101 Comments - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 9:22 am: No last minute surprises today. No switcharoos. Just get this compromise deal passed. - Union Man - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 9:27 am: I disagree Formally Known… I want to see the whole thing collapse and let the Guvnah live with the consequences. I hope there is no Quinn-Like stop gap. - Norseman - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 9:27 am: Dunn’s story on Illinois Issues is a must read. - Juvenal - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 9:28 am: Does the stopgap include funding for all the money this group is owed for FY 2016, or is that in a separate bill that the governor is pledged to sign? - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 9:30 am: Odd how those working groups can make progress when they are allowed to. - Give Me A Break - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 9:30 am: Union Man, the human service providers in Illinois pray you are wrong. - Qui Tam - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 9:33 am: =Over half of the shelter’s funding, or about $255,000 per year, is provided by the Illinois Department of Human Services = Isn’t that about the amount one of Rauner’s superstars is paid from DHS $? Coinkydink? - Honeybear - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 9:36 am: Are folks like Uptown getting funding? I didn’t think past due bills were being paid. This whole thing is such sausage that I can’t figure out who gets what. - Rod - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 9:37 am: Juvenal look at http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/99/SB/PDF/09900SB2047ham003.pdf - wordslinger - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 9:37 am: If you won’t take a half a loaf, you’re not very hungry. So, take it. But this half-a-loaf doesn’t begin to address the willful damage done by the squeeze the beast crowd. If you’re a fan of the “necessary shakeout” — shutting down programs and throwing people out of work by not honoring contracts that were signed in good faith — I guess that’s a good thing. - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 9:39 am: Respectfully, @Union Man, I can’t blame anyone in either party feeling angry towards Rauner or Madigan right now. The problem is, it won’t be Rauner getting blamed if this deal collapses. The polling indicates that, as well as the facts. - Juvenal - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 9:40 am: === Odd how those working groups can make progress when they are allowed to. === @FKA - Agreed. As the Speaker keeps pointing out, the Turnaround Agenda is a huge, man-made impediment. It’s like a five year-old saying he will only clean his room if you will get him a pony. You tell him a pony is never going to be part of the deal. You offer to help him clean his room. You tell him if he doesn’t clean his room, there will be no trip to zoo this weekend. Most five year olds do not take 18 months, but sooner or later, they realize they are not getting a pony, and they clean their room. - wordslinger - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 9:43 am: FKA, quite an epiphany you’ve had. This budget deal, as outlined, is as inadequate and incomplete — more so, actually — than the one passed before the 2014 election. You seemed to think that one was a travesty, yet this one is a positive. Both time, the parties involved knew it was a stopgap that would have to be addressed after the election. I guess it’s more about personalities than policies with some. - Anonymous - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 9:43 am: Amazing what can get accomplished when the pressure is on. Hopefully everyone keeps the pressure on both parties to start working our way out of this mess. - Jon - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 9:50 am: I heard a story on the 21st Show on WUIS yesterday about the effects of the stalemate on a human service provider in DeWitt County which is probably shutting down Friday. The provider provides substance abuse counseling primarily to heroin abusers, so again we are talking life and death issues, but this time in a Republican County with a majority white population. It’s hard not to say there is a racial aspect to how human service providers are being treated. The minority communities of the state are the ones being hit the hardest. While I won’t go so far to say that it is intentional, but it’s the reality that both the GA and the Governor are bending over backwards to make sure schools open, road work continues, and license plate late fees aren’t imposed. These clearly are issues that concern the middle class and impose some pain on the middle class. This “pain” of course pales in comparison to stories like this, and is really a testament as to how easily we can disregard the least among us but freak out when a minor inconvenience affects the more fortunate. - A guy - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 9:54 am: Sling, What was the gettable solution you had in mind? - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 9:57 am: @Juvenal - let us not forget the House’s =surprise budget= passed six days before the end of session that scuttled any and all working group progress when one person took their ball and went home. - New Slang - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:00 am: Word, I’ve followed you on this blog for many years. These past few months I’ve noticed a distinct change in your tone. I feel you represent the numerous normally levelheaded folks who have lost patience with what’s been going on in Springfield. - Honeybear - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:01 am: I just think Rauner is playing ball because he gets what he really wants, Labor war with AFSCME. AFSCME will be his victim this round. And from Rich’s veiled indication CTU is going to catch it too. I know that a deal has to be reached. But there are definite losers in this. I have the fear that Labor is being sold down the river. Fine, I get it. It was fated when Rauner won the governorship. It is only now coming to fruition. Here are my points and then I’ll go off to grumble. 