Unions file suit in St. Clair County
Thursday, Jul 2, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
Unions representing state employees today took two steps to ensure that public service workers in state government will be paid on time and in full for their work, even in the absence of a state budget for the 2016 fiscal year that started yesterday.
First, 13 unions filed suit in St. Clair County Circuit Court, arguing that the state’s failure to pay employees their full wages under their unions’ respective collective bargaining agreements would be an impairment of contract.
“State employees are now pawns in the political dispute over the state budget,” the unions said in their filing. “They and their families deserve better.”
The 13 unions are the:
· American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31;
· Illinois Troopers Lodge No. 41, Fraternal Order of Police;
· Illinois Nurses Association;
· Illinois Federation of Public Employees, Local 4408 IFT-AFT;
· Illinois Federation of Teachers, Local 919;
· International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers;
· Illinois Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council;
· Laborers International Union of North America – ISEA Local 2002;
· Service Employees International Union, Local 73;
· SEIU Health Care Illinois & Indiana;
· SEIU Local 1;
· Teamsters Local Union No. 705, Affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters; and
· Conservation Police Lodge of the Police Benevolent and Protective Association.
A court date in St. Clair County has not yet been set.
In addition, AFSCME and other unions intervened in Cook County Circuit Court to represent the interests of state employees in a case in which the Attorney General is seeking declaratory judgment that state employees can be paid no more than minimum wage, pursuant to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. The unions contend that since the state Department of Central Management Services and the Comptroller have indicated that it is not feasible for the state to alter its payroll to conform with the FLSA, then the court should order the state to continue paying employees on time and in full, as it did in a similar circumstance in 2007.
A status hearing in the Cook County case is scheduled for Tuesday, July 7.
Comments Off  
|
AG Madigan files TRO
Thursday, Jul 2, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This whole shutdown thing has rapidly devolved into campaign-style war room stuff…
* Actually, that’s not quite what the TRO is asking for…
WHEREFORE, Plaintiff People of the State of Illinois respectfully prays that the Court enter a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction ordering the Comptroller: […]
f. To process payment vouchers for payments pursuant to the federal minimum wage and overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act, or in the alternative, not to process payment vouchers for state employee payroll in the absence of payroll vouchers that comply only with the minimum requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act; and
g. Any and all other relief that this Court deems just. [Emphasis in original.]
I checked with the attorney general’s office and they fully expect that Comptroller Munger, the governor, CMS and AFSCME will argue that state employees should be paid their full wages. That’s the process, I was told, and the judge will decide.
46 Comments
|
In re James Dimas
Thursday, Jul 2, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* After Jim Dimas was nominated to head DHS, he provided his resume to the Illinois Senate’s Executive Appointments Committee and answered “No” to this question…
* SEIU has been doing research on Rauner administration appointees. They pitched me one story a while ago, but I took a pass. Apparently, they ran Dimas’ name through Lexis Nexis and came up with this…
Oops.
* The back story from the governor’s office is that Dimas was on medication for severe sciatic nerve problems. But his doctor told him that his pain medicine would seriously damage his kidneys.
A friend told Dimas that marijuana could ease his pain, and he hooked Dimas up with a connect in California, who then sent Dimas some weed.
Problem is, UPS figured out what was going on and Dimas was busted upon delivery.
Stupid mistake for sure. I mean, why go all the way to Cali for marijuana?
* Anyway, Dimas was up front with his judge, and received “probation before judgment,” according to the governor’s office. His record was eventually wiped clean and he never pled guilty and was never convicted.
Before he filled out that resume, he talked with his attorney and was advised to answer “No.”
But he didn’t inform the governor about his run-in with the law until SEIU started asking questions.
Another oops.
* Even so, I’m told the governor’s chief counsel agrees with Dimas’ attorney.
And while Gov. Rauner believes Dimas “made a serious error in judgment,” Rauner also “believes in second chances and feels that Mr. Dimas is eminently qualified to lead the Department of Human Services and has chosen to retain him as secretary of the agency,” a Rauner official said today.
* Why am I airing Dimas’ dirty laundry in public? Well, the governor’s people approached me, knowing that I’m also a firm believer in second chances on this sort of thing.
I was also willing to do this because, frankly, I didn’t want to see the guy’s mug plastered all over the front page by a newspaper looking to score some cheap shots.
He screwed up. Big.
He didn’t lie on his app.
The governor is willing to forgive and move forward.
We should, too.
…Adding… SEIU says it dropped the whole thing, too. Same reasons as listed above.
51 Comments
|
Big bucks reported by Zopp, Raja
Thursday, Jul 2, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sneed…
Ka-ching!
Dem U.S. Senate candidate Andrea “Andy” Zopp, whose resume reads like a corporate bible, is hitting the big money key on the cash register!
Sneed hears Zopp, the former president and CEO of the Chicago Urban League, has raised over $665,000 since she announced in May her candidacy for the seat now held by U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, R-Ill.
“I think that’s enough to show we are credible and that this is a real campaign,” said Zopp, who will be running against U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., a wounded Iraq War veteran, in the Dem primary.
“It’s a big race and we have to be able to compete and show we are going to be able to raise money in order to be effective in this race,” said Zopp, who held 17 fundraisers in the past two weeks.
She’s been in this thing for a while, so she undoubtedly got some pledges early on during her exploration. Plus, we don’t know yet how much of this is for the primary and for the general. Lots of times, wealthy backers max out for both up front.
Even so, not bad at all.
* Press release…
Raja Krishnamoorthi announced today he has raised more than $600,000 for his campaign for Congress in the 8th Congressional District of Illinois that includes the northwest Chicago suburbs.
Raja has raised the amount in a single fundraising quarter since he formally filed his paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission in April to run to replace Rep. Tammy Duckworth in Congress.
“The outpouring of support will allow our campaign to have the resources to share our message of helping more Americans find good jobs and economic security in a changing world,” Krishnamoorthi said.
The eye-popping fundraising amount collected in three months builds on the impressive political support of more than 70 Democratic leaders and activists throughout the Chicago suburbs and Illinois backing Krishnamoorthi for Congress.
Today’s fundraising news comes on the heels of Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL 9th District) and Rep. Luis Gutiérrez (D-IL 4th District) endorsing Raja for Congress. In addition to a total of six Members of Congress backing Krishnamoorthi, other key supporters include State Sen. Dan Kotowski (D-28th District) and State Sen. Dave Koehler (D-46th District).
Same caveats as above, but, again, pretty darned good.
* By the way, did any of you catch any of these recent fundraising appeals?
