49 Comments - RNUG - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 10:38 am: Better pack that approp bill with all the goodies you want, because it will be the only bill that gets signed before December. - The Dude Abides - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 10:39 am: The Governor might be getting a bit concerned about the prospects of Summer arriving without a K-12 funding bill. I know the Governor wants a clean bill too and will be angry if the Democrats attach something they want to this bill that the Governor will desperately need to shore up his sinking poll numbers. What if the Democrats take a page out of the Rauner playbook and use this bill as “leverage”.? - MSIX - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 10:40 am: ==Better pack that approp bill with all the goodies you want, because it will be the only bill that gets signed before December. == Then Rauner will discover his line item veto power. - Sir Reel - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 10:41 am: OK, beyond the funding formula, if nothing else changes, adding $55 million to spending means either $55 million has to be cot or $55 million is added to the deficit. What’s it gonna be? This piece meal approach helped get us to where we are today. Try something new. - AC - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 10:41 am: The money Rauner wants to spend is infused with goodness, which makes spending in K-12 inherently good, right and just. The money Democrats want to spend in higher education is inherently bad, unfunded, and contributing to the downfall of the state. /s Seriously, everyone needs to stop holding money hostage, and Democrats aren’t helped by adopting Rauner’s strategy. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 10:42 am: The Cullerton Mistake. Crew let him down, or Cullerton went off the reservation. Either way, The Cullerton Mistake will haunt. The Owl was tweeting about this. Classic Owl. Examples? @RonSandack -Reminder: Term limits, fair maps & consolidation of units of local government are bipartisan initiatives favored by IL citizens! #BudgetDeal Hmm… Hostages are Rauner’s Owl… @RonSandack: I’m frustrated 2, but taking steps towards reforming IL more important than short term budget stalemate. - Ron Sandack, 9/28/15 Another? @RonSandack - @SundaySpin Are the D guests off their meds?! The Gov has said, 100x, he’d agree to raise taxes … IF THERE ARE REFORMS!! So, no budget until reforms? @RonSandack: I’m frustrated 2, but taking steps towards reforming IL more important than short term budget stalemate. - Ron Sandack, 9/28/15 Please keep in mind that Rauner requires tax revenue to have a budget that works. That’s requires, Owl. It’s not optional. You can’t offer a “give” that is a required element you need, Owl. But… you already knew that. Last one? @RonSandack - @SundaySpin Finally! @pat_brady shuts off silly arguments that Gov Rauner won’t negotiate!! Budget deal doable 4 needed bipartisan reforms. Hmm.., Owl? ‘Nember this? @RonSandack: I’m frustrated 2, but taking steps towards reforming IL more important than short term budget stalemate. - Ron Sandack, 9/28/15 That’s on Rauner. You keep Hooting, I’ll keep reminding. Pathetic. If you’re going to shill, Representative, remember your tweets, and your own Mistake too. OW - My New Handle - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 10:42 am: I guess Cullerton probably gave the Raunerites in the legislature some cover on their No votes last year on K-12 approps, much the same as the FY16 budget bills had K-12 separated on its own so that Rauner could make a “clean” signature on it. Even Rauner knows that the public has a memory like a sieve. He knows accountability has the lifespan of a mayfly. Nothing new here at all. It may be that Cullerton has some other manuever to put the Raunerites back on the hook. We have until May 31, anyway, to see what happens. - Sir Reel - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 10:43 am: “Cut” not “cot.” - Norseman - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 10:48 am: RNUG said it. The K-12 approp bill should be the K-12 and all other state needs approp bill. Let Rauner use his Line item veto. It will at least give him something else to do besides making baloney speeches. - AC - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 10:50 am: ==This piece meal approach helped get us to where we are today. Try something new.== In fairness, bipartisan failures brought us to where we were in January 2015, Rauner’s failures brought us to where we are now. Given the rate of fiscal damage reported by the comptrollers office over the past 15 months, I’m certain the new status quo is even worse than the old status quo. - Annonin' - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 10:55 am: Perhaps the education $ bill will include all of education not just K-12 hmmmmmmm. - Pawn - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 11:00 am: I heard that line item vetoes don’t need a supermajority to override. Is that true? - Rich Miller - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 11:02 am: ===I heard that=== Sigh. How about using the Google before you comment here? - Norseman - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 11:10 am: Pawn, not true. Item vetoes require supermajority to override. Reduction vetoes can be overridden by simple. