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* AP…
Guerry Suggs, chairman of the state museum board of directors, said the move [by the governor to close the museum] doesn’t make much sense.
Researchers and scientists will continue their work, but it’s unclear what staff such as tour guides and security officers will do, Suggs said. […]
“Closing the Illinois State Museum and Sparta Shooting Complex will save Illinois taxpayers millions of dollars,” [Rauner spokeswoman Lyndsey Walters] said in an emailed statement.
Suggs estimated the savings from laying off a small number of nonunion museum employees would be less than $400,000 annually — minuscule compared with the state’s multibillion-dollar deficit or the tax revenue generated by tourists, he said.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 9:55 am
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Well, $400,000 over five years is “millions” of dollars so I guess technically she has a point, if you ignore the lost tourism money.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 9:57 am
They went in knowing that those hostages were going to get a slug to the head.
Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 9:59 am
Maybe the guards and guides can have a daily pizza party among all the Lincoln artifacts.
Comment by Tournaround Agenda Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 9:59 am
Never understood this move from the beginning, and I still don’t get it.
Comment by Jaded Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 10:04 am
Many ==small== sums add up.
Comment by Formerly Known As... Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 10:04 am
The hostage strategy as a whole makes no sense.
Where’s that economic and fiscal analysis, again, on the benefits of passing the governor’s political agenda? There is one, right?
Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 10:07 am
Forget that the closures actually make the budget siutation worse, especially when the economic impact is accounted for, what matters is that it feels like we’re doing something. After all, Rauner only promised to shake things up, and he’s certainly doing that. /s
Comment by AC Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 10:08 am
What exactly would anyone expect Suggs to say?
Comment by A guy Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 10:09 am
This one was chosen, obviously not for the savings, but for the message to the public.
Comment by walker Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 10:13 am
All this shaking up is beginning to feel like an end of day wooden coaster ride while sporting a sun headache.
Comment by thechampaignlife Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 10:13 am
Mismanagement. No matter if you like the gov, don’t like the gov or anywhere in between, there is no denying the horrendous mismanagement. For someone that was a manager all of his adult life, you would certainly expect better.
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 10:17 am
The only way this makes sense is if it’s a way of retaliating for Rauner’s 17% vote in the Republican primary — so if he’s sending a message, the message is, “Nice museum you’ve got here, be a shame if something happened to it.”
Comment by olddog Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 10:27 am
The business genius at work.
Comment by Liberty Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 10:38 am
Rauner hates museums because museums are where future citizens will see how bad of a governor Bruce Rauner was. He can’t control how history will be written about him, but he can shut down where it will be written.
Perhaps we will be seeing the Museum replaced by the “Rauner’s People Museum of Eternal Turnaround and Glory”.
Rauner is the kind of rare human being who sees no reason to respect traditions he believes prevents him from doing whatever it is he wants to do. He is determined to leave us with a worship center that he wants us to have.
Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 10:38 am
I think he plans to fire them again. Only this time he will fire them for not doing their job. Can the Rauner fire someone for not doing the job he eliminated?
Comment by Mama Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 10:42 am
“Rauner’s People Museum of Eternal Turnaround and Glory”
VanillaMan, that’d be redundant, we already have the Illinois Policy Institute.
Comment by AC Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 10:58 am
The closing of the state museum has nothing to do with money and everything to do with the “game” that is being played.
Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 11:00 am
Shameful
Shortsighted
Punitive
Counterproductive
Comment by Langhorne Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 11:23 am
Nothing Rauner has done to date has so shaken my confidence in the man than this bone-head decision to semi-close the State Museum. If he needs to save money, there are a whole lot of other state facilities and agencies that cost much more and contribute much less. Closing the Museum doesn’t even make and sense as a symbolic gesture.
Comment by Skirmisher Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 11:34 am
If he can find this kind of savings each and every day between now and the end of the year, he will have saved 1% of the revenue deficit.
Comment by Elo Kiddies Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 11:43 am
Yeah, but we are doing something. May be just churning dust and have almost no effect.
Comment by zatoichi Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 11:45 am
Perhaps the Governor is one of those folks that think the earth is only about 5,000 years old. With that being the case he might believe most of the stuff there is either fake or a lie and he’s closing the museum in the best interest of the public..
Comment by Mouthy Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 11:46 am
Since I can’t wrap my head around anything this administration is attempting…I will turn to conjecture. What the Governor is doing by closing Shooting World is re-focusing attention and scrutiny of Rahm Emanual and Illinois’ urban Shooting World, the City of Chicago…yeah, that’s it!
Comment by Captain Illini Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 11:51 am
“VanillaMan, that’d be redundant, we already have the Illinois Policy Institute.”
This blog post just went from good to great.
