74 Comments - Ray del Camino - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 1:32 pm: Right. The Economist ain’t no bedwetting liberal rag. It says we need a budget. Not a “Turnaround.” Not “Shakin’ up.” A budget. - Stones - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 1:32 pm: Budget? We don’t need no stinkin’ budget! We need a Turnaround Agenda! - Keyrock - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 1:33 pm: Because Madigan (listened to Rauner in late 2014)? Because Madigan (gave Rauner enough rope)? Because Madigan (was waiting for the Supreme Cour pension decision to make the tax hike permanent)? Because nobody wants to wear the jacket for the tax hike being permanent? All of the above? - PublicServant - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 1:34 pm: Obviously Mr. Fabian hasn’t heard that Illinois is doomed without needed “Structural Reforms”, or the state will just go on with its old status quo of having “its budget … more or less balanced, reasonable economic growth”, and “a flat rate of 5%, which is still lower than rates in many other states.” - Ducky LaMoore - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 1:34 pm: Hopefully, Speaker of the House, Mark Madigan, gets the message. - wordslinger - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 1:34 pm: –The state’s population is not leaving in droves, Chicago is a handsome city that attracts talent and the economy is in decent shape.– I’m sure the governor would agree. What kind of governor would not? - Archiesmom - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 1:36 pm: Succinct. - thunderspirit - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 1:37 pm: == Hopefully, Speaker of the House, Mark Madigan, gets the message. == Haha, I caught that too. - Downstate - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 1:37 pm: In a non-partisan way, I’m asking…. Didn’t we pass the last tax increase with a promise to create spending cuts. But those cuts never actually occurred? If I’m wrong, I’d like to know. Thanks! - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 1:40 pm: Agree to reinstating the temporary tax increase for FY2016 and FY2017… Have a possible beginning of a staggered sunset provision for FY2018 and FY2019 Have cuts coincide with FY2018 and the sun setting, allowing “fiscal restraint” be the end game. Get the votes for these provisions, work on a budget under the premise of this Fiscal and the next Fiscals to build around done compromise(s). Do the doable. - Handle Bar Mustache - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 1:40 pm: Gosh. 5% rate extension. Previously outrageous. Now perfectly sensible to so many. In the fullness of time, more people may view Governor Quinn in a better light. - Ahoy! - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 1:44 pm: – The state’s population is not leaving in droves, – that is true, it has been more like a death by a thousand cuts. A budget is not the only thing needed for our state, at least that’s the option of this resident. Also, the flat tax rate is not a comprehensive analysis of tax rates both on citizen and corporate level. The Economist is usually an excellent source of information, but this seemed a little lazily researched. - PublicServant - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 1:45 pm: Again with a temporary tax increase, Willy? Why? They didn’t estimate very well with the last sunset did they? And they cut then too. How much more can be cut? Shoot. Make the tax increase permanent, and refund anything leftover at yearend but let’s get revenues in line with spending first…then cut as much as possible, and moral, and lower the tax accordingly. - John A Logan - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 1:47 pm: Economists say the darndest things…. - wordslinger - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 1:48 pm: Downstate, you’re wrong. You’re welcome. - blue dog dem - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 1:50 pm: OW-whats wrong with starting today.and by the way, this guy is right people are not leaving in droves,the problem is they are not coming in in droves(trickling in would be a better way of putting it). - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 1:51 pm: - PublicServant - Here’s why; Rauner will be required to bring all 67 to the revenue. Rauner sets up the structured roll calls as party of a “weaning” off, with the given cuts to coincide, showing the fiscal restraint, and… ensuring there are no surprises when “X” is cut 30%… Gotta give GOP Members cover. Plus, after “4 budgets”, Rauner will, overall, “solved” the budget issues, kept taxes from “rising” in his term, and while voting for a tax increase, it’s really voting for long term stability for Illinois, and looking at Rauner’s budget as a statement as Rauner, the governor. Gotta start somewhere. - Mouthy - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 1:52 pm: Id favor an amendment to the State’s constitution, in the long run, for a progressive tax. It’s the only way to go IMO. Short term I’d go back to 5%. - Roamin' Numeral - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 1:56 pm: ==But it is too late now, even if Mr Rauner were to agree to go back to a flat rate of 5%== 5% is not enough. If the rate goes up on January 1, it probably needs to be set somewhere around 6.25%. - sal-says - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 1:58 pm: == Yep. A budget. == And maybe a real WORKING Governor? You know, ‘for the people’? - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:05 pm: ==If Illinois had kept its income-tax rate at last year’s level its budget would be more or less balanced and its most immediate problem solved.