* From the governor’s office…
A Time for Choosing
State Senators Will Either Choose Reform or Side with Mike Madigan to Block it
SPRINGFIELD – With House Speaker Mike Madigan refusing to compromise and doubling down on a broken system, the state Senate is scheduled today to hold hearings on parts of Governor Rauner’s Turnaround Legislation.
Senate committees will conduct hearings on worker’s compensation reform, lawsuit reform and property tax freeze legislation that were filed last Friday. The Senate, however, is refusing to consider Term Limits and Redistricting Reform measures that were also introduced.
“Governor Rauner has made it clear that we cannot ask taxpayers to put more money into a broken system. The legislation being considered today represents some compromise reforms that are critical to turning Illinois around,” Rauner spokesman Lance Trover said. “Speaker Madigan and the politicians he controls in the House have made it clear all they want to do is raise taxes. Today, the Senate will begin to make clear whether they support reform or will side with Mike Madigan to block it.”
* From the Senate Republicans…
Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno’s legislation that embodies portions of Governor Rauner’s Turnaround agenda will be considered in committee [today], Wednesday.
Senate Bill 884 (Lawsuit Reform) and SB994 (Workers’ Comp Reform) would have a dramatic impact on the state’s economic health and jobs climate. The bills will be considered in Senate Judiciary Committee, 10am Wednesday. The committee has moved to Room 212 of the Capitol.
Senate 1046 which would enact a statewide property tax freeze and empower local governments to lower their costs is posted for the Senate Executive Committee on Wednesday at 2pm, Room 212.
The Senate Democrats have bottled up the Constitutional Amendments which would allow term limits (SJRCA14) and redistricting reform (SJRCA15) on the ballot. Sen. Radogno’s letter to Senate President Cullerton calling for those amendments to be assigned to committee is attached.
Sen. Radogno’s letter says, in part:
“In response to the public argument made on your behalf that Constitutional Amendments are only considered in even-numbered years, I remind you of House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 31, introduced on May 27, 2009 and adopted by both houses that same year. The chief Senate sponsor was Sen. Michael Noland.
HJRCA31 – establishing a gubernatorial recall process — was adopted after Governor Rod Blagojevich was impeached, convicted and removed from office by the General Assembly. The argument can be made that was an extraordinary time in Illinois history.
I argue this is no less extraordinary. People in this state fundamentally understand our system is corrupt and broken. It’s time to change it.”
Her full letter is here.
* Meanwhile AFSCME Council 31 is also getting into the act…
TO: All Local Union Executive Board Members – Local Government and School District Locals
FR: Roberta Lynch, Executive Director
Mike Newman, Deputy Director
RE: Rauner Bill to Wipe Out Bargaining Rights
Many of you have been involved in the highly successful labor campaign to beat back Bruce Rauner’s “Turnaround Agenda” resolutions in local governmental bodies all across Illinois. Given how little progress he’s made there, Rauner is now taking his anti-union schemes directly to the Illinois General Assembly.
In the final days of the legislative session, he’s suddenly introduced a bill aimed squarely at employees of local governments and schools districts—taking away your rights to bargain over wages, benefits and other key conditions of employment. In a characteristically sneaky move, he’s packaged this ferocious attack on collective bargaining rights in the same bill as a freeze on property taxes. He’s trying to scare legislators into voting to obliterate union rights for fear that they’ll be painted as being in favor of higher property taxes if they don’t.
We’ve got to act immediately to block this legislation. In addition to harming every employee of local governments and school districts, it would also hurt every building trades employee in your area by barring local governments from paying the prevailing wage on construction projects.
SB 1046, SA #1 (Radogno) – Removes the ability of employees to collectively bargain with school districts and local governments over:
o Privatization of services;
o Pay increases;
o Health insurance;
o Use of employee time for union business
o Levels of staffing;
o Personnel evaluations
Prevailing wage would not be applicable to work done on projects performed on behalf of a local government or school.
SB 1046, SA #1 will be heard in Senate Executive Committee on Wednesday, May 27th. Please try to generate as many calls as you can from your members IMMEDIATELY. Choose the senators whose districts you are most likely to have members in.
…Adding… Press release…
Statement by Nick Klitzing, Executive Director, Illinois Republican Party
“Illinoisans are experiencing déjà vu this year because they’ve seen Speaker Mike Madigan’s political games time and time again. Instead of reforming a system that Madigan uses to reward those blindly loyal to him, he will pass a budget with a $4 billion hole and admit that the state doesn’t have the money to pay for it. For Madigan, kicking the can down the road is a lot easier than making tough choices and upsetting the status quo in state government that he has controlled for decades.”
- Liberty - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 9:21 am:
He can’t campaign forever.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 9:22 am:
He can and he will.
- me too - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 9:24 am:
Ugh. I give up. I’m not going to pay attention until July 1. Just kidding. I wish I could stay away.
