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* Nice move…
Gov. Bruce Rauner told a group of firefighters and first responders here Sunday that the state will be doing “all we can to help the cleanup process” following last week’s flood.
Rauner visited the Villa Grove fire station to thank and shake hands with emergency personnel and volunteers and to look at photographs and maps of areas damaged by last week’s floods.
“My primary reason for coming here was to say thank you to our first responders,” Rauner told a crowd of about 50. “One of the great things about our state is that everybody comes together to help each other out in times of need.”
* Not so good…
But if the flooding wasn’t bad enough, it’s what happened months before that upsets many officials and home and business owners, [Alexander County Board chairman Chalen Tatum] said.
It was July when Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration directed county officials by email to halt its flood buyout program, Tatum said.
The reason? Because the state was without a budget, Tatum said, referring to the email notice.
But the funds, $4 million from the state and $8 million from the federal government, were already appropriated, were already in the bank and were already being used to buy flood prone property from their owners and allow them to relocate, Tatum said.
“That money has nothing to do with the state budget. People like that, we could have already bought their home out,” Tatum said, pointing to a home surrounded by floodwater off Illinois 3 in Olive Branch.
The program slated 169 homes and businesses. To date, 42 have been purchased, Tatum said. The buyouts started about a year ago but had picked up pace with eight or nine purchases a month by the summer.
Tatum estimated another 50 properties would have been purchased since July without the state cease order.
Ugh.
*** UPDATE *** The governor’s office called to point out that there was no appropriation authority after June 30th. The money was in the governor’s proposal, but not in the reapprop bill approved by the Democrats, which the governor signed.
So, nevermind.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 12:39 pm
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This must be part of that “short term pain” Rauner loves.
Of course, people feel that pain, real people, real consequences.
Governor, should you just tell them to “Hang in there” or…
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 12:42 pm
=== But the funds, $4 million from the state and $8 million from the federal government, were already appropriated, were already in the bank and were already being used to buy flood prone property from their owners and allow them to relocate, Tatum said. ===
Do we have a sweep candidate?
Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 12:43 pm
=== “My primary reason for coming here was to say thank you to our first responders,” ===
Then I’ll go back and do everything I can to make sure you will lose your collective bargaining rights. Faux Rauner
Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 12:46 pm
Beautiful World
Casale/Mothersbaugh, enhanced by VanillaMan
It’s a beautiful world you live in
A sweet romantic place
Beautiful homes here, a Montana ranch there
Your bank accounts are everywhere
Makes me want to say
It’s a beautiful world
It’s a beautiful world
It’s a beautiful world
For you
For you
For you
It’s a fun place to play governor
A persistent rascal well known
You don’t back down, or give up
Even when the job needs a grown up
Makes me want to say
It’s a wonderful place
It’s a wonderful place
It’s a wonderful place
For you
For you
For you
It must be fun to hurt others
You’ve been doing that an awful lot
You blame them for what they need to do
Who needs a budget with a guy like you?
Makes me want to say
It’s a wonderful place
It’s a wonderful place
It’s a wonderful place
For you
For you
For you
Hey Bruce!
Tell you what I see
You shouldn’t have run for this job
It exposed you as a clueless snob
Hey hey
There’s a better world out there
But we need a governor who cares
One that’ll use what he knows for good
The way a Thompson or an Edgar would
Bruce - you make me want to say
It’s a beautiful world
For you
It’s a beautiful world
For you
It’s a beautiful world
For you
Not Illinoisans
Not citizens
Not us
Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 12:50 pm
Bruce has no social agenda!
Comment by slow down Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 12:51 pm
And, yesterday, the levee breached….
http://www.wsiltv.com/story/30882679/breached-levee-near-olive-branch-sparks-spring-flood-fears
Hopefully FEMA doesn’t “hold a grudge” against the fact that Illinois (Rauner and the Superstars) held up the buyout process. As to a sweep of these funds- legally, I don’t think they have the right to do that. If they do, I can imagine the lawsuits that will follow.
