More budget games
Tuesday, May 3, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Last week, the Department of Human Services told a House appropriations committee that it might have to close two state schools in Jacksonville for the blind and the deaf if the department had to cut an additional 6.5 percent from its budget. That claimed sparked outrage from Republicans on the committee, and now AFSCME has weighed in…
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees said the agreement between the union and Gov. Pat Quinn prevents any facility closures or layoffs until after June 30, 2012, the end of AFSCME’s current contract.
“Our union reached a cost savings agreement with the Quinn administration that is very simple and clear,” said AFSCME spokesman Anders Lindall. “We made concessions including deferred pay increases and unpaid furlough days and the state agreed there will be no layoffs, no facility closures through the end of (June, 2012). Any plan advanced to the contrary would be a direct violation of a collective bargaining agreement.”
The department’s response? It was all just a “budget exercise”…
“The General Assembly came to DHS and asked the agency to do a budget exercise related to what would happen if an additional 6.5 percent were to be cut from the governor’s proposed DHS budget,” said spokeswoman Stacey Solano. “The department would be forced with making the extremely tough decision of closing these schools, as well as moving approximately 6,400 individuals out of the Home Services program.”
But Solano said it was “just a budget exercise. As of today, there are funds in the line items for these schools in the budget.”
DHS has done this time and time again. They told human service providers in January, for instance, that they could face gigantic cuts, but then the budget office claimed it was all just an exercise. It would be helpful if everybody could ratchet down the rhetoric, including the GA, and focus instead on getting the job done.
* On a related note, a Senate Appropriations Committee chairman is warning of possible cuts to the two state fairs…
“Every line item is on the table,” said state Sen. Dan Kotowski, D-Park Ridge. “There is limited money available. Everything is being reviewed for significant reductions.”
And Republican legislators who represent the two fairgrounds are, predictably, opposed…
State Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield, said the fair could give Illinoisans an in-state vacation option during a time of higher fuel costs.
“Given the economy, where people are less likely to be able to travel because of the gas prices, you’re taking an option away from people to take a little vacation,” Bomke said Monday. “It doesn’t surprise me that it might be considered. But it can’t be that much of a savings.”
State Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, who represents Du Quoin, said a battle over fair funding wouldn’t be a surprise.
“I’m going to fight for it, but I would say it’s a possibility,” Bost said.
* Meanwhile…
More than a year after winning a landmark Illinois Supreme Court case that stripped a Downstate hospital of its property tax exemption, Illinois officials are seemingly stumped about what to do with their victory.
The Illinois Department of Revenue, which reviews requests for tax exemptions, hasn’t decided on a single hospital case since March 2010, when the state supreme court upheld a department decision depriving Provena Covenant Medical Center in Urbana of its property tax exemption for 2002 and following years. More than 95 hospital parcels await rulings on their status, according to documents provided by the department.
The Naperville-based Illinois Hospital Assn. has asked Revenue Director Brian Hamer to “hold off on denying property or sales tax exemptions,” according to a Jan. 26 letter to Mr. Hamer, a copy of which was obtained by Crain’s.
The association asked for the moratorium so that the two sides could “continue that dialogue in search of a mutually acceptable resolution,” according to the letter.
* Related…
* Quinn administration looks at options to pay Medicaid bills
* Senate may be roadblock for Quinn’s latest bill pay plan
* Line-by-line budget could save Illinois from budget woes
* VIDEO: Leader Radogno on borrowing
* VIDEO: Frank Mautino on budget process
* Suburban lawmakers play key roles in budget talks
* Winnetka opposes state revenue cuts to municipalities
* Home care for disabled targeted for state cut
* Nursing home residents protest proposed Medicaid cuts
* Another jobless summer for Illinois youth - Teens, whose unemployment in the state has reached a record high of 27.5 percent, tell officials about their need for summer jobs
* Gov. Quinn paid $42,300 in income taxes last year
- Aldyth - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 9:30 am:
The families of the children attending those school must be pleased to have their family member considered a “budgetary exercise”.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 9:32 am:
–But Solano said it was “just a budget exercise. As of today, there are funds in the line items for these schools in the budget.”–
Now that they’ve got their exercise in, perhaps it’s time to get down to business.
- He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 9:42 am:
Those two schools have been around since the early 1800’s.They are the reason many families moved to central Illinois. They should not be part of DHS.