Brad Schneider…
I know that if we don’t hit our goal, we’ll become the number 1 target for the Republicans.
Just $1,033 to go — Rich, I’m really hoping you can chip in:
Duckworth…
I’m at the office, refreshing our fundraising stats constantly before tonight’s big FEC fundraising deadline at midnight, and I’m seeing that we’re still $3,567 short of our online goal.
If just 242 of you pitch in during the next few hours, I think we can make it, and show Mark Kirk and his Super PAC allies that we’re ready for this race. Can I count on you to contribute now?
Susana Mendoza…
We are now only $2,603 away from our fundraising goal for the quarter, which is incredible!
Can you contribute before midnight tonight to get us over the top?
Only $2,603 to go. Every little bit helps!
Nancy Rotering…
In just a few hours, the second quarter FEC filing deadline will be here. We have seen an incredible response and are rapidly approaching our goals for the quarter.
Right now, we are just $1,718 away from reaching our grassroots goal. Help us prove that our campaign has what it takes to win and put us over the line. >>>CONTRIBUTE TODAY!
Tom Cullerton…
We’re getting a tremendous response from our list! We’re only $1,315 away from our goal. I know we are sending you a lot of email today, but this deadline is critical.
Can you join me in supporting Tom’s campaign with a $10 contribution right now?
This is all based on research that makes those goals look more believable and reachable and, therefore, encourages donors to act.
24 Comments
|
* From a media alert…
Comptroller Leslie Geissler Munger will hold a Chicago news conference Thursday to discuss her plan for managing state finances as the state enters the new fiscal year July 1 without a budget agreement.
Munger will discuss the budgetary timetable for the weeks ahead and then take questions from the media at the James R. Thompson Center.
SCHEDULE FOR THURSDAY, JULY 2, 2015:
WHO: Illinois State Comptroller Leslie Geissler Munger
WHAT: News Conference on State Budget Impasse
WHEN: 1 p.m. Thursday, July 2
WHERE: Blue Room, 15th Floor
James R. Thompson Center
100 W. Randolph St., Chicago, IL
The live video link via our good pals at BlueRoomStream is here.
This post will be updated.
* Let’s do a ScribbleLive thingy…
53 Comments
|
Yet another clock starts ticking down
Thursday, Jul 2, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* 21 years sounds so very far away, until you consider how long it takes to get a permit to build a landfill (not to mention finding a willing area) and how much we love to procrastinate in this state…
State officials say existing Illinois landfills have capacity to take trash for another 21 years.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency released its landfill report for 2014 on Wednesday. The report found that the state had 39 active landfills that took in more than 44 million gate cubic yards of waste during 2014. A gate cubic yard is the volume of waste entering the landfill’s gate.
The landfills reported that there were 942 million gate cubic yards of combined remaining capacity as of Jan. 1. The state EPA says that means landfill life expectancy in Illinois is 21 years based on 2014 disposal rates.
27 Comments
|
* Whatever else you think of him, you gotta give the governor credit for chutzpah…
Kids at the Illinois State Museum summer camp last week got a lesson in irony after Gov. Bruce Rauner, who proposes to close the museum, stopped by for a photo op with them.
Next day the children wrote a letter thanking the governor for coming to camp, adding, “We hope to see you next year!”
The Rauner administration has set official wheels in motion to shutter the 138-year-old institution […]
Already there are a hundred pages of letters opposing closure, but none more eloquent than the note from Elsa, a summer camper who wrote on the group letter to Rauner: “Please don’t close the museum. Please save my Mom’s job.”
Sheesh.
* The letter…
69 Comments
|
The Tier 2 difference
Thursday, Jul 2, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Illinois Issues takes a look at the difference between Tier One and Tier Two teacher pensions. Keep in mind here that Tier Two kicked in on January 1, 2011…
The National Council on Teacher Quality reviewed the state of teacher pensions across the country in a 2015 report, highlighting Illinois as one of the most egregious examples of states combating a crisis on the backs of new teachers. Starring in the hypothetical scenario are two teachers in the Springfield Public School District — both have similar credentials and start and stop teaching at the same ages, 25 and 55. Amy started in November 2010, Allison just two months later, in January 2011.
Based on the school district’s salary schedule and the NCTQ’s calculations, Allison will end her 30-year teaching career with barely more than $243,000 in pension wealth. Amy’s pension, on the other hand, will be valued at nearly $550,000. Both women contributed the same portion of their pay toward retirement, and they were on identical salary schedules throughout their careers. That means they both had about $200,000 automatically deducted from their paychecks and funneled to the retirement system while they were teachers. But Amy will have a much more comfortable retirement.
Allison, hired in 2011, joined a second tier of public sector employees who are still required to pay the same portion of their salary toward retirement but who get a substantially lesser benefit from the system. In fact, their benefit might be so little as to be illegal under federal law.
* While we’re talking about Illinois Issues, I received this e-mail from Executive Editor Jamey Dunn-Thomason today…
We plan to post a new Illinois Issues in-depth piece (with accompanying radio component) every Thursday and send out an email alert in the morning. I don’t know if you are on our mailing list. We are still kind of working on compiling/merging that info. Thought you might like to get the alerts. You can subscribe at the bottom.
You really should click here to subscribe. It’s free and they do great work over there.
Plus, Jamey’s a friend and a big fan of this site. So help them out!
71 Comments
|
*** UPDATE 3 *** The governor’s office points to this paragraph in the AG’s legal action…
WHEREFORE, Plaintiff People of the State of Illinois respectfully prays for the following relief: […]
f. A declaration that the Comptroller, in the absence of an annual appropriation, is authorized to process payment vouchers for the payment of the federal minimum wage and overtime requirements of the FLSA, or in the alternative, a declaration that the Comptroller, in the absence of an annual appropriation and payroll vouchers that comply only with the minimum requirements of the FLSA, is not authorized to process payment vouchers for the state employee payroll;
Their response…
FYI, see paragraph 35f, the AG is seeking on two forms of declaration: 1) Comptroller can only pay minimum wage or 2) the Comptroller cannot pay anyone. The Attorney General is trying to block full employee pay.
Emphasis in original.
*** UPDATE 4 *** From Attorney General Lisa Madigan in response to the above claim…
“I have been working with the Comptroller’s office to identify what payments can continue without a State budget to ensure that people who rely on critical government services—kids in the foster care system, low-income families who can’t afford to pay for groceries, mentally disabled individuals who need residential support—aren’t punished by the Governor’s and Legislature’s inability to finalize a budget. I want State employees to be paid. I also want State service providers to be paid. They all deserve to be paid. But this problem can’t be solved through a lawsuit. The only way to ensure State employees and service providers are fully and legally paid is with an enacted budget.”
