* Click here to read it. The “blueprint” is incredibly weak. He’s found just $140 million in itemized budgetary “savings.” And most of those savings aren’t even recoverable or part of GRF.

…Adding… A Rauner ally just called to clarify that this is only waste. It’s just the first step, she said. It’s still weak.

On top of that, Rauner also calls for eliminating the state aircraft fleet, he wants an end to “slush funds” like the anti-violence initiative, and he vows not to accept a salary.

He claims unspecified reforms at CMS would save another $500 million. And another $250 million could be saved by verifying Medicaid eligibility.

* Basically, Rauner has given us a few pieces of low-hanging fruit, sprinkled it with some magic fairy dust and added a dash of hot rhetoric.

This isn’t a budget blueprint. It’s rehashed stuff he’s already talked about on the campaign trail. And it absolutely does not prevent the need to keep income tax rates high.

*** UPDATE 1 *** From the Quinnsters…

Quinn for Illinois Statement on Rauner’s Budget Prank Today

Rauner’s Ploy Would Benefit Millionaires and Billionaires That Want to be Governor

CHICAGO - Following is a statement from Quinn for Illinois Communications Director Brooke Anderson in response to the Bruce Rauner budget prank released today:

“What Bruce Rauner released today is a giant prank on the public meant to hide the absence of any real plan to deal with the massive structural challenges facing Illinois.

“Gov. Quinn has cut wasteful spending and made the tough choices to pay the bills while Rauner tried to score political points from the sidelines.

“What Rauner released today is a collection of newspaper clippings and lesser versions of policies Gov. Quinn already has embraced, as the Governor has cut $5.7 billion in spending to date. In fact, as part of his current budget review, Governor Quinn is already evaluating the state’s plane usage.

“Gov. Quinn closed 50 state facilities, reformed Medicaid and enacted reforms that mean Illinois is actually spending less on operations than it did six years ago.

“Rauner’s prank today notably includes a grandstanding salary provision that would mean that only millionaires and billionaires could be Governor.

“Rauner has attempted to sabotage the real savings achieved by Gov. Quinn, whether it be real city and state pension reform, paying our bills and protecting homeowners from property tax increases.

“The question we are left with today after Rauner’s ploy is, ‘Where’s his real budget plan?’”

*** UPDATE 2 *** The official Rauner release just reached my in-box…

Rauner Unveils Government Reform Blueprint and Plan to Cut Wasteful Spending

- Outlines 10 Key Steps -
- Over $1 Billion in Savings -

Bruce Rauner today announced ten key steps needed to reform state government and eliminate wasteful spending as part of a series of policy initiatives he will continue to unveil in the coming weeks.

The proposals will form a Bring Back Blueprint that details the reforms needed to restructure state government so it can be run more effectively and efficiently, create an economic climate that will lead to more and better paying jobs, ensure a fair, pro-growth tax system and find the resources to invest in education.

Click HERE to download the Bring Back Blueprint: Government Reform and Cutting Government Waste.

Today’s reforms follow last week’s announcement by Bruce that the first major initiative he is pushing – legislative term limits – received official word from the state that it had enough signatures to be placed on the ballot.

“Pat Quinn spent five years preserving a broken system. His failure to act has Illinois stuck in a downward spiral that’s resulted in both a record tax hike and yet another phony budget,” Rauner said. “That’s why I’m laying out a series of structural reforms and savings that will transform our state.”

“From selling state planes to making sure chickens aren’t treated better than taxpayers, I’ll root out the waste,” Rauner added. “And I’ll reform broken and outdated systems of government. It’s time to shake things up.”

*** UPDATE 3 *** But, of course…

*** UPDATE 4 *** Commenter “Demoralized” sums it up well…

He identifies $60 million spent for correctional officer overtime as “savings” while at the same time saying more people should have been hired to prevent overtime. You aren’t going to save $60 million because you are going to spend a lot of that on new employees. […]

He identifies money at the Court of Claims as “waste” yet Court of Claims payments are for things owed by the state. I guess he’s for stiffing people what they are owed.

He says get rid of the state air fleet but doesn’t provide any analysis of the real savings because you will start to have to spend money on mileage reimbursement for individuals not taking the plane (not just the Governor uses the planes). He also says it only costs $65 to drive between Chicago and Springfield. It costs double that based on the current mileage reimbursement rate.

All of the audit issues he brings up with equipment aren’t savings. I have no idea how he comes to that conclusion.

As for the payments on Medicaid to deceased individuals that money has been recovered. No savings there either. I also have no idea in general how he comes up with $140 million in savings.

*** UPDATE 5 *** Rauner campaign spokesperson Mike Schrimpf.

“Only Pat Quinn would reject a billion dollars in cuts to wasteful spending and advocate raising taxes instead.”

See “Update 4″ for a pretty good response. Plus, half of those “savings” are from one agency, CMS, and his plan doesn’t even come close to specifying how he’d save $500 million. C’mon. This is so phoney.