* From a press release…
Based on reports by members only, the Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities (IARF) estimates 51,447 children and adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities and/or serious mental illnesses will experience limited access to, or lose access to, community-based services and supports under the Department of Human Services’ proposed fiscal year 2016 budget.
“We find these conservative impact estimates on individuals with disabilities and mental illnesses and their families disturbing,” said Janet Stover, IARF President & CEO. “Even with the Department making efforts to preserve core and essential services, every proposed cut will cut bone, and these estimates make that clear,” continued Stover.
The Department’s proposed budget cuts $193 million in funding from community-based services and supports for children and adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities and mental illnesses in the critical areas of residential services for individuals with high medical/behavioral support needs (ICFDD), psychiatry, housing supports, early intervention, respite, autism, dental and epilepsy services.
• 16,533 individuals with serious mental illnesses (SMI) will lose access to psychiatry, care coordination, evidence-based mental health services and housing supports – which will lead to increased hospitalizations and incarcerations;
• 808 adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities will lose residential and developmental services and supports in ICFDD settings – which will lead to increased utilization of state-operated developmental centers (SODCs);
• 1,798 individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities and their families will lose access to respite services – which will lead families to seek out-of-home services, higher cost services and supports;
• 11,208 children ages 0-3 will lose access to early intervention services – which will lead to higher long term costs in special education;
• 21,100 individuals with epilepsy will lose access to case coordination, case management and outreach services;
“Again, these are estimates based on responses from IARF members. Given the number of service providers, individuals and families that would be impacted statewide, as well as statements made by the Department on proposed cuts in previous budget years, our estimates are only thumbnail sketches of the statewide impact,” said Stover.
National and state studies, including data prepared previously by the Department of Human Services, show the efficacy, cost savings and preference of community care by individuals and families. The average cost of a nursing home placement in Illinois is $31,400; one year incarceration in a Department of Corrections facility is $38,268. Compare that to the average annual cost to serve an individual with a serious mental illness in the community, which ranges from $2,329 to $19,443 (intensive treatment and rental housing supports).
By cutting rates and eliminating grant-supported programs, individuals will be required to seek services in higher cost settings, such as state-operated developmental centers (SODCs), hospital emergency rooms, nursing homes and jails.
Further compounding the damage the budget would do to individuals and families, an estimated 1,539 would lose jobs under the proposal, removing tax dollars from state coffers and likely causing many to rely on public assistance themselves.
“Nearly 90 cents of every state dollar invested in community services is spent on the staff supporting individuals in programs,” said Stover. “Providers are already challenged to hire and maintain quality staff with the wages they pay now due to years of lack of investment by the state in rates and reimbursements. Studies show the need for these staff positions in the community will continue to grow. We simply can’t absorb the job loss, nor can Illinois,” continued Stover.
“There will be no savings as a result of this proposed budget for community services…cutting these services will actually increase the state’s costs almost immediately,” said Stover. “Fifteen years ago, we launched an advocacy campaign with the message ‘Don’t Be Penny Wise and Pound Foolish’ and here we are again. Fiscally, it makes no sense to allow these cuts - not to mention the emotional anguish of this vulnerable population having to regress to service settings that we have been working to modernize for the last ten years,” she said.
* Meanwhile, I told subscribers about this yesterday…
In what state park district officials called an “unprecedented” decision, Gov. Bruce Rauner Wednesday indefinitely suspended all state grants for park district construction projects. […]
“These suspensions even cover construction projects that are currently in progress,” noted a memo from the Illinois Association of Park Districts. “With construction season upon us, this decision could not come at a worse time. The suspension not only threatens jobs that are helping to grow Illinois’ economy, it creates exposure to local taxpayers for existing contractual obligations and project costs.”
* Mayor Emanuel weighed in this morning…
Mayor Rahm Emanuel today called on Governor Bruce Rauner to immediately reverse his decision to suspend Chicago park improvements that are planned or in progress after learning late yesterday that the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) instructed the Chicago Park District to immediately freeze state grants awarded for park improvements.
