You realize we’re talking about orphaned and abandoned kids, right? See you in church pal. - crazybleedingheart - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 11:10 am: “This change will force the transition back into society earlier for 18 year olds.” Being abused, abandoned, neglected, or otherwise separated from your parents doesn’t turn you into someone we need to “force” into any kind of behavior at all. As the ads go: foster kids are our kids. If you wouldn’t “force” your own kid out into the cold on his 18th birthday, you can’t “force” these youth, who are not nearly as well-off or “prepared to launch.” They are our responsibility. We are their parents. In fact, seems to me, we should carry them on our health insurance until they’re 26. - MrJM - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 11:10 am: “Sorry, but 18 year-olds are not ‘youths.’ *** This change will force the transition back into society earlier for 18 year olds.” I’m willing to be convinced, so lets meet up with some 18-year olds at the casino of your choice and we can all discuss this over some beers. – MrJM - independent - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 11:20 am: Grow-up has no knowledge of brain development. Why does he think auto insurance doesn’t get cheaper until age 25? - Arsenal - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 11:20 am: “Let’s not fool ourselves into thinking they are not responsible and let’s stop being a nanny State.” Okay: you first. ‘Cause this whole “Orphaned and abandoned 18-year-olds need to just turn into Ron Swansons overnight” is just as much telling people how to live their lives. - Skeptic - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 11:22 am: “They can enroll in the army.” The Army doesn’t take just anybody. There are entrance requirements. “They go to college.” And who is going to pay for that? And let me put words in your mouth. “They can get a job.” A homeless 18 year old high school drop out with no work history and no family? - dupage dan - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 11:22 am: As has been said, the current level of revenue can not support the current programs at their current level of financial need. So, it’s either cuts or higher taxes. The last time the GA voted on maintaining a temporary tax, they failed to pass the bill. That isn’t Rauner’s fault, is it? Even with that bill passed and signed by the then Gov Pat Quinn, there would still be a massive hole in the budget that current revenues are not sufficient to fill, even with the rosiest of projections. Rauner has proposed a draconian budget that is unpalatable to many folks, including me. That is on him. The GA can get down to business, now that the election is over and they can actually conduct business without their self-imposed sword of Damacles hanging over their heads. They can pass a budget that doesn’t include the cuts Rauner has laid out and pass tax increases (you know, the constitutional kind)and send it to him for signing. Then, when he vetoes the bills, the GA (most of whom are seemingly aghast at the evil acts perpetrated by the Gov) can override his veto. Problem solved. - Millie K. - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 11:28 am: ARC of Illinois is a 501-3-C NON-PROFIT that has been profiting from state grants and funds for years….it does very little but keep itself in business, and the money for the disabled does not flow down to the disabled. Many of the programs RAuner has eliminated benefited the programs, but not the people. ARC does not advocate for all the disabled…..there are many people extremely happy that Rauner has seen through their façade. - Anonymous - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 11:29 am: “18 year olds are not youths”. Really? Many children turn 18 toward the beginning of their senior year of high school. So abused or neglected children should be cut off from services when they turn 18? How cruel and short-sighted can this governor be? - Short but Slow - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 11:34 am: Not only did Rauner not mention some of these cuts in his speech - he did not even put out a line-by-line budget to look at; at least for the Department of Human Services. Not sure why there is not more of an outcry about this lack of transparency. As problematic as our budgets have been for years - the information was at least available to look at. - mythoughtis - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 11:41 am: ==Sorry, but 18 year-olds are not “youths.” They can enroll in the army. They go to college. They can vote. Let’s not fool ourselves into thinking they are not responsible and let’s stop being a nanny State. This change will force the transition back into society earlier for 18 year olds. == Really? If you have an 18 year old offspring that is totally independent from you, let’s hear about it. No health insurance in your name, no car insurance in your name, no driving your vehicle, no cell phone on your family plan, no room at your house, no loaning them money, or paying for them to travel with you on a family vacation, or at dinner out. There are a ton of 23 year old college graduates who can’t find jobs right now. Do you really know any independent 18 year olds? And, are foster children really going to be able to support themselves and know anything about life at 18? You know, the ones who haven’t had any kind of a home life for years? - 47th Ward - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 11:44 am: Short but Slow, that’s an appropriate handle lol. http://www2.illinois.gov/gov/budget/Pages/default.aspx - Walter Mitty - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 11:51 am: Gang… When these kids get expelled from their school in 6th grade and can’t attend the Regional Safe Schools that miniscule savings now will doom us later.. Because when they have no place to goto school… The parents will be staying home from work to stare at their kids right? Think about that lunacy for a minute… Or going to the emergency room for your teeth?