Comment by Politix Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 12:06 pm
Rauner reminds me of an old salesman joke.
Manager “You can’t keep doing this, you’re losing money on every sale”
Rauner (salesman) “Yes, but we’ll make it up in volume!”
Comment by How Ironic Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 12:06 pm
I’m curious why the State Fairs aren’t being closed too.I know more people visit the museums than went to the Fairs this year. Does the museum lose more money than the fairs? Which entity bolsters the local economy more?
Comment by Wadeiea@gmail.com Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 12:09 pm
Really?? Wow…much ado about nothing!
Comment by Flynn's mom Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 12:20 pm
Everyone’s budget is “minuscule” compared to the deficit. Adding up smaller numbers is the only realistic way to reach a number that large.
I have no opinion on the closing, but I loathe that argument. It just absolutely no sense. None. Not in business, not at the municipal level, not at the state level, not at the Federal level.
Argue that the tourism you produce pays for your operation (another standard argument during budget season), but the “minuscule” argument is pointless and counter-productive.
Comment by Liandro Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 12:41 pm
Liandro- “Everyone’s budget is ‘minuscule’ compared to the deficit.”
So $.033 per person in Illinois is worth closure? Or let’s take the 4.5 million- $.40 per person per year.
I look at the museum closures as Rauner cashing in on my investments as an Illinoisan (taxes). But, I guess that’s his prerogative./s He’s been “cashing” in a lot lately.
Comment by Anon221 Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 12:51 pm
This gives the governot the perfect excuse to fire staff - lack of work.
Comment by Huh? Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 12:59 pm
Not everyone is staying. The five “merit comp” managers are terminated today.
Comment by sangamo girl Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 1:13 pm
@Anon221:
Go back and read my comment again. “I have no opinion on the closing”. I haven’t researched that closing and probably never will, because I have more than enough research on my plate already.
My actual point was toward the argument being used: that a budget can be too “minuscule” to be worth cutting. Ridiculous. A budget either merits raising taxes/funds for, or it merits cutting another budget for. Barring that, it is NEVER too “minuscule” to be cut.
If you feel that it’s worth a tax increase for every one of these programs, that is your view. Hopefully you believe that because of the merits, not because you don’t care about “minuscule” dollars amounts like $400,000. Because that is exactly how people (and governments) get in debt in the first place.
Comment by Liandro Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 1:14 pm
If the ATA wants a shooting complex then let them open one. That place is a huge waste of taxpayer money, nothing but a money pit. Good Move Governor close it and sell it.
Comment by realworld Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 1:24 pm
They should also do away with the State Fairs, another money pit for the taxpayers. Keep up the GREAT WORK Governor.
Comment by realworld Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 1:27 pm
And while your at it Governor you should look at MOST of the State Parks, another huge money pit for the Taxpayers. This Governor is going to get this mess fixed hopefully.
Comment by realworld Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 1:31 pm
RealWorld has got it figured out.
Tne voters elected a bustout and bankruptcy schemer as governor. They’ll get what they deserve — and hard.
Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 1:38 pm
I’m curious what people like RealWorld think tax dollars SHOULD be used for.
Comment by Tournaround Agenda Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 1:40 pm
Liandro:
Budgets are made up of line items, some of which are “miniscule” in the grand scheme. However, Rauner didn’t choose to take the “miniscule” approach (aka line item vetoes), therefore I do and will continue to take exception to his work in the “orchard”. He’s cherry-picking with an axe.
Comment by Anon221 Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 1:41 pm
realworld, add Arts Council. Since Rauner’s beating down Madigan, he can eliminate Mrs. Madigan’s gig.
Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 1:46 pm
Norseman: bingo…
Comment by Loop Lady Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 1:50 pm
Why hurt Springfield like this while in the same time touting it. as. the state seed.
.Anyone. whose been. to Springfield lately knows its. hurting. It needs the current tourism plus not less.
Comment by Aidep Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 2:07 pm
I have a hard time disagreeing with criticism over his unwillingness to line-item the initial budget. I realize there were a lot of traps set in it–some intentional, some structural. Still, I agree that it would have been a proper place to start.
Comment by Liandro Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 2:14 pm
I’m with realworld!
If having a university in Macomb is such a great idea, why isn’t the private sector doing it? Well Western Illinois University at auction, hand Phoenix University or whomever the keys, and walk away.
Comment by Juvenal Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 2:17 pm
Juvenal-
Don’t do it to Rocky!
http://peoriapublicradio.org/post/public-art-features-western-illinois-university-mascot#stream/0
Comment by Anon221 Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 2:24 pm
Liandro, I’m not seeing fiscal responsibility as being a motivation to the governor’s actions to date. The state’s FY 16 fiscal position is a disaster as part of a calculated political strategy.