“The Chicago Park District and I have worked to enhance the quality of life in Chicago by providing safe and inviting parks and facilities; and to create a park system that prioritizes the needs of children and families,” said Mayor Emanuel. “Governor Rauner’s decision to suspend grants for new parks across Chicago and the rest of the state will hurt every child who wants to swing on a swing set or play on the monkey bars, and a slight to every parent who wants their child to have a safe, community-oriented place to enjoy.”
A total of 27 Chicago projects at 25 parks across Chicago stand to lose $28 million for improvements if this funding is not restored.
* And…
The impact of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s proposed budget cuts on the CTA is even worse than the $105 million hit that the transit agency originally projected, CTA President Forrest Claypool said Wednesday. […]
The RTA initially calculated that the cuts to the Chicago-area mass transit system — the CTA, Metra and Pace — would total almost $130 million. In turn, CTA officials said a preliminary analysis of their agency’s share of the cut came out to $105 million, which is roughly 7 percent of the CTA’s operating budget.
* And…
Illinois’ deepening budget problems could begin affecting the paychecks of nearly 5,000 prison workers starting in the coming weeks, an analysis of state payroll information shows.
According to records at the Illinois Comptroller’s Office, at least five of the state’s fleet of more than two dozen prisons do not appear to have enough money to meet payroll through the end of the state’s fiscal year June 30.
The analysis by the Herald & Review Springfield Bureau shows prisons that will run short of cash include facilities in Vandalia, Taylorville, Mount Sterling, Sumner and Jacksonville.
* And, finally, Western Illinois University’s president weighed in on the governor’s proposed budget cuts today…
- Aldyth - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 10:49 am:
When it comes to people with disabilities, Illinois will end up spending a dollar to save a nickel, if these cuts go through.
- Politix - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 10:52 am:
“• 16,533 individuals with serious mental illnesses (SMI) will lose access to psychiatry, care coordination, evidence-based mental health services and housing supports – which will lead to increased hospitalizations and incarcerations;”
Flies in the face of his prison reform agenda.
- Politix - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 10:54 am:
And if Rahm gets his parks $ back before the election, I’m calling shenanigans.
- A guy - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 10:55 am:
So far, no one is happy. When everyone feels the same way, good or bad, it can point to an agreement.
I don’t see a revenue enhancement until two things occur. First, people are convinced there are no more savings to realize. Second, there is a reasonable consensus among citizens that they have to contribute more in some manner.
- SilverStreak - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 10:55 am:
Will Friends of the Parks be as aggressive about cuts to Park District projects as they have been about the Obama and Lucas projects?
- Adam Smith - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 10:57 am:
Here in Bizzaro World the endless line of supplicants attack to “Governor’s budget cuts,” standing shoulder to shoulder with the fiscal nitwits who created this mess in the first place and they all are able to keep a straight face.
Fortunately for the citizenry, there is enough awareness of the gravity of the situation that these time-honored tactics will have limited impact. Sure, funds will be shifted and some pain eased according to the severity of need (and the effectiveness of lobbying) but cuts will happen and many worthy causes will have less money to spend.
But for Pete’s sake, can we just try for a second to be honest about why we are in this mess. While there is blame aplenty to go around, the lion’s share lies with the Democrats in the General assembly who see the treasury as a mere piggy bank of OPM (other people’s money) that they can hand out to favored constituencies (many quite deserving, mind you), and the hapless Governors who enabled them.
One thing is for sure, when it comes to this mess, Bruce Rauner did nothing to create it. But if he keeps a strong spine, he may have a chance to fix it.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 10:58 am:
- A Guy -
The devastating Rauner Cuts will be cushioned by the Rauner Tax increases.
It’s all Rauner’s. It comes with the gig.
- Sir Reel - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 10:58 am:
The drumbeat gets louder.
Canceling ongoing park construction projects is inconsistent with the interest in new capital funding. It’s also penny wise/pound foolish. BTW the funding for this program comes from the State Real Estate Tax, not the income tax.
