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* There was no progress yesterday on how to end a crisis deliberately created by Gov. Pat Quinn…
Representatives of the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools met with Quinn administration officials again Wednesday, but reached no agreement. Association president Bob Daiber said administration officials talked about having legislation prepared to resolve the issue. However, it was not made available to the regional superintendents.
“We don’t know what’s in the legislation. We don’t know if it is good or bad,” Daiber said. […]
Quinn budget spokesman Kelly Kraft said the draft legislation would shift funding for regional superintendents to the personal property replacement fund.
“We continue to have constructive meetings with representatives as we examine mechanisms for payment as quickly as possible,” she said.
* Progress Illinois sees the possibility of a work stoppage in the regional superintendents’ official statement…
The association is committed to finding a solution that suits everyone as quickly as possible. But it’s clear our individual members are facing various growing personal difficulties and may have no choice but to take action on their own to deal with the situation.
* A possible Republican congressional candidate who is also a regional superintendent tried to put the best face on the crisis…
Darlene J. Ruscitti, superintendent of the DuPage Regional Office of Education, has yet to receive a paycheck from the job. Ruscitti was elected in the fall and took office last month.
But continuing to work was “never a question for me,” she said.
“I know it seems silly to work with no pay, but I have to believe in good government and that we will work things out.”
State officials have made it official: Beginning later this month, there will be no more money to help pay funeral and burial costs for poor people.
In a letter sent to 600 funeral directors, cemeteries and coroners Friday, the Illinois Department of Human Services said it would only guarantee payments for funeral and burial claims through Aug. 15. […]
In previous years, the $12.6 million program paid for about 12,000 funerals and burials for deceased people who have been receiving public aid. Funeral homes that participate in the program receive a maximum of $1,103 for a funeral and $552 for a burial.
In the budget approved by lawmakers and signed by Gov. Pat Quinn, funding for the program dropped to $1.9 million.
* Oy…
The agency overseeing the College Illinois prepaid tuition program will pay former Executive Director Andrew Davis $98,000 to leave and avert potential litigation under his employment contract.
A slate of newly appointed board members by Gov. Pat Quinn removed Mr. Davis as head of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission last month because of his controversial management of the college savings plan. But at the time he was put on paid leave.
* ComEd just can’t catch a break in the media, and for good reason…
The Bears’ third practice in the span of five days was thrown off kilter when a ComEd power outage in sections of Bourbonnais turned out the field lights in the middle of the Bears’ practice. After a wait of some 30 minutes, with no sign of power returning, the team piled into Olivet Nazarene University buses and headed for nearby Bradley Bourbonnais Community High School several blocks away but at least with lights.
* Congressman Bobby Rush held a job fair this week for several dozen railroad openings. It was wildly, and sadly, successful…
Thousands gathered on the campus of Chicago State University to take part in a job fair hosted by Illinois Congressman Bobby Rush.
The Chicago Democrat says he was inspired to host Tuesday’s event because of planned railroad improvements on Chicago’s South Side.
Six railroad companies were present. BNSF human resources director Duncan Brown says the railroad has 75 job openings in Galesburg, with starting salaries around $58,000.
* Other news…
* CTA head pledges no fare hikes this year, but won’t say plans for 2012
* No new taxes to plug city budget deficit, Emanuel says
* Judge Does Not Block Traffic Aide Layoffs
* Reserve Fund an Answer for CPS, a Question for Others
* Emanuel defends CPS property tax hike plan
* Schools, union chiefs meet, talk longer school day, school year
* Governor Quinn Signs Electronics Recycling Bill
* New Illinois Law Allows Patient Access to Physician Information, Including Disciplinary Actions
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Aug 11, 11 @ 11:42 am
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Eliminate the Regional Superintendents…and several layers of district superintendents as well. Downstate district superintendents are grossly over-paid, especially in the smaller districts that should be consolidated.
Comment by D.P. Gumby Thursday, Aug 11, 11 @ 12:21 pm
DuPage Reg Supt “work for no pay” Darlene Ruscitti fails to mention that she already gets $30K from County for the job, and that DuPage County is considering paying her another $42,500 to help her get through the next few months. BTW: Her job includes certifying math teachers.
http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20110809/news/708099844/
Comment by anon sequitor Thursday, Aug 11, 11 @ 12:37 pm
Not-so-smart grid in Bourbonnais, eh?
