69 Comments - Ducky LaMoore - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 12:58 pm: This guy is headin’ for a fall of monumental proportions. Turn back, Bruce… before it’s too late!!! - Ghost - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 12:59 pm: in the old mini series shogun, the main character was explaining how japan, made up of many warring factions, could present a real obstacle to an invader. he held up his hand and noted how each of the fingers can act and move independently, but when faced with abthreat from the outside come together as a fist. Rauner is just helping to bring the factuons together into a fist - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:05 pm: ===The Republican governor billed his moves as a way to show how he will deal with a deficit-ridden Democratic state budget that’s yet to reach his desk.=== Now; That’s plain English. Rauner owns his cuts, even before getting a “Democrat” budget. Rauner is a “victim” to his own choices. ===Many of Rauner’s actions appeared aimed at separating rank-and-file Democratic lawmakers from House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton.=== Hmm. ===Many of Rauner’s actions=== That was, “Rauner’s actions”. Governor Rauner, June 2015 ===…appeared aimed at separating rank-and-file Democratic lawmakers from House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton.==== It’s worth the pain, to decimate social services, to “Fire Madigan” and “Marginalize Cullerton” Nothing about the governing, all about the pain. Bruce Rauner owns… “Bruce Rauner failed… ” Questions? - Political Animal - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:06 pm: Operative phrase: “a way to… deal with a deficit-ridden Democratic state budget…” This is what’s necessary when you don’t have a budget. The Governor has no discretion to unilaterally cut spending on big ticket items protected by statute, so he’s forced to make cuts in places he wouldn’t like. The Dems have two options: 1. Negotiate on Turnaround and get Rauner support for new revenue 2. Pass a balanced budget, and a tax hike, without his support. Option 3 is holding your breath and doing nothing. Or rather, holding the breath of the seniors, disabled, and homeless who are suffering without spending. The Dems need to pick between their two options quickly. The bit about “using it as pressure” is pure editorializing and psycho analyzing the Gov. - Formerly Known As... - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:10 pm: A large number of voters are about to see their taxes increase in the Chicago area. Many fees are about to increase as well. Cook County even wants to tax Netflix. Madigan may expect pressure from public service reductions to build support for another state tax increase, but any support for an additional state tax increase will be tempered following those other tax and fee increases. This will, at least, make getting the votes for a deal more difficult, and make the fact we are already paying more now at a 3.75% state income tax rate than we were in 2010 at 3.00% much more relevant. A deal would have been easier for both Rauner and Madigan months ago, but they each wanted to ==win== and acted like kids. - Anonymous - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:12 pm: PA - Please explain how the turnaround agenda has anything to do with the budget? Please explain how options 1 or 2 are anywhere near viable? The GA has passed portions of the turnaround agenda only to have the governor veto them because the bills did not contain the required union busting language. - Facts are Stubborn Things - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:12 pm: @ Political Animal - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:06 pm: The option you stated about the dems doing nothing, is in large part because Gov. Rauner will not negotiate on a budget. If you can take MJM and Cullerton at their word, they would like to deal with the budget and make a blend of cuts and taxes. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:18 pm: lol, - Political Animal -, Let’s look at “your” options; ===1. Negotiate on Turnaround and get Rauner support for new revenue=== The prevailing wage and collective bargaining have less than a ZERO chance. That’s what Rauner wants. Gov. Edgar himself said the priority is the budget, NOT these Agenda items. ===2. Pass a balanced budget, and a tax hike, without his support.=== So Gov. Rauner can’t provide, for his own agencies, a budgetary blueprint as to how he wants monies spent, and programs recognized? Use the “search key” Gov. Edgar made it quite clear that Bruce Rauner is destroying the premise of the agencies and the missions, now you want Rauner to give up budgeting for them. Pathetic. Rauner is Governor, not a victim. Further, you get the Governor, Governor Rauner to not veto that budget, and hand over the Executive to the Legislative, ok, I’ll go along with your “#2″, but why on earth would Democrats, especially NOW, run any budget to let Rauner veto. Are you clueless to governing, or I’m the dorm room this sounded swell and winning? Rauner owns all the problems now. Gov. Edgar says so, and the job, this job, Governors always own. - Political Animal - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:21 pm: -FaST-, They don’t need him to negotiate. They are charged with passing a balanced budget. If they’re unable to bring spending down to meet revenue, they need to increase revenue and send the final product the Governor. The budget they sent before was imbalanced by $4bil. So he’s able to say he vetoed it based on it violating the constitution. If they send a balanced budget, he will truly own the veto. And they can choose to override or not. