Then and now
Friday, Oct 23, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This May 1, 2014 Chicago Tribune editorial was an exceedingly rare rebuke of Bruce Rauner…
Gov. Pat Quinn made a politically difficult but necessary decision 2 1/2 years ago to scale back the state’s antiquated and expensive network of developmental centers — institutions that care for people who can’t live independently because of profound disabilities. Most other states have closed these facilities and moved residents whenever it’s appropriate to community-based group homes. It is the compassionate and cost-effective thing to do.
Bruce Rauner, the Republican candidate for governor, recently announced that he opposes Quinn’s plans to close the Murray Developmental Center in Centralia. “Right now, Murray Center is the best option for these families,” Rauner said at a Saturday appearance there.
Rauner wants to keep the center operating until the relatives and guardians of all of its 222 residents are willing to accept an alternative placement for their loved ones, a campaign spokesman said.
This mystifies us. Doesn’t Rauner profess to be the candidate who will make the tough decisions to put Illinois on sound financial footing? In this case, he’s taking political advantage of a tough decision made by Quinn … to put Illinois on sound financial footing.
But this wasn’t just a cold financial calculation by Quinn. The evidence from around the country is that people with disabilities are better served by living in community settings than by living in institutions.
* Today’s column by one of those same editorial board members puts the exact opposite spin on the development center closures…
In 2011, Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan attended a private fundraiser for Republican U.S. House Speaker John Boehner. Madigan was a guest of the host, Terrence Duffy, chairman of CME Group, the parent company of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and the Chicago Board of Trade.
Four months later, Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton gathered lawmakers in Springfield for a rare special session to approve tax-break legislation that included CME Group, cutting the company’s annual state income taxes nearly in half.
At the time, Illinois was facing the possible shutdown of seven facilities, including mental health institutions and a home for the developmentally disabled. For weeks, parents with adult disabled children were visiting the Capitol trying to save the facility slated for closure. They pushed their loved ones around in wheelchairs or sat outside the House chamber carrying framed pictures of their kids.
Their efforts didn’t work. Jacksonville Developmental Center was eventually closed. But CME Group got its tax break.
* From a thoughtful, balanced November 16, 2011 Chicago Tribune editorial about that CME Group tax break…
CME has argued that its tax burden is too high, and that’s correct. Its business has shifted from the open-outcry trading floors to computerized trading. Its tax structure didn’t shift at all, and the company pays as if every transaction still takes place amid the shouting and arm-waving of the old trading pits. CME should have acted long ago to address the inequity, and it’s unfortunate for CME that Duffy’s timing fell flat.
…Adding… From comments…
She also ignores the fact that the CME legislative package also included an increase in the standard deduction and an increase in the EITC. So it’s not like it was only a corporate giveaway. (Though the bills did have to be separated out, because members of a certain political party for for the corporate welfare, but against providing greater relief to actual people.)
She also ignores the fact that Madigan and Cullerton provided funding to not close those facilities. (At the behest of the Republicans, those paragons of fiscal responsibility.). But Quinn closed them anyways.
- Juvenal - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:23 am:
The times, they are a-changin’.
- out of touch - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:25 am:
I was given good advice a long time ago by a mentor: “Never publicly say or write anything that you would’t want to have printed in the paper”. His point was that the permanence can come back and bite you. Unfortunately, time and again Mother Trib feels as though it is exempt from being consistent. Nicely done, Rich.
- Keyrock - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:28 am:
But. Blame Madigan.
Hurricane. Crisis. Opportunity.
- Nero says let it burn - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:30 am:
Well when your not paying the community based providers or accepting their bills you are slowing destroying the network that can serve these people in the community. Smart move!
- Anon221 - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:33 am:
How things could and have changed-
This is not about a casino, it’s about the CME:
http://www.cpegonline.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Chicago-Doesnt-Need-Another-Casino_Final_2.pdf
And for those who may have missed this gem of history:
http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/10/14/448718171/episode-657-the-tale-of-the-onion-king
- Nero says let it burn - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:37 am:
Remember the Rauner commercial with the hammer and a nail? All he has is a hammer and everything is nail. What ever happened to measure twice cut once? I’m mixing metaphors but this guy is a trick pony. Can someone help him out to actually get something done? Universities– hammer them. Public schools–get me my hammer. Community based services–hammer please. Anything else left? I got a hammer. Some one get the guy a pen and tell him to leave the hammer at the governor’s mansion where it belongs.
