Um… Huh?
Wednesday, Jul 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Erickson…
“I am for a temporary budget to make sure essential services are taken care of,” said state Rep. Mike Smiddy, D-Hillsdale.
But, Republican lawmakers said they oppose the idea. And, they rejected accusations they were playing a game of political chicken designed to see which side would blink first.
“I hope that’s not the case because these are people’s lives we’re dealing with,” said state Rep. Bill Mitchell, R-Forsyth. “The General Assembly should do what it is supposed to do… and that is pass a balanced budget.”
State Rep. Adam Brown, a Champaign Republican who last week supported a temporary budget, changed his opinion Tuesday after the governor’s staff weighed in on the issue.
“I think listening to the administration today you’re hearing that essential services will continue to be funded and I think that’s extremely important and that’s the right path,” Brown said.
* The synopsis of HB 4235, introduced June 29th by Rep. Bill Mitchell and joined as co-sponsor on Tuesday by Rep. Adam Brown and several other Republicans…
Expands current continuing appropriations provisions to cover executive branch operations and all State universities (currently, the provisions cover only judges and the legislative branch).
Defines “executive branch operations” to include all State agencies, the office of any constitutional officer, including any agency or entity reporting to a constitutional officer, and any agency, board, commission, or other entity of the executive branch. Effective immediately.
Signing onto that bill would mean support for spending way more money than the state is projected to bring in next fiscal year.
…Adding… SJ-R…
Springfield Republican representatives Raymond Poe and Tim Butler did not rule out supporting the temporary budget.
“This isn’t the answer, but I’m going to take a hard look at it,” Butler said. “I’m someone who wants to see government keep running, but I continue to feel this is just one more kicking the can down the road instead of getting to the table and talking about things.”
Rep. Butler is also listed as a co-sponsor.
…Adding… From Rep. Mitchell in comments…
The bill I filed wouldn’t increase spending. It would pay currently employed state and university employees what they are entitled to. They are reporting to work. They should be paid.
OK, but compare that to the logic used by Gov. Rauner’s budget director earlier today. Under that framing, you could conceivably “extrapolate” higher costs in FY 16.
- Tournaround Agenda - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 10:26 am:
Whew, good thing Rauner told them what to think.
- the Other Anonymous - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 10:27 am:
Is there any reason for the Democrats to not call the bluff and send the Governor this bill? It seems to me that it gives them the upper hand — they don’t have to pass a budget at all, and still end up with something pretty close to what the passed in the first place.
Sorry if I’m sounding ignorant/naive/etc, but let me know if I’m missing something.
- Wordslinger - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 10:30 am:
Trouble in the paradise of the House GOP caucus.
If noting else, those co-sponsors just identified themselves as tax increase votes.
That continuing appropriation bill is wildly out of balance.
- Mama - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 10:33 am:
Would this bill include money to pay all staff working for those state agencies?
- Weltschmerz - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 10:34 am:
We’ll know they are serious when they stop showing kids and sick people and trot out the suffering consultants.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 10:39 am:
“I think listening to the administration today you’re hearing that essential services will continue to be funded”
With what? Excuse me Representative but you should be aware that there can be no expenditures for these “essential services” without an appropriation.
- PublicServant - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 10:39 am:
===Signing onto that bill would mean support for spending way more money than the state is projected to bring in next fiscal year.===
So, did anyone as Rep. Mitchell to comment on that fact, Rich?
- Norseman - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 10:45 am:
Make this temporary and push it GOP caucus. This is your life jacket. Rauner is looking for you to take the political heat for him. He wants his cake - crisis to leverage his agenda - and eat it too - avoid taking a major political hit from those who are affected by the crisis. You are being promised that his campaign money will immunize you from political damage. Do you trust that promise?
I know I’m wasting my breath because the GOP caucus has sold it’s soul for the money. Sorry folks the Rauner shut down will continue.
- walker - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 10:45 am:
So these House Republicans wanted to spend even more in the next month than with Madigan’s bill?
Until Rauner’s staff tamped down their excitement?
Everybody’s showing the stress of an untenable position.
- Joe M - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 10:47 am:
==Expands current continuing appropriations provisions to cover executive branch operations and all State universities==
Isn’t that pretty much a big part of what the Governor recently vetoed, when he vetoed the budget bills passed earlier by the GA? In some cases, it may even entail spending more than the budget passed by the GA. For example the budget passed by the GA cut higher ed by 8.6%. Extending current appropriations to higher ed would seem to negate the 6.8% cut?