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 11:14 am: - RNUG - and - Norseman - have been on this since Jump Street, and their logic here is sound. Put it all in ONE Bill, run it, vote it, leave it to Rauner to veto. What’s “exciting” for me is the continued Raunerites voting “Red”, waiting for Rauner to double-cross them, yet again. I have to think all those studebts looking for MAP monies along with a comprehensive Education Bill… and everything vetoed will go over swell in November. Rauner owns the GOP GA. Will the GOP GA see the canary in the coal mine that “didn’t make it” on Tuesday. You keep at it - RNUG - and - Norseman -, you both know the path. - Phoenix - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 11:16 am: Worth repeating, “It’s pretty much impossible to find a story on the above topic which mentions the historical fact that every Republican legislator voted against funding K-12 last May. Yet, after voting last year to kill an education funding bill, they now openly weep about the possibility that an approp bill won’t be moved forward this year.” - Will Caskey - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 11:23 am: Maybe no stories but we have the vote, suckers - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 11:27 am: - Phoenix - November is coming… I’m sure many GOPers will face the dreaded realities of those “Red” votes. Just not… today. I’m also of the belief towns with Universities, in a Presidential year will be reminded that Rauner is destroying their economic engine… Thru GOP legislators too. I don’t want people reminded now, although it would be nice. I want them reminded from Labor Day till Election Day, with Donald Trump and Bruce Rauner framing the referendum. - Lucky Pierre - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 11:34 am: “Bipartisan failures brought us to where we were in 2015. Since then Rauner’s failures have brought us to where we are now.” GA taking month off after submitting two unbalanced budgets in a row, lack of compromise and refusal to propose any reforms are also completely Rauner’s fault. - Michelle Flaherty - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 11:37 am: Sen. Matt Murphy, on behalf of Senate Republicans, on the need to cut education funding, March 2011: “Education has been, I think it’s fair to say, the number one priority of most legislators and most people as a state funding program. Last year we spent $28.6 billion in local, state and federal money on K-12 education. “Our target is to shave $725 million off of the governor’s proposed budget on K-12 education. That is less than 3 percent of what was spent statewide last year on K-12 education. “Now, if the people of the rest of the state and the private sector can get by on the budget cuts they’ve been living under for a number of years, I think it’s fair for K-12 to be able to get by on a less than 3 percent overall cut in one year. They can do that without fundamentally compromising the all-important K-12 education system and we’re going to ask them to do that.” 12:00 through 13:08 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9XxfiGJ38E - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 11:41 am: “Rauner taking selfie after selfie and tweeting them repeatedly after submitting two unbalanced budgets in a row, and Rauner’s lack of compromise and his refusal to discuss any budget or funding of his governmental agencies, on purpose, until any reforms are also passed first is completely Rauner’s fault.” Better. BTW, - Lucky Pierre -, You find all those compromise ideas, especially the knew you commented on? You’re a gag. - Ghost - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 12:21 pm: why not call the bluff, add in map grants and pass it. map is part of education…. and fund the universities too - Magic carpet ride - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 12:43 pm: I can see the teevee ads already. “Our governor cut and veto-veto-veto and cut education again.” - Anon221 - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 12:46 pm: The major issue with going into the FY17 “Budget” with a separate bill for K-12 funding, regardless of what you “stuff” it with, is that instead of starting this fiscal year out with a “whole Budget”, we start right off the bat piecemeal. How does that help??? If the 10% left in FY16 is not addressed by override votes to get those who have not been queued up for payments, then they are probably lost anyway, and the R’s and Raunerites will be paying the price in the General and beyond. Start FY17 off with the ENTIRE Budget and let Rauner’s fingers do the walkin’ with the AV. Otherwise he really wins by ONLY addressing K-12 like he wants to do, and leave everything else out to hang on Consent Decrees, Court Orders (that will have to be re-ordered come June for most), and any Continuing