124 Comments - EZ - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 2:16 pm: Not even Rauner’s “proposed” (read: mentioned) services tax? - Demoralized - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 2:17 pm: I can’t think of anything more irresponsible. - Well okay then - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 2:17 pm: Well okay then, without more revenue, it’s up the the IL GOP to take ownership of what needs to be cut. - Anonymous - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 2:21 pm: It’s gonna be a long 4 years. - Norseman - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 2:21 pm: Sigh! - illinifan - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 2:21 pm: I guess this is clearly saying they have no plans to be part of the solution and are not planning on any level of compromise. This will be a long session. - Salty - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 2:24 pm: What’s so magical about the 3.75% tax rate? If it was rolled back at a slower pace to 4.5% would the Republicans budget off that number? Or if it went all the way back to 3%? Secondly, I got a kick out of Leader Durkin saying that nothing that Rauner is doing in Springfield should come as a surprise, as he said as much during the campaign… - PMcP - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 2:24 pm: Further into the ditch! - Alice Keister - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 2:25 pm: Are the House Republicans planning on submitting a budget Bill? - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 2:27 pm: Then the ILGOP own the “Rauner Cuts” of FY2015 - walker - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 2:29 pm: Divin’ down the gopher hole. Never to be heard from again. Say it ain’t so, Jim! - AlabamaShake - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 2:29 pm: Can we see Durkin’s HGOP roll call on Rauner’s budget? Rumor has it he can’t get even half of his caucus on board… but if they won’t vote for revenue, they better be ready to vote for $6B+ cuts. - cover - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 2:33 pm: I hope the GOP members of the General Assembly are prepared to acquire the taste of crow. - yo - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 2:33 pm: that sound you hear is the GA shutting down. democrats ain’t passin’ nothin’ for nobody now. - Frenchie Mendoza - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 2:35 pm: I assume any bill needs D votes. Who, exactly, are the D’s planning to give Rauner what he wants? Please make yourselves known — and then say goodbye to your career in state politics. - anonin' - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 2:41 pm: BVR sez all GOPies are “yes” on the March to Scabistan…no one believes him, but that his view. Could explain why no votin’ has been happenin’ - walker - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 2:42 pm: Durkin is a truth teller. Please let it be that he was misunderstood on this, If he means it plain and simple, then this is bad news indeed — and probably leaves only shorting the pension funding as a way to legitimately balance the 2016 budget. Or de facto government shutdown with blame missiles in all directions. - Give Me A Break - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 2:50 pm: This is going to fun to watch the GOP members with state operated facilities and large groups of state workers in their districts voting for cuts. They couldn’t even vote to close anything when they were on COGFA let only do it on the House floor with everyone watching. - DuPage Moderate - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 2:53 pm: Everyone in Springfield should be fired. - railrat - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 2:53 pm: a little early for an April fools joke Leader Durkin…but it has been a loooong winter - Jorge - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 2:54 pm: Brinksmanship and ovetime yet again. Only thing needed now is a double cross by one of the four tops. - walker - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 2:56 pm: Let’s talk numbers. If the HGOP is struggling to gin up enough votes for Rauner’s $3B in proposed cuts now, how are they going to swallow the $3B more he will need in cuts, if they don’t short pensions or raise tax revenue? - Ducky LaMoore - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:00 pm: I believe that remark was followed by, “I always said this would be a great job, if it weren’t for the constituents.” - How Ironic - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:00 pm: Wow. - Walter Mitty - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:06 pm: Foolish… Guess you now own all the cuts.. Because, nobody will care it’s PQ’s fault or Madigans… It will be yours… Enjoy. - sal-says - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:07 pm: Math may too difficult for ILGOP’ers. But remedial arithmetic might be in order. You know: 1+1=2? - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:07 pm: ===Who=== That’s a Ron Sandack question. To the Post, I am hoping Leaders Durkin and Radogno, along with Governor Rauner, remember Bruce Rauner was the one as “Governor-Elect” that requested letting the 5% sunset. Bruce Rauner, along with the GOP, own the “Rauner Cuts”, and the “Rauner allowing funding to end” jackets. Today, as that sits, this is a big political gamble/mistake. “Who” is going to want to run on these, on purpose? “Who” is going to want to be recruited to run for the GA, under these parameters? “Who”…”Who” will want to say in their district, “Yeah, that stinks. Too bad.” Rauner has no intention on building the ILGOP GA. Rauner’s full intent is to run, and disrespect the the ILGOP and be Owls, Owls that are a number. 