1) We could have had whole year budgets long ago. We are here by design and giving in to the hostage taker Rauners’ main demands and design. He has won the game by changing the rules and demanding his way. It won’t end here. 2) Much of the damage is irreversible to social service but will quickly be forgotten/ignored. Thus it is with most suffering and need. I get it. 3) Rauners war on labor will cause the collapse of the state workforce. In doing these strike assessments this week easily 40% are actively looking to leave the state workforce. 4) If you object to the perfidy and hostage taking of this administration, giving in, while now a matter of survival by design, will only further encourage the perfidious “real politik” neoliberal behavior. 5)Just like soldiers in WWI, I hate all political leaders now. If we get sold out by DEMS today, I’m going to have to reassess my support of my sisters and brothers that I influence. It was going to take a tremendous amount of work in addition to the work we’ve already done in the primary to push DEMS over the 71 threshold. Fine if we withdraw it is no different than it probably would’ve been. The Raunerites will not gain full control. I don’t know, I’m gonna have to think about it. 5) I am really conflicted. Yes, I want something to save something. No, I don’t want to give in to the hostage taker. A Rauner win means suffering to me personally. Now it seems I will have been betrayed by those whom I supported. It’s not sausage yet so I might still be okay, but don’t suggest that I be happy or smile when I know I might lose my job or have to pay 7 grand a year for health insurance for my family. - VanillaMan - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:01 am: Citizens unfamiliar with the importance of their governments are also unaware of how catastrophic consequences of this past year. Rauner has set every citizen back by destabilizing a state lacking in stability and at the same time cost every citizen far more than could have ever been gained through his policies. Illinois is worse off now after 18 months of Rauner than it was under the preceeding three governors combined. There is a way to arrive at a more efficient, effective and better state government without putting it into a coma. The multi-millionaire who profited by buying, stripping, canniballizing businesses others built, has become a governor unable to respect, govern or lead a state government. Small government proponents have to cringe every time this disaster of a governor publically embraces us. He is a stunning failure who bought the GOP and shreddin the last bit of governing credibility it had. Rauner has ruined the GOP and the damage he has inflicted upon Illinois will take years to fix. - Mittuns - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:03 am: So, what happens when the Supreme Court rules the lower court spending mandates unconstitutional? Will they come back and appropriate those funds? Is there an ETA on a possible decision in that? - My New Handle - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:03 am: This “stopgap budget” is so much malarkey and being touted as some kind of achievement. It certainly is not an accomplishment to crow about. Rauner bends the state to his will, severely weakens higher education, social services, and the morale of the workforce and now, as if we are suddenly afflicted with Stockholm Syndrome, this “budget” is seen as progress. Nuts! - wordslinger - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:03 am: Guy, in a previous post that didn’t make the cut here, I said a half a loaf is better than nothing, so take it. But the damage that has been done by the squeeze the beast crowd — a willful strategy to dishonor contracts signed in good faith to advance a political agenda — will need to be addressed. One in 13 Illinoisans lost services, thousands lost jobs, due to that alleged strategy. That’s a travesty, unless, of course, in some circles, that was the objective all the time. Since you’re an advocate of the “gettable,” I presume you no longer support “leveraging” core state functions via sabotage for a political agenda that is not “gettable” in the GA, and never was. - Rich Miller - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:08 am: ===in a previous post that didn’t make the cut here=== My apologies. It got held up for some reason. Freed now. - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:09 am: wordslinger, Anyone comparing a bipartisan compromise that includes the first balanced budget of any kind in years, CPS pension help, more funding for education and an agreement to pass pension reform, versus a party line budget that deliberately runs out of money halfway through while running a deficict and creating a $4.8 Bill hole to close for the next Governor says more about their own personality and bias than anyone else’s. - Honeybear - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:10 am: –While I won’t go so far to say that it is intentional– Fine, I will. The damage done to social services is an intentional attack on racial minorities being perfidiously masked by overt overtures of support to corruptible minority leaders. This can easily be proven by tracking donations that Rauners followers have made to certain minority leaders contrasted to the absolute economic devastation his policies have wrought upon minority communities. Absolute devastation. - Illinois Bob - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:11 am: @honeybear I know this will be a monologue due to your unwillingness to debate, but: =Much of the damage is irreversible to social service but will quickly be forgotten/ignored.