* Mark Maxwell…
In a Capitol Connection interview, Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) poured cold water on an idea Illinois Senate President Don Harmon proposed in a letter to Congress last month.
“I would just characterize his letter to me and others as ambitious,” Durbin said in the segment that aired on Sunday morning.
Among other items, Harmon’s letter requested Congress send Illinois $10 billion in pension relief for state retirement systems.
“He was looking for federal assistance at a level at which is unrealistic, and I am sorry that he made reference to our pension challenge,” Durbin said. “Many states face a pension challenge. We should not be looking to the federal government at this moment or expecting in the future that it’s going to step in and fix these problems. What we need to do is ask for help for not only our state, but also local units of government, for their actual budget losses that are associated with this current national emergency. That, I think, is realistic.”
*** UPDATE *** Et tu, cheeseheads?…
For 43 Wisconsin Republican lawmakers, the urge to bash Illinois and go on record against bailouts for state governments during the coronavirus pandemic was just too good to pass up.
The lawmakers signed on to a letter sent Friday to the members of Wisconsin’s Congressional delegation asking them to reject a bailout package for the states. […]
“No one knows how long and how deep this economic crisis due to to COVID-19 will be, and Wisconsin is not immune to these fiscal challenges,” the letter said. “However, we do know our neighbors to the south have spent decades spending and borrowing recklessly.
“After years of failing to fund their overly generous pension system, Illinois is already asking for the federal government to bail them out of these series of poor financial decisions. The State Senate in Illinois has requested $44 billion – and that’s just for one state. Wisconsinites can’t afford to bailout reckless budgeting from other states.
“Wisconsin taxpayers should not be responsible for funding bailouts for irresponsible states across the country, like Illinois, New York and California. Please stand with Wisconsin taxpayers and reject the multi-trillion dollar bailouts being considered by Congress.”
- Oswego Willy - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 8:50 am:
“Mr. Harmon, sit down, we’ll take it from here.”
I can’t understand how this was ever thought to be a smart thing to put above a signature in any fashion, let alone a ridiculous ask on pensions.
My hope is Mr. Harmon, in every way, was going it alone, and not a single soul thought this was a good idea and encouraged this letter. It’s one thing to ask (or not ask) input, but if this went threw his crew and they signed off… yikes.
Maybe if Mr. Harmon is so bent on inserting himself in this, where is the state senate’s plan to have the members meet? You’d think the leader of a legislative body struggling to find a way to meet would be busy enough trying to meet that challenge.
“We’ll take it from here, Mr. Harmon”
- A Guy - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 8:55 am:
When Dick Durbin tells another Democratic Leader they’re being unrealistic and greedy…wow. Had no idea I’d live long enough to see that. Explains the depth of the foolishness of such a letter.
- Hard D - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 9:01 am:
So Governor Pritzker if you’re banking on a bailout it’s not happening. It also doesn’t help your cause much to go on CNN and blast Trump ( even if deserved). Also to say that Illinois might NEVER be open entirely without a vaccine you are giving ammunition to the Federal Court Cases you don’t want.
In closing your first year as Governor was a pretty good success. So let’s get back to Governing Illinois and not campaigning for Higher office.
- PublicServant - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 9:09 am:
Don Harmon either has to drink a lot more, or a lot less…just sayin.
- Green Hornet - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 9:10 am:
Please….there is zero probability Mr Harmon sent that letter without Madigan and Pritzker seeing it in advance…..zero
- Grandson of Man - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 9:15 am:
Meh. We’ve given trillions of tax dollars overall to those who’ve needed it the least. We’ve given disproportionately to low wage, anti-union red states for decades. Don’t sweat it.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 9:16 am:
===… there is zero probability Mr Harmon sent that letter without Madigan and Pritzker seeing it in advance===
If your tin foil hat thought is even remotely true, then the governor not only threw Mr. Harmon under the bus, ran over him multiple times, Mr. Harmon is sitting back and not, even in back channels saying your theory?
As I recall, Mr. Harmon all but doubled down in an interview Rich had as a post.
- Too da loo mf - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 9:20 am:
If and when national priorities change Harmon’s ask won’t seem so preposterous. The trillions we spend on foreign wars and intervention could be better spent (perhaps domestically). He’s ahead of his time.
- Norseman - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 9:32 am:
Trolls will be trolls. Sadly, we’ve seen too many times when one of the Dem leaders go off on their own without communication with the others. Mostly, it’s the trolls’ favorite arch villain, Madigan.
- Rich Miller - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 9:49 am:
===Please….there is zero probability===
lol
- SSL - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 9:51 am:
He’s new at the job and made a pretty big mistake. I would think he will learn a lot from all the blow back he received. He better get used to hearing it though, as everytime the aid package for states is discussed, this is likely to be brought up again and again.
- low level - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 9:58 am:
Grandson of Man - “We’ve given trillions of tax dollars overall to those who’ve needed it the least. We’ve given disproportionately to low wage, anti-union red states for decades. “.