67. That’s it. If there is intent on leverage by using FY2015 “no revenues” to force Dems to require revenues, no one is paying attention. Or…Rauner doesn’t respect the ILGOP GA. At all. Leveraging FY2015 won’t play out well; MJM and Cullerton can wait this out. Why? They will just make sure maximum damage is inflicted. All 67 will be on Rauner’s Cuts, and all 67 will either vote for and two will sponsor revenue bills. All the ILGOP GA “perfect no tax pledges” will have blemishes. You can’t game this out any way but the ILGOP GA will be screaming at Rauner, Rauber will retaliate, be the Tom Hagen he is, and let the seats fall where they may. If the question is “Will this gain seats for the GOP, or cost seats?” and the answer is cost seats, then congratulations ILGOP GA, you aren’t independent anymore. The ILGOP GA will long for the day, they were Mushrooms and not Owls. Sandack won’t mind. Sandack needs Uihilne happy. President Cullerton said something after meeting with Rauner and the other 3 Tops that told where the ILGOP GA stood; Cullerton said he (Rauner) nedded to put GOP votes on things. When Cullerton talked past Durkin and Radogno, and told Rauner the score, speaking like the GOP leaders weren’t in the room…to the press…it’s Rauner’s Raunerite Caucuses, for at least 10, no 8, no 6… You’re in trouble ILGOP GA, either you know it, or don’t, or worse, so scared, you know it and can’t do anything about it… And you came cheap. For $20 million. - RNUG - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:12 pm: Since it needs new revenue, guess that means they won’t be voting for that road building Rauner wants either … - The Dude Abides - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:12 pm: This is totally irresponsible by Durkin. I guess they are hoping that the Democrats can be the responsible ones and that they will push the increase through themselves. Once that’s done, rather than thanking the Democrats for rescuing the budget they can go around screaming that the Democrats raised everyone’s taxes. I don’t see anyway Madigan will accommodate them on this. Other repercussions of this besides drastic service cuts, are a degrading of the state bond rating if pension payments are skipped. - Aldyth - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:16 pm: So, the Republicans intend to scorch the earth. Be prepared to own the consequences that will be counted in damage to human lives. It will be laid at your feet. - Ducky LaMoore - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:18 pm: Remember, Rauner told us in the primary that we “might need to shut things down for awhile.” So, that is the strategy. It has to be. Or there is a complete lack of strategy and massive destruction is a biproduct of inept leadership. - Wordslinger - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:19 pm: Where are the “billions and billions” in capital construction coming from? Can you short the pension system and do a POB in the same year? That’s thinking outside of the box. - siriusly - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:21 pm: The Springfield economy will surely benefit from having 172 customers in town for the entire summer. - John A Logan - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:24 pm: What about a higher income tax on union members? There is a proposal that would make Rauner’s head spin. - MrJM - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:27 pm: The GOP’s anti-tax doomsday cult might be amusing if we weren’t all trapped in the bunker with them. – MrJM - Norseman - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:28 pm: This does put a pall over the prospects of a capital program. I’m sure Durkin would come up with some creative wording to justify a vote, but I don’t see the Dems allowing it without some quid pro quo on revenue enhancements. - Anonymous - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:28 pm: I scooped Rich, here is the plan. An EO will be out one of these Friday’s to announce the formation of the “Waste and Fraud Task Force.” This group, half nominated by Rauner and the other half by IPI, will audit the state and uncover at least 2 billion dollars in “waste and fraud” to be cut. - Ghost - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:30 pm: At the end of his taxpayer funded speech he got in his taxpayer funded vehicle and used his taxpayer funded phone to make an appointment with his taxpayer funded doctor. Then he blasted the poor for asking for food and medical care and went to a dinner paid for by