[End of updates.]
* An interesting and politically deft preemptive move. AG Madigan wants judicial clarification about payments that already don’t require legislative approval. And she gets ahead of the curve by asking the court to rule on the employee paycheck issue.
Press release with emphasis added…
Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced she has filed an action in Cook County Circuit Court, seeking a court order clarifying that the State can continue to make legally authorized payments to fund critical government services in a timely manner.
Without a State budget in place, the Illinois Constitution and laws significantly limit the payments that the State can make. In preparation for the start of the new fiscal year, the Attorney General has been working with Comptroller Leslie Geissler Munger to determine what payments can continue without a State budget in place. Based on those preparations, this action seeks clear court approval for the Comptroller to make payments that do not legally require an appropriation by the Legislature, including payments authorized by specific state statutes, payments for services required under court consent decrees and payments to continue participating in federal programs. These payments help fund critical government services, such as medical care for children in foster care, residential placements for mentally disabled individuals, food assistance for low-income families, and the operation of the state hotline to report child abuse and neglect.
The action also asks the court to clarify the State’s obligation to comply with the federal Fair Labor Standards Act by paying State employees the federal minimum wage until a budget is enacted and they can receive their full paychecks.
Statement from Attorney General Lisa Madigan
“The Illinois Constitution clearly states that without a budget, the State’s authority to fund government operations and services is severely limited. I am bringing this action to ensure that legally supported expenditures can continue to be made and to address the question of how the state payroll is legally managed during the budget impasse.
Our state’s most vulnerable residents deserve access to the critical services that their lives depend on. Taxpayers deserve to benefit from the government operations they help fund, and state employees deserve to be paid. Unfortunately, without a budget, it is difficult to ensure these payments are made. It is my job as the lawyer for the State to ensure that to the greatest extent possible under the law, we deliver on those promises. This action is the best approach to quickly and efficiently resolve these challenges.
It is my hope that by securing a court order clarifying these expenditures, the Legislature and the Governor can enact a budget to fund State government for the new fiscal year. If not, I fear those who need the State’s services the most will suffer the greatest.”
Read the entire complaint by clicking here.
*** UPDATE 1 *** This letter was sent by the comptroller yesterday…
Dear Attorney General Madigan:
As you know, today marks the first day of fiscal year 2016. To date, the legislature has failed to adopt a balanced budget for the State, resulting in severe constraints on the Comptroller’s Office’s ability to fund essential State operations, including State employee payrolls. I note that while the rank and file State employees are at risk of delays in receiving paychecks due to the current budget impasse, the Legislators themselves passed a law last year which will ensure they are paid on time in the new fiscal year (PA 98-682).
My legal counsel has advised me that the inability to process payrolls for State employees due to the lack of an approved budget carries the potential for significant liability for the State under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (”FLSA”). As we understand it, that Act provides for treble damages calculated from the amount of missed payrolls.
In order to fulfill my constitutional and statutory duty to issue State payments only where such payments are “pursuant to law and authorized,” and to protect the state from potential excessive fines, I am formally requesting that your office represent my office in Court to seek an Agreed Order to allow the State to avoid fines and penalties under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.
I have determined from detailed and extensive conversations with State agencies and my staff that the circumstances today are no different than the State faced in 2007, when your office agreed to entry of an Agreed Order to allow payment to all State employees at their regular rates of pay. Specifically, while the mandate of the FLSA is to pay “covered employees” at a rate at least equal to the federal minimum wage, the State’s payroll processing systems in place today are not set up such that the proper amounts could be calculated and paid to “covered employees.”
In order to prevent the State from incurring significant fines or penalties under the FLSA, the Agreed Order sought on our behalf should include a sentence, as follows:
To the extent it is not feasible to limit the issuance of warrants or electronic payments only to those State employees and in such amounts necessary to comply with the FLSA, the Comptroller shall issue such other additional payroll warrants or electronic payments to ensure that the requirements of the FLSA have been satisfied, including payroll warrants or electronic payments to State employees that may not be covered by the FLSA.
This sentence is identical to the Agreed Order entered in 2007, copy attached.
The contribution of State employees to maintaining public services and public order is beyond dispute. Allowing these employees to be paid on time and at the correct rate of pay until the budget impasse is resolved will also promote the legitimate goals of government to maintain critical services.
Going forward, I believe it is imperative that the State be better prepared to establish compliance with the FLSA in the event of delays in adopting a budget in future fiscal years. I will initiate an effort to work with your office and the Governor’s state agencies to adopt procedures to promptly identify employees covered by the Act in the event of another budget impasse. At the same time, the state is moving toward implementation of a new accounting system that will allow us to better comply with the FLSA in future years.
In conclusion, I will appreciate your confirming at your earliest convenience your willingness to seek the Agreed Order as outlined in this letter. I thank you and your staff for working closely with, and providing information to, the state Constitutional Offices to navigate the challenges caused by this ongoing budget impasse. Please contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Leslie Geissler Munger
Comptroller
It appears we have the AG’s response.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Two 2011 judicial consent decrees were the subject of these recently successful lawsuits…
Yesterday, the ACLU of Illinois, Equip for Equality and the pro bono law firm Dentons filed emergency motions seeking court orders to ensure that services for people with disabilities under the three community integration Consent Decrees continue despite the lack of a new state budget.
Federal judges entered orders requiring the State of Illinois to continue funding in Ligas v. Norwood and Colbert v. Rauner. (Copies of the court orders are attached.) The decree in Ligas covers people with developmental disabilities living in large state-funded facilities seeking to move into the community, as well as people with developmental disabilities living in the family home seeking community services. The decree in Colbert covers people with mental illness and/or physical disabilities living in nursing homes in Cook County who want to move into the community. A federal judge has been asked to enter a similar order in Williams v. Rauner, which covers people with mental illness living in large state-funded facilities who are seeking to move into the community. The motion in Williams will be heard on Thursday, July 2nd.
Click to review copies of the court orders: Compliance with Ligas Consent Decree & Compliance with Colbert Consent Decree
81 Comments
|
Credit Unions – Protecting Financial Futures
Thursday, Jul 2, 2015 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
As a friend to the consumer and trusted partner in their financial lives, credit unions are always looking out for their members’ best interests. When circumstances arise that are beyond the control of their members, credit unions are already there proactively working behind the scenes to provide peace of mind.
