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* The governor apparently wasn’t telling the truth earlier this month when he said he had asked for the resignations of all his cabinet members. He now admits he hasn’t…
Since winning election last month, Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn has said numerous times that he has asked top cabinet members to submit their resignations so he can review their work to see if they should stay on.
But on Friday, the governor acknowledged that he has yet to actually do so, saying he has been busy dealing with the state budget and plans to make personnel decisions “very shortly.”
“Every director is accountable, just like I am, and there will be a process this month of December and into January where we take a look at each director and visit with them, and we’ll have announcements to make as we go through this next couple of months,” Quinn said.
That’s a change from what the governor said last week after the Illinois Senate approved a measure aimed at ridding the state of hundreds of appointees put in place by his predecessor, disgraced ex- Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Quinn said then that he had already requested the resignations.
Oy.
* And after twice finding cash to keep it alive, Gov. Quinn will soon end the controversial Put Illinois to Work program…
Gov. Pat Quinn has poured $122 million in taxpayer money to keep afloat a temporary jobs program, but the investment has led to full-time work for less than 10 percent of the people taking part.
The governor made Put Illinois to Work a campaign centerpiece while seeking election, but now says he plans to shut it down in mid-January. Instead, Quinn said, he’ll focus on passing legislation to provide more incentives for businesses to hire new workers. […]
According to figures provided by the Illinois Department of Human Services, 26,000 people were able to land $10-an-hour jobs under Put Illinois to Work. But most of those positions lasted for just six months, and only 2,500 workers either got or have been promised full-time jobs — a less than 10 percent placement rate.
* Roundup…
* Proft’s perspective: One of the hats that former GOP gubernatorial candidate Dan Proft now wears is that of a senior fellow/public policy with the officially nonpartisan Illinois Policy Institute.
* Double financial ouch set for state’s Medicaid system next year: A future change in the state’s base Medicaid rate after an end to federal stimulus dollars could cost Illinois at least $30 million.
* Illinois House committee to take on education reform proposals [Essentially a rewrite of a Capitol Fax article from last week]
* Editorial: Can Madigan deliver?
* Editorial: Governor, rescue pensions
* With Democrats in firm control of the process, legislative redistricting to begin soon
* Third airport residents living in limbo
* Behind Rev. Jackson’s airport involvement
* Quinn tries for $2 million to restore lakefront land
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 5:15 am
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and how are we supposed to believe anything that Gov. Quinn says now?!?
Comment by Kevin Highland Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 7:55 am
What is this, recreational lying? Why did he tell this story in the first place?
Comment by Excessively Rabid Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 8:04 am
It’s not a good idea to believe what any poltician says without independent verification. Does Quinn lie any more than the rest of them. Probably not.
What is puzzling to me is why he would lie about asking for cabinet head resignations and what this says about his ability to govern. After all, he was elected despite his well-publicized failure to fire most of the Blago appointees he inherited. Why did he feel he had to say he was going to ask for the resignations of appointed staff after he won…if he wasn’t planning to. Indeed, why did he sign a very expensive (to taxpayers) no-layoff agreement with AFSCME in exchange for very minor and temporary concessions. The guy just can’t fire anybody. That is a serious failing in an executive, anywhere. And expensive. And we are stuck with him for at least four years.
Maybe when he goes around having those “meetings”
with agency executives he could ask them what their goals are for the upcoming year and let us taxpayers in on the results so we can check once in a while. Have they made those cuts they were supposed to yet? How do we know? What are the goals for the agency this year and how are you going to get there. If Quinn can’t fire them, at least we should know whether they are doing meaningful work not just collecting the (substantial) cash. He could demand innovation, creativity and hard work. Some of them might actually be up to it if asked.
Comment by cassandra Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 8:57 am
seems like we are stuck with four more years of incompetence coming from the Governor- it is a shame since Illinois will be left behind- In today’s WSJ- an article features what Scott is doing in WS to move his state forward- Illinois is going into the crapper thanks mostly to a laclk of political leadership( and wisdom)
Comment by Sue Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 9:11 am
**in exchange for very minor and temporary concessions. **
$50M is not minor, nor is it temporary. Wage increases build on top of each other. But the layoff deal IS temporary.
Comment by dave Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 9:13 am
Still better than having Brady as governor with his extremist views.
Comment by Leroy Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 9:30 am
Not terribly surprising, given the track record. What’s the old saying? Better to stay silent and appear the fool then to speak and remove all doubt?
Quinn needs to eat his spinach, put on his governor’s pants and get it done. The appearance is that he’s afraid to mess with clouted hires. It would do him a world of good to show folks that he’ll be governor for the next four years and he’s not afraid to swing the hammer.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 9:31 am
“The governor apparently wasn’t telling the truth…”
This is better phrased as “the governor was lying.”