lobbists. Since the ethics act allows 50 a day in free food….. - Loop Lady - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:34 pm: C’mon Jimmy, be your own guy…guess the days of him thinking for himself are over…as it is for the rest of the members of his caucus…ridiculous… - Buster - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:34 pm: Statements like this make it clear why we’re in this mess and just replace any remaining hope for our state with despair. Is it too much to hope for some grownups to deal with our problems? I guess so. - Buzzie - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:35 pm: Durkin has declared that in the up-coming war there will be no prisoners. - DuPage - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:36 pm: Watch us smash that iceberg into ice cubes! Full speed ahead! Seriously, though, the small construction contractors I have talked to don’t want a services tax, they would rather have the income tax at 5%. Rauner’s services tax would mean the state would make money on every job they do, even if they (contractors) lose money or just break even. - Thunder Fred - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:38 pm: Looks like the tax eaters are gonna have to get used to their new diet. - Arizona Bob - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:39 pm: @Loop Lady =guess the days of him thinking for himself are over…as it is for the rest of the members of his caucus…ridiculous…= lady, the GOP caucuses in the Radogno/Cross/ Durkin regimes once had an original and constructive idea. It died of loneliness… The same could be said of anything coming from Cullerton and MJMs toadies… - archimedes - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:53 pm: Similar strategy as the federal government budget shutdown last year from the GOPs. How did that work out? - Sir Reel - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:55 pm: Instead of a tax increase, how about revisiting all the tax credits and deductions handed out over the years? They could say they’re not technically tax increases. Won’t solve the problem but would show some effort. Oops … daydreaming again. - anonin' - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:56 pm: we are reliably informed the cheap PA system used by the City Club garbled Durkie’s comment. actually He said “no new faxes in 15 and 16″ this permits Capt. Fax to preserve his near monopoly. - Arsenal - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:58 pm: “Similar strategy as the federal government budget shutdown last year from the GOPs. How did that work out?” Well, they have a Senate majority now. - I B Strapped - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 3:59 pm: Walker @2:42- ‘probably leaves only shorting pension funding to legitimately balance the 2016 budget’. Yeah, we get that a lot! - Anonymous - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:02 pm: Politicians say all kinds of things, but it isn’t May 31 yet. (Or June 30). Let’s see what the budget bills look like when they are passed. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:03 pm: - Arsenal -, POTUS’ (IL Gov’s) Party forces the opposing GOP party (IL Dems) to “like it or lump it” shutdown. POTUS’ (IL Gov’s) Party takes hit next election, GOP (IL Dems) gain seats. Think DC, “reverse it”… - How Ironic - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:07 pm: @Thunder Fred: “Looks like the tax eaters are gonna have to get used to their new diet.” How does one get ‘used’ to breathing w/out the assistance of a ventilator? Exactly? I love the term ‘tax eater’ as well. I suppose then all of the personal exemptions you use on your taxes…you politely decline? I mean after all one man’s exemption is another’s ‘tax eating’ revenue device. And lastly, I sure hope you’ve already informed social security that you’ll not be taking it, or medicare. Because the amounts paid out far exceed your contributions. Sure hate for you to become an ‘eater’ and all that. - Langhorne - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:07 pm: So the republicans are all in for all or nothing. They will own the suffering. I wonder if it was grape or cherry kool aid - Carl Nyberg - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:09 pm: All those years of the GOP kvetching they didn’t have to propose a serious budget b/c they were in the minority… And now they have the Governor and they are no more serious. - Carl Nyberg - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:12 pm: I would like to see the Illinois Constitution amended to allow recall of the whole General Assembly if they short the pensions. That would cause them to be a bit more serious. - Iron Duke - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:20 pm: Let’s see Democrats don’t want to cut anything from the budget. Republicans don’t want to raise any revenue. Only the Republicans are being unreasonable. The November election never happened and Quinn is still Governor. Rauner’s budget is completely irresponsible but the 2015 budget was fine. Does that sum it up pretty well? - Arsenal - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:23 pm: OW- I actually