Take for instance University of Illinois Employees Credit Union (UIECU). In light of a possible payroll interruption as a result of the current state budget crisis, the credit union has been anticipating their state employee members could need help and has put plans into place to help their members weather the storm. This includes waiving skip payment fees and courtesy pay fees as necessary, as well as waiving early withdrawal penalties of certificate/Christmas club accounts and offering low-interest, short term loans. And UIECU is just one of many credit unions that have stepped up to help their members and consumers during this challenging time.
Credit unions remain true to one principle - people before profits - and represent a highly valued resource by more than 3 million Illinois consumers during times that pose economic and financial challenges.
Comments Off
|
* Press release…
State Representative Mike Unes (R-East Peoria) called on both parties to come to a temporary, balanced budget to avoid major interruptions to state services on Thursday. As the State of Illinois begins its new fiscal year without a balanced budget in place, the Democrat Supermajority attempted a piece-meal approach on Wednesday, in the way of a temporary 30-day state budget funding some state services. However, Rep. Mike Unes (R-East Peoria), criticized the bill as still being, “unbalanced and unconstitutional” and not including funding for programs like The Autism Program (TAP).
The Governor’s Office of Management and Budget released a letter on Wednesday explaining that the attempt by the Democrat supermajority to pass their temporary budget would result in ultimately spending much more money than revenue is expected for the fiscal year. The letter describes that the Democrat proposal, “marches the taxpayers of Illinois toward an unbalanced budget one month at a time.”
Rep. Unes went on to urge an attainable solution to remedy this situation, “if we simply divide our expected revenues by 12 months and pass an extension of spending levels commensurate with expected revenues, we can keep state government services open, pay our employees, and not have major interruptions in the lives of vulnerable Illinois citizens dependent on the state safety net.”
“I’m for a comprehensive approach that gives a voice to the voiceless. It’s a cruel game to string along the most vulnerable when you know the money won’t be there at the end of the year. Unfortunately, the math simply doesn’t add up here on Madigan’s budget extension. We are charged by the Illinois Constitution with not spending more money than incoming revenues. Today, I suggest a simple solution to keep the doors open- pass a temporary budget that simply divides expected revenues and fund the programs we can based on priorities established by the legislature. We cannot simply make up our own numbers, though,” said Unes, “we have to operate in the real world.”
Thoughts?
* Meanwhile…
As anxiety spreads over dangerous cuts to social services demanded by Gov. Bruce Rauner in his ongoing budget crisis, a new TV ad debuted today in markets across Illinois showing the benefit of child care to two working mothers.
In the 30-second ad which targets legislators, the moms explain the ripple effect of removing child care from tens of thousands of working parents, as Rauner proposes.
In the ad, Courtney McLure, a mother from Riverton who works as a teacher’s assistant, says, “If I can’t take my kids to day care, then I can’t work.”
Leading Julia Adams, a mother of two from Springfield who works as home aide, to conclude that, “Governor Rauner would not cut child care if he walked a day in my shoes.”
Watch the new ad here.
The ad joins two others that began airing Monday.
42 Comments
|
The blame game
Thursday, Jul 2, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Madeline Doubek wonders who will win and who will lose during the shutdown crisis…
Madigan seems content to continue to paint the governor as extreme and wait for the fallout as agencies and non-profits that help children, the elderly and disabled bear with the brunt of the funding drought like the one they cried about when their funding got cut earlier because of an unbalanced Democratic budget. […]
Rauner and Republicans are betting, in the end, and with the aid of millions of dollars at their disposal and control of the state’s purse strings, that they can apply that heat and squeeze the Democrats. They calculate they still can pay state workers, or at least be able to say they tried to pay state workers, and then it’s the Democrats who caused those children, elderly and disabled to suffer. […]
Rauner can be right that Democrats made this mess until the end of time and still lose. He could pay the price if this ends with him signing a tax increase that’s just big enough to bother those who voted for him but don’t especially like him. Or Democrats could go home for the holiday and other summer events and get tagged for driving us down the debt drain and always turning to taxpayers for more.
The biggest risk? The biggest unknown? What happens when the horror stories start?
That last question is the most important. The governor has a big bully pulpit and his signing of the K-12 appropriations bill, his solidarity with state workers over their paychecks, etc. were all quite deft. His TV ads were as much about keeping his own numbers bolstered as they were about whacking MJM.
* And perhaps we’ll see more editorials like this one..
State Rep. Frank Mautino, D-Spring Valley, gets points for honesty in openly admitting that he backs powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago.
Still, we are discouraged that our state representative has tied himself to a state leader who keeps a political stranglehold on Illinois. Madigan has been speaker for all but two years since 1983. In 1998, he became chairman of the state Democratic Party. […]
Certainly, Mautino, who has served since 1991, can point to projects in his district that resulted from his relationship with Madigan, but these benefits do not outweigh the damage that Madigan and his loyalists have done to our state.
In the current state budget showdown, many newspaper editorial boards are blaming Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democratic legislative leaders for the stalemate, yet fail to hold their own lawmakers accountable. It’s easier to point the finger at politicians in a distant city, rather than those close to home.
Yet Mautino must take at least some responsibility for the state’s budget mess. He has been aiding and abetting Mike Madigan for years.
It’s time that Mautino stake his own ground and become part of the solution.
That’s gotta sting, and you can bet some of those quotes will be part of next year’s GOP mail campaign if Mautino runs again.
Then again, you could write the same sort of thing about Republican lawmakers who have time and time again voted against their own consciences and their own districts this past spring because of pressure from the governor.
Remember all that pressure the governor put on HGOPs to vote “Present” on “right to work”? And then days later, the governor completely abandoned the plank from his Turnaround Agenda platform.
As much as Democrats enable their leaders, Republicans are doing the very same thing.
* Even so, it is always easier to blame the big dog at the top rather than the local legislator you know and like. Governors normally wear the jacket for crises and failure, and that’s why Rauner has been so eager to appear “reasonable” on so many things.
Without a compromise on the horizon, we’re about to head into some very dangerous territory for everybody.
41 Comments
|
Meanwhile, in the real world…
Thursday, Jul 2, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* It’s probably worth noting that the one-month “essentials” budget passed by the Senate yesterday included funding for the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. If the governor and AFSCME fail to convince a judge to order the comptroller to issue state worker paychecks, flood recovery might possibly become part of this shutdown debate…
Rescue crews evacuated about 40 people because of flooding in the southwestern Illinois city of Centreville, paddling them to safety in orange inflatable rafts above streets that had turned to muddy rivers.
