Rauner threatens Dem legislators
Thursday, Feb 4, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The governor again called out Downstate and suburban Democratic legislators yesterday. Sun-Times…
Rauner argued that a bill allowing the state to take over CPS is not “dead on arrival” in Springfield simply because it would need approval from a Legislature dominated by Democrats.
“When the time comes, many Democratic legislators are not from Chicago, they’re from the suburbs . . . and you know what, when their voters understand what’s been going on and the subsidies that state taxpayers around Illinois have been funding CPS and now we can protect them from the mayor trying force off a half a billion dollars in liabilities on them, you watch,” Rauner said. “You’re going to see that that bill is not dead on arrival like some are trying to claim.”
* An e-mail from Rep. Stephanie Kifowit (D-Oswego)…
Hi Rich,
Just a quick followup. I caught the Governor’s press talk about CPS when he mentioned downstate and suburban legislators would be for the takeover of CPS. I’m not sure where he gets that from because as soon as he made mention, I have heard from residents the opposite. They don’t want the state to take over CPS, but they do want school funding change. Not sure where he gets that idea from.
Thanks,
Stephanie
We’ll see what happens if Rauner follows through with voter communication, warning people that their Democratic legislators are planning a half-billion-dollar Chicago schools “bailout.” Speaker Madigan, you may recall, used that exact same word last week to describe the governor’s takeover plan (even though Rauner’s plan bars more state money for the city). Rauner, however, has the cash to mail heavily to all districts, not just targets.
The city claims its schools are being shortchanged by the state. Others, particularly Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno, have long argued that the numbers prove otherwise.
It really depends how you add.
* Meanwhile…
The crises at CPS would be manageable if Emanuel had only listened to him last year when he offered the mayor some advice, said Rauner, who is overseeing a financial crisis on the state level.
“The mayor rejected it, he said no to any structural reform. He said, ‘What I want you to do is just send half a billion cash and leave me alone.’ That’s not going to happen,” Rauner said.
* From August 17, 2015…
Gov. Bruce Rauner on Monday repackaged a set of reforms he’s pushed since he took office in January, linking them — and an offer of help — to the financial crisis facing Chicago Public Schools.
The Republican’s attempt to rebrand his “reform agenda” was quickly shot down as “unacceptable” by Senate President John Cullerton, whom Rauner had singled out as a Democrat who has worked to compromise.
The proposal would freeze property taxes for two years and boost state funding to high-poverty school districts by $74 million. As part of the offering, Rauner said Illinois could immediately give $200 million in state aid to offset Chicago Public Schools’ pension costs but only as part of a comprehensive school reform package that includes allowing the city and local towns to opt out of collective-bargaining requirements.
Emphasis added for poison pill reasons.
- Huh? - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:17 am:
So much for the toned down rhetoric.
- Stones - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:18 am:
Hence is the major problem with Bruce Rauner. Governing by threat of retaliation rather than attempting compromise. The “my way or the highway” approach doesn’t work in a democracy.
- Dread Pirate Roberts - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:19 am:
And once again the governor’s true motives - union busting - become clear.
- sal-says - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:21 am:
== Rauner, who is overseeing a financial crisis on the state level. ==
“Overseeing”?
Is THAT what raunner’s destroy IL hatchet job is called now?
- Cassandra - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:22 am:
Well, I don’t know what suburban and Downstate legislators are hearing from their constituents, but property taxes are awfully high out here in the suburbs. Chicagoans, I believe, are paying less even with Mayor Rahm’s recent tax hike. And we know there are lots of rich folks in Chicago who could pay more. Then there are those TIF funds-over a billion sitting somewhere, according to some reports. We’re supposed to ignore all that and cheer for a tax increase that would send half a billion more to Chicago. It’s not an easy argument to make, I would guess.
- Phil T - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:22 am:
Rauner does have a messaging problem here. Suburban and downstate voters hear “state takeover” and that sounds the same as “state bailout” to them. That explains the reaction Kifowit it getting from her constituents.
- slow down - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:22 am:
One year in and he still has no sense at all for how to work with others to forge compromise. It’s sad and depressing when you think about the real world consequences.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:24 am:
I think Rep. Kifowit has the politics right. I’m guessing most suburban and Downstate voters want to keep CPS at arm’s-length, rather than embrace the responsibility of running the show.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:24 am:
It always comes back to Oswego…
To the Post,
Governor Rauner,
You need 12 House Democrats.
Threatening them with this alleged “understanding” you claim about voters in their districts and they, voters, are not being taken into account by the Democratic legislators…
You may want to watch… you don’t have 60.