- The Dude Abides - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 10:49 am:
So now GOP members have introduced their own bill to keep Government services running and like the Democrat’s bill, it is out of balance. Interesting. Again if the 5% Income tax hadn’t expired we would be in pretty good shape, but the Governor requested that it be allowed to expire, presumably so that he would have leverage for his “turnaround agenda”.
- Rep. Bill Mitchell - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 10:49 am:
The bill I filed wouldn’t increase spending. It would pay currently employed state and university employees what they are entitled to. They are reporting to work. They should be paid.
- Arizona Bob - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 10:50 am:
These “continuing resolution” bills are just a Death by a thousand cuts. Rauner is right to reject it. It’s time for Madigan to get serious about addressing the financial mess he’s created.
If he wants to spend more than current revenues, let him pass the tax bill, override the veto, and “own” it.
If he thinks the suggested Rauner savings are “inhumane” then let him pick cuts that ARE “humane”.
Madigan’s games to avoid responsible leadership are what got Illinois into the worst financial predicament in the nation. Rauner HAS to fill the void left from his and Cullerton’s abdication of leadership.
Rauner has put some reasonable revenue increases on the table, provided there’s a quid pro quo. Madigan’s done NOTHING to work towards a solution.
There’s only one adult in the room who wants to fix this problem, and he isn’t in the GA.
- Rick - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 10:52 am:
Interesting…as I read this post, I glanced to the right and saw on the CampaignCash feed Bill Mitchell’s campaign fund just cashed an $8,000 donation from Rauner.
- Arizona Bob - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 10:54 am:
@Rep Bill Mitchell
=The bill I filed wouldn’t increase spending. It would pay currently employed state and university employees what they are entitled to. They are reporting to work. They should be paid.=
So funding for grants and contract payments are excluded from your bill?
- the Other Anonymous - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 10:54 am:
“The bill I filed wouldn’t increase spending. It would pay currently employed state and university employees what they are entitled to. ”
OK, fair enough Representative. But the appropriations include more than just salaries, yes?
At any rate, I hope you have a chance to call the bill. I will be disappointed if you don’t call the bill if you have the chance.
- Norseman - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 10:55 am:
Glad to see your reading Rep. Mitchell. Stand up for your constituents and push your bill. If the criticism is the length of the measure, amend it. Make this more than a press release bill. Do a solid and convince your fellow caucus members to resist the siren song of the campaign money.
- PolPal56 - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 11:00 am:
It may hurt the narrative, but I’ve been assured by my University’s personnel office that we have operating for July and payroll for August in contingency. I assume (of course we know what that means) that tuition income in August would float us for a while. Certainly there’s been little short term, immediate concern expressed by anyone, including UPI.
- Tough Guy - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 11:01 am:
Maybe we can start getting a daily count from “ck” on how may times this Governor is going to throw the GOP House and Senate members under the bus.
- Juice - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 11:02 am:
Umm…Representative, from the bill. “aggregate appropriations available for each State university from all State funds for each State fiscal year shall be no less than the total aggregate appropriations made available for each State university for the immediately preceding fiscal year” That would mean higher spending than what was in the bill that the Governor vetoed.
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 11:04 am:
I took Madigan opening the door to a one month extension yesterday as a positive development, not an ultimatum. An extension should not be used as a vehicle to advance 1/12 of the Rauner budget, 1/12 of the Madigan budget, or anything similar.
Pols in more difficult situations have temporarily compromised. It is not impossible to mutually negotiate a one month budget extension that keeps basic services running and pays employees.
Please do better, y’all. Get your heads out of the sand and get a one month, partisan-neutral extension done.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 11:05 am:
==There’s only one adult in the room who wants to fix this problem==
Let us all know who that is because I’ve yet to see an adult anywhere during this process. It’s laughable for anyone to suggest that any adults are present here.
- Union Man - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 11:08 am:
I keep hoping for furlough days. Calif had to take 3 a month.
Rightfully, state employees should not work based in an IOU from the GOV when he does not have the authority to cut checks for FY16.
“Go ahead, paint my house, I promise I’ll pay you (something).”
