103 Comments - Gooner - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:22 am: “Pork” is spending in the district of somebody else. For her, it is necessary. Further, could you imagine Ives outrage if the state had paid for school supplies for a Muslim school? She just doesn’t get it. - Shark Sandwich - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:24 am: Turns out the gag about the coloring books being for Ives’ ‘personal use’ wasn’t that far off the mark. - cdog - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:25 am: The hypocrisy has replaced nearly all the oxygen in the room. - Midstate Indy - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:25 am: I don’t know that its truly the end of the world that these coloring books were able to be delivered to a primary school that could certainly benefit from them, but the Ives response is certainly showing her colors as a NIMBYPublican. And to ^Gooner^, Educational materials to a Muslim school would probably make Ives bring in Sarah Palin for some ‘freedom’ oriented fundraiser. - Streator Curmudgeon - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:26 am: The “righteous indignation” defense by a politician is always a smoke screen. - Harry - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:26 am: Typical Illinois–the pols are so self-important and invulnerable they don’t even realize that any “normal” person would say their actions are corrupt. Ives is a great case in point. And the extreme over-reaction is a “tell” that it isn’t on the up-and-up. Just like Barbara Byrd-Bennett going off half-cocked when someone from the Chicago Mayor’s Office asked about the SUPES contract. - John A Logan - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:26 am: Nobody can seem to play this game anymore. It’s pretty sad. - Anon - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:27 am: Wow. She never ceases to amaze! - AnonymousOne - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:27 am: Absolutely NO surprise when it comes to Ives. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:29 am: ===Actually, the revelation of how a legislator gave some taxpayer-funded materials to her kids’ private school was worth printing.=== Ever the state watchdog, that Jeanne Ives, lol. This, however, is MY favorite. From the cited article; ===”If a park district needs a special project done for disabled kids and I want to donate my extra $12,000 to it, I get to say it goes there. That’s what I’m going to do, ’cause… everybody else is spending their entire amount of money on you don’t know what,” Ives said. “How about that?” She’s a victim, and… throwing her colleagues under the bus,… in the same breath. “How dare she!” - phocion - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:29 am: I think sometimes Rich Miller really enjoys his job. - cdog - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:29 am: Let me get this straight. This is the same legislator who nearly criminalized single mothers and families for participating in the CCAP program, as people who abusing taxpayers? Now, this same legislator who is controlled by Rauner and his political class, has bought coloring books with my tax dollars for a private parochial school? That’s some serious pot/kettle cartoonin’ there. - VanillaMan - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:29 am: “Go back and rewrite your article, sir. Because you know where some of those coloring books ended up at? At my kids’ Catholic school. That’s right. I sent them to a Catholic school. The teachers were thrilled to have this book that portrayed Illinois and some facts about it in an interesting and engaging way. So why don’t you go and print that, too,” Ives said. Do it. Tell everyone how she is taking public funds during our fiscal crisis and serving her own private school. How sad it is to see someone so clueless in this elected position revealing her conflict of interest. I love church-based private schools. They make do on absolutely nothing. They pay poorly. They educate out of the goodness of their hearts and their faith. For Ives to believe that she is doing something special by passing this publically funded goods to a catholic private school and their delighted response, exposes herself as someone who hasn’t the faintest idea of reality. - thunderspirit - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:30 am: “How dare you?” Thank you for daring, Rich. We all have a right to know where our tax money goes. - Gooner - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:31 am: One thing I didn’t catch – It is not just some Catholic school. It is the school of her own kids. Interesting how it times of budget crisis, the school that her own kids attend gets something from the state. - Langhorne - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:33 am: In the overall scheme of things, the cost of these materials is peanuts. members pay for them out of their office allowance. Having said that, it is a fair shot. Like a BB. I dont have direct experience w Ives.May i just say…WOW. I dont want to car pool w her. - train111 - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:33 am: Dear Ms Ives As one of your constitiuents–when Rich first reported