Emergency personnel went door to door to more than 100 homes on Friday, but some residents refused to leave despite floodwaters that reached 4 feet in places, KSDK-TV reported. […]
There also was flooding Friday in eastern Illinois, where the state’s department of transportation had to close a section of U.S. Highway 45 about three miles north of Mattoon.
* And more in Beardstown…
The Illinois River is breaking more than its 2013 record. It’s tearing up roads, too.
Two new sinkholes have opened up along Main Street since the river hit major flooding stages late last month. Underground pressure associated with the rising water has caused cracks and created wide pits along the town’s main thoroughfare, public works director Gary Hamilton said. […]
The river hit a record 30 feet Wednesday afternoon. Prevention efforts in the Cass County town of about 6,000 began Monday, nearly a week after most other towns along the river began sandbagging. Beardstown’s 35-foot flood wall keeps residents and the city feeling pretty secure, Mayor Steve Patterson said. But as the river levels inched closer to the 29.8-inch crest record from 2013, nerves increased for some residents.
25 Comments
|
When Indiana invaded Illinois
Thursday, Jul 2, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From “Illinois Copperheads and the American Civil War”…
Circuit Judge Charles H. Constable of Mount Carmel, a Democrat, released four deserters who had been arrested by army sergeants acting on the orders of Colonel Henry H. Carrington, commander of the Indiana Military District.
Constable argued that the army had no authority to arrest deserters from Indiana within the sovereign state of Illinois.
Outraged by the judge’s action, Carrington led a detachment of Indiana cavalry into Marshall, Illinois, in March 1863.
There he arrested Judge Constable, who was then trying the two army sergeants on the charge of kidnapping.
A federal judge ordered Constable’s release on the.grounds that Carrington’s cavalry had no authority to hunt deserters outside of Indiana, thus supporting Constable’s earlier opinion.
The Hoosiers were right.
Maybe we should return the historical favor and liberate Indiana trade unionists.
/snark
39 Comments
|
* From a a CTPF communique to its members…
This morning the Chicago Teachers’ Pension Fund (CTPF) Board of Trustees met in a special meeting where representatives of the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) presented a proposal to create a short-term employer payment plan. At the meeting, CPS Interim Chief Executive Officer Jesse Ruiz, Chief Administrative Officer Tim Cawley, and the City of Chicago’s Chief Financial Officer Carole Brown outlined a proposal which would not reduce pension funding, but would help CPS close a $500 million budget gap for 2016.
Under the terms of the proposal, CPS would discontinue its practice of making a single annual pension payment on the last business day of the year and would instead make monthly payments to CTPF, beginning in January 2016 and continuing for the next 10 years.
This new funding schedule would defer approximately $500 million of the FY 2016 payment into the FY 2017 fiscal year. The proposal requires CPS to pay interest at 7.75% on the deferred amount and requires $750 million in collateral to secure the agreement.
Following a period of discussion and debate, the board voted to communicate its general support for the proposal, and authorized a subcommittee of the Board of Trustees to continue negotiations and discussions with CPS. The subcommittee is expected to meet in July and will make a recommendation to the full board later this month.
“We were encouraged to see representatives of CPS at our meeting this morning and appreciate the opportunity to openly discuss payment security for the Fund,” said CTPF Board of Trustees President Jay C. Rehak. “While we still have concerns about this proposal, we look forward to working through these issues so that our members’ interests are protected and our Fund receives all the revenue necessary to meet the pension commitments made by CPS.”
“Under the current statute, CTPF receives revenue once a year, on the last business day,” said CTPF Executive Director Charles A. Burbridge. “This proposal revises the payment schedule, but ensures that we have a monthly revenue stream and provides security and interest on a deferred amount, which is reassuring for our members.”
The subcommittee is expected to make a recommendation in advance of the full board meeting on July 16, 2015.
11 Comments
|
House comes up short on temp budget
Wednesday, Jul 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The House came four votes shy of passing the “essential services” one-month budget today. I didn’t see the Big Board and the roll call isn’t posted online yet, but Madigan’s spokesman said all Democrats in the building voted for the bill, so it may have been an attendance issue. Attendance issues are common, even during May. Getting everybody into Springfield during July is very difficult.
The bill wasn’t placed on “Postponed Consideration” because the Senate passed an identical bill earlier today. Today’s House failure, in that context, didn’t matter because for parliamentary reasons the chamber couldn’t have voted on the Senate’s bill today anyway.
Press release…
Madigan: Rauner Shutdown Looking More Certain with No Budget Agreement
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - House Speaker Michael J. Madigan issued the following statement Wednesday on the House’s plans to pass an essential services budget aimed at preventing or minimizing a service shutdown that would disrupt the lives of many middle-class families.
“The number one issue facing the state of Illinois right now is the budget. In the days ahead, I will work to pass a short-term spending plan to see that the lives of struggling and middle-class families are not disrupted.
“In light of the governor’s unwillingness to work with the Legislature to pass a budget that adequately funds important state services, today the House tried to pass an essential services budget to avoid a shutdown of state government. My goal is to avoid a shutdown of core, critical services. I believe that should be the top priority of the governor and the Legislature at this moment.
“Since January, I have said a budget that protects the middle class and vulnerable residents would require a balanced approach that includes spending cuts and revenue. Rejecting a balanced approach in favor of a budget that focuses on cuts alone will negatively impact middle-class families and severely harm the medical care services of the elderly, the disabled and struggling families, services for victims of child abuse, and nursing home care for thousands of frail elderly residents.
“Despite the governor’s lack of cooperation on the budget, in the spirit of compromise, the House has debated several non-budget issues and given each a fair hearing. The property tax freeze, including the governor’s own proposal, received five chances to pass. Each time, the issue received little support from House Republicans. The House passed a compromise bill to help employers save on workers’ compensation costs and we passed a bill to privatize a portion of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity at the governor’s request.
“My focus remains on passing a budget that takes a balanced approach and includes spending reductions and revenue to preserve the services that the people of Illinois expect the state to deliver.”
* By the way, the House just announced that it will be in session next Wednesday and Thursday. The Senate’s not coming back for two weeks.
63 Comments
|
* Sun-Times…
Also being curtailed: elementary school sports and 5,300 coaching stipends. And $18 million will be saved by cutting network offices and teacher development programs.
Teachers also could take another financial hit by paying more toward their pensions. They are supposed to contribute 9 percent of their salary, but for some time now, under a deal negotiated in past contract talks, they have paid just 2 percent; CPS picked up the rest. Emanuel wants teachers to make their full contribution once again — but that will have to be negotiated.
