So, what’s he up to?
Wednesday, Sep 7, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* There are lots and lots of theories about what Gov. Pat Quinn is “really” up to with his threat to close facilities and lay off thousands of state workers. This is the governor’s explanation…
“Our state won’t have enough money to get through the fiscal year, so we have to make reductions,” Quinn said. “I’m prepared to do what has to be done.”
That’s not a new concept. Senate President John Cullerton has been warning about the inadequacies of this budget for months…
“(T)he Senate president has warned for months that there are shortcomings in the current budget that will need to be addressed either during the fall session or early next year,” a statement noted.
And Sen. Gary Forby admitted the GA voted for a flawed plan…
“I knew the money would be short,” Forby said. “We passed a flawed budget.”
But not all Senate Democrats are sending the same message…
Sen. John Sullivan, a member of the Democratic leadership team, denied Quinn’s claim that legislators have given him no choice but to make deep cuts.
“We did not pass the budget with the assumption that it would require layoffs and closures, that’s for certain,” said Sullivan, D-Rushville.
* And not everybody is convinced that Quinn’s threats are completely real. The governor’s credibility being what it is, many have their doubts. For instance…
“That number, I’m sure, is inflated for dramatic affect by the governor,” said State Sen. Matt Murphy (R-Palatine). “What he may be trying to do here is use political pressure to get more support for his $9 billion borrowing plan, which we think is unconscionable.”
Ouch…
“These latest announcements are in the same spirit of former Governor Blagojevich — float some scary scenarios without many details, then take them off the table before they even get any air,” [Sara Wojcicki, spokeswoman for House Minority Leader Tom Cross] said.
* Sen. Bill Brady laid out why so few trust Quinn’s word…
“Once again, Gov. Quinn is betraying the citizens of Illinois and proving that his word is suspect,” Brady said in a prepared statement. “First, he promises to veto any tax hike that raises the income tax more than 33 percent, and he signs a tax increase double the size. He promises in a campaign deal there will be no layoffs or closure of any state facilities, and now we see that he is going back on that agreement with the state’s largest public sector union. He is using state employees as pawns in this political game.”
* So, now what? Some Republicans are open to using “excess” state revenues to keep the facilities open and prevent layoffs, even though the House Speaker and the House GOP Leader have decreed that those revenues should be targeted at overdue state bills…
[Rep. Jim Watson (R-Jacksonville)] said he might be open to using excess revenue to keep facilities open.
“I don’t have a hard-line thing,” he said.
Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield, said Quinn is probably just setting the stage for a vote during the veto session to spend more money.
“He’s right, there isn’t enough money in the budget. I would consider it, but I would want to know what revenue looks like at that point,” Bomke said.
Both of those Republican legislators have lots of state workers in their districts, of course. Democratic state Sen. Mike Jacobs said those districts ought to be targeted…
State Sen. Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline, suggested that Quinn, a Democrat from Chicago, shutter facilities in districts held by GOP lawmakers.
“I would hope that the governor would look at things like who has supported him on key issues,” Jacobs said.
…Adding… I forgot to post this earlier, but it’s well worth a watch. Sens. Donne Trotter and Kirk Dillard were on Chicago Tonight last night to discuss this topic…
- PaGo - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 2:04 pm:
A lot of empty rhetoric with no real talk of solutions.
Totally depressing, the leadership ON BOTH SIDES of the political coin.
Illinois continues to lead the nation in the number of bozos allowed to be quoted.
- Lulabell - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 2:22 pm:
I think one of the more frustrating things about all of this is that both sides are so busy blaming the other side that neither will step up to the plate and come up with a solution to start to fix the problem. The solution wont be easy and no one on either side will like all of it but at least they will be doing something instead of just playing the blame game and thinking ahead to the next election.
- soccermom - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 2:28 pm:
Is Senator Brady saying he is opposed to reductions in state spending? Is he related to the Bill Brady who ran for Governor?
