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* The Southern Illinoisan editorializes that some newly proposed fees at Department of Natural Resources facilities aren’t a bad idea…
Even with the proposed increases, according to the department’s own documents, state facilities would remain a good bargain compared to facilities in neighboring Midwest states.
The state’s fiscal picture continues to be bleak, and it would be unfair to allow basic increases in power and maintenance costs to be shouldered by all taxpayers, including non-users of our scenic sites.
* The Southern adds…
We’ve seen special funds that are levied for specific purposes raided by this administration in the past to cover general state funding needs. That practice should not occur with this new money that will help keep our splendid sites in the best shape possible.
* And that’s the problem. There will be no rock solid guarantees with this crew in charge…
Senate committees controlled by Democrats approved bills that expand health-care programs by $43 million for the budget year that ends June 30 and add back $53 million in House Democrat pet projects that Gov. Rod Blagojevich cut from the budget last fall.
To pay for it all, Blagojevich would be given authority to take $530 million out of hundreds of state accounts that are set aside to pay for certain programs and are not funded with general tax dollars — for example, regulatory funds set up to collect licensing fees from certain professions. […]
Although the health-care expansions would cost $53 million through June 30, Republican lawmakers said it will add $300 million to next year’s budget.
It never ends.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Apr 3, 08 @ 6:11 am
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“Swiper, no swiping!!!” Hands off the special funds, I say. We should be trying to have more parts of the budget self-fund that way. Blags argues some of the funds have an excessive balance. Well, we can adjust the rules so as to reduce the incoming fees to hit a target balance, but just grabbing money out of the funds for other uses is wrong, it is theft.
Comment by Gregor Thursday, Apr 3, 08 @ 7:42 am
Many of the special funds were created by and are paid by specific groups such as snowmobilers. If as the Southern Illinoian says, it’s not right for all taxpayers to pay for parks, then it’s not right for these specific groups to pay for general programs that have little to do with their wants or needs. Just because there’s a balance in a special fund doesn’t make it OK to draw it down. Why not expand or fully fund whatever the special fund was establish to do? (Probably because the agency responsible has been cut to the bone.) Or reduce the fee that generates the special fund? (Probably because that group doesn’t need to be pandered to.)
Comment by Sir Reel Thursday, Apr 3, 08 @ 8:26 am
Illinois is dirt cheap on our hunting and rec fees. When I go to hunt in CO I have to pay $500 for a license!
Comment by Ghost Thursday, Apr 3, 08 @ 8:29 am
On the special funds, draw them down. The special inbterest groups lobbied to have fees, fines and expenses from certain activities broken off from general revenue into these seperate funds. There is no reason a snowmobiler paying a fine shoud not be adding to the State coffers or expect special treatment for their money. Put it all inot the State and abolish these @#$% special funds.
Comment by Ghost Thursday, Apr 3, 08 @ 8:31 am
These fee increases should not be put in place unless the Gov signs an MOU that assures the $ go to the DNR.
Comment by Leave a light on George Thursday, Apr 3, 08 @ 8:57 am
Forgive my ignorance and/or naivete, but is there any requirement that these special funds be paid back?
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Apr 3, 08 @ 9:20 am
Ya gotta give it to Blago and Jones, while Madigan makes excuses for doing nothing, these guys try to be creative. I really hope that my union brothers and sisters sit this election cylcle out. Then again - many of us do not have much PAC money to give.
Comment by anon Thursday, Apr 3, 08 @ 9:20 am
Creative, anon? What’s creative about letting Blago raid funds. What’s creative about about filling in the $43m that the legislatures nor JCAR never approved in the first place. What’s creative about saying one thing and than doing another, how many ‘promises’ broken by our creative governor? Do you really think claiming Madigan the ‘evil one’ and dangling a bitty carrot under his nose (rejected pork) is the answer to fixing everything.
Moving on to the campground fees, not a bad idea nor is an increase in outdoor activity fees, the thing there most bothersome to me is the thought of the raise pushing out the poorer citizens. I don’t have a problem of out-of-state users paying more, but the citizens of Illinois have always been able to use the natural resource areas owned by the state as free or fairly low cost and raises in already hard cash times may push some out of it.
Comment by Princeville Thursday, Apr 3, 08 @ 9:48 am
Mike Smith just did a presser to talk about a CA that hikes taxes on the rich and pays for schools, capital and tax relief.
Leaves Blaggo and the gamblers in the gutter. Should have a lot of appeal.
Comment by Wild Bill Thursday, Apr 3, 08 @ 9:57 am
Does this not get to the baseline argument of the difference in what is a fee and what is a tax?
There are many demands on the general funds. What has been sold to the public in the past is that an entry fee e.g. to a State park for example is to defray the cost of operation and to possibly upgrade the services provided over some baseline.
Raiding the unexpended funds is a break in the moral contract between the user who pays a fee and the State who collects this fee with the promise of doing something promised.
Unfortunately the legislators and this governors are lawyers who will argue the meaning of is as well as the meaning of meaning so they can use public funds in a way that will suit them the most profitably.
In this case, it is pay to let them play. It seems that the voters have elected to allow the politics of Crook County to expand to and engulf Springfield.
