* This is part of what I told subscribers Wednesday and have been hinting about here at the blog. The General Assembly passed a budget that not only funded programs at an average of about 50 percent of their current levels, but which also had a $1.5 billion deficit…
An independent analyst says lawmakers were far too rosy in their assessment of the state budget when they voted this week and have left the state $1.5 billion short. […]
The shortfall stems from lawmakers deciding to keep their scheduled contributions towards the state’s pension systems, but not providing the actual revenue needed for the contributions, according to Bukola Bello, pension policy analyst for the bipartisan Center for Tax and Budget Accountability.
Ralph Martire, executive director of the CTBA, said the brunt of cuts would be directed toward community care groups that receive grants from the state. […]
The budget approved by lawmakers Sunday already had $5 billion in unspecified budget cuts. If there is a $1.5 billion deficit hidden on top of that, the situation could move from dire to devastating, said Charles N. Wheeler III, a professor of public affairs reporting and an expert in the budgeting process.
So, again, on top of the 50 percent reduction to programs, there’s a $1.5 billion deficit that has to be dealt with because the state pension fund payment wasn’t fully funded. The governor’s panel on budget cuts suggested a 2-3 percent budgetary reserve. That won’t come close to what will be needed to solve this thing.
To put this in some perspective, the state’s payroll cost is about $3 billion. Cutting $1.5 billion more would necessitate some gigantic layoffs.
Wonderful, eh? Sheesh. Wait until you see how they deal with that one. They’ve already started and it ain’t pretty at all. Subscribe to find out.
Speaker Madigan is right, huge layoff announcements are coming…
In the meantime, Speaker Michael Madigan said lawmakers have to work with the budget they’ve got, one he predicted would require “very significant'’ state employee layoffs.
“That’s the question before this group: How do we work through a slimmed-down state government?'’ Madigan said.
Slimmed-down? That’s an understatement. Try starved to death. More from MJM…
On Thursday, House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) said he was prepared to vote for a tax increase, but “that failed. Now we’re looking at working with a slimmed-down budget.”
Brace yourselves.
* There are two people still talking about a tax hike…
Senate President John Cullerton (D-Chicago) said a tax increase was “inevitable,” and Quinn said even major cuts won’t go far enough to fill the state’s gaping budget hole.
“After doing all the things that you just heard — reforms, reforms, cutting costs, no frills — we’re still going to have to balance the budget, and that means more revenue,” Quinn told reporters.
…Adding… The Tribune’s editorial board is way out of touch on this issue…
We believe there are responsible reforms — outsourcing state jobs, restructuring pension plans and converting Medicaid services to managed care — that ought to come before making the kind of cuts the governor is threatening. State payrolls can be reduced through hiring freezes, forced furloughs and streamlining of operations, all standard in the private sector lately. Quinn’s own Taxpayer Action Board recommended similar ideas on Thursday.
If the edit board had bothered to think after reading that editorial, they’d know that the TAB recommendations barely make a dent in the problem.
* Related…
* Officials talk layoffs after budget meeting
* Illinois leaders seek pension, job cuts to balance budget
* State Worker Layoffs, Budget Cuts Loom
* Budget causes uncertainty: “It’s about consumers and the people we serve being held hostage — the least capable of being able to fend for themselves. It’s morally wrong,” said Vanya Peterson, associate director of Stone-Hayes Center for Independent Living.
* Local social agencies fear looming state budget cuts: But soon, the state will start sending notices to local agencies that provide a wide array of services, warning they could lose much of their state funding.
* Sen. Bill Brady: The systemic solution to our economic crisis should include revenue increases through natural growth and spending reduction.
* House GOP budget press release
* Pat Quinn gets lesson in legislative process
* Lawmakers talk cuts as Quinn talks taxes
* Downtown Rally Calls For A “Fair Budget”: “They haven’t heard the last of us,” Albany Park activist Diane Limas told us. “This is just the beginning. They think they’re going to cut these funds? Who do they think votes for them? They need to get back to the table.”
- this voter will remember - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 5:50 am:
Before any long-term state employee is laid off, the state should get rid of all the created Directors, assistant Directors, liaisons, and other political appointee positions.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 7:01 am:
Um, thats great on paper, but it’s not like all of those appointed directors are bread loafs and don’t work.
