Latest Post | Last 10 Posts | Archives
Previous Post: Did Emanuel open the door to Cub deal?
Next Post: Question of the day
Posted in:
* It ain’t over ’til it’s over, but things appear to be humming right along. Even so, nobody wants to start talking about the end quite yet…
(L)egislators tackled some huge problems and seem to be on track to wrap up by Thursday, the last scheduled day of session. But no one will tempt fate by predicting a smooth finish.
“That’s when the wheels go flying off,” warned Rep. Joe Lyons, D-Chicago.
* The budget is a fairly sizable hurdle…
The House’s schools plan would cut how much state money suburban schools get by nearly 4 percent. Suburban schools typically rely on state money less than less-wealthy downstate schools, and the House budget would leave alone money for buses — an issue that local officials have focused on in particular in recent years.
But the Senate plan doesn’t cut schools at all, meaning the two sides will either have to compromise soon or pick one plan.
And at least some suburban lawmakers could foresee missing the deadline, a move that would make Republicans more relevant in a legislature dominated by Democrats because budget plans would require more votes for approval. […]
The Senate didn’t meet Saturday, and House lawmakers don’t believe they’ll be bowing to the Senate’s budget plan, which generally doesn’t cut spending as far.
“They’re going to have to come down,” said state Rep. Jack Franks, a Marengo Democrat. “We cannot, because of our own rules, spend more than what the revenue estimates are. So they’re going to have to come down, there’s no other way around it. I hate to say there is no compromise, but that is a fact.”
* Even the grouchy curmudgeons at the Tribune seem fairly pleased. But they’re not happy with everything…
Our concern here is that some lawmakers are more determined to impress voters — See? We saved the day! — than to salvage the nation’s worst-funded pension system. Once more, with feeling:
The only enduring solution to Illinois’ pension debacle is … an enduring solution to Illinois’ pension debacle. That means rolling all employee groups into a legislative package. We’re focused on that because some timid legislators would rather pass reforms affecting some employees today, but leave, say, teachers, police and firefighters for another day — which may never arrive.
Not good enough, lawmakers. You’ve come a long way since the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago presciently warned in 2006 that pension and health costs were driving Illinois toward “financial implosion.” If you leave Illinois pension protocols unreformed, every voter — and every rating agency — will see through your little charade. Settle on fixes that begin to solve the problem right now and keep it from ever recurring.
Maybe an editorial board member ought to run for the General Assembly so the rest of the board can be informed that waving a magic wand does not pass legislation. There are no magic wands.
* Related…
* Record tax hike isn’t fixing Illinois’ problems: Quinn aides are quick to note that Democrats alone didn’t create the pension problem. They point to a 1995 pension law passed under Republican Gov. Jim Edgar. Billed as a way to stabilize the pension system and get it 90 percent funded by 2045, the law backloaded pension payments so that they were minimal in early years but increased over time.
* What’s been done? What’s yet to come?
* Illinois House panel votes to cut education funding by 4 percent
* House committee votes cuts in general state aid to schools
* S. Illinois lawmakers hopeful about Tamms prison funding
* Tinley mental health center closing plan needs more funds, advocates say
* Closer Look: Illinois lawmakers near finish line
* State’s legislators are moving in right direction
* Editorial: Legislators must reform Medicaid, pensions, pass a budget
* Our Opinion: A sense of urgency at the Capitol
* State Considers Tax Break To Video Game Industry: Illinois lawmakers are talking about spending cuts. But they’re also advancing a tax break for one industry. Video games are a huge business. So much that 20 different institutions in Illinois offer classes that teach how to design them. But few jobs are available in this state. Senator Toi Hutchinson, a Democrat from Olympia Fields, is pushing a tax credit for video game companies that set up shop in Illinois… Actually, about 15 states have them. Hutchinson points out Electronic Arts, one of the biggest game makers, left the Chicago area in 2008. She says her plan won’t cost taxpayers, as the credit only would apply once the number of employees goes above a certain level. But not everyone agrees with it. Some Republicans say the state should consider breaks for small businesses, including a roll back of the state’s income tax.