agree that this hurts the Republicans (As I keep saying, budget chaos redounds to the legislature’s benefit). It’s just, y’know, DC Republicans may not think they “lost” the shutdown showdown, or that if they did, it didn’t matter. - ZC - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:23 pm: It’s kind of like breaking a strike, except now the entire state is the unions … - How Ironic - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:26 pm: @ Iron Duke: “Rauner’s budget is completely irresponsible but the 2015 budget was fine. Does that sum it up pretty well?” Did you just move to Illinois, and start reading this blog? We’ve been saying since the 15 budget came out it’s a bad one. Stop being the victim. Rauner bought the hot seat, and the excuse of ‘hey this isn’t my problem’ only works so well. The issue with Rauner is that there is zero discussion about revenues, but only cuts. And the cuts are for programs directed at the least fortunate. Like children on ventilators, parents who are working, but need help to provide child care during working hours (and who will be out of work, and require MORE public assistance w/out it). HOWEVER, Rauner sees fit to RAISE the amount of ‘free money’ that goes to motorcycle training. So that the most fortunate of population can get free motorcycle training lessons. While children are being denied funding to cover the cost of ventilators. Is it coming clear now? - Iron Duke - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:28 pm: Still waiting on what the Democrats want to cut - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:28 pm: ===Only the Republicans are being unreasonable.=== Nope. What is unreasonable is thinking that the “Rauner Cuts” and Rauner demanding that the 5% tax level expiring isn’t a jacket to be worn by Rauner. They are “Rauner Cuts”, until a structured roll call passes signed and achieved for the FY2015 fix, and a structured roll call is done, passed, and signed for FY2016. Please learn. ===Rauner’s budget is completely irresponsible but the 2015 budget was fine. Does that sum it up pretty well?=== Further, no one said FY2015 wasn’t irresponsible, but allowing revenue to sunset with cuts still not fixing the gap…and…proposing a FY2016 budget with $2.2 Billion in phony savings and touting $1.9 “loss” of revenue based on a fiscal fairy tale, yeah, that’s Rauner’s. Please keep up. - Arsenal - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:29 pm: “Does that sum it up pretty well?” Not really. “Democrats don’t want to cut anything from the budget” Almost every Democrat I’ve heard from has said that there does need to be cuts. They all certainly voted for some 2009-2014. ” The November election never happened and Quinn is still Governor.” No, but Bruce Rauner isn’t the only person who won an election in November. What’s a Senate Dem supposed to do, tell his constituents, “Yeah, you voted for me and my platform, but some other guy won some other race I wasn’t even involved in, so I gotta vote with him.”? Democratic legitimacy cuts a few different ways. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:31 pm: - Iron Duke - Governors propose, Legislature desposes. Until the 4 Tops meet with the Governor, it’s all on Rauner. Governing is difficult. - Iron Duke - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:32 pm: Following along just fine. Don’t see any compromise on either side and a general unwillingness to acknowledge the results of the election by the democrats in the GA. - ChiTownSeven - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:33 pm: The State Constitution requires that Rauner “prepare and submit to the General Assembly. . . a State budget for the ensuing fiscal year,” and that the budget sets forth “the estimated balance of funds available for appropriation at the beginning of the fiscal year, the estimated receipts, and a plan for expenditures and obligations during the fiscal year of every department, authority, public corporation and quasi-public corporation of the State, every State college and university, and every other public agency created by the State. . . . ” Under the State Budget Act, Rauner’s budget was supposed to be introduced by “the third Wednesday in February.” So, where’s his budget? Where’s the outcry that it hasn’t been introduced? Or am I missing something? - Arsenal - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:35 pm: “a general unwillingness to acknowledge the results of the election by the democrats in the GA” I think if they would have declined to be sworn in I would have heard about it… - Earnest - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:35 pm: I would have felt better if he’d said they will support no new or imagined revenue this session. The only useful imaginary number of which I’m aware is i (the square root of negative one). - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:38 pm: ===..and a general unwillingness to acknowledge the results of the election by the democrats in the GA.