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:22 pm: My thoughts, a bit “clearer”… ===- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Oct 20, 15 @ 10:44 am ===Do you really believe that he wants the GA to pass a budget without his say?=== The only way Gov. Rauner wants this path is 1) Rauner just spends what he wants in the agencies, ignoring what the budget actually does say abd dictate. 2) Rauner gets to veto the work, forcing 2 votes for revenue and punishing the Democrats with millions in Ads that talk about a vetoed tax increase. 3) Rauner can then go on, you guessed it, a campaign-style tour of Illinois playing (gasp) the victim to “Speaker Madigan and the legislators he controls, passing a tax heavy budget, vetoed, and still put into place!” Oh the “Victimhood of Rauner” Tour would begin minutes after the second vote. Why would the Democrats ever agree? This budget “thingy” only works, only works, with structured roll calls and the promise of no veto… … For. A. Budget. Period.=== - CMAP Hushed ... - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:23 pm: There are many transportation planners that know an Illiana Expressway is needed to handle the global movement of freight by area Intermodal carriers throughout this region. State needs to scrap the public-private partnership and just bond it out for future generations to help pay for it. Illinois should not just let the $75 million or so already spent on Illiana go to waste. Gov’s purported “savings” doesn’t mean much on the non-GRF side that was used for Illiana. - lake county democrat - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:26 pm: Facts - this is circular. The Dems won’t negotiate any non-monetary items. There’s nothing in the law that says either side has to surrender their leverage to the other. If, as OW loves to say, “governor’s own,” there’s little reason for Rauner to cave. If he does then he owns the tax hikes with nothing to show for it. There’s little reason for the state GOP to cave: they’re about as low as gerrymandering can take them. And Rauner will gladly flood their districts with ads about how the Democrats in Chicago and Cook County hiked taxes and their reps are the only ones protecting their paycheck (even if that’s fiction and everyone knows Rauner has agreed in principle to tax hikes). This is all about the appearances of who is responsible for the coming tax hikes and the cynicism that Illinois voters aren’t as smart as, say, Canada’s. - Political Animal - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:26 pm: Rauner did provide a budget blueprint for his agencies. Are you clueless as to budgeting, or in the (I don’t know where you are) you thought that would be convincing? The disagreement on spending has very little to do with agency budgets. It’s about big ticket items like Medicare, LDF, pensions, and higher ed. The GA has the power of the purse. The Gov asks for certain spending levels for his agencies, he can ask for changes in other spending, and he can sign or not sign what they send him. But the actual creation of the appropriations BELONGS to the GA. The own this until and unless they send a balanced budget. If he vetoes that, he owns it. - BeenThereB4 - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:27 pm: OK, now that we know that Governor ‘Icewaterveins’ Rauner has the penname -Political Animal- we can react accordingly. The governor wants to use the legislature’s unbalanced budget as an excuse to cut the programs he wants to cut (yes HE WANTS TO CUT) and goes to court to get approval for the things he doesn’t want to cut. The old and the poor are pawns in Rauner’s political war against the unions. The truth is the governor has yet to present a real balanced budget, which is constitutionally the first step in the budget process. Rauner owns this mess and the fact that his downstate poll numbers are plummeting proves that the people know it. - Norseman - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:30 pm: The plan failed miserably. - Austin Blvd - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:30 pm: Political Animal- Changed your name from Anonymous to Political Animal. But should be Political Novice. - forwhatitsworth - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:31 pm: Nice to see that even Eric Zorn (Tribune) acknowledges that Governor Rauner has NOT presented an honest, legitimate balanced budget to the legislature! - Demoralized - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:32 pm: Political Animal: In case you don’t remember the Governor also submitted an unbalanced budget so apparently he doesn’t really know what to do about the situation either. And in case you weren’t aware the General Assembly did pass a budget and the Governor vetoed it. So, you can continue with this asinine argument that they need to do it again or join the rest of the sane world and realize this thing doesn’t end until these two sides agree to something. - Arsenal - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:34 pm: ==They are charged with passing a balanced budget.== And he’s charged with introducing one, but he fell down on that job… - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:36 pm: ===Rauner did provide a budget blueprint for his agencies.=== Unbalanced. Just like the Democrats. Pleae, keep up. ===Are you clueless as to budgeting, or in the (I don’t know where you are) you thought that would be convincing?