- Gooner - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 10:59 am:
I don’t want to sound anti-park, but why does the state provide funding for local parks anyway?
It seems that we would be better off allowing local governments to make the decisions as to park construction and funding.
- Scamp640 - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 11:03 am:
@ Adam Smith
You’re wrong about Rauner’s culpability here. He did not have to roll back the tax rate and reduce revenues. He could have kept the tax rates at 5%. He did not have to create this immediate chaos. Don’t let him avoid the responsibility of being an effective governor.
- anon. - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 11:12 am:
Scamp:
Rauner did not roll back the Income Tax rate, it dropped by law. The last GA could have extended the increase but did not. As far as I know there is no bill in the current GA to raise the Tax rate.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 11:14 am:
Quite frankly, the only parts I ever see you being used are in Chicago. Take a drive any day of the week in rural areas and the parking lots at most parks are empty. If you want to save money,either close them or open them on holidays when people actually use them.
- Skeptic - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 11:15 am:
Would someone please raise my taxes?
- dupage dan - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 11:21 am:
Where was the GA when the temp tax increase bill was set to expire? They had the votes. They had a governor ready with a pen to sign it into law. Folks were “used to” paying the higher tax. Dire predictions of the demise of the entire business community and/or citizens fleeing the state to live in Indiana (?) if the tax remained - did not happen. Yet, they failed to pass that. No one from the GA should say a damn thing about this.
Going forward - we know that it is up to Rauner. It’s his move now - his reality.
But, the GA could well have blunted this in a timely manner. Folks should not forget that.
- dupage dan - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 11:22 am:
I should have said “they should have had the votes”. Obviously, they didn’t.
- Skeptic - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 11:25 am:
“They had a governor ready with a pen to sign it into law” and they had a Governor-elect who said “Please don’t.”
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 11:28 am:
- Skeptic - is On It.
If you “forget” or ignore that Rauner demanded, even RoboCalling into Sen. Cullerton’s district to demand the income tax sunset, then you miss a significant point why Rauner vested himself in FY2015 problems long before he raised his hand and took the oath.
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 11:30 am:
What’s Rauner’s end game here, to scare people so much that the need for an income tax increase will ultimately justified–to lay bare all of the potential harm?
“But for Pete’s sake, can we just try for a second to be honest about why we are in this mess.”
Can we? We are in this mess in part because of a low state income tax. All these years we got state services “on the cheap,” and now people are crying because of the size of the bill.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I don’t mind spending more of my money to help our most vulnerable and sick residents. The relatively little money I gain from the state income tax decrease more than pales in comparison to the potential harm faced by people who rely on state funding for services. The OPM argument cuts both ways.
- A guy - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 11:30 am:
=== Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 10:58 am:
- A Guy -
The devastating Rauner Cuts will be cushioned by the Rauner Tax increases.
It’s all Rauner’s. It comes with the gig.===
Aren’t we agreeing?
- Joe M - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 11:30 am:
Rauner-elect had asked the GA and Quinn NOT to pass legislation to extend the 5% tax rate. So it falls on him. Instead, he said that he would have a plan that delivers a balanced budget, later, then soon, then in the near future, then any day now, then very soon.
At least more recently, he says he has six bills that will solve all of the State’s problems. But he has not disclosed what those six bill are, or when he will introduce them. Soon, I guess
- Wordslinger - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 11:31 am:
First things first. Let’s keep going on the right to work push. We’ll clean up the small stuff later. Priorities.
- Politix - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 11:34 am:
Anonymous 11:14: Only city dwellers should get parks? Interesting take.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 11:36 am:
- A Guy -,
Rauner says there isn’t a revenue problem, but a spending problem.
My point is Rauner owns it, but the ILGOP, they will feel the punishment, and Rauner will take the “arrows”, but Rauber fails to see, he himself is an “arrow” damaging the GOP members.
Rauner is brazen in such a lack of working to build consensus. Rauner approaches all this as “I got 47 House botes I own, 20 Senate votes I own, so let those chips fall as they may.”