= NOTHING done so far is “irreversible”. When there’s money available, there will be no problem re-staffing and providing the service. The organizations may need to re-tool, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. - Anon221 - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:19 am: Here is the interview that Jon posted about- http://will.illinois.edu/player/audio/heroin-in-central-illinois-new-pediatric-sleep-guidelines. The interview with Lynn Scovill Executive Director of HRC begins at 22:40. Their gofundme account is at https://www.gofundme.com/28r74mk. DeWitt County population is around 16,300+. The future of HRC- 35:00. Kevin Barlow- Addiction Problem becomes a Mental Health Problem becomes a Police Enforcement Problem. When HRC shuts down today, who will the State pay??? What happens to those contracted dollars that are finally released if an organization that continued to carry the State in good faith no longer exists??? This is not just a DeWitt County question. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:19 am: For me? Doing the doable has been my hope for a very long time. Hostages, no matter which side hold them, is ridiculously wrong, and anyone saying it’s ok for one and not the other in their thoughts are missing the point of governance. Squeezing the beast and the purposeful lying and signing agreements with people and groups, knowing full well that “some” need to be destroyed via decepting these groups with trust IS what happened. Ignoring that or encouraging this plan, or even feeling the need to explain this plan as ok is wrong. A contract is a contract. People, families, groups, organizations are forever irreparably harmed. Tweets say that was the plan too, and tweets say some were ok with the purposeful harm. Having prefaced ALL that… Doing the doable now is encouraging, and I feel these compromises, as unfulfilling as they are in places, are critical, and need bipartisan, bicameral votes and clean signatures, just to prove to all, including all the actors in this, that governing must win, and that’s the only way to score anyone’s take now on this sorrid history of the state. Let’s start now. Let’s move forward, but no one gets to rewrite the last 18 months with a few much needed votes and signatures… and smiles. - wordslinger - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:19 am: FKA, this is an “any kind” balanced budget? Please, provide the figures. You’re sure that only revenues from the first six months are covering that first six months of spending? Such faith. And your claim of a “$4.8 billion” hole in FY15 is just made up, by you. Try $1.6 billion, solved by fund sweeps. Shortfalls of $1.6 billion — those were the good old days. I’ll take the half-a-loaf. But I won’t pretend that it’s better than previous half-a efforts. http://www.chicagotribune.com/ct-illinois-budget-rauner-met-0325-20150324-story.html - Illinois Bob - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:22 am: One question is whether Rauner is smart enough to push for at least a temporary prohibition of public employee strikes before the AFCSME and CTU negotiations go hot and heavy. It would be interesting to see what would happen if he proposed that while CPS parents are frightened about what will happen to their kids in the fall. Let Madigan and Cullerton try to make the case to the people as to why it’s in the people’s interest to let the unions hold their kids hostage to get more than the state and district can afford, and raises that few in the private sector can even approach with benefits they could only dream about. If he wants to get the people back on his side, that would be one way to do it, and the “crisis” certainly gives that move ample justification. - Anon221 - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:23 am: I’ll feed him…. “NOTHING done so far is “irreversible”. When there’s money available, there will be no problem re-staffing and providing the service. The organizations may need to re-tool, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.” YES.IT.IS.A.VERY.BAD.THING. http://will.illinois.edu/player/audio/heroin-in-central-illinois-new-pediatric-sleep-guidelines LISTEN!!! Start at 30:00 and keep listening. Try to understand. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:23 am: Please don’t feed the troll. Not today. - Honeybear - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:24 am: No Bob, I’ll respond to you when you are not being a provocative troll. Bob, you are not in social services. I have spent my whole career there in one aspect or another first in ministry and then at DHS. –NOTHING done so far is “irreversible”. When there’s money available, there will be no problem re-staffing and providing the service. The organizations may need to re-tool, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.– You have no idea what you’re talking about and there in lies your compulsive need to comment and perseverate about things you don’t know. In your privilege you have no idea how things work down here in the suffering world. No Bob, nobody wants to open back up here in East St. Louis. The systems of support are built up over decades. Many are totally gone and will not reopen. Don’t you dare lecture me about the reality here. I am here. You sit in comfortable retirement in Arizona. You are a constant troll and angry, bitter person. I might be a learner. I might be wrong. I might meek and victimlike too much. But I feel that I am respected here and heard, sometimes my opinions are factored in. Look to yourself and how you are treated. - ScienceGuy - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:27 am: Any guesses as to what the statewide pension reform that the legislature must pass for CPS to get its future pension money will look like? A cost-shift? The Cullerton plan? I would guess the cost-shift, since any benefit cut would be immediately held up due to constitutional protection. - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:29 am: Norseman is right. Dunn’s piece is great work. Some of the damage done has been permanent and immeasurable, and continues even with this deal. We could and should have had a tax increase and a deal on WC as well as prop taxes last year. I personally dislike a lot about this agreement, including anything that may reduce pensions under the guise of =reform=, but