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* From the March 23, 2009 edition of the Jacksonville Journal-Courier’s editorial page…
Until we address the core issue of an ever-expanding state government with fewer workers to pay for it, Illinois will continue to deteriorate.
* Same editorial page, July 17, 2009…
The budget does include about $2.1 billion in spending cuts, with the possibility of an additional $1.1 billion in cuts later in the year. But these cuts merely postpone the inevitable day of reckoning.
Glaringly present by its absence is any real discussion about trimming the pounds of fat wobbling under the arms of state government.
At the same time, lawmakers do little to address the problem of gluttonous spending that got the state into a $15 billion hole. Rather, they simply “limit” spending — and we know how well that has worked in the past.
Published reports indicate Quinn also will announce the closing of a handful of state facilities this week.
One of the powerhouse unions in the state — the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which represents about 30,000 people — has called on lawmakers to increase spending to avoid any cuts.
That would be a step backward after lawmakers already cut $1.5 billion out of what Quinn requested in fiscal year spending.
We’re empathetic with the pain that such closings and layoffs will bring, but cannot overlook the pain inflicted already on the private-sector workforce.
Any real attempt to address Illinois’ budget problems must reflect the realities that have existed in the private sector for years. Any real attempt cannot continue to reckless and carefree spending of money that simply isn’t there.
To do so would be at the expense of the people state government is supposed to serve.
* Not long after that last editorial was published, Gov. Pat Quinn announced the closure of Jacksonville Developmental Center. Here’s the paper’s editorial from September 12, 2011…
Hi, Gov. Quinn, it’s us.
I know we haven’t been on the best of terms lately, what with our occasional swipes against you on this very page.
Hey, at least you aren’t Rod Blagojevich, right?
Um, OK, we’ll get to the point.
You’re killing us.
Illinois generally, Jacksonville specifically.
Your announcement Thursday that unless lawmakers approve more money, you’ll close a prison, a juvenile detention center, three homes for the mentally ill and two centers for the developmentally disabled was a death knell for this region. […]
Gov. Quinn, Jacksonville has been hit hard by economic turmoil. Yes, everyone has, but hundreds upon hundreds of good-paying jobs have vanished from this city in the past two years. Gone with them has been an incredible pool of talent and of people to provide the vibrancy that makes a city a community.
* To be very clear here, I’m on record repeatedly saying that these proposed cuts are mainly theater and that I seriously doubt whether Quinn truly intends to follow through. Also, to be clear, the Journal-Courier has often offered up thoughtful, realistic and spot-on critiques of Illinois’ failure to get a handle on its budget. I mean, really, it’s no secret that our government has been a mess and even a failure. The paper is also far from alone in helping fan the “cut government now” flames. And it’s not the only media outlet which fanned those flames despite having state facilities and lots of state workers in its coverage zone. It just happens to be the only one of those papers which also has an easily accessible archive.
Even so, it’s always dangerous to demand cuts when your own community is a potential target. Just sayin…
* Related…
* JDC petition efforts mobilize
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 1:10 pm
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Ah, yes, cut, cut, cut, just don’t cut me. Cut the mythical “welfare queen.” Cut the “waste.” Cut the “pork” (just not mine; if it’s coming to me it’s not pork). Everybody wants cuts, they just want them to happen somewhere else, to someone else.
Comment by TwoFeetThick Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 1:30 pm
In Jacksonville alone there is a State Prison, State Developmetal Center, State School for the Blind, State School for the Dear, DHS Field Office and DCFS Field Office. Did the good folks in JVille who say cut spending miss the fact that their area is state government?
Comment by Give Me A Break Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 1:37 pm
Predictable, but still funny.
Endless lectures on cutting budgets and “private sector” efficiencies, yet when it hits home, the state is somehow obligated to be the employer of first resort.
If the JJC were a truck, it would drop its tranny shifting gears like that.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 1:43 pm
Jacksonville editorial writers living in (or very near) a glass house. Quinn just threw a stone. Downstate editorial boards just got a lot quieter . . .
Comment by Ray del Camino Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 1:44 pm
GMAB, don’t forget all the state workers who commute to Springfield from J-ville.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 1:49 pm
GMAB –also, don’t forget Illinois College, MacMurray College and Lincoln Land community college, all of which receive state funds, directly (Lincolnland) or through MAP.
