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* Mayor Daley gave some advice to his successor yesterday…
In a meeting with Crain’s editorial board late Wednesday, at which he also suggested that city pension funds potentially are headed toward insolvency, the retiring Chicago chief executive said voters won’t stand for a repeat of the “Beirut by the Lake” racial and ethnic turmoil of two-plus decades ago.
Voters “don’t want a divisive campaign,” Mr. Daley said, speaking with some vigor. “It’s a completely different city in 21 years. People don’t want to go back to that past.”
The turmoil of the Harold Washington era gave Chicago an international PR wound that took “many years” to disappear, Mr. Daley added. A repeat would be “unacceptable.”
* The Question: What advice would you give the next governor of Illinois?
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 1:29 pm
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Assume the FBI is watching you, at this point it comes with the job.
Comment by We Todd Did Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 1:30 pm
== give the next governor of Illinois? ==
Comment by Moving to Oklahoma Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 1:33 pm
Be ready to do things that are unpopular. Have the guts to do them for the good of the state. FIX THE BUDGET!!!!
Comment by Rahm's Parking Meter Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 1:37 pm
I would leave Brady or Quinn 3 envelopes ….
Anyway …
My advice would be for them to do what they know is the right thing to do, even if they know its what they are opposed to.
Examples;
Brady - If the only way to get IL on track with your overall package is a tax increase… then after you win, pull an “Edgar”
Quinn - If you find the state payroll is just so bloted with workers, that cutting the entire state payroll, including the union jobs is the only way your overall plan is to work, cut the payrolls - all of them.
Sucks to do what you don’t want to, but if you both really care about IL and want to make it better … then maybe doing something hard is what is expected of a governor.
Or, read my envelopes in order ….
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 1:42 pm
The best bthing a new gov could do:
- propose a 6 mo budget to keep the state rolling then tear apart the cvurrent budget w/o the special interests around and write the final 6 mo budget for FY12;
- For FY13 propose a full budget that strips out the special interests and focuses just on core government
- pass campaign finance reform that severly limits the outrageous amounts of money then wasted on media, a very definite special interest
- pass a new tax on trading and derivatives
- end the expansion of gambling
- and buy one way bus tickets to the special interests that don’t like the new Illinois
Comment by Doug Dobmeyer Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 1:44 pm
Duck! It could be nasty.
If Brady, lay out a clear cut financial plan early, and stay away from ANY and ALL social conservative issues first year.
If Quinn, learn to delegate and hire pros, not the cheapest labor he can find.
Comment by anon sequitor Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 1:45 pm
PUNT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by downstate hack Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 1:50 pm
Aside from fix the budget (that one is obvious), I would like to see a stronger push for gay marriage.
Comment by Chathamite Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 1:50 pm
Governor as if you only have one term.
Comment by Davey Boy Smithe Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 1:52 pm
anon sequitor -
Concur, if I could add that to my advice - good points!
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 1:53 pm
Dang, Oswego Willy beat me to it!!
Comment by Don't Worry, Be Happy Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 1:54 pm
Brady: Whatever you do, don’t raise the state income tax. You are not Thompson or Edgar and moreover, times have changed. Find some other way to increase revenue. If you raise the income tax, you immediately become irrelevant as you absolutely will lose a primary in four years.
Quinn: Act like a winner. The right is going to hate you anyway. Don’t worry about it. Just govern.
Comment by Skeeter Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 1:57 pm
Be very nice to Lisa Madigan.
Comment by Small Town Liberal Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 1:58 pm
One does not go to jail for amassing debt in this country. One does go to jail for fraud.
Comment by Dirt Digger Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 1:59 pm
Read Miller before every breakfast.
Set a flat budget for two years: no new programs, no spending bumps, freeze everything. Sit down with Madigan and Cullerton and work out a tax increase/swap deal along with some minimal borrowing, and index everything to a 4-year plan.
Fire the Blagoteers that remain and are Rutan-exempt.
Turn down any new legislation that doesn’t come with a way to pay for itself.
Comment by Techboy Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 1:59 pm
Decide if (a) you want to be Governor past 2014, or (b) you want to do the right thing for the people of this State.
In a crisis this bad, the two may not be compatible.
Comment by Bubs Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 2:00 pm
Reading this blog would certainly be a good suggestion but I would suggest waiting till around lunch so all the juicy stuff is posted.
Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 2:05 pm
Here’s my advice: sit down individually with each of the four legislative leaders. Ask them to outline what they want to see in your first budget in terms of their caucus priorities. Cajole them to be as specific as possible in private with you. Promise to keep their replies confidential (and keep your promises).
Use these meetings to build a rapport and working relationship with each individual leader. Tell them where you’d like Illinois to be in a year and how your budget/management plans can get Illinois there. Promise to consider their specific suggestions. Promise to consider and respect their caucus priorities (if not necessarily accepting all of them).
Use this info to make a first draft of a budget that you take ownership of, that takes into account their caucus priorities. Then bring all four of them together to chew it over. Let the legislative leaders know where you want Illinois to go and ask for their help in getting us there. Appeal to their duty and pride.
Don’t make definitive public statements on your priorities. Remember it’s not necessarily how Illinois gets to where you want it to be, it’s that it gets there at all. Do all of that before you publicly unveil your budget plan.
Regardless of who wins the governor’s race, there is nothing good coming in next year’s budget, only varying degrees of bad. Learn from recent history and avoid a confrontational, “my way or else” approach. You can write your budget and watch it die for lack of votes or the General Assembly can write its budget and dare you to veto it.