- Stones - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 9:26 am:
Elections have consequences but much of the Governor’s problem promoting his agenda has been the rhetoric accompanying his concepts. Rather than seek compromise he takes an all or nothing approach with regard to his turnaround agenda. It’s not a mandate if you win an election with slightly over 50% against an unpopular incumbent. This Governor would be wise to bend in an effort to gain some reforms rather than end up with nothing.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 9:27 am:
SDems,
Look to your right, look to your left.
These colleagues are all corrupt, according to the Governor of the state of Illinois. The man who called you, collectively, corrupt, wants you, as a whole, to choose him, over your Party’s Speaker in the Lower Chamber.
This isn’t friendship being offered SDems, for as you all already know, a Rauner “Tournaround” PAC and a Dem PAC is out there to destroy you.
The sitting Republican governor, he wants to dictate YOUR party’s existence. That’s real. Real enough to be part and parcel of $34 million, no matter how this session may end, that possibly be aimed at you.
Do you…trust… Rauner is a man of his word?
SDems, do you trust Cullerton, or do you trust Rauner?
Read what Rauner and his Crew is saying, but comprehend your very clear realities;
Rauner wants 60 and 30, at all costs. Rauner will praise you today, spend millions against you tomorrow(?)
Finally, SDems, how can you trust a man who as the Republican governor, may turn on you, and the SGOP, the very same way, because he has money to do so.
Rauner bought the GOP GA. They are loyal, because, well, they have to be.
Are you willing to give up your freedom too, SDems?
- Juice - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 9:29 am:
Leader Radogno, while you are correct that the recall amendment was adopted “the same year,” veto session is a bit different than May. Nice slight of hand trick there though.
- Wordslinger - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 9:32 am:
Based on the rhetoric, I take it the goal is not to achieve majority votes on any aspect of Rauner’s agenda anytime soon.
Seems more like a long game of branding.
That’s a very long game, given the recent history of anemia in the Illinois GOP.
- Arsenal - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 9:35 am:
Meh, every Dem in the GA has been called a Madigan tool. They should- maybe aren’t, but should- be used to that by now.
Besides that, my impression has always been that Senate Dems are a step more liberal and a step more dependent on Labor than House Dems. The play on the Turn Down For What Agenda was always compromise with Madigan, get the House on board, and steamroll the Senate.
- walker - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 9:37 am:
Predictable tactic by Rauner, and could get some traction.
Remember, Cullerton and Madigan must give Rauner an out at some point, by which he can claim progress in his turnaround agenda, before we have a fial budget that balances.
- walker - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 9:41 am:
Sorry for typos and bad grammar. My computer is so bad that I cannot read my full comment and edit, until after posting it.
- RNUG - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 9:41 am:
== Cullerton and Madigan must give Rauner an out at some point ==
Do they? Politics dictates they should but early mistrust may trump that.
- Austin Blvd - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 9:43 am:
Clearly, some communication “expert” in Rauner’s office is trying a divide and conquer strategy.
“Vote against me, and I’ll label you as a Madigan lackey in the upcoming multi-million dollar ad blitz.”
“Vote with me and I’ll set you free”, (just like I did the GOP.)
- DuPage - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 9:44 am:
Instead of asking the Senate to consider bills based on the content of the bill, Rauner wants them to vote on them based on being on “his side”. This is a very bad sign.
- Soccertease - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 9:46 am:
I don’t advocate this type of budget bargaining but - after all the budgets passed under Madigan’s leadership, look where our great state is now financially.
- Juice - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 9:50 am:
Walker, my fear is that there is no real strategy on anyone’s part to get to a balanced budget. The Governor didn’t introduce one, the Republicans won’t support one and the Dems can’t pass one. The whole thing is a mess, and the only option is to do what the Dems are doing, and wait to see what happens.
- CharlieKratos - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 9:51 am:
“I ask for so little. Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave.” - Jareth (Labyrinth). Also, BVR.
- wndycty - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 9:52 am:
Did anyone tell the Governor that Cullerton, not Madigan, runs the Senate. Yeah Madigan is great target but he needs to worry about Cullerton.
- Skeptic - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 9:53 am:
“With Governor Rauner refusing to compromise and doubling down on a broken system…”
What’s that song say?
“You know where it ends
Yo, it usually depends
On where you start”
- walker - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 9:58 am:
==Do they?==
Think it’s their best move.
“Failed” government helps current Republicans more than Dems in supporting their narrative. At some level they expect it to fail, while Dems expect it to succeed. Rauner has good odds that a temporary breakdown, provided it doesn’t do too much damage to the bulk of the voting public, will raise his public image more than hurt it — at least on the national stage.
Just cannot seem to shake the optimism that it will all work out this year.