=== You aren’t following along at all. You don’t comprehend how government works. The GA and the Executive are Co-Equal. Co-Equal. Rauner, as Governor, needs to find 30 IL Senate votes, 60 IL House votes. That’s on him. Both Chambers owe him nothing, like those Chambers, since 1818, and 1970’s Constitution, it’s been like this. You are lacking fundamental knowledge. - Iron Duke - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:39 pm: Senator Durkin said that the Democrats were not willing to make any significant budget cuts. They also were not willing to raise taxes before the election. Some may have been willing to raise taxes after the election( real profiles in courage) - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:41 pm: ===Senator Durkin=== Go lay down. You don’t even know who is who. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:42 pm: ===They also were not willing to raise taxes before the election. Some may have been willing to raise taxes after the election( real profiles in courage)=== Rauner asked them not to, before and after the election. You are borderline Trolling… - Wensicia - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:42 pm: I don’t think the Republican leadership is in a position to make threats. So far, it ain’t workin’ for Rauner, is it? - How Ironic - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:42 pm: @ Iron Duke: “Don’t see any compromise on either side and a general unwillingness to acknowledge the results of the election by the democrats in the GA.” I don’t see any compromise on either side and a general unwillingness to acknowledge the results of the election by the GOP in the Gov’s mansion. Your guy won the Gov’s mansion. He didn’t become “King of Illinois”. Maybe he ought to try actually governing, instead of ruling by decree? - Arsenal - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:44 pm: “Senator Durkin said that the Democrats were not willing to make any significant budget cuts” He was wrong. Not to step on Rich’s line, but you should subscribe… - Iron Duke - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:45 pm: Willy you are such a know it all. I bet you were a great guy to know on the playground. I did pass my 8th grade civics class but thanks for the refresher. Sounds like no compromise is what you are hoping for and a long summer in Springfield. - Iron Duke - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:46 pm: So the Dems listen to Rauner in the Spring session and I am the troll? - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:49 pm: - Iron Duke -, Nope. I want a compromise that can have a structured roll call and won’t get vetoed for both FY2015 and FY2016, with the least amount of damage to the ILGOP GA, in hopes that the GOP GA Caucuses can sustain damage, and even grow. This isn’t a newspaper blog where “Senator Durkin” drivel is accepted, and not understanding the politics of governing is accepted. Being a victim to “whomever”, that’s isn’t really looked upon too highly either. - Iron Duke - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:50 pm: House Republican leader Durkin not Senator Durkin. I can admit a mistake. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:51 pm: ===So the Dems listen to Rauner in the Spring session and I am the troll?=== You’re a troll for blaming the Dems for not seeing it was Rauner who asked them not to do anything. You’re welcome. - Iron Duke - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:51 pm: Where does this victim stuff come from? Do you only want to hear from people who agree with you or the other half of the state? - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 4:53 pm: I tried. I’m done feeding the Troll. Good luck. - How Ironic - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:01 pm: @Iron Duke, Compromise is the result of two reasonable alternatives being changed into something both sides can agree on, but not necessarily what they want. The Gov has offered nothing ‘reasonable’. If I were to make an analogy to your post it would be this. Let’s say you were going to sell you home, and a buyer asked for a tour. At the conclusion of the tour they said “You are asking $400,000″. I’m countering, and my counter offer is this “Tonight I’m going to stop by at 1:00am burn your house down; then I’ll buy the lot for $20,000″. And your Realtor says “Well, I guess it’s time to compromise” - JS Mill - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:02 pm: =So the Dems listen to Rauner in the Spring session and I am the troll?