Latest Post | Last 10 Posts | Archives
Previous Post: *** UPDATED x1 - And the same goes for Joe Walsh *** Get back to us when you have a plan, mayor
Next Post: Civic Committee won’t push for pension vote until spring session
Posted in:
* I really find it hard to believe that the cost of this trip is an issue…
Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn was in New York on Tuesday to ring the opening bell at a stock exchange and get some face time on a national cable-TV morning chatfest.
The cost to taxpayers? An estimated $1,200 on airfare and hotel for the governor and a press aide, according to the administration.
A Quinn spokeswoman defended the overnight trip, saying it was well worth the expense because it allowed the governor to promote Illinois businesses on an international stage. The administration noted that the governor was joined by executives from dozens of Illinois high-tech companies and was there to lead a discussion with business owners about job creation.
$1,200 is a story? Really? If the governor did a New York fundraiser yesterday, then I’d be upset, but c’mon, man…
…Quinn and others are also pushing to reinstate a research and development tax credit, which would benefit many of the tech companies Quinn appeared with. It’s an idea backed by TechAmerica, a technology advocacy group that organized Tuesday’s event in New York. The group praised Quinn’s work helping manufacturing, information technology, biotech and other companies.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 10:07 am
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
Previous Post: *** UPDATED x1 - And the same goes for Joe Walsh *** Get back to us when you have a plan, mayor
Next Post: Civic Committee won’t push for pension vote until spring session
WordPress Mobile Edition available at alexking.org.
powered by WordPress.
Not a story. Contrast how Quinn rolls and past governors.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 10:12 am
Money and time well spent.
Comment by walkinfool Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 10:12 am
Did Illinois taxpayers get $1200 worth of return on this investment?
Perhaps that isn’t really important.
Comment by Question Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 10:12 am
Be interesting to know what the state spends to fly the governor to springfield where he has an office and where he is supposed to live.
Comment by Publius Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 10:15 am
$1200 for two people is a bargain for NYC. Where did they stay, the YMCA? Compare that the the $950 or whatever hotel room that the late Michael Scott soaked CPS for.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/education/3144049-418/board-report-public-scott-cps.html
Comment by Lakeview Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 10:19 am
He didn’t take along a bunch of ISP officers to hold his hairbrush so what’s the big deal?
Comment by Both Sides Now Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 10:20 am
No Quinn fan, but nothing to see here, move on.
Comment by Madame Defarge Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 10:21 am
New York must have expensive Super 8s.
Comment by the708 Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 10:23 am
On a related note, according to industry data compiled by Conway Data, Illinois is currently 2nd in the nation in new plant openings for 2011, following an 8th place finish in 2010.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 10:23 am
Ha! No story here.
However, I wonder if Quinn stayed in a Holiday Inn Express do he could become an expert while promoting, “Illinois businesses on an international stage.”
Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 10:24 am
=== Quinn spends $1,200 to ring stock market bell, promote tech firms in New York ===
Quinn should clip that headline and hold it up, next to his beloved hotel discount card, to promote his frugality - consider that headline a gift.
Comment by Coach Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 10:25 am
That’s about the same price we pay on a session week to have one of his staffers come to springfield to do their jobs. This is clearly a better use of money.
Comment by Spliff Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 10:25 am
WATCHDOG GROUP WANTS GUV’S AWARD POINTS
AP - Springfield- After the stunning revelations of a $1,200.00 trip by Governor Pat Quinn, the Defenders Of Paying Expenses Society (DOPES) made it quite clear that Pat Quinn should give his Advantage Points and Hotel Points to the people of Illinois after such an egregious lack of fiscal responsibiliy.
“We want the Points, and we want the Mint on the Pillow while we are at it,” stated one of the DOPES. “Twelve hundred dollars for a governor to travel for trade and for the betterment of Illinois is more than a travesty,” said another of the DOPES.
The DOPES would not divulge their own travel expenses, nor would they say what is acceptable for travel.
###
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 10:26 am
Absolutely. Non story.
That wouldn’t even cover the per diem for more than a handful of lawmakers to sit around doing nothing for one day of veto session.
Oh sorry, take that back. They did let ComEd raise our electic rates.