- Huh? - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 10:03 am:
“…provided it doesn’t do too much damage to the bulk of the voting public…”
From an IDOT point of view, if there is a look-out/government shutdown/strike, what ever, if there are no IDOT inspectors all road construction projects will be shut down. Which will impact every voter in the state - construction workers, suppliers, people passing through the state, commuters - everybody.
- Michelle Flaherty - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 10:25 am:
If Leader Radogno is so interested in voter input on policy she might want to sign on to the minimum wage increase and millionaires tax voters just said they wanted. No, they weren’t constitutional amendments, but the message was clear and voters are voters.
- nixit71 - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 10:43 am:
Bruce Rauner…Rauner…
Shouldn’t that be “Governor Rauner”? Why no mention of the office, at least once? Is this what passes for civility as an “Executive Director” in the public sector?
- me too - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 11:08 am:
Nixit: because Obama
- walker - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 11:09 am:
nixit71: It’s just shorthand. We all know what office Governor Rauner holds. Sorry if you find that uncivil.
Note that we also usually don’t use “Speaker Madigan.” or “Senate President Cullerton.” Do you?
- A Citizen - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 11:14 am:
A fair amount of civility is always a pleasant addition to the discourse.
- Rod - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 11:20 am:
I agree with nixit71 in that Governor Rauner should be generally referred to by his title as Governor. I do try to do this in my posts, but on occasion I do slip up. It doesn’t mean I agree with the Governor, but clearly one does have to recognize to was democratically elected like it or not.
- ChiTownSeven - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 11:24 am:
Does Rauner and his crack staff really think that they’re going to get John Cullerton to side with them in the same way that Emil Jones sided with Blago? How little they know that characters at play here.
- Federalist - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 11:26 am:
The Democrats have dumped on state union employees.
But it looks like Rauner is going to give them a golden chance to be the union’s savior- at least to some degree.
- A Citizen - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 11:39 am:
I think that both Rauner and Governor Rauner are correct in insisting on a balanced budget.
It certainly resonates with the public. They have become increasingly disillusioned with business as usual - Governor Rauner has tapped into that reality and is governing accordingly. Get on board or be left behind.
- Federalist - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 11:42 am:
Typically, the Legislature does not mess around much in contract negotiations. Pretty much left to the Governor and the unions.
With Rauner using his present tactics will that in anyway change?
I certainly do not know but this could be a game changer particularly if this drags out and with the potential for a statewide strike by union employees.
- nixit71 - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 11:52 am:
@me too, @walker - I was referring to a formal letter written by the head of an organization to “All Local Union Executive Board Members – Local Government and School District Locals.” Isn’t there some level of decorum that should be met in formal communications like this? It’s disappointing.
Quite frankly, I don’t mind at all when commenters use last name only. Succinct comments are better. But I don’t like it when our elected officials (or heads of unions) call each other by last name only. I understand Roberta Lynch feels her members are under attack, but she has to be better than that. I’ll call out Rauner (see?!) if he starts calling Roberta Lynch “Lynch”.
- How Ironic - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 11:53 am:
@ A Citizen:
“Governor Rauner has tapped into that reality and is governing accordingly. Get on board or be left behind.”
Perhaps then it would have made sense for Gov Rauner to propose a balanced budget?
You can’t call a budget that’s built on phony pension savings (that have been blown away by the Supreme Court) ‘balanced’.
Try again.
- A Citizen - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 12:02 pm:
Great idea - let me know when the GA seeds its power to the governor.
- Wordslinger - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 12:09 pm:
Nix, I think the governor refers to Lynch as “corrupt union boss.”
With all due respect, I’m sure.
- Wensicia - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 12:09 pm:
Well, plant a few seeds and who knows what can happen?
- Juvenal - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 12:09 pm:
====Do they?====
===Think it’s their best move.===
==“Failed” government helps current Republicans more than Dems in supporting their narrative.==
John Nash (may he rest) would disagree. So would the experts at Harvard on negotiations.
Democrats’ BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement) is to blockade the Rauner agenda at every turn. Rauner is not negotiating in good faith, and where they thought they were negotiating in good faith before, he tried to double-cross them.
Democrats’ BATNA is to pass a budget. Let Rauner veto it. Then make the case that Republicans were given a choice between standing up for children with autism [insert program here] or standing with millionaires, and they chose to stand with millionaires.
Rauner’s cuts will force lay-offs of tens of thousands of folks in the private sector and the nonprofit sector, mainly living in suburban Cook and the collar counties, and they will necessitate a property tax hike in Chicago and may bring back the sales tax hike in Cook.
- nona - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 12:22 pm:
=== Shouldn’t it be Gov. Rauner? ===
Democrats should follow the GOP example in how they referred to the previous governor. Fair enough?