Agencies do need a director to run properly. That would be like firing all CEO’s, CFO’s, CPA’s, and the top upper managment of every company in the US and saying “Ok line workers, and night cleanup help…Good Luck”
- ReaderBee - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 7:11 am:
Just a thought… when the massive layoffs happen - that are supposed to “save money” - where will those people work - they won’t! They will get to draw unemployment benefits that are paid by - gasp - the State, the same pot of money that was so short they were laid off. The former state employees would get paid still, but no work would be done. How does that make sense at all? Silly government - lay people off to save money - in what world does that work?
- Macbeth - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 7:22 am:
They’re considering layoffs because it’s easy. Same with the across the board cut. We’ll face an identical situation next year. Same missed deadline, same rhetoric.
I must say that this is deeply disappointing. The so-called leaders ought to be ashamed at their inability to lead.
- Cassandra - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 7:24 am:
I agree that agencies need management staff but I suspect that many state agencies could do some consolidation which would result in fewer managers.How many managers does a state worker need anyway.Some caseworkers and other field staff have a supervisor, a local office manager, a county-based manager and a statewide manager.
If Quinn can’t bring himself to lay off anybody, he could offer these folks field jobs where frontline staff is short. I believe civil service protections allow state employees to keep their old higher salaries for some period of time after they take a lower level job, anyway.
I don’t believe either that they don’t work. But are they doing work that needs to be done…and could it be done more efficiently.
Unfortunately, Quinn’s approach seems to be to tax his way out.We all need to feel some pain here, but so far his approach rests heavily (even more heavily since he backed off on the exemption) on the middle to lower middle class taxpayer. That same taxpayer, I would add, that the Obama administration found deserving of a tax break. Not our Pat. The liberals have taken him prisoner.
- Bookworm - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 7:31 am:
Reader Bee, wouldn’t the unemployment benefits still be far less than what many of these state employees were earning while working, and therefore save the state money? I was on unemployment for a couple of months in 2004 (after being laid off from a private sector job) and at that time the most you could get in unemployment benefits was $400 a week. Is that still the case?
- MOON - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 7:33 am:
Has the “Fumigation Bill” been passed and sent to the Gov., or what is its status? Does anyone know?
- taxpaying state worker - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 7:45 am:
Cuts and layoffs have already happened - how did the debacle called DHS get created - there are very few staff in some components of the health care side - now a bigger question - HOW MUCH FEDERAL MONEY WILL BE LOST BECAUSE OF THESE CUTS - so the services will be cut more than 50%
- How Ironic - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 7:46 am:
Fumigation was never passed. It died in the Senate on Sunday night.
Good riddence to it. Quinn has the same powers now to fire the same people with the exception of the boards. And he doens’t have to renew those folks as the appointments lapse.
- vole - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 7:55 am:
Has anyone calculated how much this doomsday scenario is going to contribute to the spiraling down of the economy? This is gonna have long legs reaching way down the food chain resulting in even further reductions in state revenues. There is some waste in IL government and some nonessential programs and positions could be axed. But I see much of my tax money going to Springfield being recycled in local communities across IL. Its pay big now or pay bigger later. We don’t have much of an option. Pay to eat.
- Hank - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 7:58 am:
Patience people, patience. The national “experts” expect the Fed to bail out California followed by New York and New Jersey. Which states would be next? How can Obama ignore the plight of his home state? The party in Springfield will roll on unabated for another year. No new tax, no layoffs, everyone is happy until it starts again next year. The Fed printing press has plenty of ink!!
- Cassandra - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 8:07 am:
How Ironic is right. Quinn never needed a bill to fire these folks. Many are at-will and the others could be fired when their terms come up.
I wonder how many term appointments Quinn has renewed since he took office. Four year terms positions are coming up for renewal all the time.
The incumbents,who were all appointed/reappointed by our Blago, have no claim to those jobs once their terms are up. No legal reoourse, nothing. The incumbents knew this when they took the appointment. But my friends in state government say it’s a joke because Quinn is renewing them, fumigation bill or not. The man just can’t fire anybody.
- Das Man - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 8:16 am:
Illinois is now rounding off to the nearest BILLION - not that it really makes any difference to the General Assembly, since they don’t have it to spend anyway.
In less than a year, people speak in billions where they used to use millions, without any comprehension of the difference.
- wordslinger - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 8:22 am:
It’s been very strange to watch how Quinn handled this crisis. He should have created a sense of urgency at the beginning in his budget address, when he had the good will, putting numbers to the consequences of the status quo right there and then.
