* From Moody’s…
On p. 19 of its new Credit Outlook released today (attached), Moody’s notes the recent notification by the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority of Illinois (rated Baa1/negative outlook) that holders of its expansion project bonds did not made a required $20.8 million monthly transfer to the bonds’ debt service fund is credit negative for the State of Illinois (A3/negative) and symptomatic of the state’s political paralysis and ongoing failure to enact a budget for fiscal 2016, which began July 1.
By starting the fiscal year with no enacted budget due to the political impasse between the state’s governor and legislature, Illinois failed to authorize transfers for the Metropolitan Pier bonds. Our rating on these securities (a notch below the state’s A3-rated general obligation bonds) has always recognized their vulnerability to governmental inaction. The bonds’ legal provisions include a so-called trapping mechanism meant to ensure annual appropriations: if the government fails to act, state sales tax receipts equal to annual debt service are trapped in the Expansion Project Fund. This year’s omission supports our long-held view that the mechanism does not fully offset non-appropriation risk.
The state continues to make required monthly debt-service transfers on its other rated securities, which consist mostly of general obligation bonds. The Metropolitan Pier bonds (with about $2.5 billion outstanding) account for a comparatively small 7% of Illinois’ $34 billion of rated debt. The state also has about $40 million of Civic Center bonds (Baa1 negative) outstanding. These securities are also subject to legislative appropriation. The lack of appropriation for these bonds has not interrupted monthly transfers to date, but, if not addressed by the December 15 payment date, would lead to a default.
Moody’s declaration of “credit positive” or “credit negative” does not connote a rating or outlook change. It is indicative of the impact of a distinct event or development as one of many credit factors affecting the issuer.
Please contact me if you have any questions or wish to speak to anyone at Moody’s. Thanks
David Jacobson
AVP, Communications Strategist - Public Finance Group
Moody’s Investors Service
What I want to know is why the Rauner administration didn’t tell legislative leaders that they needed an approp to make that McPier transfer payment after Rauner vetoed the original legislation.
Not cool.
Click here for the above-referenced report.
- @MisterJayEm - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 10:16 am:
“What I want to know is why the Rauner administration didn’t tell legislative leaders that they needed an approp to make that McPier transfer payment after Rauner vetoed the original legislation.”
Occasionally, a hostage gets shot.
– MrJM
- Wordslinger - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 10:18 am:
This should never have happened. It’s basic management.
- Bulldog58 - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 10:20 am:
-Occasionally, a hostage gets shot.-
Perfect…absolutely perfect.
- Norseman - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 10:23 am:
Well said MrJM.
Word, management is not the primary concern of the gov and the frat boys.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 10:29 am:
===Occasionally, a hostage gets shot.===
Ridiculously perfect. Really not get way to say it.
To the Post,
There seems to be lacking a Governmental Affairs connection between the governor’s office and the job of governing, and responsibilities to others on the governing universe.
This isn’t an “oversight”, it’s just plum malpractice…
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 10:30 am:
“Really no other way to say it”
Apologies.
- Flynn's Mom - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 10:35 am:
Wow, just wow!!! Seems like the “superstars” lack some basic understanding of this whole concept of governin’.
- phocion - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 10:40 am:
Really, really bad governing on Rauner’s part. Maybe the Governor’s legislative director, whose $132,400 paycheck is covered IDOT (for some reason), needs a new job somewhere else. This is not running things like a business, Governor.
- Huh? - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 10:42 am:
“… management is not the primary concern of the gov …”
Wasn’t one things that the governor ran on was to run state government like a business? Malpractice for sure.
- Daniel Plainview - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 10:46 am:
Yep, sharp as a whip that Goldberg is. Was he too busy backslapping with the bros over his latest letter?
- Louis G. Atsaves - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 10:55 am:
Imagine those ugly headlines if the Governor’s office agreed to an appropriation bill to make the McPier debt service payment, while allowing social services to twist in the wind. Imagine the shrieks in the comments section here if that happened.
Today is August 10th. Is it officially day 40 or day 41 of the standoff? Or do we count back to the veto date? Time for both sides to end the stand off and begin compromising.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 11:00 am:
===Imagine those ugly headlines if the Governor’s office agreed to an appropriation bill to make the McPier debt service payment, while allowing social services to twist in the wind.===
Which is why Rauner holding everyone hostage until a judge intervenes has been the Rauner governing playbook.
Not the best way to run the Executive.
- Anon - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 11:05 am:
Has anyone considered who profits if the bond ratings decrease and the cost of debt service increases to the state?
Someone is making money off of that exchange and general revenue bonds still have almost no risk associated with them because States do not have the ability to declare bankruptcy.
- Wordslinger - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 11:18 am:
Louis, that’s just ridiculous spin.
Dedicated revenues from Chicago hotel/motel, taxis/limo and restaurant taxes service those bonds. The money is there; the administration just blew a routine housekeeping task and got stung for it.
