Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » Building bridges, sometimes literally
SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax      Advertise Here      About     Exclusive Subscriber Content     Updated Posts    Contact Rich Miller
CapitolFax.com
To subscribe to Capitol Fax, click here.
Building bridges, sometimes literally

Tuesday, Apr 21, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From a press release…

Governor Bruce Rauner [yesterday] met with Lieutenant Governor Evelyn Sanguinetti, State Senator Martin Sandoval, State Representative Luis Arroyo, Department of Labor Director Hugo Chaviano, Jovita Carranza, Lazaro Lopez and Manny Sanchez at the first Latino Working Group meeting.

This working group is being convened to create a forum for the governor and lieutenant governor to work with Latino members of the General Assembly and Latino members in the administration to focus on issues of concern to Latino families and businesses.

“The goal of this working group is to drive the Turnaround Agenda and make positive short-term and long-term differences to benefit the Latino community throughout Illinois,” Rauner said. “We need to empower Latinos and give them the tools and every opportunity to succeed.”

“Governor Rauner sent a powerful message to the Latino community when he selected me as his lieutenant governor,” Sanguinetti said. “I will continue to work hard to ensure the Latino community thrives here in Illinois.”

That’s a really good idea. Sandoval is Speaker Madigan’s Senator, so that doesn’t hurt, either.

* Building personal relationships is a vital first step, and as this story about the controversial FY 15 budget deal shows, it can soothe some wounds as well

“Trust is a big thing and it is very difficult to continue negotiations with someone that you don’t believe is working in full faith,” said Rep. Pamela Reaves-Harris, a Chicago Democrat, when asked whether trust is broken.

She says the budget fix was a hard vote in the first place because it cut state services. She was taken aback when Rauner went ahead and unexpectedly cut more. […]

Despite the misunderstanding, Reaves-Harris says she’s willing to give Rauner a break. For one, Rauner has made a point to meet with legislators and reached out to Reaves-Harris and other members of the black caucus to try to smooth things over. Plus, like Rauner, she’s new to state government.

“So I’m learning as I go along. This process is very difficult,” she said. “You always have opposites sides, two sides of the story. And so when you’re trying to come to a compromise, that can be very difficult.”

* Meanwhile, from IDOT…

– The Illinois Department of Transportation, in conjunction with the Illinois Capital Development Board, announced today the start of a series of listening sessions over the next month to discuss the state’s infrastructure needs and the steps required to make sure the right investments are being made to keep Illinois competitive in a 21st century global economy. The meetings will be held in multiple communities throughout the state, with a goal of presenting Governor Rauner’s office with a comprehensive package of recommendations for consideration this spring.

“With a world-class system of roads, transit systems, airports and railroads, Illinois is rich in transportation infrastructure, but we are at a crossroads. This asset makes us stand out, but it is beginning to deteriorate and in need of reinvestment,” said Acting Illinois Transportation Secretary Randy Blankenhorn. “These meetings with the Capital Development Board are a listening tour to help us rebuild and craft a plan going forward that allows Illinois to continue to serve as the transportation hub of North America and build top-notch state facilities so we can grow our economy and improve our quality of life”

The initial meetings will be announced in the coming days. Future dates and locations will be updated regularly at www.idot.illinois.gov.

At each stop, the objective will be to engage residents, businesses, local leaders and various stakeholders in identifying the infrastructure challenges we face and setting the priorities for investing now and for future generations. Among the topics that will be addressed are establishing needs and priorities, improving deteriorating roads, bridges and transit systems, providing better access across multiple transportation modes and reinvesting in state facilities, such as schools and state parks.

“I look forward to hearing the views and thoughts on transportation from the broad spectrum of people who make up our great state,” Blankenhorn said. “The time to rethink our transportation goals and priorities is now. Inaction is no longer an option.”

Nothing helps, um, pave the way for legislative cooperation quite like capital projects. Kind of a late start, though. Tick tock.