= No, you are misinformed though. Is that on purpose? The Democratic leadership and former governor’s have not been given a pass here. We have a new governor now (in case you missed it) and his job is to propose a budget. He works for the citizens of the entire state, not just the ones that voted for him or the uber wealthy. Everyone. Maybe, the issue is we have a revenue problem. That is harder for a politician to admit. Cuts and Revenue says the speaker. Sounds like an olive branch to me. No tricks says the candidate. Not seeing that so far. I expected different since he said he would be. Not so far though. Get it now? - JS Mill - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:04 pm: =“Tonight I’m going to stop by at 1:00am burn your house down; then I’ll buy the lot for $20,000″= Very apt analogy. BTW- does that actually work? - Michelle Flaherty - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:05 pm: They’re gonna need a lot more jobs in the Rauner admin for Durkin’s caucus before this deal is done. - Loop Lady - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:12 pm: A Bob: I have known the Durkin family for years, they are decent public servants, until today…Rauner is taking hostage moderate Republicans with his shenanigans, and they are allowing it, because they are afraid of his 20 million being used against their re-election campaign…just sayin…how does this differ from the tactics the opposition has used? Because they cannot shelter themselves from the a bully, does that imply that they should go along to save trheir own skin? - Iron Duke - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:15 pm: So how much are the democrats willing to cut and how much revenue do they want to raise? Sees like a reasonable question. Maybe when we know we can have an informed debate instead of the nonsense that is going on now. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:19 pm: When the Four Tops and the Governor decide what cuts, what revenues and who will be voting how, we’ll know. Maybe only a day or two sooner. - PoolGuy - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:19 pm: how can you have an informed and reasonable debate when one side just told the other side no new revenue? not much room to negotiate at the moment unless this is some ploy. - Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:21 pm: LOL. - Alice Keister - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:22 pm: So the House Republicans put out a lump sump budget with no new revenues. It’s voted down. What’s next? - Jocko - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:27 pm: ==Let’s say you were going to sell your home== A better analogy would be telling your personal trainer you want to lose 15 pounds, so he proceeds to chop off your left leg. - Iron Duke - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:30 pm: One other way to look at is you cut up your credit cards and try to live within your means. Illinois lost 95,000 residents last year who left our dysfunctional state. Just raising taxes without any reforms seems unrealistic and unwise. - James - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:34 pm: I love watching this governor fail. The only good to come of Durkin’s remarks (from my perspective) is that the policy will motivate Democratic voters and independents to go to the polls in 2016, and will further tarnish the “R” brand in Illinois for many years. Sorry, Sen. Kirk. But this, too, will pass, although many innocents will suffer, as we go back to the late 1800s when charities and churches did what has come to be the state’s business. - Iron Duke - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:41 pm: I am sure if we just call them Rauner cuts your plan will work but nothing can pass unless they all agree. People will be equally upset about tax increases don’t kid yourself. - JS Mill - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:41 pm: @Duke- Maybe they left because they were tired of waiting for the state to pay them the $6 Billion they were owed. BTW- that credit card has a heck of a lot charged up on it and not by PQ, he charged the least actually. He showed a bit of fiscal responsibility. Rauner just wants to get out of paying the debt but Illinois is not another one of his bust out deals. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:43 pm: Rauner… He will sign the revenue increased too…along with the “Rauner Cuts”. That’s hos it works. The Big Chair takes the heat. - Iron Duke - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:48 pm: So much for the coequal branch they have no responsibility right? Go back to 8th grade civics - Michelle Flaherty - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:50 pm: More of this and Durkin’s gonna give Tom Cross the legacy he never had. - How Ironic - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:52 pm: @ Iron Duke, “Go back to 8th grade civics” What’s up with the 8th grade business? Is that where you stopped? You can get a Phd in Political Science at the University of Illinois. Maybe you should have stayed in school longer….it might have helped. Sort of like trying to devise economic policy, all from that discussion you had in 8th grade about what a check book looks like. - How Ironic - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:54 pm: @Jocko “A better analogy would be telling your personal trainer you want to lose 15 pounds, so he proceeds to chop off your left leg.” Hilarious. Would the compromise in your example be that they rolled up the pant leg first, so it looked like you still had your leg afterward? - cdog - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:58 pm: This whole thing boils down to Citizens United and term limits. - walker - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 5:59 pm: Iron Duke: Welcome to the commentary. If you dive into the numbers, you will find the Dems have cut chunks out of ongoing operating expenses, and staff, in recent years, but have spent more in a pension catchup, and paying down old bills. They fully expect cuts to continue to occur, they just want to fight over one or more of them. Anything any of them have said publicly would lead to that conclusion. So far Leader Durkin has announced “no new tax revenue.” Show me any Democratic leader or GA member who has recently announced “no new cuts.” You can sit with your predetermined perspective, or you can learn a bit more. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 6:01 pm: “Term limits”? Yikes. - Wordslinger - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 6:05 pm: This just in….. The governor’s office announced they just found another $3.8 billion in pension savings. It was in a couch cushion. Done and done. - Arsenal - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 6:10 pm: “So how much are the democrats willing to cut and how much revenue do they want to raise? ” Subscribe. “Go back to 8th grade civics” Yeah, the problem is way beyond 8th grade civics. Political reality is budget problems hurt the Governor, not the legislature. “One other way to look at is you cut up your credit cards and try to live within your means. ” Yeah, that’s a way to look at it, just not a correct one. Rauner’s budget still relies on $2 billion worth of magical thinking, and it’s pretty rich to say we’re “living within our means” after cutting taxes. We’ve got a lot of “means” left on the table. “Just raising taxes without any reforms seems unrealistic and unwise.” Just cutting everything besides motorcycle safety classes IS unrealistic and unwise. BTW, a big part of the reason Quinn lost is that he already cut quite a few sacred cows (and tried to cut more). I know why you need to ignore this fact, but it is nonetheless true. - PoolGuy - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 6:13 pm: i have the wrong couch. i only found 2 cheetos and an opened pack of gum :/ - Minnow - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 6:15 pm: The GOP GA needs to worry more about the opinions of their constituents that enter the voting booth than what Governor 1% wants. The ill will of all voters towards what is happening is growin’ and no amount of money will get them re-elected if they don’t separate themselves from this callous man. IMHO - How Ironic - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 6:16 pm: @Wordslinger- This also just in, of the $3.8 billion in ‘found money’, they are going to use $3.2 Billion of it to buy each person that goes through the fully subsidized motorcycle training class a loaded Harley. - JS Mill - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 6:20 pm: =So much for the coequal branch they have no responsibility right? Go back to 8th grade civics= Really? That is your dig? You may have wandered on to the wrong spot there fella. While snark is appreciated and there is the occasional dope thrown around it is usually fairly well earned. But your ignorance is undeserving of the latter, your are, with all due respect, deserving of your own fate. Sadness. - Iron Duke - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 6:30 pm: So you think they are Rauner cuts too? It seems to me if you bought a house but only had 90 percent of the money for the price you agreed to pay that would be your fault and not someone elses. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 6:38 pm: The FY2016 “Rauner Cuts” we’re proposed by Rauner. It’s Rauner’s Budget. It’s “The Rauner Cuts”. Letting funding lapse by the Executive is being done by Rauner, FY2015, and letting the Income Tax sunset, asking that it subsets. That’s on Rauner too. Rauner has the gig, Rauner owns it. - How Ironic - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 6:46 pm: Iron Duke, Before you post again, please bring us a copy of Rauners ‘Budget Plan’ that he produced during his campaign. The detailed one, with all of his proposed solutions to Illinois’ budgetary needs. If you don’t have the actual copy, please just supply a link so we can look it up. I’d like to refresh myself on it. I seem to remember a whole lot of promises about raising education spending, and other spending. It sure looks like he’s proposing cuts. So yes, they are ‘Rauner’ cuts. Thanks. - walker - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 6:52 pm: Iron Duke: One thing to ponder which gives us much concern: Let’s say we all agree with your apparent positions, (don’t want to be unfair). Let’s take all of Rauner’s proposed cuts to operating expenses, and keep the tax revenues no longer distributed to localities, as he proposed. Let’s assume no new taxes for a whole host of political and economic reasons. Then Rauner’s proposed budget, so far, is still $3Billion short of balancing. What do we do then to close that gap? It’s too early in the process to take and announce hard positions. - steve schnorf - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 7:28 pm: loop lady, they have been and still are more than just decent public servants, they are good ones. Jim is acting out his current role. Scripts get re-written and characters get