Approps that will still be in existence. Make him REALLY OWN IT this year. - RNUG - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 12:50 pm: If I was writing the bill, I would eliminate all corporate give aways, corporate tax breaks, ban companies with more than 50 or 100 employees from being eligible for TIF breaks and direct that all the State level savings (since TIFs are local) be dedicated to increased education spending. Let’s find out which Rauner prefers, improving education or protecting his business friends. And just for fun I would throw everything education related, early childhood, after school programs, TRS & SURS pension funding, teachers and retiree health insurance, MAP grants, a specific line item for TRIP, State employee continuing education, library and museum funding, etc. all into it. And on the local TIF savings, even if you can’t legally make it stick, direct those new revenues be used to pay down municipal pension fund shortages. - DuPage - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 12:54 pm: They should also put back the funding of retired teachers health insurance that has always been in the k-12 budget. Rauner lowered the amount to zero. A lot of these teachers are not covered by social security or Medicare, and this funding is critical. - Markus57 - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 1:05 pm: For good measure, add in a temporary tax increase that can be applied only to paying down the Rauner administration’s bill payment backlog. To remain in effect until the backlog can be handled without incurring late payment penalties. Then you can even claim the RNUG style appropriations bill is balanced with revenue projected. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 1:15 pm: - RNUG - !! Look what you DID! ===add in a temporary tax increase that can be applied only to paying down the Rauner administration’s bill payment backlog.=== Ugh! That’s what Rauner wants. Democrats voting for a tax increase… on their own… so Rauner and the GOP can vote against it, and use it come November. That isn’t helping! Not a good idea. At all. - Federalist - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 1:17 pm: Why the big change in Republicans? Very simple. They are getting hit very hard back home as school districts are choking and dyhing from a lack of budget and even money owed them. Every legislator has plenty of school districts to feel the heat. Does not apply to public universities because there are far fewer of them and are in a limited number of districts. And while students from all over go to these universities, there are still plenty of private colleges and the number of university students pale in number compared to K-12. Besides Rauner and many Republicans hate public universities anyway. - anon - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 1:29 pm: The consistency between last year’s NO vote and this year’s support for education funding is that in both cases GOP legislators were following orders from their party bosses. The same thing they have accused their Democratic colleagues of doing for decades. - Blue dog dem - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 1:30 pm: RNUG, excellent ideas. Anything as un-American as TIF’s and corporate give-always should be sacrificed. As a side note, I think the RAUN Man may be negotiating this increase in elementary and secondary education with the robbing of the LGDF. - Markus57 - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 1:46 pm: ==That isn’t helping! Not a good idea. At all.== Nor is submitting another set of appropriations grossly in excess of projected revenues. Revenue would be a separate bill with a few “reforms” thrown in for discussion. It wouldn’t pass initially, but some day it will or something like it will because it is the only logical way out. November is just another checkpoint in the march to the next gubernatorial election. It (November)means nothing as nothing will change; we are in a perpetual campaign cycle with no way out until reasonable people on both sides say “enough” and make some hard choices. - RNUG - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 2:32 pm: -OW- That’s other people adding on to my proposal. I just advocated for closing tax loopholes. I deliberately stayed away from calling for a specific tax increase. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 2:34 pm: - RNUG - I was giving you the needle, as people ad to your idea is all. I know you wouldn’t add that on. - wordslinger - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 2:54 pm: –* In my mind, anyway, I think it was a political mistake for Senate President John Cullerton to say he wouldn’t advance a K-12 appropriations bill until the funding formula was revamped to keep Chicago from enduring reduced state funding levels every year– Incredibly stupid. Cullerton goes down into the Rauner gutter and justifies the hostage tactics. Don’t understand it at all. Plus, no one — Rauner or Cullerton — can stand the heat for the schools not opening on time. Rightly so. Rauner told every GOP GA member he had their backs when they voted against the K-12 approp. He lied, and stabbed them in the back. - Markus57 - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 2:59 pm: ==That isn’t helping! Not a good idea. At all.