I can appreciate this for what it is - cooperation, progress and hope that things will improve from here. - Anon221 - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:29 am: OW- I’m not trying to feed him. I tried posting about The 21st’s interview with Lynn Scovill of HRC in DeWitt County twice, but it didn’t go through. Please listen to her interview. What is happening to HRC is happening to other service providers across the state today as the fiscal year runs out. I think my question was legitimate in that post- what happens to those contracted dollars that are owed when the vendor no longer exists? Did they pay the ultimate sacrifice for shoring up other parts of the state? Shouldn’t that be considered in whatever deal is struck today? - cdog - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:30 am: “NOTHING done so far is “irreversible”. When there’s money available, there will be no problem re-staffing and providing the service. The organizations may need to re-tool, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.” Bob, this statement is too myopic. Many of us see the damage beyond the bureaucratic and administrative aspect. Lives have been changed forever, young and old, sick and dying, poor and poorer. I have great hope that you can see this undeniable aspect. There has been significant and irreversible damage willfully inflicted on people in our state. Please don’t be a “denier.” - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:36 am: - Anon221 - I didn’t even see that. No worries. I’m a guest here too. Railing on teachers, teachers’ unions in a myopic view of the world isn’t what is going on. Today. Not everything is despising teachers. To the Post, I think what is probably more if interest to me, besides the actual bills (other than that, how was the play… ), it’s going to be how these roll calls shake out. Further, Rauner is going to be fully on-board, so there shouldn’t be any worry on any veto, anywhere. So, the 71/36… how far does each side drill, and do targets go “Green” because this is “progress” or “Yellow” on a given principle, or “Red” due to polling or a pledge? Usually targets get passes or jump on widely supported things after. Where will the noses be at the end? - wordslinger - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:36 am: –Word, I’ve followed you on this blog for many years. These past few months I’ve noticed a distinct change in your tone. – We’re on new ground;the willful sabotage of core state services to advance a political agenda. And that’s if you take the governor at his word. Personally, I believe squeeze the beast has been the objective all along, and will continue as long as Rauner can hold unanimous GOP caucuses. The only time’s he’s moved off the sabotage is when GOP members have threatened to bolt. –One question is whether Rauner is smart enough to push for at least a temporary prohibition of public employee strikes before the AFCSME and CTU negotiations go hot and heavy.– Yeah, I’m sure that’s part of the deal. You’re just messin’ with people, Bob. - Demoralized - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:41 am: ==NOTHING done so far is “irreversible”== I’m quite sure some of the social service providers would vehemently disagree with you. ==The organizations may need to re-tool, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.== Ahh, a proponent of the starve the beast strategy. How’d that work out? ONE MILLION PEOPLE lost services. - Scamp640 - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:42 am: @ Illinois Bob. Some of what you say is true — if money will be freed up. But if Rauner gets his way, even if there is money, there will be less of it and hence all of the damage done cannot and will not be undone. Peoples’ lives have already been changed forever. - A guy - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:42 am: ===Since you’re an advocate of the “gettable,”=== Sling, we have settled (or hope too) for half a loaf. Both of us had that same reaction. Maybe I’ve cringed as much as you along the way despite philosophical differences we may have. I’ve settle for the “gettable” as you have. By no means does that make me an advocate of it. Not even close. Apologies for any misunderstanding on account of the delayed comment. - Honeybear - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:52 am: OW,Word,RNUG et al, learner question. If I’m trying to track a particular piece of something before it goes into the sausage, how do I do that? Article 996 of SB2038 or HB6591 which repeals it. These are of prime interest to me as they are an indication as to whether the administration will have the money to hire scabs. How do I track these? Or should I just safely assume that Rauner will get his war money? Thanks Rich and the Capfax community. I appreciate you more than you know. - Give Me A Break - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:53 am: Illinois Bob: I really suggest you spend some time with a human service provider at the community level before you proclaim “nothing is irreversible”. You either have no understanding about how human services are delivered in Illinois, or for whatever reason you take pride in making comments with no facts to back them up. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 10:56 am: ===I’ve settle for the “gettable” as you have. By no means does that make me an advocate of it. Not even close.