=== I’m just remindin’ ya your dorm room fantasy isn’t even in the parking lot of the ball park to even get remotely close to 60 and 30 or 71 and 36. You seem to miss a lot… ===The GA has the power of the purse. The Gov asks for certain spending levels for his agencies, he can ask for changes in other spending, and he can sign or not sign what they send him. But the actual creation of the appropriations BELONGS to the GA.=== Article VIII, Section 2, (a), not “b”, lol… … It stipulates the Governor is to provide a budget. Here’s a link. You’re welcome; http://www.ilga.gov/commission/lrb/con8.htm Rauner provided an unbalanced budget. Can’t Bruce Rauner fulfill his constitutional duties? If you are saying “no he can’t”, we’ll I’ll agree, lol This is priceless. I did laugh out loud… ===The own this until and unless they send a balanced budget. If he vetoes that, he owns it.=== “If he vetoes that, he owns it.” Rauner did veto a budget, so he owns that one, now you wabt him to own another one? That must be one fun dorm room… - Arsenal - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:37 pm: @ forwhatitsworth “even” Eric Zorn? I can’t remember the last time Zorn took Rauner’s side in anything. - Arsenal - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:40 pm: ==The Dems have two options:== This is funny, because it presumes that 1) the GA Republicans want Rauner’s anti-union fanfic; and 2) That the Democrats want a tax hike any more than I want a bagel right now. I mean, if someone else offers, I’ll take it, but I’m not even gonna walk across the street for it. - Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:42 pm: I think it is obvious that Rauner would support a tax increase bringing his budget into balance after some of his agenda was passed. Because there has been no compromise from the Democrats we are at a standstill. If there was no compromise before the budget is agreed to only a fool would believe there would be compromise after the budget is agreed to. Expecting a tax increase with no reform of state government is totally unrealistic. - Rich Miller - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:43 pm: ===Rauner would support a tax increase bringing his budget into balance after some of his agenda was passed.=== You’re not saying anything new. The question is, what does the other side get out of that except the fun of voting to hike taxes? It’s not much of a “win.” Actually, it’s lose lose for them. - Jack Stephens - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:44 pm: @poltical animal: Do you support Prevailing Wages for the Wealthy law in exchange for a balanced budget? - @MisterJayEm - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:48 pm: “The question is, what does the other side get out of that except the fun of voting to hike taxes?” Oh, a “give and take” negotiation… Does Bruce do that kind? – MrJM - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:51 pm: ===I think it is obvious that Rauner would support a tax increase bringing his budget into balance after some of his agenda was passed.=== That’s a hostage for the budget. Nope. Further, after about 1,317 times it being pointed out, I’ve come to the realization, there ain’t gonna be a tax increase. That’s over. I’ve resigned myself to it. It’s comical how Raunerites think that’s the carrot. Welp, the carrot rotted next to the stick Rauner pretends he’s not leading with here. ===If there was no compromise before the budget is agreed to only a fool would believe there would be compromise after the budget is agreed to.=== I wouldn’t call Rauner a fool as a way of persuasion, but if you feel that acknowledging that to try to make a point, you hace your reasons. ===Expecting a tax increase with no reform of state government is totally unrealistic.=== That’s why, no tax increase. Rauner will own this mess. All governors own. - lake county democrat - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:56 pm: I’m imagining some southern state during Jim Crow, where a newly elected governor is tying an end to segregation to the budget, and some OW with a drawl and a well-worn copy of “The Conscience of a Conservative” is handing out leaflets about how the governor has taken hostages. This is not about process! - VanillaMan - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:57 pm: Political Animal just got eaten. - Precinct Captain - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:58 pm: ==- Political Animal - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:06 pm:== He proposed the childcare cuts in his budget address. https://capitolfax.com/2015/02/20/i-hate-to-keep-beating-a-dead-horse-but/ - 47th Ward - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:58 pm: ===Actually, it’s lose lose for them.=== It’s like they really think most Democrats are dying to raise taxes again, like it’s our favorite thing to do. It’s like they believe the cartoon character version of Democrats that’s been created over the years is real. Do they also believe in a talking mouse? - Political Animal - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 2:00 pm: -OW-, Also, I hope you don’t think I’m saying Rauner is 100% blameless. I agree he needs to back off on some of his requests and moderate his negotiations. Destroying all local collective bargaining is a non-starter. Getting any limitations is probably a non-starter. Full repeal of PW is a non-starter. But I think there is a path to compromise that might look something like this: 1. Negotiated Worker’s Comp changes which include tighter restrictions on travel, possible causality, but also measures to force insurance companies to pass on existing savings. 