51 Comments - Anon221 - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 1:31 pm: Two Incompletes in two years. Is this the kind of work he turned in at college? Madigan ate my homework is getting very tiresome. - How Ironic - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 1:33 pm: Rauner tells reporters why his budget has almost no cuts and instead “Blamed Madigan” Pretty much sums it up I think. - Anon221 - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 1:35 pm: Two “Incompletes” in two years. Very “collegiate”. The “Madigan ate my homework” line is getting tiresome. - Beaner - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 1:36 pm: Dear Rich, Salmon or Tuna? Thanks! CK - old pol - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 1:37 pm: The answer is simple: a reduction veto can be over ridden by simple majority. Why give Madigan that ability to ignore and reverse the cuts? - Kippax Blue - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 1:40 pm: There is only one governor, partner. - Not Rich - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 1:40 pm: “my wife would kill me if she knew what I wanted to cut” - RNUG - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 1:41 pm: == Because this is a partnership. == Preparing / proposing a Governor’s budget is not a partnership; it is one side laying out their priorites / spending plan. The “partnership” part is when the GA agrees or disagrees with the Governor’s budget. - 47th Ward - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 1:44 pm: It sure looks to me like the budget cuts are a 46 Long, which I think is Rauner’s size. There is no way you can fit the General Assembly into that jacket. - Abe the Babe - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 1:48 pm: This guy. Over a year and still doesn’t understand the job. To all you voters who want to “run government like a business” or want a “anti career politician”… This is what you voted for. Enjoy!! - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 1:50 pm: Governors own, they ALWAYS do… == Because this is a partnership. == Nope. Governors. Governors own their signed budgets and constitutionally mandated proposals. They. Always. Do. How embarrassingly pathetic is a man who lacks, and then blames the process and ownership on others for their own responsibilities. Edgar Ramp, Ryan’s Build Illinois, Quinn Tax.., “The Edgar Budget proposed…” “The Ryan Budget allocated… ” The Blagojevich Budget put aside…” Governors. Governors own the Budget. The budget is the sole documengbthat weighs and measures the actual and honest true “worth” of a Governor’s… wait for it… This is where it gets good… Agenda. Rauner is inept. Lacking the knowledge as to why he’s being asked these questions and lacking any ability to understand what a true governmental agenda is, or seen… through the numbers of a budget? Pathetic. Don’t worry, Kristen McQueary will tell us all that numbers in a budget don’t lie, it’s Madigan, blame him. Governors. Governors own. Not a “new thing”… Governor… Rauner. - JB - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 1:51 pm: When will the people of Illinois start saying “enough is enough” and start demanding leadership from this Governor, This means compromising , Governor This means actually having a dialogue with legislators, Governor - Gruntled University Employee - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 1:54 pm: ==Because this is a partnership. This is something that we’ve gotta do together. There are many ideas on the table of things to cut. The best answer is bipartisan decision-making on that process… Everything we do should be on a bipartisan basis.== And it will be, just as soon as the GA accepts my “Runaround Agenda” and agrees to eliminate collective bargaining. There, fixed it for ya’ Gov. - Earnest - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 1:59 pm: >Rauner is inept. Lacking the knowledge as to why he’s being asked these questions and lacking any ability to understand what a true governmental agenda is, or seen… through the numbers of a budget? Pathetic. I really don’t think he’s inept. I think he’s accomplishing exactly what he set out to do. - old pol - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 2:06 pm: The GA displays no leadership and in fact an abdication of its responsibilities when it votes on and sends a $4b out of balance budget to the Governor and suggests to him he make the necessary cuts alone; especially, when many cuts cant be made due to other involved statutes. This Governor has observed and learned from past abuses by the GA of past Governors. In light of those past abuses, a proposal for shared and bipartisan cutting makes most sense. - Mama - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 2:07 pm: “start demanding leadership from this Governor, This means compromising , Governor This means actually having a dialogue with legislators, Governor” Rauner still thinks like a CEO not a governor. A CEO dictates what he wants others to do. CEOs do not compromise. - burbanite - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 2:07 pm: I wish the GA would just do a budget and send it to him, give him two choices, take this budget and agree to increase taxes or, waive your right to veto a tax increase and/or cuts the GA makes. Of course, there would have to be republican votes on both of the GA proposals. That is fair isn’t it? - Start Over - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 2:12 pm: Try these simple steps: 1. Rauner