Also taking hits: $11.1 million will be saved by cutting the repair and maintenance budget by 25 percent. And $15.8 million will be saved from startup funding for new charter development.
Emanuel told reporters that class size will not go up, but schools will be impacted. And he again complained that CPS had a larger pension burden than other school districts — and that Springfield had done nothing to fix that situation.
* Greg Hinz…
Even with such cuts, which amount to about $200 million a year, more cuts are on the way unless help arrives from Springfield, Emanuel said. […]
Emanuel offered two [pension] options, which he said would work. The first is to merge the Chicago teachers pension fund with the fund that covers the rest of the state—a most unlikely alternative given political realities.
His Plan B is for the state to pick up the annual “normal costs” of pensions. (Normal costs are what’s needed excluding payment of old debts.) Also part of Plan B is requiring teachers to pay the 7 percent of salary for pensions themselves that now is covered by CPS under an old contract agreement.
Also in Plan B, a huge concern to city taxpayers—more revenue: “$175 million to $200 million,” the mayor said.
Speaker Madigan has said he doesn’t like that “normal cost” pickup because he goes the opposite direction of making school districts pick up those normal costs.
29 Comments
|
Rauner, Teamsters agree to new contract
Wednesday, Jul 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* It’s a small bargaining unit, but, still…
After several productive rounds of good faith negotiations, the Illinois Governor’s Office and Teamsters Local 700 have agreed to terms on a new four-year collective bargaining agreement. The current agreement expired June 30, 2015.
The new contract covers nearly 350 workers at IDOT, CMS, IDES, and DHS in Cook County. The employees work as highway maintainers, heavy equipment operators, and building service and maintenance workers. Negotiations are ongoing for employees represented by Teamsters locals at locations covering the rest of Illinois.
The terms of the tentative agreement include:
Maintenance of the current level of health care benefits for employees and their dependents as part of the State’s continued contributions to the independent Teamsters Local 727 Health & Welfare Fund.
A four-year wage freeze, continuing the 75% in-hire rate.
Continuation of a 40-hour work week.
A new performance incentive program to reward employees with bonuses for cost-saving measures and meeting or exceeding performance metrics.
A collaborative program that allows management and the Teamsters to work together to provide low-cost alternatives to outsourcing.
A reduction in the payout for accumulated unused vacation from 75 to 45 days for employees hired after January 1, 2016.
The tentative agreement will be submitted to the membership of Teamsters Local 700 for a ratification vote.
As a continuation of the productive negotiating sessions, the Teamsters and the Governor’s Office also pledged to form a long-term relationship to improve employer-labor relations in state government.
Discuss.
88 Comments
|
Chicago-style accounting
Wednesday, Jul 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Have you been wondering where CPS got the money to make its $634 million pension payment yesterday? I’m told they took out some more loans based on future revenues, like this fall’s property taxes. And now they want another one…
One day after using borrowed money and savings generated by 1,400 layoffs to make a $634 million payment to the teachers pension fund, Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s administration is asking the pension fund for a $500 million loan.
At a pension fund meeting Wednesday, Chicago’s newly-appointed Chief Financial Officer Carole Brown said she’s well aware it’s a “big ask,” particularly after the history of pension holidays and partial payments that created the $9.5 billion pension crisis at the Chicago Public Schools. […]
Although pension fund trustees expressed their “general overall support,” it wasn’t without a heavy degree of hand-wringing.
One trustee questioned the idea of “hoping Springfield can come through for us” in the toxic atmosphere of a state budget stalemate between Democratic legislative leaders and Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner over Rauner’s demand for pro-business, anti-union reforms.
39 Comments
|
Always read the fine print
Wednesday, Jul 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The undoubtedly crowd-pleasing headline…
Budget impasse grounds state air fleet
* Red meat for sure…
Although a handful of GOP lawmakers have used the shuttle in the past year, a passenger manifest obtained through the Freedom of Information Act found the seats are largely dominated by the same Chicago Democrats who say Rauner’s agenda for workers’ compensation laws, limits on civil lawsuits and a revamp of local prevailing wage laws would harm the middle class.
* Fine print…
But, despite grounding the shuttle, which cuts travel times between Springfield and Chicago, the Illinois Department of Transportation says there are no layoffs planned at the division that oversees the service.
“There are five pilots employed by the Division of Aeronautics. No layoff notices have been issued at this time,” said IDOT spokesman Guy Tridgell. […]
Before the grounding, pilots earning between $94,000 and $105,000 annually typically made 500 flights annually. Now, they will be available for emergency uses, such as when an agency head needs quick access to one of the state’s far-flung facilities… Tridgell also said no layoffs are planned among the rest of the division’s workforce.
33 Comments
|
*** UPDATED x1 *** An independent mind
Wednesday, Jul 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Rep. David Harris (R-Arlington Heights) is one of my favorite legislators because, whether you agree with him or not, he has an independent mind and is not afraid to calmly speak it…
“In my view, they are at an absolute impasse,” Harris said. “Both sides are kind of right.”
He said Democrats’ criticism of Rauner’s push to tie other non-budget related items to the budget, such as term limits and redistricting reform, is fair, but he disagreed with criticism from Democrats of Rauner’s inclusion of other reform items that could have budget implications. Those items include collective bargaining, workers compensation reform, prevailing wage reform and a proposed two-year property tax freeze.
Again, you may not agree that collective bargaining and whatever should be on the table, but he’s right that they’ll all impact the budget one way or another (maybe negatively in some cases, like a property tax freeze).
* And speaking of Rep. Harris…
Earlier today I submitted a letter to the Comptroller asking her to move my salary from a direct deposit arrangement to a paper check. I understand that this is the procedure that former Gov. Quinn used when he refused to accept his salary during the disagreement with the General Assembly regarding his veto of legislators’ salaries.
By moving to a paper check, I am asking the Comptroller to withhold my paycheck in the event that the current budget disagreement continues through July and that other State employees are not paid when paychecks are due.
Because of PA 98-682, it is my understanding that legislators’ salaries are on a continuing appropriation and thus would be paid notwithstanding the lack of a budget agreement.
I have stated many times that I believe it is inappropriate for legislators to be paid on time if other State employees are not paid on time.
Unlike Quinn, Harris is not a grandstander. I see this more as a leading by example thing.
*** UPDATE *** From a press release…
State Rep. David McSweeney (R-Barrington Hills) today sent Illinois Comptroller Leslie Munger a letter asking to be removed from the state’s direct deposit payroll until further notice saying he does not want to accept his legislative salary if state employees are not getting paid.