Letters from Goldberg come back to haunt?
Maybe.
Either you’re a partner or you get run over in divided government when trying to cobble, or fail to count.
Your pathetic failure to understand how the Co-Equal branches work in divided government is a personal failure, a character trait that you refuse to see your own limitations.
That’s sad for you, but it hurts Illinois.
Raunerite Demands are not going to get your 12 Democrats.
“Thanks!”
OW
- Wensicia - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:26 am:
He’s become very fond of that “you watch” phrase.
- Austin Blvd - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:27 am:
He wants to be king…Governor and mayor.
- Mouthy - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:27 am:
Thinking Rauner is going to tone down his obsession with destroying public service unions is like thinking Captain Ahab decided that he’d rather fish for Tuna and give up on the Great White Shark…
- lake county democrat - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:28 am:
As I’ve mentioned, my suburban Dem reps are very concerned about the perception of hurting local schools to bailout CPS.
Does Rauner expect suburban Dems to shift so radically that they’ll approve his takeover of CPS, I doubt it.
Does he expect to put suburban Dems in an uncomfortable position, maybe to the point that they start telling Madigan to compromise more? Absolutely.
- walker - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:31 am:
Rauner’s got wedges flying in every direction. Union leaders vs. members, unions vs. other unions, Democratic primary candidates vs. incumbents, suburban Dems vs. Chicago Dems.
We’ll see how many of them find purchase, and get pounded home by his sledgehammer.
Suburban Dems will mostly stick together, hold fast, and beat him on this issue.
- Wensicia - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:32 am:
LCD, Rauner isn’t looking for compromise.
- Lenny - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:32 am:
Rich said: “It really depends how you add.”
That’s right. It’s all about the pensions. If you don’t include the $3.5 billion Springfield pays into TRS, then Chicago comes out ahead — thanks primarily to their block grants. If you do count all that pension cash, Chicago is losing big.
- hisgirlfriday - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:33 am:
When suburban and downstate taxpayers hear about a state takeover of CPS they may very well fear a state takeover of CPS’s liabilities and that a state takeover requires the state to pour in more money to fix things.
The average person doesnt look at a takeover situation as a chance to skirt obligations and stiff workers and contractors the way a vulture capitalist does. I wonder if that’s where the disconnect is.
- Sam Weinberg - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:34 am:
Yawn. You know who isn’t very scary? The guy who keeps making threats but never acts on them.
- Union Leader - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:38 am:
Dem legislators should start speaking out against Rauner and encourage thier GOP counterparts to do the same. Rauner is going to destroy the “social” network of Illinois, but his wife said he has no “social agenda”, yea right!
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:38 am:
If Bruce Rauner believes local control is critical, and local control is the answer, why must the state try to rip away local control…
“… why was it necessary to transfer Santiago off the base?”
Suburban Democrats can easily pivot…
“The state of Illinois, with agencies run by an Administration still missing a budget, and in negotiations with a Union over labor costs and pensions, taking over CPS too? That takeover doesn’t sound like sound government policy having Rauner taking on more than he’s already choking on with his current job.”
As Kristen McQueary says “Simple”
- Streator Curmudgeon - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:42 am:
I’m really beginning to wonder about a governor whose tactics are not working, so he doubles down on them.
What was that Einstein said about doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results?
- Austin Blvd - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:45 am:
Yeah Pop,
We can take over CPS. Anyone who doesn’t like it…we’ll take ‘em out too.
-Sonny
- BigDoggie - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:46 am:
My fear for this state is that as it becomes more and more obvious that nothing is ever going to change for the same old political reasons as always, more people with $$ are just going to make a run for the border. It’s already happening, and I only see the trend escalating in the future. Then the large tax increases that we already need to make a dent in the current shortfalls will only become larger and larger. I don’t see how this can continue for much longer quite frankly.
Obviously Rauner doesn’t seem to know how to effectively build consensus, but even if he did I don’t see anyone willing to concede anything at all anyway. Just look at the CTU for example. The leaders themselves thought they had a fair offer on the table and it was rejected outright. What makes anybody think that if Rauner was a little nicer, he’d be able to get any cuts implemented anyway??
- Moe Berg - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:49 am:
It will be pretty interesting to see what budget(s) the governor proposes in two weeks. Dems would be foolish to do anything other than say that this year it’s on Rauner and the GOP to come up with a budget with revenues, put all their votes on it, and convince the Dem leaders to put on the remaining votes needed to pass. Until that happens, continue to beat the drum that the gov is failing at his most basic responsibility. That’s what the CEO does - proposes and implements the budget - and by his own description Rauner’s the CEO governor.
