* Bill Brady said again today that he won’t raise taxes and fees if elected. From an AP story…
Brady continues to duck questions about spending cuts.
He wouldn’t take a firm position on cutting children’s health services that grew under former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, and he couldn’t name any sacrifices the people of Illinois will have to make.
“Sacrifice” is a four-letter word to politicians. Including Sheila Simon…
Sheila Simon, the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor, says that if she and Gov. Pat Quinn win November’s election, they won’t cut Medicaid eligibility standards in an effort to reduce the state’s Medicaid costs.
And…
Patty Schuh, a spokeswoman for Republican gubernatorial nominee Bill Brady, declined to say whether Brady would seek to tighten Medicaid eligibility requirements if elected,calling it a hypothetical question.
It won’t be “hypothetical” come January.
* Maybe my old pal Jak Tichenor can pry some answers out of the gubernatorial candidates tonight when he moderates the debate…
What is being billed as the only downstate debate between the major candidates for Illinois governor kicks off at 8 p.m. Thursday at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.
Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn, Republican challenger Bill Brady and Green Party nominee Rich Whitney will square off at WSIU-TV studios.
You can listen to the debate live by clicking here. Also, you can submit your own questions by clicking here.
My intern Barton Lorimor will be at the debate as well, so we’ll have video clips later. I’ll ask him to check the blog if you’d like to pose your own questions here. We’ll see if he can get some questions in during any press conferences the candidates may have. So, fire away.
*** UPDATE *** WSIU TV will also offer a live video stream starting just before 8 o’clock tonight. Click here.
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* Meanwhile, money…
In the battle for campaign cash in the waning weeks of the governor’s race, Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn has is slightly ahead of Republican Bill Brady.
Since Oct. 4, Quinn has reported raising $1.5 million while Brady has raised nearly $1.3 million.
Quinn’s top donor has been the political arm of Service Employees International Union, which has donated $750,000. The Republican Governors Association has donated more than $585,000 to Brady’s campaign.
Billionaires Kenneth and Anne Griffin have donated $100,000 to Brady. The couple, who recently donated $16 million to Children’s Memorial Hospital, also gave $125,000 to the House Republican Organization.
- Phineas J. Whoopee - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 2:39 pm:
The abuse and fraud in Medicaid and Medicare is astounding. Just today, they indicted 70 people for defrauding 170 million from Medicare.
The government needs to fix the abuse of these programs before looking at cutting eligibility.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 2:44 pm:
Little known fact: Jak’s first name is actually Lester.
- Siriusly - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 2:54 pm:
Phineas is right, but isn’t that more of a Federal problem? The savings by stopping fraud alone would be immeasurable. Dateline did an expose about medicare fraud earlier in the year, it was unbelievable.
http://fieldnotes.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/01/11/4377390-battling-the-medicare-fraud-epidemic
- Phineas J. Whoopee - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 2:57 pm:
Siriusly, the programs are two peas in a pod. Medicare is federal-medicaid is state with subsidies.
The abuse is rampant in both.
- just sayin' - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 3:00 pm:
I don’t believe anything Bill Brady says.
- Earnest - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 3:03 pm:
There’s really one question which will ultimately decide my vote: which of you two candidates will do a better job of maintaining the crumbling network of human service organizations?
At this point, I’m pretty sure the answer is “not Quinn” since he has already shown by his actions that he will appease state unions and favor “shiny new things” over longstanding, effective, cost-efficient community services.
- cassandra - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 3:12 pm:
Earnest is right, but the human services community has been remarkably quiet about the extent to which public employee unions influence state budget decisions in Springfield. And apparently, both groups prefer to ignore the effects of the recession on the middle class, expect us to simply pay up via increased taxes
despite the huge amounts of wealth we lost (and are still losing) during the ongoing recession.
- Phineas J. Whoopee - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 3:13 pm:
Boy Earnest, if that isn’t a “brought to you by Bill Brady campaign” statement, then Quinn really is in big trouble.
- OneMan - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 3:13 pm:
Again at some level I have to ask… Why would you want to be governor right now.
- dupage dan - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 3:15 pm:
Funny, Earnest, I don’t see “not Quinn” listed on any sample ballots
That crumbling network of human service orgs aren’t going to see much relief in the short run no matter which “not” candidate wins. It’s gonna be a rough decade.
- soccermom - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 3:16 pm:
New York State seems to be doing a great job of reducing Medicaid fraud, waste, and “oops, did I say he was sick? I meant dead….” claims. But with a dedicated, talented staff of people doing nothing but fraud investigations, they’ve identified and taken action against $2 billion in improper billing — in a $50 billion program. Certainly, $2 billion isn’t hay, and I think Illinois should definitely follow their example and crack down on Medicaid cheaters. But their experience indicates that tightening up fraud and waste alone will not solve Illinois’ budget problems.
- jt - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 3:16 pm:
How can Gov Quinn allocate $125 million of new state money for domestic violence ($50 mil.)and Put Illinois To Work (75 mil.) from state funds and not pay providers who have already done work for Human Sevices?
- OneMan - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 3:17 pm:
jt allocating and getting are two radically different concepts in this state.