Comment by soccermom Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 1:55 pm
It goes to show you that talk of “cutting government” all boils down to who’s ox is being gored.
Comment by Stones Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 1:56 pm
To echo a comment that was made on this board earlier in the week. Why should the Gov single out certain facilities to cut?? Why not go to the Dept of Corrections and say “your budget is 10% less than last year, deal with it”. Dept of Public Health same way. Let the managers of those departments identify how they can cut 10% in their department. Maybe it’s by closing a facility in Jacksonville. Maybe it’s by recycling paper so that both sides get printed on. (snark). This gov or any gov can’t possibly have such a good handle on the everyday operations of each agency in this state to be able to best tell them where to cut. Does that make any sense or is my naivete’ showing?
Comment by TimB Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 1:57 pm
I have to say I’m enjoying Illinois politics a lot more since I moved out of state.
When I used to be disgusted about the smashmouth politics now I’m just amused. Quinn signing a bill he believed to be inadequet just so he could cut out GOP input is a classic; now we have budget cuts, apparently not based on what is best for the sick, disabled, the residents of the state, etc. but on inflicting the most pain on political opponents.
At long last when it comes to bizarre and idiotic Illinois political games—I’m lovin’ it! Rock on with your bad selves Illinois Democrats!
Comment by qcexaminer Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 1:57 pm
And to think they elected a new senator that was, and still is, in the grasp of the Tea Party. I’m waiting for the Tea Party to do a presser about what a great idea these closures are because government is getting smaller.
Comment by Give Me A Break Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 1:59 pm
This gov or any gov can’t possibly have such a good handle on the everyday operations of each agency in this state to be able to best tell them where to cut. Does that make any sense or is my naivete’ showing?
You don’t think that he consulted his department folks?
Comment by dave Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 2:04 pm
Dave - “You don’t think that he consulted his department folks?”
No, I realy don’t. If he did, it was to ask, “what facility can we close?” The question needs to be, “what can you do to cut 10% from your budget and have the least effect on the service you provide?” Put the onus on the Dept. Heads. Give them x number of $ and let them announce how it will be spent. Maybe it’s necessary to close a facility, but a cut back in expenses by all the others might keep you from closing 2. We don’t hear anything about cutting day by day operational expenses, just closing doors. There have to be other cuts that can be made. It’s just that they’re not as easy to find.
Comment by TimB Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 2:16 pm
These are the type of cuts the Tea Party is asking
for now that it’s happening it don’t feel so good.
It’s shame the Tea Party experiment is going to hurt a lot of people.And the Republicans will go
down with the Know Nothings and Whigs.Hard to believe this party produced Lincoln and Teddy
Roosevelt.The tent is getting smaller.Cut when we should be building,like a ship of fools.God Bless America we will need all the help we can get.
Comment by mokenavince Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 2:22 pm
TB, another question a governor has to ask is whether it is better to do fewer things of higher quality or more things of lower quality. There’s nothing easy about what needs to happen re: the state’s budget. I hope the Governor and the GA are up to it.
Comment by steve schnorf Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 2:26 pm
No sympathy for jacksonville. It should do what every other area of the country and world that has seen local us government or in this case illinois government jobs leave the area in the interest of fiscal responsibility-suck it up and develop your private sector. The same paper would probably support the closing of various federal agencies in the dc area which would cost those communities those jobs-and so now it needs to be consistent. Move on and when you do not only will you have less wasteful government spending but private sector jobs.
Comment by Shore Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 2:31 pm
–”We don’t hear anything about cutting day by day operational expenses, just closing doors”–
TimB, come on out and take a good look around. Being in an agency that was cut, stomped on and despised by our last governor,I can tell you exactly were a good share of the cuts cuts cuts are made when left to the higher ups. If you think it’s been easy keeping things going out here…”is my naivete’ showing”?
Comment by Cindy Lou Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 2:32 pm
There are still layers of crap that can be cut out and new collective bargaining laws that can be used to cut expenses before shutting down prison and mental health facilities.
Just like every other dramatic cut, people ax the sensitive issues in order to get more money rather than do the hard work of rooting through the layers to find the waste and rewriting the pension and public union laws that are really driving the pain.