State law allows legislators to receive pay even if a state budget agreement is not in place. However, if a state budget deal is not reached before July 15th, state employees might not be able to receive their pay.
McSweeney said by opting out of the state’s direct deposit system he is following the lead of State Rep. David Harris (R-Arlington Heights) who has also sent the Comptroller a letter opting out of his legislative pay.
“I do not think it is right for legislators to receive a paycheck when state employees might not receive the pay they have rightfully earned. We should do our job and quickly adopt a permanent budget without any tax increases.”
52 Comments
|
* Rewrite to do right…
To the Honorable Members of
The Illinois Senate,
99th General Assembly:
Today I return Senate Bill 1354, one of several budget implementation bills, with a specific recommendation for change.
After a decade of mismanagement, the State of Illinois is facing an unprecedented fiscal crisis. The State is suffering from a debt burden well in excess of $100 billion.
Instead of acknowledging this reality, the General Assembly passed an unbalanced and unconstitutional budget for Fiscal Year 2016. Last week I vetoed 19 of those appropriation bills and have asked the General Assembly to work with me to craft a balanced budget.
A balanced budget requires shared sacrifice. My Administration has reduced State personnel costs among agencies under my jurisdiction by $4 million during the first four full months (February through May) of this year, compared to the same period last year.
Under these circumstances, the State cannot afford to give legislators a raise. Illinois legislators are already among the highest paid in the United States, earning $68,000 to $95,000 per year for part-time service, plus per diem payments and mileage reimbursement. Without the change recommended below, legislators would receive raises ranging from $1,356 to $1,905 for Fiscal Year 2016 and increases in both the per diem amount and mileage reimbursement rate.
I recommend that Senate Bill 1354 be changed to eliminate raises for legislators, elected officers of the Executive Branch, and agency directors and other highly compensated State officials, and to freeze the per diem amount and mileage reimbursement rate. Budget implementation bills must give us the tools to implement a balanced and realistic budget, and this change is an important step in closing our budget deficit. A similar provision has been enacted for each of the past six fiscal years.
Therefore, pursuant to Section 9(e) of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return Senate Bill 1354, entitled “AN ACT concerning State government”, with the following specific recommendation for change:
I’ll get a link or a file so you can read the whole thing in a bit.
If the GA refuses to act, as is often the case with these, the whole BIMP goes down.
…Adding… The full veto message is here.
…Adding More… Wasn’t it sweet of the Tribune editorial page to provide a conveniently timed framing of this issue for the governor today?…
Office of the Governor
Bruce Rauner
Wednesday, July 01, 2015
ICYMI: If there’s a shutdown, guess who won’t feel it?
The following is an excerpt of an Op-Ed that was published by the Chicago Tribune:
Remarkably, while workers face layoffs, state legislators won’t feel the pinch, thanks to a bill passed last year. It classifies legislator pay as a continuing appropriation — a budget item that state law mandates be funded even in the event of a government shutdown. The bill puts compensating part-time legislators on par with the state’s big-ticket items such as debt and pension payments and retiree health benefits.
This bill was pushed through the General Assembly on the last day of the 2014 spring session, with full support from Democratic supermajorities in both chambers. Supermajorities who owe their place in the debacle that is Springfield to the millions of dollars they receive to fund their campaigns from state worker unions. The same state workers who are jeopardized by the budget impasse.
But, hey, no skin off Rep. Kate Cloonen’s back. The Kankakee Democrat’s paycheck will arrive right on time, thanks to her vote on the bill. Same with Reps. Deb Conroy, D-Villa Park; Mike Smiddy, D-Hillsdale; Marty Moylan, D-Des Plaines; Michelle Mussman, D-Schaumburg; Carol Sente, D-Vernon Hills; and John Bradley, D-Marion. Why run the state and deliver necessary services efficiently when you can win an election? Why protect the lives that people are trying to build when you can make the new Republican governor look like a villain?
Lovely.
*** UPDATE *** From the governor’s office…
Under a longstanding resolution, the GA gets an automatic COLA increase unless they vote to stop it. They have done so often, including each of the past six years.
Here are the bills that denied the COLA in recent years: FY10 (P.A. 96-800), FY11 (P.A. 96-958), FY12 (P.A. 97-71), FY13 (P.A. 97-718), FY14 (P.A. 98-30), and FY15 (P.A.98-682)
Some of these are stand alone bills (eg 98-30). Others are BIMPs or coupled with other fiscal changes (eg 98-682).
The GA normally acts before July 1. But there is nothing to stop them from accepting our amendment now, before the first paycheck. If they do, it would difficult for them to assert a constitutional challenge, in particular because it is a change by their own acceptance.
This is different than what Quinn tried to do when he stopped paying them and tried to line item veto their salaries. We are asking only that the GA take the same vote they have repeatedly done.
81 Comments
|
Um… Huh?
Wednesday, Jul 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Erickson…
“I am for a temporary budget to make sure essential services are taken care of,” said state Rep. Mike Smiddy, D-Hillsdale.
But, Republican lawmakers said they oppose the idea. And, they rejected accusations they were playing a game of political chicken designed to see which side would blink first.
“I hope that’s not the case because these are people’s lives we’re dealing with,” said state Rep. Bill Mitchell, R-Forsyth. “The General Assembly should do what it is supposed to do… and that is pass a balanced budget.”
State Rep. Adam Brown, a Champaign Republican who last week supported a temporary budget, changed his opinion Tuesday after the governor’s staff weighed in on the issue.
“I think listening to the administration today you’re hearing that essential services will continue to be funded and I think that’s extremely important and that’s the right path,” Brown said.
* The synopsis of HB 4235, introduced June 29th by Rep. Bill Mitchell and joined as co-sponsor on Tuesday by Rep. Adam Brown and several other Republicans…
Expands current continuing appropriations provisions to cover executive branch operations and all State universities (currently, the provisions cover only judges and the legislative branch).
Defines “executive branch operations” to include all State agencies, the office of any constitutional officer, including any agency or entity reporting to a constitutional officer, and any agency, board, commission, or other entity of the executive branch. Effective immediately.
Signing onto that bill would mean support for spending way more money than the state is projected to bring in next fiscal year.
…Adding… SJ-R…
Springfield Republican representatives Raymond Poe and Tim Butler did not rule out supporting the temporary budget.
“This isn’t the answer, but I’m going to take a hard look at it,” Butler said. “I’m someone who wants to see government keep running, but I continue to feel this is just one more kicking the can down the road instead of getting to the table and talking about things.”
Rep. Butler is also listed as a co-sponsor.
