* I have my nitpicks with this, but overall this is a pretty darned strong budget transition team. It’s also a nice touch to include former Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno…
Today, Governor-elect JB Pritzker and Lieutenant Governor-elect Juliana Stratton announced the formation and members of the Budget and Innovation Committee of their gubernatorial transition.
The committee is the first of several working groups of the transition made up of subject-matter experts that will advise and guide the incoming Pritzker-Stratton administration. The Budget and Innovation Committee will be chaired by former state Comptroller Dan Hynes and consist of 17 members.
“JB and I are committed to hitting the ground running on day one, and we’re bringing experts with decades of experience to the table to help shape what will be a transformative administration for the state of Illinois,” said Lieutenant Governor-elect Juliana Stratton. “The Budget and Innovation Committee will mold the guiding moral document that is our state budget and develop inventive solutions to move Illinois forward.”
BUDGET AND INNOVATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Former Comptroller Dan Hynes is a senior advisor on the Transition Committee and chairs the Budget and Innovation Committee. Hynes currently serves as a senior executive at UBS Asset Management in Chicago, after a distinguished 12-year career in public service as the Comptroller for the State of Illinois. Hynes was elected Comptroller in 1998 as the youngest state constitutional officer since World War II. He was re-elected in 2002 and 2006 by wide margins.
State Representative Greg Harris is the Assistant Majority Leader of the Illinois House of Representatives, serving the 13th House District and chairing the Appropriations-Human Services Committee and Violence Prevention Task Force. Harris is the first openly LGBTQ person in the Illinois legislative leadership.
State Senator Toi Hutchinson serves the 40th Senate District and chairs the Senate Revenue Committee. Hutchinson is the former Olympia Fields Village Clerk and has worked in governmental relations and legislative affairs. Hutchinson served as the Chief Professional Officer of the Southwest Suburban United Way and is a 2012 Edgar Fellow.
State Senator Andy Manar serves the 48th Senate District after years of service as city councilman and mayor of Bunker Hill and chair of the Macoupin County Board. Manar led the charge to overhaul our state’s outdated school funding formula, sponsoring bipartisan legislation to make sure every child has access to a quality education regardless of their ZIP code. He also reformed the state’s lead economic development agency to make it more accountable.
Mayor Tom McNamara represents the City of Rockford, elected in 2017 after serving as alderman of the city’s 3rd Ward. McNamara is an insurance agent with Eckburg Insurance Group and previously worked as Career Development Specialist for Goodwill of Northern Illinois.
Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe represents the City of Decatur, becoming the city’s first female mayor in 2015. Moore Wolfe previously served on the Decatur City Council for six years and as Director of Community and Government Relations for Decatur Memorial Hospital, a regional manager of the Governor’s Opportunity Returns program and President of the Decatur Chamber of Commerce.
Treasurer Kurt Summers currently serves the City of Chicago and manages city’s $8 billion investment portfolio. He previously served as Chief of Staff to the Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and as Trustee for the $9 billion Cook County Pension Fund. Summers most recently was a Senior Vice President at Grosvenor Capital Management where he was a leader of the Emerging and Diverse Manager business, which invested over $2 billion with minority- and women-owned firms.
Jessica Basham is the Chief of Staff to Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan. She previously served a revenue analyst for the state’s appropriations staff before becoming director of the research group.
Carole L. Brown is the Chief Financial Officer of the City of Chicago. Brown served on the State of Illinois Budget for Results Commission since 2011, chaired the Chicago Transit Authority Board and was a member of Mayor Emanuel’s first term Transition Team. She was previously the managing director at Barclays and was with Siebert Brandford Shank & Co LLC and Mesirow Financial. Brown serves on the boards of Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence, Metropolitan Planning Council and oneFund Chicago.
Pat Devaney is the President of the Associated Fire Fighters of Illinois. Devaney first started his career with the Champaign Fire Department in 1995 and he served as lieutenant since 2006. He is a member of AFFI Local 1260 and served as the treasurer, vice president and president.
Ralph Martire is the Executive Director of the Center for Tax and Budget Accountability. Martire also serves as president of the River Forest District 90 School Board and on the West Cook Division Governing Board of the Illinois Association of School Boards. He previously chaired the State Revenue Committee on the Budget Advisory Board of Governor Blagojevich’s transition team and served as the Deputy Issues Director on Dawn Clark Netsch’s gubernatorial campaign and Issues Director for David Wilhelm’s U.S. Senate run.
Dan Montgomery is the President of 103,000-member Illinois Federation of Teachers, a vice president of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and a vice president of the Illinois AFL-CIO. Montgomery has worked on behalf of public education and the rights of working men and women for more than two decades. He taught English for 18 years at Niles North High School in Skokie and also taught in the City Colleges of Chicago and at Northwestern University. A proud union activist, he has been an IFT member since his first day of teaching in 1993.
Laurence Msall is the President of the Civic Federation. Msall previously served as a Senior Advisor for Economic Development for Governor Ryan, the Assistant to the Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs, and vice president of the Commercial Club of Chicago.