* Medicaid cuts threaten nursing home reforms, advocates say
* Thousands will feel pinch of Illinois’ Medicaid cuts
* Medicaid: Cuts Now, Some Revenue Soon?
* Lenders: High rates key to payday loan business
* Point: Gambling expansion bill is based on ‘supply and demand’
* Counterpoint: Gambling expansion bill is a continuation of failed policies
* Editorial: Put the skids on massive gambling expansion
* Beloit, Rockford casino supporters push ahead
* Word on the Street: Gaming laws catch officials unaware
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, May 28, 12 @ 12:03 pm
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
Previous Post: Did Emanuel open the door to Cub deal?
Next Post: Question of the day
WordPress Mobile Edition available at alexking.org.
powered by WordPress.
–Settle on fixes that begin to solve the problem right now and keep it from ever recurring.–
How does a current legislature keep problems from ever “recurring?”
Comment by wordslinger Monday, May 28, 12 @ 12:17 pm
Re: Tamms prison funding
Could this be true? Instead of cutting a facility and saving 26M, we are putting money into it and re-opening it as a medium security prison? Even Phelps admits that this is a crude grab at keeping jobs. The main job is likely Senator Forby’s.
____
Phelps last week rolled out a compromise that would convert the prison from a maximum-security prison to a minimum-security prison, which he said would allow the prison to run less expensively and could house three times as many inmates…
“Legislators in the northern part of the state think it’s inhumane to keep them confined for so long,” Phelps said. “Personally, I don’t really care if it remains a supermax or they make it a medium-security prison. If they have to re-purpose it, that’s fine by me because sometimes you have to make concessions to make sure you can keep your facility open.”
Comment by Dan Bureaucrat Monday, May 28, 12 @ 12:27 pm
Whatevet pension deal goes in for some, if it withstands challenge(s), figures to get applied to the rest later on
Comment by titan Monday, May 28, 12 @ 1:58 pm
The only real fix is for the state to FUND the pensions as they are supposed to (and haven’t for decades). You can cut, cut, cut and if you don’t fund them, there won’t be anything left. And then everyone can blame the greedy pensioners for the problem they didn’t create, just as is happening now. Apparently, these legislators didn’t do very well in school; they seem to be slow learners?
Comment by Inactive Monday, May 28, 12 @ 3:06 pm
This is repating my post on the Question of the Day, but SB1313 on retiree health care is the back door pension reform. It will not take any further legislation, perhaps, to make retirees and employees give up the COLA provision in their retirement systems:
Madigan may have already gotten at least some of his pension reform. State University Annuitants Assoc. is reporting that the Madigan plan to deny any state group health insurance to retirees or employees who refuse to give up their COLA benefit is the basis for discussion with CMS on how to implement SB1313. Quinn has based his political careeer on transparency and openness. Here, legislators, commentators, etc thought SB1313 was about having retirees pay part of their health insurance cost, but it is really a Trojoan horse diminishing pension benefits and making it harder for state employees to retire before they reach Medicare age. Here is the SUAA discussion: http://www.suaa.org/assets/pdf/SUAAMiniBriefing5.25.12.pdf?PHPSESSID=b1764ae830aa0844ff4dc7a1c3c2f49b
Comment by red eft Monday, May 28, 12 @ 3:34 pm
No action in the Senate yet on concurrence with House amendments to SB 1848?
Will they stick a finger in the Governor’s eye with a veto proof majority?
Comment by Quinn T. Sential Monday, May 28, 12 @ 6:37 pm
The Trubune’s own house is on fire, and it’s busy looking out the windows at the State’s house. Too funny.
Comment by Nice Kid Monday, May 28, 12 @ 9:46 pm