41 Comments - Very fed up - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 12:22 pm: Its curious to hear Madigan discuss the 1% when he works so diligently in his day job helping our states wealthiest property owners reduce their tax burden. - The Way I See It - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 12:30 pm: Not sure about the maps, but Brown is completely right about term limits - walker - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 12:32 pm: Not the best logic from Brown. Is he saying that Dem partisan mapping serves to reduce the impact of big money in politics? Tangled up in talking points. - Fusion - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 12:33 pm: I’m no Rauner fan, but it’s definitely time to figure out a new way to draw legislative districts. In too many districts (congressional, state house, and state senate) across the country, the lines are drawn to be too “safe” for one party or the other. This causes Democrats to only worry about their left flank and Republicans to only worry about their right flank come primary season. Being a centrist willing to compromise with those across the aisle is frowned upon - to the detriment of everyone. I admit I’m painting with a broad brush, and certainly there are exceptions. But if there were more districts in play, at the state and national levels, we might see less gridlock and an elevated, more reasonable discourse on the issues we are currently facing. - Just Me - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 12:41 pm: Very Fed Up has a great point. If Madigan really wants to talk about the 1% and how evil they are, I have some questions about property tax appeals for businesses. - Hamlet's Ghost - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 12:44 pm: The Fair Maps amendment is a good idea and I support it but it will be insufficient to solve the underlying problem. A better solution for General Assembly gerrymandering is multi-member districts and ranked voting. In other words, repeal the Cut-Back Amendment. Moving IL House and IL Senate primaries to the summer would help as well. Today, IL House mushrooms face an 18 month election cycle for a 24 month gig. Get sworn in in January and by August of the same year signature teams need to be organized to hit the ground running in early September. - Illinois Needs a Turnaround - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 12:45 pm: – “There of course is a concern that this is really a precursor to doing away with the unionized state employees,” said Democratic Rep. Lou Lang of Skokie, a top deputy to House Speaker Michael Madigan. “The governor has spent a good deal of time aggressively going after, even attacking, public-sector labor unions.”– As he should be trying to do. That’s exactly the kind of thing we elected him to do in order to save this state from financial ruin. - Huh? - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 12:52 pm: Don’t feed the troll. - Almost the Weekend - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 12:56 pm: I look forward to Madigan and PQ being the guest speakers at the AFSCME rally this month in Springfield. That’s what I call a full turnaround agenda. - Last Bull Moose - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 12:57 pm: I support multi-member districts. Best way to move parties to the middle. - Annonin' - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 12:59 pm: Loved seein’ a Wall Street reform banker and the total reformer from the Tribune pushin’ the amendment. That should make all understand they been co-opted. BTW to date no one has offered a vision of what this new process will produce. perhaps someone could ’splain. - Honeybear - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 1:04 pm: To the privatization article, I have to say that many instances privatization does not work out. It many times turns out to be a debacle. (But not always, many social services have turned to private social service agencies to service a huge need) Look at the parking meter stuff in Chicago. Or frankly look at the ILBEDC. They keep calling it a non-for-profit. Ummm they aren’t. Look at the website. It say’s they filed for it but have not received it yet. In googling 501c3 status and Economic Development Corporations, I don’t see how they will ever qualify for it. I don’t know if pulling these stunts benefits the 1% but I do know that many times privatization causes immense problems and expense downstream. And I don’t care which party tries it. It comes from both sides and the people end up paying the cost. - Just Observing - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 1:04 pm: I don’t begrudge Madigan for his property assessment appeal work — property owners are entitled to a review, and in commercial appeals, like Madigan primarily does, there is a lot of factors that contribute to the assessed value that might not be readily available/apparent to the assessor, like vacancy rates, property expenses, income, etc. Although that said, this business has certainly made Madigan enough money to put him in the one percent himself. - Skirmisher - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 1:17 pm: If the governor (any governor, not just this one) can provide equal or better services to the taxpayers by privatization, then that is exactly his duty. A governor’s priority is to provide the best public service at the least cost, not protect jobs for public sector unions. That has no place at all in governance, or shouldn’t. - Anonymous - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 