== Are you sure, or do you want me to point out where you advocated the squeezing the beast, very recently. Think. You tell me how you want me to proceed, using your own words, not my “thoughts”. - Demoralized - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 11:01 am: Honeybear: Take a breath. First of all, that bill isn’t going anywhere. It’s been replaced but the stopgap budget. Second, there isn’t going to be a mass hiring of “scabs.” If I end up being wrong I’ll come see you personally and apologize. But, as someone on the other side from you I can tell you that there are no contingency plans that involve that. - A guy - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 11:03 am: Willy, do as you will. Recognize that what you refer to as “the beast” might be different that me. I’ve been very involved in some unpleasant squeezing of an org. that I’d never consider the beast. I guess I should be flattered you pay as close attention to what I say as you do. If I said it, it’s fair game. Keep it in context, but have at it if you wish. - Honeybear - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 11:10 am: Thank you for your words Demoralized. You are seeing the effects of the year and a half of trauma. I’m worried out of my mind that this is the moment we get sold out. I’m too inexperienced in the workings of politics to get what is happening. I’m the only labor activist frankly in the metro east region that cares and is trying to understand the political process and forecast it’s implications for my local. I’m self pressuring and freaked. I hope you’re right about the scabs. A lot of folks are checking in with me here in the office. “What’s go’in down?”. I don’t want to let them down by missing something. - Juice - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 11:10 am: Honeybear, SB 2038 (art 998) says those appropriations can only be used for services provided before July 1, 2016, so even if the Governor wanted to, he couldn’t use that to privatize services or hire scabs. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 11:11 am: Flattered? - A Guy - Your ridiculousness is easy to remember, nothing more, LOL - A guy - Friday, Jun 24, 16 @ 11:37 am ===Willy, seriously, no jest, it literally seriously and honestly has. Ask some of your friends at LSSI (a great org!) what has been happening over a period of 10 years. Ask what they have had to do simply to comply to get paid. Ask how they’ve felt about the money they’ve seen ‘literally’ wasted as it was appropriated to sources in their neighborhoods, close to them, who didn’t have the first idea (or intention) of how to service the people in the community. They were competing for those same precious dollars. And plenty of shysters were getting money and not doing the great work LSSI was doing. Nobody at LSSI was dressing better or eating better, or seeing any improvement whatsoever in their personal lives. They were spreading fewer resources over more services and busting their keisters to make up the difference. This truly has been going on for years. The “miracle” is how long the best ones have been willing and able to hang on. That’s truly amazing. This mess has been years in the making. Oiling the squeaks has been the practical solution for too long.=== You want the Shysters gone.. Who they are… Meh. Squeeze the beast… - Anon221 - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 11:15 am: “Oiling the squeaks has been the practical solution for too long.” **** I guess you won’t have to “oil the squeaks” once the hinges have been stolen. - Honeybear - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 11:21 am: Bless you Juice. Thanks. I hope you guys get warm fuzzies for soothing an anxious honeybear. - A guy - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 11:29 am: OW…and here I thought we were having a moment! I said that. I feel the same this very moment. Did you ask your friends at LSSI about this? Any manner of “local programs” running out of storefront churches and community centers, etc. Ask them. Really. Ask. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 11:36 am: We weren’t having any type of moment. You are advocating getting into agreements to get the shyters out, that you can’t point out, by bankrupting them, forcing them to close, because Rauner won’t honor contracts AND… these groups trusted Rauner’s Administration’s word. You are saying that in that grab. You advocate squeezing the beast. “Simple” - Anon221 - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 11:47 am: OW- “So, the 71/36… how far does each side drill, and do targets go “Green” because this is “progress” or “Yellow” on a given principle, or “Red” due to polling or a pledge?” ***** There have been crossing of the aisle on several of the votes in the last half hour. At least 3-5 over the 71 needed. - A guy - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 11:49 am: OW, Can’t reason out of someone what wasn’t reasoned into them. There are services around the city and state that receive precious state money…and DON’T perform the services. LSSI, Catholic Charities and many others work miracles. I guess I could say you advocate graft. But I don’t think that. Taming the Shrew is more accurate than Squeezing the Beast, for what I think needs to happen. After all of this, I hope it has happened. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 11:57 am: ===I guess I could say you advocate graft.=== No. No you can’t. A contract was signed, purposely not honored to dispose of people and groups… based on trust. That’s true. ===Taming the Shrew is more accurate than Squeezing the Beast,=== No. Willfully thing people and groups isn’t taming anything, it’s advocating these groups to be squeezed based on a trust to their own demise. You advocate making contracts to destroy groups and lives based on lying to them and hoping they trust Bruce Rauner. That’s on you. - A guy - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 12:05 pm: Maybe ease up on the Red Bull man. You’re a little out front of yourself today. Own your words, and leave it at that. I’m not interested in your course on OW-ESL. - Illinois Bob - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 12:08 pm: @Give Me a Break =Illinois Bob: I really suggest you spend some time with a human service provider at the community level before you proclaim “nothing is irreversible”.