By the time he did it, late in the game. no one believed him. Mark Brown ridiculed him on Chicago Tonight, saying he made up the numbers, pulling them out of thin air.
Lost in all this is that GRF is down about what, 20%? That’s serious cash.
Hank, there’s already been a fed bailout of the states. The printing press is going to be shut down, at least for the states. The next big worry for the feds is inflation from the expansion of the money supply.
- The Doc - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 8:37 am:
With the understanding that draconian cuts are inevitable without significant new revenue, it might be the only way to force the hand of those in the GA unwilling to consider a tax increase. For some, the uproar and devastation, and more importantly, the real threat to their incumbency, may be the only means to fund the government appropriately.
- dupage dan - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 8:51 am:
I looked in the Trib and Sun-Times for detailed analysis of this looming disaster, the op-ed pages had the usual chest beating but nothing much elsewhere. I won’t watch local TV news so get much of the info from this blog. The papers are pathetic - our state gov’t leads the way.
- North of I-80 - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 8:53 am:
Federal tax receipts down monthly, which means that IL tax receipts will continue to fall below expectations looking forward… who is expanding or increasing hiring here?
- Cousin Ralph - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 8:56 am:
Look for furloughs of workers one or two days a week or one week or 10 days per month with a reduction of salary commensurate thereto.
How ironic! The DEMs knew this day was coming years ago and some thought let’s dump Blago and let Judy win, and we will saddle her and the GOP with responsibility for the deep, painful, “mean-spirited” cuts in spending and raising taxes on the middle class. When the tough love is meted out and Illinois recovers, went the thinking, we will take back the Gov’s office with Lisa. I feel sorry for Illinioans but not for the fools that put State government in such a hapless position. I feel sorry for state workers who want to do a good job and take pride in their work. But, I also feel sorry for my friends that work at the Chrysler assembly plants in Missouri, or who work at Chrysler and GM dealerships. Terrible leadership visits terrible consequences upon the little guy.
- Hank - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 8:57 am:
As Mr Obama said in a speech in California last week…..you ain’t seen nothing yet!
- Big West - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 8:58 am:
It’s sort of bizarre to watch this unfold. It’sso clear that tons of folks thought that either the $7 billion deficit was fake or that it just wasn’t that much money. Legislators heard from their constituents not to raise income taxes. Okay. The clearly heard to protect pensions. Okay. They heard to reduce spending. Okay.
Great news, no income tax increase, no change on pensions, spending will be reduced. Where were all the groups who should have been talking to their legislators to raise taxes? Where were all the letters to newspapers beating the ‘no tax increase’ drum?
Maybe it’s a good thing folks will get to see what a $7 billion budget reduction looks like. Yes, it’s going to be awful, but perhaps the best way to illustrate the value of State services is to see what happens when they’re gone. Then voters can decide if they want elected official who provide revenue for services or who hold the line on taxes.
- Mike an Ike - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 9:01 am:
I heard that IDNR has 13 Deputy Directors.Does anyone know for that for a fact? If so why?
- Hoping For Rational Thought - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 9:01 am:
I’ve heard that they also failed to budget the funds needed to pay off the $1 billion in Short-term borrowing in May that is due next May. Also the FY 2009 budget plan counted on borrowing another $1.25 billion this month due next June. If that doesn’t happen more bills carry-over into FY 2010 than the proposed budget was predicated on. The problems get bigger and bigger…
- Concerned Observer - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 9:02 am:
I’m to the point where I want to shut down every state facility of any type save law enforcement, drivers’ license bureaus and tax collectors for the next year.
The hell with “tough decisions”. Let’s blow it up and start over.
(I’m a little bitter this morning)
- Ghost - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 9:05 am:
Cassandra, there is not much true management left. The Union has over 97% of the positions in most agencies.
When you cut that mythically extra management, your cutting the remianign 3%. That 3% does not get overtime, and is responsible for making sure the work actually gets done. It is actually woefully inadequate for the task.
One of the things not accounted for by the State in its layoff comments is that the State of Illinois employs people which earn it money. From regulatory fines on banks and environmental violators, to tax auditors and collectors.
When you do layoffs you also reduce the earnings the State generates in-house. By reducing the money the State is earning in-hous you increase the budget shortfall. The layoffs on this scale are more then just reducing a few costs, they will have long term impact on the state: You will reduce income to the state beyound the current shortfalls, you will have inadequate reualtors to watch over banking, doctors, lawyers, meat and food, the environment etc, lack oof police protection, tactical repsonse teams, police labs etc to put criminals behind bars, fire inspections, regulators overseeing gaming and making sure the various taxes are actullay paid and so forth; plus you will remove from the States fragil economy all of the tax and spending of those workers. Think a small business is struggling to get by now, or just having to pay a few hundred more in taxes? wait until they their customer base is cut in half or worse.