this I gave a snarky response-that was not appropriate-so here is what I would like to say. In terms of cutting your office budget and returnign money to the state-good job!! In terms of dealing with the scandal at COD and helping clean house there–good job!! In terms of all the over the top remarks and hyperbole that you have gotten a reputation for-perhaps deserved-perhaps not–not so good job. Hyperbole and over the top comments never ever ever fix anything. You may think that the system is broken and that anger and ‘overturning of tables is needed’, but that will accomplish absoulutely nothing except that those who see you will shake their heads and simply dismiss any of your comments as over the top hyperbole-even when your comments and concerns are valid. Some good advice from a non-politician. Calm down. You are in a tough spot as many of your constituents want you to tear down the walls–even though it is absolutely ineffective in getting anything done. Yes, we can all easily point at the problems and come up with easy, immediate - albeit unworkable solutions for each and every one of them, but you and your fellow legislators are in a spot where you need to carefully think through and devise workable solutions for the many issues facing Illinois. Good luck train111 - forwhatitsworth - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:34 am: This is another sad display of the representation that I have for my house district! - walker - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:35 am: Why do self-righteousness and victimhood always seem to live together? Bravura and fear. - Anon - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:37 am: ===Actually, the revelation of how a legislator gave some taxpayer-funded materials to her kids’ private school was worth printing.=== Has someone made sure to report this to the Ethics folks? They’re only allowed to investigate based off of complaints received, so you know, a blatant omission printed in a news paper doesn’t actually spur an investigation… - Century Club - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:42 am: Ives is a juicy target because of her rank hypocrisy on this, but any legislator who has spent public money on this nonsense while the state isn’t paying its bills needs to re-think their actions. I looked at both articles, but I don’t see a list anywhere. Did Erickson publish the list somewhere? - Langhorne - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:42 am: Please dont tell me it is inappropriate for private schools to receive free materials or other benefits provided by state government. What, a catholic high school shouldnt receive illinois govt handbooks, blue books, or rules of the road? Or “how a bill becomes law”? If her kids school was the only one she gave the books to, thats unethical. - Ducky LaMoore - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:42 am: ===Actually, the revelation of how a legislator gave some taxpayer-funded materials to her kids’ private school was worth printing.=== Yeah seriously. At least she was nice about it… ha. I bet you love it, Rich, when her name pops up on the caller ID. - Juice - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:44 am: I think Klinger v. Howlett may disagree with her act of “charity.” - Mama - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:45 am: “there are many other examples of waste in state government, including the current structure of the General Assembly, in which lawmakers who chair committees receive $10,000 annual stipends even if those committees rarely meet.” Hmm… $10,000 annual stipend to chair a rare meeting? I thought stipends are supposed to pay for food, travel and lodging period. This stipend seems to be a bit much for a couple of meetings a year. We need to start paying the legislators stipends per meeting based on receipts of expenses incurred for each meeting (same as state employees). - Mama - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:49 am: Rep Ives, please name the other examples of waste in state government? - Union Man - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:53 am: The state is still hiring, vehicles are being maintained, employees at the museum are still getting paid, why not coloring books? - Give Me A Break - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:53 am: As Todd would say, “Hang In There”. Stand strong Rep. Ives, you will soon be sainted for being persecuted and soon you will spoken of in the same way Mother Teresa is. - 360 Degree TurnAround - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:53 am: Maybe Representative Ives should read Article X, Section 3 of the constitution that she swore to uphold in her oath: SECTION 3. PUBLIC FUNDS FOR SECTARIAN PURPOSES FORBIDDEN Neither the General Assembly nor any county, city, town, township, school district, or other public corporation, shall ever make any appropriation or pay from any public fund whatever, anything in aid of any church or sectarian purpose, or to help support or sustain any school, academy, seminary, college, university, or other literary or scientific institution, controlled by any church or sectarian denomination whatever; nor shall any grant or donation of