It’s the Rauner Cuts that will cut the ILGOP down, not rise it up.
- A guy - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 11:46 am:
In that case, we don’t agree. Your focus on only the GOP caucus is leaving out a majority and a Speaker. I know you’re smart enough to know those negotiations are ongoing and those dynamics exist as well. I simply don’t agree that Rauner is going to take the full brunt of all the cuts. One great reason is that it’s not in the Speaker’s best interest for that to happen on his own side of the aisle. It’s just not as simple as one caucus.
- walker - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 11:49 am:
Wordslinger: You nailed it.
The budget itself doesn’t appear to be his highest priority so far. He’s probably waiting for the blowback from his first salvo to be fully formed, and then will make another move.
In general: It doesn’t help much to waste our time looking backward and tossing blame back and forth. Let’s focus on what is happening and will happen.
- Langhorne - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 11:50 am:
But, but, bruce “doesn’t have a social agenda”. (Because he is equally indifferent to all social services and programs. They are costs to be cut. This is first and foremost a math problem.)
- saywhat? - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 12:01 pm:
=== - dupage dan - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 11:21am:
Where was the GA when the temp tax increase bill was set to expire? … Yet, they failed to pass that. No one from the GA should say a damn thing about this. … But, the GA could well have blunted this in a timely manner. Folks should not forget that. ===
C’mon Dan! Rauner made a big stink ‘advising’ the GA *NOT* to do ANYTHING before he was sworn in! He owns that loss of revenue as much as anyone!
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 12:06 pm:
===I simply don’t agree that Rauner is going to take the full brunt of all the cuts. One great reason is that it’s not in the Speaker’s best interest for that to happen on his own side of the aisle. It’s just not as simple as one caucus.===
Madigan and Cullerton are going to maximize GOP pain, like all 20 GOP Senate votes and 40+ GOP House votes.
I feel pretty good with that, thanks.
- Rod - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 12:07 pm:
Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities (IARF)makes a compelling argument against the proposed cuts. I have one unfortunate point of disagreement and that is where the IARF states: “By cutting rates and eliminating grant-supported programs, individuals will be required to seek services in higher cost settings, such as state-operated developmental centers (SODCs), hospital emergency rooms, nursing homes and jails.”
It is possible some of this population would end up in jail as IARF argues, but the other options will be limited by the proposed cuts too. By way of an example, going to the Emergency Room will be less of an option because of proposed co-pays for those with Medicaid so it will become a total last resort, nursing homes will be required to take only the most impaired and SODCs will take almost no one.
Really the plan is to push this population on to their families for support or effectively abandon them to the streets. The real potential draconian nature of these cuts is simply not comprehensible to a nice bunch of service providers in IARF who want to make an argument of a cost shift.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 12:20 pm:
- standing shoulder to shoulder with the fiscal nitwits who created this mess in the first place -
Spare me. Your indignation would be more understanding if you weren’t standing shoulder to shoulder with a Governor who is using $2 billion in phony savings and millions more in sweeps to balance the budget.
- Iron Duke - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 12:25 pm:
The GA could into pass an income tax extension in the Spring session to fund the disgraceful 2015 budget
Quinn was for the income tax extension and Rauner was not.
Rauner won and the tax rate was not increased.
Now the GA acts like the election never happened and the new budget is unconscionable.
So much for elections have consequences
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 12:29 pm:
===So much for elections have consequences===
lol, Rauner is finding out that being against the sunsetting of the income tax has consequences.
===The GA could into pass an income tax extension in the Spring session to fund the disgraceful 2015 budget===
Only if, just about every GOP member is a “green light” and Rauner promises to the Four Tops no Veto.
Divided government.
- Robert the Bruce - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 12:34 pm:
Cutting the state’s share of WIU budget could lead to a 65% tuition bump?
Couldn’t WIU cut professor and administrator salaries instead?
- Iron Duke - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 12:36 pm:
The majority of the GA was against the extension not just Rauner and the GOP. Where is the plan to reinstate? Just a lot of whining from the Dems spending like drunken sailors.