- Mark Buerhle - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 3:19 pm:
Rich-I thought I saw Quinn’s twitter feed earlier that the debate was being video streamed as well.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 3:26 pm:
Thanks, Mark. Posted. Enjoy the off season.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 3:29 pm:
Thanks, Bill and Sheila. It’s good to know that we can have our cake and eat it, too. Actually, can I have MORE cake?
I thought a $13 billion deficit in the GRF was a real big problem, requiring sober problem-solving and inevitable sacrifice by all. Apparently, it’s not a problem at all.
We can all go back to sleep.
I know it’s politics, but it’s also incredibly insulting. The state is not the feds; we can’t crank up the printing press.
- Ghost - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 3:31 pm:
hineas we could catch a lotmore of that fraud if we increased the number of investigators. It owuld b interesting if applicants were randomly checked on and observed to determine not only if they really exist, but i they are actually showing up and a Dr ofie when scheduled etc.
But that would mean increasing govt…. but increasing govt is always bad…. but it would save more then it costs….but govt has to be small to work….but…..
- shore - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 3:38 pm:
livestreaming-great innovation of the 2010 cycle. there are 10 debates upcoming on wttw for the 10 top races in chicago-perhaps they will post streaming video here?
- Deep South - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 3:54 pm:
===Again at some level I have to ask… Why would you want to be governor right now.===
Exactly…that statement speaks volumes about the quality of the candidates.
- Cheryl44 - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 4:12 pm:
Was that really Mark Buerhle up there?
OT, but Early and Often is reporting Gutierrez is out of that other race.
- Blazing Saddle - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 4:16 pm:
I think Brady is wise to avoid details of his budget plans for several reasons: 1) to keep the focus on the current Blagojevich/Quinn administration so that the electorate can hold them accountable (Quinn’s biggest fear); 2) Quinn has no details yet, and he’s the guy in office; 3) Blago/Quinn created the deficit over several years, so why should he be forced into a one year plan; and 4) Brady’s 10% plan will have a dynamic effect on revenue, so why not cut, wait 12 months, and remeasure the deficit?
Brady is probably chomping at the bit, but being restrained to keepp the focus on the current man in the hot seat, Quinn.
If I were Brady, every time I was pressed for more detail, I’d flip the question, and say, “Why don’t you ask the man currently responsible for that, Gov. Quinn?”
- soccermom - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 4:19 pm:
Word,
At the risk of being Debbie Downer (again), what kind of operating deficit are we looking at for fy12? When you add the unpaid bills that will be carried forward from this fiscal year to the continuing revenue shortfall to the new program spending, it starts to be terrifying…
- wordslinger - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 4:23 pm:
–Brady is probably chomping at the bit, but being restrained to keepp the focus on the current man in the hot seat, Quinn–.
Blazing Saddle, that’s almost as funny as Rich Whitey. By the way, no one forced him into saying he could take care of the problem in one year. With tax cuts.
- Living in Oklahoma - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 4:25 pm:
I say instead of debates and elections, can’t the two candidates just play a game of H.O.R.S.E. to decide the matter.
- Blazing Saddle - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 4:27 pm:
Wordslinger, I admit, it may be humorous, but it is a wise campaign strategy.
You can tell the Brady campaign does not call me for advice!
- hisgirlfriday - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 5:06 pm:
Rich,
I’m pretty sure neither Brady or Quinn can change Medicaid eligibility without costing the state federal money, perhaps much more money than any savings from reducing eligibility standards, because a condition of the stimulus bill and the state getting more matching money for Medicaid under the stimulus bill is it doesn’t kick people off the Medicaid rolls (this was extended into mid-2011 after initially expiring at the end of 2010) by changing eligibility requirements. That may also be a condition of Obamacare and the increased Medicaid matching money for new enrollees, but I’m not sure.
Now as for taking an axe to All Kids or other state-run stuff, that doesn’t get any federal dollars (and it won’t from the new Obamacare because it doesn’t discriminate against illegals) so the state has a lot more flexibility there.
When talking about the budget and potential cuts to be made, it’s important to recognize where the state has its hands essentially tied by the feds with mandates.
- Jak Tichenor aka "Lester" - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 5:59 pm:
Rich, I thought folks would want to know that the Southern Illinoisan will be live-blogging the debate at illelections.com from 8:00-9:00 p.m.
Jak
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Oct 14, 10 @ 6:01 pm:
Thanks, Jak. I think I may do so as well.
Is it true your middle name is Eugene? lol
- Berkeley Bear - Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 1:22 am:
Rich, just to clarify hisgirlfriday’s comment, Medicaid eligibity standards have to be maintained to retain Illinois’ current level of Federal funding in keeping with the recently passed healthcare reform act (I refuse to label it as xxxxxx-care, because that ignores the fact it was voted for by a signifcant majority in both houses of Congress after months of debate and negotiation). As with all matching fund situations, Illinois can choose to forego the match entirely, but outside of that doomsday scenario there’s little to no flexibility to try and use Medicaid as a source of cost savings. Add that to the AFSCME deal and any changes will have to come from somewhere else.