== U of I researchers said this in February. Moody’s said this over the summer. They both said that is not sufficient to ==fix== things. - Keyrock - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:05 pm: We’ve heard the Governor doesn’t read the news much. Does the Trib editorial board read the Economist? - unspun - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:05 pm: There are number of ways to solve the revenue/expenditure issues. The means isn’t the problem, it’s the lack of will by Governor to discuss the means. What the Economist correctly points out is that the budget is THE issue. They’re joining the chorus of the rating agencies, the democrats, the service providers, the municipalities, most rank-and-file GOP (privately) and even MOST of the business community. A stable budget creates a stable business climate, stable revenues, and predictability. - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:11 pm: ==Because Madigan (listened to Rauner in late 2014)?== Because Madigan, Quinn and Cullerton passed and signed a tax increase that did exactly what they drafted it to do? Reduce on January 1, 2015? - Skeptic - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:12 pm: “A stable budget creates … ” and the authority to pay the bills that are already on the books. - Keyrock - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:18 pm: FKA- agreed, except Quinn insists that was all Madigan would agree to when the temporary tax was passed. So, in the beginning: “Because Madigan.” Now, “Because Madigan (and Rauner, mostly Rauner).” - Louis G Atsaves - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:19 pm: Oh, good grief! This is Illinois. We are No. 1 in every economic and social category. We are the perfect State, the envy of the others and the nation! Just a budget is required. Nothing else! Why tamper with the wild success we have been experiencing? Let others come in and study our success and spread it around the country! - 47th Ward - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:25 pm: ===We are the perfect State, the envy of the others and the nation!=== Hasn’t that straw man been knocked down enough by now? Nobody is making that argument Louis and I’m sick of otherwise smart commenters like you who repeat that nonsense day after day. Good grief indeed. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:26 pm: - Louis G Atsaves - You’re a learned man, a lawyer, respected for your intellect and your understanding of complex things. Why you continue to make yourself sound utterly ridiculous to be in the good graces of Bruce Rauner, at the cost of your own reputation is beyond me. Like “The Owl”, you just can’t look beyond what you think you need to say, as opposed to what needs to be said. I’ll be embarrassed for you. You can do better, bud. - Georg Sande - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:26 pm: Here’s a compelling portion of this well researched article: “Mark Madigan, the speaker of the House …” That’s all you need to know. - 360 Degree TurnAround - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:26 pm: “The state’s population is not leaving in droves, Chicago is a handsome city that attracts talent and the economy is in decent shape.” THAT IS ENOUGH TALKING POSITIVE THINGS ABOUT ILLINOIS. If you can’t say something disparaging, then you don’t belong here. (yes snark) Waiting for the IPI to quote the Economist (not snark). - thunderspirit - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:26 pm: “Madigan and the British magazines he controls…” - Rich Miller - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:28 pm: Georg gives us a perfect example of throwing the baby out with the bath water. Ridiculous. A typo is just a typo. - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:28 pm: @Keyrock - fair enough, amigo. Rauner did get what he wanted when they let it reduce. To the post ==Mark Madigan, the speaker of the House, and John Cullerton, the president of the Senate,== When did the Speaker change his first name? - Louis G Atsaves - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:30 pm: @oswegowily, so you subscribe to the belief that Illinois needs more changes than just a budget? Aren’t we number 1 in everything amongst all the States? If we aren’t, then why “just a budget” and walk away and allow the status quo to continue? Are you tired of Illinois finishing at or near the bottom in every single measurable category? Would a reasonable man insist on more changes than just a budget? Those are the questions I have. - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:31 pm: A typo is a typo. Good for a smirk and not much more. - Georg Sande - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:32 pm: Hey now, Louie, stop making sense and instead listen to the piercing nonsense of that one prolific commentor who just LOVES to read, and re-read, his own words here. #OneGuessOnly - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:35 pm: - Louis G Atsaves - Then keep having hostages, “Hang In There”, wish for Katrinas to come to Illinois… - Louis G Atsaves -… ===Aren’t we number 1 in everything amongst all the States?=== ===If we aren’t, then why “just a budget” and walk away and allow the status quo to continue?