- dupage dan - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 9:07 am:
BW,
Let’s remember that it is not the “elected officials” who “provide revenue for services”. It is we, the taxpayers. The Gov and GA were so intent on their usual budget dance that they never came to the citizens and explained what was happening - never enlisted our understanding and support. It was just posturing before the cameras or maneuvering behind the scenes - like they do every year. Blah, blah, blah for weeks then feverish arm waving and gnashing of teeth for 2 weeks then the overtime sessions.
They are just not getting it.
- Youngster - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 9:14 am:
Some of the programs being targeted for cuts are federally matched. If those programs go, so do the federal dollars they bring into the state. Is that any way to run a state in the middle of a recession?
- Steve - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 9:18 am:
We hope, over time, the SEC looks into all these underfunded pensions. The SEC doesn’t allow this in the private sector, why should it be tolerated in the public sector?
- Been There - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 9:25 am:
But hey, we still have this to look forward to. From Dept of Ag press release today:
—-
The box office at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield is opening for ticket sales to state fair concerts later this summer.
Fair officials say early ticket sales by mail order and the Internet have been good. The walk-up box office sales start 9 a.m. Saturday morning.
Lynyrd Skynyrd and Bo Bice will open the concerts on Aug. 14.
- Sir Reel - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 9:27 am:
Cassandra, I’m a term appointment and my appointment was renewed under both Ryan and Blagojevich, but I was never appointed to a job. I started a long time ago, worked my way up to management, and my MC job was “converted” to a term appointment by Edgar. I do a lot of “front line staff” work because I’ve lost half my staff in the last 7 years. As State government retracts, us middle managers are the ones who have to figure out how to deal with budget cuts, bumping by union employees into jobs they’re not qualified for, etc. Be careful when you lump all “managers” into the hack pot. They’re are still middle management career professionals working for the State of Illinois who aren’t hacks.
- Been There - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 9:31 am:
===They will get to draw unemployment benefits that are paid by - gasp - the State, the same pot of money that was so short they were laid off.===
Reader Bee, this is not true. The fund that pays unemployment benefits is a different pot. The money comes from a separate tax, both state and federal. Similar to someone retiring and getting a pension out of a different pot. What will happpen in the near future is that the unemployment tax paid by all employers will be shooting up to help cover all those who have been laid off.
- Scooby - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 9:32 am:
A year ago, when looking at the pension funding formula our state was scheduled to make an annual contribution of about $3.5 billion this upcoming year, up from about $2.8 billion the year before, according to the schedule set in the 1995 legislation. After the market went south and investors lost somewhere between 25-45% of their value, the actuaries came in and said that now the scheduled payment for FY10 was supposed to be a little over $4 billion.
When the House passed SB1186 to “fully fund” the pension payment this year it had only about $3.6 billion appropriated. The Senate never passed it, instead relying on the continuing appropriation for pension funding to pay the pension systems. But of course they actually passed a tax increase to pay for things.
- soccermom - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 9:33 am:
Help, I need a wonk. With a current state payroll of $3 billion, how many positions would have to be cut to net $1.5 billion in savings in the next fiscal year after unemployment and the state’s share of COBRA health coverage payments are included? I’m guessing the cuts would have to be closer to $2 billion in payroll to net the necessary savings.
- Cough up the Benjamins - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 9:34 am:
How about laying off state transportation workers, it doesn’t take 10 persons to repair a pot hole.
IDOT and the Illinois Tollway would be a great start.
- wordslinger - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 9:35 am:
–We hope, over time, the SEC looks into all these underfunded pensions. The SEC doesn’t allow this in the private sector, why should it be tolerated in the public sector?–
Steve, you may have noticed, the SECs been pretty busy the last eight years or so. Bag-toss tournaments. Scrap-booking. Pilate classes. Oversight and enforcing the law haven’t been at the top of the list.
What’s the point? Underfunded now or not, the pensions will be paid. Current obligations are guaranteed under both the federal and state constitutions. It’s just a matter of which generation gets stuck with the bill.
In the private sector, you just roll into bankruptcy court to reduce your pension obligations. State governments can’t do that.