- walker - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:52 am:
OW is on track, but it’s even simpler than that.
Actual responses to the CPS takeover proposal, heard from many suburban Dems: “Are you kidding? Rauner can’t even manage the state.”
- Captain Illini - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:54 am:
Mouthy…I don’t mean to be pedantic, but it was the Great White Whale…sorry.
- Earnest - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:54 am:
>They don’t want the state to take over CPS, but they do want school funding change.
Rauner’s set of business skills is limited to: do what I want or I will destroy you. Representative Kifowit modeled a positive approach in her response.
- ILPundit - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:55 am:
For those trying to make well reasoned, politically savvy critiques of the Governor (I’m looking at you @Oswego Willy), this bears repeating every hour until it is burned into everyones brain:
The system wide breakdowns occurring right now in Illinois State Government are not a mistake. The consistent changes in tone are not accidental. What we see as self-sabatoge is actually all part of the plan.
They want to burn the village to save it. It’s a feature, not a bug.
- Juice - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:56 am:
Maybe the Dems should just say they are willing to consider the Governor’s proposal once he offers his idea of what the CPS budget should be. Then everyone can just go on their merry way while they are waiting for that over the next couple of years.
- illinoised - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:57 am:
You watch, Governor Rauner, you are looking more and more like a one term governor.
- illinoised - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 10:00 am:
IL Pundit is correct. The flames will grow larger as time goes on.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 10:01 am:
- walker -, I got too wordy for my own good!
To you, best of luck as you are now moving more into the arena. Much respect. OW
- ILPundit -
I think I have a pretty good grasp of what younger saying since, not only have I agreed, I’ve commented as such.
Ok… so… If we complain about Rauner’s intentions, without giving Rauner options to make things right, what is the purpose of saying you want to see a resolution?
It’s not that I don’t see, it’s that I see very well, ano pointing out options that could work should be all our goals.
Isn’t it?
- Anon221 - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 10:02 am:
My prediction is that between now and the Budget Address, the rhetoric out of the Executive Branch is only going to escalate. Probably more Executive Orders will come out as the threat of “You watch!” continues. Rauner has little to no regard for government. That was obvious yesterday with the ILBEDC announcement- can’t hire the Superstars we need in government, the process is just TOO hard. Might be some germ of truth(s) in that, but checks and balances throughout the government systems are there because, usually, of past misdeeds of those trying to find a quicker way to the money, power, or influence of our society. And, BTW, that private donation/repair work on the Mansion has run into some issues (Mansion Talk- Sneed in the Sun-Times: http://chicago.suntimes.com/news/7/71/1297580/sneed-16 ). Seems like Mrs. Rauner’s new Chief of Staff has her work cut out for her. Governing as a hobby for a “retired” venture (Vulture) capitalist is turning into a lifetime of work for the rest of us.
- burbanite - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 10:05 am:
Replace “overseeing” with “exasperating” and they may be on to something.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 10:06 am:
–One year in and he still has no sense at all for how to work with others to forge compromise.–
You presume that’s a goal. I see no reason to think that.
According to the comptroller, by June 30, nearly $8 billion will have been added to the pile of unpaid bills since the governor took office — $4.3 billion to $12 billion.
That’s the money side; then there’s the human factor in people tossed out of work, program shutdowns, etc.
Yet the state’s fiscal crash didn’t make the governor’s Top Ten list of priorities in his SOS speech.
The guy’s an ideological zealot, he wants what he wants, no matter how absurd the cost/benefit ratio, as revealed by his own calculations.
- Politix - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 10:06 am:
“What I want you to do is just send half a billion cash and leave me alone.’ That’s not going to happen,” Rauner said
This kind of language makes me cringe. It’s not YOUR money, gov. It’s OUR money. And you’ve been using it to play your games. Stop.
- Educator - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 10:07 am:
The Governor hasn’t realized he’s been triangulated on school funding. He’s so far behind what the democrats are doing. Or has he realized it? And that would explain his ramped up rhetoric?
- Handle Bar Mustache - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 10:07 am:
==The system wide breakdowns occurring right now in Illinois State Government are not a mistake. The consistent changes in tone are not accidental. What we see as self-sabatoge is actually all part of the plan.==
You are giving the ’superstars’ way too much credit. The systemic failures are surprising the government profiteers and hobbyists who now control the executive branch of state govt.
- @MisterJayEm - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 10:10 am:
“Suburban and downstate voters hear ’state takeover’ and that sounds the same as ’state bailout’ to them.”
I think this observation is correct and under-appreciated.
