* The veto session kicked into a much higher gear yesterday…
Illinois Senate leaders have charged a few select lawmakers with reforming the state’s Medicaid program and workers’ compensation system - by Jan. 3.
Subscribers already know what that could mean.
* More stuff…
A slew of top state officials could be ousted under a proposal floated Thursday.
In what could turn out to be a fumigation of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration, Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, introduced legislation to formally remove nearly 700 people from a variety of state posts because the terms of their positions have ended.
Among those affected are heads of major state agencies dating to Blagojevich’s tenure as chief executive. Members of the state Board of Elections, the gaming board and the Board of Higher Education also could be affected.
Cullerton said the proposal does not bar people from being reappointed to the jobs they currently hold. But, under his plan, they would not be able to continue working after 30 days if a new nomination is not sent to the Senate by Gov. Pat Quinn.
* More pension reform is also on the way…
With 2010 winding to a close, however, it almost certainly will fall to the General Assembly — not the unions and local governments — to impose new benefit guidelines for future public-safety employees in Illinois. Cities and unions simply are too far apart on some issues to forge compromises.
We’re encouraged by some of the reforms detailed this week by Rep. Kevin McCarthy, D-Orland Park, a member of the House Police and Fire Pension Reform Committee. Also encouraging is the resolve that seems apparent to have significant reforms in effect for police and firefighters hired as of Jan. 1, 2011.
Under McCarthy’s plan, which is being drafted into a bill, police and firefighters will be eligible to receive their maximum pension benefit (75 percent of their salary) after 30 years, but the retirement age will rise from 50 to 57. Pensions would be calculated on the average of the employee’s four or eight highest salaried years with cost-of-living increases capped at 3 percent or tied to inflation, whichever is less (currently they are guaranteed at 3 percent). Pensions for surviving spouses would be 67 percent of the employee’s pension.
A whole lot more happened yesterday, but you have to subscribe to find out what it was.
* Meanwhile, Progress Illinois took a look at the numbers in the House on a tax hike plan in the wake of the election…
* Dems whose district voted for a tax hike and party won re-election: 40
* Dems whose district voted “present” for a tax hike and party won re-election: 2
(Reps. W. Davis, Miller)
* Dems whose district voted for a tax hike and party lost re-election: 2
(Reps. Smith, Hannig)
* Dems whose district voted against a tax hike and party won re-election: 21
(Reps. Fritchey, O’Sullivan, Carberry, Froelich, McCarthy, Farhmam, Crespo, May, Lyons, Dugan, McAsey, J. Gordon, Holbrook, Reitz, D’Amico, Zalewski, Mell, Franks, Beisler, Bradley, Phelps)
* Dems whose district voted against a tax hike and party lost re-election: 5
(Reps. Boland, Hoffman, Flider, Walker, C. Gordon)
What’s this tell us? To secure 60 votes, Madigan would need to retain the support of all 44 Democrats whose districts voted yes or present and then pick up at least 16 more votes from the 26 districts that voted against SB 2252 last year. Of those 26, nine are leaving the legislature, either to pursue other opportunities or because they were upended by a Republican challenger last week. Presumably, voting for a tax increase is easier for those folks because they won’t have to fight to retain their seat in 2012.
It’s a big hill to climb, but that’s what tax reformers are working with.
Only a few of those people who won reelection and voted against a tax hike last spring could be tapped to vote “Yes” this time around, however. The key here is to look at lame ducks in both parties. It’ll be close either way.
* Roundup…
* Ill. Senate president targets holdover appointees
* Confirmation hearing expected for state police director
* Daily Herald: Alter pensions for police, firefighters
* New program lends money to agencies owed by state
* Warden: Death penalty is a costly exercise in futility for state
* Zorn: Time to give same-sex couples the same right we give to criminals
* Elgin school district to get $15.5 million from veto override
* Lawmakers revive U46 funding fix
* State legislature succeeds in overriding veto of funding bill
* Attorney general: UI must release records in presidential search
* Lawmakers Chip Away at New FOIA Law
* Miller: Freedom of (some) Information Act
* Smoking issue: Should ban be lifted in casinos?