- Louis Howe - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 9:40 am:
I encourge all to read the TAB Minority Report by Steve Schnorf and supported by Woods Bowman plus others….Very level headed and practical commentary. Especially the comments about privatization/outsourcing…The government savings only last as long as the new private sector enity remains non-union, then the direct labor costs savings evaporate and the state ends up with less control and higher overall costs. Privatization is no substiute for reasonable ASFCME contracts!!! Blago and his State Labor Board appointees have created a management hell on earth work environment that cost taxpayers millions.
- Been There - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 9:42 am:
===To put this in some perspective, the state’s payroll cost is about $3 billion.====
===the actuaries came in and said that now the scheduled payment for FY10 was supposed to be a little over $4 billion.===
Does that means we will be paying more to pensions than to the current payroll?
If these numbers are correct and if I am not mixing apples and oranges, then maybe we should fire everyone and tell all the retirees that they have to go back to their old jobs to get paid.
Just kidding of course but that seems more out of whack than I ever realized.
- VanillaMan - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 9:50 am:
So, what we are hearing is that we have to accept an unreformed government full of gerrymandered pay-to-play gamers who failed to do their jobs over the past decade, so that they can focus on raising our taxes to keep the state they have personally seen politically deceived for years, afloat. Is that right?
We have no time for reform? We didn’t have any time over the past eight years? We couldn’t see that right after the Dot Com Bust in 2000, and the Governor Ryan indictments, a need to change the way we spend money or conduct business?
They had no idea that the man they nominated twice and elected twice was a crook, even though he had no record of accomplishments during his previous decade in political offices in Springfield or Washington?
Everything is just a big surprise to these people?
So they have dug a nearly bottomless pit for each and every one of us to fall into, unaware of the fact that they have been spending nearly their entire political lives with shovels digging it?
Talk about massive government failure! Sure, times are tough, but since when have we never not had tough times to deal with? Sure, other state governments are hurting also, but how is it that we get to have this government fiasco on top of being the political laughing stock of the United States?
After being unable to do anything since 2005, our General Assembly and it’s leaders have impeached Blagojevich, but don’t see a need for reform, watched the Office become engulfed in fund raising scandals, but don’t see a reason for ethics, watched our state budget collapse and exist on pension robberies and state credit, but don’t see a reason to change how they spend taxes - and now this?
Illinois, and I’m afraid to say, the United States governments are poster children as to just how stupid it is for citizens to depend on governments to reform themselves, run efficiently, be there when times get tough, educate our children, spend taxes wisely, and provide leadership before and during a crisis. For the past year, I have been listening to fellow citizens that are enchanted by big government claim that all will be well if we just continue to empower this monster into all facets of our personal and business lives. Well look around!
This doesn’t work!
Illinois government is corrupt. It is unethical. It is run by leaders that have too much power to spend our money. Our current crisis is proof that they haven’t a clue as to what to do - and we have to stop them by demanding reforms and cuts before they start asking for us to continue to throw more money into their empty larders.
- soccermom - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 9:55 am:
One other thing — when you’re figuring out the savings of slashing half (or more of the state payroll), include the impact of losing those income tax and sales tax dollars, plus those employees’ contributions to the pension funds. If you cut 1.5 billion in payroll, the loss of income tax alone would be 45 million. Not a huge factor in the overall budget, but noticeable — and would, of course, require further layoffs to offset.
- Princess - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 10:05 am:
Cough up the Benjamins “How about laying off state transportation workers, it doesn’t take 10 persons to repair a pot hole.
IDOT and the Illinois Tollway would be a great start”–
Actually, Cough, if I read the report correctly one of their suggestions was not laying them off but eliminating the highway maint. workers (and I would then also asume their HM lead workers) and replacing with contracted workers.
While I have no idea on highway maint., nor how or what that would mean to our highways, I don’t toss rocks at the current employees. Poor little darlings play a pretty rough game out there with the crazy passing motorist.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 10:12 am:
VM-
I think you need to separate the failures of the GA from the work that the agencies do. There is a big difference between the 2.
- Leave a light on George - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 10:20 am:
Only saw two persons on DNR’s web site with the title Dept. Director. One I know from experience would not be missed. Lots of Office Directors and regional managers with Blago connections. A few are clearly on the fed’s list of bad boys and girls. Yet they remain on the public dole.
- Capitol View - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 10:21 am:
It’s a very sad day.