1:22 pm: Just Observing makes a good point. Almost assuredly Madigan is in the 1% club. Not in the same league as Rauner but still a very wealthy individual. I call on Madigan to release his tax returns to show the public his income and sources of such. Won’t happen but should. - ANONIME - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 1:36 pm: Privatization for the sake of giving your buddies a cash cow at the taxpayers (yes state employees are taxpayers too) expense is not good for the state. - Honeybear - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 1:38 pm: -A governor’s priority is to provide the best public service at the least cost- Unfortunately I have seen, with the exception of social services, the privatization ends up costing the state a tremendous amount more than it would have. Not to even mention the usage of outside consultants. My friend over at DCEO said that they used to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on consultants to study issues or do analysis when it could have been done “in house”, so to speak for a fraction of that. Now, he said, a lot of those consultants are screaming bloody murder because they haven’t been paid for work done. AND the in house people have moved on to the private sector or other agencies. Bottom line is that work isn’t being done BY ANYONE! - Del Clinkton - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 1:39 pm: Privatization. You must the mean the Elitist 1% who are making millions off the parking meters. How much stock does Bruce own in *charter schools*? No thanx. - RNUG - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 1:41 pm: == A governor’s priority is to provide the best public service at the least cost, … == And based on my 35+ years at the state, outsourcing usually cost more over the length of the contract than using State employees to do the work (often the first year is a loss leader to get the contract). By the time the middle man takes his cut and pays the kickbacks in the form of campaign contributions, it always costs more. As near as I can tell, one of Rauner’s goals is to outsource a lot of the state functions to companies owned by his 1.4% friends … including gutting public education in favor of for profit charter schools. - Lucky Pierre - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 1:47 pm: Do you begrudge the fact that the Cook County Assessor is a a Madigan ally? Anyone see a conflict of interest? - Ahoy! - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 1:48 pm: The Madigan/Brown spin team has gotten odd. I think Rauner has affect them and gotten into their head, that or they are just loosing their moxie. - Old and In the Way - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 2:13 pm: Madigan is certainly a rich man but not in comparison to the truly rich in Illinois. Illinois still ranks third among sates with 66 billionaires, yes, more than Texas or Florida. We rank third behind New York an Texas according to Forbes. To give you an idea of the scale of wealth in the state, Bruce Rauner is not among the 150 richest men in Illinois according to Forbes! If this doesn’t give you a clue about the flat vs progressive income tax issue then I can’t help you! - Old and In the Way - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 2:14 pm: Sorry damn phone….New York and California are 1 and 2. - Very fed up - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 2:20 pm: Old and in the way- do you think anyone has been in a better position over the last 40 years to get a progressive income tax other than Madigan? If so who? Its no mistake we have a low flat tax when the longterm millionaire speaker of the house makes his livelyhood serving 1%ers. - Beaner - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 2:43 pm: “I asked how term limits or a new way to draw legislative districts would make anybody money.” What is the fiscal impact of term limits in 2028-2030 on FY16, FY17, FY18 or FY19? Zero: okay. What is the impact of redistricting for races legislative races in 2022 have on the Budget in FY16? FY17, FY18 or FY19? Zero again! Where is Hot Checks Rauner’s Revenue plan? No balanced budget plan? Then you are planning on being an EPIC Failure. Rauner fails Illinois. - Robert the 1st - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 2:45 pm: =A governor’s priority is to provide the best public service at the least cost, not protect jobs for public sector unions.= Maybe in functional states. IL is a government of the government, by the government, and for the government. - Tone - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 2:48 pm: - Robert the 1st - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 2:45 pm: =A governor’s priority is to provide the best public service at the least cost, not protect jobs for public sector unions.