I have nothing against drunken sailors only politicians who lack the courage of their convictions. If they think the higher budget is what Illinois needs, pay for it. Don’t keep kicking the can down the road and stiffing people who do business with the State.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 12:45 pm:
===Where is the plan to reinstate?===
(Sigh)
The dynamic changed with divided government and a governor, right now, telling anyone who will listen that there isn’t a revenue problem.
Ok.
Then the Rauner Cuts are owned by Rauner, and the governor needs to find 60 House votes, and 30 Senate votes.
It’s not a GOP thing of a Democratic thing, it’s a math thing in the prism of an Executive of one party, and the Legislative controlled by the other party.
As we will here from now until session ends; it’s 30, it’s 60, it’s Rauner “who” needs to find a way to get there.
- Ghost - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 1:15 pm:
these cuts are to fund tax breaks and credits for wealthy individuals and companies. We just need to remove the tax credits and tax breaks and write offs so that the wealthy actually pay the percentage they are being taxed, and we will have funds to cover all of this.
BTW on a national note social security is only collected on the first 108k of earnings. if you taxed 100% of an employees earnings the program would be fully funded. there is no reason for the social security tax to get smaller the more money you make, that means it falls hardest on those with the least income.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 1:15 pm:
==Cutting the state’s share of WIU budget could lead to a 65% tuition bump?
Couldn’t WIU cut professor and administrator salaries instead? ==
All state universities by state law lock in a freshman’s tuition rate for four years. So only the new freshmen can have their tuition go up. Thats why it has to go up so high.
As for administrator and faculty salaries, universities base their faculty salaries upon what peer institutions across the country are paying their faculty - with an emphasis on regional peer institution’s salaries.
Offer less than what faculty at peer institutions are getting paid, and it will be very hard to attract good new faculty. And many of the old faculty may not stick around either.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 1:25 pm:
By the way, the faculty at WIU, in recent years have voted to give up two different 4% raises they had coming in their contract - to help offset the cuts in state appropriations to WIU.
So thats 8% in cuts they have already given up by their own accord.
- Shemp - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 1:28 pm:
Not thrilled with many of the new gov’s moves, but Rauner didn’t pass and approve a budget that was never going to work. To some extent, he is being forced to do some of what should have been done a year ago.
- Juice - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 2:00 pm:
OW- you may need to change tact on the 60 and 30 problem. Since it’s looking more and more like it’s going to be a 71 and 36 problem.
- Shoedoctor - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 2:04 pm:
Because the Dems did not fund their budget properly for 2015 by not passing the tax extension when the budget passed they have no moral authority to gripe about how the remainder of 2015 is funded. Rauner should be free to make any cuts as he sees fit because the people who were in office when the budget was passed failed miserably. Let the fight be about 2016 and debate that.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 2:06 pm:
- Juice -,
Those are my attempts to be “optimistic”
If it gets to 71 and 36, then all 67 GOP Votes will be …”secured”… by Rauner. The only way Cullerton and MJM will pass something in Overtime, and the compromisin’ will be done by the “G Dropper” (Linguistically and Financially “G”)
- A guy - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 2:08 pm:
===Madigan and Cullerton are going to maximize GOP pain===
You’re stating this like they’re on the same wavelength. It is a fact…that they are not.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 2:14 pm:
===You’re stating this like they’re on the same wavelength. It is a fact…that they are not.===
- A Guy -, I am extremely comfortable on believing that the maximum number of GOP votes (with few exceptions, 1 or two out of all 67) are going to be “required” to get what Rauner wants.
The politics of pain and pressure isn’t the same as “same wavelength”
- anon - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 2:14 pm:
I guess it could be worse for disabled residents. Imagine if the Governor were not committed to making Illinois the most compassionate state in the Union?
- Demoralized - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 2:23 pm:
==Because the Dems did not fund their budget properly for 2015 by not passing the tax extension when the budget passed they have no moral authority to gripe about how the remainder of 2015 is funded. Rauner should be free to make any cuts as he sees fit because the people who were in office when the budget was passed failed miserably.==
So, basically sit down, shut up and let Rauner do what he wants. Does that about sum up what you said?