… Geez.. The votes on these issues the R’s will need to deliver has doomed us to one party rule for sure…Madigan, game, set, match. - MikeMacD - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 11:57 am: 18 yr. olds can also rob banks, deal illegal drugs, go to prison, mug little old ladies, and so on. So many choices for our newly minted, independent adults as they transition into society. Think of how much money the State will save. - efudd - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 12:13 pm: Grow-up-lemme guess, you truly believe trickle-down economics works, don’t you. It’s okay, you can admit it. After all, it is your opinion. - carbaby - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 12:13 pm: I’m sorry that this is long In 2002, FL enacted a law that ended foster care for teenagers on their 18th birthday. However FL still provided state money, counseling, access to scholarships and mental health and medical services. That change allowed the state to receive about $8 million in federal grants to help send the teens to college, vocational school or help them finish high school or get a GED. All foster children were eligible to receive $824 per month from the state as soon as they turn 18 and will continue receiving counseling and support until they turn 23. (Somehow I don’t think this is part of the plan) Then in 2013(effective 1/1/14) Florida changed the law back to allow children in the state’s foster care system to stay until age 21. And this was signed by Rick Scott. It sailed through the FL legislature with no opposition due to the following: They had “found that 70 percent of foster teens have not graduated high school or received their GED by the time they leave foster care.” In 2012, a survey of former foster youth between 18 and 23 found that 40 percent had been arrested at least once, 45 percent of young women had had children, 47 percent were receiving food stamps and 40 percent had yet to receive a high school diploma or GED. And those were youth who had enrolled in independent-living programs that offer guidance in budgeting and life skills. In October 2010, The Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act extended eligibility for federal Title IV-E payments to age 21. It should be noted that by spring 2014, 24 states applied to extend their foster care to 21. So my questions would be 1)Did you budget for the significant amount of Title IV-E money that would be lost? 2) Are you only planning on current wards or are you also including those special needs adoption and guardianship cases that are also Title IV-E reimbursed from 18-21? 3)Who are you going to get to make major changes necessary to the Illinois Juvenile Court Act and would that even pass(doubtful)? 4)Are you really trying to take Illinois backward- behind all of the states that surround us- especially WI and IN? - JS Mill - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 12:39 pm: The Governor espoused a goal of providing Illinois students with a “world class” education. I would have thought AP courses would be a part of that. No? Current Illinois law requires alternative schools (mainly ROE based) as an option for kids. Ag Ed, Illinois is a world ag leader. Not just regional or national. World. Leader. We have some pretty big ag players based in Illinois as well. I guess Ag Ed is not a big deal and world leadership is not either. BTW- Tier II (Governor’s illegal proposal) and SB1 are very different and the Governor’s proposal IS more draconian. Tier II benefits are lower than SB1 and take longer to achieve just for starters. - Get a Job! - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 1:01 pm: I’m going to start calling this the “get a job” budget. If you really look at this budget it’s like Arduin was handed the keys to Stratton 603 and nobody read her proposal before sending it to print. Want your teeth fixed, get a job with some insurance! You have a heroin problem, get a job so you don’t have time for heroin. You are a 18 year old orphan in Foster care….get a job, you mooch. You’re 15 & homeless? Get a job! You have mental health issues, get a job, that’ll certainly help you. - AnonymousOne - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 1:26 pm: Get a Job Good laugh. Those jobs with benefits are so abundant, especially for less than stellar candidates, right? - Beans and Franks - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 1:32 pm: Rauner also did not mention “waste, fraud and abuse.” The positive I see is that Illinois’ conservatives have finally shut up saying that cuts to “waste, fraud and abuse” could balance Illinois’ budget or impact it in a meaningful way. Can we all acknowledge that that argument was and is a complete waste, fraud and abuse of all of our time? - RNUG - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 1:38 pm: - Beans and Franks - Actually, it’s in the budget under Operational Efficiencies as $200M in savings - Wordslinger - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 1:45 pm: And $200 million equals one half of one percent of GRF. Waste, fraud and abuse ain’t all that it was cracked up to be. - Beans and Franks - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 1:46 pm: RNUG - Thanks - the fantasy continues…I can’t wait to see how Ms. Arduin’s $30K a month contract and Mrs. Rauner’s $100K personal assistant get jibed with this line item. - Mama - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 1:53 pm: This is Donna Arduin’s budget. Rauner delivered the speech but someone else made the cuts & wrote the speech. My guess is Rauner did not know nor care about what was cut. - A realistic citizen - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 2:18 pm: Given the hundreds of cuts that will be necessary to save the state from fiscal disaster, it would be difficult to mention all of them in a short speech. For the first time in many years, we now have a fiscally responsible adult running the executive branch. It’s about time! - JS Mill - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 2:35 pm: @Realistic Citizen- Would you care to share the name of