       

23 Comments
  1. - VanillaMan - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 9:39 am:

    Very late!
    If this was an administration ran by professionals, it would have been the first thing handled in order to build bipartisanship and get the term off to a functioning start.

    What we have seen over the past 100 days isn’t a Turnaround Agenda, it has been a Beclown Agenda!


  2. - Wordslinger - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 9:44 am:

    I received a giant oversized postcard yesterday from a group called betterroadsahead.org.

    The front is a photo of a pileup on a collapsed bridge with the headline:

    “How Many Must Die in Illinois?”

    Subtle, that.

    The back rips Rauner and Sen. Harmon for the road funds sweep. The call to action is to call Sen. Harmon.

    The layout is such that it can be personalized to strip in different legislators.

    At their site, the “About Us” really doesn’t say anything about who they are.


  3. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 9:45 am:

    ===really doesn’t say anything about who they are.===

    Subscribe.


  4. - kimocat - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 9:51 am:

    Maybe I could take a wild guess — Illinois Roadbuilders Assn., Associated General Contractors, Asphalt Pavers Assn.,C.E.C.I., Construction Trades Council, etc. and so forth?


  5. - Been There - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 9:52 am:

    ===“The goal of this working group is to drive the Turnaround Agenda===
    Really? I thought part of the idea of working groups was to formulate a goal. And I’m pretty sure Marty and Luis haven’t signed off on that Agenda.
    His way or the highway I guess.


  6. - Robert the Bruce - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 9:54 am:

    Rauner does seem to be trying harder to reach out to legislators than some past governors, I’ll give him credit for that.

    And if you see a pork in the road, take it!


  7. - Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 10:07 am:

    kimocat, I think you are close, but on the wrong side of the fence.


  8. - A guy - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 10:50 am:

    ===At their site, the “About Us” really doesn’t say anything about who they are.===

    I was told by a reliable source that it was Local #150. But, given my close relationship with you Sling, perhaps I need to subscribe too. The source was a legislator who was featured in the piece.


  9. - low level - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 11:09 am:

    Were I a legislator of either party, I wouldn’t trust anything that comes from this administration. Not a word. Perhaps the MOU’s need to be brought back.


  10. - vole - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 11:42 am:

    “beginning to deteriorate”

    Do they really need a listening tour? Get on with the freaking job! Jesus …


  11. - Anonin' - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 12:26 pm:

    The might need a listening tour so Rich B. does not have to go to IDOT Central Command every friggin’ day.


  12. - Old regime - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 12:29 pm:

    Meanwhile ex gov Quinn’s deputy chief of staff, Lefluer, and her cronies are still running the tollway handing out $100 million contracts.


  13. - DuPage - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 12:34 pm:

    I think Rauner’s purpose is to try to twist arms about his “end prevailing wage” idea. He will show 2 sets of plans, showing more projects for less money, or fewer projects for more money. Then he might imply that the state is short of funds, and will fund only projects that are within “right to work/no prevailing wage zones”.

    The local governments might be intimidated by the “get on board or be left behind” and vote for Rauner’s turnaround agenda.


  14. - Arizona Bob - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 1:18 pm:

    IDOT has a comprehensive, professionally prepared engineering evaluation of the condition and safety of all state roads and bridges. They already know how to prioritize work, and decide which projects need immediate attention and which are best deferred. This “listening” tour is about politics, of course, not technical needs.

    The giveaway here is “reinvesting in state facilities, such as schools and state parks”. That’s where the “boondoggle” money is placed. The state school capital programs of the early 2000’s resulted in more wasted resources than practically any other program in state history. Schools with declining enrollments were given millions for expanding, and the grant process was one of the most corrupt imaginable. I lived in Palos 118 at the time, and the fact they were given a grant was a travesty, and the fact they raised taxes for some of the worst unneeded classroom additions I’ve ever seen made for a real disaster for everyone except those feeding at the trough.