land, money, or other personal property ever be made by the State, or any such public corporation, to any church, or for any sectarian purpose. (Source: Illinois Constitution.) - burbanite - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:54 am: Wow, is she clueless. - Nick Danger - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:57 am: Done got hoist by her own petard. - 360 Degree TurnAround - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 10:59 am: Has Representative Ives given other state resources to her kids’ catholic school? In violation of the Illinois Constitution. - Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:02 am: 360, is coloring a “sectarian purpose?” Just asking. - Team Sleep - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:03 am: In the awesome Rage Against The Machine song “Freedom”, signer Zack de la Rocha quietly (and eerily) stated “anger is a gift”. Not so in Rep. Ives’s case. - anon - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:03 am: I’m confused,(I must admit). Providing coloring books to a taxpayer’s child is only allowed if a child attends a public school ? Seems kind of discriminatory to me. - Willie Stark - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:05 am: ‘If the President does it, that means it’s not Illegal.'’ - R. Nixon. No similarities whatsoever between Ives and Nixon, who was paranoid and thought himself unfairly persecuted. None. - 360 Degree TurnAround - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:05 am: Arthur Andersen, it depends on what they are coloring. If it is “how a bill becomes a law” then it seems non-sectarian. If it is “how to sneak a rule through JCAR” - seems more sectarian. - Team Sleep - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:07 am: In my days as a Congressional staffers, parochial schools always requested Constitution booklets. Several of them also requested that my boss come speak at their schools and talk about what it was like to be an MOC and how D.C. was different than the district. What were we supposed to do - not send them any books or bar him from speak to a bunch of grade school kids?! “Sorry…can’t…separation…because religion”. No. - Ducky LaMoore - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:07 am: ===I’m confused,(I must admit). Providing coloring books to a taxpayer’s child is only allowed if a child attends a public school ? Seems kind of discriminatory to me.=== No, what would be discriminatory would be to give the books to a Catholic child and not children of other religions. The point is, the donations have to be to a secular organization. - Norseman - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:08 am: Isn’t she ordering the coloring books for the kids who no longer have daycare. That will keep the little tykes entertained while mommy tries to earn money. Maybe Ives can have a coloring book created explaining conservative principles. You want to indoctrinate them early. - Union Man - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:13 am: Norseman @ 11:08 is a riot! - Jake From Elwood - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:14 am: This would not qualify as a violation of the Illinois Constitution. These booklets and other similar state publication are made widely available to public and private schools alike to promote civic education. Not to side with Rep. Ives or defend her explanation but this is not a violation of the Constitution. - ArchPundit - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:23 am: === this is not a violation of the Constitution. Correct. However, this does not fix the cluelessness. - Just Observing - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:23 am: As a few others have pointed out, I have no problem with these studpid coloring books going to children that attend private school. The supposed benefit is to educate children on the political process, and last time I checked students that attend private school, their parents pay taxes to the state too. That being said, these coloring books are a waste of money and nothing more than self-promotion for the politician. The article on Ives is fair. - Wheaton 411 - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:23 am: Jeanne will not be silenced by the RINOs and left wingers that control the media. She has made herself a target because she stands up to the machine politicians that control Springfield. Good for you Jeanne! Stand up to these “journalists” and call them out for their bias. Go Jeanne Go Jeanne Go! - Jockey - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:28 am: @ Mama 10:49: Me, Me!!! What is CMS, Alex! - Lincoln Lad - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:29 am: -just observing- I agree 100%. - ArchPundit - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:30 am: ====Wheaton 411 - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:23 am: Is this a parody? - Ritz - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:32 am: Be careful, Rich……you might end up being a republican when this is all said and done. - Wordslinger - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:33 am: Rep. Ives sounds mad enough to “pull out the faded Confederate uniform” and run Erickson through. South DuPage will rise again. (CF, 5/28/13) - A guy - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:39 am: The bait was just too scrumptious for anyone to leave alone here. Too bad she responded to this. Also too bad that 140 others remain unnamed. It was easy, as she too often makes it, to launch on her. It’s still ungracious all the way around. Wasn’t much of a story before. Even less today. But, boy do we love to feed the beast. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:41 am: “Jeanne will not be silenced by her own ignorance and leftover excuses that control her own little world. She has made herself a target because she stands up and says utterly ridiculous things over and over again like ‘machine politicians that control Springfield’. Goodness Gracious Jeanne! Stand up to these “journalists” and call them out for making you look ridiculous when you can look ridiculous all by yourself. Go Jeanne Go Jeanne Go!” Better. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:43 am: - A Guy - Jeanne Ives is not a victim of her own choices. Sorry. - A guy - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:46 am: Willie, she’s a victim of more than that today. - LincolnLounger - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:46 am: My favorite part was her considering legislation to allow legislators the discretion of where there unused office allowances to go. Poor Jeanne. She couldn’t pass any legislation if her life depended on it. It’s all fun and games to be a leader of the Irrelevant Caucus until you need to actually implement ideas and attempt to get legislation adopted. That Merry Band of 6 can’t help much then. - Dome Gnome - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:47 am: Well, we can’t all color inside the lines. - C'mon man - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:53 am: Think about all the property tax money going to the state from all the parochial school parents. Hundreds of millions which goes to public schools ONLY. I say, as a parent of kids who attend parochial schools, lets all pull our kids out for 1 year and send them to a public school. The system and stressed budgets would collapse because of the additional teachers and supplies that the districts would need. - ArchPundit - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:55 am: ===she’s a victim of more than that today She’s not a victim at all. Is CNBC out to get her too? - ArchPundit - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:57 am: ===Think about all the property tax money going to the state from all the parochial school parents. Hundreds of millions which goes to public schools ONLY. I She wasn’t providing them to all parochials in her district even–she was providing them to her kid’s school. I like the idea of a state history coloring book going out to all kids in the state, but not a Jeanne Ive’s special coloring book to her kid’s school. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:59 am: Oh - A Guy -, Use your words. What is she a victim of today, her cartoonish persona and her actual quotes? - Albatros - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:59 am: Having your hands in the sugar bowl is the dominant culture of Illinois politics. Why should Ives be any different? - JS Mill - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:59 am: @A guy- =“Go back and rewrite your article, sir. Because you know where some of those coloring books ended up at? At my kids’ Catholic school. That’s right. I sent them to a Catholic school. The teachers were thrilled to have this book that portrayed Illinois and some facts about it in an interesting and engaging way. So why don’t you go and print that, too,” Ives said.= Her directive, asked and accommodated. She is nit a victim of anything but her own hubris. She is a shrill and ignorant voice in the legislator not to help “people” but “her people”. There is a bias to her behavior and it is appaling because our governor campaigned on doing it honestly and better, no insider stuff. Ives actions might be small scale but they are indicative of her character of lake there of. She isn’t getting picked on, she commanded the action. - A guy - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:59 am: AR PUN, I think I’ll see if I can snag you one of those coloring books. Though it may be too advance for you. CNBC? Take some time off dude. - A guy - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 12:11 pm: == Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:59 am: Oh - A Guy -, Use your words. What is she a victim of today, her cartoonish persona and her actual quotes?