As for the fair, they have contractual obligations for this year’s fair, any cuts would have to be for the 2012 fair.
- unspun - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 9:44 am:
The excuse of a “budget exercise” is ludicrous. How does the administration expect to have any credibility in the eyes of the legislature when they are presenting budget scenarios that aren’t realistic, and are violative of collective bargaining agreements? You can’t govern with shock effect, and you can’t govern by headlines. Note to Quinn: throw Rod’s playbook away and get down to business. While you’re at it, put some new blood in over at DHS.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 9:44 am:
Thank goodness someone is starting to get it.
When Republicans demand cuts, cut the things they love.
Here’s my suggestion for where we can help Republicans find additional cost savings in the state budget:
- Means testing for college grants…sorry Senator Radogno, your constituents are no longer eligible!
- Means testing for special education funding…only school districts where 50% or more of kids qualify for free or reduced lunches get funded;
- Ditto the hold harmless funding for the school funding formula;
- Ditto revenue sharing for municipalities;
- Since we’re means-testing college financial aid, we might as well go ahead and close one or more state colleges: pick one from ISU, Eastern, Northern, UIS Springfield.
I’ve got more, friends. A whole bunch more.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 9:49 am:
=== Those two schools have been around since the early 1800’s.They are the reason many families moved to central Illinois. ===
1) Even more reason to question whether the state should still be in the business, or whether segregating people with disabilities as we have since the 1800’s is still even good public policy.
2) If that’s your second-best argument for keeping the schools open, they should definitely be closed, or perhaps sold to a private interest. Maybe make them charter schools as part of the Jacksonville school district?
- Loop Lady - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 9:59 am:
Saddler is reminding me more each day of Carol Adams the former head of the agency…their sense of entitlement exceeds the available resources…
- Cincinnatus - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 10:00 am:
Operative quotes:
“Illinois hasn’t had a line-by-line budget since 1999, said State Rep. Frank Mautino, D-Spring Valley.”
“It was only in the last couple of years that we did a lump-sum budgeting, and that was instigated by the dominant party, the Democrats, who simply didn’t want to make the decisions on where cuts needed to be made, and gave that job to the governor,” said State Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield. “I believe it is our constitutional obligation to work hand-in-hand with the governor in consummating a budget.”
Bi-partisan “duh” moment.
“In the past 10 years, the General Assembly has been able to pass a budget before the spring deadline, except when Blagojevich kept lawmakers in Springfield year-round in 2007, said Bomke.”
Thus proving the Constitutional provision is a joke.
- Robert - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 10:00 am:
==Since we’re means-testing college financial aid, we might as well go ahead and close one or more state colleges: pick one from ISU, Eastern, Northern, UIS Springfield.==
while I’m not sure if you were serious, and I’m more Dem than Republican, I like all your cuts, YDD! of that list, I’d choose Eastern to close to help balance the budget. Plenty of other state universities nearby. Students at Eastern would need to be able to transfer to other state universities, who would then need some more funding to handle a larger student body, but I imagine there’d still be some savings there.
- Small Town Liberal - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 10:00 am:
- whether segregating people with disabilities as we have since the 1800’s is still even good public policy. -
That statement seems a bit extreme. I think the logistics of trying to provide individual assistance to every hearing or vision impaired student throughout the public school system would be a bit of a nightmare, and I feel like surrounding these students with peers who can relate and communicate more readily with them is probably beneficial in the formative years. I also have firsthand experience with these schools and think they do a great job of helping these students adapt to society. My only complaint was when playing ISD in Jr. High basketball they were a bit behind the whistle sometimes…
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 10:01 am:
I love your list YDD, but MAP grants are already means tested. Maybe they could means test legislative scholarships. That might cut down on the potential for hanky-panky with the children of campaign supporters.
FWIW, I’d close Chicago State and Northeastern for lack of performance, not retribution. But we could save some money and reinvent those two schools in the process.
Otherwise, keep em coming!
- Cincinnatus - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 10:04 am:
YDD said,
“Here’s my suggestion for where we can help Republicans find additional cost savings in the state budget:…”
Good start, and I really mean it. With the exception of the muni funding (we differ in that I think it should be phased out, not cut off). But your cut list should also include the numerous Democrats sacred cows, since they’re the ones in charge, no?