– MrJM
- wordslinger - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 10:24 am:
I’m curious as to where the governor gets the idea that suburban and Downstate voters want the state to take over the Chicago Public Schools.
In a lifetime split between living Downstate and in the suburbs, I can’t say I’ve ever heard that idea expressed. Once. Ever. By N-EEEE-BA-DEEE.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 10:33 am:
===“Suburban and downstate voters hear ’state takeover’ and that sounds the same as ’state bailout’ to them.”
I think this observation is correct and under-appreciated.
– MrJM===
Totally agree
democrats have already floated that around, but if the Democrats frame this as…
“Rauner wants a state bailout of Chicago and Chicago Schools”
Goodness Gracious, downstate and the ‘burbs might see Rauner quite differently.
That has a crippling effect on what Rauner would want.
“I thought Rauner wanted less government, now Rauner is bailing out Chicago?”
The use of the word “bailout” isn’t any accident.
- VanillaMan - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 10:34 am:
It is going to be a decade to repair the damage Rauner has caused with his willful and vengeful negligence of our state.
- forwhatitsworth - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 10:36 am:
Why can’t Rauner get away from his “poison pills”?
- Blue dog dem - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 10:36 am:
I agree that downstate and central illinois want no part in managing CPS . Greater outcry however, is bailing out CPS with a $460 mil cash infusion. There isn’t a downstate Dem rep who would take that back to their constituents.
- Abe the Babe - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 10:54 am:
==Why can’t Rauner get away from his “poison pills”?==
Two reasons:
1. He actually believes they are needed above all else including above rescuing a collapsing safety net.
2. He has no idea how to compromise. In business you can always walk away from a deal, find money from someone else, leverage a different company or scrap the idea altogether. In politics, some things just have to get done, a budget not the least of them. So when you fail to realize that a deal has to get done and you cant change who you negotiate with then you end up with a failed state. Which is what Illinois could be soon.
- Dee Lay - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 10:56 am:
Threatenin’ ain’t governin’.
Yeesh.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 11:05 am:
To the poison pills,
Rauner will continue the poison pills because Rauner wants to decimate prevailing wage and end collective bargaining.
That is the only goal it appears to spend $60 million to be Illinois’ governor, and if you are a Social Service… it’s too bad for you… “Bruce has no social agenda.”
Diana Rauner remains quite silent, as the President of Ounce of Prevention.
You “hang in there”, President Diana Rauner… then again… you may have already known Bruce was going to destroy Illinois’s safety net… and being First Lady of Illinois was more important to you(?)
Poison pills… at the initial cost of $60+ million… and Diana Rauner’s reputation in the Social Service world(?)
- downstate conmissoner - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 11:07 am:
beginning to hear this more: “Blagojevic was better than him”
- TinyDancer(FKA Sue) - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 11:27 am:
Bruce Rauner - kamikaze governor.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 11:30 am:
Do we really have to suffer through more of this for 3 more years?
- Anon221 - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 11:46 am:
If there is more R’s voting with D’s, then the poison pills will be of little value. Until that time, and as long as there are little yellow buttons pushed and big purple (Rauner funds both sides) checks cashed, Illinois will continue to be poisoned.
- Anon221 - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 11:46 am:
“If there ARE (not is) more…”- arghhh.
- Formerpol - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 11:54 am:
SO it looks to me that the Dems are the ones refusing to compromise or discuss any meaningful structural changes. They seem to just want the status quo, after they get more big bucks from the taxpayers. I hope the Governor hangs tough.
- Because I said so... - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 11:59 am:
“Rauner Threatens” can be the headline every single day.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 12:08 pm:
===They seem to just want the status quo, after they get more big bucks from the taxpayers. I hope the Governor hangs tough.===
- Formerpol -
At least try to have a thought you can call your own, lol.
Please.
===I hope the Governor hangs tough.===
Boy is that sad.
- Been There - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 12:30 pm:
I just saw a TV commercial slamming the speakers opponent Jason Gonzalez. I guess they are taking him pretty seriously.
- Mouthy - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 12:57 pm:
- Captain Illini - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:54 am:
Mouthy…I don’t mean to be pedantic, but it was the Great White Whale…sorry.
Yeah, I know and as many times as I’ve written it you’d think I’d have it down.
- Georg Sande - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 4:33 pm:
Who’s Stephanie?
- Property of IDOC - Thursday, Feb 4, 16 @ 9:50 pm:
I’ve been a registered republican for 27years.
I will be voting a straight democratic ticket this cycle.
there is no other way to fight the madness he is promoting.
I hope others can understand this and do the same.