Our State Constitution says that one of the purposes of state government is to take care of the vulnerable among us. That’s “human services” type vulnerable, not “politically” vulnerable.
Next week is when human services providers have to give notice of possible layoff to their employees, as of July 1st. The chaos is at hand.
- He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 10:22 am:
The only common denominator I see through all these years is MIKE MADIGAN. People talk about how great of a leader he is. HOW? He has lead this state into the WORST FINANCIAL SHAPE in the history of the State. They have refused to fund the pensions, their revenue projections have consistantly been way off, and on top of this they KEEP ADDING PORK PROJECTS.
Blago increased family care, added Kids Care without following the rules, my question is has Madigan cancelled or scaled back those programs to the pre-Blago times? I don’t think so.
Illinois needs leadership. Unfortunatly neither party seems to have any.
- Legaleagle - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 10:31 am:
I don’t believe Ralph Martire’s numbers any more than I believe Quinn’s numbers. Martire has been advocating raising taxes for years - tax, spend, expand everyones’s dependence on government, etc. The legislators have cited, variously, a deficit from $11 billion, to $7 billion, over two years. That’s not doomsday. I just don’t trust those who have mismanaged the state with more of my money! Let’s cut, and cut some more, and use the $8 billion in federal stimulus funds and the $1.2 billion in new taxes. Limit benefits. If it’s doomsday in Illinois, why is the UI basketball coach getting a $500,000 raise? Why are there a dozen ‘managers’ at agencies making over $140,000 per year? Why are programs still being created and even expanded? Budget needs a dose of tough love.
- dupage dan - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 10:33 am:
And the big brain here, VM is MJM. He wants us to believe that while he is most powerful he is an ethical man with the best interests of the State of Illinois held close.
Bull.
He can’t now claim he couldn’t see these problems coming while claiming he has our interests at heart. The budget process this year makes all that undeniable. It looked like all the years previous - same claims and counter-claims, same sturm und drang.
The only thing in doubt at this point is how will the electorate respond at the next election? Will a real leader emerge in the coming months who can show us the way to fiscal reality and clean gov’t? I ain’t seen one yet.
- Princess - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 10:34 am:
Hey now, leave a light on George, don’t be pitching stones at all DNR regional managers. Mine was here long before Blago and even before Ryan. Whatever fun and games have went on, it’s been well above him.
- Macbeth - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 10:39 am:
=====
Illinois government is corrupt. It is unethical. It is run by leaders that have too much power to spend our money.
=========
Well, it feels good to thump your chest and yawp to the rooftops, but we voted them in. So if anyone is to blame — it’s the voters.
The same voters voted Blagojevich — twice.
So I think the real issue is that Illinois voters are — dare I say it? — idiots.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 10:48 am:
===I don’t believe Ralph Martire’s numbers any more than I believe Quinn’s numbers===
This isn’t about belief in something like God, it’s about numbers, and he’s right.
- Narcoleptic - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 10:50 am:
Prior to the meltdown (’cause we haven’t seen it yet as everyone here knows), you would think that there will have to be a “fumigation” that somewhat mirrors the intent of the actual fumigation bill. From Quinn, Madigan and Cullerton’s perspective, how (as Dem leaders, anyway) do you cut funding for social programs (read: bread and butter in Dem primaries) and leave Blagojevich directors and high paid political management remaining in place?
You would think they (SEE Quinn) will have to do at least something symbolic (“Quinn to Undertake His Own Fumigation–Boards and Commissions to Come Later”). Or some such thing. Sure he wanted the bill to give him cover with “sponsors”; short of that, he’s going to have to buck up and do what he already has the legal right to do.
Now, what was that old typing class practice phrase? “Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country.”
Yes, right.
- Pelon - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 11:01 am:
“If it’s doomsday in Illinois, why is the UI basketball coach getting a $500,000 raise?”
For clarification, the basketball coaches salary is paid for with funds raised through the Illinois athletic department. There are no taxpayer dollars used for his salary.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 11:07 am:
===Budget needs a dose of tough love.===
I agree. But not the death penalty.
- Geez - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 11:08 am:
Tom Cross should really get a role in the next adaptation of Orwell’s “Animal Farm.”
He says the House Republicans want reform before looking at more revenue??
The House Republicans just helped the Democrats raise taxes and fees!! That was HB255. It raised lots of taxes and fees and also approved video gambling.
The House GOP is hopeless.