- Honeybear - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:38 am:
Perfidy
- Arsenal - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:38 am:
McQueary explained on Twitter that the point was, these are things the Democratic base/middle class wants, but Democrats don’t deliver them. So, OK, that’s a little more nuanced than just the Trib talking out of both sides of its mouth on the issue. But it’s still dumb, because 1) Well, who IS proposing those things? 2) After those decisions were made, Democrats still won the GA, so I’m not sure the Trib really knows what the Democratic base wants; 3) It completely misunderstands how politics work, and in the exact same way that leads the Trib to cheer on Rauner’s continued bunker mentality.
*- And plus, yeah, when you repeatedly have to take to Twitter to explain what you wrote, that’s not a great sign.
- Nero says let it burn - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:40 am:
Oh I forgot he has a sledge hammer too. Watch out!
- Gooner - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:40 am:
This is more proof that even the Tribune editorial writers do not bother reading Tribune editorials.
Why bother being consistent when there are political points to score?
By the way, I for one am glad that the writer in question did not recommend a hurricane for Illinois. It proves that, despite what some have claimed, you can teach a Trib writer.
- Father Ted - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:45 am:
Says a lot that the rare rebuke of Rauner by the Trib editorial board was for not shutting down a home for people with severe developmental disabilities fast enough.
- lake county democrat - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:50 am:
The same column deserves a second thread.
Madigan promised a minimum wage hike.
We had a statewide referendum on that.
Madigan was responsible for that referendum.
It passed 67% to $33%
It’s a non-budget item: by Madigan’s rule it could be put to a vote tomorrow.
Either Madigan has the supermajority votes to pass it, or he needs cooperation. If it’s the former, what’s the reason for making the vulnerable (those earning the minimum wage) suffer from the delay? If the latter, progressives would have an interest in including this in the budget negotiations?
- Century Club - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:54 am:
That column by McQuerry is disingenuous on so many levels. Blasting Madigan for doing things that she actually SUPPORTS?
Ms. McQuerry, those of us who support a minimum wage increase, progressive income tax and an end to corporate welfare (a majority of Illinoisans actually) are painfully aware of Speaker Madigan’s record on these issues. But the idea that we should allow Governor Rauner to destroy thousands (tens of thousands?) of decent paying jobs through pension cuts, destroying workers comp, and ending unions is laughable.
- VanillaMan - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:57 am:
The Tribune’s bankruptcy - was that fiscal bankruptcy, intellectual bankruptcy AND in credibility as well?
This publication is indeed bankrupted.
- @MisterJayEm - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:06 am:
Let me once again stress the difference between the quality reporting that appears in the news pages of the Chicago Tribune, and the goofy fanaticism that appears on the editorial page.
It’s a shame when responsible, fact-driven reporters are conflated with the editorial board and its ideological fan-fiction.
– MrJM
- NixonHead - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:06 am:
CME Group is actually going through some rough times. They’re in and out of “hiring freeze” mode and I think they expanded their activity to Ireland - a known tax haven. Only a matter of time before CME Group realizes that it’s not necessary to have a downtown, high-profile presence in Chicago while trading and finance in general becomes more computerized and mobile.
- Dilemma - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:07 am:
Murray Center residents are not typically residents who would be suited to a community based facility. In fact, some of them cannot be transitioned into such a facility. Some of the people living there are profoundly and severely disabled and require serious and dedicated care. There is a reason the parents of the residents don’t want the Murray Center closed, and I trust their judgment more than I trust someone who only cares about the bottom line.
- Michelle Flaherty - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:11 am:
Shut them down.
Keep them open.
The Trib’s edit board members seem to have their own brand of turnaround agenda.
- Juice - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:14 am:
First, she states that the state doled out $4.9 billion in corporate welfare according to a report, without actually saying what that report is. Quality sourcing Kristen.