=== Willy, I’ll get serious with you for a minute and then get back to work. These kinds of stories (?) are well beneath the discussion that could and should go on here. She’s bombastic. No news there. She turns back in a lot of her office stipend. Nice, but not a lot of dough in the grand scheme, and not something everyone can do. If coloring books are such a problem, let’s just get rid of them everywhere. A lot of legislators spend time in schools. I’d dare to say; all of the good ones do. They like to bring something of some value. Hokey as they are, the coloring books do represent the state in a good light to little students. A lot of them turn them into projects. Good for them. 141 members ordered them for this kind of purpose. One got called out. Her positions on things made her the easiest of targets for a group of hyenas who detest her here. That’s simply as hypocritical as what people accuse her of. The bait was just too attractive to everyone. Are you seeing a bunch of smart commentary here? I’m not. In fact, I participate less now, though I continue to read. I find myself skipping the comments more often than not. This used to be a place that was as smart as it was occasionally mean. It’s probably the mess we’re in, but now it’s far more mean and hopeless than smart and hopeful. I love intelligent discourse. We’ve just lost it here lately. I’ll keep reading, but it’s lost it’s luster on the comment end. Perhaps, you’ll appreciate that even more. But you shouldn’t. This was a cheap shot. Now it’s been repeated twice. So feel free to tell me to “bite you” or anything else. Chances are better than not that I won’t even see it. - ArchPundit - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 12:13 pm: Cheap shot? Like the ones she took at mothers needing child care? - Just saying... - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 12:30 pm: Wow…just Wow…thanks Rich. That was the biggest laugh I got all day thus far. Priceless…lucky Ive’s is in a solid district. That would’ve made a great mail piece. - ArchPundit - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 12:32 pm: What’s truly hysterical about a buffoon like Ives is that she kept digging when she got indignant. The original story was a pretty standard story of hypocrisy. All politicians end up guilty and most take the lump and move on. She ordered written material for her district at a time she was railing about the need to cut back. Not a huge story, but fair. She gets miffed that someone calls her on it and keeps digging: ==== “Go back and rewrite your article, sir. Because you know where some of those coloring books ended up at? At my kids’ Catholic school. That’s right. I sent them to a Catholic school. The teachers were thrilled to have this book that portrayed Illinois and some facts about it in an interesting and engaging way. So why don’t you go and print that, too,” Ives said. Not some of the coloring books ended up at a schools in her districts mind you. Her kids’ school. Is it a bad thing to have Illinois government/history themed coloring books available to kids? Absolutely not.. However, when you defend the whole shebang with the teachers at my kids’ Catholic school really appreciated them…you just prove yourself a buffoon deserving the attention and mockery. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 12:32 pm: Oh - A Guy -, lol. Ives picked up the ringing phone, answered, and spoke. That’s on her. Also on her? You push yourself on your colleagues as a “teacher”, you better make sure your classroom is in order or you will be sought out and schooled at every turn. If it makes you feel better to take shots of the Blog because Ives can’t not be “Ives”, that’s on you. You choose not to comment? Then don’t comment saying as such. How self-righteous… how… “Jeanne Ives” of you. Ives deserves exposure, you want her hidden. Ives can be more thoughtful, no one is stopping her. - Cubs in '16 - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 12:45 pm: Yet another example of how clueless our legislators are and further confirmation that they just don’t get it. Reps like her have no idea or interest in what regular citizens like us are thinking/feeling. *sigh* - PolPal56 - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 12:52 pm: I thought the CNBC comment was pretty funny - she sounds just like the GOP Pres candidates whining about how they are being treated by the media and proceeding to stick their foots ever more deeply into their mouths while doing it. - PolPal56 - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 12:53 pm: Oh, heavens, I meant “feet.” - Norseman - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 12:56 pm: A guy, she was not singled out in the initial article. http://m.qctimes.com/news/local/government-and-politics/illinois-lawmakers-still-using-print-perk/article_3ba9bab8-b2c0-566c-8ca2-d2a73b36b57a.html?mobile_touch=true She was the only one whining about the coverage. Ives is never reticent about bashing others. She’s getting what she deserves. - Team Sleep - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 1:08 pm: Arch - your point is excellent. Sometimes the best course of action is to take your lumps like an adult and move on. How would Rep. Ives have handled adversity like this at West Point?! This is the same kind of stupid thing that Congressman Schilling did in 2011. He ran on a platform of fiscal responsibility, and then he came into office and immediately ran up a massive franking tab. We can debate the merits of franking all day long, but running on that kind of platform and then spending $250,000 on franking in one year is ludicrous. Guy - normally I agree with you. But on this issue, she needs to shut it and deal with it and not act like a toddler. My four year old throws nicer tantrums than