If Stroger had made the same gaffe the media would be eating him alive by now. Will Quinn get another free pass?
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 9:34 am
Quinn has made a habit out of lying to the public. It seems a waste to expect him to do otherwise regardless of the issue. Though we had high hopes for Quinn when he took over from Blagoof, he’s disappointed time and again. Illinois - a sad state of affairs. We’re done.
Comment by Bitterman Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 9:58 am
Seems ironic that the Governor finally got around to putting an end to the “Put Illinois to Work” program after it was no longer politically expedient to his campaign for election AND AFTER SENATOR RADOGNO ASKED POINTED QUESTIONS ABOUT ITS EFFECTIVENESS IN MEETING ITS OBJECTIVES.
Like I said before; what are the chances that they ever bothered to get areound to providing responses to those inquiries?
At less than a 10% rate of permanenet placement, this program was a very poor investment of limited resources, and this is just another shining example that the Emperor has no clothes on.
Comment by Quinn T. Sential Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 10:04 am
Will the Put Illinois to Work program actually be killed? For the long-term memory people and insiders among you, was this program the sacred cow of any legislator or group of legislators who will fight to keep the program alive or get it rolled into another program?
Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 10:32 am
“At less than a 10% rate of permanent placement, this program was a very poor investment of limited resources”
I am bothered by the lack of context around the 10% placement rate. We have a sagging economy, remember? The whole reason this program was created was because employers could not afford to hire folks and folks needed jobs. Moreover, this program is focused people that are eligible for TANF, a population that has a lots of barriers in front of them regardless of the state of the economy. The program was about providing opportunities to people in a time where there were next to no other options. It did a very good job at providing those opportunities. It also did a very good job at putting money in the pockets of those who need it and supporting communities by getting those dollars into stores.
Given this context, getting 2,500 individuals into permanent employment is not too bad. It is pretty good. Plus, as the economy picks up, those in the program will have skills and work experience that will better position them for new jobs.
I am not saying the program is perfect or that the extensions are not without their critique, but lets judge the program based on what it was designed to do, not an imposed metric.
Comment by Montrose Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 10:36 am
Montrose said:
“I am not saying the program is perfect or that the extensions are not without their critique, but lets judge the program based on what it was designed to do, not an imposed metric.”
How can any government program exist, be analyzed, or heaven forbid killed, with some imposed metric? On second thought, maybe the failure of government entities to include metrics in their programs is the reason legislators keep funding them, and fully explains the budget deficit.
New Government Motto: No Good Intention Goes Unfunded.
Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 10:45 am
Well well. The tobacco money should have been used to help people to stop smoke or supposedly be used to reimburse the state for all of its tobacco related medicaid claims. Nice to know though it was wisely put to use in a vote buying job creation thing for the usual unemployable Illinoisans. It’s going to get ugly in Illinois soon because the state is running out of ways to finance all of the past vote buying programs enacted there. Amazingly though, the populace still clamors for more entitlments.
Comment by Laughing all the way Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 10:48 am
{lets judge the program based on what it was designed to do, not an imposed metric.}
Despite its laudable goals and objectives in times of economic strife, the state is trying to solve an un-employment problem, by exacerbating an employment problem by refusing to pay its bills in a timely fashion.
There are far more employees who have faithfully provided services to the State of Illinois and its residents, who have either lost their employment, or are in jeopardy of doing so, because the State of Illinois is unable to pay its bills to their employers.
On this metric the Put Illinois to Work Program is a poor investment because it could well result in net negative employment, and add to the unemployment rolls, while at the same time losing vital sercvices for its residents, so some less employable person can be subsidized to flip burgers at Burger World.
Comment by Quinn T. Sential Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 10:52 am
To paraphrase Albert Einstein, the definition of insanity is electing the same people over and over and expecting a different result. Quinn is a perfect example of this.
Comment by WRMNpolitics Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 10:55 am
Cincy-
*How can any government program exist, be analyzed, or heaven forbid killed, with some imposed metric? On second thought, maybe the failure of government entities to include metrics in their programs is the reason legislators keep funding them, and fully explains the budget deficit.*
I am all for metrics, but saying a program should be judged by x, when it was designed to do y, does not make sense.
Quinn-
I think if we are looking at whether the dollars spent on Put Illinois to Work would have been better spent on paying back bills, that is a reasonable analysis. I am just saying this 10% permanent employment bit is a red herring.
Comment by Montrose Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 11:03 am
But, but, but, but, PQ is such an honest guy(as spoken by his supporters)
The guy has zilch in the leadership category!