Unbelievable.
- anon - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 2:24 pm:
=== the lion’s share lies with the Democrats in the General assembly who see the treasury as a mere piggy bank of OPM (other people’s money) that they can hand out to favored constituencies ===
Illinois consistently ranks as one of the ten lowest-spending states. Illinois has either the fewest or second fewest state workers per capita among the 50 states. IL has the third lowest income tax rate among the 41 states with an income tax. IL ranks 47th in the number of services it takes.
- PublicServant - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 2:34 pm:
When I play golf, I often request a do-over. In fact, like 18 or so. I just want one. Can we do an election do-over? Hindsight being 20/20 and all. Does anyone have Pat Quinn on speed dial? Edgar? Thompson? OW?
- How Ironic - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 2:34 pm:
@Shoedoctor:
“Because the Dems did not fund their budget properly for 2015 by not passing the tax extension when the budget passed they have no moral authority to gripe about how the remainder of 2015 is funded.”
Baloney. Gov Rauner implored them NOT to pass an income tax extension; so they very graciously followed his request.
Following your logic, I guess if you see your house is burning down and the neighbor is trying to fight it with his garden hose. And you say “Hey, why don’t you hold off a bit” then after the structure collapses you turn around and blame your neighbor because they did what you asked.
Can’t have it both ways. He didn’t want the tax increase, therefore he ‘owns’ the impending cuts.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 2:43 pm:
- PublicServant -,
Thanks for putting golf front and center of my head!
It saddens me in your instance specifically, but elections do indeed have consequences. Rauner will be well-funded and then some next round, and Rauner will have a track record.
I want the state to thrive and strive to thrive, not just survive, it’s up to Rauner, working in concert with the GA, hand and glove to get there. Like when Leader Durkin spoke, I agreed, but I hope, he believes.
I hope. It’s up to Leaders Durkin and Radogno to help. As partners, not treated like chattle.
I hope - PublicServant -, that’s enough right now.
- Bogey Golfer - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 3:03 pm:
Could someone explain why WIU has spent $64+ Million to create a riverfront campus in the Quad Cities while they’re pleading poverty down in Macomb? If they think the future of WIU is expanding in Rock Island/Moline, then maybe we should do away with the Macomb campus.
- Shoedoctor - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 3:20 pm:
the GA did not pass the tax extension in the Spring and thus could not fund their phony budget as required by law. They were afraid the citizens might vote them out of office as they did with Quinn who also wanted the tax increase. Looks they they were rewarded for their cowardice.
They did not extend it after the election which also would have been cowardly because the citizens just elected Rauner who was against it. I am only saying that the 2015 budget is a mess because of the GA and Quinn and not Rauner. Madigan talked of giving the Governor broad authority to fix it. I agree
- Shoedoctor - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 3:22 pm:
Demoralized, be the first person to defend the awesome 2015 budget
- Shoedoctor - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 3:23 pm:
And the first person to defend the 2015 Budget is Demoralized!
- Demoralized - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 3:27 pm:
Yeah, that’s exactly what I was doing. Defending it. Dope.
I was pointing out the dopiness of your suggestion.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 3:32 pm:
- Demoralized -,
The uneducatable are the Trolls that know it all.
You can’t help, but know that you tried
- Shoedoctor - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 3:33 pm:
They had a chance to weigh in last year and they chose to kick the can down the road. Rauner picked the can up. That is unusual in this state and he will not be popular.
- Josh - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 3:38 pm:
@Rod you make an excellent point that is left out of the press release - the proposed budget will lead to increased homelessness. Some of the proposals in the Medicaid budget will further exacerbate the issues raised in the press release as well.
There is no argument about cost shift, that is a reality, but not the central point of the release. Families that can’t support their siblings or children that have disabilities with high medical and or behavioral needs will have no choice but to seek help with SODCs, as nursing homes can’t serve individuals with developmental disabilities.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 3:40 pm:
Let’s all just stipulate to these facts:
1. The 2015 budget was passed by the GA and signed by Quinn.
2. The state budget is screwed right now.
Everyone on the same page? Good.