Comment by Anon 221 Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 12:52 pm
As has been noted The SuperStars are a little short on detail stuff. Just pay no attention. yesterday they unleashed Slip&Sue’s 406 page report that failed to offer a number on how many governments are out there to be consolidated
The report suggests numbers between +8,000 and 6,000ish. If we just agreed on usin’ the Illinois Dept. of Revenue # we can claim eliminatin’ +2,000 governments —- biggest cut in the history of mankind — Whoosh. Mission Accomplished! Victory lap SuperStars Mucho Pronto.
Comment by Annonin' Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 12:54 pm
Don’t it make you feel bad
When you’re tryin’ to find your way home
You don’t know which way to go?
If you’re goin’ down South
They got no work to do,
If you don’t know about Chicago.”
Here’s hoping they end this silly impasse and approve a budget already. Good freaking grief.
Comment by Robert Plant Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 1:06 pm
The adminstation seems to be overachievers when it comes to short term pain, it’s the long term gain, or any benefit of any sort, where they seem to fall short. /s
Comment by AC Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 1:12 pm
http://www.wsiltv.com/story/30883626/angry-shes-a-flood-victim-again-woman-gives-gov-rauner-earful
And Rauner’s reply- a touch on her shoulders and the platitudes of, “I’m sorry that this has happened to you. Hang in there. God bless you.”
***
It doesn’t matter that he wasn’t in office then these “deals” were made. They weren’t “deals”, they were federally funded programs that are designed to make sure people’s property and lives aren’t decimated again. But his TAR (TurnAround Reforms) are more important than a few hundred people in Olive Branch. Does he have enough TAR to fix the problems that have now been compounded due to his administration’s negligence of the buyout program now that the levee is down?
Comment by Anon 221 Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 1:16 pm
–It was July when Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration directed county officials by email to halt its flood buyout program, Tatum said.
The reason? Because the state was without a budget, Tatum said, referring to the email notice.
But the funds, $4 million from the state and $8 million from the federal government, were already appropriated, were already in the bank and were already being used to buy flood prone property from their owners and allow them to relocate, Tatum said.–
Lying comes easy to this crowd.
What Norse said. More sweeps coming, more structural imbalance baked into GRF going forward.
There really is no relationship to what the Rauner administration says and what it does.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 1:17 pm
I just finished “In the Heart of the Sea”, and the author described another wreck of a passenger ship in the 1700’s or 1800’s where the captain, officers, and crew managed to get into the two lifeboats, while about 150 passengers were made to make due with a hastily constructed raft. When times got too tough to keep the boats and raft together, the captain ordered the raft cut loose, and the passengers to fend for themselves. Needless to say, most perished after they were, effectively, told to “Hang in there.”
Sound familiar….
Comment by Anon 221 Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 1:26 pm
But…. Hang in there! SNARK
Comment by Anon 221 Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 1:29 pm
So (to Update 1), no one in the Governor’s office had/has time to do their homework and realize that there were additions that may have needed to be added into the approps bill for items that were already funded???? Victimhood seems to be so easy for this crowd. The dog must have eaten their homework a lot when they were “growing up.”
Comment by Anon 221 Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 1:32 pm
Ok, that explains the state money, but why hasn’t the administration included the fed money in any of the stopgap measures passed last year. Shall we all say in unison - “pressure point.” The flood now amps up the pressure.
Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 1:34 pm
Rauner’s manners are impeccable. Flies in from across the planet, to make an appearance right on cue, to thank first responders. A beautiful gesture from a leader to thank those who take the deadly risks to keep society safe.
But are their efforts and dedication worth being compensated by taxpayers at middle-class income levels? Not in Rauner World.
Comment by cdog Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 1:35 pm
Rauner response: “I’ve been to the desert on a camel with no name, it felt good to be out of the rain ….”
(Plagiarized from America’s song)
Comment by A Jack Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 1:42 pm
Norseman-
My take on why fed money has been “lumped” into this impasse mess (besides being a pressure point)- lack of understanding how these types of monies are to be used. Either ignorance or arrogance, or both. Yesterday in the threads for the bond sale, a commentator pointed out that these bonds might be used for the federal match required on the new 5 year transportation bill. Not unrealistic once some Superstar finally realizes that Illinois will be left behind. Other states will gladly take our share. But I guess “Hangin’ in there” beats real jobs, money, and the Governor’s favorite word- growth.