    I know of one K-12 Principal, who had NO real construction credentials, getting a new “assistant superintendent of construction and curriculum” position created for him to raise his salary from $104K to $180K just before his “retirement”. He built a huge home in South Carolina, then the district paid him full expenses as a “project engineer” to come back and look over the project (until he was able to sell his home in Illinois) while paying him $100 per hour, without having to sign in and out for his time.

    Illinois should do what needs to be done to keep state facilities safe and functional. It can’t afford any more multi billion dollar “boondoggles” at this time.


  15. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 1:19 pm:

    Welcome back, AB!!!


  16. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 1:31 pm:

    - They already know how to prioritize work, and decide which projects need immediate attention and which are best deferred. -

    So, government is always terribly managed, except IDOT, which is apparently flawless.

    Got it.

    I was told one time that one of the biggest HR challenges at IDOT is that the really good engineers leave for the private sector after a few years, and only the not so good ones stick around. Were you one of the latter?


  17. - Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 1:50 pm:

    -The State school capital programs of the early 2000s resulted in more wasted resources than practically any other program in State history.-

    -I know of one…Principal-

    Welcome back, indeed, AB.


  18. - Huh? - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 2:09 pm:

    Anon @ 1:31

    You are so wrong about IDOT. Virtually all of the engineers I know at IDOT are good people with sound experience and credentials. They want to do a good job and have the best interests of the traveling public at heart.

    They are not looking for glory. An occasional pat on the back and a job well done would be nice. We are hampered by the thoughtless and pandering politicians.

    They are like anybody else trying to work, make a living and take care of their families.


  19. - Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 2:58 pm:

    Agree with Huh?.


  20. - Huh? - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:01 pm:

    BTW - IDOT is very good at prioritizing projects based on available funding. They have been doing it for a very long time. The roads get paved and bridges get built. So far (knock on wood) Illinois has not had a catastrophic bridge failure like Minnesota, Wisconsin or Washington State.


  21. - Precinct Captain - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:26 pm:

    My roads piece attacking Bill Cunningham came last Friday.


  22. - Arizona Bob - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 10:36 pm:

    @anonymous

    =I was told one time that one of the biggest HR challenges at IDOT is that the really good engineers leave for the private sector after a few years, and only the not so good ones stick around. Were you one of the latter?=

    This hasn’t been true because IDOT has historically had a prohibition of allowing IDOT engineers to leave for consulting firms, and being able to work on IDOT projects.

    You can leave, but you either need to leave the state where you have the most valuable experience or go to a firm that does a lot of out of state work.

    I never worked for IDOT, but I know people who have. the rank and file are perhaps the most competent in Springfield. The bad decisions on reducing project useful life to fit arbitrary budget planning comes from much higher up the political food chain.


  23. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Apr 22, 15 @ 4:30 am:

    - historically had a prohibition of allowing IDOT engineers to leave for consulting firms, and being able to work on IDOT projects. -

    Not even close to reality.


Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.


* Reader comments closed for the holidays
* And the winners are…
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Update to previous editions
* Isabel’s afternoon roundup
* Report: Far-right Illinois billionaires may have skirted immigration rules
* Question of the day: Golden Horseshoe Awards (Updated)
* Energy Storage Brings Cheaper Electricity, Greater Reliability
* Open thread
* Isabel’s morning briefing
* SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today's edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
* Live coverage
* Selected press releases (Live updates)
* Yesterday's stories

Support CapitolFax.com
Visit our advertisers...

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............


Loading


Main Menu
Home
Illinois
YouTube
Pundit rankings
Obama
Subscriber Content
Durbin
Burris
Blagojevich Trial
Advertising
Updated Posts
Polls

Archives
December 2024
November 2024
October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
May 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004

Blog*Spot Archives
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005

Syndication

RSS Feed 2.0
Comments RSS 2.0




Hosted by MCS SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax Advertise Here Mobile Version Contact Rich Miller