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This just in… Madigan on Rauner budget stopgap: “This is not something that’s going to happen today”
Tuesday, May 31, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller * 10:42 am - House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton told reporters after the leaders meeting that they had talked with the governor about his new stopgap budget proposal. But Madigan said he “made it clear” to Rauner that while the budgeteers would work on the proposal, “this is not something that’s going to happen today.” Word from inside is that Madigan only wanted to talk about a stopgap for this fiscal year, not next. * Cullerton said that the governor’s proposal to increase K-12 funding by another $100 million, which would hold CPS harmless, was “inadequate” and would have to be negotiated. “I expect the news will evolve over the day,” Madigan’s spokesman said as he ended the presser. This post will be updated. * 10:57 am - After saying last week that Senate President Cullerton’s idea for a stopgap amounted to “pulling the plug” on negotiations, the two Republican leaders said today that not passing their own stopgap proposal would prevent schools from opening and create a serious crisis. Leader Radogno said that the Democrats’ refusal to pass a stopgap bill meant they were saying no to “minimal stability to this state.” Leader Durkin said there was plenty of time remaining to pass something, pointing to the hurried approval of the long-ago White Sox stadium bill. Durkin also pointed out that passing the bill today, rather than waiting until later, would make it “easier” to get it done because it would only require simple majorities. “They don’t care if the universities close, they don’t care if the schools close… it’s all about politics,” Radogno said of the Democrats. And Durkin called on rank and file members to “force their leaders” to pass something today. * Look, they’re not wrong here. An agreed bill is always preferable and there’s plenty of time to do this. It would also be much easier to pass this stopgap bill in the Senate than Madigan’s because rank and file Senate Democrats aren’t happy about Madigan’s proposal. But, man, their overreaction to Cullerton’s proposal last week is gonna bite them hard. The budget director was trotted out last week to emphatically say he could not support a stopgap, but now he says he wants one and actually created his own. And then they leaked it to the media before handing it to the Democratic leaders. (And, yes, the House Democrats ran their own budget bill last week without talking to the governor first. Not good, either. Two wrongs, however, don’t make a right. Let’s get off the war footing for the rest of the day, shall we?) * 11:07 am - The Illinois Republican Party is already out with a statement…
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- Honeybear - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 10:46 am:
Gotterdammerung
- Norseman - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 10:51 am:
More pepper for the soup.
- an independent - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 10:52 am:
Of which Gods do you speak, Honeybear. BTW, did you know that a rauner is a slang term for a gossiper in the Deutsch?. Just saying
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 10:53 am:
===Cullerton said that the governor’s proposal to increase K-12 funding by another $100 million, which would hold CPS harmless, was “inadequate” and would have to be negotiated.===
The Governor’s plan is just as unfunded as the HDem plan. So if you’re going to vote for an unfunded education budget, why wouldn’t you vote for the one that gives CPS a LOT more money?
- SAP - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 10:56 am:
Should not be a surprise. There is not much urgency to do a stopgap until the process with the budget bill that the House already passed plays itself out. If the Senate passes it and the GA cannot override the Governor’s veto, they can consider a stopgap.
- Wallinger Dickus - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 10:57 am:
Welcome to the majors, Mr. Hobbs.
- Honeybear - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 10:58 am:
an independent, just general collapse as opposed to an allusion to Wagners Ring or Norse myth. Although I’ve always said Rauner has wanted to bring about Ragnarok. Thanks for the tip on gossiper. I took three years of German in high school.
Definition of Götterdämmerung
1
: a collapse (as of a society or regime) marked by catastrophic violence and disorder; broadly : downfall
- Illinois Bob - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 10:58 am:
So Cullerton wants to increase school spending while basic needs aren’t being met, and the state doesn’t have revenue to address it’s current excessive obligations let alone increased funding.
Mr Cullerton, if you want to find out why Illinois government is a financial trainwreck, just look into the mirror
- RNUG - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 10:59 am:
== Word from inside is that Madigan only wanted to talk about a stopgap for this fiscal year, not next. ==
I’m actually with Madigan on this one. Solve FY16 first, then try to agree on FY17.
- Formerly Known as Frenchie M - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:02 am:
Monique Garcia: “… Dems trying to wait out Rauner term.”
LOL.
Rauner is trying to wait out Rauner term. He’s been waiting it out since the phoney election night phone call to Madigan.
When a charade calls a charade a charade you know the charader is the one charading.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:05 am:
The dems need to pass a budget with k-12 funding (house plan for example) and force rauner to veto it and then not override. This will finally give us the trigger we need to force rauner to release the hostages.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:05 am:
anonymous post was from “facts are stubborn things”….posting from a different computer.
- Huh? - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:05 am:
1.4% - Mike, I want you to pass another budget today. Only this one is a stop gap budget for next year.
Speaker - I just passed a budget for next year, why should I do it again?
1.4% - Because I have to veto it.
- Nick Name - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:07 am:
“’They don’t care if the universities close, they don’t care if the schools close… it’s all about politics,’” Radogno said of the Democrats.”
Holy cripes is Christine “Squeeze the beast” Radogno for read!!? What the everlasting… holy cripes!