It would help us all and save a lot of time if you try to do it together from the get-go.
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 2:06 pm
Davey Boy said it best: assume you will be a one-term governor and govern accordingly.
Also, go over to Illinois Review and read an interesting post Rep. Chapin Rose made about correcting the deficit…. some may disagree about the details but he pointed out that the deficit (gap between annual spending and revenue) and the state’s debt (what is owed and hasn’t been paid) are two different things, which really should not be lumped together. The DEFICIT has to be attacked first — to stop digging the budget hole — and only when that is under control can the DEBT be attacked (getting out of the hole).
Comment by Secret Square Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 2:07 pm
Once you win, stop campaigning. Campaigning only helps you, it doesn’t help the citizens of the state. Sometimes you have to do what is right, not what is popular.
And remember, whether we voted for you or not, you still work for all of us.
Comment by Really?? Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 2:10 pm
Q: What advice would you give the next governor of Illinois?
A: Remember, you have big shoes to fill. Sure, they’re big, floppy, goofy clown-shoes, but they’re big shoes nonetheless.
– MrJM
Comment by MrJM Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 2:11 pm
Move.
Comment by Dead Head Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 2:19 pm
be afraid, be very very afraid
Comment by Ghost Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 2:20 pm
Daley has now used that “Beirut by the Lake” phrase on multiple occasions since he decided not to run. By implication (and even directly here) he’s throwing Harold Washington under the bus for those unpleasantries of the early 80’s. Given that a number of the real culprits are still heavily involved in Chicago politics - perhaps some mea culpas for their roles would be refreshing. Are you listening Ed Burke, Richard Mell?
Comment by Chicagah Ain't Ready Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 2:20 pm
Run!
Comment by Ray del Camino Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 2:21 pm
Get a permission slip signed by your shrink, because too many of us think you had to be nuts to want this job!
Comment by fedup dem Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 2:36 pm
Don’t touch the magic beans.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 2:44 pm
Be a leader-don’t worry about being reelected from the moment you are sworn in.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 2:54 pm
Tell your staff if you hear ANYTHING unethical they will be launched!
Make sure you stay on top of your staff
The budget is worse that you could ever imagine.
It is not the current State Employees fault, so don’t try to balance the budget on their backs.
Get rid of the Blago Holdovers
Have Tums and Zolof ready…your gonna need it.
Comment by He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 2:57 pm
{In a meeting with Crain’s editorial board late Wednesday, at which he also suggested that city pension funds potentially are headed toward insolvency,}
The City of Chicago Pension Funds; along with the State Pension Funds are already insolvent, because the current benefit structure is unsustainable. The question of solvency is only one of time; rather than one of substance.
Pensions must immediately become defined contribution plans for all new employees; and they need to get rid of the defined benefit plans.
A constitutional amendment should be introduced relative to a multi-tiered pension plan; and prior to its enactment, the State needs to test the law by returning any contributions to anyone not yet vested in the plans and rolling them into the Defined Contribution Plans now with the new employees as well.
The combination of these will dramatically reduce the actuarial funding requirements for the current and future plans, and immediately reduce debt and open up significant future financial flexibility to re-direct monies that would have otherwise gone to pensions elsewhere. A statutory obligation shopuld be incoporated to make debt reduction a priority over redirected or increased new spending.
Comment by Quinn T. Sential Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 2:59 pm
Welcome to the 21st Century. Everything you thought you knew about governing should be considered obsolete until proven otherwise. Citizens have no faith in government. Now that you lead a government they now have no faith in you. Govern with both ears open and your mouth closed. Be transparent in all you do. Live each day as though you are being followed with 12 million camera phones. Govern as though you are being followed by 12 million bloggers.
Your job is to make Illinois government sustainable within the current level of resources available. Recognize that every dollar you take from Illinoisans is a dollar less they have for their children.Spend every dollar as though it cannot be replaced. Pay each bill as though you are personally responsible for it.
Expect no help. You will be helped but do not assume any help at any time so that when you find yourself alone in a crisis you will be better prepared.
Expect to be criticized and hated and not allowed to display emotion towards it. You wanted this damn job. No complaints.
Hire and fire without remorse. You have ONE term to demonstrate conclusively that you can do this job. Any staffer not at their full potential should be immediately replaced or you will be.
This will not be a life sentence but it will feel like one on some days. You will work only as hard as you possibly can. Nothing more or less. Pretend to have fun. Smile. Take your vitamins.
If you can do the job and do it well do not run for reelection. There is only one seat and there is a line waiting to use it too. So get your business done. Do not use up all the paper. Wipe up. Do not leave a mess. And for everyone’s sake do not be like the last guy elected. Use the disenfectant spray and flush.
Wash your hands. Madigan is calling with bad news.
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 3:16 pm
Hire an actual PROFESSIONAL to manage, run, operate, with hiring and firing responsibilities, the IL State government !
Comment by sal-says Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 3:20 pm
Govern as if you only were going to serve one term. Don’t look to election day in 2014. A meaningful legacy can be built on actually solving our horrible problems or you can just be another in a long line of do-nothing Governors afraid to lead.
Comment by Cosmic Charlie Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 3:30 pm
Move to Indiana.
Comment by CLJ Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 3:57 pm
Voters “don’t want a divisive campaign,”
Well, it’s a little late for that advice.
“state” pension funds potentially are headed toward insolvency…
If nothing else, you need to fix this.
Comment by Wensicia Friday, Oct 15, 10 @ 4:55 pm