evolved. I’m much more interested in what he (and the other leaders) are saying about May 28th than what they are saying March 16. - Mama - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 7:29 pm: His increase to education just went out the window. - Norseman - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 8:34 pm: === they have been and still are more than just decent public servants, they are good ones. Jim is acting out his current role. Scripts get re-written and characters get evolved. I’m much more interested in what he (and the other leaders) are saying about May 28th than what they are saying March 16. === Steve, in my youth I would have wholeheartedly agreed with you. We all know the games that are played - played them myself when I worked for and with the General Assembly. But as I’ve seen the increasing decline in the quality of state government and the adverse impact on the people it serves, I have soured on how our elected officials are playing their roles nowadays. The focus is now on trying to placate the extremists among their partisans out of intransigent belief or fear of defeat. Working on compromises with the other side of the aisle to address problems has become a sin in today’s politics. Our public servants and their supporters are more interested in vilifying opponents than co-opting or cooperating with them to make things better. You infer that we may hold out some hope with an evolving script that may result in acquiescence to some revenue enhancement. That may be the case. I suspect it to be the case. Today’s “definitive” statement that the GOP will “not be supporting any new revenue” can then only be seen as a deceptive pronouncement for political posturing. I have a hard time accepting the characterization that folks who engage in deception, obfuscation and political posturing are decent and good public servants. I would agree that most are decent people and good politicians, but serving the public they are not. I sit here with this quixotic hope that our elected officials would one day accept the challenge of becoming decent public servants focused more on working towards solutions not partisan advantage. - Anonymous - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 8:36 pm: :) - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 8:57 pm: Well said - Norseman -. As I have said, when the Four Tops and the Governor get together, then they have my attention. Still believe that. What you commented is my absolute fear, the reality; Durkin and Rauner now are going way beyond the Thompson Pivot to make the Dems own the revenue increases that will be required to make this budget work. They both now are going to have their words, and their public word mean very little. It’s beyond posturing, it’s beyond politics. This is declarative. By both. Well beyond a game of chicken too. You are On It - Norseman -, because of theses statements, and their absolutes. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 16, 15 @ 10:11 pm: - Norseman -, I also holdout a hope for Leaders Durkin and Radogno and why I still worry for the Caucuses. If they all believed like Rauner does, there would be no need for the $20 million hammer. That Durkin quote doesn’t take all that away. I root for the GOP Caucuses. It’s the subplot playing out. - Rod - Tuesday, Mar 17, 15 @ 5:30 am: ChiTownSeven I agree with you that there have been zero budget bills submitted to the appropriation committees. I have to wonder what the point was yesterday having a hearing in Chicago about a DHS budget that has not yet been filed. It made the news with horror stories about the proposed budget that is on line but not submitted to the Assembly. I wonder how many of the reporters covering that hearing yesterday even understood that. - PublicServant - Tuesday, Mar 17, 15 @ 5:41 am: ===I sit here with this quixotic hope that our elected officials would one day accept the challenge of becoming decent public servants focused more on working towards solutions not partisan advantage.=== It is indeed a quixotic hope, Norseman, but I have that hope too. There’s always hope. But when the partisan extremists are the one’s financing your, or your opponent’s campaign with the goal of being a better conman, playing to the public’s worst fears and prejudices in order to garner their purposely misinformed vote, hiding your true agenda, why would they? OW hopes for a person’s moral compass to guide their actions in the end, but I don’t think there are many left with a moral compass that’s moral enough to actually not be co-opted by the extremists who finance them. Those people you and I hope for aren’t the ones who run for office anymore. - Loop Lady - Tuesday, Mar 17, 15 @ 9:06 am: Scnorf: with all due respect, please take off your partisan rose colored glasses and reread Norseman’s post… - anon - Tuesday, Mar 17, 15 @ 10:53 am: == “Republicans will not be supporting any new revenue this session” Leader Jim Durkin == What he really meant was “Republicans will not be supporting any new revenue this session for social services. New revenues for roads are a different story.” Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.