=== ===Are you tired of Illinois finishing at or near the bottom in every single measurable category?=== You and The Owl… Stop with the Talking Points. Do the doable. Look at each sentence. Ugh! Move on from the impossible items, do the doable. Your talking points saying drivel… Bud, you are souch smarter than those sentences… Do the doable - Demoralized - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:36 pm: Louis: What is wrong with focusing on a budget first? That’s the point. Get a budget done first. Just because somebody wants a budget done first doesn’t mean they favor the status quo. Stop with the hysterics. - walker - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:37 pm: If it’s so “obvious,” and it is, why do so many like to believe it isn’t? Expect any day now for the Governor to start touting the strengths of the Illinois economy. The “down the tubes” message has done its political job, and run its course. And yes Louis. You’re better than to set up strawmen, which no one else has said were real. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:39 pm: - Georg Sande - I know it frustrates you that you add nothing with your drive-bys. I can only imagine how it feels having your own words marginalize you. Why you insist on thinking your drive-by ignorance is adding here, I dunno. It’s sad. I’m sorry you can’t bring something to add, but it’s not my fault. - VanillaMan - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:43 pm: We are repeatedly reading analysis which says that Illinois is in worse shape today, because of the current governor, than it was under the previous governor. It isn’t partisan spin to acknowledge that Illinois is worse off today, due to Bruce Rauner’s poor administration, than it was even under Pat Quinn’s poor administration. Rauner supporters have to get a grip and recognize that the political brinksmanship we’ve witnessed over the past year is a disaster for everyone. We simply cannot elect someone who is anti-government, to run our government. We simply cannot elect someone with no experience in serving citizens into an office responsible for serving citizens. Bruce Rauner over the past year has shown that a venture capitalist, does not have the administrative skills to run a government. It might have been fun to see an outsider rip up Illinois government, however, it hasn’t been fun to see this same outsider utterly fail at such an elemental level in such an important state office. Yet, we still see the same boasting ignorance that says we can snatch a multi-millionaire with an itch to be a governor, and expect some kind of magical revolution when this naïve newbie politician takes the reins. It isn’t like this governor doesn’t have knowledgeable expert advisors - what IS Linda Lingle doing? The longer this governor continues to flop, the worse everything gets. - Truthteller - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:44 pm: The revenue is needed. Rauner’s campaign was built on the lie that it wasn’t. Had he publicly asked the Dems to extend it and put Republican votes on it, the income tax increase would have been extended. Alternatively, Rauner had a budget on his desk, he could have made all the cuts needed for a balanced budget, and with his caucus and Ken Dunkin he could have sustained his veto. The jacket clearly belongs to Rauner. - Demoralized - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:51 pm: If as much time were spent on solving the issues as is being spent on blaming somebody we might be in better shape than we are. - Been There - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:52 pm: ===Why you continue to make yourself sound utterly ridiculous to be in the good graces of Bruce Rauner, at the cost of your own reputation is beyond me.==== Somebody has to play the “Bill” role with the new governor. - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:58 pm: ==What is wrong with focusing on a budget first?== When does any sort of ==reform== occur if not now? Rauner and Madigan could have agreed on a budget, trusted each other and continued working together on reforms after the budget. They ruined that. When the budget is done, what motivation will Madigan have for supporting any reforms that may help the state but be unpopular with his base? Even the moderate things Rich and some commenters have suggested? If not now, when? Why does it happen before the next budget in July but not now? - VanillaMan - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 2:59 pm: Somebody has to play the “Bill” role with the new governor. Two things - Rauner is no longer “new” - he just acts like he still can’t find a pencil. Rauner doesn’t need a “Bill” - he needs a pill. - Demoralized - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 3:01 pm: FKA: We need a budget now. You can continue to support this insane we can’t do one without the other argument but I’m done with that nonsense. I care about a budget right now. Everything else is secondary. - BC - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 3:01 pm: “….not leaving in droves.” Appropriately understated and very true. Illinois has lost population relative to the rest of the nation on a slow but steady basis since the end of World War II (from 28 electoral votes to 20). This has happened through both Republican and Democratic control in Springfield and mirrors trends in other northern states, in fact Illinois has fared better than many of it’s geographic peers. It has much more to do with the invention of air conditioning and de-industrialization than it has to do with the cost of workers comp insurance or the temporary income tax increase. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 3:02 pm: - FKA - As always, with respect. ===If not now, when? Why does it happen before the next budget in July but not now?=== Then Rauner will own that the state has no budget because holding hostage the budget to make sure something gets done, that’s on the hostage taker. Enough. Do the Doable. The doable includes things that even Rauner wants. Enough. Do the doable, we need a budget. No more waiting anyone out. If you don’t have the votes now, you don’t. With respect - FKA - OW - walker - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 3:10 pm: Demoralized 2:51 Amen to that. - Demoralized - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 3:10 pm: FKA: Apologies if it sounds like I’m grumpy towards you. I’m not. Just grumpy. I’m tired of dealing with this every day. It wears a guy down. And you want to know something really funny? The Fiscal Year 2017 budget is currently being put together. It irritating to be doing that right now when I can’t even deal with FY16 stuff right now. - Hit or Miss - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 3:45 pm: ===Illinois is spending as if it were still taking in last year’s revenue when the income-tax rate was at 5% rather than this year’s 3.75%.=== Any ideas on how Illinois will overcome the problem of higher spending with lower revenue since July 1 until the unknown date that this years budget is approved? Will it be higher taxes? or major spending cuts for the reminder of the year? or maybe barrowing at high rates due to the states very poor bond rating? The gap between revenue and spending appears to me to widen every day that the state is without a budget. - Norseman - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 3:47 pm: === And you want to know something really funny? The Fiscal Year 2017 budget is currently being put together. It irritating to be doing that right now when I can’t even deal with FY16 stuff right now. === The budget speech will really be a hoot. - The_Equalizer - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 3:49 pm: It’s pretty simple really; Rauner needs to quit trying to bust unions, quit trying to set up Democrats for the inevitable tax rate increase that he knows is going to happen. Democrats need to understand they’ve run these deficits for years and ignored the pension problem, and suck it up and work on the budget. There. Simple! Heh. - Chicago 20 - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 3:52 pm: Going back to the flat 5% tax doesn’t address the revenue shortfall. If budget excesses existed they would have been sliced off already. What this State needs is a progressive income tax based on gross income without most of the currently allowable Federal exceptions. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 3:54 pm: ===What this State needs is a progressive income tax…=== Do the doable. We need things happening yesterday… Progressive income tax isn’t helping today, because it can happen… today. - Juice - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 4:03 pm: FKA, I think what you’re missing is that at the end of the day, despite all the rhetoric, the Speaker does not really care about the budget. So this plot to hold the budget hostage for things the Governor wants is folly. This year, next year, any year. You have to find out what the Speaker wants and use that as pressure. The problem lies in the fact that the Speaker is typically not a person who has a lot of requests, which is why it can be difficult to get him to move off the dime. But the privilege of voting for a massive tax increase in exchange for passing anti-middle class legislation is not really the type of bargain that the Speaker is going to go along with. - Chicago 20 - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 4:25 pm: -Do the doable- It’s not a quick fix because it’s currently unconstitutional, but it will be a better and much more fair fix than the current regressive flat tax. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 4:27 pm: ===It’s not a quick fix because it’s currently unconstitutional, but it will be a better and much more fair fix than the current regressive flat tax.=== Ugh. We need today. Today. - Last Bull Moose - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 5:18 pm: OW I agree the budget comes first. I would like to see some Constitutional Amendments on the ballot, partly because some structural reforms would help. Partly because the Shake up Springfield people need some wins. Actually, a revenue increase is more important than a Budget. The day a Budget is signed is the day the Comptroller runs out of cash. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 5:26 pm: - Last Bull Moose - Thanks, and this is on Point as well; ===Partly because the Shake up Springfield people need some wins.=== If Rauner can cobble the doable wins, they can be had, but the term limits and maps aspects are campaign points as well and getting movement now won’t help in the precincts yet. Need more hemmin’ and hawin’ to get it ripe(?) ===Actually, a revenue increase is more important than a Budget.