Comment by Wally Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 11:29 am
{I think if we are looking at whether the dollars spent on Put Illinois to Work would have been better spent on paying back bills, that is a reasonable analysis.}
Were you absent from class when we were discussing Radogno’s letter to the Governor on this issue?
Here is a refresher courtesy of the CAPFAX WAY-BACK MACHINE:
Thursday, Dec 2, 2010
Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont) is asking Gov. Pat Quinn to provide lawmakers with more information on the recent extension of his taxpayer-subsidized “Put Illinois to Work” program. Radogno is questioning the $47 million extension at a time when Illinois owes approximately $9 billion in overdue bills and faces a massive deficit, some estimate at roughly $15 billion.
“I don’t doubt the program’s intentions, but when the state is facing a $15 billion deficit and owes billions more in bonding and pension debt, we have an obligation to ask, ‘Is this program the most effective way to create the good-paying, permanent jobs that Illinois needs,” Radogno said.
“Not only is it a waste of taxpayer dollars to expand the program piece-by-piece without any plan or requirement that participants will ultimately see permanent employment, it’s cruel to the men and women who believe they’re working towards a long-term position.”
Radogno found it particularly troublesome that Quinn intends to use funds drawn from a recent tobacco settlement to cover the cost of the expansion. She noted that the Governor’s plan to use the recent bond sale proceeds to extend the program maybe be a violation of both the letter and intent of the law enacted authorizing the securitization of tobacco settlement funds to reduce the state’s bill backlog. Radogno also noted that the six-week extension will cost taxpayers for the next 18 years, at a ratio of more than 145 days of debt for every one day of the program.
In a letter sent to Thursday to Gov. Quinn, Radogno asked for information on the following:
• Of the 26,000 program participants, how many have transitioned to permanent, non-taxpayer-subsidized jobs with their “Put Illinois to Work” employers;
• How many participating employers have committed to offer permanent employment to these workers when the program concludes;
• What, if any, system of means testing has been implement to assure participating employers do not have the ability to pay employees’ wages, and are not using the program to increase profits, inflate stock values, reduce costs or delay hiring permanent workers; and
• What legal authority does the Governor have to use these bond proceeds to expand a new program, contrary to the purpose of the borrowing stated in the authorizing legislation.
“The answers to these questions are necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of the program, but I also consider Governor Quinn’s response to be an indicator of his ability to address the overarching fiscal challenges facing Illinois,” Radogno said.
That question about legal authority; and perhaps the Governor’s office failure to respond to the letter (if they did fail to do so), may be the answer to this whole issue tied up in a nice neat package with a big red bow on top of it; just in time for Christmas.
Comment by Quinn T. Sential Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 11:34 am
Montrose,
“4/26/2010
State, Federal Plan Seeks to Create More Than 15,000 Jobs
Governor Pat Quinn today unveiled the Put Illinois to Work (PIW) program, an anti-poverty program aimed at building a healthy workforce by putting unemployed and underemployed Illinois residents back to work. The new program is expected to create more than 15,000 jobs.
‘Put Illinois to Work will provide good-paying jobs that will help support families and strengthen communities,” said Governor Pat Quinn. “The program will also assist in building a workforce that possesses the skills, abilities and experiences that Illinois employers need to remain competitive in the U.S. and global marketplace.’”
These are the original goals of a program that has obviously failed to meet its own objectives. We have spent $122M for 2500 jobs. That’s almost $50k per job.
Comment by Cincinnatus Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 11:37 am
Quinn-
I was very much present for the Radogno request. I submit, as I have said throughout this exchange, that asking about how many folks are placed into non-subsidized jobs is apart from the goal of the program. She has the right to ask the questions, and the Governor should respond, but that does not mean the program should be judged on the questions she decided to ask.
As I said, I too question whether the dollars for this program would have been better spent on back bills, but that question does not involve wondering how many folks got permanent jobs.
Cincy-
The program created 26,000 jobs, and assisted thousands in building skills, abilities, and experience. it exceeded the stated goal.
The 2,500 people in that pool of 26,000 that have been able to parlay engagement in the program into permanent employment is icing on the cake.
Comment by Montrose Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 11:54 am
I noticed that Greg Wass has become the CIO of Cook County under Preckwinkle. Anyone know what is happening with his old position (CIO of Illinois)?
Comment by anon Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 12:30 pm
This is Chief of Staff stuff and Governor Quinn needs one. I think for his birthday, I’m going to get him the first 2 seasons of the West Wing. He needs a Leo McGary.
Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 12:49 pm
PJW, lol, if you’re going to recommend fictional characters who can get things done, why not go with Harry Potter or Hermoine Granger?
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 12:53 pm
Shocking … Quinn lied during the campaign.
