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* 1:00 pm - As I told subscribers weeks ago, Rep. Julie Hamos has been picked to direct DHFS…
Gov. Pat Quinn today named an unsuccessful Democratic congressional candidate to lead the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services.
State Rep. Julie Hamos of Wilmette, succeeds Barry Maram, who resigned this month after seven years in the post. Maram, a holdover from ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration, will help in the transition. […]
Hamos pledged to make Illinois a nationwide health care leader by bringing people from around the state to the table to listen to how to best implement national health care reforms locally.
“We need to really hear the disparate voices,” Hamos said at a luncheon with Quinn to announce her appointment at the East Bank Club.
DHFS is almost without a doubt the most complicated state agency in Illinois. This will be a huge challenge for Hamos.
Robyn Gabel will reportedly be appointed to the Hamos seat soon. Gabel won the Democratic primary to replace Hamos in February. She’s a longtime Statehouse hand who I think will be a solid legislator.
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 1:01 pm
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I wonder to what post art turner will be appointed? he’s no a woman so he might not get anything, just guessin’.
how many dems lost in the primary? and how many vacant administrations posts are there? hmmm…
Comment by Will County Woman Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 1:08 pm
Congratulations to Julie Hamos.
Comment by Greg B. Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 1:18 pm
Good for Hamos and good for Gabel.
Comment by George Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 1:19 pm
Of course, if recent polls mean anything, she maight be out of a job in January.
It’s a risk.
Will she be able to accomplish anything useful other than protecting the existing bureaucrats
in the nine months before inauguration day. Or will that be about all she does…or can do.
Probably a pretty good paycheck though.
Comment by cassandra Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 1:19 pm
COngratulations to one of the sharpest members of the GA. Julie will be great at HFS.
Comment by Chubs Mahoney Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 1:22 pm
Great, yet another legislator that gets to increase his/her pension!
Comment by Fantasma Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 1:32 pm
hey fantansma, you’re right! also could’ve sworn quinn took issue with “double-dipping” types, then again it seemed he only took issue with the fact that tom hynes had done it, as if he is the only Il/chicago dem to have ever done so. hmmm…
Comment by Will County Woman Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 1:40 pm
I love the imaginary. Julie Hamos-central planner going to run health care. Things are going quite well in Illinois, financially. What does Julie Hamos know about anything? The announcement at the East Bank Club, an expensive exclusive private health club! Great image for the masses. Will Julie’s expert knowledge on what should be in my health plan save Illinois’ bond rating?
Comment by Steve Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 1:52 pm
Just when it looks like Quinn can’t do anything right, he makes a good appointment. No way to get a handle on this guy.
WCW wants to know where Turner will end up…I’m not a subscriber, but I suspect that would be the way to find out. (Rich, you had plenty of time to make the plug, so I figured I would take care of it for you.)
Comment by Pot calling kettle Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 1:53 pm
Oh, drat, says Rep Hamos. I really wanted to be the campaign manager!
Comment by dupage dan Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 1:55 pm
Will County Woman - Yeah, Quinn really showed his support for pension abuse by supporting the biggest pension reform bill in Illinois history and losing a bunch of union support because of it. Get a clue.
Comment by Small Town Liberal Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 2:01 pm
**also could’ve sworn quinn took issue with “double-dipping” types**
Hamos isn’t double dipping, so I am not sure what you are referring to.
Comment by dave Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 2:03 pm
Julie is a quality public servant. Good for her and the citizens of Illinois.
Comment by Louis Howe Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 2:14 pm
Why bury this on a Friday afternoon? Quinn needs to start thinking. Hamos is well like in Evanston, Wilmette etc. There is money and votes in that area that he could appeal to with an appointment like Hamos. Instead, it gets buried. Dumb Dumb Dumb Dem.
Comment by Niles Township Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 2:14 pm
The pension issue is very much on point. Rep. Hamos should be asked whether, when she retires from the GA, will she begin collecting her GA pension, as I believe with the # of years served and her age, she would be eligible to start collecting.
Under the “reform” bill she voted for (along with most other members), begining January 1, 2011, the GA pension would be suspended while she served in another position. If Rep. Hamos felt so strongly about voting for the pension bill, will she now suspend the collection of her GA pension until after she is no longer working in another government job ?
This same analysis would apply to Rep. Turner in the likely event he is appointed to something.
Rep-elect Gabel must be pleased as provided she is sworn in prior to January 1, 2011, she will be under the old system. Perhaps she should be asked whether she is willing to abide by the pension system as it will be enacted come January 1, 2011.
Gov. Quinn should be asked his position on this as well.
Comment by Helm Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 2:17 pm
Hamos should take the pension under the existing rules.
And we should remember that we voted for all this pension largesse back in the day, through our voting decisions and through our failure for decades to pay attention while pols piled up the pension gold for themselves and state bureaucrats.
Not paying attention to what your govt is doing really does cost ya $$$$$$$.