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 11:10 am:
The Governor has Republican legislators so twisted in knots that they don’t know which way is up. Vote no on the education budget. Oops. The Governor signed that bill. One month budget? Nope, it’s out of balance. Oops, I filed a bill to do a one month budget. I think I’d just not show up to work any more until they figure this out. I’d rather answer for not voting at all right now than getting myself in trouble with these symbolic votes.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 11:12 am:
Union Man:
I guarantee you one thing. If you don’t show up at work you’ll not get paid at all. At least if you come you’ll eventually get paid.
Who in their right mind hopes for furlough days? The comments around here just get weirder and weirder.
- Get a Job! - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 11:18 am:
How does a continuing appropriation do anything but give agencies a blank check for operations/payroll?
- Wordslinger - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 11:22 am:
With the governor ordering state employees to work today without the legal authority to pay them, is the state liable for damages if the payroll is missed?
The boss tells you to come to work and you’ll get paid on time, you show up, right? What choice do you have but to trust him?
So when you don’t get paid, you’re probably in line for a little something for the diss, right?
- A Jack - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 11:26 am:
If you financially planned for this, a furlough wouldn’t be bad at all over the summer. I would much rather have a furlough than a strike. In the end, the point will be made with much less pain than if we have to strike in August or September.
- Juvenal - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 11:31 am:
Anyone for the continuing approp bill should just have voted for the budget.
- A guy - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 11:37 am:
==The comments around here just get weirder and weirder.===
True Demo. Walk, further up spoke of the untenable situation all find themselves in. I think that is being reflected here too. Hopefully, that points to being on the precipice to doing something productive. Hoping and praying here. Hang in there buddy.
- Politics as Usual - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 11:39 am:
Rep. Mitchell, if you pass an emergency approp bill for a month or two, and IL still has a $4billion revenue shortfall, that would equate to a $333 million shortfall each month?
Run the bill or quit playing politics.
- Joe M - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 11:48 am:
==State Rep. Adam Brown, a Champaign Republican who last week supported a temporary budget, changed his opinion Tuesday after the governor’s staff weighed in on the issue.==
Yet Rauner criticizes Democrats for going along with Madigan.
- waffle fries - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 11:48 am:
essential services are not moving forward under no timetable or guarantee of payment.
- Union Man - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 12:00 pm:
I loved Blagos furlough days! Think of the vacation time and sick time employees can save. You just have to have some cash in the bank, or switch to 125 channels instead of 400 for your cable bill.
Who doesn’t like a three day weekend?? Come on Bruce, give all of us Furlough Days!!
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 12:02 pm:
===give all of us Furlough Days!! ===
You’re not gonna get furlough days if they can’t find a judge to order paychecks written without a budget. You’re gonna get laid off.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 12:16 pm:
===give all of us Furlough Days!! ===
It’s beyond that. Way beyond that.
- Union Man - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 12:21 pm:
Dream Wreckers! . I know, furloughs seem to be a layoff-preventer compromise.
Lay us off, find two part-time jobs, then they can howl that employment is on the rise!
- Union Man - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 12:22 pm:
Was supposed to be a smile included w/ 1st sentence.
- JS Mill - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 12:23 pm:
During a recent conversation with one of my republic state reps, I got the distinct impression that there is a growing discontent. He was only speaking for himself, but he felt exactly like they were thrown under the bus on the K-12 budget.
It will be interesting to see how many, if any, legislators break ranks and from where.
- A Jack - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 12:29 pm:
I wonder how a layoff might work with the personnel rules requiring 30 days notice along with 10 days after Director’s approval. If I read the personnel rules correctly, the contractors have to go first, then determinations based on senority. That is for an indeterminate layoff. A temporary layoff is only allowed to be five days per year. So I would guess they should be asking for furlough days soon rather than try to do layoffs in August or September. Again this is from the Personnel rules, while the contract or lack of one has no bearing on what they can do.
- Tournaround Agenda - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 12:32 pm:
It’s as OW has been saying for months. Rauner isn’t here to support the ILGOP, he’s here to purchase their votes when he needs them, and has no problem throwing them under the bus when it helps himself out.
- Kurt in Springfield - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 12:55 pm:
@Word 11:22am ==So when you don’t get paid, you’re probably in line for a little something for the diss, right?==
When I’ve been underpaid in the past, I have received some interest when the payment was finally made. I think all state employees will receive interest with any missed paychecks. I don’t have time right now to research the Personnel Code to confirm this, maybe someone else does and can.
- Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Jul 1, 15 @ 4:29 pm:
==Everybody’s showing the stress of an untenable position.==
walker for the win. Nailed it.