* I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Cutting state money to local governments is a very bad idea, but still probably necessary during the state’s tight budget situation. This way over the top Daily Herald article does not convince me otherwise…

Facing a financial crisis Palatine officials are likening to both a horror movie and a Tony Soprano mob shakedown, the village is doing more than just speaking out against unfunded mandates and state proposals that would take away tax money from communities.

Staff broke down Palatine’s budget and identified $2.73 million in costs this year associated with unfunded mandates — programs the state requires but doesn’t fund.

A mob shakedown? Really? Here’s a Statehouse lobbying hint: Try to avoid that analogy during a committee hearing.

* The Daily Herald story goes on to note that mandates are just 4.4 percent of Palatine’s entire operating budget. And well over half appears to be this one…

Then there’s the $1.54 million spent each year on Social Security costs for police and fire employees. As a result of decisions made in the 1950s, Palatine is among just a handful of communities that pay into both Social Security and a pension system for police and fire. But federal lawmakers are resistant to let anyone opt out despite support from staff and union leaders.

That’s federal, man, not state.

* Next up, a polling press release…

Illinois voters overwhelmingly oppose efforts in Springfield to funnel hundreds of millions of dollars from local communities to help pay down the state’s budget deficit, according a recent statewide poll.

More than 80 percent of Illinois voters surveyed said the state should return the funds as required under current state law, while just over 12 percent preferred the state keep the funds and just over 7 percent were uncertain, according to the automated poll conducted earlier this week.

“The poll clearly demonstrates that Illinois voters will not tolerate lawmakers taking money from their communities, especially on the heels of a 66 percent income tax increase passed just months ago,” said Northwest Municipal Conference President Kerry Cummings, who serves as Village President of Glenview. “Pilfering these funds amounts to a ‘Stealth Tax’ on Illinois residents.”

To help close the state’s budget gap, some Illinois legislators have proposed changing the law to use locally generated revenue legally owed to municipalities that goes towards the funding of local services.

The We Ask America poll surveyed 2,970 voting households throughout Illinois on Sunday, May 15. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.85 percent.

In addition, a staggering 88 percent of Illinois voters rejected paying higher property taxes or cutting local services to pay down the state deficit, according to the survey. Just over 6 percent supported those measures and less than 6 percent were uncertain.

Unsurprisingly, the actual polling questions and full results were not sent out with the press release. But, I mean, really now. People are against specific budget cuts and also against tax hikes? It has always been thus.

* Several mayors held a Statehouse press conference today and most of them got very blunt. Here’s just one…

A couple of quotes…

“We’re the better stewards of that money. Would you give that ten percent, all of it, to the General Assembly and truly expect them to spend it wisely? I don’t think so.” […]

“When Representatives or Senators come to us for support, I tell you what… you’re going to see a whole different relationship between cities and villages and the General Assembly in the future.”

They certainly mean business, and they have a right to be furious, but there’s still no escaping the fact that everybody else is being cut.

[Thanks to BlueRoomStream.com for the video.]

*** UPDATE *** Kelly Kraft of the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget was at the press conference and talked to reporters after. She made some good points. Watch…