- illini97 - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:07 am:
“They don’t care if the universities close, they don’t care if the schools close… it’s all about politics,” Radogno said of the Democrats.
Oh. The irony.
- A guy - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:08 am:
These are very strange times. Everyone’s playing with fire, but some have a lot more to lose than others here. A narrative with a lot of money behind it can be very powerful. Pass a measure that makes the fight about something besides school kids not being in school. That causes a lot more hardship in some places than others. Time to be a little smart and a lot practical.
- Anon - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:08 am:
===The budget director was trotted out last week to emphatically say he could not support a stopgap, but now he says he wants one and actually created his own.===
This is actually hilarious from both a governing stand point and a messaging standpoint. You can’t trust his administrators to be professional, and you really can’t rely on any of his message.
- Nick Name - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:08 am:
*for real
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:08 am:
===actually with Madigan on this one. Solve FY16 first, then try to agree on FY17.===
Given its May 31st, agree with you - RNUG -, burning daylight.
Fix FY2016, try to agree for FY2017.
- Handle Bar Mustache - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:08 am:
==“They don’t care if the universities close, they don’t care if the schools close… it’s all about politics,” Radogno said ==
Pot calling kettle black. Leader R, Governor Rauner vetoed university budgets, repeatedly. And you didn’t utter a peep of discomfort.
- RNUG - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:10 am:
If K-12 gets released, next year will be a repeat of this past year with no budget in sight.
- Formerly Known as Frenchie M - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:10 am:
Radogno: “Squeeze the beast theory.”
Please. Just stop.
http://www.sj-r.com/article/20160130/OPINION/160139976
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:11 am:
===ut, man, their overreaction to Cullerton’s proposal last week is gonna bite them hard. The budget director was trotted out last week to emphatically say he could not support a stopgap, but now he says he wants one and actually created his own. And then they leaked it to the media before handing it to the Democratic leaders.===
Ooda Loops don’t work when real deadlines and realities of a 180 degree flip flop in that time constraint looks utterly absurd.
Rookie mistake, yet again.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:11 am:
In order to get anything done the Democrats will need to compromise with the Republicans. Sucessfull negotions involve each side giving up something to get something. Republicans will have to give on revenue and the Democrats will have to give on some of Rauners reforms. It is that simple.
- Corporate Thug - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:12 am:
Your last paragraph: 100% accurate. If I’m Cullerton and Madigan I’m waiting too after all that.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:13 am:
===Pass a measure that makes the fight about something besides school kids not being in school. That causes a lot more hardship in some places than others.===
So, - A Guy -, you still advocate hostages. That’s fun.
- illini97 - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:13 am:
For the billionth time. Revenue is math, not a give. “Giving” a need isn’t actually giving, is it?
- Earnest - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:13 am:
>“They don’t care if the universities close, they don’t care if the schools close… it’s all about politics,” Radogno said of the Democrats.
Your words say “they” don’t care, but your actions say that you don’t care.
- Ray del Camino - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:13 am:
Nice fat serving of hyperbole salad there from the IL GOP. What buzzwords did they leave out?
- Dance Band on the Titanic - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:14 am:
I missed Radogno and Durkin telling us how much of a tax increase we will face when their “stopgap” budget eventually requires a huge chunk of new revenues to maintain that spending for the entire year. The stopgap sounds a bit like the FY 2015 budget which assumed the income tax increase would be extended by 1/1/15.
- Honeybear - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:14 am:
-Pass a measure that makes the fight about something besides school kids not being in school.-
Totally with you. I hate that my High School aged daughters are going to be effected by this. Let’s leave the innocents out of it. But that’s what happens when you cross the line into taking hostages. It’s wrong no matter who does it.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:15 am:
===Republicans will have to give on revenue…===
Revenue. Is. NOT. A. Give.
Seriously, keep up. It’s May 31st, at least know what’s going on, honestly.
Pathetic.
- cover - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:16 am:
= Leader Durkin said there was plenty of time remaining to pass something, pointing to the hurried approval of the long-ago White Sox stadium bill. =
Leader Durkin goes back nearly 30 years to highlight a bill that really passed around 3 am, but Speaker Madigan had unplugged the clock so it still only needed 60 votes. Is there any strategy at all behind using that as a roadmap?
- Archiesmom - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:16 am:
I am so grateful for these dueling press releases telling me how I ought to feel. It’s like a tennis match - every few minutes there’s a new volley. This is nauseating.
- Demoralized - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:16 am:
==So Cullerton wants to increase school spending==
So does the Governor.
- John Rawls - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:17 am:
Oswego, you’re wrong.
If REPUBLICANS are willing to vote for a tax increase, Democrats should be willing to vote on something they equally oppose.
- Juvenal - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:17 am:
#winning #Duckspeak #Bellyfeel #Newspeak
- Saluki - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:17 am:
“Democrats’ Decision Today Will Show Whether They are Serious About Keeping Government Running or Intent on Running Illinois into the Ground”
The unhinged mentality and stunning irony of that opening statement is only matched in history by “other than that how was the play Mrs. Lincoln?”
- wordslinger - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:18 am:
–After saying last week that Senate President Cullerton’s idea for a stopgap amounted to “pulling the plug” on negotiations, the two Republican leaders said today that not passing their own stopgap proposal would prevent schools from opening and create a serious crisis.–
LOL, is there a third voice in their heads that can cast the deciding vote?
