40 Comments - 360 Degree TurnAround - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 10:59 am: Anyone who attended or listened to these meetings know they were a sham. Lt Gov couldn’t operate a meeting properly. Who takes testimony after a vote is taken? - Abe the Babe - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 11:04 am: Be careful when offered coffee in the Gov office waiting room. Im told it has anti-union sugar and cream laced in it. Sheesh. they are like a dog with a bone. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 11:05 am: Unless Gov. Rauner can get 60/30 (now that it’s 2016), this is just another example of Rauner demanding Unions lose at all costs, by any means, with every tool available. Attention Trade Unions, this is a frontal assault on you, make no mistake. If you, all Unions, can’t convince your membership to not vote against their better selves, you will lose to Rauner. Believe it. - Try-4-Truth - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 11:07 am: Color me not surprised. Can we get some non-union accountants to write a state budget Governor? I don’t care if they’re union or not, just write it, submit it, and pass it. This is getting old. - Facts are Stubborn Things - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 11:12 am: Rauner wants to bust the unions, but may need to rap it up in pretty paper and bow to make it look better. He wants to get the camels nose under the tent because he knows he can not just push the tent over. - @MisterJayEm - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 11:15 am: there will be no help for Chicago until the mayor flips on the unions “You never let a serious crisis go to waste.” — Rahm Emanuel. – MrJM - Just saying... - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 11:20 am: Next…DEMS expose EVERY business tax loophole along with the associated loss of revenue to taxpayers…let’s get this class warfare underway for real. You want to shake up Springfield Rauner? Then put your pals on the hit list too. - Norseman - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 11:23 am: Sigh! This could have been a positive for Rauner. He’s now tarnished a legitimate need for consolidation with his poison pills. - Lucky Pierre - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 11:35 am: Does anyone have any ideas how Chicago can solve its budget mess with the city and CPS without some serious reforms to how it does business with its union labor force? Tax increases have already passed at both the city and county level. Where is the reform of spending? - walker - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 11:37 am: The report is worth reviewing. It’s very broad in scope, and even included meeting minutes. What is clear is that the specific goal of government consolidation was overwhelmed by two other considerations — reducing unfunded mandates, and changes in pensions/RTW/union powers. If you take those two big areas out of the list of proposals made, about 20% of the report is worthwhile as routes to consolidation. One might be able to make a case that without mandate relief, no local political control will be amenable to change. One might also be able to say that labor-relate changes would also help reduce local costs and obviate the need for further consolidation. It is hard to maintain, however, that we cannot consider government consolidation, without reducing mandates or labor powers and costs. Let’s return the focus to government consolidation without muddying the waters. - Tone - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 12:01 pm: The census recently announced for the 2nd year in a row, that Illinois is losing population. Something needs to change. Limiting public employee union power would be a great way to start. - Huh? - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 12:07 pm: Move along, this isn’t newsworthy. It was to be expected. - RNUG - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 12:14 pm: Although I think I was the first to use the ‘poison pill’ term last year and it’s an accurate shorthand description, I’m beginning to cringe every time I hear it. You would think, by now, that Rauner would have learned his ‘poison pill’ approach doesn’t work. The continued use of it tells me Rauner is driven by (pathological?) idealogy rather than practical logic. Which means the only ways we see a resolution to this mess is the Legislature, including those bought and paid for by Rauner, decide to totally bypass him with veto-proof votes OR the GA finds a way to remove Rauner OR Rauner gains enough seats in the November 2016 election to achieve his goals. Realistically, I don’t see a solution until January 2017. - Cable Line Beer Gardener - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 12:18 pm: 11 months working on this report and the brain trust thinks consolidation should be by referendum? - Mason born - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 12:34 pm: This admin is seeming more and more like either don Quixote or Captain Ahab depending on the level of malice u give the gov. Either he’s a confused old man jousting at windmills believing he is saving the villagers or he’s a maniac ship captain willing to sacrifice his ship and crew to kill one white whale. Regardless of which you prefer this doesn’t bode well. - Bill White - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 1:02 pm: @Cable Line Illinois school districts are free to consolidate, with a referendum, under current law. 105 ILCS 5/11E - Conversion and Formation of School Districts - From the 'Dale to HP - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 1:06 pm: “This will be the month the Democrats cave.” - Bruce Rauner. For the 13th month in a row. - steve schnorf - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 1:19 pm: Tone, can you say “Non Sequitur”? - VanillaMan - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 1:22 pm: Rauner’s “turnaround” only permits right turns, so any opportunities with a left turn, no turn or a fast ramp for speed, is blown up. Golden opportunities can fall upon this governor’s lap and he wouldn’t know how to use them to save his, and our, lives. This isn’t a turnaround folks, this is a man spinning dizzily in place and causing us all to get sick watching him. - Anonymous - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 1:58 pm: –Next…DEMS expose EVERY business tax loophole along with the associated loss of revenue to taxpayers…let’s get this class warfare underway for real. You want to shake up Springfield Rauner? Then put your pals on the hit list too.