Comment by Shemp Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 2:49 pm
Cut, cut, cut is the mantra. Go beyond the cutting and ask what happens next. Where do the people who live at JDC and other state facilities go to sleep/live? It will not be free. Is there a show of hands from the ‘let’s just cut’ camp of who will take these people into their home? Or is that a NIMBY? There are not enough community provider beds, particularly with Willams and Legas decisions coming on. It’s cheaper in the community you say? Yes, because the rates are so low most direct service pay scales are barely at $10 an hour with high staff turn over. There are some people living in state facilities who can be successful with some support. There are many others whose medical needs and physical supports will exceed the cost of living at the state facilities. Should they all get a shot at moving out? Sure. Current community providers are not getting paid for months and are being told the money runs out in April. So they should just accept more people who may be pretty difficult for the joy of still not being paid? But money is supposed to follow the person. Sure, eventually some does.
Comment by zatoichi Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 2:50 pm
Some cuts do have a real cause and effect relationship. In Chicago because of cuts to Dept of human services the police Dept has been instructed to let the homeless sleep in the lobby’s of police stations. I doubt Rahm will let them sleep at city hall though. I recently read that a homeless person caused a disturbance at one of the districts that resulted in multiple taserings and now we have a homeless person possibley with mental health issues in the county jail. I am in favor of many cuts but have to admit sometimes you have to wonder if their is a better way of doing it.
Comment by Fed up Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 3:00 pm
the jacksonville paper is no longer a hometown paper–it was sold to conservative west coast group many years ago–most of the editorials are mailed in–now they have an economic castrophe on their hands that directly impacts their advertisers–too bad they didn’t understand where the bread was buttered before this.
Comment by anon Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 3:08 pm
Yes, this.
Comment by Dirt Digger Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 3:35 pm
Who knew anyone read newspapers anymore?
Wow, bet those editorial writers will be bit more learned and responsbile now taht Pat Quinn is doing exactly what they say.
Cut, cut cut.
Way to go Journal Courier edit board.
The Tribune wishes they could be this influential.
Maybe you’ll win an award or something to take back to your vacant, ghosttown community when state government packs up and leaves.
It’s like the journalistic equivalent of the Lorax.
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 3:49 pm
Like French insults towards Americans that come to a screaching halt when the German’s are on the march.
Comment by Dirty Red Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 3:55 pm
The “cut, cut, cut” mania of the papers was echoed by virtually every House, Senate Republican, Judy Topinka, Dan Rutherford, and the Tea Party windbags.
Now Rutherford just held his 2,457 press conference to denounce the prison cuts, saying the focus should be on “pension” costs.
You wanted budget cuts Danny boy, well, now you got them.
Enjoy.
Comment by Louis XVI Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 3:56 pm
What is the alternative? Double the income tax again? State government must dramatically shrink, period. People will be hurt, but fewer than with another huge tax increase.
Comment by Ace Matson Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 4:03 pm
== Tim B:” Why should the Gov single out certain facilities to cut??”
I would suggest that they have likely looked at r/d districts as well as legislative vote rolls and are now lobbying a particular house/senate member for support. They probably are actively targeting for the districts for votes on a bill or perhaps setting up a for the election. Or perhaps just as punishment for past grievances.
Comment by Larry Mullholland Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 4:07 pm
Has anyone asked the Governor the status of the 750 high paid 750 Blago/Quinn Administration hacks he said he wanted to fire?
Have they been fired and I missed it? Or is the Gov just firing 750+ low paid frontliners?
Comment by Larry Mullholland Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 4:25 pm
Rich: Could. Not. Agree. More.
Them: “Cut Spending!”
Illinois: “Okay. Done.”
Them: “Oh, but don’t cut that! What are you, crazy?”
Comment by Its Just Me Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 4:30 pm
LM, I assume they’re all in the union by now. That’s where I’d be.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 4:37 pm
When I started at State Government two levels up from an entry level position, there were 3 layers of management between me and the agency Director. When I retired 30 some years later after climbing the management ladder at least 3 layers up and reaching a high MC position in the same agency, there were *still* 4 layers of management between myself and the agency Director. My agency had added four layers of mostly unneeded middle management (aka politically favored hacks) over those 30 some years … that is where all the fat and waste is in State government that needs to go but nobody will address it.
Comment by Retired Non-Union Guy Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 4:43 pm
Seems similar to gambling. Oooo; gambling’s terrible; we’re against it; hurts lower income folks…….
…..until WE GET ONE. Then, it’s a different tune.