Christine Radogno is the former Republican Leader in the Illinois State Senate who left office in 2017 following two decades of service. Radogno was the first woman to lead a legislative caucus in Springfield. She previously served a village trustee in LaGrange and ran as her party’s nominee for state treasurer in 2006.
Kristin Richards is the Chief of Staff to Illinois Senate President John J. Cullerton. Richards previously served as Policy and Budget Director for the Senate President and as policy adviser and liaison to various state agencies in the Office of the Governor.
Michael Sacks is a senior advisor on the Transition Committee and the Chairman and CEO of GCM Grosvenor. Prior to joining Grosvenor in 1990 he was an Associate with Harris Associates, L.P. He serves as the Vice Chairman of the World Business Chicago Board of Director and is active in various philanthropic and community activities.
Leslie Sgro is currently serving her seventh term as the elected President of the Springfield Park District. During her tenure, she has overseen the transformation of the District by building fully accessible parks and bringing its technology into the 21st century. Sgro served as Deputy Director of the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget from 2011-2015, where she oversaw the $26 Billion Illinois Jobs Now program and assisted in passing a transportation capital bill. Bringing together legislative and government partners, Sgro spearheaded an overhaul of the State’s procurement program. She also served as Deputy Director of the Department of Natural Resources for eight years.
- SSL - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 10:58 am:
Great idea, and they will need to be very creative. Particularly in the way they sell the necessary revenue increases that will be required to the taxpayers.
Seems a bit unwieldy with 17 members.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 10:58 am:
Nice to see Pritzker reach out to Radogno and that she accepted.
- Chris Widger - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:00 am:
Michael Sacks continues to be a huge red flag. He was complicit in the Laquan coverup and shouldn’t be part of politics on any level.
- Ok - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:01 am:
4 meetings and then a report. Right? Whose doing the work?
- Anon221 - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:01 am:
Good team. Looking forward to solid work results from them, and I encourage them to be very transparent with the process. Encourage the public’s feedback often in the process, and make that feedback accessible on a variety of media venues.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:01 am:
Martire and Msall? Big tent. (Meant as praise.)
- Nick Name - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:02 am:
I’d like to see more Springfield representation, but Sgro is a very strong choice and should bring a lot of knowledge and experience to the committee.
- Real - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:03 am:
I see a bright future ahead for Illinois now that we have a real governor that will be inclusive and govern for all people and not just some. I see big things happening with Pritzker as governor.
- Honeybadger - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:04 am:
Like all the choices and think JB and Julianna are starting out on the right foot. I am not thrilled about Laurence Msall, but a smart choice nonetheless. Also, think Ralph Martire is a great pick.
- DRose - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:06 am:
Why is it called innovation if it’s about the state budget???
- Unblocked do far today - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:06 am:
What a “turnaround” form the obsessive demonization of the past 3+ years…
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:07 am:
All about it, good work here.
Great, great, great to see former Leader Radogno.
These are good starts… Edgar and Radogno shows me so much.
- 10th Ward - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:12 am:
Pat Quinn is sitting by his desk waiting for THE call…lol
- illini - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:14 am:
My first impression is that this is a good and diverse group of competent and experienced individuals. Yet looking at the I only wish that there were more from downstate.
- Anon316 - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:17 am:
Given Pritzker’s absolute lack of political experience, it is good that he’s picking a strong team. Rauner failed there. As an aside, when will millionaire/billionaire men with zero political experience stop buying themselves a political office?
- dbk - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:19 am:
It’s a big committee - unwieldy perhaps - but you can see how they’ve really thought about how to cover all the bases influencing the budget.
Plus it’s bipartisan. Plus there are downstaters. Plus there are current and past members of the GA/GA staff. Lots of pluses, including the fact that it’s the first of the special committees to be announced, suggesting the seriousness of budgetary matters for the state.
Prediction: The Pritzker administration will produce a well thought-out budget, on time, with which the GA will already be familiar, and it will pass as a matter of routine legislative business.
Let’s see if they actually decide to address the pension deficit long-term and lock it in. That’s the test, I think.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:22 am:
==I only wish that there were more from downstate.==
How many do you want? There are several on the list.
Also, what does it matter?
- ItsMillerTime - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:26 am:
Not sure if it says more about JB or Rauner that Radogno may get more input on a budget now then she did as leader.
- Nietzsche - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:29 am:
Quiet a “turnaround” already from the past 3+ years of demonizing and denying.
== Why is it called innovation if it’s about the state budget??? ==
Because actually paying your bills is considered innovative in Illinois. I hope the Rauner righties get away from deriding paying old debt as “new spending”.
- DuPage Saint - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:34 am:
Yes but has he called Madigan and Cullerton yet?
- Arsenal - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:34 am:
==I only wish that there were more from downstate.==
I mean, as a downstater, I’d be happy with everyone being from downstate, but 5 is already a lot…
- Jibba - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:35 am:
==when will millionaire/billionaire men with zero political experience stop buying themselves a political office===
Generally speaking, I think this is a bad thing. However, results matter. Rauner failed utterly by disdaining expertise in governing. Dayton in MN did much better. Pritzker’s first day looks good, appearing to gather experts, including some bipartisan. If he continues like this, he may have a chance to do well. And if he fails, perhaps the Rs will run a person with political experience.