She also ignores the fact that the CME legislative package also included an increase in the standard deduction and an increase in the EITC. So it’s not like it was only a corporate giveaway. (Though the bills did have to be separated out, because members of a certain political party for for the corporate welfare, but against providing greater relief to actual people.)
She also ignores the fact that Madigan and Cullerton provided funding to not close those facilities. (At the behest of the Republicans, those paragons of fiscal responsibility.). But Quinn closed them anyways.
- Wordslinger - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:14 am:
The funniest thing about Katrina’s column is that the only positive thing she has to say about Madigan involves an actual “hoodwink” — SB1.
I thought by now everyone knew that SB1 was designed solely to get Ty and the Tribbies off the Dems back before the election and prompt a definitive Supreme Court ruling on all their hare-brained diminishment schemes.
And that’s exactly what happened.
The strategy was obvious to many here from the get-go. All these many months later, and she still doesn’t realize that she was played?
For crying out loud, the Supremes were unanimous!
- From the 'Dale to HP - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:27 am:
There could have been a good column there, but it lacked the necessary nuance and balance to pull it off.
- Jack Stephens - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:29 am:
@lakecounty:
Illinois citizens also overwhelmingly supported draconian cuts in Wealthy Welfare!
- @MisterJayEm - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:40 am:
“There could have been a good column there, but it lacked the necessary nuance and balance to pull it off.”
Yes, it might have been a good column, if only the author and subject-matter were different.
– MrJM
- Don Draper - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:42 am:
I was having breakfast early this morning as I read the Kristin McQueary column. It was delicious.
Points out very clearly that before Madigan thinks about state government’s obligations to the middle class and those in need of the safety net, he thinks of the state government employees who pay the union dues that finance his holding on to power. That is reprehensible.
Nicely done!
- walker - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:45 am:
LCD: LOL
You don’t get to start a second thread on Cap Fax two days in a row.
Good work though.
- Wordslinger - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 10:53 am:
Wow, DD, you should try Hooked-On-Phonics. The column says nothing like you described at all.
It says Madigan’s actions have imperiled the pensions of government employees and union members who are middle-class, while doling out corporate welfare.
- Century Club - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 11:00 am:
Has anyone heard from Oswego Willy this morning? I’m afraid he’s read this column and stroked out.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 11:03 am:
===Has anyone heard from Oswego Willy this morning?===
He’s traveling.
- Arsenal - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 11:17 am:
==Madigan promised a minimum wage hike.==
And the Governor doesn’t want one (though he did throw a ridiculous idea for one out there).
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 11:34 am:
There’s a clearing on my cyclone, Ms. McQueary knows about those storms…
To all the points above and the Post,
If you are trying to draw “damage of the past” to rebuff former Governor’S’ calls for understand both governing and today.
To her… Twitter…what makes McQueary sso embarrassingly pathetic… is her job… is to communicate using words.
McQueary just can’t say something… “Use her words”.., to make a point.
That’s a McQueary failure, but when you don’t have your own mind or thoughts, it’s not surprising.
- Buzzie - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 11:48 am:
Is Kristin John Kass’ daughter?
- Precinct Captain - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 12:15 pm:
==- lake county democrat - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 9:50 am:==
You already got schooled the other day on what a supermajority actually is in practice, yet here you are again going on and on as if you haven’t a clue.
- Wordslinger - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 1:29 pm:
– CME Group is actually going through some rough times.–
What a bizarre thing to say. Try the google.
First Quarter profits: $330.4 million
Second Quarter Profits: $265 million.
That’s profits, not revenue. Both numbers were up from the year before and beat street expectations. Trading volume was up from the prior year as well, 24% in the first quarter.
May we all go through such “rough times.”
- JS Mill - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 2:50 pm:
$596.4 million does not buy what it used to though…/s
- JS Mill - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 2:52 pm:
Oops..$595.4 million, even worse…. /s
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 23, 15 @ 2:53 pm:
AGree with Dilemma……the residents at Murray live there because this is the least restrictive environment for them. Gov. Rauner…then candidate Bruce Rauner came to visit the residents at Murray Center, and THEN made the decision the center needed to remain open….Gov. Quinn, although invited thousands of times never came to see the residents. Federal rulings says that there must be choices for the disabled that run from family homes to state centers. Gov. Rauner does understand this.