that. - Chicago Cynic - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 1:19 pm: If Ives didn’t exist, we’d have to invent her because she’s such a beautiful caricature. And while I’m not surprised at the reaction of Wheaton 411 and A Guy, it’s amazing to me that these guys think she was somehow targeted. She picked up the phone and turned a nothing story into a bigger one by explaining that she sent the coloring books not just to any school, but to her kids’ school. When I first read this story, that was the part that immediately jumped out at me, far more than the over the top reaction to Kurt’s legitimate questions. I guarantee Kurt talked with others but nobody provided the hysterical hypicrisy of Ives. - Wheaton 411 - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 1:38 pm: == it’s amazing to me that these guys think she was somehow targeted== Jeanne has been carrying the Governor’s water in the house, so it is no wonder that she is getting singled out by a known leftist reporter. Just as she was targeted as a soldier on the front lines of battle during Desert Storm, she is a target on the front lines of the Turnaround Agenda. - Rich Miller - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 1:43 pm: ===she is a target on the front lines of the Turnaround Agenda. === OK, now I’m convinced this is a gag. - ArchPundit - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 1:44 pm: ===Jeanne has been carrying the Governor’s water in the house, so it is no wonder that she is getting singled out by a known leftist reporter. Just as she was targeted as a soldier on the front lines of battle during Desert Storm, she is a target on the front lines of the Turnaround Agenda. So Kurt Erickson, the “known leftist reporter,” is an pro-Saddam Iraqi soldier? Could he be one of the ones who ran to our troops to surrender or was he hardcore? - Team Sleep - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 1:45 pm: Wheaton - but on the flipside Rep. Ives should’ve either deferred to one of Leader Durkin’s press gurus or offered to call Mr. Erickson back with a more plausible explanation. Something a long the lines of “I’m trying to be of service to my constituents and provide some fun for kids in my district” sounds better than angry retort and an attempt to finger wag at the columnist. - Yesterday's Chairman - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 1:46 pm: Heh, heh…. we all know what the Donald Trump response to Ives’ diatribe would be! - Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 1:46 pm: Didn’t those terrible Catholics also get free books from ISBE and reimbursement for transportation expenses for many years (Thanks, Madigan!)? - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 1:48 pm: ===OK, now I’m convinced this is a gag.=== Ugh. Me too. Ok, you’re a gag, when am I suppose to laugh with you? - @MisterJayEm - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 2:01 pm: “This was a cheap shot. Now it’s been repeated twice.” She shot herself in the foot. Twice. Good luck protecting Jeanne Ives from herself. – MrJM - JS Mill - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 2:07 pm: @AA- yes they do and they still get transportation money, even though the most districts have experienced as much as a 60% cut over the last 5 years. Cause, you know, buses and insurance are getting cheaper! At least diesel is way down now! - One to the Dome - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 2:39 pm: Leader Durkin is gotta be shakin’ his head - C'mon man - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 3:18 pm: JS Mill - Transportation money has been gone for years. - Anon221 - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 3:20 pm: Rep. Ives, here’s an idea for legislation (if it would even need to BE legislation)- Require that ALL materials which could be printed, also be made available for download directly from the Print Shop’s site! Then all citizens of Illinois could access these without our State spending monies on printing and mailing. I bet you could get it done! Signed, Disgruntled Taxpayer - Mama - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 3:28 pm: ==Didn’t those terrible Catholics also get free books from ISBE and reimbursement for transportation expenses for many years (Thanks, Madigan!)?== AA, yes they did, but those books were sent to all schools not just one private school. Several years ago, parents from all schools, whom were not receiving free student transportation, could claim reimbursement for their kid(s). Again it was not limited to just one school. - C'mon man - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 3:42 pm: AA and JS Mill — The transportation reimbursement which has been gone for years was limited to a whopping $100 per year. Remember we parochial school parents pay taxes too. - Gooner - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 3:54 pm: C’Mon Man, You made the choice to seek religious education. If you wanted government to pick up the tab, you could have gone to a non-religious. Don’t blame the rest of us for the choice you made. - Wordslinger - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 4:12 pm: A Guy, you and Ives are kindred souls in that you both play the victim when people call you out on your shallow nonsense. – I love intelligent discourse.