Z rightly asks what reforms could possibly cover the gap.
That’s what everything is about.
The anti-lame duck tax increase resolution may be a tad on the PR side, but nowhere near as consequential as the Rauner (and now GOP) line that “reforms” will balance the budget.
- Dance Band on the Titanic - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 1:37 pm:
I suppose Skillicorn has his structural reforms legislation containing $8-10 billion in annual savings ready to introduce on January 11. Otherwise, just more of his typical nonsense.
It’s impossible to take Mr. Skillicorn seriously. He evidently doesn’t understand the budget or he wouldn’t have made such a ridiculous comment. It’s nice to use buzz words like “structural reform” but unless he can attach $9B in savings to those reforms then all he is doing is blowing smoke.
$9B in magic reform savings? Isn’t the entire discretionary portion of the budget $11-12B. So the reforms equal all of K-12 funding plus most of higher ed?
Ease up on Skillicorn, everybody. All he did was ask, “How about structural reforms to save enough money to prevent a tax hike?” He didn’t say it could be done or that he had the answers. Maybe he was sincerely asking if someone else did.
And tomorrow he’ll ask, “How about we get the sun to rise in the west?”
- btowntruth from forgotonnia - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 12:16 pm:
That right there.
We are so screwed.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 12:17 pm:
“Reforms”…
Can’t find that in anything “budget-y”
Deciding that no Lame Duck Taxes is important, than where are we in getting revenue for a budget?
- illinoised - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 12:17 pm:
“Beam me up.”
- Dan Johnson - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 12:18 pm:
False equivalence.
Z rightly asks what reforms could possibly cover the gap.
That’s what everything is about.
The anti-lame duck tax increase resolution may be a tad on the PR side, but nowhere near as consequential as the Rauner (and now GOP) line that “reforms” will balance the budget.
And, I love you Rich.
- RNUG - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 12:18 pm:
The only thing I would add is it needs to be $9B+ … so we can pay down the backlog also.
- JS Mill - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 12:24 pm:
Empty words in 30 seconds or less, lapped up by an easily distracted electorate.
- Norseman - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 12:32 pm:
B.T. (Before Trump), we used to say that Skillicorn was throwing male cow stuff. Now we say he’s using post-truth tactics.
- Sox Fan - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 12:36 pm:
Did Skillicorn provide a response?
- Sue - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 12:49 pm:
If Illinois was a horse some merciful soul would come along and put it out of its misery
- South of Sherman - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 12:52 pm:
Along the lines of silly, pointless, self-serving tweets, I offer Kristen McQueary:
“How about full media blackout-no coverage of Spfld-until pols act in good faith for citizens? Games are sickening.”
- Illinois O'Malley - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 12:52 pm:
@Sue, or the Governor would propose a balanced budget to start working back to where we were when Quinn left…
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 1:03 pm:
Glad to know Skillicorn spreads his ignorant talking points on Twitter too, not just here.
- The Dude Abides - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 1:03 pm:
Skillicorn can’t really believe what he posted, can he?
- Anonymous - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 1:34 pm:
===Did Skillicorn provide a response? ===
His response, “Lower cost of providing services. WC, CB, PW increases costs. Ppl are leaving & will not tolerate any rate, fee, or taxes hike”
- HIghland Il - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 1:34 pm:
1:34pm was me….
- Dance Band on the Titanic - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 1:37 pm:
I suppose Skillicorn has his structural reforms legislation containing $8-10 billion in annual savings ready to introduce on January 11. Otherwise, just more of his typical nonsense.
- Demoralized - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 1:45 pm:
It’s impossible to take Mr. Skillicorn seriously. He evidently doesn’t understand the budget or he wouldn’t have made such a ridiculous comment. It’s nice to use buzz words like “structural reform” but unless he can attach $9B in savings to those reforms then all he is doing is blowing smoke.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 1:51 pm:
===False equivalence. ===
I didn’t say they were both goofy. I said one was goofy and one was silly and relied on myth.
- Deplorable - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 1:55 pm:
Will Zalewski support a 9 billion dollar tax increase?
- illini97 - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 2:35 pm:
$9B in magic reform savings? Isn’t the entire discretionary portion of the budget $11-12B. So the reforms equal all of K-12 funding plus most of higher ed?
- Whatever - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 3:49 pm:
Ease up on Skillicorn, everybody. All he did was ask, “How about structural reforms to save enough money to prevent a tax hike?” He didn’t say it could be done or that he had the answers. Maybe he was sincerely asking if someone else did.
And tomorrow he’ll ask, “How about we get the sun to rise in the west?”
- Anonymous - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 3:55 pm:
So how much savings does Zalewski think is really possible thru structural reforms, or is he just anti-savings altogether?
- Mama - Thursday, Dec 1, 16 @ 7:28 pm:
Are any cost saving structural reforms on the table? If yes, what are they?
- Demoralized - Friday, Dec 2, 16 @ 8:05 am:
==or is he just anti-savings altogether==
Yeah. That’s what he said.
Nobody knows how much savings are possible through these “structural reforms” because those pushing for them have never provided the information.