- Sue - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 2:39 pm:
Rather then end up before another sympathetic arbitrator-Quinn should immediately do what he failed to do when he cancelled the raises-File a lawsuit seeking a declaratory judgment that this union dispute falls outside of the CBA’s and is instead a political question which must be addressed by the courts- the fact Quinn didn’t do this last time suggest he wanted to lose when the case went to Ed Benn- Arbitrators have no place deciding what is a pure political issue
- Cincinnatus - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 2:40 pm:
Let’s sum up what’s wrong in this state:
“State Sen. Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline, suggested that Quinn, a Democrat from Chicago, shutter facilities in districts held by GOP lawmakers.
“I would hope that the governor would look at things like who has supported him on key issues,” Jacobs said.”
To this guy, it doesn’t matter if a facility should be cut for reasonable cause, or in a priority list based off the needs of Illinois citizens, if they make sense, or even a random choosing of lots. Cut them if they are in a Republican district. We can all look forward to a lot of cooperation across the aisle in the upcoming veto session.
As far as Quinn, I doubt he is trying to make due with what he has. His actions can only be explained as a threat to the GA to give him more money to squander. Some leadership…
- Justgladtobehere - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 2:41 pm:
No one can really believes that the Governor wants to do any of these cuts. However, he should have known about this for the last six months and been running against it. Heck what is his OMB for if not this? He should have announced the probable cuts when the legislature was in town and could do something about it. Yet again, he has completely bungled the situation.
- zatoichi - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 2:46 pm:
As I recall in the last election wasn’t most of Quinn’s support centered around Chicago? That makes Jacob’s suggestion to ’shutter facilities in districts held by GOP lawmakers’ more than slightly brown nosing. And the people working in those proposed facilities, they just unfortunate suckers hit by the Bipartisan splash? Just too bad for them and their town? Stop the sound bite posturing crap and solve the problem for the state not for your party. Anyone in the GA can get the financial numbers emailed to them on an Excel page and do the math.
- HK - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 2:55 pm:
“I would hope that the governor would look at things like who has supported him on key issues”. Really?
Crazy thought: I would hope that the Governor would look at things like which facilities are underperforming or can be closed with the minimal impact possible on state services to the public.
But hey, that’s just me.
Tired of the political posturing on both sides - and there’s plenty to go around.
- PrecinctCaptain - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 2:58 pm:
Matt “Press Release” Murphy thinks things are being exploited for dramatic effect? Isn’t this the same man who wants billions more in cuts and reductions to state government?
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 3:01 pm:
–“What he may be trying to do here is use political pressure to get more support for his $9 billion borrowing plan, which we think is unconscionable.”–
What’s unconscionable is pretending that it’s fiscally conservative and pro-business to pay credit card juice via late payments when you could refinance that debt in historically low credit markets, saving a bundle and getting right with hard-pressed vendors in a lousy economy.
There’s no governing philosophy in play; it’s simple arithmetic. The GOP position is just nonsensical spin.
Of course, well-heeled hospitals and docs don’t mind the extra juice for late payments. They may be getting paid late, but they’re getting paid late regularly. Once the pump is primed, it’s all bonus money.
- NotRMiller - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 3:01 pm:
Typical Pat Quinn, he might have less of a clue than Rod did, his only quality is his honesty. Unfortunately, we need more than honest to drive this ship. As of this moment I doubt he has any clue as to his plan of action. Although I am sure he has 50 or more 3×5 cards on his night stand with ideas jotted down. Both Dan Hynes and Bill Brady have got to be saying “What”!!!!!!
- Team Sleep - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 3:02 pm:
Two points:
First, I hope the Senate GOP uses Forby’s quote against him. That is inexcusable.
Second, Senator Jacobs is a real piece of work. Yeah, Mike, let’s just target closures in “Republican” areas. Mike, don’t forget that in 2010 your area went for Bill Brady, Mark Kirk and Bobby Schilling. Oh, and Rich Morthland was elected. Yeah, then we need to close state facilities in Mike Jacobs’s district. Wow, I just blew Mike Jacobs’s mind. Didn’t take much.
- Small Town Liberal - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 3:04 pm:
- To this guy, it doesn’t matter if a facility should be cut for reasonable cause, or in a priority list based off the needs of Illinois citizens, if they make sense, or even a random choosing of lots. -
- His actions can only be explained as a threat to the GA to give him more money to squander. -
Well which is it, Cinci? If it’s just squandering money, I guess it doesn’t matter which facilities get cut. The truth is there isn’t much squandering money left to cut. The cuts are going to be painful, and both sides of the aisle are going to need to admit that.
