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$700 million human services “bridge” bill surfaces, but there’s a catch
Wednesday, May 11, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller * A new appropriations proposal has been filed. House Amendment 2 to SB 2038 appropriates about $700 million for human service program expenses through the end of the fiscal year, according to the sponsor, Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago). The legislation is scheduled for a committee hearing this afternoon at 1:30. There’s no General Revenue Fund money in this proposal. About $450 million is from the “Commitment to Human Services Fund,” which is a special fund that receives a small chunk of income tax revenues. It’s basically like the dedicated education fund which was tapped for the higher education bridge approp bill. Another $250 million is from various other state and federal funds. * As subscribers remember, the governor’s office has agreed previously to tap this fund for programs, but, also as subscribers know, the Rauner administration wants to use money in the Budget Stabilization Fund (our rainy day fund) to pay vendors in the state’s prison system to keep it from collapsing. This is also being pushed by Downstate lawmakers in both parties. Rauner’s budget office has compiled this list of municipalities and utilities which would benefit if that bill is passed…
Expect the governor’s office to be calling around today to mayors and others to ask them to put some heat on Downstate Dems in order to get this done. * The governor also wants to tap that rainy day fund to stabilize “critical operations” at the Department of Human Services. And here’s their list of municipalities which stand to benefit…
…Adding… From Emily Miller…
…Adding More… From a source involved with the budget working group…
Uh-oh. …Adding Still More… The breakdown of that Department of Corrections stopgap proposal by district…  …More… The bill passed committee unanimously…
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- Formerly Known as Frenchie M - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 12:55 pm:
Okay — so the strategy is to exhaust all the special funds — everything — and *then* the Dems will give in to the anti-union stuff?
I mean, that seems to be where he’s gone. Once the special funds are gone then … what?
This is all just a prologue to the anti-union showdown, I assume. That’s the only item on the TA that Rauner really wants, I suspect.
- RNUG - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 12:55 pm:
Trying to remove the nearest upcoming pressure points.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 12:58 pm:
“Hi, Rich-
Just passing along cities and towns that will benefit working with Gov. Rauner. If there’s one thing we do best, it’s listing towns and using the towns for some reason or another to try to look engaged.
Thanks!
ck”
I’ll be holding out hope Madeupville gets the monies they need through the “Meep-Meep! Move” currently rolled out.
===A wide range of counties, including Johnson and Hardin===
As long as it’s not a short range of counties, measurably speaking, then…
“Thanks!
ow”
- OurMagician - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 12:59 pm:
The can has been kicked so far down the road, no one can see it. The problem is, there is the largest bulldozer Caterpillar has coming back down the road to sweep it up.
- Anon221 - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 1:00 pm:
How many of the munis signed onto the TurnAround?
- Earnest - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 1:02 pm:
I’m in favor of getting out money to where it’s needed. I continue to oppose a piecemeal FY17 budget or a K-12-only FY17 appropriation.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 1:06 pm:
===It is not acceptable as a substitution for a fully funded year long budget. We encourage lawmakers to continue to work toward a long term revenue solution to our budget crisis.===
Emily Miller…
Always, always keeping her eye on the ball.
Thank you.
OW
- Anonymous - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 1:16 pm:
bridges to nowhere
- Chicago_Downstater - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 1:28 pm:
Yes, to Emily Miller’s point. Also not so fantastic that we are tapping yet another Special Fund.
At this point though I just want some Human Services Funding.
As Capitol Fax has reported there’s been a lot of hurting human services programs and the ones that haven’t already cut services or shuttered entire offices are few and far between.
Even those organizations that haven’t cut services yet are really hurting. After all only the very largest and/or luckiest nonprofits have an entire year’s worth of reserves in the bank at any given moment. To cap it all off I’d also bet the banks won’t be handing out anymore loans to cover the operating deficit to these orgs for the remainder of the crisis.
- Tinsel Town - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 1:40 pm:
To use reserves, then what? NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!
DID I SAY NO?
- Norseman - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 1:53 pm:
To the budget working group: If you’re worried about a stopgap blowing things up, work faster. Agencies are dying out there.
- Juice - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 2:00 pm:
(Should someone tell them that Dwight has closed? Not saying there aren’t still expenses with a mothballed facility, but how critical can it be?)
- K - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 2:18 pm:
I find it interesting that the list updated to say Avery Bourne for Taylorville & Graham, but still has Rich Brauer for Lincoln
- PrisonLocation? - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 2:22 pm:
The list also lists Big Muddy in Forby/Bradley.
That would be Luechtefeld/Bryant, as Jefferson County is in the 58th Distict.
- btowntruth - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 2:27 pm:
Just had to save someone from getting their power shut off thanks to the cutbacks in social services due to our “leaders” not getting their act together.
- cdog - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 2:53 pm:
Hopefully somethig bigger is brewing, like a tax swap, and this will buy a little time to prepare for the Grandest of Grand Comprimises.
- illini - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 2:57 pm:
PrisonLocation? - could be wrong, but I thought that Big Muddy was just South of the County Line and in Forbys District.
- Old Shepherd - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 3:05 pm:
==PrisonLocation? - could be wrong, but I thought that Big Muddy was just South of the County Line and in Forbys District.==
It is in Jefferson County–Luechtefeld/Bryant
- Brooks Hatlen - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 3:43 pm:
Most of those towns have Republican Patronage Centers, er I mean prisons. If we dont have the money to keep prisons open, then we need to close them. Just like if we dont have money for universities, they need to close.
- Annonin' - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 4:10 pm:
Could someone direct the mayors to the Vendor Services Initiative —- lot of other BigBrain favs go there
- crazybleedingheart - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 4:13 pm:
== I thought that Big Muddy was just South of the County Line and in Forbys District.==
It is in Jefferson County–Luechtefeld/Bryant==
Yes, Luechtefeld/Bryant
SUPERSTAR!!!!1!
- illini - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 4:24 pm:
My honest mistake.
- crazybleedingheart - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 4:32 pm:
Snark directed at the spreadsheet, not at you, illini, sorry. I assumed it was from the gov’s office.
- Ghost - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 4:38 pm:
since they take the money out of paychecks every payperiod how about tossing in payment of medical bills to the spfld clinic, memorial etc…. they have the money just need soending authority…. or spend what yah have at least
- Mama - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 5:02 pm:
What happened to the funding Rauner wanted to go to the prisons to help bail them out?
- Mama - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 5:05 pm:
It passed the committee but has it been called for a vote in both houses yet?
- Give Me A Break - Wednesday, May 11, 16 @ 7:36 pm:
Mama: It still has to be voted on by the full House, then back to Senate for a concur or non-concur vote on the amended version of the bill.
- wordslinger - Thursday, May 12, 16 @ 7:48 am:
–Why would they move a stopgap now when the budget group is nearing completion? Why blow up that track?
Does this mean they are preparing for no deal? Because all of these funds are basically agreed to in the budget group. And more.–
Even in Illinois, I believe you can only spend that money once. So if this flies, it would seem other revenue would be needed to get an actual budget deal.
- Dirty Red - Thursday, May 12, 16 @ 9:04 am:
= Expect the governor’s office to be calling around today to mayors and others to ask them to put some heat on Downstate Dems in order to get this done. =
That wouldn’t be necessary if the Governor agreed to not use the vote in the fall.