- Bill - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 11:16 am:
==There are no taxpayer dollars used for his salary.==
But they do participate in the state pension plan. The taxpayers made Lou Henson a multi-millionaire and he never even won anything.
- wordslinger - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 11:29 am:
==There are no taxpayer dollars used for his salary.==
That dog don’t hunt.
Every dime the athletic department makes comes from it’s association with the University of Illinois brand that’s been built, with the annual support of taxpayers, over the past 140 years.
If they were Joe Bob’s Private College, they wouldn’t be in the Big Ten or pulling down any broadcast or licensing cash for football and basketball.
Besides the annual tax dollars that go there, there’s tuition paid by taxpayers, the scholarships guaranteed by taxpapers, guaranteed pensions….
- enrico depressario - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 11:32 am:
Brace yourself?
I have a hard time viewing this as any sort of disaster. Won’t make a big difference in my life.
And if STAR districts will deprive state government of any money, I’m all for them.
- Pelon - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 12:09 pm:
“Besides the annual tax dollars that go there, “there’s tuition paid by taxpayers, the scholarships guaranteed by taxpapers, guaranteed pensions….”
Player tuition is paid for by the athletic department. For instance, during the 2007-2008 academic year, the athletic department paid approximately $8,000,000 to the U of I to cover the tuition cost of its students. They receive no taxpayer funds.
While the athletic department obviously benefits from the University as a whole, the University as a whole also benefits from the athletic department.
“If they were Joe Bob’s Private College, they wouldn’t be in the Big Ten or pulling down any broadcast or licensing cash for football and basketball.”
USC, Notre Dame, Northwestern, Duke, Vanderbilt, Stanford,and Baylor are all private institutions who have had no problem making money from broadcast or merchandise licensing. There are many others as well.
http://www.athletics.uiuc.edu/development/about/default.htm
- wordslinger - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 12:23 pm:
–While the athletic department obviously benefits from the University as a whole, the University as a whole also benefits from the athletic department.–
One could also live without the other, and one could not. The University of Illinois brand created and supported by taxpayers made the athletic department.
–USC, Notre Dame, Northwestern, Duke, Vanderbilt, Stanford,and Baylor are all private institutions who have had no problem making money from broadcast or merchandise licensing. There are many others as well.–
Very true. But that’s not how the U of I was created or supported. Go ahead and build one of those on your own.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a big sports fan. But to suggest the athletic department is a self-supporting entity unto itself is nonsense. It wouldn’t exist at the high level it does without the taxpayers.
Is that really open to debate?
- curly - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 12:33 pm:
I think Cullerton is being forthright when he says taxes will inevitably be increased this year. But the GA has been getting so comfortable doing overtime workarounds, deadlines are now being used as bargaining chips.
From today’s SJR article:
=House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) said he was prepared to vote for a tax increase, but “that failed. Now we’re looking at working with a slimmed-down budget.”=
The Speaker is not being forthright here. He has no intention of living with this budget, nor can he believe House Democrats will have an easier time being re-elected in an environment re-shaped by the massive service cuts necessitated by this budget. He’s just comfortable he can use the overtime to accomplish two goals: spread the tax blame to the GOP, and deny the Governor a hero’s acclaim. He is willing to pay for these goals by relinquishing some control over the contents of the final package.
- Irish - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 12:46 pm:
So what we are to glean from this legislative session and the leadership? of MJM is that lights for a softball field in Shorewood and other such legislative pandering is more important than services provided to the poor, the elderly, veteran’s, school kids, and employees who have worked long and hard for this State and it’s citizens, and their own families.
Nice Mike really nice. Well I for one will not forget this and no Madigan will ever get my vote for anything. And I will also remember this in the next election and no standing legislator who was of no help but followed like sheep to the Pied Piper MJM will also not get my vote. I urge all to do the same. It is time we took control of our government back from those who are not doing what they were elected to do.
One thing this congress has made very plain. Blago was not all of the problem.
- Irish - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 12:58 pm:
Just a flash back to yesterday’s t-shirt post.
Picture of MJM on the front
Slogan on the back - “You would think an apple a day would cause some movement.”
Idea to raise money. Sell naming rights to Capitol Building to Ex-lax They could have a sound bite like “Here is the Ex-Lax Dome, Movement needed.”
Sorry if that was a little snarky
- Reformer - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 1:01 pm:
A majority of Democrats in the Senate and the House voted for an income tax increase, while not a single Republican in either chamber voted for it. Consequently, the resulting savage cuts are at least as much the responsibility of the GOP as of Madigan.