- Team Sleep - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 3:06 pm:
I do think the overall DOC spending model and penal code could/should come in to play. If we are housing non-violent drug offenders, the argument can be made that it would save local police jurisdictions, county jails and the DOC if the penal code is rewritten to exempt certain kinds of drugs and activities. I’m not an expert so I don’t want to advocate for anything but the legalization of a certain “weed”. And if we really want to get down to the nitty gritty of DOC spending issues, let’s start addressing the obscene overtime hours paid to corrections officers and let’s take a hard look at the billable rates and hours charged by professional who visit prisons and teach, treat or “assist” inmates.
- the Patriot - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 3:11 pm:
==“I knew the money would be short,” Forby said. “We passed a flawed budget==
Greatest indictment of everyone who voted for this budget. If Forby could figure out it was flawed, then anyone could figure it out. Ouch.
Quinn is fishing and he has some whoppers on the line. Madigan has to be worried he does not know what Quinn is up too because Quinn does not know.
Good news for state employees is they can all file carpal tunnel cases and get them through a little layoff until they find work.
Because the work comp “reform” they passes was no better than the budget, they all still have compensable work comp cases in IL. Kaching!
- Loop Lady - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 3:18 pm:
Word is right on the money…what a bunch of bozos indeed…
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 3:28 pm:
Team Sleep:
What is inexcusible about Forby’s quote?
Cincy:
You are crazy if you think the budget that passed is enough money. Yes, Quinn is trying to get more money so he doesn’t HAVE to make cuts, but if they don’t increase the budget there WILL be cuts made. This isn’t a joke, people. There is not enough money in the budget.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 3:29 pm:
=And if we really want to get down to the nitty gritty of DOC spending issues, let’s start addressing the obscene overtime hours paid to corrections officers =
Will you support hiring more CO’s so that there isn’t a need for overtime?
- Team Sleep - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 3:43 pm:
Demoralized, Senator Forby admitted that he voted for a bad budget. I don’t see what’s so hard to grasp.
- Team Sleep - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 3:44 pm:
I don’t mind if more COs are hired. I think AFSCME is the entity who would mind.
- Michelle Flaherty - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 4:25 pm:
Team Sleep, did you forget about the Senate Democrats dissatisfaction with the budget back in April and May, the attempted tying of budget restorations to the construction program reauthorization? Just about all of the Senate Dems said there were problems in the budget but the alternative was letting the Senate Republicans have a seat at the adult table, in which case the GA would still be in session and we’d be enduring a never-ending string of Blue Room news conferences about the HUGE cuts the Senate GOP planned to consider filing tomorrow, or the next day, or maybe next week.
- Cincinnatus - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 4:34 pm:
Across the board cuts, all departments.
“Make it work, people.”
- Tim Gunn
- Team Sleep - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 4:49 pm:
Michelle, that’s a silly argument. When you control a chamber with an eleven seat majority, you own the legislation and budgets that come out of your chamber. It seems to me like the Senate Dems just passed something so the Senate GOP wouldn’t have a real say after May 31st. That’s fine, but then they need to take full ownership and realize they passed a stinker.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 5:08 pm:
Any Word on the Proposed Pension Changes ???
Veto session was going to address these
changes etc. Cross and Madigan Plan
- Give Me A Break - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 5:11 pm:
Cinci: I understand your comments but think about this. Last session the Senate GOP would:
Not vote for a tax increase.
Not vote for borrowing.
Not vote HB 3717 (the budget). And remember, they said they would not vote for the budget because the cuts did not go deep enough.
So, since they can’t seem to support anything the Gov or Dems put on the table, just what should they expect?
- Wensicia - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 5:32 pm:
Interesting post on Zorn’s blog, why the governor (or one of his staff) turned down a request to attend Channel 11’s “Chicago Tonight” last night to discuss state worker layoffs.
“Quinn’s excuse? “We haven’t made an announcement yet relative to the budget and we prefer to announce the facts before we comment or discuss them,” a spokeswoman told me.”
Is he bluffing?
http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2011/09/buck_buckaw.html
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 5:55 pm:
Wensicia, neither my Friday report nor the Tribune’s Tuesday story were leaked or “planted.”