For crying loud, Louis, what are you selling? That the state should now start defaulting on bonds until the governor gets his anti-union agenda?
- Daniel Plainview - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 11:18 am:
- Imagine those ugly headlines if the Governor’s office agreed to an appropriation bill to make the McPier debt service payment, while allowing social services to twist in the wind. -
So failure to make basic management decisions is justified because it could have generated some bad press? That’s the standard you set for a Governor?
Keep cashing those checks, has to make spouting nonsense like this more palatable.
- DuPage - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 11:21 am:
@Anon 11:05 =Someone is making money off that…=
Rauner’s buddies, especially if they knew the
payment would not be made on time. SOMEBODY in
charge of paying the bills knew this ahead of
time. They might of leaked it to Rauner’s buddies
.
- Precinct Captain - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 11:22 am:
What happened to Mister Managerial Genius, Governor Carhartt? Where were the Superstars™?
- Wordslinger - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 11:28 am:
The only one making money off the “Rauner’s Buddies” conspiracy theory is Reynolds wrap.
They just blew it, a very simple governing task, no superstars required.
That’s alarming enough, in and of itself.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 12:56 pm:
@Wordslinger, @Daniel Plainview, you both would be screaming bloody murder and you both know it. No appropriation yet for the Illinois State Fair? Same deal, same spin, same nonsense.
I’m a little unclear about the “anti-union” agenda bottling everything up, when the Teamsters reached timely agreement with the Rauner administration, without special legislation, mediators, arbitrators or frantic press releases, anti and pro union in nature. AFSCME can push for that same agreement. Pretty simplistic logic that Illinois will never function normally with budgets until unions are flattened and swept away from this earth.
Time for all sides to get together and resolve this mess. The drama has gotten old.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 1:07 pm:
- Louis G Atsaves -,
You do realize the anti-Union language in bills still rolling out speak more to what Rauner wants, not the agreements achieved. If the importance is the union agreements already achieved, why still insert the anti-Union items?
Pointing to agreements reached doesn’t negate language still being added.
If you’d like, use the “search” key in the past 14 days and look at the Trib and @EditBoardChick ignoring the anti-Union points of Rauner’s “choices”
I will say if SB 1229 is overridden, I can’t wait for the court battle there.
- Wordslinger - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 1:13 pm:
Louis, you’re spoutng nonsense.
What does the Teamsters contract have to do with governor’s publicly stated, many times, position not to deal on the budget until he gets his anti-union agenda throught the GA?
And you don’t have a clue as to this transfer to the bond trust fund. Again, the money is there from dedicated revenue sources intended solely for those bonds.
- walker - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 1:37 pm:
Looks like Moody’s is directly responding to Capitol Fax commentary, or something similar.
Very sensitive that they are not misinterpreted.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 1:41 pm:
@wordslinger, nice try. But the nonsense is claiming anti-union agenda while reaching settlement with the Teamsters? Explain that one.
If dedicated funds require an appropriation for McPier, then why the silence from those managing these funds. Or from McPier executives? But only Rauner is to blame.
My take is Democrats tried to haze the new guy on budgets and other matters. They failed. And we are paying the price.
There ARE two sides to a disagreement.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 1:47 pm:
@OW, if SB 1229 is overridden, then the parties should give up trying to get a budget and let the run away train crash. Why can’t AFSCME follow the Teamsters? A contract would end the anti-union hysteria screaming. Right?
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 1:48 pm:
===But the nonsense is claiming anti-union agenda while reaching settlement with the Teamsters? Explain that one.===
Why keep having the anti-Union poison pills roll out in Rauner’s pieces of legislation? Why? If Rauner gets agreements with the Teamsters, why still push anti collective bargaining legislation?
Explain that, lol
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 1:49 pm:
- Louis G Atsaves -,
I don’t think AFSCME was offered the Teamsters deal, were they?
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 1:52 pm:
I do agree with you - Louis G Atsaves -, labor peace would be great for all, especially the Governor, showing a major accomplishment.
I would love labor peace, especially if Rauner can have it as a success to move things. That’s no snark.
- Wordslinger - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 1:53 pm:
Louis, you’re right.
The governor does not have an anti-union legislative agenda, as the Teamster contract proves.
And he’s just been kidding all these months when he’s said Turnaround Agenda first, then budget.
As for the McCormick Place stuff, dude, you’re not following, at all. If you’re interested in the subject, you might want to circle back to the downgrades last week and get informed.
Did you hit your head on something hard? Because you’re in your own world today.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 2:09 pm:
@OW, those poison pills would be unnecessary if a labor agreement was reached. Last I heard, the Teamster negotiations went relatively quickly (as compared to AFSCME), and the parties are still arguing about whether the table they are sitting at should be oval, rectangular or circular.