Comment by Plutocrat03 Thursday, Apr 3, 08 @ 9:59 am
I used to work in the tire business. At that time, there was a $1.00 fee on every new tire sold in Illinois to fund tire cleanups and markets for scrap tires. It was a special fund designated for a specific purpose. The ISTDA supported it at the time and the program was a success. Now, Blago has doubled the fee for general revenue. Another good program gone bad because of government greed.
Comment by Hank Thursday, Apr 3, 08 @ 10:01 am
Fund swipes are illegal, immoral, and worst of all, undermine what is left of the constitutional process in budgetting. Why have separate funds? Just put receipts in a big pot and let the Gov divvy it up.
Comment by Mr. Wizard Thursday, Apr 3, 08 @ 10:47 am
None of the State Park Campgrounds in the State break even. When one figures in the utility costs, garbage costs, staff costs to operate the programs and repairs they are all in the red. We have seen an increase in the utility and garbage costs over the years with no increase in the money to pay them. Are the increases necessary? Some increase is necessary somewhere to fund these programs. If you want to target the user then yes they are necessary. However discussions over park entrance fees and other fees have brought the argument that the state’s recreational areas are maintained for the benefit and enjoyment of the taxpayer. All people no matter what thie economic station should be able to enjoy the parks. Result, no entrance fees.
Compared to states around us we are probably cheaper in camping fees than they are. It has been suggested that out of state campers should pay more than residents the same way as out of state hunters pay more than resident hunters. The argument at the time was that this would reduce the number of tourists coming into the state. This was not viewed as a good idea when the State is trying to improve tourism. But if one looks at the agencies responsible for tourism destinations they have all been cut by this administration. How is that a good idea?
The reason there are surpluses in the funds that are being swept is that before a surplus is declared a memo has gone out that no expenditures can be made from the fund. Many funds in the early Blago years were frozen. No projects could be submitted for those dollars. Then low and behold there was a surplus. When one compared the fund balance with projects on hand it looked as though this money was just sitting there. Then old Blago steps in declares a surplus and takes the money. Case in point was the Open Lands Trust money. This money was earmarked for land acquisition of lands that were significant in their resources. Blago took the money until the Sierra club and others sued him and made him put it back. Most of this money is dedicated by law such as the Pittman Roberts law, or Dingle Johnson. These are federal laws that state that the tax on hunting and fishing equipment will be rebated back to the state of origin if that state offers hunting and fishing opportunities. The amount received by the state hinges on the cost of the programs offered. Some of these programs can be rebated almost 100%. If one cuts their programs then of course the federal money is reduced. One would think that an administration would not want to lose the federal funds, right? So now the pheasant hunting program is being cut. makes sense doesn’t it? The other funds are also funded by taxes on equipment purchased. Bikeways monies builds bikeways from a tax on Bicycles and accessories. The same is true for boats, snowmobiles, ATVs, etc.
Wordslinger -
As I understand monies from the funds can be borrowed but not taken. Add all the monies swept to the budget deficit.
Comment by Irish Thursday, Apr 3, 08 @ 11:08 am
Fund raiding could lead to waste by the dedicated users who will hasten the use of funds, perhaps less effectively as they could have been used without the threat of losing them, and by the takers for general revenue who see no ownership of said funds, i.e. “free” money for the wasting. Fund raiding does not offer a good foundation for good accounting or good accountability. Building of fund balances can lead to better use of funds vs. the need to get the funds out the door by the end of specified fiscal years. I have seen a lot of lousy planning and implementation forced upon managers by the need to spend funds by the deadlines.
Comment by Vole Thursday, Apr 3, 08 @ 12:50 pm
The Illinois state park system has been behind the times for decades. Years ago, when our family would take long camping vacations throughout the U.S., it was not unusual to pay an entry fee into state as well as national parks. The fee was the same for all in-state and out-of-state residents. The camping fees were also a few bucks higher per night. However, what we observed were state parks in excellent condition: bathrooms up to date and CLEAN; campsites well maintained with even pads and nice firm gravel areas to park; fire pits and grills in good working condition; roads well maintained; evening activities; and on-site managers who were well educated as to the geographic area. Not having been to one for camping purposes for a while, I cannot attest to how well run or not these parks are today but we were of the opinion a long time ago that Illinois should have raised their camping fees and/or implemented an entry fee. If this comes about, I would hope a) the increase in fees would be used for the purpose intended or b) wait until POA is out of office before doing so.
Comment by Little Egypt Thursday, Apr 3, 08 @ 2:09 pm
As for the fee sweep, it isn’t the first time they have done this to help fill a hole.
Remember what happend with the Pet Friendly license plate money
http://htsblog.blogspot.com/2005/09/some-more-on-mark-suppelsa-piece-on.html
Or how about Metabolic Screening
http://htsblog.blogspot.com/2005/09/others-have-blogged-about-mark.html
It’s all general revenue in Rods world.
Comment by OneMan Thursday, Apr 3, 08 @ 2:41 pm
adding more funds to be ripped from it’s designated use?-shame on us-we’re dumber than dirt if we buy this package without written,substantial guarrantee
Comment by gray wolf Thursday, Apr 3, 08 @ 4:31 pm