“I’m the jobs governor.” We see that.
To the commenter whose response was “…he’s still better than Brady…” based on Brady’s “extremist” views is exactly the kind of thinking/voting that’s wrong with this state. I’ll enjoy watching more of Quinn’s supporters lash out at Brady and Republicans as Quinn proves them right time after time.
I have no sympathy for Illinois’ electorate anymore. They had their chance to elect responsible leadership the last two elections and blew it two times in a row. Everything that follows is deserved. No one can say we weren’t warned or were “stuck” with Quinn. It’s simply not true. He won an election, with over 1.7 million CHOOSING Quinn.
The fact that he’s already shown how out of touch he is on a tax increase, lied about cleaning out Blagojevich appointees, went back to Springfield and helped pass civil unions (I thought Brady was the one too obsessed with social policy) and is now pulling the plug on his so-called “jobs” program that didn’t really create jobs is just a prelude to the massive failures we should expect over the next four years. I’m sure Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri and Iowa are ecstatic.
Comment by UnionsWonItForQuinn Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 12:55 pm
Um Wordslinger, I believe those two already have their hands full with a certain Lord Voldemort. Hello!
Comment by Phineas J. Whoopee Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 12:59 pm
Montrose
{As I said, I too question whether the dollars for this program would have been better spent on back bills, but that question does not involve wondering how many folks got permanent jobs.}
The fact that only 2,500 people got permaenet jobs is prima facie evidence that this program was not a good investment on a cost benefit basis; which should be the metric for any government funded program. During this perio of extremely limited resources and substantial operating deficits, all monies should be first apploied to those that we already owe, before we go trying to help those that we would simply like to help, even if it seems like the right thing to do.
You have to establish priorities and make the touch decisions to implement them. Time for Quinn to eat his spinach. It’s a shame that Radogno had to spoon feed it to him.
Anon
Quinn’s new CIO of Illinois?
The announcement was here in case you missed it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzYpADZiv00
Comment by Quinn T. Sential Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 12:59 pm
Quinn-
*The fact that only 2,500 people got permanent jobs is prima facie evidence that this program was not a good investment.*
We have to agree to disagree here. the fact that 26,000 folks had jobs for the better part of the year and pumped that money into our economy is a pretty good outcome in my book.
*During this period of extremely limited resources and substantial operating deficits, all monies should be first applied to those that we already owe*
On this separate point, we probably agree more than disagree.
Comment by Montrose Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 1:14 pm
==They had their chance to elect responsible leadership the last two elections==
No we didn’t. We had to choose between the lessor of two evils just like we always do.
Comment by Bill Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 1:34 pm
I would have thought the goal of a job training program was jobs, not training. Getting paid for a subsidized job doesn’t make it a result, although it is better to pay someone to be trained than to pay them for nothing. The fact the trainees spent the money counts is meaningless. It would have been in the economy if it was used to pay the state’s bills, or if the state had not taxed it in the first place and left it in the original owners’ hands. It didn’t come from Uncle Scrooge’s money bin.
Comment by Excessively Rabid Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 1:37 pm
“spent the money is meaningless….” Sorry, careless editing.
Comment by Excessively Rabid Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 1:38 pm
–We had to choose between the lessor of two evils just like we always do.–
I guess that means the rent’s too high, lol.
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 1:44 pm
Quinn would many times have a women on stage with him at events touting how he much she supported Quinn because he would keep Put Illinois Work going, unlike his evil opponent. I’d like to see her reaction to this news.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 1:44 pm
She should be easy to find if reporters want to, she and Quinn plugged her business every five minutes it seemed
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 1:45 pm
#
“No we didn’t. We had to choose between the lessor of two evils just like we always do.”
If Blagojevich and Quinn are the “lesser of two evils”, I would hate to see how things would be if Illinois voters picked the other candidates. It could be worse? Seriously?
Comment by Holdingontomywallet Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 2:12 pm
He’s still in no mood to fumigate is he?
Comment by levois Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 5:15 pm
As I recall, PITW was really a last-minute effort for DHS to spend down federal stimulus money that they hadn’t gotten around to doing anything with. Kind of a use-it-or-lose-it deal. What a waste.
Comment by Joe Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 7:01 pm
I agree with anonymous @ 9:43a.m.
Judging by those jumping to defend Quinn on yet again something that is really indefensible on his part, I am sure that he will mostly get a pass from the Chicago press on this.
Quinn has been governor for two years, and if he hasn’t learned anything by now he certainly won’t over the next four.
It is sad that some people actually thought that if Quinn were elected to a full term of his own he would all of sudden become competent some how. Sheesh.
Comment by BF Monday, Dec 13, 10 @ 7:17 pm