Comment by just sayin' Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 10:30 am
Of course it is important. Illinois is hurting financially and he is jetting around the country, and going to China, and meeting Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez, and he needs to be here. He needs to park his butt in the State Capitol, find some intelligent people to surround him, and start solving our problems. He went to promote Illinois businesses…like the CME and Sears, who want to leave the State. He went to promote himself, to say to the masses, “Hey look, I am not Blagojevich.” But when this is all over with (his term in office) I will bet that his portrait ends up not hanging in the Capitol either.
Comment by bored on1 Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 10:37 am
not sure what the problem would have been if he’d done a fund-raiser, but i thought we wanted our pols to pitch our state (isn’t it a story every time that wisconsin’s or indiana’s — let alone new jersey’s — governors are pitching their states?) to businesses outside the state…
Comment by bored now Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 10:47 am
Quinn actually looked and sounded upbeat on ‘Morning Joe’. He didn’t ramble.. ok at first he didn’t ramble and then the caffeine must have worn off.
Comment by MeAgain Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 10:51 am
===I will bet that his portrait ends up not hanging in the Capitol either.===
I’ll take that bet. $100?
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 10:53 am
Willy, that quite possibly made my day.
Didn’t RRB take a state plane to NY? Betcha this was cheaper, and if memory serves me that trip DID include a fundraiser.
Comment by Dirty Red Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 11:09 am
What a waste of ink and airtime. I think this is a positive, not a negative, and it only cost $1,200 which is not bad for airfare and hotel for two in New York. No bodyguards either (unlike our last two governors). When will the media grow up?
Comment by Niles Township Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 11:09 am
Much ado about nothing, there are bigger fish to fry.
Comment by onevoter Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 11:14 am
bored - If Quinn parked his butt in the State Capitol right now, he would be playing a whole lot of Solitaire.
Comment by George Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 11:15 am
- I’ll take that bet. $100? -
Me too, how about $1200?
Comment by Small Town Liberal Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 11:19 am
That’s hilarious Oswego Willy. Well done.
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 11:23 am
Pathetic excuse for “news.” The Governor is expected to make trips like these. And he did it for a song. Media types should examine what they’re doing when trying to cover public officials. It’s this type of fanning the flames on false issues that gives rise to inchoate rantings against all government. The media should instead be in the business of exposing true malfeasance if it is interested in the public good.
Comment by phocion Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 11:39 am
should have been a story about how Quinn did a good thing that was done for little money!
Comment by amalia Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 11:45 am
Dirty Red & 47th … thanks.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 12:11 pm
Not a Quinn fan but a worthwhile expense. This state has been taking a beating as far as business climate is concerned. That in addition to other issues that get people going about Illinois.
Comment by Levois Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 12:23 pm
It must be a really really really really really really really really slow day at the Tribune.
Comment by Left Leaner Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 12:36 pm
==where he is supposed to live==
Here we go again. What law says the Governor has to live in that dump? He does when he’s in town but only because he’s too cheap to pop for a hotel. He looked so much better on MSNBC than the other goofball governors (Christie, Walker, et al) they have on that show. He did a lot of good for Illinois. $1200 is quite a bargain.
Comment by Bill Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 12:40 pm
OH COME ON. this was a great thing for the state of Illinois. We are trying so hard to let the world know that we are a great center of innovation, and this was a blue chip strategic event. One of Rod’s countless failings was his unwillingness to act as a spokesman and “brand ambassador” for Illinois. I am delighted to see PQ stepping up on this one. It is absolutely a core responsibility of his job.
Comment by Soccermom Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 12:59 pm
Chicago Tribune - the newspaper that never wasted a dime.
Comment by Cheswick Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 1:21 pm
This is a non-story. Who cares? Past Illinois governors and their entourage spent a lot more than $1,200 on hotel room mini-bars.
Comment by Hunterdon Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 1:31 pm
What a ridiculous complaint. Glad to see Quinn out of Illinois for a few hours.
Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 1:41 pm
Quinn was on MSNBC yesterday morning and did a decent job representing the state, but my expectations were low to begin with…
Comment by GMatts Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 1:43 pm
Not an issue. In fact the Gov should be commended.
Comment by downstate hack Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 2:15 pm
Completely agree. What a stupid piece of journalism. And by the way, $1,200 for two people to go to New York City sounds pretty cheap to me. A non-roach hotel in Manhattan is about $200/night for crying out loud!
Comment by Just Me Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 3:49 pm
===where he is supposed to live.===
Says who?
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Nov 16, 11 @ 4:49 pm