2. A property tax freeze which includes CHANGES to the the PW to bring it in line with other state PW laws, County control of local consolidation, lifting certain mandates from schools, a new school funding formula, and picking up the normal costs from CPS. Everyone gets something from both of those. That’s negotiating, - Juice - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 2:00 pm: Lucky Pierre and others. The Governor does not get to “save face” for accepting reality. That’s not how the world works. That’s not how governing works. And that’s most certainly not how Madigan and Cullerton work. If the Governor could demonstrate that he could operate state government given the current available resources, then he should try to do it. That would mean leaving no sacred cows. Not even K-12 education. But his own budget instead relied on blowing a $2.2 hole in the State’s pension contribution. $700 million in health care savings that just grows the backlog for that program since he lacks the skills to actually conduct fruitful labor negotiations. And a bunch of reductions to other governments, passing off his problems to others. But whatever. He can keep his dream alive of getting his face saving, anti-middle class agenda passed in exchange for accepting the budget not wasn’t crafted on fantasy island. But not all dreams become reality. - Precinct Captain - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 2:03 pm: Here’s a bunch of other cuts Rauner proposed Political Animal. He wasn’t forced to make any cuts to such programs or proposals for cuts for these programs, but he did anyway. https://capitolfax.com/2015/02/19/what-rauner-didnt-mention-yesterday/ - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 2:03 pm: - lcd - Making it about me, that’s not winning the argument, just losing the power of your words. ===Jim Crow, where a newly elected governor is tying an end to segregation to the budget, and some OW with a drawl and a well-worn copy of “The Conscience of a Conservative” is handing out leaflets about how the governor has taken hostages.==== Now. I’m going to ask you ONE time. Got it? One time. Are you calling me a racist? You’re example, you’re calling me a racist. Do NOT get cute. Don’t. It’s a simple question. This is me letting you decide how your words should be taken, or dismissed. Understand? - AC - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 2:05 pm: It’s too bad Governor Rauner isn’t up to the challenge if leading the state, perhaps if one of his advisors would’ve told him that he’d be working with a majority of Democrats, he might not have taken the job. /s Seriously, working with Madigan is part of the job. Few governors have the luxury of working with a supermajority of people who are members of the same party and share the same values, like Scott Walker did when he took office. Not even the legendary Madigan could pull off a series of critical vetos with, at least on paper, a supermajority. Again, Rauner took the job knowing the challenges, it’s time for him to take responsibility. - Precinct Captain - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 2:06 pm: ==- lake county democrat - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 1:56 pm:== How offensive. - Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 2:11 pm: I think Rauner is only “punishing the middle class” who work for the state but rewarding the middle class who don’t. Property tax freeze is a middle class issue. The Democrats plan is smoke and mirrors. - 360 Degree TurnAround - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 2:16 pm: Rauner knows he’s owning this mess right now. He is having trouble plugging the leaks. First, it was Munger, then it was Edgar, then it was Thompson…it is only a matter of time before the House Republicans have a schism. He is the captain of a sinking ship who continues to say “we’re winning”. Who’s we? - Arsenal - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 2:17 pm: ==I think Rauner is only “punishing the middle class” who work for the state but rewarding the middle class who don’t.== Well, 1) People who work for the state are, y’know, people; but 2) No, not really, eliminating PW affects plenty of people in the private sector, and a tax hike certainly affects everyone. ==Property tax freeze is a middle class issue. The Democrats plan is smoke and mirrors.== Not really sure what this means, as the Dems have voted for a property tax freeze. - lake county democrat - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 2:17 pm: OW Absolutely not - in fact, just the opposite! I’m creating an alternate “bizzaro” universe where a conservative version of you would be protesting the linkage of a liberal agenda to the budget. I picked segregation to be the most inarguably “righteous” non-budget/monetary issue. The only personal thing I intended was the idea of a frequent poster, and since there was no internet back then I made it leaflets. Honestly didn’t mean to infer anything more than that. - lake county democrat - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 2:20 pm: (And conservatives, I’m not saying you all are racist! I do think there’s a big nativist element in the Tea Party, but I also think opponents often use that to dismiss legitimate Tea Party arguments) - Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 2:21 pm: Arsenal please explain how you can freeze property taxes but municipality is not allowed the flexibility to freeze expenditures? Hence the smoke and mirrors comment - Jack Stephens - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 2:22 pm: Prevailing Wages for the Wealthy! If it’s good for the Proletariat it should be good for the Elites…… - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 2:27 pm: ===Absolutely not - in fact, just the opposite! I’m creating an alternate “bizzaro” universe where a conservative version of you would be protesting the