- Handle Bar Mustache - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:18 am:
Just heard Jim Edgar on the radio:
“A stopgap is the worst kind of budget you can have”
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:19 am:
- John Rawls -
No matter what, Raunerites will be voting FOR revenue.
It’s required. You can’t leverage a required element.
Rauner requires revenue. You being oblivious to fact is tiring.
- The Dude Abides - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:19 am:
So “squeeze the beast” Radogno wants more stability in the ship of state? If we had had a budget last year based on cuts and revenue we could have avoided a couple credit down grades. The GOP acted like the downgrades were no big deal, saying that we had them under Quinn too. Going this long without a budget makes potential businesses uneasy about relocating here, which is what I thought the Administration wanted.
- ILPundit - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:19 am:
For those keeping score, the Governor dropped a 12th hour proposal for a stopgap on the leaders this morning. Madigan and Cullerton reacted fairly favorably, and suggested there needed to be some negotiations.
And then, Durkin and Radogno just freaked out because they want to negotiate?
I really don’t understand the GOP play here.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:21 am:
===If REPUBLICANS are willing to vote for a tax increase, Democrats should be willing to vote on something they equally oppose.===
First of all, it doesn’t work that way, especially since most Democrats oppose voting to raise taxes.
Second, there are things you don’t like but must do be it is necessary to do them. Like vote to raise taxes. Show me one aspect of the Turnaround Agenda that is necessary, that must be done?
Sure seems to me to be filled with a lot of ideological anti-union stuff. None of it looks necessary to me. Revenue, on the other hand, is necessary to pay for all of the spending the Governor wants.
- Enviro - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:23 am:
As Madigan has made clear, the governor’s proposal is not something that’s going to happen today.
It might not even happen this summer, but at least there is now a glimmer of hope with yesterday’s veto override.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:23 am:
- ILPundit -
The only play the GOP, Rauner, and Raunerites want is the safety of K-12 opening in August.
That’s the ball game.
How it’s done is inconsequential.
- cdog - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:25 am:
Wait until tomorrow, and make it be Fy16 with a bunch of green ILGOP votes.
Don’t panic Radagno. There is time on Fy17. Your vendor constituents, higher Ed constituents are used to waiting for months. I guess k-12 will just have to love you as much as the others do.
- Buzzie - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:27 am:
Major leaguers vs minor leaguers.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:27 am:
SO RAUNER wants to increase school spending while basic needs aren’t being met, and the state doesn’t have revenue to address it’s current excessive obligations let alone increased funding.
Fixed it for you….
=If REPUBLICANS are willing to vote for a tax increase, Democrats should be willing to vote on something they equally oppose.=
What? The governor knows HE needs a tax increase. His budget is a resounding admission of that. Expenditures without revenues = unbalanced budget yet he has stated many times that he wants a BALANCED budget ergo, he NEEDS revenue and is on record to that effect.
Fixed that for you too…
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:28 am:
- ILPundit -
They admit as much… From the ILRaunerite HQ…
===Democrats face a critical choice today. Their first option is to support Gov. Rauner’s paid-for budget proposal that ensures schools open in the fall and… ===
Doesn’t matter how or what or the Odda Loop/Flip Flop disaster of the Cullerton stop gap…
Now it’s just getting schools open. By any means. Period.
- Honeybear - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:29 am:
John Rawls- I think Tillman was just calling you to grab him some coffee from Starbucks. Run along now.
- Cubs in '16 - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:31 am:
Listening to what the R leaders are saying today an uninformed voter could easily draw the conclusion that they along with Rauner have been trying to avert this destruction and chaos all along. This must be how schizophrenia feels.
- Formerly Known As... - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:35 am:
Madigan again says No.
NO balanced budget passed in 4 straight years. NO compromise. NO reforms. NO change. NO progress.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:36 am:
Fun to watch when the GOP votes for the needed revenue after all the grandstanding
- Hamlet's Ghost - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:37 am:
== Listening to what the R leaders are saying today an uninformed voter could easily draw the conclusion that they along with Rauner have been trying to avert this destruction and chaos all along. This must be how schizophrenia feels. ==
Except that no one other than true political junkies will hear what the Republicans are saying today and by November everything the Republicans are saying today will be long forgotten.
Related, the last I checked, the IL GOP hasn’t slated enough candidates to take control of the IL Senate even if they run the table and win every contested race (which won’t happen).
The IL GOP could win EVERY contested race on the IL Senate fight card and Cullerton retains his majority.
‘Tis but sound and fury . . .
. . . signifying nothing.
- John Reynolds - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:40 am:
Sure would have been nice if the Republicans practiced what they preached, and made sure we never had pension holidays and ALWAYS fully funded all of them.
- Formerly Known As... - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:41 am:
==Dems trying to wait out Rauner term==
Speaker Madigan said as much last year. Rep Lang hinted at the same, and Rep Currie did as well. He does not want a budget deal. No compromise. No reforms. No alternatives. No change. No progress.