I think some in the media have a hard time understanding that, because it’s so reckless and bizarre, but it’s happening. And it gets worse every day that it continues.
FY16 is a fiscal train wreck, and the social service infrastructure is under assault, as part of a calculated strategy to advance a political power play against citizens who belong to unions. That’s it.
The choice of the state museum and Sparta as hostages is curious, but it’s clear that the governor doesn’t always think things through.
He made his GA peeps vote against the K-12 approps, then threw them under the bus when he lost his nerve about making school children hostages.
Same with state employee pay.
Same with Mac Place, but not before destroying its credit rating.
Same with the heroin bill, before the GOP leaders convinced him that using a public health crisis in his suburban base as “leverage” wasn’t a good idea.
Of course, depriving sick junkies trying to kick of health care in order stick it to Lou Lang is profoundly immoral, but that didn’t stop the governor from vetoing the bill in the first place.
But Liandro, fiscal responsibility ain’t on the radar of the governor.
Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 2:24 pm
What a community can do when they pull together:
http://www.wiu.edu/news/newsrelease.php?release_id=12911
A “feel good” for the afternoon:)
Comment by Anon221 Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 2:27 pm
While we’re arguing ideological talking points, basic scientific is being disrupted — perhaps irrevocably. To get an idea of the real-world damage, read this account in ScienceNews, an online publication of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (hardly a partisan political organization):
http://news.sciencemag.org/scientific-community/2015/09/amid-budget-fight-illinois-state-museum-prepares-close?rss=1
Comment by olddog Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 2:29 pm
Oops! that should be “basic scientific *research* is being disrupted.”
Comment by olddog Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 2:30 pm
@Realworld,
The state fair is enshrined in the state constitution. If you don’t like it, rally your rep to forward a bill to change the constitution.
And I agree about the State parks. Who needs them anyway. Let’s just pave over the whole darn state, and forget leisure time. Also, what’s with all the lakes and rivers. They should all be drained, or dammed and more strip malls be built.
You should have run for Gov with ideas like you have. A true man of the people.
Comment by How Ironic Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 2:36 pm
Contrary to Ducky’so comment Rauner has never been a manager of businesses. Like Word said he’s been a bustout and bankruptcy scammer who takes the assets and leaves the hollow shell.
His lack of actual management experience is showing.
Comment by Joe Biden Was Here Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 2:41 pm
Anyone who seriously argues that shutting a state museum or state parks as part of a political hostage strategy is reasonable has no respect for those that came before them.
The challenge to every generation is to leave it better than you found it. That’s the definition of “progress,” which, somehow, in recent years, has become a dirty word in some wack-a-doo circles.
Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 2:46 pm
What the “wack-a-doos” count on is that future generations wouldn’t miss these cultural treasures because they don’t exist in their lifetimes except in the pages of a book or on digital media. You can share a picture of our state parks or cultural artifacts, but will it “feel” the same?
Comment by Anon221 Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 2:53 pm
That’s it realworld…you go girl, er boy, er uh..yeah! Who needs sidewalks…that’s an expense governments don’t provide, and libraries, and schools, and roads and who needs National Guards when we can just defend ourselves…and why have a City Hall when we can just meet at Joe’s place…public works, Nah, we don’t need no sewers, just dig a hole like the old days!
Yeah, you’re right realworld, we could really save some money then!
Pathetic.
Comment by Captain Illini Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 2:54 pm
@realworld
DNR’s budget is like $40 million. You could eliminate it totally and we’re still in a deep, deep hole.
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 3:37 pm
==- olddog - Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 2:29 pm:==
Mike Madigan and the editors he controls!
Comment by Precinct Captain Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 4:16 pm
– What exactly would anyone expect Suggs to say–
Well, he spoke the truth, backed by facts, which I’m sure confuses you.
Better get back on tne street, taking tne pulse of Tne People, who all agree with you, all the time,
Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 4:26 pm
== For someone that was a manager all of his adult life, you would certainly expect better. ==
Actually, his track record is more “buy, pillage, and sell” than manage …
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 4:55 pm
GOP’s plan = Destroy the government, then claim it doesn’t work.
Comment by Truthines Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 7:38 pm
“I’m a salesman, not an analyst.”
-Bruce Rauner, 2013
Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 7:44 pm
The funny thing about R’s approach to holding the budget and consequently social services hostage is that most of the social service agencies in Chicago don’t have unions. Just a bunch of deeply caring highly educated people making this world a better place who are now without work due to the budget impasse and the people they served whose lives were bettered are now without their services and dreams. The preamble of the US constitution puts general welfare before liberty.
Comment by Emily Booth Wednesday, Sep 30, 15 @ 10:55 pm