resigns 2. Madagin (Mike not Lisa) resigns 3. Cullerton resigns 4. Start this whole budget mess again with people who REALLY care. These three guys are a house of cards who, ironically, still draw a timely paycheck. This is not hard. They have just made it selfish!! - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 2:15 pm: - Earnest - Let’s be very clear. Rauber is being inept. “Why?” If Rauner admitted this plan is THE plan, then Rauner would, personally, be ignoring his constitutional duty. Understand what that means. I’m saying Rauner isn’t goid at the job, not ignoring his oath. Are you understanding… now… - burbanite -, Understand why these press questions are important. The governor must invest in his budgets. They are the governor’s responsibility. Going around Rauner isn’t fulfulling by either, the roles described by the constitution. Rauner needs to do his job. It’s that simple. - DuPage Bard - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 2:24 pm: He’s starting to run himself in circles now. http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20160220/ISSUE07/302209989/he-cannot-tell-a-lie - TinyDancer(FKA Sue) - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 2:26 pm: Why does the CPS thing always have to devolve into the “new sheriff” scene from Blazing Saddles? Hold it! The next man makes a move - CPS gets it! Drop it - Or I swear I’ll blow this school system all over this town! Oh, Lody, Lord. He’s desperate! Do what he say! Do what he say! - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 2:27 pm: Oh - old pol -, LOL Governor Rauned has yet to fulfill his obligation to send a budget that is balanced. It’s starts there. The rest is willful ignorance on your part, and ignoring this “year’s” $6.6 Billion, with a B, shortfall proposed by Governor Bruce Rauner. This is the gig Rauner wanted, Rauner is just inept. - Start Over - Hurry back to your dorm room before the pizza gets cold. Yikes. - wordslinger - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 2:30 pm: –The GA displays no leadership and in fact an abdication of its responsibilities when it votes on and sends a $4b out of balance budget to the Governor and suggests to him he make the necessary cuts alone; especially, when many cuts cant be made due to other involved statutes. This Governor has observed and learned from past abuses by the GA of past Governors– Too bad that the governor never learned in school that a $6.2 billion deficit is much larger than a $4 billion deficit. The governor could not have balanced the budget that was sent to him, but he could have used it for the basis of an actual budget agreement, if that was what he wanted. But take the man at his word — that has not been his priority. How many times does he have to say it? The governor has non-budget pre-conditions he wants addressed before he will enter into budget talks. Fiscal responsibility isn’t the name of the game here. There is no provision in the governor’s proposed FY17 budget for reducing a dollar in the projected backlog of bills that will reach as much $12 billion by June 30. That will represent nearly a tripling of the GRF backlog in the governor’s first 18 months in office. And you think he has a problem with deficits? Based on what? - old pol - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 2:33 pm: OW =It starts there.= Given “the start” is the Governor’s introduced budget which can be rejected in whole or in part by the GA makes it’s unnecessary and immaterial. The only “necessary” actions for a budget to become the law of the land is for the GA to pass a balanced budget and the Governor to sign it. You’re emphasis on the (unnecessary) introduced budget is inept. - Norseman - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 2:34 pm: Rauner just can’t give a straight answer. - Earnest - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 2:35 pm: >Understand what that means. I’m saying Rauner isn’t good at the job, not ignoring his oath. I lean more towards ignoring his oath. I won’t be all the way convinced he’s inept until the point he actually tries to govern rather than destroy while pretending to be passive. - old pol - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 2:36 pm: OW Meant to say your emphasis is “misplaced” not “inept”. - RNUG - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 2:39 pm: == The GA displays no leadership and in fact an abdication of its responsibilities when it votes on and sends a $4b out of balance budget to the Governor and suggests to him he make the necessary cuts alone; especially, when many cuts cant be made due to other involved statutes. == Since the Governor didn’t put out a balanced budget, the GA laid out THEIR spending priorities. Since he doesn’t like that one, the Governor needs to put up SPECIFIC bills to change those statutes and get the 60 / 30 needed. Or the Governor needs to call for increased revenue, name where he wants it to come from, and round up his (R) share of votes to pass the increased taxes. Rauner needs to lead in a direction 60 / 30 legistlators are WILLING to follow. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 2:43 pm: So - old pol -, Rauner isn’t fulfillinv his duties as described by the constitution, by not presenting a balanced budget? I’m being polite by calling it inept. You do understabd that, right? I think you want me to call Rauner inept. You should too. Rauner is responsible for Article VIII, Section 2, (a)… and balanced. You can read, right? - RNUG - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 2:44 pm: The biggest problem, which NEITHER side wants to publically admit, is the NEED for more revenue … and the fact neither side wants to take the blame for the needed tax increased. - There is power in a union... - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 2:44 pm: Inept? The governor didn’t trip and fall and spill the budget all over the floor. (That would be sues job…) /s No. I posit that this is a cold and calculated plan by the governor to “not govern” in order to leverage controlled chaos for an agenda. The word inept seems to let him off the hook. Or at least make him seem less malicious than I believe he is. Just the way I see it. With respect. - Independent retiree/lawyer/journalist - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 2:44 pm: — Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner said on Monday the state has the power to block any debt offerings by financially distressed school districts, including the cash-strapped Chicago Public Schools (CPS), which has been dependent on borrowing to fund operations.— Empty threat. In the first instance, doesn’t serve him politically to thwart an albeit partial solution. Second, imagine the fallout and CPS’ ability to then lay it all at his feet. Not happenin’ - Ferris Wheel - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 2:47 pm: I get that no one wants to be the bad guy and propose cuts/takes that people would disapprove of. However at this point, something is better than nothing. The people are angry regardless. If someone - ANYONE - would propose a budget that even attempted balance, it would be a step in the right direction. The legislature continuing to pass spending bills that aren’t paid for which are going to get vetoed, and the governor continuing to propose unbalanced budgets has officially gotten old. You’ve made your point. Now let’s get something done. - 47th Ward - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 2:47 pm: “I ran out of gas. I… I had a flat tire. I didn’t have enough money for cab fare. My tux didn’t come back from the cleaners. An old friend came in from out of town. Someone stole my car. There was an earthquake. A terrible flood. Locusts! IT WASN’T MY FAULT, I SWEAR TO GOD!” Hey, why not? It worked for Jake, it might work for Bruce. Plus, it’s got to be better than telling the truth. Amiright? - Beaner - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 2:49 pm: Fake Governor Rauner: “Cuts were left out of the Budget because they did not poll well. I am currently underwater on the approval thingy, so my Wine Club buddies, er, political advisors told me to leave them cuts out.” - Earnest - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 2:54 pm: >No. I posit that this is a cold and calculated plan by the governor to “not govern” in order to leverage controlled chaos for an agenda. The word inept seems to let him off the hook. Or at least make him seem less malicious than I believe he is. Agreed, and much better phrased than I managed. - zatoichi - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 2:59 pm: So what would be the reaction if Rauner says OK. You want that $1 per hour for direct services providers (DSP)in human services. Cover those CPS increases and a general increase for k-12 education statewide. Make the state pension and health insurance payments. Make good on MAP grants. Cover retired state employees. Come to agreement with AFSCME. Provide the local govenment share. Move people from state institutions. Expand the prison system. Cut the back log of bills. That’s what you want, right? It will need at least $44B in revenue per year and personal income tax at 7% for at least 5 years while corporate tax stays where it is. Here is a balanced budget. Who starts screaming first? What do you mean not good? Please say what goes. Put up or shut up. - Todd - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 2:59 pm: so what if he just proposed a budget that was about 4 pages, balances of state funds, proposed revenues, proposed expendatures, by agency. No line by line 500 page doc? - Cheswick - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:00 pm: I just talked to an older lady who is blind and relatively independent, but had a home health aid come to administer her medication and insulin. The home health aid stopped coming because of Rauner’s failure to budget. So, a relative volunteered to come give her the shots. Nice, right? While the relative was there, the relative helped herself to the lady’s checkbook and cleaned her out. Sorry that this doesn’t really belong here, but I’m pretty upset right now. - Judgment Day (On The Road) - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:03 pm: “Why does the CPS thing always have to devolve into the “new sheriff” scene from Blazing Saddles?” —————— Actually, what Rauner is doing is likely a pretty smart move from a money standpoint, if you look at the story behind the story. Here’s the link which gives the basis for why it’s a smart move: https://medium.com/@munilass/chicago-public-schools-and-antisocial-behavior-in-the-capital-markets-3dea9a83ec03#.od6a3e23f IMO, Here’s the ‘money’ observation in the above article: “Third, Rauner leaving state aid an open question creates moral hazard on a large scale. CPS is not the only financially challenged governmental entity in Illinois. There are many cities and taxing districts with major structural problems. And, not to point out the obvious, the state has funding problems of its own.” Those ‘moral hazard’ considerations in a money deal can become a really dangerous area to address -IF- things go bad with financing deals. And CPS is a really risky deal. Btw, Rauner doesn’t have to do anything to choke off CPS borrowing. If you weren’t paying attention this weekend, a financing report got released on what are called CLO (Collateralized Loan Obligations). Link is: http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-02-21/next-shoe-just-dropped-equity-navs-348-clos-slide-below-zero-market-changed-dramatic Short Take: The people making loads/bonds are starting to run from providing financing to the ‘wounded ducks’. And that sums up CPS….. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:09 pm: Ugh. Read what I write, exactly as I write it. Rauner is inept at getting a budget. Saying that this is purposeful and by that a purposeful damaging of the state by not proposing, as constitutionslly required a balanced budget, Rauner is not following his oath. Do you understand? Do you comprehend what I am conveying? Read what I typed. Read. It. - Blue dog dem - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:22 pm: I really wonder if anything can fix the problems with our state. Here is why I ask. In the county were my son lives, Monroe(a very affluent downstate county), the county schools are asking for an additional 1% sales tax in the upcoming primary. The property tax rates have been established to reflect a nearly 5% increase. We all know that sooner, rather than later, income taxes will be increased. It appears we may headed to sales taxes on certain services. If I remember correctly, our population has actually decreased statewide by 20k. Then last week I read that Vallerie Jarrett, in her 8 years at CTA , paid in a whopping $11,000 into her retirement, and pulls out $38k/yr . I go to bed at night wondering if there is any fixing the financial condition of our great state. I know these are kind of random thoughts, not necessarily related, but it seems to old blue dog that it may be time to wave the white flag. - There is power in a union... - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:24 pm: I did read it. Is it ineptness if it is on purpose? Sorry if I’m having trouble following your doublespeak. You are normally much more direct. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 3:39 pm: ===You are normally much more direct.=== There’s probsbly a real good reason I’m not as direct, and it’s probably not done accidently. The constitution requires a governor to submit a balanced budget. Rauner’s newest attempt at a budget is $6.6 Billion out of what, and also requiring revenue abd submitting no cuts or avenues of cuts to get the $6.6 billion to balance. “The constitution requires a governor to submit a balanced budget.” I’m saying… Rauner is inept. Very specifically. Governors take an oath to uphold the both constitutions, and that includes the state constitution… The rest you need to connect dots to what I’m saying and what I will NOT say. - Get real guys - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:12 pm: I am not a Madagin/Cullerton supporter by any stretch of the imagination. BUT…..I made a HUGE mistake with Rauner. This whole trio needs to GO! As bad as the thinking of all of you is on this the Governor is WAY over his head on a lot of things including this “I want to be the Governor” thing. We owe to ourselves (who ever voted for these three (3) guys) for the mess we are in now. If you don’t agree go outside and bury your head in the sand. P.S. Don’t cry……..someone has to say it!! - Wensicia - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:21 pm: Rauner not only refuses to govern, I don’t think he has a clue on how. What he’s doing to this state has nothing to do with his constitutional responsibilities, and he doesn’t care. - An Old Saying - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:29 pm: I agree (100 per cent) with the post from Wensica. One has to remember an old saying. “There are people out there (Governors, Speakers of the House, Senate Presidents, etc.) who don’t know the difference between sh– and page nine.” We, in Illinois, unfortunately have three of them! - Now the BAD news! - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 4:52 pm: All of us knuckleheads, except me (I learned my lesson) who voted for Rauner will probably vote for Trump. OMG! Get both these guys in office (I am not one bit assumed with the Billionaire club or their staff/followers ) and the United States will be in an ever greater MESS than the Land of Lincoln. Wake up, folks!! We can not make the same mistake twice. - Molly Maguire - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 5:39 pm: O.W. I think I got it! - wordslinger - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 6:29 pm: –so what if he just proposed a budget that was about 4 pages, balances of state funds, proposed revenues, proposed expendatures, by agency. No line by line 500 page doc? – I don’t understand the question. What difference would that make? The arithmetic doesn’t change. - Chicago 20 - Monday, Feb 22, 16 @ 10:09 pm: Rauner has no move. He cannot cut spending to equal the revenues, and Rauner cannot own a tax increase. Rauner is fixated on this entrenched aspect that he is undermining the State economy and the welfare of its citizens. Rauner IS Captain Queeg on the bridge of the Caine during the typhoon. It’s time for Exec Maryk to assume command. Enough of this nonsense. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.