=“I don’t necessarily agree with the first part of your remarks, that in the end this will be negotiated between the governor, and the leaders. I don’t necessarily agree with that,” Madigan said. He later added, “(T)here are conversations going on but I don’t think you should proceed under any presumptions that are based upon what happened in the past… I don’t necessarily presume that there will be some kind of a deal put together between the governor and the legislative leaders.”= Mike Madigan July 17 2015
=”We may or may not have a budget during the entire term of Bruce Rauner.”= Lou Lang May 18 2016
=”I don’t think we can afford to count on compromise.”= Barbara Flynn Currie May 25 2016
- Markus - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:42 am:
==If REPUBLICANS are willing to vote for a tax increase, Democrats should be willing to vote on something they equally oppose.==
An illogical statement, but it exposes the underlying issue, e.g.; “tax increase” is an objective term that can be quantified using mathematics to balance revenue needed to support spending desired; “something” on the other hand represents the depth of substance (on the order of “trust me”) provided to date regarding the future benefits of the TA.
Poindexter
- Echo The Bunnyman - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:45 am:
Revenue.. Revenue.. and cut’s and more cut’s… Rauner will survive easily if he raises revenue but get’s the cut’s needed.. Sorry K-12… Take a look at Catholic/ private schools and what amount of funding is needed for adequate funding… Each school board needs to do their duty…or we will never get ahead…
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:45 am:
- FKA -
With great respect…
“Pat Quinn failed… ”
Governors own. Schools don’t open, a governor owns that. Make a case that nothing will be signed unless wanted, not required “reforms” are attached, a governor owns that too
Today is 100% about K-12, and K-12 opening. Rauner knows he and the GOP will be held accountable.
How do I know that?
Rauner and the Leaders can’t even decided how to get schools open. They just want them open. “Why?”
Governors own.
- illini97 - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:47 am:
Gotta get those schools open. The electorate, as a whole, may be pretty uninformed on the State of the State, but they will notice when schools don’t open in August.
Everyone knows the schools have to open, so why’d the Governor torpedo the notion of a stopgap so that he could wait for a long weekend…and then propose a stopgap?
- Tony - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:49 am:
“keeps critical operations, like state prisons, running”
Seriously, Like there is another option than keeping them running? Love to hear it.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:49 am:
=Sorry K-12… Take a look at Catholic/ private schools and what amount of funding is needed for adequate funding… Each school board needs to do their duty…or we will never get ahead…=
That statement is beyond ridiculous. I am not even going to attempt to educate you on why, you know it but you have chosen to argue like a child in the adults room.
BTW: Help me understand why, in this environment, some Catholic Schools are closing? Do they, per chance, need more…..funding?
- Illinois Bob - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:50 am:
@Honeybear
I think Madigan just called to get some cottage cheese with ketchup.
Be a good bear and do your masters bidding.
- Annonin' - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:54 am:
Mr/Ms IL Pundit:
It appears likely that Durkie & SqueezeTheBeast got zero advance warnin’.
AND in this corner the dudes holdin’ the $800 million in VSI vouchers that can now be paid!
- Hamlet's Ghost - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:54 am:
Q: Everyone knows the schools have to open, so why’d the Governor torpedo the notion of a stopgap so that he could wait for a long weekend…and then propose a stopgap?
A: Because it took the Governor all weekend to grasp that MJM had gotten inside his OODA Loop?
- Honeybear - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 11:59 am:
Nice Illinois Bob! Well played! Cottage cheese with ketchup…ewe. That stopped me in my tracks.
FYI- Madigan used to be union enemy number 1. I honestly don’t trust any politician. Chances are that any number of them will sell Labor down the river before this is over. I just want to help people with my job and not get messed with, or scapegoated anymore. I know it’s hard for those on the right to believe but I actually work very hard and serve our poorest, elderly and disabled with a tremendous amount of love and care. I take great pride in the job I do. I think if you met me and sat with me while I help folks you’d feel entirely different about our state workforce.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:00 pm:
–But, man, their overreaction to Cullerton’s proposal last week is gonna bite them hard. The budget director was trotted out last week to emphatically say he could not support a stopgap, but now he says he wants one and actually created his own. And then they leaked it to the media before handing it to the Democratic leaders.–
The Boss burned Nuding pretty badly.
Should probably keep staff who are supposed to cultivate bipartisan credibility out of the raw politics, especially when the politics are miscalculated so badly.
- Illinois Bob - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:00 pm:
@JSMILL
=BTW: Help me understand why, in this environment, some Catholic Schools are closing? Do they, per chance, need more…..funding?=
Spoken like a true sheltered educrat wearing blinders, JS.
As someone who taught in parochial schools, I can tell you that the closing issues come from several reasons; demographic shifts that change the student base to those who are less likely to attend parochial schools, a truly lousy Illinois economy where the middle class families can no longer afford to pay exhorbitant taxes for overfunded and underachieving public schools AND private schools for their children, and disintegration of nuclear families with a strong faith base that makes moral education a priority.
The solution is clear if you care more about the kids than the public education educracy, give parents choice and vouchers and let them decide which system serves their children better.
Expand this system to include special needs students so that their needs can be better met as customers to system they can choose to use…or leave.
that’s the “adult” conversation you don’t want to have. It’s far easier just to insult and bully, isn’t it? If that’s what your public school imparts to the students, I can see the root of the problems.