– But not self-awareness, apparently. - C'mon man - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 4:28 pm: Gooner - Where did I say I wanted the gov’t to pick up the tab. I simply stated we are taxpayers too and you have 100% of our benefit. Just a statement but if we all chose to send our kids to public schools you would be in a bigger world of hurt. The public schools are whining because their checks stopped coming in but the parochial schools are not whining because we understood there were no checks. We spend our money wisely; a lesson to be learned. - DuPage Bard - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 4:46 pm: Ives is really a sitcom character. No other legislator complained about the article. Maybe they feel the expenses they use for their office are justified, just like Jeanne thought hers were justified. The fact she went out of her way to call attention to what she did makes her a sitcom character. I’m thinking Costanza. Lays the plan out, tells you what’s going to happen then it all backfires. “My nickname is T-Bone!!!” - Wordslinger - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 5:10 pm: – The public schools are whining because their checks aren’t coming in but the parochial schools aren’t because we understood there were no checks.– Geez, dude, you need to go to confession after that whopper. Unless, of course, the decades-old drive by the parochial schools for taxpayer-funded vouchers was a dream or something. By the way, the K-12 checks are going through, as Gov. Rauner did not make them a hostage. - MyTwoCents - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 6:09 pm: C’mon man, I’m speaking as someone who has a spouse who works in a private school and will probably send kids to a private school. We as society benefit from an excellent public school system. That is the benefit of our tax dollars at work, regardless of whether we personally benefit. Government should never be about only our personal benefits, that’s a sad way to look at it. Also, it’s an unfair comparison to say that private schools can handle lost revenue better. They can adjust easier and raise tuition whereas it’s a lot harder for public schools to adjust for lost State revenue, other than property taxes…and that’s why IL has the property tax problem. - Norseman - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 6:26 pm: No Capitol Xmas lights this year. Why? SOS White knows about perception issues. Ives, take notes. Oh, never mind. I doubt you understand. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 6:41 pm: - Norseman - It broke my heart and it will be a constant reminder of our terrible predicament. The Legislative and Press Shops failed at 60/30, then 71/36, and the poisioning of the well,… well, the first set of lights went out July 1st, now they’re just visible… actually not visible because of their lacking. - Blue dog dem - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 7:14 pm: Were I come from we got a sayin, ” it’s only pork when its in somebody else’s district.” - Blue dog dem - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 7:17 pm: We’re also fond of sayin, “throw all the bums out…..except my guy(gal), he(she) is doing a great job. - JS Mill - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 7:25 pm: @- C’mon man - Parochial schools should not receive public funds. That is how it works. When my parents sent me to a parochial school they did not ask the state to pick up the tab. That is the choice they made, the choice parents make every day, homeschool, private,and parochial. I respect a parents right to make those choices, but the public money for K-12 ed should be in a public school where it is best applied to ensure the liberties and freedoms of all students are respected. And, you are incorrect parochial schools still receive public dollars for transportation, even if it is a nickel - Tired - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 8:23 pm: Rep. is totally without a clue. A shame for us all. - DuPage Grandma - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 11:56 pm: @- Anon221 - Tuesday, Nov 3, 15 @ 3:20 pm: “Require that ALL materials which could be printed, also be made available for download directly from the Print Shop’s site! Then all citizens of Illinois could access these without our State spending monies on printing and mailing.” They are available on line. Thought that is what everyone had to do…download and print them. I didn’t know were still being printed at all. - Anon221 - Wednesday, Nov 4, 15 @ 7:32 am: DuPage Grandma- Here’s the Print Shop site. click on the left menu for any of the Democrat or Republican links. Pages come up with what is available for printing, but not in a downloadable format. Maybe some of these materials are also available on other state government sites, but you would think the Print Shop would be able to make these all available as a download directly from their site. - Anon221 - Wednesday, Nov 4, 15 @ 7:33 am: Sorry- here’s the link: http://www.ilga.gov/commission/lpu/LPU%20catalog/Print.html Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.