Now, let’s examine a third fact:
3. Fact 1 doesn’t matter as it pertains to solving Fact 2.
Everyone up to speed on that one? Good.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 3:41 pm:
So as to not have my head bitten off, I forgot to say “passed by the DEM GA.” Still doesn’t change Fact 3.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 3:46 pm:
- Demoralized -,
Don’t forget Rauner is complicit in that he asked the GA not to let the Income Tax sunset.
Rauner owns the FY2015 revenue issues as much as the Rauner Cuts.
- Angry Republican - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 3:48 pm:
Public Servant, right idea but wrong election. The do over the state really needed was Blagoof/Topinka.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 3:49 pm:
“…to let them sunset…”
Apologies.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 3:51 pm:
==The do over the state really needed was Blagoof/Topinka.==
Amen
- Clemintine - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 3:54 pm:
This whole process is counter productive if in the short term we save money only to be hit by huge costs within a year due to cutting services that were saving money in the first place. Both the right and the left hand should work together.
- Joe M - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 3:58 pm:
==Could someone explain why WIU has spent $64+ Million to create a riverfront campus in the Quad Cities==
Part of the reason may be that the Quad City Metro population as of a 2013 estimate is 383,681 and a CSA population of 474,937 and there are no other Illinois State Universities anywhere near there. I’m guessing that the idea in part was to quit loosing so many students to Iowa and other states. So the State figured this is a good investment.
Also, the project is funded by State of Illinois capital bonds, not out of WIU’s appropriated budget. The decision to fund was made by the State of Illinois, not WIU. Of course WIU was pushing it. Capital bonds are a whole different ballgame from State appropriations. On the plus side they generate jobs and needs. On the negative side, they still have to be paid back by the State of Illinois.
- walker - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 4:06 pm:
If we want to argue solutions the 2015 funding gap, and the 2016 budget must be kept separate. The solutions differ, and using one as leverage in negotiating the other only distracts and delays.
The Dems own the former, Rauner will mostly own the latter — so mixing the two in the blame game is also stupid.
- Joe M - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 4:08 pm:
A lot of blame is going on as to who owns the sunset of the 5% tax rate. You can blame whomever you want. But, the reality is that Rauner is the Governor now. If he wants to propose raising the tax back to 5%, I’m sure the General Assembly will hear him out. He controls his own destiny in coming up with revenue to balance the budget - or not.
- Joe M - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 4:26 pm:
More on the WIU QC campus. It is entirely a commuter campus with no dorms, sports teams, etc. It mainly serves adults - and graduates of an Associates degree from Black Hawk College. The land for the QC campus was donated by John Deere. JD saw a need for a state university in the area with MBA, Engineering and other programs - and donated the land.
The Macomb campus on the other hand is a traditional campus with 18-22 year-olds making up the bulk of its student population. As far as I know, there has never been any talk of abandoning the Macomb campus in favor of the QC campus. They serve different types of students and needs.
- Minnow - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 6:01 pm:
Rauner probably knew all along how he was going to take care of the debt. She wasn’t some last minute thought. Arduin.
- GraduatedCollegeStudent - Thursday, Mar 12, 15 @ 6:11 pm:
For even more context on WIU, there’s a lot of shared faculty and staff between the two campuses…Macomb faculty may teach a class in the Quad Cities or distance ed programs for one or the other.
As for why Macomb should stay, the bulk of WIU’s physical infrastructure, faculty, and staff are in Macomb, so moving that to the Quad Cities would be prohibitively expensive, in addition to economically devastating one Forgottonia town and crippling Western’s ag research programs-which have become a good part of the school’s mission.
Finally, WIU claims poverty because they’ve historically been very low on the totem pole for state aid. I suspect even Chicago State is higher on the pecking order. Chicago State’s certainly seen more recent building investment than Macomb.