the “responsible adult” with the rest of the class? - RNUG - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 2:38 pm: == fiscally responsible adult == Not really … $2.2B in cuts is pure pension reform fantasy and $0.7B is from his union contract wish list. - Sangamo Sam - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 2:56 pm: Here’s a good summary of the budget proposal: https://www.illinoispolicy.org/rauners-budget-a-line-item-breakdown/ - Get a Job! - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 2:57 pm: AnonymousOne……I wasn’t saying I agree with the basis for the cuts, just that it appears to be the work of Arduin who has become know for her now CF-famous “get a job” quote. - Jorge - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 3:12 pm: Realistic, thanks for the laugh. How do you explain the waste of spending on a CFO, while also having a budget director? - Carhartt Designer - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 3:17 pm: Zero for all of these: After School Matters Agricultural Education Arts and Foreign Language Education Children’s Mental Health Partnership Lowest Performing Schools National Board Certified Teachers Teach for America Hmmmm . . . Looks like Ounce of Prevention kept their $$$ - Arthur Andersen - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 4:59 pm: Get a Job, well done. I was seriously thinking about changing my blog handle to that name in light of the “Get a Job!” Budget, but you got it. - econ prof - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 5:19 pm: If we don’t have the money, then we can’t keep up the spending. I admire the new Governor for making tough, and unpopular decisions. When irresponsible legislators, for decades, wreck the place…it’s going to be painful to fix it. Did anyone really expect to come out of this mess pain-free? - Wordslinger - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 5:26 pm: Econ Prof, I think we all get the approved Raunerbot theme by now. Just dazzling. You choose to ignore that at least $2.9 billion of Rauner’s “savings” are pure fantasy. As far as the decades go, prior to last year, Quinn put together five budgets in a row that made full boat pension payments and whittled down outstanding bills by about $4 billion. I would have thought real numbers would be of interest to an “Econ prof.” - low level - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 5:42 pm: The Econ Prof’s “contributions” to this are so redundant and pollyannaish about Rauner - even for a Raunerbot - that I’d just ignore the guy from now on, Wordslinger. - low level - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 5:49 pm: 47th Ward - regarding Rodogno and Durkin comments: Totally agreed. Leader Durkin would come very close to getting 100 no votes if be were to sponsor these measures. Maybe many GOP House members suddenly needing to use the washroom or finding something else to do (aka - “taking a walk” for all the newbies) I really hope votes are scheduled in both chambers on every single one of the items on the Rauner/Arudin “hit list”. Every. Single. One. - Jorge - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 6:28 pm: You figure being an economics professor would allow you to see the numbers and how these budget cuts will cost more in the long run. But alas even economists get stuck in the mire of dogma ala Greenspan. - Get a Job! - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 7:27 pm: Exactly. Madigan should call GOMB yesterday and get those Rauner bills filed & call them for a vote ASAP. It not only forces the Gop caucus to put their money where their mouth is or show the Governor what the house thinks of his “budget”. This budget is a win-win for Madigan. - Get a Job! - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 7:34 pm: Carhartt, just as a note, It appears that ISBE didn’t find after school matter or the children’s mental health partnership lines despite asking for more than $700 million in increases, so I can’t blame the governor for not finding money for them. That being said, the regional safe school elimination is going to do terrible things to the drop out rate. Bad move there, Gov. And after going all around the state talking about vocational education he flat funds that line, eliminates AG Ed and fails to appropriate ISBE’s recommended SCience technology, engineering and math program. I find it hard to get too excited about arts & foreign language or the AP line. Same goes for teach for America, after school matters & national board. Those private organizations will continue to operate in IL even without state money. - MyTwoCents - Thursday, Feb 19, 15 @ 8:57 pm: In the grand scheme of things zeroing out ag education probably won’t make or break any ag program in the state. However, when you are trying to get downstate Republicans on board with your cuts ag ed probably isn’t the wisest choice to completely eliminate. - Percival - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 3:48 pm: I must admit that there is a part of this discussion that I don’t comprend. People have spent years on this blog snarking about the fantasyland of Illinois state budgets, the growing deficits, and the unpaid vendors. Then we were handed a tax increase to “pay the vendors”, but the money went elsewhere. (By the way, are all Lottery funds still going to education, as was promised when it was sold to the public way back when?) Now that Rauner has proposed that we face the music, it’s all orphanages and autistic kids. - Wordslinger - Friday, Feb 20, 15 @ 3:58 pm: Percival, you’re making many things up. A portion of the tax increase was to be dedicated to a bond issue to pay off old bills, yet the GA did not approve the bond issue. Yet old bills were whittled down by about $4 billion. Charlie Wheeler, has written many times about the urban legend of lottery for education. Use the google and you can read all about it, if you care to put aside your fictions. - facts are stubborn things - Wednesday, Feb 25, 15 @ 11:20 am: shared sacrifice — by some. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.