===Civic Federation: Any sustainable plan to stabilize #CPS requires #Illinois passing a comprehensive budget===
In business, in “life”, in governing, there needs to be stability within budgetary parameters.
The beginning of any solutions, short or long term must start with the budget and allowing ALL to see the financial commitments and be committed to work for a solution while keeping the government functioning.
Investments in public services (roads, schools, healthcare etc.) beget economic growth. Yet, the supply siders have so completely won the rhetorical battle that many people and much of the press don’t blink when Rauner says we’ve got to cut taxes, deregulate, and disinvest to make our state competitive. Alas, there’s just no evidence that it works. We need a budget that invests in higher ed, infrastructure, healthcare, safety etc. to have prosperity.
Joe M, I know that is the public employee line, but it isn’t really true. Chicago is booming, there is no state budget. Downstate is dying, it competes with Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky and Wisconsin. It is losing.
@Ron - you are correct about downstate. Yet most of the voters are still drinking the Raunerite Kool-Aid
and do not realize how damaging this actually is.
Two cents: “comprehensive budget” should always include “raising taxes” or the value of the message in educating median voters is significantly reduced.
Joe M, I know that is the public employee line, but it isn’t really true. Chicago is booming, there is no state budget. Downstate is dying, it competes with Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky and Wisconsin. It is losing. +++
Isn’t Chicago talking about having to close their schools early this year, and close schools going forward, and having trouble with police and fire manpower levels, and keeping up with infrastructure maintenance and … and … and …
Two cents: “comprehensive budget” should always include “raising taxes” or the value of the message in educating median voters is significantly reduced.”
Huh? Only if at first it includes “spending freeze:
It’s been more than two years. By now, Rauner’s actions make it clear that “sustainability” and
“stability” of core state functions are not the priority.
Even his alleged priority — K-12 — is taking it on the chin. The school year is almost over and the state owes K-12 a billion dollars.
Two years in, not even a whiff of a capital plan — roads and bridges.
Sustainability and stability are not the plan.
- Albany Park Patriot - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 2:37 pm:
So, the Civic Federation is under Madigan’s control, too, now, if Rauner is to be believed?
Ron, that’s ridiculous. Seen the retail and apartment revival in C-U? Looked at the plans for $2 billion in industrial along 36 east of Decatur? 4.9% unemployment?
- Joe M - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 12:50 pm:
Any sustainable plan to stabilize ILLINOIS requires Illinois passing a comprehensive budget.
And in Rauner-speak, job creators like states with budgets.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 12:51 pm:
===Civic Federation: Any sustainable plan to stabilize #CPS requires #Illinois passing a comprehensive budget===
In business, in “life”, in governing, there needs to be stability within budgetary parameters.
The beginning of any solutions, short or long term must start with the budget and allowing ALL to see the financial commitments and be committed to work for a solution while keeping the government functioning.
- Taxation = Civilization - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 1:01 pm:
Investments in public services (roads, schools, healthcare etc.) beget economic growth. Yet, the supply siders have so completely won the rhetorical battle that many people and much of the press don’t blink when Rauner says we’ve got to cut taxes, deregulate, and disinvest to make our state competitive. Alas, there’s just no evidence that it works. We need a budget that invests in higher ed, infrastructure, healthcare, safety etc. to have prosperity.
- Ron - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 1:04 pm:
Joe M, I know that is the public employee line, but it isn’t really true. Chicago is booming, there is no state budget. Downstate is dying, it competes with Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky and Wisconsin. It is losing.
- illini - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 1:09 pm:
@Ron - you are correct about downstate. Yet most of the voters are still drinking the Raunerite Kool-Aid
and do not realize how damaging this actually is.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 1:23 pm:
“Chicago is booming, there is no state budget.”
Yet Chicago is struggling to pay its pension bills and other obligations. I guess we need to define what “booming” truly means in this State.
- Dan Johnson - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 1:32 pm:
Two cents: “comprehensive budget” should always include “raising taxes” or the value of the message in educating median voters is significantly reduced.
- titan - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 1:34 pm:
+++ - Ron - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 1:04 pm:
Joe M, I know that is the public employee line, but it isn’t really true. Chicago is booming, there is no state budget. Downstate is dying, it competes with Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky and Wisconsin. It is losing. +++
Isn’t Chicago talking about having to close their schools early this year, and close schools going forward, and having trouble with police and fire manpower levels, and keeping up with infrastructure maintenance and … and … and …
- wordslinger - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 2:22 pm:
–Yet Chicago is struggling to pay its pension bills and other obligations. I guess we need to define what “booming” truly means in this State.–
Is that a heavy lift, really? Fiscal conditions are determined by elected officials. The economy is something else entirely.
You can have a booming economy and a fiscal mess. You have can have a depression and balanced budget.
- Ron - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 2:29 pm:
Yep, what word said.
“- Dan Johnson - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 1:32 pm:
Two cents: “comprehensive budget” should always include “raising taxes” or the value of the message in educating median voters is significantly reduced.”
Huh? Only if at first it includes “spending freeze:
- wordslinger - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 2:33 pm:
It’s been more than two years. By now, Rauner’s actions make it clear that “sustainability” and
“stability” of core state functions are not the priority.
Even his alleged priority — K-12 — is taking it on the chin. The school year is almost over and the state owes K-12 a billion dollars.
Two years in, not even a whiff of a capital plan — roads and bridges.
Sustainability and stability are not the plan.
- Albany Park Patriot - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 2:37 pm:
So, the Civic Federation is under Madigan’s control, too, now, if Rauner is to be believed?
- Captplaid - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 2:49 pm:
Has CPS ever shown an interest in downstate schools or budget concerns?
They don’t care about us and I really don’t have an inclination to bail them out… Again. They’ve milked thus cow enough.
The worst thing Rauner can do is raise taxes to give more pork to Chicago.
- Rich Miller - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 2:51 pm:
===Has CPS ever shown an interest in downstate schools===
Um. That’s a very weird question.
- JS Mill - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 3:43 pm:
=Downstate is dying, it competes with Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky and Wisconsin. It is losing.=
That is only true if you do not understand basic math.
The GDP gap between Illinois and its neighbors is widening not shrinking.
- Arthur Andersen - Friday, May 5, 17 @ 4:26 pm:
Ron, that’s ridiculous. Seen the retail and apartment revival in C-U? Looked at the plans for $2 billion in industrial along 36 east of Decatur? 4.9% unemployment?