* Report: Illinois’ top officials paid well
- Amalia - Friday, Nov 19, 10 @ 10:56 am:
Rob Warden is no warden of justice.
- Anonymous - Friday, Nov 19, 10 @ 11:07 am:
Looking over list of Blagojevich, isaw several names of people, especially board members, who resigned positions several years ago and have been replaced by other Blagojevich appointees or not all. Conversely, there many names not on that list that I would have thought would be there. Many of these targets are just shadows.
- So IL M - Friday, Nov 19, 10 @ 11:27 am:
Why is it that in the article about salarys of top Officials they still claim that Furlough Days are unpaid? After the big announcement of how this program would save the State tons of money, they went back, changed the rules, and allow the Furlough Days to be taken as Vacation Days. A FV Day. This was done so that it still looks like they are taking Furlough Days, but in reality all they are taking is a 3 or 4 day weekend, and using a couple Vacation Days so that they still recieve the same pay. This passed under the radar and they still claim the Furlough days are unpaid. The option is still there for them to take just an unpaid furlough day if they wish, but very seldom do they.
- cassandra - Friday, Nov 19, 10 @ 11:27 am:
I suppose a lot of original Blagojevich political appointees were appointed to four year terms then reappointed by Quinn. They probably can’t be fired except for cause during the term so would not be included on a “fumigation” list, unfortunately. And Quinn, who seems to very much want to keep most of the Blago folks, will just reappoint them again over the next four years at least. These patronage hires are likely in key operational positions although generally invisible to the public. So much for reform government under the Dems. The Democratic gravy train still has plenty of gravy for folks with the right connections. I’d expect more gravy for this group–hefty raises if the income tax increase passes–or even if it doesn’t.
- So IL M - Friday, Nov 19, 10 @ 11:31 am:
Cassandra—-You are right. Watch what happens to Wardens and Assistant Wardens after they become Laborers.
- CircularFiringSquad - Friday, Nov 19, 10 @ 11:33 am:
Look like Capt fax is trying to boar us to death so he can close down early on the weekend
Still waiting for IL reformers and media to localize the Bloomberg that held insurers spending nearly $90 million to kill health reform.
I know the story requires some actual work, but seems worthwhile to tell premium payers how their money is used. Then we can move on the secret 2010 campaign donations.
- Beyond Frustrated - Friday, Nov 19, 10 @ 12:25 pm:
Furlough days are unpaid for many people who don’t have enough vacation days accumulated. My husband had some health problems which used up all of his accrued time, so he has taken two unpaid days a month since the order was issued. Using furlough days as vacation are great for those who can go that route, but the burden is still falling on some workers to take unpaid days.
- lincolnlover - Friday, Nov 19, 10 @ 12:46 pm:
Furlough days are also unpaid for many in middlemanagement. My boss has to take 2 unpaid days by Dec. 31. At the same time, she has so much vacation piled up (because we can never take it!) that she will give the state back 3 vacation days. How stupid is that?
- lincolnlover - Friday, Nov 19, 10 @ 12:47 pm:
Where is the list of “targets”?
- Still waiting - Friday, Nov 19, 10 @ 12:50 pm:
We were handed a boss who was a Blago hire; terrible boss, but let’s put that aside. What astonishes the office is how he is still here today, when the whole time of his term of office he went so far out of his way to mess with Quinn’s agenda and work against him on almost a daily basis, back when Quinn was Lt. Gov.
These Blago folks are like a cancer; and I can’t believe their “value” to Quinn’s current operations outweighs the sabotage and/ or malfeasance they are still undertaking, even though Blago is long gone.
We’re hoping the fumigation starts in earnest, now that the election is over.
- Leave a Light on George - Friday, Nov 19, 10 @ 1:51 pm:
Fumigation - I thought I was the only one who remembered the word.