- soccermom - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 10:05 am:
Okay. We can’t cut anything that people like, that provide jobs, or that are beloved of specific legislators. Could someone please provide a list of any programs that do not meet any of these criteria? Seems like they’d be the best place to start…
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 10:12 am:
===Could someone please provide a list of any programs that do not meet any of these criteria? ===
Yes, here is your list…
*
*
*
*
*
*
Any questions?
lol
- i can't help myself - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 10:17 am:
The state school for the deaf has a budget of 17 million, 215 staff and about 300 students. Is there any way that the State of Illinois could provide services to those students more affordably? And does it make sense to have the state school for those students so far away from the population centers where most of those students live?
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 10:17 am:
YDD perhaps we could performance test some of these programs also. You know test scores. Sorry mr trotter your students scores just don’t justify wasting anymore money when their is just no improvement.
Now that emill jones isn’t wasting tax dollars overfunding the wasteful spending at Chicago State it’s past time we close it. It’s a cess pool of waste.
Lots of ideas none are very appealing that’s The problem
with 10 years of corrupt government and lies it’s catches up to you eventually.
- late to the party - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 10:17 am:
The GOP are the ones screaming for cuts. When faced with the choice of cutting or raising revenue, the Dems put their money where their mouth is and voted for a tax increase. They will have to answer for that come the next election.
It’s the GOP’s turn to do something. We started with a $15 billion deficit. The Dems voted for $7 billion worth of revenue. The GOP should offer up cuts in their own districts to fill the remaining hole.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 10:19 am:
Can you document the 15 billion dollar deficit claim please.
- Give Me A Break - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 10:24 am:
Part of the issue with ISVI and ISD is that their funding is about 95% GRF which comes out of the DHS budget. When the Speaker’s Staff asks a department to come up with 6.5% cut, they give them what the result of that level of cut would look like and when you couple 6.5% with the 11% DHS has been asked cut already, there is now way DHS could keep those schools open with a 17.5% cut to their GRF lines.
And Loop Lady if you have ever met Michelle Saddler you would never compate her to Carol Adams.
- Jimmy CrackCorn - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 10:35 am:
You know who may have a problem with a legislator like Sen. Bomke lacking the courage to make tough cuts???
Budget hawk Sen. Bomke in a different interview yesterday!
“It was only in the last couple of years that we did a lump-sum budgeting, and that was instigated by the dominant party, the Democrats, WHO SIMPLY DIDN’T WANT TO MAKE THE DECISIONS ON WHERE CUTS NEED TO BE MADE, and gave that job to the governor,” said State Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield.
(Emphasis added)
http://www.foxillinois.com/news/illinois/Line-by-line-budget-could-save-Illinois-from-budget-woes-121146814.html
- Cincinnatus - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 10:37 am:
late to the party,
There has been a plan (no bills) of the Republican budget since March. Remember Quinn’s first reaction to the proposal? I believe in a moment of truth, Quinn summarized his and other Democrat’s true feelings when he belittled the plan, without having had the opportunity to review it in depth.
Since then, Quinn has made zero outreach to the Republicans (I think the Democrat legislators have been better), but without Quinn, there can be no agreement. Is he not the leader of the Democrats, who control all branches of the legislature and the governorship?
- wordslinger - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 10:44 am:
–I believe in a moment of truth, Quinn summarized his and other Democrat’s true feelings when he belittled the plan, without having had the opportunity to review it in depth.–
Very interesting, Dr. Freud. Last night I had a dream about a cigar — what does that mean?
File the bills and call the roll. That’s why you get the big money. Show folks you’re willing to take a tough vote on something.
- zatoichi - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 10:47 am:
Why not stop state support to UofI? Let them function as a Harvard using tuition, grants, research and endowments to cover costs. If someone wants to go there bad enough they can pay the entire cost. Leave the other state schools alone for the people without the resources.
Close ISD/ISVI and find out how expensive those same services are in smaller settings. What local school districts will be able to afford 1 interpreter or visual specialist for 1-2 students. ISD/ISVI get benefit through shared resources that simply will not happen elsewhere.
Saddler is not Adams by any stretch. She is in a tough spot with very few options.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 10:53 am:
@47th Ward - The income eligibility guidelines could be tightened even further. According to the latest state numbers, Sen. Radogno leads the GOP in MAP grant awards for her district.
And the difference between Chicago State, Northeastern, and the other schools I mentioned is that the downstate campuses are not commuter schools, and a student who can attend Northern can likely just as easily go to Western or ISU, ditto, the move from Eastern, UIS or ISU to U of I is pretty simple.