Comment by cassandra Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 2:28 pm
Specifically, on the ability to leave one governmental job and have to suspend that pension while you go to another government job, I don’t think it is a good idea.
Reps. Hamos & Turner are both very high quality public servants and the agency that is fortunate to have them will be much better off. Post-January 1, 2011, there will be much more of a disincentive to take ones years of expertise and go to another government job, if your pension from the first one is suspended, which arguably may be unconstitutional as a diminishment or impairment of a vested pension benefit.
A contradictory analysis applies to the fireman who was just appointed to head O’Hare Airport security. He was qualified for the job specifically b/c he spent 28 years as a firefighter. Because he is public safety, he is exempt from the new pension laws taking effect so he will be allowed to collect a pension and a salary. Was this really the intended consequence of the legislation ?
Comment by Helm Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 2:41 pm
Very nice. It should be a decent fit.
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 2:42 pm
A talented leader for a complex organization. Good pick.
Comment by Mongo Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 2:48 pm
A Governor Quinn-sponsored East Club press conference for a public servant/bureaucrat?
Are you kidding me? What a joke.
If National GOP doesn’t start to funneling serious dough to Illinois Statewide and local races, the Obama administration deserves a second term.
Comment by Area 2 Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 3:04 pm
What a great pick! An honest, serious, bright issues oriented person! Hamos will do a wonderful job.
Comment by anon Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 3:12 pm
Quinn finally makes a good decision! The opinions about whether she will take two pensions etc. is silly. Hamos is a great choice and will be missed in the GA. She has been a good public servant for a long time, and deserves her pension. I agree with Niles Township that this should have been announced on a day other than a Friday afternoon.
Comment by Suburban voter Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 3:23 pm
Illinois’ child support enforcement efforts have come a long way, but there is definitely room for improvement and it’s nice to have someone who is familiar with CS at the helm of HFS.
Comment by Rayne of Terror Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 3:40 pm
Julie Hamos is a good choice for HFS director. She’s smart and experienced in policy. Robyn Gabel is also smart. We need all the smart people we can get in these positions.
Comment by Just the Basics Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 4:06 pm
Julie’s so smart, Robyn’s so smart - we’re all smart, smart - here at the Lake (Wobegon)
Comment by What the. . . Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 4:14 pm
The only way that Quinn would have gotten this right for Cassandra and WCW would have been to appoint Lee Daniels or the ghost of Abe Lincoln to the position.
Comment by Lefty Lefty Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 5:09 pm
The announcement was at a Chicago Women in Government Relations event. An appropriate venue for such an announcement. Give me a break.
Comment by Wizard of Ozzie Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 5:28 pm
Quinn is a class act not only did he make a smart move with Hamos. The Saddler appointment has been a boon for DHS. He knows how to pick smart people to lead the state agencies!
Comment by DHS Appointment Friday, Apr 9, 10 @ 10:21 pm
Will Hamos, whose pension is constitutionally protected, pledge to return to the state treasury the difference between what her pension will be based on her new salary and that which it would have been as a legislator? Or will she repeat what her friend Carol Ronen did and line up at the trough.
After having just voted to slash the pensions of teachers and other public servants, it’s the least she could do to demonstrate her sincerity.
Comment by truthteller Saturday, Apr 10, 10 @ 7:17 am
Information I have from the Turner camp is Art has not been offered and would not accept a position with the Quinn administration. Turner has not spoken directly from the Governor since the meeting they had three days before the Central committee vote.This meeting did not go well I hear.
Look for Turner to speak about issues and advocate for increased government transparency and volunteerism, criminal justice reform and look to see what next election cycle brings.
Comment by Anonymous Saturday, Apr 10, 10 @ 9:55 am
East Bank Club? It’s kind of like when Duncan and Huberman had their school violence summit at the Four Seasons.
You’re Democrats. Get out in the hood.
Comment by wordslinger63@gmail.com Saturday, Apr 10, 10 @ 10:30 am
This will be a nice sweetner for hamos’ pension. It’s cool to see reformers take advanatage of the system! Talk about sweet!!
Comment by Basic Saturday, Apr 10, 10 @ 11:28 am
As long as she knows what’s she’s doing, and respects the legislative and rulemaking processes, I’m cool with her. All I’ve heard about her is good, so I give this one a thumbs up.
Comment by Bookworm Saturday, Apr 10, 10 @ 2:01 pm
Ms. Hamos, please appoint some new senior managers and don’t “protect” the Blago appointees who populate the bureaus of collections and child support. BOC’s bureau chief requires ridiculous, demoralizing and time wasting daily reports from all of his staff. CS needs more family support specialists, not more managers.
Comment by DHS Caseworker Saturday, Apr 10, 10 @ 11:24 pm
A strong choice. Hamos is smart and can nail down the complexities of this job.
Comment by jonbtuba Sunday, Apr 11, 10 @ 10:15 am