Comment by sal-says Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 4:54 pm
Let’s assume 10% of state workers are “fat, hacks,”, etc (and they aren’t), and eliminate all of them if we could (civil service, union contracts, etc). Total savings, maybe $350M, offset by unemployment, continuation of health insurance, etc. What PQ proposed last week probably has an annualized savings value of $100-150M.
The Governor is, after both those actions, going to have to find and implement cuts of around 10 TIMES what he did last week to balance the budget, and that’s assuming the total income tax increase stays in place forever.
I wish he didn’t have to make those cuts, but he does, and many. many more like them. Have most of you been paying no attention at all for the past 2 or 3 years?
This is all part of why I said for years the budget couldn’t be balanced by cuts alone; there just would never be the will, R or D, to make cuts that deep. Now the question before us is can the budget be balanced by some painful cuts after a $7B tax increase. I had high hopes. They are fading fast.
Comment by steve schnorf Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 5:01 pm
Steve,
Agree cutting the hacks will only produce a small savings … but you got to start somewhere and firing 750 to 2,500 “hacks” would be a popular move with John Q Public plus it would send a message to both parties that Quinn is serious about pushing cuts. What’s the Gov got to lose? … neither party will do Quinn any favors any time soon anyway …
Comment by Retired Non-Union Guy Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 5:27 pm
Retired Guy,
Let’s see if you can do what the Governor did with the layoffs- name the unneeded middle management positions you think should be fired. Hard to take you seriously if you can’t give specific positions…
Comment by Mike O'Malley Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 7:03 pm
More proof that “pork” is best defined as “spending in another district.”
Comment by Skeeter Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 8:49 pm
Brilliant! Thanks for finally pointing this out! I can’t figure out who these downstate editorial boards think their subscribers are and who they think still has interest in their product. This is exactly why I refuse to subscribe to the SJ-R.
Comment by Impressed Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 9:19 pm
“Irony can be pretty ironic sometimes.” Buck Murdock, 1982
Comment by Hawkeye Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 9:31 pm
Middle managers to cut? How about every SPSA under deputy director. There are way too many assitant deputies out there. Get rid of all of them and make those deputies work for a change. That would definitely be a start.
Comment by Non-retired guy Tuesday, Sep 13, 11 @ 9:44 pm
It’s amusing to me that a lot of people want to blow off thinning out the hacks because it’s only a small dent as if though that’s a good excuse.
Comment by Shemp Wednesday, Sep 14, 11 @ 2:37 am
Pretty funny how people want cuts or tax increases, as long as it’s the other guy, and they just assume that somehow it’s obvious that what is pork over there is an essential service, over here.
Comment by Marty Wednesday, Sep 14, 11 @ 3:12 am
Retired Non-Union Guy reminds me of when I was in IDOT in the late 1970s and early 1980s. We had to get Budget Bureau signoff to hire a secretary or clerk into a budgeted, not frozen position. When I asked why, as there was no way someone in BoB could possibly have an informed opinion, it was patiently explained to me that every few years, a new “hiring freeze” would be announced, to great fanfare, along with a process to fill critical positions. Eventually, things would get better and those exceptions got easier, but no one ever announced the end of a hiring freeze. Then, another crunch, another freeze, but the NEW exception process had to operate on top of the previous one, never rescinded. By the time I was there, there were about 6 or 7 generations of hiring freeze in effect, with 6 or 7 levels of review, running all the way up to IDOT’s Secretary and then over to BoB in the Capitol.
Ah, IL government!!!
Comment by Marty Wednesday, Sep 14, 11 @ 3:21 am
–The Governor is, after both those actions, going to have to find and implement cuts of around 10 TIMES what he did last week to balance the budget, and that’s assuming the total income tax increase stays in place forever.–
The voice in the wilderness.
Also, let’s put aside the babble about cuts in “Republican districts.” Last I checked, there are no baronial estates in Illinois. You’re elected to represent all your constituents and promote the interests of the whole state.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Sep 14, 11 @ 10:42 am
” people ax the sensitive issues in order to get more money rather than do the hard work of rooting through the layers to find the waste and rewriting the pension and public union laws that are really driving the pain.”
It’s called “closing the Washington Monument”. The story goes that the Interior Department was asked what would happen is their budget was cut 5%. The response was they would have to close the Washington Monument. That’s why you have to demand a percentage cut and stick to it. No bureaucrat would put his career at risk by actually closing it.
Comment by wishbone Wednesday, Sep 14, 11 @ 12:56 pm