- Juvenal - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:03 pm:
i don’t expect the three GOP leaders to be clairvoyant, but they ought atleast be able to read a calendar.
Governor, Leaders: if you veto the Democrats’ budget, you better be prepared to put the GOP on a tax hike vote before schools are supposed to open.
With NO whacky Turnaround Agenda.
- A guy - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:04 pm:
It’s all chuckles until kids aren’t in schools in September. If they’re not there, where will they be? You think you’ve seen hostages now? Those legislators in the city and tough places better be setting up day cares in their offices. This will not be pretty for their districts in particular. It won’t be pretty anywhere. But in some places, it could be very bad.
Get them in school and keep working on the rest of it.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:04 pm:
===The Boss burned Nuding pretty badly.===
Rookie mistakes do that. Like the signing of K-12 last time, burning all the GOP GA.
Nuding has done really fine work, professionally, for the administration. The politics of Ooda Loops claim him now as a victim.
- Honeybear - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:04 pm:
Word- well said. It’s too bad that Nuding was so disrespected. And they wonder why our workforce is collapsing. Loving God if they can do that to Nuding, what they wouldn’t do to the rank and file.
- Illinois Bob - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:08 pm:
I actually like you, honeybear, and I’m sure you’re the type of public employee we all want in the system. My problem is with the insatiable black hole of Illinois government that no public employees seem to be interested in reforming or making more efficient.
If you support the continuous “more is never enough” narrative coming from Madigan and Cullerton, I can’t go along.
The public union and pol cabal wants more pay than they deserve for services and the taxpayers want to pay less but are willing to pay fairly.
The problem is that there’s no adults to find the middle ground in Illinois.
- Echo The Bunnyman - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:09 pm:
JS…. In our school finance classes… It takes money to run a school yes? We have over 800 districts. Can some in the black consolidate… Just like Catholic/Private schools? Yes. The current system can be tweaked. Consolidation studies are skewed as they look downstate first. Could there be real savings at 211, 214, Stevenson, and new trier becoming unit districts? Yes. Not to mention we don’t have enough quality leaders for the openings…
- Thoughts Matter - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:09 pm:
I realize that it’s a PR nightmare if the schools don’t open. However, it’s time to free ALL the hostages. I’m pretty sure we have elderly folks, disabled, developmentally delayed people physically suffering due to lack of power, meals on wheels, home health care, and so forth. We have state employed not able to get medical care. We have vendors and non-profits closing their doors. Stop concentrating on the publicity affect. Start worrying about the actual affect
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:12 pm:
- Echo The Bunnyman -
It’s May 31st, with respect, your “discussion” doesn’t stop the clock.
Being wonky right now… it’s not helping.
With respect.
- Illinois Bob - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:15 pm:
@JSMILL
=BTW: Help me understand why, in this environment, some Catholic Schools are closing? Do they, per chance, need more…..funding?=
Spoken like a true sheltered educrat wearing blinders, JS.
As someone who taught in parochial schools, I can tell you that the closing issues come from several reasons; demographic shifts that change the student base to those who are less likely to attend parochial schools, a truly lousy Illinois economy where the middle class families can no longer afford to pay exhorbitant taxes for overfunded and underachieving public schools AND private schools for their children, and disintegration of nuclear families with a strong faith base that makes moral education a priority.
The solution is clear if you care more about the kids than the public education educracy, give parents choice and vouchers and let them decide which system serves their children better.
Expand this system to include special needs students so that their needs can be better met as customers to system they can choose to use…or leave.
- Cassandra - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:15 pm:
Soon, the admin will be saying that “restructuring” state employee pension payments is a great idea. As some commenters here have asserted. Anyway, the demands of the present are beginning to overwhelm our political masters of both parties. Hardly a new phenom-it’s Illinois.
- Nick Name - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:18 pm:
“===The Boss burned Nuding pretty badly.===
Rookie mistakes do that. Like the signing of K-12 last time, burning all the GOP GA”
I think we’re long past being able to claim rookie mistakes. Way long past.
- Formerly Known As... - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:20 pm:
==Pat Quinn failed…==
@Oswego Willy - They own the budget, but not the process. Voters understand this. Especially with the GA failing to pass a balanced budget going on 4 years - under both Dem and Rep governors, both with and without the full tax increase.
I agree governors own the final product. When they sign that budget or that bill and put their name on it, it becomes part of their legacy.
They do not, imho, own the process. It is inherently impossible for any 1 branch to own that. The GA must pass a budget and the Governor must sign it. They are mutually dependent and inseperable in that respect, whether they like it or not.
As long as the budget process remains underway, the two branches of government responsible share ownership of this failure. I would not want to be a member of the GA facing voters in November and defending the lack of a balanced budget for a fourth consecutive year.
- Anon221 - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:21 pm:
http://livestream.com/blueroomstream/events/5508415
After watching the entire presser after the Leaders Meeting, this became apparent…
There is desperation on the part of Radogno and Durkin to force the Dems to go on record with a vote for the Stopgap. Now, what guarantee is there that their Republican members (some or all) will pull their support for the Stopgap just to get an “on the record” vote count and identification??? They don’t have the numbers to pass it, and they know it. Starting about 1:04 the grins came out on Durkin as he pleaded for the rank and file Dems to force their leaders to accept this compromise, all the while acknowledging that the Stopgap only gets the State through to Dec 31, 2016- fully funded or not (and Radogno waffled on that bit around 1:01).