The classic poison pill is SB 1229. The one Rauner correctly vetoed. No one could ever top that one. Even on Game of Thrones.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 2:12 pm:
@Wordslinger, I have always been in my own little world. I enjoy being in my own little world. But common sense is missing in the McPier mess. I am assuming you agree with me.
Blaming only Rauner for it remains total nonsense. And I am a pretty hard sell when someone pushes nonsense on me.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 2:30 pm:
- Louis G Atsaves -,
I’ll type slow…
Was AFSCME offered the Teamsters contract parameters?
You think Rauner will go to court on “Seperation of Powers” and try to have the courts throw out SB 1229, if overridden?
- Oswego Willy - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 2:38 pm:
BTW, - Louis G Atsaves, respectfully;
You are still faikibg to address the inept way the Administration handled McPier, or if it’s just a poor hostage whose time was up.
Further, while the pivot to SB 1229 is swell and winning to take the look off the Rauner language destroying collective bargaining and the duality of that and the Teamsters’ contract.
But, I’m enjoying reading the less than strong deflecting points off the true issues.
- Norseman - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 2:41 pm:
=== But common sense is missing in the McPier mess. I am assuming you agree with me. ===
Louis, I don’t agree with you.
This is all Rauner all day long. Whine all day long about the Dems not passing a balanced budget, but Rauner didn’t amend the Dem budget to allow these items to become law. HE didn’t propose a bill to deal with McPier and similar no-brainer situations such as fed pass through money. His strategy is to not do anything until he gets what he wants or is feeling too much heat. That’s the nonsense of this situation.
- Anonymous - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 2:52 pm:
Also, Louis, that Teamster’s contract only dealt with a few hundred people. The AFSCME contract deals with literally thousands of state employees (including university employees and many others who must try to ‘live’ with the health benefits Rauner is pushing —- a 500% increase in health costs). The Teamsters weren’t offered that terrible deal. Please stop comparing apples and guacamoles!
- Juice - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 3:35 pm:
Louis, are you aware that the employees in that Teamsters local who participate in Local 727 fund paid nothing towards the cost of their health insurance under the prior agreement, and no changes under this new agreement. I’m sure if the Governor wanted to offer the same plan to AFSCME they’d be more than happy to take it.
- Arsenal - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 3:41 pm:
== those poison pills would be unnecessary if a labor agreement was reached. Last I heard, the Teamster negotiations went relatively quickly==
Then one would expect, at least, a carve-out for the poison pills regarding Teamsters. That there hasn’t been one rather gives the game away.
- Beaner - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 4:19 pm:
This may be and probably is an honest oops. However, I am increasing concerned we have a purposeful created crisis to drive down the price of bonds. This allows those looking for yield to buy tax advantaged muni’s at a discount. Wonder if at the “right price” GCRT or the Gov’s Not blind trust would be buyers?
- Mama - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 4:21 pm:
“similar no-brainer situations such as fed pass through money. His strategy is to not do anything until he gets what he wants or is feeling too much heat. That’s the nonsense of this situation. ” Norseman, you hit the nail on the head. Rauner’s ego does not like to lose.
- Chicago 20 - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 4:52 pm:
Here is a harsh message to the taxpayers.
The MPEA debt payments are back loaded.
Looking at the MPEA annual report using 2014 as a baseline, these payments will increase substantially. Next year the payments will increase 20.3%, then in 2017 it will increase 28.58%, then in 2018 it will increase 39.35%, and in 2019 it will increase 76.71%.
But wait, it gets worse. In 2024 and until 2033, the debt service will increase 127.40% over what was paid in 2014.
Then from 2034-2048 the payments will be 133.09% until 2049 and 2050 when these payments will increase to 366.15% of what they were in 2014.
Bear in mind, none of these figures include the increased interest rate payments from missing the required deposit.
Teach your grand children to be thrifty, this is going to cost them.
- TwoFeetThick - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 4:55 pm:
Beaver, I think we both bought our tinfoil hats at the same place. I think much of the governor’s actions that don’t make sense make much more sense if one thinks about what those actions do to bonds. There’s a lot of money to be made, and proving nefarious actions to manipulate bond prices would be quite difficult.
- TwoFeetThick - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 4:58 pm:
Sorry, Beaner. Dumb phone.
- Anonymous - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 5:21 pm:
Another hostage has been shot. Local highway agencies missed the July MFT allotment from IDOT because of the missing budget.
- Arthur Andersen - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 6:14 pm:
Beaner, you are a goof. GTCR doesn’t buy bonds. They probably are even prohibited from doing so under the terms of their contracts with investors.
Repeating idiocy does not make it less idiotic.
- Sandbar - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 8:18 pm:
I’d imagine quite a few “special tax revenue” bond investors all across the country are not too happy they now own less valuable “appropriations” bonds, thanks to the Rauner Administration’s bad aim on Met Pier. AAA to BBB. Hostage down! I wonder how many millions of dollars in downward price valuations on unrelated “special tax” backed bonds took place as a result of this misfire.