linkage of a liberal agenda to the budget. I picked segregation to be the most inarguably “righteous” non-budget/monetary issue. The only personal thing I intended was the idea of a frequent poster, and since there was no internet back then I made it leaflets. === You don’t “know” me, I don’t “know” you, if in your bizzaro missed to prove a point that you now had to apologize for… twice it seems… making not a “righteous” point out targeting “known” people and a group as racist, maybe you need to stop trying to look for polarizing bizzaro works examples to prove a point. If your apology hinges on…===The only personal thing I intended was the idea of a frequent poster..,=== pick another person to try to paint as a racist in your own bizzaro world. Are we clear? ===…The only personal thing I intended was the idea of a frequent poster…==== That’s not “sorry”, nor did I read “sorry” or an apology. That’s also noted too. That’s your ONE time. Please, don’t respond to my response. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 2:30 pm: - Political Animal -, I can really meet you on most but… ===2. A property tax freeze which includes CHANGES to the the PW to bring it in line with other state PW laws=== This 1st year, Rauner made Prevailing Wage way too hot. That’s an ask for another day. The rest, I could work with, no doubt. - the Patriot - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 2:31 pm: I confess, Rauner is a doof. He has one goal and that is a 4 year flip job to project himself as the greatest turn around artist in the world and onto greater things, he is all in and win or lose, in 4 years he will still have 2 billion dollars. But lets not forget Madigan created this mess by giving us incompetent governors, and failing to pass anything close to a legal budget. He then did not let his daughter run drastically increasing Rauner’s odds of winning. So yea, Rauner is a doof and will flip this thing or crash it and watch it burn to the ground, but Madigan gave him the matches and lighter fluid. Madigan can still put out the flames by passing a balanced budget or one with a tax hike. His inability to do this is what holds everyone else hostage. - GOP Extremist - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 2:38 pm: Lcd It is about the democratic process. We did not elect a king!! Good legislation gets passed all the time. Play by the rules, don’t hold the buget hostage to pass an extreme agenda. The Gov needs to buy some more elections and get more votes if he wants extreme change. Now these Crazies are trying to spin it that Thompson and Edgar don’t get it?? Like they’ve been gone so long, they’re out of touch with the today’s reality????? - AC - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 2:49 pm: ==lets not forget Madigan created this mess== Let’s also not forget Madigan was speaker when Rauner promised great things. The political landscape didn’t change after the election, but Rauner’s belief that he could govern did. - Arsenal - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 2:50 pm: ==Arsenal please explain how you can freeze property taxes but municipality is not allowed the flexibility to freeze expenditures?== No, I will not, because “ending prevailing” wage isn’t coterminous with “having the flexibility to freeze expenditures”, and you need to get that exceedingly silly notion out of your head. BUT I will say that if a property tax freeze requires a race to the bottom on pay and a the negative-feedback-loop on revenue that that creates, maybe it’s just a bad idea in the first place. - Skeptic - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 2:51 pm: “Madigan created this mess by giving us incompetent governors” (Speaking of alternate realities…) - Arsenal - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 2:52 pm: ==giving us incompetent governors, and failing to pass anything close to a legal budget. He then did not let his daughter run drastically increasing Rauner’s odds of winning== Also, he’s the reason I’m so fat! - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 2:53 pm: ==lets not forget Madigan created this mess= Did you read the Post or are you ignoring all that on purpose? Ugh. - Dilemma - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 2:58 pm: LCD -==This is not about process!==- Ignoring the bizarro insults, your argument is that destroying unions and harming state workers (and making sure you can harm a political adversary) somehow is not process but a moral argument akin to ending segregation and bigotry? I’m sorry, but that’s bizarro. First, in your example, the morale issue the governor is trying to change actually helps people, and there’s no indication that the budget issues are hurting anyone. In the real world, there are cuts that are actually hurting Illinois residents and a lack of budget is causing harm that may be long lasting… Why? To enact an agenda that harms middle class Illinois residents? When did breaking the unions and harming middle class Illinois residents become synonymous to an “inarguably “righteous” non-budget/monetary issue”? - Lucky Pierre - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 2:58 pm: Nice dodge Arsenal! Your comment that it was already voted on is hysterical. All they do on the GA is one phony vote after another to set up the next elections attack ads. Governing, not so much - Ghost of John Brown - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 3:07 pm: I know whenever I decide to go to a museum, I always check first with the national organization to see if it is accredited. Otherwise, it is definitely not worth visiting. heavy snark - walker - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 