Yes exactly. Whether he wrote it with the Governor or not, big deal. The Senate President made a request. Looks like it will probably be denied. There was nothing wrong w him asking, however.
- A Guy - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 10:31 am:
I would posit that the expanded unemployment benefits, and the stimulus checks did not and are not going to the people who “need it the least”.
- Perrid - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 10:57 am:
Mentioning pensions was stupid. Some more assistance to states would be good, you could even argue for some dollars that aren’t earmarked for certain purposes to fill the budget hole for the CURRENT year. Which might include this years pension payment, but again, you don’t put the word “pension” in your letter, because then you change the subject, the focus, and you lose. Just, argh
- Jocko - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 10:59 am:
==we do know our neighbors to the south have spent decades spending and borrowing recklessly==
“Wisconsin? I have a Foxconn on line 1.” BTW - I wouldn’t brag too much about Scott Walker’s Act 10
- City Zen - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 11:07 am:
Wisconsin has the best funded pension system in the country.
- Demoralized - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 11:09 am:
==Wisconsin has the best funded pension system in the country.==
The king of the inane strikes again
- Demoralized - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 11:10 am:
So basically these guys are willing to forgo needed assistance for states just to spite others. Heckuva a gang of representatives.
- Lincoln Lad - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 11:14 am:
I don’t think Kim Lightford would have sent that letter. Harmon has often thought (wrongly) that he is the smartest guy in the room. Having friends with money doesn’t make you smart.
- Oswego Willy - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 11:15 am:
=== “After years of failing to fund their overly generous pension system, Illinois is already asking for the federal government to bail them out of these series of poor financial decisions. The State Senate in Illinois has requested $44 billion – and that’s just for one state. Wisconsinites can’t afford to bailout reckless budgeting from other states.”===
“Thanks, Mr. Harmon”… ugh.
That grab is politics, not to any virus or disaster or crisis.
Mr. Harmon decided to put down a marker for Illinois, on his own, and this is the kind of backlash, trivial as it might be in some ways… now the focus isn’t about helping Illinois, but making sure Illinois is “punished” with a political bend.
Mr. Harmon shoulda focused on figuring out he could open the senate… as senate president… and leave stuff governors do… to the governor.
- Boone's is Back - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 11:17 am:
Bet Harmon didn’t enjoy his morning coffee today…
- Bristol Beer - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 11:30 am:
Maybe some senators lead a coup in January 2021, dump Harmon for Lightford.
- TinyDancer(FKASue) - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 11:36 am:
=He’s new at the job=
It’s just common sense - you know…that stuff you’re born with.
- Annoyed - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 12:04 pm:
I’m going to repost my same comment every time this comes up: these Cheeseheads are using theirs, yours, and my tax dollars to pay the salaries and 401k contributions of American, United, Delta, and Southwest pilots for 6 months! And these airline captains normally make $250k a year. So yes, let’s keep bashing the Senate Prez for asking for the same as the airlines got…
- Fighter of Foo - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 12:18 pm:
Who made the point the other day that this could have been “forgotten” then Harmon reopened it last week? That was so true. Now, here is the club by which we will be beaten with. JB wants to continue this alone, it’s what this will be, alone.
- John Deere Green - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 12:20 pm:
==….there is zero probability==
Because you know all these individuals so, so well. You got a direct line to MJM, do ya? As Mr. Miller is fond of saying, take a nap.
- Not a Billionaire - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 12:40 pm:
Durbin all in on giving farmers a bailout.
- Bob Loblaw - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 12:52 pm:
Alabama intends to use $200 million of CARES act funding to build a new state house
- Lincoln Lad - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 12:57 pm:
Harmon has the seat, but not everything can be handled or fixed through connections. In this case, he has done harm to the State. JB knows it, and JB also was on the Lightford side. Harmon’s arrogance will hopefully be checked through all this, and he hopefully learns something. But I wouldn’t bet on it.
- Chicago Cynic - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 1:53 pm:
“In this case, he has done harm to the State.”
No he hasn’t. At the end of the day it’s a small political story that won’t affect the final contours of an aid package.
- Jibba - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 5:20 pm:
A trillion dollars divided by 50 states is 20 billion each, or about 37B for Illinois if you split it up evenly by population. It is not the amount of money that is the problem, it is that he mentioned pensions. The amount is chicken feed compared to the amounts given to private industry.
- Precinct Captain - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 7:30 pm:
Expect*
- Titan - Monday, May 11, 20 @ 7:45 pm:
The Illinois public pension systems are not and never were overgenerous. If they had been funded properly all along, they would be a very good deal all around
- City Zen - Tuesday, May 12, 20 @ 8:42 am:
==If they had been funded properly all along==
…then everyone would have lower salaries with smaller raises and more expensive health benefits while also paying more in taxes.