=== If Leader Radogno is so interested in voter input on policy she might want to sign on to the minimum wage increase and millionaires tax voters just said they wanted. ===
Expecting consistency in their principles from pols in either party is to expect what never was and never will be.
- nona - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 12:26 pm:
=== I think that both Rauner and Governor Rauner are correct in insisting on a balanced budget.===
But the Governor proposed a budget unbalanced by $2.2B. How can you claim he insists on a balanced budget??? Maybe when he proposes one you will have a point.
- walker - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 12:33 pm:
Juvenal: You could be right. Who am I to play games vs. John Nash? Rest his soul.
BATNA is a negotiation tactic after you’ve given up on negotiations. I remain an incurable optimist.
Sometimes, when looking at Illinois government, “I find it impossible not to write satire.”
- A Citizen - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 12:39 pm:
Nona I made my point - you are just unable to accept it. Get the GA to seed its power …
- walker - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 12:45 pm:
nixit71: We’re agreed both on civility, and brevity.
- Kelly - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 12:47 pm:
Did you check those bills that you referenced? I did and they have NOTHING to do with this story. They are technical changes to titles of Acts.
- A Citizen - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 12:47 pm:
Nona - or they could learn to be more cooperative instead of unrelentingly obstructionistic. All the gov needs to do is make his point and wait for them to cooperate - I guess we are in the wait stage now.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 12:52 pm:
Kelly, calm down. Check the amendments.
- Wordslinger - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 12:55 pm:
AC, “cede,” not “seed.”
What do you want the GA to do? Present the governor with an unbalanced budget and let him cut wherever he chooses?
- Anon. - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 12:56 pm:
Kelly @ 12:47
- Anon. - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 12:56 pm:
Kelly @ 12:47 — look at the amendments.
- A Citizen - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 1:13 pm:
OK Word, I will cooperate and cede said word usage.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 1:39 pm:
==All the gov needs to do is make his point and wait for them to cooperate ==
You’re joking right?
- Century Club - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 1:41 pm:
Do Rauner’s people get a cookie when they use the phrase “doubling down on a broken system?”
I think part of what’s hurting Gov. Rauner here is that the budget has blown up into such a mega-issue that there’s no air left for the other issues in the turnaround agenda. Radogno is going to hit Senate Dems because they won’t vote on tort reform? How many column inches will that get when we’re talking about kids with AIDS and autism get thrown no the street?
- Skeptic - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 1:46 pm:
“Get on board or be left behind.” and “All the gov needs to do is make his point and wait for them to cooperate” … two ways of saying, “My way or the highway.” Can we at least agree that isn’t going to work?
- Juvenal - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 1:58 pm:
=== I think part of what’s hurting Gov. Rauner here is that the budget has blown up into such a mega-issue that there’s no air left for the other issues in the turnaround agenda. ===
That is what generally happens when you propose a “doomsday” budget. The end of life as we know it tends to get moved to the front of the line.
The problem here is also the linkage.
Rauner earlier said he didn’t think a tax hike was necessary this year. Although surrogates have sent smoke signals, Rauner never personally walked that back.
And nowhere has Rauner specifically said if lawmakers help me pass A,B and C, then Republicans and I will help pass X, Y and Z.
Given the Good Friday doublecross, Democrats are right to be skeptical when Rauner only commits to “considering” new revenue if his Turnaround Agenda is passed.
- Century Club - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 2:39 pm:
=That is what generally happens when you propose a “doomsday” budget. The end of life as we know it tends to get moved to the front of the line.=
He wanted the doomsday scenario, he caused the doomsday scenario, but it didn’t create the leverage he needed for Right to Work or the destruction of public employee unions.
I agree that he’s got to focus on what the trade is going to be, but I think that he’s in trouble because much of his agenda isn’t budget connected or isn’t appealing enough to average voters to be worth justifying a tax hike.
- Politix - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 4:09 pm:
Took a little break from the office this week only to come back and find my in-box full of Rauner press releases and “ICYMI” pro-Rauner editorials and news articles sent from gov’s press. Obv the gov’s campaign to drum up public pressure and support continues even though it really hasn’t worked since about Nov. 4. And with the impending budget deadline it seems they’ve doubled their usual amount of partisan hate-spewing. They are overestimating the impact on the public and especially on MJM.
- Lynn S, - Wednesday, May 27, 15 @ 11:26 pm:
@ nixit:
Look at the folks she’s sending that memo to. The recipients are the leadership of union locals. These folks know who Radogno and Rauner are, and I don’t get the feeling the memo was meant for every person in the state (but I also suspect the union isn’t unhappy it wound up with Rich and got published here).
If she had written a press release or a newspaper editorial, we would probably see “Governor” or “Senator” as titles. But this is a (semi)private communication within an entity, and probably in a form no different than what circulates around your workplace. (I am assuming you work in an office environment big enough for memos to be created. If you’re in a smaller office or self-employed, my bad.)