Again, as I stated on another thread, I hope the Senate passes the COMPLETE budget bill from the House. The Rauner and Co. can use the bits and pieces from the Stopgap to tweak the Complete! If they have found ways to fund portions of the budget(s) completely, then break out your line item pen!
- Ducky LaMoore - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:22 pm:
“proving once-and-for-all that all Democrats want to do is crush Illinois under a mountain of debt, push taxes to the highest levels in state history and hold the state hostage to their outrageous anti-taxpayer demands.”
So what is he saying here? That the democrats finally agree with Rauner? LOL. I think the Republican party is suffering from Stockholm Syndrome.
- Harvest76 - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:22 pm:
The only logical explanation to this 180 turnaround is that the Republican leadership is unaware of the Internet and all other devices of historical record, and did not know that last week’s public positions would be memorialized. I can’t think of any other possibility….maybe aliens.
- Illinois Bob - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:23 pm:
@Echo
Serious schools can form “cooperatives” to pool resources to save money, if they’re more interested in managing well operationally instead of as a patronage source politically.
For example, schools could pool resources for procurement, custodial and maintenance services, transportation utilities, and even instructional staff if such sharing can be incorporated into the contract language. Central services such as curriculum development and special education can also be pooled. In fact the greatest “cooperative” services between districts of which I am aware are in special ed.
Districts interested in cost savings without quality reduction are doing this now. Few are in the suburbs. I’d like to hear of any of those under utilized downstate districts are doing this to see how they’re doing.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:25 pm:
===They do not, imho, own the process===
- FKA -
@RonSandack: I’m frustrated 2, but taking steps towards reforming IL more important than short term budget stalemate. - Ron Sandack, 9/28/15
That tweet clarifies… Rauner owns the process, and the terms.
- The Dude Abides - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:27 pm:
@Formerly Known As, A couple months ago I heard Radogno say that it could be years before we have a budget. I’m guessing that she said that because she knows that her boss (Rauner) is demanding some things that will be very difficult for Democrats to accede to.
- Illinois Bob - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:27 pm:
@FKA
Incredibly well said regarding what governors “own” and far more rational than opposing views posted here.
Leaders only “own” what they can control, and controlling the process for a GOP governor in the current Illinois is certainly not the case today.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:30 pm:
The mere fact Rauner is flipping all over the place throwing Nuding under the bus is a tell that schools not opening will reflect… poorly… on a governor “who” makes it quite clear hostages are the order of the day.
Heck, if Cullerton passes a budget out, with K-12 funding, the Cullerton Mistake is made right.
- Sense of a Goose - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:31 pm:
Can we all remember that we were $5 BILLION in the hole when George Ryan left. In 95-97, the GOP held every single office with House and Senate majorities. That’s when Bilk Illinois began. No one has clean hands here. However, the shell games played by both parties must end. That requires revenue and government efficiencies with reforms. Reforms named to stay in the realm of what voters thought they were getting with this governor. He didn’t run a single ad saying the way out of trouble was to gut labor unions. He wouldn’t have been elected if he had. Work on what’s doable and get a budget before you destroy the entire safety net.
- Lucky Pierre - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:32 pm:
I am quite certain the bipartisan majorities of Illinois residents who support term limits numbers will be increasing after watch the Speaker and the Senate President yuk it up at their press conference. All smiles and unfunny jokes while the State is without a balanced budget for another year. Hard to believe they more arrogant or out of touch than their behavior during this press conference.
- Harvest76 - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:32 pm:
If governor’s don’t own, why don’t we all vote Madigan and culvert out of office? Because we can’t, one their constituents can. We can, however, vote for one person when the process fails, and that is the governor, regardless if he “owns it” by your standards or not. Owning is about who pays the price, not who controls the process.
- pundent - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:32 pm:
=Leaders only “own” what they can control, and controlling the process for a GOP governor in the current Illinois is certainly not the case today.=
Sorry, but when you purposely create a crisis you own the outcome. This is after all the opportunity that Rauner wanted.
- Harvest76 - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:33 pm:
*CULLERTON
- Michelle Flaherty - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:34 pm:
The Gov certainly pulled a turn around on the GOP leaders.
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:36 pm:
- Sense of a Goose -
Dave McKinney, in arguably one of THE best single article that explains the budget/pension situation sibce Jim Thompson goes chapter and verse and no one is spared, including Madigan.
It’s “required” reading.
- Mama - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:41 pm:
Please do what is doable to get a budget passed, & keep the state of Illinois operating.
Illinois citizens can not survive another year without a budget!
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:44 pm:
===Sorry, but when you purposely create a crisis you own the outcome. This is after all the opportunity that Rauner wanted.==
Ball Game.
Purposeful, and yet owning it while refuting it.
Ooda Loop?
- Anon221 - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:45 pm:
Follow the filings…
https://twitter.com/ILElectionData
- Formerly Known as Frenchie M - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:46 pm:
When Rauner’s gone, what I’m especially looking forward to hearing — and reading — is how the GOP really feel about his tenure. And how it was working with Rauner as the self-proclaimed head of the GOP.