= Actually, my wife and I have volunteered extensively in providing human services for crisis centers where they provide shelter, counseling, food, and clothing where necessary to families subjected to abuse. We’ve also helped out in drug charity rehab facilities. I’ve also volunteered and donated in the ST Vincent DePaul society where we get resources to needy people in our community. If you don’t think helping those people is a “human service” you have no idea what you’re talking about. No union labor. Just people who care about the people who need help. I KNOW how well run systems like that work. I do admit I haven’t been in the belly of the SEIU beasts providing such services. Volunteer and non-union service organizations are different creatures from union dominated ones. I understand that, and I also understand how a government union bureaucracy could be difficult to resurrect. That’s one more reason to outsource and operate like those organization for whom we volunteered. - wordslinger - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 12:14 pm: Guy, your delusions aside, you don’t speak for Catholic Charities, LSSI, dead Kennedys (or the Dead Kennedys) or anyone but yourself. Your opinions do not become more reasonable or credible by pretending that they are shared by respected individuals or organizations. Catholic Charities and LSSI have on their websites statements regarding the damage that have been done to them because their contracts have not been honored this year and this year only. Not a whiff of your non-sensical rants that you’ve attributed to them in the past. –There are services around the city and state that receive precious state money…and DON’T perform the services.– Then the Rauner Administration should not have signed contracts with them. You understand what a contract is, correct? – Taming the Shrew is more accurate than Squeezing the Beast, for what I think needs to happen. After all of this, I hope it has happened.– Squeezing the beast was Sen. Radogno’s phrase. But, you should be happy, as many social service providers who signed contracts in good faith with the state have gone out of business, and their employees have been thrown out of work. Tell us, based on your deep knowledge of the subject, which ones had that coming? - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 12:15 pm: ===You’re a little out front of yourself today. Own your words, and leave it at that.=== Which words? The ones where you advocate sneezing the beast? Ok. Again, noted…. - Anon221 - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 12:19 pm: “That’s one more reason to outsource and operate like those organization for whom we volunteered.” ***** Did you even listen to the HRC interview??? Do you understand that this is not an SEIU group??? Do you realize they are the ones being eliminated??? I know this is just fodder, but I am tired of obfuscation. - RNUG - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 12:24 pm: -Honeybear-, About 5 or 6 open browser windows open plus a yellow legal tablet to scribble notes and lots of experience reading bills to catch the obscure but important items, and watching the actions on the amendments kind of keeps you informed. The truth of the matter is it is a lot easier to track bills amending existing State statutes than it is to dissect a budget bill that is basically all new language unless you read them on a regular basis. Somebody like Schnorf or -AA- who dealt with that most or all of their career can make sense of a budget bill a lot faster than the rest of us. Often, the best analysis often is what results from the group here each bringing their own viewpoint / concerns. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 12:27 pm: - Honeybear - I think - RNUG - has it right, I’ll just say it’s more “Art” than “Science”… It’s whatever works for you… Technology, paper, phone, all of those, etc. - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 12:41 pm: =No last minute surprises today. No switcharoos. Just get this compromise deal passed.= As Democrats suddenly file a last minute amendment on the final bill… just as things were going well. smh. - Honeybear - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 12:43 pm: Bob, a quick comment then I’m done feeding you for the day. Because you volunteered for a charity or non-for-profit does not mean you 1) Understand the business model or operations of the Social Service Agency 2) understand a thing about the nature of poverty or how to meet needs. Loving God, you’re like that Holiday Inn commercial. “Are you a social services worker? No, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night.” If that were the case then I could count myself a pundit on Illinois politics because I participate in this blog. I participate because I am trying to learn to help my family, my union sisters and brothers and to help my community. I should not have fed you. My bad blog members. I’ll do better - Illinois Bob - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 12:43 pm: @anon221 I listened to some of it, and interestingly enough I worked in Clinton for a couple of years and saw that nice little farm community turn into a drug/crystal meth mecca and become a real cesspool during the plant construction. Organizations like the one they mention fro drug rehab ARE able to be resurrected if their priorities are service rather than a bureaucracy. For this program, it would seem that a solution would be to go to Exelon and ask for bridge funding to keep the program running until other funding can be found. I know you’re about the bureaucracy rather than the service, but there ARE solutions for those who seek them. I’ve fed trolls enough for today. - Illinois Bob - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 12:50 pm: @honeybear =Without the state funding for the shelter, we are forced to shut it down until replacement funds can be found. The program will cease to operate on July 31st if no contract is executed.”= They have the infrastructure and CAN restart without irreparable harm if funding is interrupted. They can also direct their clients to other groups in the area providing similar services. That’s clearly not “irreparable”, honey, while I admit some government run service organizations may be. That’s another argument for this kind of “outsourcing” of human services. - Illinois Bob - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 12:53 pm: @honeybear =Because you volunteered for a charity or non-for-profit does not mean you 1) Understand the business model or operations of the Social Service Agency 2) understand a thing about the nature of poverty or how to meet needs.