Given their demographics, moving the student body of Chicago State or Northeastern to another campus would be a hardship. Also, given their demographics, I think most of those students will continue to be eligible for financial aid.
But yes, lets certainly improve their academic performance, by investing more heavily in bridge programs that ensure that incoming freshmen arrive in the fall college ready. Summer Bridge has been pretty successful in Champaign.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 10:56 am:
Wanna save $250 million a year?
Move 12,000 non-violent drug offenders, about 25 percent of our prison population, into community-based treatment, job training, and monitoring programs that include mandatory monthly drug testing and close yourself some prisons.
- Cincinnatus - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 11:02 am:
YDD,
Another good one, legalize non-violent drug offenses (not trafficking, though).
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 11:07 am:
@zatoichi - unlike, say, Eastern, UIUC is actually an economic engine which turns a net profit for the state because of all of the private investment it attracts.
All the more reason to shut down neighboring state schools and send the kids there.
I mean, c’mon, would you rather have a diploma from Champaign or Charleston?
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 11:10 am:
The New York School for the Deaf is operated by a 501-c3 non-profit, not as a state agency.
Hmmmm…..
- Robert - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 11:28 am:
In addition to the private investment point, U of I Champaign is also our flagship state university, doing a good job of keeping really bright young people in the state for school, making it more likely they’ll settle in the state upon graduation. Eastern Illinois competes with ISU and NIU for students. Champaign is competing with out-of-state schools ranging from Purdue and Carnegie Mellon. So I wouldn’t cut the funding of Champaign.
- zatoichi - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 11:33 am:
YDD, exactly my point. UofI can make it on it’s own. Diploma from Champaign or Charleston? After 10 years of working is there any serious salary/job difference at the BA or MA level? Very big cost difference though.
- frustrated GOP - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 12:10 pm:
Has anyone asked the state what it would save in General state aid if hospitals were no longer exempt, or for that matter, how much more local tax dollars for capital improvements in local communities if hospitals were taxed?
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 12:18 pm:
” Summer Bridge has been pretty successful in Champaign.”
Not Really!
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 12:21 pm:
“I mean, c’mon, would you rather have a diploma from Champaign or Charleston?”
Most of those kids couldn’t get into UIUC.
- Louis XVI - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 12:27 pm:
Cutting hundreds of millions from health care for the poor is ok, but we have to preserve “in-state vacation options” funding?
Preserve the bread and the circuses.
I like it.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 12:29 pm:
“The income eligibility guidelines could be tightened even further. According to the latest state numbers, Sen. Radogno leads the GOP in MAP grant awards for her district.”
ISAC tried that in 2005. They wanted to cap the schools budget used in the allocation formula. It would have kicked out failies making 80,000 from getting a map grant at high-cost institutions. What happended? Loyola University got Mike Madigan to put presure on ISAC so it didn’t happen. Why? Madigan’s wife is on the board at loyola.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 12:51 pm:
@zatoichi -
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Selling off U of I would provide a one-time revenue source, although in this economy you probably couldn’t find a buyer with the capital.
- steve schnorf - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 1:44 pm:
-where angels fear to tread. It’s ideas like this that tempt me, but don’t persuade me, to post anonymously.
Privatize UIUC, take the approx $750M they get from the state and use it this way.
$250m to ISAC for Illinois student $10,000 undergrad scholarships to UIUC, in addition to current scholarships, subsidizing 25,000 in-state undergrads.
Raise enrollment standards at other public 4 year institutions sufficiently to reduce enrollment by 10-15%, eliminate all remedial programs at those schools. The reduced enrollment should allow these universities to better operate within their current funding.
Give approx $200m to Community colleges so they can absorb the students no longer eligible for the 4 year schools and provide the remedial teaching now being offered at the 4 years.
Use $300m to pay off overdue payments to the universities, retire other old debt.
Again, back of the envelope meatball budgeting, but its an idea that could be looked at to solve multiple problems. I would probably throw in consolidating degree offerings, getting some of the 4 years back to their primary purposes, ans, as others have said, maybe we don’t need all of them.
UIUC would still be our flagship school, with perhaps some added cache of being “private”, and with in-state students still subsidized to attend.
