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* Gov. Pat Quinn says he won’t back any temporary fixex for Medicaid and pensions during the spring legislative session…
“We cannot take this moment in history and squander it,” he said. “I’m very grateful to all the business groups, the economic groups that have stood for us and come forward and helped us out here. We have to tell Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate, there is no time for delay or denial. We have to address these issues.”
Quinn says Medicaid for sure must be resolved soon, because the 2013 state budget will depend on closing a gap of $2.7 billion.
The governor says there is a “delay lobby” in Springfield, but this is no time for a short-term deal to relieve the pressure and skate by for another year.
Asked whether the pension and Medicaid crises, which took years to develop, can be resolved over a period of years, “the answer is no,” the governor said.
He may get his wish. Then again, legislators may not be able to get everything done and then it’ll be up to Quinn to keep them in town until the work is finished.
Odds?
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 10:26 am
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30-70, best I seen in at least a decade.
Comment by Rufus Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 10:30 am
The only way to solve the pension funding problem once and for all is to do it together with the support of all stakeholders.
Trying to jam a bill not supported by everyone isn’t a fix, it’s a Pandora’s box of lawsuits.
Comment by Reality Check Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 10:30 am
Is the Governor confusing the “delay lobby” with the “gaming lobby?”
PQ is none too thrilled about another gaming bill push when he is focused on pension/medicaid.
Comment by Dee Lay Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 10:37 am
“says he won’t back any temporary fixex” 99 to 1 it’s not fixed. The governor and legislature are the blind leading the blind.
I would strike a deal to freeze COLAs in exchange for the health insurance premiums. What you haven’t seen yet will be a lot less painful.
Comment by Mouthy Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 10:54 am
Without a new gaming bill it is highly unlikely the budget problems for pensions, medicare, etc can be solved.
Comment by downstate hack Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 11:04 am
Jared, please tell me you didn’t attend an Illinois public school.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 11:21 am
Boy, all that keeps playing in my head is the Hynes Mayor Harold Washington commercial.He had this political gadfly pegged from the beginning.
Comment by Obamas Puppy Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 11:22 am
Jared’s gone.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 11:22 am
I see on the twitter feed Quinn is up in Chicago for a bridge re-opening ceremony today.
Nice of him to make the trip. Hope he’s heading back to Springfield at some point today.
You know, with this being such a crucial “moment in history” and so much riding on these next 2 weeks and all.
No mention so far in his comments of pension reform, Medicaid reform, etc. either.
Comment by Freeman Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 11:32 am
Getting something passed and signed by Quinn? Better than even. All but a few minor changes passing judicial muster and sticking? at least 99-1 against or worse. Quinn gets to say he fulfilled his destiny, knowing what he got done will be tossed out by courts sooner or later…
Comment by Roadiepig Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 11:33 am
Changes this serious shouldn’t be rushed through in the time remaining. I think odds are good they’ll be staying ’til summer.
Comment by Wensicia Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 11:34 am
Ramming pension reform through that may not be constitutional is not a permanent fix. Pension reform is way too important to not get it right the FIRST time. If the State winds up spending millions of dollars in court and then loses, how does that fix the problem? There are proposals being presented that may pass the constitutionality issue, and also spread the cost around in a much fairer way that the Governor’s proposal. http://igpa.uillinois.edu/system/files/SURS-Paper.pdf
Comment by huggybunny Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 11:40 am
At the end of the day he will cave, just like he did last time with the tax increase.
Good enough will be good enough so the odds on Pat Quinn growing a spine to veto something are 4-1 against.
Comment by OneMan Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 12:08 pm
It isn’t possible to fully fix it immediately - if you’re talking getting everything in place AND funded.
It is possible to reorder the state’s budgetary set up, and get things turned so as to be long term sustainable, with an adequate funding level to occur over time. Posible, but the GA hasn’t even considered anything remotely like that in many, many decades.
What it looks like is a ‘drive-by shooting’ of the state work force, and NOT doing anything to fix the chronic fundamental flaws in the GA approach to governing (and much of the ‘drive-by shooting’ of the employees will be undone by the courts, leaving the state in worse shape with the GA having spent all their “savings” elsewhere).
Comment by titan Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 1:09 pm
1. Pass an unconstitutional change to pensions.
2. Simply reduce the appropriation for Medicaid by $2.7 billion and let Quinn make the cuts if the GOP won’t back a cigarette tax.
“Mishun Akomplisht.”
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 1:42 pm
Freeman - @ 11:32 am:
I think someone should write a book about PQ. It would be along the lines of “Where’s Waldo” only it would be titled “Where in the Land of Lincoln is my underwear?”
Comment by Irish Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 1:51 pm
Odds are approaching zero. The retiree health insurance “reform” is temporary, because the courts will throw it out, so no matter what else the Governor manages to accomplish this session, we’ll be facing the same problems in another year or two.
Comment by anonymice Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 2:02 pm
Rich, why not take a look at the IGPA proposal, and report on it? Is it even being considered by lawmakers?
Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 2:04 pm
The Pension and Medicaid cuts are just another what to get obama’s health reform. If we dont have insurance we would be more likely to suport his ideas.
Comment by anonymous Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 2:36 pm
You mean the plan originally put forward by the republicans?
Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 2:42 pm
I hope all keep in mind that perfect is normally the enemy of good
Comment by steve schnorf Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 2:46 pm
Oh, freeman, get a grip. “A bridge re-opening” is kind of an understatement. Governor Quinn ordered the rebuilding of the Congress bridge over the Chicago River — a bridge that serves about 250,000 people today, and that was previously listed as one of the most dangerous and precarious bridges in America. He’s earned a victory lap on this one; the bridge rebuilding will actually save lives. Remember the Minneapolis bridge collapse? We don’t want a repeat in Illinois.
Comment by soccermom Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 3:58 pm
What worries me is the result of this political grandstanding may be pension reform sure to fail constitutional muster. I want reform that works and is legal; not something that will leave us where we started.
Comment by Wensicia Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 4:25 pm
Why don’t we cut the 50 million out of the city of chicago beautificatioj projectx or the 30 million to teacu the inner city kids how to fish…..
Comment by ironman Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 6:23 pm
–Why don’t we cut the 50 million out of the city of chicago beautificatioj projectx or the 30 million to teacu the inner city kids how to fish…..–
Give a kid a fish, and he eats for a day. Teach a kid to fish…
Your productive suggestions and good intentions aside, I doubt that they’ll solve a $2.7 billion Medicaid hole. All those zeroes on the right side….
But just think, if only more money had been spent to teach math, spelling and grammar back in the day….
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 6:45 pm
We’re kinda stuck if the Republicans don’t even support the idea that local school districts should pay for their own pension problems.
Republicans are all for fiscal responsibility until it requires local Republicans to be fiscally responsible.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, May 15, 12 @ 10:34 pm
Yeah, the republican’s idea of shared sacrifice is “you sacrifice, and share it with your friends.”
Comment by PublicServant Wednesday, May 16, 12 @ 4:57 am
No temporary fixes. Except the cigarette tax.
Comment by J Wednesday, May 16, 12 @ 2:51 pm