34 Comments - Shore - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 12:19 am: I get your point, but Illinois democrats still control the statehouse, the federal patronage system, the city of chicago and cook county government and that’s just to start. - Weltschmerz - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 6:11 am: No sympathy for the career state workers who await the next wave of whiz-kids, legacy dullards and potential criminals that they will have to deal with? - Gooner - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 6:27 am: Nothing to worry about this year. Gov. Elect Rauner was outraged over Quinn’s political hiring, and would never engage in the same activity himself. - Rich Miller - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 6:46 am: ===No sympathy for the career state workers=== You signed up for it and you’ll still have a job and a house. - Original Rambler - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 7:21 am: I don’t think it was “hundreds” 12 years ago. Many who MAY have lost their jobs were able to take advantage of the very generous ERI at the time. - Sir Reel - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 7:30 am: Original, ERI ended in December 2002 and Blago took office in 2003. For R patronage hires with enough time in to retire it was a good thing. However there were a number of non political career professional 4 year term appointments who lost their jobs under Blago. Some good people will lose their jobs but as I always say, live by the sword die by the sword. - low level - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 7:32 am: They’ll be back. - low level - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 7:34 am: I mean that in a positive way as well. Very talented people in this bunch. Far from the typical GOP hacks we were used to. Love you guys / keep the faith. - On The Other Hand - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 7:40 am: Meh, the long-timers are looking forward to the “fumigation” of Blago hold-overs that didn’t burrow into the union’s protection. No Rutan for you? Well, you traded protection for the bigger pay check. Now the bill’s come due. - Sorry to see them go - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 7:57 am: Agree with low level. The staff we dealt with were hard working, honest and decent. They tried to understand our issues and worked with us whenever they could. I’ve been in state government for a long time and this was the best governor’s staff I’ve experienced. We are very sorry to see them go. - The Colossus of Roads - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 7:59 am: The Blago people really enjoyed firing Ryan hires. It was truly amazing. You can ask for a waiver. Tim Martin ( former IDOT head) got one to work for a consultant that did IDOT work. “You reap what you sow.” - VanillaMan - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 8:10 am: Is there an alternative? - Belleville Blues - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 8:18 am: I love the recent props given to Uncle Tupelo! - Apocalypse Now - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 8:23 am: Why would anyone feel sorry for patronage people losing their jobs? They only got the job, as a political favor. If they are truly talented, they will have no problem finding another job. If they are not talented, well…….. - Todd - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 8:29 am: Some good people got hampered by bad policy, silly policy and politics. I will miss working with some of them and yes we’ve gotten to be friends over the years. they had a job to do and so did I. rarley were they to blame for the problems. But they will bear the brunt of a lot of what will happen. Hopefully, the new administration will root out some of the real problems buried in state government and those who think they and rule an agency from some little cubicle. And maybe, if they show a little compassion for how they treat good people on the way out, it will set a decent tone of things to come - Weltschmerz - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 8:39 am: Rich - So the guy sleeping at his desk in the corner office was drugged and tricked into his job? Now you’re making me fell bad. Should I wake him up and give him a few bucks? - AC - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 8:39 am: It’s bad legislation that doesn’t only impact political hires. We’ll see how deep it goes if a tax increase of some sort isn’t extended and there are massive layoffs. People with a clerical role in purchasing, nurses, IT staff who have done work with outside vendors are all subject to this madness. - Rich Miller - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 8:42 am: ===If they are truly talented, they will have no problem finding another job=== In Springfield? C’mon, man. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 8:46 am: ===Why would anyone feel sorry for patronage people losing their jobs?=== You stay classy. You know “they” are people too, right? I am continually amazed how legit patronage workers (governor appointees, legal and just) are looked upon so shabbily. Some take pay cuts to work in the public sector, some even bring an insight needed and their involvement in running state government has made or state better, ever think of that? I wish them all well. I hope for them, that they find their next challenge as rewarding. I thank them, and hope their institutional knowledge serves them well in the next chapter of their career, and if they are leaving government for good, I also hope for them that they leave, not jaded, but look back at the good they may have done as their way to make Illinois better, and look upon it as noble work. There are bad apples in medicine, law, education, business, but being a patronage worker, a highly visible patronage worker, they wear the Scarlett Letter for too many before them to be seen as talented and skilled without a stigma, that far, far too often is unwarranted. This year off is a hurdle created by a few unsavory decisions that optically seemed worse than how bad it was in reality. I’m sure the talented will overcome. Governors, like Mayors, even Presidents, need fiercely loyal appointees and patronage workers to be the layer in bureaucracy to ensure the elected official’s vision is realized in governing. Without those spots, who really would be running our “government’s vision”? It’s part of the process, fur good or ill. I salute the appointees, the vast majority whose goal has been to do their best for the state and their “boss”. They’re people too, they know the “deal”, no one is weeping, but relationships and friendships within the wheels of government change. I wish them well. - Cassandra - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 8:52 am: Rauner will want to bring in a number of his own aides, but he seems less obligated to the the Republican Party for his win than his predecessors, so maybe he won’t feel as compelled to play patronage boss for Republicans. Anyway, the great majority of state employees, including many middle managers since Blago, are covered by union and/or civil service rules which prohibit political hiring and firing. The real risk for state employees would be reductions in force in the agencies. Rauner is probably going to have to make some cuts, especially if he wants to shift all that money into education and other priorities without raising the income tax. And his background as a venture capitalist, turning around fading companies, would mean he is familiar with that approach. On the other hand, as even Quinn has said, state government is not a jobs program. Maybe some efficiencies are needed, especially if they free up monies for education and infrastructure. - Demoralized - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 8:59 am: ==You know “they” are people too, right?== No, I don’t think they do. It amazes me how giddy some people get at people losing their jobs. - Leave a Light on George - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 9:14 am: “The Blago people really enjoyed firing Ryan hires” Here is what I remember. Ryan in his last days let several dozen 4yr. term people resign then reappointed them to a “new” job and 4yr term that was just like the old job. Blago in one of his first official acts and with much fan fare fired them all. They sued. Most got their jobs back. Some discipline was involved. Very poorly handled by all sides. Borderline illegal. My boss was one of these folks and he was/is a great career employee who was talked into participating in this scheme and it darn near cost him. - hhood - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 9:20 am: what the revolving door policy really means is workers who would leave state gov to find some other kind of work are hampered by the approval process. No position or job is without its issues. What is missing in these discussions is how much of a paycut state workers take just to remain employed by the state. The revolving door policy is to stop trained workers from jumping ship. New talent is needed in state government to improve working conditions and increase knowledge levels. I hope this happens. - Belleville Blues - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 9:26 am: If they are let go (fired) they should be able to garner employment anywhere they like. If they are working and decide to leave, the ban makes a little more sense. - Apocalypse Now - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 9:30 am: =====If they are truly talented, they will have no problem finding another job=== In Springfield? C’mon, man.== There is something called moving to find a new job. Lot’s of people in Illinois are having to move to find a job, as the statistics have shown people moving out of the state. Sorry to see anyone lose a job, but these are patronage jobs. Comes with the territory. - Gantt Chart - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 9:43 am: It’s going to be difficult for Rauner to fumigate the Blago patronage employees because so many of them weaseled into union positions. The tactic Rauner will most likely use will be to remove any position with subordinates from the union. Once they’re merit comp, he can lower the boom on them. - Rich Miller - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 9:47 am: === Comes with the territory. === I don’t disagree, but you can be human about it. - jim - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 10:22 am: Remember what the mob boss told Michael Corleone in Godfather II — “this is the business we chose.” I’m not thrilled to see people — even the ones I consider to be yahoos — lose their patronage jobs. but there are many people more deserving of sympathy than they are. working for the government is a good gig, but now the show is over — at least for a while. these operatives excel at landing on their feet. - Ginhouse Tommy - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 10:24 am: Got another music library web site for you if you don’t already know about it. The first one was Wolfgangs Vault and now a fried told me about Udiscovermusic.com. A lot of info on older artist and classic albums. - Algonquin J. Calhoun - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 10:33 am: To Leave a Light on George @9:14. This happened to the current EPA Director who, after a week’s unpaid leave, somehow managed to survive under Blago and became Director under Quinn (and, who hopefully will soon be gone). Also rumors are swirling that jobs unfilled for many years will now be posted and filled by at-will employees (including CFO at EPA) - would Team Rauner’s transition group be on top of that? - National League - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 10:37 am: Regardless of the issue, more Uncle Tupelo!!! Awesome selection Rich! - Cassandra - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 11:07 am: But wouldn’t those employees being shifted out of at-will positions and into protected ones by the Quinn admin, if true, still be on probation in January? Even if the probation period is pretty short, it must be at least two months. And during that time, employees can be discharged without appeal, I believe. But the Rauner team would have to get right on it, and I doubt a venture capitalist has any idea how complicated government personnel systems really are. He’d better make sure his new personnel chief-I assume there will be one–has experience in govt systems. And legal skills. - ThatGirl - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 11:21 am: Hey - these workers knew these jobs were not for life when the clouted their way in to the position in the first place ! Besides it is good for government and the citizens of the state to have a new fresh perspective in these positions. Giving new talent a chance to shine is also beneficial. They had their days of high pay and walking the gleaming halls of the state capitol on the taxpayers dime - now it is time for change. If these displaced staffers have true marketable talent - the private sector will recognize that talent and hire them. If not - let them see what the rest of the working world has to put up with for a paycheck for a change. - Demoralized - Monday, Nov 17, 14 @ 1:02 pm: ==let them see what the rest of the working world has to put up with for a paycheck for a change.== Yeah, because you don’t have to put up with the same crap when you work for the government. Dope. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.