- Quinn T. Sential - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 3:41 pm:
Steve,
If you “privatized” UIUC, then how would the tax payers be compensated for the real property assets? Your version of “privitization” would reduce enrollment, but wouldn’t preclude public funding for the “select” enrolees.
How would you deal with the legislative “scholarships” and the back door admissions process that has no dobt moved around to the side window, now that they were caught propping the door open.
- soccermom - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 3:45 pm:
Oh Schnorf, I love the way you think. I have an emotional “oh no!” response to privatizing U of I, but I know that other states are looking at the same option for their flagship schools. I also have some concerns about ending remedial programs, given that it may be more effective to help students come up to speed when they are away from home (although heaven knows, there are plenty of distractions on campus as well.) We’d also have to make sure the community colleges were doing everything necessary to make these kids university-ready. But at least you’re looking at some options beyond “let’s cut” vs. “let’s tax.” Gosh, this is an opportunity to do government more intelligently, efficiently, and effectively. So let’s grasp the opportunity and find new ways to get good results at less cost….
- SouthernGirl - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 4:00 pm:
@YDD — love your suggestions, means testing for MAP grants, and different funding allocations for school districts with higher percentages of high income families. Great ideas!!!!
Also, do we really NEED two State Fairs? I mean really, a State Fair is just that — singular, right?
- SouthernGirl - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 4:02 pm:
P.S. @ YDD, also love the decriminalization suggestion.
Why are WE able to come up with rational suggestions? Do they sprinkle fairy dust in the halls of the capitol or something?
- steve schnorf - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 4:57 pm:
qts, I wouldn’t. It would still be the people’s property, for use by UIUC for educating their children.
I have no idea whether enrollment would be reduced or not. UIUC would become a quasi-private university, charging tuition comparable to its peers, using state owned property, providing state subsidized educations for in-state students. From a budget point of view I don’t give a tinker’s dam about legislative scholarships.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 5:27 pm:
Schnorf, that’s a bold proposal and one worth pondering and looking into.
I understand the state keeps the physical assets, but the citizens have also invested a lot in building the brand. Does the state get a big one-shot from whomever would finance turnover to this new entity?
- Pat Robertson - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 5:29 pm:
==But Solano said it was “just a budget exercise.” ==
And Pearl Harbor was “just flight training.”
BTW, the Dept. of Revenue has published a property tax exemption case on its web site — it’s Provena, but for a subsequent year. It’s dated February 24, 2011. This time, they exempted the chapel, but the rest of the place is taxed.
- steve schnorf - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 6:50 pm:
ws, quasi “naming rights”? I see it continuing to be non-profit, maybe publicly chartered, maybe not. Probably no big $, since the brand is what would allow it to draw students as a higher tuition private. Lots of details to be looked at, though: e.g., how long to transition? 3 years enough?
- steve schnorf - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 6:51 pm:
BTW, for all you UofI alums wanting to kill me, this is really just a budget exercise, not for real.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 8:05 pm:
Schnorf a lot of details, for sure, but a very intriguing proposal. Anyone pulled off it before?
I like the way you whack up the current contribution, raise standards for the 4-years, and put more into scholarships and the community colleges.
From my time covering muni finance, the word “privatization” perks my ears up. Sometimes it makes sense, sometimes it’s just a payday for underwriters or wired-up contractors.
But it’s refreshing to hear some discussion on advancing our higher education institutions. Sometimes, I think many of us don’t realize what a wonder it is to the rest of the world.
I was lucky to grow up in the NIU community, and I’ve spent the last couple years on university visits with my kid. It’s always astounding to see the best and brightest of the rest of the world busting their humps to make it in these institutions we take for granted.
- soccermom - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 8:31 pm:
University of Wisconsin is floating a plan to create a new public authority, the New Badger Partnership. http://budget.wisc.edu/
Is this similar to what you had in mind, Schnorf?
- steve schnorf - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 8:54 pm:
In the sense that it could be a publicly chartered corp, yes, but it wouldn’t have to be
- DuPage Dave - Tuesday, May 3, 11 @ 10:05 pm:
I’m surprised see the criticism of DHS. All the back and forth on the budget comes directly from the Governor’s Office. Quinn and Vaught send Saddler out there to be the punching bag when all the decisions are made by GOMB.
Also- Saddler is intelligent, caring and diplomatic, which are qualities all lacking in her predecessor. Anyone comparing the two (as noted above) has never met either one.