= No, and it doesn’t mean I DON’T understand it either. When I donate heavily to charities, I check them out pretty well. I checked these out and learned a lot about how they are managed, their mission and vision, and the overhead costs they have. Have a nice day just conversing with those who agree with you. - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 12:54 pm: House Floor Amendment 4, filed by Rep Kelly Burke http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/99/SB/PDF/09900SB2047ham004.pdf Currie has also withdrawn her own floor amendment from Tuesday, floor amendment 2 - Anon221 - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 12:55 pm: Illinois Bob- You have crossed the line one too many times for me. “I know you’re about the bureaucracy rather than the service, but there ARE solutions for those who seek them.” You do not know me, but you presume to speak for me. And you obviously do NOT know the very good people in DeWitt County who are trying to do good works. You listen to what you want to hear, obviously, and tune out the rest. This is not 1980 something. I’m done trying to be open your little world up just a tiny bit. Stay in, or go back to Arizona, and good riddance. - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 1:00 pm: Currie has now withdrawn her own floor amendment from earlier today, floor amendment 3. It looks like the Democrats really are going to try changing the deal at the last minute, well after everything had been agreed to and going smoothly. And Rauner was supposedly the one people couldn’t trust? lol Unbelievable. - Demoralized - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 1:12 pm: Bob: Contrary to all your pontificating on the subject I can tell you with absolute certainty that some of the damage done is irreversible. I know in your head your an expert on everything but staying at a Holiday Inn Express doesn’t give you the knowledge you need with regard to some of the social service agencies that have reduced or stopped services. As for your continued tiresome insults of anyone who happens to be in a union (which I’m not by the way so don’t even go there) you really need to get a life. You continuously insult anyone who is in a union and disparage their work, acting as if they are somehow less capable or dedicated to their jobs. That’s just complete an utter nonsense. As for your continued admonitions about debate, I can only laugh. You aren’t interested in debate. You’re interested in peddling your anti-teacher, anti-union viewpoints. That’s fine. But don’t pretend you’re some bastion of reason interested in any sort of debate because your comments indicate otherwise. You’ve made perfectly clear that you believe you’re an expert on all things, you dismiss anyone who disagrees with you, and then you continue pontificating. I’m going to say this again. Contrary to what you’re trying to shovel here, there are social services that will never be the same again. I don’t care what you think you know, but in this instance you don’t know squat. Good for you for your volunteer work and donations. I mean that sincerely. - Demoralized - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 1:14 pm: FKA: It’s a big bill. It wouldn’t surprise me if there were some drafting errors. - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 1:14 pm: Does the GOP now file their own floor amendment identical to the one that was agreed on? Do they negotiate another =get=? Do they require Madigan to sign MOU’s in the future? Do they walk out of the building? Stay tuned for the next episode of =As the Capitol Turns= - A guy - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 1:15 pm: OW and Sling. You’re angry fellas. You’ve been more prone to personalizing everything here. If you don’t agree with you, you simply can’t stand it. That’s a bit of a shame. Hopefully the last minute stuff going on right now doesn’t scuttle the half a loaf we got. Next week we’ll get you a fresh mouse. - Demoralized - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 1:17 pm: FKA: My bad. I didn’t see the updates on scribble. It doesn’t surprise me that the black caucus is pulling this stunt. - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 1:18 pm: Demoralized - hoping strongly you are right and that is all this is. Though something like that could and should have been pointed out and communicated in good faith before filing the amendment, instead of risking the spirit of cooperation we seemed to be working on today. Hope you are right. - Norseman - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 1:20 pm: FKA, sit back and wait for the dust to settle before you jump off the cliff. If it turns out that it was a HDem bait and switch, I’ll happily join you in condemning the action. I’m hoping for a fix not properly communicated. If there is a black caucus issue, it appears the leadership is on-board the effort. I say that because of the withdrawal of 3 and the length of 4. - DuPage - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 1:22 pm: Where is the increased revenue? The stopgap is funded by not paying back the sweeps. What will happen in January? - Rich Miller - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 1:23 pm: Norseman, please check the live feed before you comment further. Thanks. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 1:23 pm: - A Guy - What, you’re a victim to your own words? LOL. I can’t help what you type. You thought you could speak for me, how much more “personal” can YOU get? If you want to be a victim now because you lack any argument on being caught… again… pretending one thing, saying another thing, and speaking for others on additional things, then I guess your a victim of your own device. - A guy - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 1:27 pm: Yep Willy. I’m a victim. Move on. In the meantime, let’s see what this $10 mil is for on this “surprise” amendment. Might just help assist in some of what I’ve been discussing with you today. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 1:31 pm: - A Guy - I can’t help you want people and groups ruined by trusting Bruce Rauner, heck, you advocate for it more and more. - A Guy -, I don’t think I’d sign a contract with you… … anyone thinking that forcing others to wilt and be destroyed by trust… that’s not taming anything. I’d say you’d want me to be squeezed. - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 1:33 pm: @Demoralized - all good. You are right more often than you are wrong, and when things move this fast the only way to keep up is together. - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 1:38 pm: Amendment 4 is now up. Does Madigan keep his word and work with the GOP to nullify this amendment and restore the original wording of the deal? Does he put his votes on this amendment regardless and break the spirit of the deal? Do Republicans vote for this just to get it over with, or do they vote =no= and give Madigan mailers for November? Who needs movies when we have =As the Capitol Turns=? - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 1:59 pm: =claim of a “$4.8 billion” hole in FY15 is just made up= The hole was projected to be $4.8 Bill when they passed the budget. It eventually turned out to be smaller than they intended, which was obviously good for everyone. But that budget, as passed, had a $4.8 Bill hole in it. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-05-31/news/ct-illinois-legislature-met-0601-20140601_1_rauner-new-illinois-budget-hole =Illinois lawmakers did neither candidate for governor any favors with the kick-the-can-down-the-road budget they passed before wrapping up Saturday. Whether it’s Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn or Republican challenger Bruce Rauner who comes out on top this fall, Illinois’ next governor now faces the prospect of figuring out how to deal with a projected budget hole of $4.8 billion and a pile of unpaid, overdue bills that could be even larger than that.= - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 2:06 pm: Madigan and Democrats do the right thing. Floor amendment 4 by Burke withdrawn, new floor amendment 5 filed by Currie and adopted. - Illinois Bob - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 2:08 pm: @honeybear =I can tell you with absolute certainty that some of the damage done is irreversible= Yet you can’t provide a single example. Righhhht. =As for your continued tiresome insults of anyone who happens to be in a union (which I’m not by the way so don’t even go there) you really need to get a life. You continuously insult anyone who is in a union and disparage their work, acting as if they are somehow less capable or dedicated to their jobs.= I challenge you to find a place where I insult or disparage work of government workers themselves. I DO criticize the union culture where the union demands money they know isn’t there and are willing to hurt the needy and the children to get more than fair raises. Teachers are largely dedicated professionals on their own. their “dark side” onlu comes up when they’re in the union mob. - Demoralized - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 2:23 pm: You can always count on Rep. Franks to oppose budgets. At least he’s consistent. - Anon221 - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 2:36 pm: Wonder if Franks will oppose his local budgets as much when he goes back home! - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 2:44 pm: Ugh. Rep Flynn Currie explains to Rep Davis that the funding specified in amendment 4 was redundant, as those programs are already going to be funded through the lump-sum payments and there is no need to go into =that level of specificity= when it has already been agreed to and could derail the original agreement =at the 11th hour=. Rep Davis proceeds to try twisting the decision to pull amendment 4 into something it is not. Members were happy to learn the original agreement was being honored and both parties could trust each other to keep their word. Nothing more. Ugh, Rep Davis. Ugh. - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 2:54 pm: Ugh. Now Rep Flowers jumps on the Davis bandwagon. smh. - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 2:59 pm: Currie delivering closing. Mentions that calls against some Dems in targeted districts started two hours ago, which is not in =good faith=. Bill passes 105 yes, 4 no, 1 present. - Formerly Known As... - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 3:07 pm: Durkin makes brief comments, thanks both Republican and Democratic staff as well. Madigan delivers a scripted speech, more work to be done. Takes a few predictable swipes at gov. - Norseman - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 3:38 pm: === Durkin makes brief comments, thanks both Republican and Democratic staff as well. Madigan delivers a scripted speech, more work to be done. Takes a few predictable swipes at gov. === FKA, Durkin lets his robocalls do his dirty work for him. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 3:40 pm: ===Durkin lets his robocalls do his dirty work for him.=== - Norseman -, +1 And so it “began” - Honeybear - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 4:09 pm: So what did Rauner get out of all this? I hope someone will let the bewildered know who got what. - Last Bull Moose - Thursday, Jun 30, 16 @ 5:07 pm: Rauner gets to fight the fall election with schools open and most human services providers still alive. He can still sell his reforms are needed position. CPS bailout was avoided. If CPS collapses, it is on Rahm. Union targets remain in the crosshairs. Fewer distractions now. - Formerly Known As... - Friday, Jul 1, 16 @ 12:33 am: =FKA, Durkin lets his robocalls do his dirty work for him.= @Norseman - well said. They didn’t waste any time, did they? Two hours before the bill was passed. smh. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.