…Adding… From Rep. Mitchell in comments…
The bill I filed wouldn’t increase spending. It would pay currently employed state and university employees what they are entitled to. They are reporting to work. They should be paid.
OK, but compare that to the logic used by Gov. Rauner’s budget director earlier today. Under that framing, you could conceivably “extrapolate” higher costs in FY 16.
43 Comments
|
* From December 12, 2014…
On a preliminary trip to Springfield after winning the November election, Governor-elect Bruce Rauner held a press conference to draw attention to some of the gimmicks included in the current State budget, including interfund borrowing.
Mr. Rauner called the plan to use $650 million borrowed from Special State Funds for FY2015 General Funds operations “fundamentally wrong.” The Governor-elect critiqued the practice, known as interfund borrowing, due to the requirement to pay back the funds over the next 18 months and the gap it creates in the FY2016 budget.
* Well, the governor has reversed course…
Gov. Bruce Rauner has borrowed $454 million from special state funds to help manage cash flow as Illinois begins a new fiscal year without a budget.
The Republican borrowed the money from more than two dozen funds designated for other purposes. The largest amounts came from an account for school infrastructure and a fund to help low-income people pay utility bills.
Rauner, you will recall, refused to tap into that borrowing authority during the spring, demanding instead that lawmakers permanently sweep special funds.
* An e-mail from Mike Schrimpf…
Gives us greater flexibility to manage cash flow without a budget and helps reduce the specter of prompt payment penalties, which the state has routinely faced.
The School Infrastructure Fund is hit for $179 million, LIHEAP will take a $75 million hit, etc.
This is actually not a bad idea on both the governing and political sides of the equation. It will most definitely help the administration keep its head above water for a while as it struggles to pin the blame for the budget crisis on Democratic intransigence.
…Adding… A commenter asks…
Ok. Pardon my ignorance but if the AG says money can’t be spent without an appropriation how can the gov spend this?
They can use this money to pay FY 15 bills, which will help keep some not for profits, etc. afloat.
…Adding More… A valid complaint registered in comments…
(T)hat’s a nice little $450 million hole we’re starting off with in FY ‘17 without even wrapping up FY ‘16, isn’t it?
The governor loves to use the phrase “kicking the can,” and he did just that today.
Again, this is I believe a prudent move, but it’s not anywhere near consistent with even his recent remarks.
53 Comments
|
Ounce joins budget coalition statement
Wednesday, Jul 1, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This is, of course, Mrs. Rauner’s group, which makes it newsworthy. From a June 30th press release…
The Ounce of Prevention Fund announced that it has joined a coalition of more than 300 nonprofit organizations across Illinois in calling on Governor Rauner and the General Assembly to work together to pass a fair, adequate and fully funded Fiscal Year 2016 budget before the new fiscal year begins on July 1st. A letter from the nonprofits—representing a cross-section of education, health and human service organizations—was hand delivered today to Governor Rauner, Speaker Madigan, President Cullerton, Leader Durkin, and Leader Radogno, along with many other legislative and administrative leaders. The letter highlights the devastating impact budgetary inaction has and will continue to have on the nonprofits and the children and adults who rely on their programs and support, as well as those services provided directly by the state.
Nonprofit organizations are the backbone of the delivery of state services to families who rely on childcare assistance; individuals with physical, developmental, and/or intellectual disabilities; senior citizens; children and adults with mental illnesses; individuals with HIV; and many more. In addition to the services nonprofits provide on behalf of the state, community-based organizations are significant contributors to the local economy, employing thousands as well as buying goods and services from other local businesses. With July 1st quickly approaching and no state budget in place, nonprofits across the state have no choice but to contemplate and, in some cases execute, plans to terminate services, lay off staff and close service sites.
“When the state government is in a stalemate, it is our most vulnerable citizens and the organizations who serve them that pay the highest price. But these children and families, and these organizations, are our friends, our families, our neighbors, our communities. When they suffer, we all pay the price in the short- and long-term,” said Elliot Regenstein, senior vice president of advocacy and policy, Ounce of Prevention Fund. “Already we are seeing the consequences of not having a fair, fully-funded budget, with partners like Family Focus and Easter Seals Central Illinois reducing or making plans to reduce staff and services. They are just two organizations of the hundreds being forced to make these difficult, devastating decisions.”
Family Focus offers a wide range of family support programs for children and families, plus outreach, referral and crisis services at 7 direct service centers in low-income communities throughout the Chicago metropolitan area.
“If the state does not have an approved budget on July 1, we will have to immediately suspend services to more than 3,600 people and lay off 50 staff. Working families cannot afford continued cuts—they need these critical supports to effectively contribute to our economy,” said Mariana Osoria, center director of Family Focus - Nuestra Familia.
The impact of the budget impasse will be felt throughout the state. For example, Easter Seals Central Illinois will have to suspend its Child and Family Connections-Early Intervention service coordination if there is no budget in place by July 1. According to Jim Runyon, executive vice president of strategic initiatives, governmental affairs, & grants, the organization will have to furlough 37 staff and 1,600 families and their children will see their Early Intervention support services suspended until a resolution is reached.
To learn more about the urgency to pass a budget that serves all of Illinois, including the sustainable revenue needed to fund the programs families need, and to view the complete letter, please visit theOunce.org.
Discuss.
…Adding… From an e-mail…
Rich,
In addition to my role as Voices’ Policy and Advocacy Director, I also run the Responsible Budget Coalition (along with Dan Lesser at Shriver.)
I want to let you know that the Ounce has been a part of the RBC since its inception. They have been a major player in all of our work, and there has never been a departure from our pro-responsible budget, anti-cut position. The Ounce has always stood strong with the entire RBC in our belief that families and communities do not function in silos, and cannot be bifurcated into line items that can be eliminated or reduced.
That’s why the Ounce, along with Action for Children, Voices and the Latino Policy Forum, officially testified against all of governor’s proposed budgets, including the K-12 budget—taken as a whole, cuts it hurts families and communities.
To see the Ounce’s position on revenue, one only has to look at everything the RBC has said. They are an active member of the group, and their knowledge base is vital to our success.
Just want to make sure that’s clear—this is not a new development.
Thanks.
Emily
Emily Miller
Policy and Advocacy Director, Voices for Illinois Children
Co-Coordinator, Responsible Budget Coalition
36 Comments
|
|
Comments Off
|
|
Support CapitolFax.com
Visit our advertisers...
...............
...............
...............
...............
...............
|
   
|
Hosted by MCS
SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax
Advertise Here
Mobile Version
Contact Rich Miller
|