= Maybe in functional states. IL is a government of the government, by the government, and for the government. Yep. Those fools in the GA can’t find a thing to cut. Here’s a nice little idea. No increase in spending next year. 0% increase in spending. Tax revenues are increasing as the economy continues to improve. The extra can pay the back log of bills. - Old and In the Way - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:00 pm: Robert the 1st Illinois is a government of the rich, by the rich and for the rich. There fixed it for you! Unless of course you are one of the 66 billionaires or 230,000 millionaires in Illinois. Yes, over 230,000 millionaires and we added 23 more just last year! So much for out migration. Only the poor seem to be leaving, what does that say? - Honeybear - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:19 pm: Robert and Tone, you made my afternoon! Oh my God I laughed so hard! - Old and In the Way - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:25 pm: Robert and Tone I’m always amazed at those who never bother to either read the budget or understand it and then make pronouncements about it and how to fix it. We’ve tried cutting the state budget for the last six years! As Yogi would say, “You can look it up!” The number of state workers is down substantially as is the state budget. In 2010 Pat Quinn, not my favorite, cut the budget by over $1B ($1.4B) and it had no major impact. The problem is revenue. We have a structural deficit. Funding for higher education has declined almost 30% over this period as well. There simply is little left to cut and certainly not enough to dig us out of the $8B hole Rauner is digging! By the way he is allowing higher spending because he refuses to enact a budget and most state expenditures are now the result of court orders and consent decrees based on 2014 funding levels. You remember, back when we were paying down our bills and taxing the rich at 5%! If you are a fiscal conservative, versus a fiscal idiot, then Rauner is not your man. Sorry. - Robert the 1st - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 3:35 pm: When did I say anything about cuts? =The number of state workers is down substantially as is the state budget.= We could afford more state employees if we compensated them more like surrounding states. =taxing the rich at 5%!= Oh good, me, my family, and every working person I know in IL is rich. Glad to hear it. - JB13 - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 4:26 pm: You don’t understand! If Rauner gets remap or term limits, the evil rich people will “PROP UP CANDIDATES!” Can you imagine that? In Illinois!? Not on Madigan’s watch! - Demoralized - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 4:55 pm: ==Tax revenues are increasing == Math wasn’t your strong suit was it. Last I looked Illinois state tax receipts declined quite a bit when the rate went from 5% to 3.5%. == The extra can pay the back log of bills.== Sometimes I wonder if you even think before you speak or if you just throw everything at the wall and see what nonsense sticks. == Those fools in the GA can’t find a thing to cut.== I can guide you through the budget for the past few years and show you otherwise. Hey, if you’re happy with the budget as it is now - universities being decimated, social service agencies closing left and right, people losing their jobs left and right because of those closings - then the current budget situation is for you. Of course I’d question your character and morality if you thought this. - Old and In the Way - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 5:05 pm: Remap and term limits are two very different things with very different outcomes. It would be hard to argue that we don’t need to change the way we reapportion the state every ten years. It’s just too partisan. Term limits are a whole other matter. I’ve worked in states with term limits and frankly it doesn’t work out for the taxpayer. What you end up with is a bunch of bungling idiots who have no idea how to do anything. On the end the staffers run things and folks you don’t get to vote on them ever! The worst I’ve seen is in Louisiana where the legislators ne ear knew anything g beyond what their staff and the lobbyists told them. Get a clue. We have term limits every election. If you want to fix something try fixing Illinois’s joke of a campaign finance law. Take away Rauner and Madigan’s financial levers and you’ll get rid of a lot of dead weight incumbents. - Odysseus - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 7:41 pm: “Being a centrist willing to compromise with those across the aisle is frowned upon - to the detriment of everyone.” Bipartisanship and centrism are not natively good. You have to actually compromise on *good* policy, not bad policy. Start by figuring out what good policy is. Then find the legislators to support it. - cannon649 - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 9:27 pm: Term Limits - as quickly as possible - with or without the remap. Considering the mess this state is in and failure at all levels to get near a solution it should a much easier sell. I do agree that we get a chance every election remove these officials but the machine are very strong. They built their careers on these positions. - Formerly Known As... - Monday, May 2, 16 @ 11:01 pm: ===All they do is they stuff more money in the pockets of the 1-percenters=== Takes a 1-percenter to know a 1-percenter, right Mr Madigan? - Last Bull Moose - Tuesday, May 3, 16 @ 6:44 am: Much of the State work is already privatized. Services are contracted out. - Late to the Party - Tuesday, May 3, 16 @ 7:25 am: I support the Independent Map proposal. I firmly believe the purpose of the proposed amendment brought up in the legislature is to confuse the issue. The legislature wants nothing to change. - Late to the party - Tuesday, May 3, 16 @ 7:27 am: Last Bull Moose is correct. More and more work is being contracted out. Eventually, the only employees of the State will be those over seeing the contracts. - Tori Brey - Friday, May 6, 16 @ 2:20 am: Useful suggestions , I am thankful for the facts , Does anyone know where my assistant could possibly find a template form copy to fill in ? Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.