Comment by Newsclown Thursday, Aug 11, 11 @ 12:44 pm
D. P. Gumby,
Many people would agree with you about the ROE Superintendents, but until legislation is passed redistributing their required-by-the-state tasks, they should be paid. As Rich said, this is a disaster wholly of Quinn’s making, and is consistent with his incompetent management style, if you can call it that.
Comment by Cincinnatus Thursday, Aug 11, 11 @ 12:50 pm
The jobs need to be eliminated. This does show the problem with intrusive unpaid for state and federal mandates and Quinn continued incompetence.
Comment by Fed up Thursday, Aug 11, 11 @ 12:59 pm
Fed up,
Man, I agree with you on unfunded mandate. This is even worse in that the ROE’s Superintendents are a FUNDED mandate, which Quinn has chosen to unfound by executive fiat.
Comment by Cincinnatus Thursday, Aug 11, 11 @ 1:13 pm
At the end of the of day you can’t really unfund an elected office by gubernatorial decree. If you want to get rid of the office, fine do so via the legislative process. You can’t have an unfunded office with required duties. It’s illogical, imagine if some county decided to unfund the Coroner.
At the end of the day this was about show without any thought
Comment by OneMan Thursday, Aug 11, 11 @ 1:55 pm
OneMan,
Quinn and thought, the very definition of a non sequitur.
Comment by Cincinnatus Thursday, Aug 11, 11 @ 2:01 pm
i’m still trying to figure out what regional school superintendents do and why we would need them…
Comment by bored now Thursday, Aug 11, 11 @ 2:34 pm
bored now,
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=010500050HArt%2E+3&ActID=1005&ChapterID=17&SeqStart=34000000&SeqEnd=40700000
Comment by Cincinnatus Thursday, Aug 11, 11 @ 2:43 pm
Don’t these ROE sups have contracts or are they at will employees? After the dustups over the state employee raise contract clause, how is this any different? The state has been paying for the services. Most every group I know that is state funded in some way has a state contract. Depends what that agreement says. It is one thing to say in one year funding will stop, it is quite another to give a couple weeks notice
Comment by zatoichi Thursday, Aug 11, 11 @ 2:47 pm
zatoichi:
ROE sups are elected officials. They have a 4 year term.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Aug 11, 11 @ 2:49 pm
This kind of seemingly impulsive decision by PQ to unfund what he can’t unfund seems to be in line with his management style. In the past he has come across as folksy and populist as long as he was the gadfly outsider but he has not shown much leadership when it is needed now that he is the governor.
His actions with the AFSCME contract are a case in point. While the state can ill afford the raises (transparency - I am a state employee) they are in the contract. Frankly, I would accept the loss of the raise. However, PQ is wasting time and energy to fight what he will most certainly lose. Will he gain any points for his windmill tilting? I don’t think he has even thought that far.
My cats have more of a sense of direction and purpose than this governor.
Comment by dupage dan Thursday, Aug 11, 11 @ 3:33 pm
“* There was no progress yesterday on how to end a crisis deliberately created by Gov. Pat Quinn…”
I’m sure it’s just me, but what do these folks do that can’t be done by other existing ‘Superintendents’ in IL???
And these folks also have a “Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools”???
Guess IL can never have enough bureaucracy and spending.
Comment by sal-says Thursday, Aug 11, 11 @ 5:07 pm
===what do these folks do that can’t be done by other existing ‘Superintendents’ in IL??? ===
That’s a good point, however, the problem here is that they are elected officials who currently have several statutory duties. So, the guv went at this backwards.
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Aug 11, 11 @ 5:12 pm
Darned right Rich. Our own Captain Wrongway Peachfuzz:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHeUQhN0RFY
went about this backwards. However, if he attacked the problem head-on in the legislature, he may have had to show some leadership, and make his case to the people of Illinois, and the Legislature. This way, he just rules by fiat, gets to go home and feel good afterward, and leave others to clean up the mess he made.
Comment by Cincinnatus Thursday, Aug 11, 11 @ 5:49 pm
yeah, no new taxes announces Mayor E. Just keep cutting…meanwhile, he has no idea of the shortages of staff in key departments. interns being hired, temps - all must be trained, might not stay long.
Comment by rahmieoutoftouch Thursday, Aug 11, 11 @ 6:50 pm