They haven’t yet settled on a final plan. So, commenting in detail would be impossible and probably foolish. Quinn spoke to reporters yesterday for the first time in days. Today, nothing.
- Snj - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 5:56 pm:
Plenty of money to pay lawyers and tie up the courts though.
- dupage dan - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 7:08 pm:
Yes, of course - we must not do across the board cuts. We will carefully look at those programs that can be cut - cut them only as much as is absolutely necessary.
And after careful consideration, we will close a prison or 2, close down some MI and DD facilities and lay off a bunch of state employees. Very carefully.
- steve schnorf - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 7:39 pm:
I wonder what we would cut instead of what PQ is proposing. Is there an exercise here for us, Rich?
- DuPage Dave - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 8:44 pm:
It is almost always true in budget discussions that the phrase “across the board cuts” means “I don’t give a bleep what happens”.
Let’s shut down schools, put nursing home residents out on the streets, close down firehouses, stop repairing potholes and reduce the number of police officers. Across the board, indeed.
- JustMe - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 8:45 pm:
Mr. Schnorf, I do not know what I would cut, but I know I wouldn’t try to cut union pay raises, lay off union workers or close facilities in violation of my pre-election agreement. The courts are going to enforce the agreement, and all the governor will accomplish is enriching the lawyers involved.
- Give Me A Break - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 8:54 pm:
JustMe: Will the courts also lower themselves to getting involved in the appropriation process? I suspect they may well decide that if the money is not there, the money is not there. End of case.
- JustMe - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 9:17 pm:
Give Me a Break — When Blago cut the appropriation for the judges COLA, the Supreme Court ordered the checks to be issued. No appropriations, no problem. The state cannot violate the contracts clauses in its constitution and the federal constitution. And there IS money there — much more than the state is contractually obligated to pay. The constitutions say the governor has to cut somewhere else.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 9:19 pm:
===When Blago cut the appropriation for the judges COLA, the Supreme Court ordered the checks to be issued. No appropriations, no problem===
How many times do we have to go over this point? C’mon, man.
Judicial pay is guaranteed in the Illinois Constitution…
“Judges shall receive salaries provided by law which shall not be diminished to take effect during their terms of office.”
- Newsclown - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 9:52 pm:
First rule you learn on the playground when you’re like, five years old is:
“Don’t make threats you are unable or unwilling to carry out”.
If you break that rule, in short order, you wind up getting your clock cleaned, and moreover, you lose almost all future credibility and respect. Every day thereafter, someone else will roll you for your lunch money. And you will stand alone.
Quinn’s actions smell very much like a really bad bluff, and what is the endgame when that falls through? He’ll be the GA’s …. um, toy - until his term ends.
And he’s not going to win another election by a whisker, not with what he’s done and continuing to do to the unions. The next Quinn challenger is going to have an easier job than Brady did. Quinn’s advisors should be fired for the amount of bad advice they’ve been giving him lately. Unless all this is Quinn’s idea alone, and he’s ignoring the staff entirely. I don’t know which scenario is worse, actually.
- sassy - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 10:47 pm:
Oh no!!! It’s the Mr. Bill show….
- sassy - Wednesday, Sep 7, 11 @ 10:47 pm:
Mr. Bill…oh no!!!
- JustMe - Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 9:07 am:
==How many times do we have to go over this point? C’mon, man.
Judicial pay is guaranteed in the Illinois Constitution…==
OK, then, one more time: The only way the unions are going to win this court battle is under the constitutional provision regarding impairment of contracts.
“No ex post facto law, or law impairing the obligation of contracts or making an irrevocable grant of special privileges or immunities, shall be passed.”
So, if they win, it’s because the constitution guarantees the contract and the courts can order payment when required to enforce compliance with the constitution.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 9:10 am:
–”No ex post facto law, or law impairing the obligation of contracts or making an irrevocable grant of special privileges or immunities, shall be passed.”–
What law are you referring to that was passed in regards to this situation?
- JustMe - Thursday, Sep 8, 11 @ 9:54 am:
The appropriations bill. There is a lot of case law in California that holds that failure to appropriate funds to satisfy contractual obligations is a violation of the impairment of contracts clauses.