- Reformer - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 1:03 pm:
Irish: It’s Cross that put in the pork money for lights at the softball field. Why blame Madigan for that?
- taxpaying state worker - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 1:23 pm:
Please become informed regarding the level and source of taxes per capita in state government - please become informed regarding the number of state staff paid with federal funds - please become informed regarding the number of years the pension funds were not paid and check on the state funds directed to Chicago teachers pensions and other Chicago pensions
- Willie Stark - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 1:34 pm:
Taxpaying state worker, you are the one who needs to become informed. Very little state money, in fact, goes to Chicago teacher pensions. Something on the order of $75 million, compared to a couple of billion for downstate teachers. I’m all for everyone having their own opinions, of course, but can we at least please base them on facts? As best I know, and someone correct me if I’m wrong (I’ll at least allow I could be rather than assert I’m 100% most certainly correct), no state dollars go to pay city of Chicago pensions.
- Irish - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 1:39 pm:
Reformer - MJM controls the House and he sat on his hands when sction was needed to fix this budget mess. But for some reason the pork bill made it through. There is no way that happens with out MJM allowing it. Which is exactly what I said. “lights for a softball field in Shorewood and other such legislative pandering” If you notice I said other legislative pandering.
If you don’t believe that all of this could have been fixed or at least on the road to being fixed if MJM wanted it you don’t realize his power. What ever his game is, whether it is to make Quinn sweat a little, or to pay Quinn back for not allowing the fumigation bill to be named the John Filan bill, or whether he thinks the Olgivie tax increase backlash will repeat itself, MJM is the guy that could have gotten this done with no problem if he wanted to.
- Obamarama - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 3:11 pm:
Can we stop calling the Capital Bill pork?
I bet no one in Minnesota was complaining about the legislature allocating funds to rebuild their infrastructure after the I-35 bridge collapsed two years ago. “Pork” became “public safety” in a hurry.
There are pieces of our own infrastructure that are in serious disrepair. To simply label these projects as mere pork designed by legislators solely to pander to their constituencies is unfair and misguided. Time to tone down the rhetoric and take a realistic look around.
- Zoble - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 3:46 pm:
Offer an early retirement, and change the pension like Quinn wants to do. Lay-offs probly won’t be needed and the pension plan could be on the way to recovery.
- Bob - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 4:09 pm:
Layoffs, look at CORRECTION’S allot of promotions posted. Where are they going to come from we are running out of officers now. No hiring for three years, retirement, promotion and resignations. We are down to the bone now and they want to promote. Hire some officers before u start robbing from Peter to pay Paul. I see that the current director was given a prison review board job. Who’s in charge? Before IDOC crashes down and people are hurt and killed hire some officers, not supervisors. Maybe its back PAY TO PLAY again just like the last to Gov’s
- Arthur Andersen - Friday, Jun 5, 09 @ 5:15 pm:
word, AA is with you on U of I athletics. Calling the DIA “self-supporting” is roughly analogous to calling AA’s older kids that no longer live at home, aren’t tax-deductible, but still regularly visit the loan dep’t and ATM at the Bank of AA “self-supporting.”
Through careful obfuscation, they have done a nice job of hiding any cash subsidies, but the in-kind contributions, if you will, are all over the place.
At one time, as Bill pointed out, Lou Henson, God bless him, was one of the top 10 pension checks at SURS. IIRC, this was more a function of Lou-Do’s long tenure than any extraordinary pay packages. (or NCAA titles, Big 10 champs, etc.) AA would hope that the current megadollar coaching contracts are not all counted as SURS pensionable earnings, or Weber could jump to the top pretty fast.
TSW, Willie is mostly correct re: Chicago Teachers’ pension funding. Since the 1995 pension law change, they have been getting $65-75 million in State funding; however, they have used it to reduce the cost of retired teacher health insurance premiums, not for pensions. They also receive a relatively small amount from the State if their funded ratio drops below 90%. That happened several years ago; the initial approps were in the $10-15 million range (I can’t remember exactly) but will rise substantially in the outyears as Chicago Teachers is well below 90% funded by now.
Pingback Doomsday is Coming in Illinois - Sunday, Jun 7, 09 @ 10:24 am:
[…] And education is just the tip of the iceberg that Illinois is about to sail into. Rich Miller gives an excellent, concise outline of the pending debacle. […]