- JakeCP - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:36 am:
If JB wants to appeal to some of the disenfranchised Republicans (not that he has too at this point), then picking Edgar and Radogno can help him buy some brownie points. I wonder how effective any of Radogno’s weight will have with this committee with everyone else, but at least he is trying to be inclusive.
If he actually works with Republicans, despite having a supermajority in the General Assembly, then that will speak volumes about him as a leader.
- Cubs in '16 - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:45 am:
Whether deliberate or not, JB is certainly acting like the antithesis of Rauner in every way. May be giving him too much credit but I think he recognizes how hopeless people felt these past four years and wants to send a message. I hope the purple attitude continues.
- Arsenal - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 11:57 am:
==Whether deliberate or not, JB is certainly acting like the antithesis of Rauner in every way.==
There’s a slight sense (especially from Rich’s interview) I get that JB, unlike Bruce, understands that much of his victory was just a rejection of the incumbent.
- Radical Trolling - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 12:03 pm:
Following on my post yesterday, it seems Pritzker is trying his best to find people with divergent viewpoints.
Rational, but divergent.
I have some suggested names, maybe that will be a QOTD at some point.
Keep thinking Purple, JB.
- Barrington - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 12:05 pm:
Excellent start with a representative group.
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 12:15 pm:
I’m happy Pritzker picked Radogno and Msall. Radogno tried to help us at our most critical time, last year’s budget negotiations and the grand bargain, only to be undercut by Rauner.
Msall was on a Chicago Tonight panel last year with Martire and Rickert from the IPI, during budget negotiations. He and Martire supported a budget agreement/revenue, but not Rickert.
- West Sider - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 12:24 pm:
Our Raunerite nightmare is (almost/finally) over.
- dr. reason a, goodwin - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 12:24 pm:
Nobody south of Springfield?
- Han's Solo Cup - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 12:40 pm:
-Given Pritzker’s absolute lack of political experience, it is good that he’s picking a strong team. Rauner failed there. As an aside, when will millionaire/billionaire men with zero political experience stop buying themselves a political office?-
To quote The Boss- “All men want to be rich, and rich men want to be kings.”
- Huh? - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 12:40 pm:
You have to give JB credit for trying to assemble a transition team from a broad spectrum of people.
I hope he listens to them.
- a drop in - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 12:43 pm:
“It’s a big committee - unwieldy perhaps -”
Might not be unwieldy when it’s broken down into sub-committees. Lots of moving parts to get a working budget.
- Annonin' - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 1:09 pm:
Stunned the newsies did not demand JB commit under oath to sleeping in SPI and/or Mansion every night of the week. That sure made a big difference in the GovJunk Nightmare
- A Jack - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 1:23 pm:
I am wary of the inclusion of the Civic Federation. They were big pushers of the unconstitutional pension reform of a few years back. And they still push for a constitutional amendment to tinker with benefits.
Some of the Civic Federation budget ideas are good, but I don’t want their paws near the pensions unless they have good recommendations on how to pay down the debt without tinkering with benefits.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 1:39 pm:
=== They were big pushers of the unconstitutional pension reform===
Nope. That was the other group. Civic Club. Big difference. Huge, even.
- wondering - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 2:15 pm:
2 days in and more optimism then we have had in the last 4 years
- Don't DoIT - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 2:24 pm:
I think it’s called budget and innovation so this group can take a hard look at DoIT and how bad DoIT/Deloitte has busted the budget with no delivery from DoIT.
- A Jack - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 2:41 pm:
Okay, thanks for clearing that up. The Civic Committee of the Commercial Club were the ones that pushed the unconstitutional pension benefit changes. Tyrone Fahner was president at that time.
- Generic Drone - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 3:07 pm:
Legalize pot and tax campaign contributions would be a good place to start raising revenue.
- Left Leaner - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 3:49 pm:
Great group of great minds! Wouldn’t mind seeing Dan Kotowski on that list. Or someone currently in the Comptroller and/or Treasurer’s Offices. They’re doing some rather innovative things over there themselves.
- Bob & Weave - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 3:59 pm:
Julie Moore led her city council to adopt a deficit budget for the City of Decatur. I’m not sure what of any value she would add to the discussion.
- Uncle Ernie - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 4:02 pm:
This is a good start, Edgar, Radongno,Manar et all I was glad to see Julie Moore from Decatur good common sense person.
- Me - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 4:32 pm:
Love this list. So many good names and so much expertise. I would add Senator Steans but looks like the Senate Dems are well represented.
- RNUG - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 5:07 pm:
JB may not have experience as an elected official, but it is obvious from this list that he (or a very good staffer) has some serious practical experience in both politics and consensus building.
Yesterday I was tentative; today I am actually hopeful … which is pretty high praise coming from a contrarian.
- The Dude Abides - Thursday, Nov 8, 18 @ 8:29 pm:
That is an impressive list. Good job to who ever is responsible. I would have liked to see Leslie Munger included though. /s