=== That’s where the trust, structured roll calls and NO vetoes will be key. Good points by you. Well said. - Cassandra - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 6:14 pm: I think BC is right. There are many reasons for population decline which cannot be blamed on the state’s politicians. The population could rise, of course. Global warming acceleration will likely affect the coasts first. Having said that, I have a little trouble believing that a 1.25% increase in the personal income tax rate is all that stands between Illinois and happy days again. Especially given Illinois’ history of, er, poor management of funds by both parties. - X-prof - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 6:51 pm: OW, what revenue plan do you see as doable today? That is, one that would address the state’s long-term debt? - Wordslinger - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 7:25 pm: Louis the Lawyer pounds the table, when he can’t pound the evidence. Hope you have enough exclamation points, Louis. It’s all you’re bringing. Louis, why are you amgry when a third party states some rather benign and obvious facts about your home state? Does Rauner cut you off on photos of you and him for your Facebook wall? Is it like a Tiger Beat thing? George Sande, I don’t believe you’ve ever offerered anything here but sneering, shallow misanthropy. And I mean that in a good way — it’s obviously your objective. But why would you think anyone in tne world want what you want? - Timmeh - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 7:32 pm: ==what revenue plan do you see as doable today?== There isn’t one that’s doable today. That’s why we don’t have a budget yet. - Chicago 20 - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 7:34 pm: The longer we go without a budget the greater amount of a tax increase will be needed. Unless of course, the tax increase is retroactive to the beginning of the year. Everyone would like a quick fix to this problem. But quick fixes don’t last long and nothing will happen before the end of this year any way. Rauner still has not submitted the constitutionally required balance budget to the general assembly for their approval. The executive branch must preform their required duties or deal with the consequences. An amendment for a state progressive income tax can pass quickly and early in the 2016 session. By then I would bet that 99% of the State budget appropriations will be decreed by court orders. Unless of course you have a pair of ruby red slippers… - Wordslinger - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 7:43 pm: The laziest and most meaningless word in Illinois political history is “reform.” FKA, identify your “reform, ” what it is supposed to cure and give rhe cost-benefit ratio to the price that is being paid for it right now. You can teach a bird to say “reform.” It doesnt give the bird license to do whatever crazy thing it wants with no plan or concern for consequences. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 7:43 pm: - X-prof -, I’ll leave my response to - RNUG - - RNUG - Monday, Oct 19, 15 @ 8:28 pm: The only things left to do with the pensions are to (a) restructure the debt (longer ramp or borrow the $110B in the markets at lower than the assumed rates of return), (b) probably shift the normal pension cost on the local school districts AND (c) come up with revenue to pay off the debt. Can’t agree more. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Nov 12, 15 @ 7:47 pm: ===There isn’t one that’s doable today. That’s why we don’t have a budget yet.=== No, The Turnaround Agenda is why. There’s been no attempt to talk budget. At all - Grandson of Man - Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 6:48 am: **Illinois had reasonable economic growth even with the 5% rate, says Mr Fabian, who thinks that Illinois’s financial woes are “correctable”. The state’s population is not leaving in droves, Chicago is a handsome city that attracts talent and the economy is in decent shape.** Some have been saying this for a long time, and it’s great to see it from “The Economist.” The professional doomsayers, who’ve mad a lot of money in Illinois and elsewhere, have ulterior motives for dissing the state. At least I hope they do. Who would want to be so successful yet so miserable? - Wordslinger - Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 7:02 am: In just a few reasoned sentences, The Economist swats away reams of ignorant hysterics the triple-threat of the Tribbie edit board, IPI and the governor have been serving up for months. That’s hilarious and sad at the same time. - Louis G. Atsaves - Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 10:28 am: @Wordslinger, I am pleased to discover you love our faultless and perfectly run state to such a degree that you ridicule those of us who would like to see it become better. If you are happy with the current status quo, the gerrymandering, the political gamesmanship, the budget fights, innocents being hurt by both sides, the poor rankings our state has as compared to others, then fine. “All we need is a budget.” That fixes everything? Well, I’m not. And I am not the only one who feels that way. Deal with it. - Oswego Willy - Friday, Nov 13, 15 @ 11:07 am: - Louis G Atsaves -, Why you continue to embarrass yourself with; ===If you are happy with the current status quo, the gerrymandering, the political gamesmanship, the budget fights, innocents being hurt by both sides, the poor rankings our state has as compared to others, then fine.=== Maybe I give you too much credit, maybe all you can BE is a Raunerite, and logic doesn’t work with being a shill. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.