Comment by Anon 221 Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 1:46 pm
Excellent, A Jack!!!
Comment by Anon 221 Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 1:48 pm
But Rauner said the state could offer encouragement…
Look, Rauner had no control over whether or not there was a catastrophic flood…what he did and does control is the ability to have empathy for the citizens of the state he governs, he could put aside his ideological that would hurt the vast majority of the citizens in Illinois and work with the opposition to secure a budget that is over 6 months late so there is revenue and funding for programs that HELP Illinois. He was elected by the people of Illinois, not appointed by his rich buddies in Chicago.
Comment by Bulldog58 Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 1:55 pm
Ooops…should have said ‘ideological agenda’
Darn ’smart’ phones!
Comment by Bulldog58 Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 1:56 pm
In other words, House and Senate Democrats who took it out of the budget are the ones to blame.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 2:10 pm
==The governor’s office called to point out that there was no appropriation authority after June 30th== If the money had already been appropriated, wasn’t there some lapse period spending authority to continue the buyouts in July and into August?
Comment by SAP Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 2:25 pm
If the Governor had an aptitude for governing, he would use this disaster to suspend his turn-around agenda. He can easily say that the agenda can wait for a sunny day after this crisis is passed, tell the public that a tax increase is needed to help the flood victims, and finally get the impasse resolved.
If only he had an aptitude for governing.
Comment by A Jack Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 2:34 pm
This is what I don’t understand:
==”“That money has nothing to do with the state budget. People like that, we could have already bought their home out,” Tatum said, pointing to a home surrounded by floodwater off Illinois 3 in Olive Branch.”"==
That money has everything to do with the state budget, though. Why do people have this view that the state budget is a dirty thing that only goes to other people, but ignore what it does for them?
This is a just and proper use of state budget funds…
Comment by okgo Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 2:37 pm
Was the money in the budget the governor vetoed?
Comment by Precinct Captain Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 2:41 pm
From Rich’s post above-
“But the funds, $4 million from the state and $8 million from the federal government, were already appropriated, were already in the bank and were already being used to buy flood prone property from their owners and allow them to relocate, Tatum said.”
****
This goes back several years. Remember, Rauner is the one who mandated an across the board spending freeze (http://uchicagogate.com/2015/02/07/bruce-rauners-spending-freeze/) that caused problems to arise like the holdup of the FEMA buyouts. All because no one wanted to do the detailed homework!-
https://sites.google.com/site/alexcomitigation2011/announcements
Comment by Anon 221 Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 3:06 pm
No Budget, No Problem!
Comment by Hedley Lamarr Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 3:25 pm
Maybe now that these folks are not busy rebuilding their homes, they should sign up for some free motorcycle training classes.
I’m sure Bruce would approve.
Comment by How Ironic Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 4:02 pm
Couldn’t comment because it wasn’t making sense — until the update clarification from Rauner’s office.
Now it’s just another example of unnecessary damage, that could have been avoided.
Comment by walker Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 4:42 pm
Shakin’ up those disaster victims, yah! (snark)
Comment by James Knell Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 6:05 pm
The way I understand this is the funds were in the Governor’s budget, but not in the democrats’ budget. Hmmmmm. I think some legislators in my neck of the woods need to recheck what they voted for & revise what they are saying.
Comment by Southern Illinois Voter Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 6:12 pm
Flooding? Sounds like the trib can get the Katrina they wished!
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 7:05 pm
Maybe I’m mistaken, but if it’s a reapprop, that’s exactly why it wasn’t included in the bill…I’m pretty sure reapprops are automatically “reappropriated” and therefore not subject to the annual appropriation authority necessary for the administration to release the funding.
Comment by Losing My Edge Wednesday, Jan 6, 16 @ 8:36 am
SAP,
Yes, there is a 3 month lapse period but only to pay for things already contracted for or purchased but not yet delivered.
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Jan 6, 16 @ 8:43 am