– Now you’re talking Just Saying! How about those EDGE tax deals? What say DCEO? Gonna pony up what you’ve been do’in? - Triple fat - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 2:05 pm: Who is going to write the language requiring construction contractors to pass on any savings made at the expense of the workers and craftsmen. I doubt very much that any cost benefit received by contractors will ever trickle down to the taxpayers. - wordslinger - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 2:09 pm: How many legislators does the governor think Emanuel can flip? Where did he get the idea that Emanuel has any independent influence in the General Assembly? For crying out loud, Chicago legislators are tripping over themselves pushing a recall bill. It’s just weird. And it’s trippy to hear a governor of Illinois openly threaten to allow Chicago public schools to shut down in service of a reactionary agenda designed to lower take-home pay of working citizens. Dude, what is your problem? - Honeybear - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 2:10 pm: Sorry the anonymous at 1:58 was me. - Blue dog dem - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 2:48 pm: Does anyone out there have any costs associated with the development of this report? - Anon2U - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 2:51 pm: Chicago is about to implode. Starting with CPS. The state is right behind Chicago. Some will say it is irresponsible and bad governing to let it happen. One person in particular will say the governor will “own” the mess created by the implosion. The reality of it is this: Decades of horrible policy, corruption and mismanagement are the cause. The only lasting fix is reform. Throwing $$$ at it will do nothing more that accelerate the downward spiral and increase the velocity of people departing Illinois. Hard reality to face but it’s time we do so. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 2:56 pm: ===One person in particular will say the governor will “own” the mess created by the implosion.=== Former Gov. Jim Edgar? Probably. - Anon2U - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 3:03 pm: Like trying to sneak the sun past a rooster… Happy new year OW! - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 3:06 pm: - Anon2U - Happy New Year to you as well. Have a great 2016 - Wensicia - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 3:17 pm: I think Rauner wants to see CTU go on strike. He’ll benefit from the negative backlash towards unions in the upcoming elections, so why would he bail out CPS? - Boss Tweed - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 3:27 pm: ==How many legislators does the governor think Emanuel can flip?== How many does he think Mr. Fish-Wrapped-In-Newspaper will even TRY to flip after he publicly backed a recall bill? - Triple fat - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 3:27 pm: Redistributing income from workers doesn’t benefit CPS, Chicago, or Illinois. It benefits construction contractors. By the way, I ain’t buying it that Illinois is unfriendly to business. Our legislature and past Governors have doled out plenty of corporate welfare. Just not enough to satisfy the beasts. And by the way… Properly funding programs does solve a great deal of the problems. You really don’t need to throw it. That would be a totally inefficient way to distribute funding and investment. - Huh? - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 3:32 pm: “I think Rauner wants to see CTU go on strike. He’ll benefit from the negative backlash towards unions in the upcoming elections, so why would he bail out CPS?” I have heard NPR news reports that rauner and AFSCME are preparing for a strike in the event that negotiations fail. - Twice baked - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 4:15 pm: Most appropriate literary references, ever: - Mason born - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 12:34 pm: Well done! - Grandson of Man - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 4:31 pm: “I have heard NPR news reports that rauner and AFSCME are preparing for a strike in the event that negotiations fail.” I believe it was stupid for legislators to not override Rauner’s SB 1229 veto. A decent governor and legislators would lessen the burden on a beleaguered state and find a way to get a peaceful contract resolution. The union was willing to risk not striking, for the good of the state and for the taxpayers and recipients of state services and benefits. Here’s something to think about also: What happens if unions are stripped and wages and benefits are pushed down, and people still leave the state? People can earn the same lower wages and benefits someplace with warmer weather. - thoughts matter - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 7:21 pm: I thought this commission was tasked with finding ways to consolidate and reduce the number of government entities - what does right to work, outsourcing, bashing pensions, eliminating physical education have to do with that? About as much as holding the budget hostage for the same issues. I don’t have a problem with consolidating schools, township, municipalities, and sharing services between townships, cities, villages, and counties. Can we please just stick to what the intended purpose of the committee was? - Southern Illinois Hoopdee - Monday, Jan 4, 16 @ 8:26 pm: The Democratic party has no reason to cave, when there is no reason to do so. What carrots have been offered? None that I see. - Dupage Bard - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 12:44 am: Saw the Gov’s press conference. To the public=”Hold up your property tax bill, look at all those lines, if we get rid of some we will save billions in your hard earned money.” Almost 75% of a property tax bill is based on schools. Soon the Gov will have his agenda, private industry for everything- police, fire, teachers etc. If you can afford it you can get it, if not oh well. - Triple fat - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 8:54 am: DB, You are spot on. GTCR owns for profit universities, it haspartnership and joint venture relationships with health Care Partners, Select Medical, Health Management Systems… It won’t suprise me if the Feds uncover a financial connection (other than the Chicago Public Education Fund) between GTCR and SUPES… His being Governor is an exercise in sales building. - Triple fat - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 9:01 am: Oh and they have companies providing Correctonal Industry services, as well. Gosh Governor, you sure seem to have made a fortune dining at various Governmental troughs. - Grandson of Man - Tuesday, Jan 5, 16 @ 9:20 am: I saw Rauner’s video clips last night on “Chicago Tonight,” talkin’ about looking at our property tax bills and pensions. His former firm managed or manages millions if not billions of dollars in pensions. Why isn’t Rauner askef about this by the so-called MSM? Andy Shaw had a video clip on the show last night, and he was saying that money could be better spent on education rather than salaries for certain school administrators. Why doesn’t good government Andy call Rauner out for his hypocrisy? “Governor Rauner, if pensions damaged taxpayers and the state, as you say, why has your firm managed them?” “How much public pension business has your firm done, Governor?” “Governor, how much money have you personally made from managing public pensions?” Will anybody ask him these types of questions? Anybody? Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.