I’m sure there’s gonna be some great stories. Like, really great.
- Grandson of Man - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 12:50 pm:
If Republicans want to play the outrage card they should have played it many times for many months when Rauner wasted time by pushing for TA demands that wouldn’t pass. Not only that, but they/TA supporters can’t show us the ROI on the TA and instead give us slab-headed talking points.
- Demoralized - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 1:22 pm:
==Leaders only “own” what they can control, and controlling the process for a GOP governor in the current Illinois is certainly not the case today.==
I’ve said this many times before when responding to arguments like this. If the Governor is so impotent that he is incapable of governing then he should quit and let someone else have the job. Quit playing the victim all the time and freaking govern already.
- JS Mill - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 1:22 pm:
= I can see the root of the problems.=
Only if you are looking in the mirror. You are such a hater and apparently you have done everything. How many jobs have you really had? The world may never know. Your advocacy for vouchers sheds even more light on your ignorance.
Vouchers are the rich man’s tax break and nothing more. They do not pay the full freight for needy families or even put private education within reach.
Not that you care about the rule of law or constitution but, funding parochial schools with public funds is also a violation of the establishment clause among others.
=Could there be real savings at 211, 214, Stevenson, and new trier becoming unit districts? Yes=
Now that is a real discussion (BTW- Echo and the Bunnymen one of my all time favorite bands!!).
I am not sure I agree that consolidation of a district like 211 and 214 is such a good idea.
The reason is size.
I think blending two large districts like these where you create a high school district of 23,000 may increase inefficiencies. Per the Illinois School Report Card district 211 has an admin cost of less than 1% of total expenditures and 214 is 1.8%. Highly efficient by all standards, which kind of flies in the face of what some so called experts that have apparently been shunned by public and private ed (yes Zonker Bob Illinois/Arizona, I am talking about you. You won’t realize much if any streamlining in operations or shared services because of the fact that you have a far flung system of large high schools. That may be hard to understand unless you have been there.
Sure, you can loose a superintendent, let’s call it $300,000 out of approximately $510 million. But now you have one person in charge of 18 schools. The farther you get away from the pulse, the harder it is to effectively manage.
I am not arguing against consolidation, I am arguing for smart consolidation. I do not think your example is one of those.
- Honeybear - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 1:23 pm:
Illinois Bob, thanks that’s a nice détente. I do want folks to know that there vulnerable citizens are being cared for by great people. As for as wanting more, I know of not a single coworker who wouldn’t take a status quo contract with a pay freeze for those serving 5+ years. Steps stay in place for those under. Maybe even pay just a bit more for health insurance. That being said someone will come along like last time and say they want their step, but really in this climate if Rauner would just get off our back. Honestly the workforce is in collapse right now. We’re down to 49 caseworkers serving 52,000. We just lost 3 caseworkers this month. Please encourage any remaining Republicans to be supportive of their public servants and stop villainizing us.
- Lucky Pierre - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 1:23 pm:
The Speaker is hard at work working cooperatively and professionally with the Governor on the budget today.
If he means proposing a budget with 3 billion more in spending than last year and 7 billion more than the revenue the General Assembly has passed I guess that is a pretty low bar. At least the Senate President didn’t follow with ditto.
- Illinois Bob - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 1:37 pm:
@honeybear, I’m sure there’s a line of people willing to take those caseworker jobs considering that Illinois has the worst unemployment problem in the nation. If those people left for better jobs, God bless ‘em. My guess is that the AFSCME labor force will not “collapse” given even their current contract. There’ll more than enough qualified workers to take the place of those who leave.
There’s a reason that certain people knock on doors and phone banks to get government jobs, and it isn’t that the jobs are grossly underpaid, benefits stink, and the work demands are exceedingly high.
Are you AFCSME or SEIU?
- Oswego Willy - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 1:38 pm:
Do not feed trolls…
- Illinois Bob - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 2:10 pm:
…and don’t feed, or fear, the “haters’.
- Fool On The Hill - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 2:12 pm:
As a parent, I will tell you, that if the schools fail to open they will blame the State of Illinois, specifically their Governor and the Legislature. Most people think that other people’s legislators are the problem, so the biggest amount of the blame and subsequent backlash voting will occur in the next gubernatorial election and yes, people will still be angry then.
- Honeybear - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 2:15 pm:
You are so right OW. So right. I will not feed it. It is not worth responding. Thanks, I felt your response though.
- Illinois bob - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 2:23 pm:
@JSMILL
=Only if you are looking in the mirror. You are such a hater and apparently you have done everything. How many jobs have you really had? The world may never know. Your advocacy for vouchers sheds even more light on your ignorance.
Vouchers are the rich man’s tax break and nothing more. They do not pay the full freight for needy families or even put private education within reach.
Not that you care about the rule of law or constitution but, funding parochial schools with public funds is also a violation of the establishment clause among others.=
So everyone who disagrees with you is “ignorant” if they have a better way of serving the kids? Hopefully you grow up some day and get over bullying, but vouchers aren’t just for the “rich” unless the law makes it that way. They don’t need to be about a “tax break”. They can be direct grants to the certified educational institutions to which they’re granted. If the amount is the full contribution that the taxpayer pays for the students public education there will be MORE than enough for poor families to get the quality of education their children deserve.