3:19 pm: Local governments can always “freeze expenditures” whether or not there is a property tax freeze. And whether or not rights to organize or negotiate are removed by state action. The two do not have to be linked. The Dems passed a tax freeze using Rauner’s own stated proposal, without the union-related language. The tax freeze bill was labeled a “sham” and continues to get me Republican votes. To claim that Madigan and Cullerton have not already compromised with Rauner, on this as well as workers’ comp, and significant spending cuts, is deliberately ignoring what’s been happening. Granted, Rauner wants much more, and needs more revenue for his own budget, but it’s not like nothing has been offered. - Arsenal - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 3:37 pm: ==I know whenever I decide to go to a museum, I always check first with the national organization to see if it is accredited== Pretty sure there’s real-world problems for un-accredited museums getting funding, staff, exhibits, etc. - ArchPundit - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 5:08 pm: ===im Crow, where a newly elected governor is tying an end to segregation to the budget, and some OW with a drawl and a well-worn copy of “The Conscience of a Conservative” is handing out leaflets about how the governor has taken hostages.==== What specific proposal does Rauner have that has the moral equivalence of ending segregation? When you can’t answer that, you might realize it’s a dumb analogy. - Worker - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 6:38 pm: As Political Animal pointed out, the property fax freeze proposal “includes CHANGES to the the PW to bring it in line with other state PW laws, County control of local consolidation, lifting certain mandates from schools, a new school funding formula, and picking up the normal costs from CPS.” Why is the only cost savings tool included one that allows cuts to workers wages? Why not include other options? - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 6:44 pm: ===Why is the only cost savings tool included one that allows cuts to workers wages? Why not include other options?=== Because Rauner despises unions. It’s not the property tax relief Rauber wants, it’s the “other” ? How do I know? These poison pills were shown to be the real wants, through what’s been described as “sham” votes… - ottawa otter - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 7:50 pm: Rauner ran on the campaign claim that the income tax hike was unnecessary. He demagogued the issue and got elected. A replay of the Ogilvie - Walker election. Similar results, a charlatan elected. How is the plan working? The real question is why does he need a plan? He said the tax hike was not needed and got elected on that. That is what he owns. That needs to be driven home to the electorate, not a debate about the validity of his off topic agenda. - Political Animal - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 7:52 pm: -Worker-, I’m just going to be honest with you, construction workers on public projects are overpaid. The San Fransisco Federal Reserve Board says that rigidity in construction wages (they didn’t go down during recession) has limited growth in that industry compared to others. They’re hardly a bastion of Conservative economic thought. Public projects pay more than private projects and it doesn’t make sense for taxpayers or contractors. That said, every other item I mentioned in the bill also saves money, so I hardly see how PW is the “only” one? - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 8:05 pm: - Political Animal - You’re a flack. Let’s see… ===I’m just going to be honest with you, construction workers on public projects are overpaid.=== Rauner slide and talking point… ===The San Fransisco Federal Reserve Board says that rigidity in construction wages (they didn’t go down during recession) has limited growth in that industry compared to others. They’re hardly a bastion of Conservative economic thought.=== Odd to choose San Francisco. Especially to make the point of conservative or liberal narrative. Hmm. ===Public projects pay more than private projects and it doesn’t make sense for taxpayers or contractors.=== Rauner has slides for that, lol (snark) Bruce Rauber thinks workers make too much money, wants lower wages. That’s not a Republican thing, that’s a Raunerite thing. - Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 8:17 pm: To be clear, I’m mocking this “flack/no flack” thingy. It’s fun. Not a reflection on you, but fun all the same… - burbanite - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 9:00 pm: =Expecting a tax increase with no reform of state government is totally unrealistic= What reform of state government has been proposed and rejected? reform of state gov’t. ie.elimination of redundancies in services, upgrading technology to become more efficient and eliminate the labor required by the outdated technologies. These are not the things being proposed. I am all ears for his ideas to “reform state gov’t”. - Political Animal - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 9:03 pm: Frankly you lost me…”flack/no flack”??? - Anonymous - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 9:04 pm: ==Public projects pay more than private projects and it doesn’t make sense for taxpayers or contractors.== Makes great sense for both, you get a better workforce and a stronger tax base. - Blue dog dem - Wednesday, Oct 21, 15 @ 11:22 pm: MJM gives in on work comp rules. The Raun man gives a bit on income tax and a few service taxes. After Nov 16.the state repeats this process in 2022, Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.