== Probably not if the only objective is a political victory. It might be a reasonble idea for those approaching it as a problem to solve. Nothing is going to change after November that will affect a long-term solution; we are currently in a perpetual campaign mode that will not end until the next gubinatorial election. Submitting another set of approprations grossly in excess of revenue projections is not a good idea either. While a revenue bill, even with a few reforms included, may not pass initially, it at least allows some framework for future discussions regarding the mix of revenue and spending that can get 60+ and 30+ without a veto. Ultimately, what now appears to be “Not a good idea. At all.” could look a lot like the final proposal. I’d start with a revenue bill based on temporary tax increases that support the Dem’s FY16 appropriations plus pays down the bill backlog. It could also include reforms with projected savings, that when demonstrated by agreed metrics that they actually reduced State spending, would serve to automatically expire portions of the tax increases. The portion of the increase dedicated to address the bill backlog would also automatically expire when it’s paid down. Bonding and re-amortizing debt (after a ratings upgrade following the tax increase) may also be authorized in the measure. It’s fairly simple math, only the decisions are difficult. We just don’t seem to have a group on either side willing to turn off the Spin cycle and make a few tough choices. We should expect and demand better from that bunch of $80K per year part-time workers we elected. - My New Handle - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 3:00 pm: What is the strategy for getting increased revenue to cover debts/costs of the government? Even with a super-majority to override a veto of any tax increase, will the Dems want to own that override? Why would legislative Raunerites, i.e. FKA Republicans, vote for any tax increase? I am stumped about this. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 3:38 pm: ===Submitting another set of approprations grossly in excess of revenue projections is not a good idea either. While a revenue bill, even with a few reforms included, may not pass initially, it at least allows some framework for future discussions regarding the mix of revenue and spending that can get 60+ and 30+ without a veto. Ultimately, what now appears to be “Not a good idea. At all.” could look a lot like the final proposal.=== Rauner won’t allow GOP votes on it, abd won’t guarantee he’s sign it clean. Are you paying attention or thinking wishfully. ===I’d start with a revenue bill based on temporary tax increases that support the Dem’s FY16 appropriations plus pays down the bill backlog.=== #TaxHikeMike stopped that months ago. What else ya got? ===It could also include reforms with projected savings, that when demonstrated by agreed metrics that they actually reduced State spending, would serve to automatically expire portions of the tax increases.=== Have you been paying attention? At all? That’s 1.4% and $500+ million to destroy unions. That won’t get 60 or even 30. What else ya got? ===The portion of the increase dedicated to address the bill backlog would also automatically expire when it’s paid down. Bonding and re-amortizing debt (after a ratings upgrade following the tax increase) may also be authorized in the measure.=== We’re pushibg close to $10 billion additional debt. Show your work. ===It’s fairly simple math, only the decisions are difficult.=== No it’s not, otherwise you world have shown your work. Thst’s $10 billion you need to figure out and deliver GOP votes, and Rauner signing it clean… … all before Rauner releases the hostages Open a window to the dorm room… Maybe go play frisbee on the Quad… … before Rauner shuts down your state university. ===We just don’t seem to have a group on either side willing to turn off the Spin cycle and make a few tough choices.=== @RonSandack: I’m frustrated 2, but taking steps towards reforming IL more important than short term budget stalemate. Please, keep up. Thank you. - And yet again.... - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 4:31 pm: You know, Willy, it is possible to disagree with someone without being a condescending jerk. If it was one of the commenters you idolize (often to the point of groveling) that presented a view counter to yours, no way would you have the cajones to speak to them in that arrogant tone. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 4:41 pm: - And yet again…. - I don’t think people who I think make good arguments would rehash the same refuted points. People who make logical points and I disagree with usually begins a discussion and ends with me leading something. These rehashed points are teaching me anything. Making it about me isn’t kbocking down the argument. If you’d like to have at that, ok… - Blue dog dem - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 5:40 pm: It wasn’t to long ago we could settle our differences over a glass of milk and a handful of Oreos…… - Anon221 - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 6:26 pm: Blue dog dem- gave you tried the Hydrox:) - Blue dog dem - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 6:29 pm: Indeed,indeed.currently American made! - Anon221 - Monday, Mar 21, 16 @ 6:45 pm: And hopefully will stay that way! - X-prof - Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 1:53 am: “The Owl was tweeting about this.” Hey OW, you’re slippin’. Owls don’t tweet; they go who! - Tinsel Town - Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 7:49 am: MJM: “I’ll agree to Rauner reforms if he resigns first.” snark, snark /// - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 8:15 am: - X-prof - I did say, “you keep hooting”, lol - Markus - Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 8:28 am: ==No it’s not, otherwise you world have shown your work. Thst’s $10 billion you need to figure out…== Per the CGFA report, a 1% income tax hike provides about $4B per year. That gets you close enough to the vetoed FY16 Dem GA appropriations such that negotiated spending cuts could balance FY16. Then, tack on whatever additional revenue can be negotiated to paydown the bill backlog currently racking up 9% or 12% late payment penalties. At those rates, floating a short-term bond would be cheaper. As for “reforms”, part of the “deal” is that they need to be measurable, they need to be assigned to a budget line and as important, they need to have a built-in expiration date for the reform if demonstrated savings are not achieved. If documented savings are achieved, a portion of the tax hike equal to the documented savings is expired. CGFA and GOMB can be the referees. The Turnaround Agenda “reforms” are a mix of political dead-ends and ideological principles lacking a credible savings metric; some do have questionable WAG savings associated with them and some have actual measurable savings potential. Rich posted his thoughts last month on a start to this list. My add is that only actual, documented and booked savings get credit to reduce the temporary tax. The rule to be applied is spending cuts and revenue increases are credible enough to put on a budget line. “Reforms” require documented savings before they are deemed credible enough to trigger partial reductions to the tax increase. In this way, the budget is balanced with real money rather than “magic beans”; but if a few of the beans actually pay-out, taxes go down or service cuts get restored. At the end of the day, spending and revenue need to balance. “The math is simple” is more deterministic than “Governor’s own”, it’s just algebra. Try to keep up and use spell-check. Gotta go, frisbee on the quad. Sorry, other than vote and talk to my rep, which I have, I can’t do anything about both GOP and Dem legislators thinking more about their constituents well-being than their political futures. http://cgfa.ilga.gov/Upload/3YearBudgetForecastFY2017-FY2019.pdf - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Mar 22, 16 @ 9:06 am: ===Per the CGFA report, a 1% income tax hike provides about $4B per year.=== There will be NO revenue increase. None. Zero. #TaxHikeMike ended that. You can’t wish something to make it so. Seriously, do you pay attention. It’s an honest question. That alone blows up your Sophomore Dorm Room theory begire it begins. ===The Turnaround Agenda “reforms” are a mix of political dead-ends and ideological principles lacking a credible savings metric; some do have questionable WAG savings associated with them and some have actual measurable savings potential. Rich posted his thoughts last month on a start to this list. My add is that only actual, documented and booked savings get credit to reduce the temporary tax.=== This jibberish comes down to 1.4% or just over $500 million. The mere fact you can’t understand that there will be no revenue increase and that Democrats aren’t going to go along with voting on a 1.4% revenue increase to destroy Labor, again, shows a lack of political acumen. ===In this way, the budget is balanced with real money rather than “magic beans”; but if a few of the beans actually pay-out, taxes go down or service cuts get restored.=== You have no new revenue stream, the savings are rounding errors and you want to worry about “Magic Beans”? Are you remotely serious? ===At the end of the day, spending and revenue need to balance. “The math is simple” is more deterministic than “Governor’s own”, it’s just algebra.=== While “Math is Math”, governors own budgets. Same as it ever was. If a governor wants a budget, they get a budget. @RonSandack: I’m frustrated 2, but taking steps towards reforming IL more important than short term budget stalemate. - Ron Sandack, 9/28/15 Rauner doesn’t want a budget. This isn’t by accident. ===…and Dem legislators thinking more about their constituents well-being than their political futures.=== Please, do keep up. It’s Rauner’s plan, and his plan alone. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.