As far as constitutional law, you appear to even know less about that than achieving educational quality. It’s been held that public schools can receive government aid for academic portions of the services they provide, but not the religious education. In fact, book purchase programs for science books have been commonly given to parochial schools. There are limits to what can be given, of course, and public funds cannot be used to promote religion in most educational cases, but MANY churches and religious organizations receive public funding to provide social and health services.
I know I’m feeding a troll here, but JS, stick to things you know like bloating public education budgets and fleecing taxpayers….
- Joe M - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 3:11 pm:
I listened to Madigan’s interview. He didn’t say no to the temp budget idea - he said it needed to go to the Governor’s working group on the budget. Makes sense to me. Wasn’t Rauner recently blasting Madigan for not supporting the Governor’s working groups? And now Rauner blasts Madigan for sending budget ideas to the Gov’s budget working group. Go figure.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 3:16 pm:
===He didn’t say no to the temp budget idea - he said it needed to go to the Governor’s working group===
Which is what I wrote. Coulda saved you the time of listening if you’d just take a few seconds to read.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 4:22 pm:
==Which is what I wrote. Coulda saved you the time of listening if you’d just take a few seconds to read.==
My bad. But I wasn’t so much responding to what Rich wrote, but more to what some of the posters of this tread were saying - “Madigan again says No.” - and also to the slant that most of the media gave to what Madigan said.
- TPR2 - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 5:35 pm:
Does anyone know the stop-gap bill number? Thank you.
- Give Me A Break - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 5:45 pm:
TPR2, HB 6585 and HB 6583.
- TPR2 - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:06 pm:
Thank you sir.
- Harvest76 - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:11 pm:
I think the governor got out over his skis pretty far on this one and his caucus is following him down the hill. Looks like a lot of scrambling to me. Spin spin spin.
- sal-says - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:29 pm:
== Like I said, that’s pretty compelling. I mean, what the heck is the harm in that, unless you truly do want a collapse? ==
What? Raunner’s been in control of this since day one. NOW he decides it’s OK to push his Turn Back The Clock Agenda til after Nov? Please!
- wordslinger - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 6:53 pm:
–I think the governor got out over his skis pretty far on this one and his caucus is following him down the hill.–
“His” caucus has had enough, it seems, finally.
Rep. Harris was always the one who needed to break the ice. Rauner and the Superstars don’t have the bona fides to challenge or rattle him.
Thirty years ago, when Lee Daniels, Pate, Vinson, Ronan, DeLeo Fast Eddie, et. al. tried to make a play to grab O’Hare and Midway from Harold — and save Ed Kelly, to boot — Harris stood up on the House floor and tore the paint off the walls in opposition.
I was there. It was a sight to see. Splendid behavior.
The dude will only take so much, in the name of party loyalty.
About time.
Durkin and Radogno are just flopping around, not knowing when they’re going to get thrown under the bus next by the governor.
Rauner has abused his peeps pretty badly, even more so in recent days.
You make your choices, you live with them. You sell out, you make sure you get a price that’s worth it.
Hint: there’s no price worth selling out. The libraries are full of literature and poetry attesting to that fact.
- RNUG - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 7:09 pm:
== In fact the greatest “cooperative” services between districts of which I am aware are in special ed.
Districts interested in cost savings without quality reduction are doing this now. Few are in the suburbs. I’d like to hear of any of those under utilized downstate districts are doing this to see how they’re doing. ==
At the risk of feeding you and doing your research for you, Sangamon County has done exactly what you suggested RE Special Education years ago. There are only 2 Special Ed programs, one for 186 (Springfield and the related communities of Jerome, Leland Grove, Grandview, Southern View and Laketown are actually 186 for K-12 plus special ed) and SASED for Special Ed for the rest of Sangamon County.
There has been some consolidation of other governmental units on a county wide basis. The one that comes immediately to mind is police dispatch. And I think the city and county share a repair garage. Admittedly there are other items that could be consolidated, but they’ve at least made a start here.
I can’t speak to other counties but some of what you are touting is already being done here.
- Harvest76 - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 7:15 pm:
True, wordslinger, but do they know when to jump off?
- JS Mill - Tuesday, May 31, 16 @ 7:21 pm:
=JS, stick to things you know like bloating public education budgets and fleecing taxpayers…. =
Data? Oh, you have none.
As usual.
=As far as constitutional law, you appear to even know less about that than achieving educational quality.=
Your statement is as false as it is bizarre. There is no data from any respected source to support the claim that voucher create “educational equality”.
=It’s been held that public schools can receive government aid for academic portions of the services they provide, but not the religious education. In fact, book purchase programs for science books have been commonly given to parochial schools.=
With a singular case decided by a decidedly activist conservative court there are other lower court cases overturning specific voucher programs.
As has been pointed out dozens of times here on this blog, you are a bloviating troll.
You have a hatred for all public education and constantly rail on public educators. It is the same thong over and over, like a dishonest broken record.
Your shtick is obvious regardless of the various names you use or careers you claim.
Your anger is both feeble and sad.