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Ducking during a lame session?

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Illinois

* As I’ve been telling subscribers for weeks now, lame duck action on pension reform appears unlikely…

The lame duck session scheduled to begin next week in Springfield just got shorter.

House Speaker Michael Madigan’s office sent out a memo this week canceling three of the six days. Those final days likely will be filled with deciding issues like driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants, pension reform and gay marriage.

The Senate meets Jan. 2 through Jan. 4. Senate officials announced Monday that they’ve canceled meeting Jan. 5 through Jan. 7. Senate President John Cullerton’s spokeswoman says the Senate may return on Tuesday, Jan. 8, if senators need to respond to any House action.

And…

But the leaders haven’t united around any one of the pension reform proposals, Phelon said. “So there is still work to do before votes are scheduled — that is unless the House decided to take up the pension reform already passed by the Senate.”

And…

While powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan supports Biss’ bill, it is up to the measure’s sponsors to gather the necessary votes for its passage, said Madigan’s spokesman Steve Brown.

“The speaker has been working for several years and continues to work on plans to make the pension system sustainable,” Brown said, adding that he cannot predict if any bill will ultimately make it out of the lame-duck session.

* Meanwhile, this is from the Tribune editorial page, the day before the Legislature voted to raise income taxes…

The inauguration of a governor ought to signal fresh approaches, new energy and grounded anticipation of better days ahead. If you focused just on Monday’s oath-taking in Springfield, you might have believed that’s all in the cards. Gov. Pat Quinn declared that “we have replaced a government of deals with a government of ideals.”

But think for a moment. What have we seen in the days leading up to this inauguration? A classic exercise in clandestine government deal-making. […]

They’re trying to make us all think some dramatic deadline is nigh, for only one reason: On Wednesday this lame-duck legislature quacks its last.

* Now, though, the Tribune wants some deals made and action taken during the lame duck session. From today’s edition…

The first days of January are supposedly the moment to get things done in Springfield because the state is full of lame ducks — lawmakers who were defeated or didn’t run for re-election in November and who, as a result, have newfound freedom in their final days in power to boldly vote their, uh, consciences.

You’ve been paying higher state income taxes for the last two years because of the lame-duck moment of 2011.

Gov. Pat Quinn, House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton seized the moment then to raise your taxes.

But they failed you then on the most important issue they face: saving this state from financial disaster by reforming its pension system.

And it looks like they will fail you again.

When they fail, when they get nothing done on pension reform in the lame duck session and the clock starts fresh on Jan. 9 with the inauguration of a new General Assembly, you can expect to hear the same tired excuses.

* Related…

* Lawmaker says fully funded Illinois pensions ‘impossible’

* New Report Looks at Illinois’ 5 Public Pension Systems

* State pension reform deadline looms

* State pension plan unlikely to get support

* Pension-mess primer: How it got here, why it now has state’s attention and the tens of billions it will cost

* AP: $275M More for Illinois Roads this Year

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 12:16 pm

Comments

No pension resolution?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjbPi00k_ME

Comment by Cincinnatus Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 12:22 pm
Dan Biss told a conference call on Monday that pensions would likely not come up in lame duck. He mentioned February-March for action.

Comment by mr. whipple Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 12:26 pm
–“Every teacher who is retired right now will get their pensions for the next 20 years. It’s the teachers who are starting their careers right now; we can’t look them in the eye and say, ‘You’re going to get your pension when you retire in 30 years,” says Urbanek. “We have to fix that.”

There’s the rub. It’s hard to maintain a sense of urgency when the crisis is 20 years off, and you can’t control what future lawmakers will do, anyway.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 12:43 pm
Capt Fax welcome back…very surprised you are not celebrating those voice of great financial advice, The Tribbies, getting out of bankruptcy. Quite an achievement. Some note the legal fees were triple similiar size assets and the company is now valued at about 40% of pre plunge levels.

Keep cranking out that fiscal advice
BTW the Secter,Dardick Long opus you linked to was nearly incomprehensible. They note everyone’s favorite governor, St. James Edgar, started the pension reform movement, but failed to mention he did this after skipping a full payment the year before.
Ah history s

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 12:52 pm
There ain’t enough spackle in the world to fill up the quacks in the Illinois pension system. Perhaps the members could dress up in duck costumes and tell everywon it’s wabbit hunting season.

Comment by dupage dan Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 2:42 pm
What — Squeezy didn’t inspire immediate, decisive action?

Comment by soccermom Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 3:49 pm
“While powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan supports Biss’ bill, it is up to the measure’s sponsors to gather the necessary votes for its passage, said Madigan’s spokesman Steve Brown.”

And the measure’s sponsors know that without Madigan’s support few Ds will sign on. If Madigan supports this he’s going to have to leave fingerprints, like it or not. He lusted after all this power so the least he could do is use it for good.

Comment by Independent Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 4:16 pm
CFS, that is a good, but snarky, point about the eternally BK Trib handing out all the financial advice on the editorial page.
In the same vein, I get a kick out of you calling somebody else’s stuff “incomprehensible.”

Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 4:31 pm
And one more thing, Mr. CFS. Maybe you’re still hungover from New Year’s or the brain cells from back then are gone for good.
In any case, there was no pension holiday taken by Edgar, Madigan, and Pate in FY95 before the ramp law took effect. Check the actuarial reports. I did.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 4:54 pm
The speaker has been working for several years to make the pensions sustainable. No mention of all the years of work he did making them unsustainable by skipping payments. It’s good to be the king.

Comment by Fed up Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 4:56 pm
IMO, the reason it’s not moving is because there is no constitutionally vettable bill yet. Existing pensions…and the 3% COLA…are arguably untouchable, with some case law to back them up. Health insurance premium and pension contribution increases are the primary way the state could constitutionally Squeezy the state workers and retirees, and will likely be in whatever final bill passes.

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 5:11 pm
While I partially agree with 6 Degrees, I think it also has to do with the health insurance lawsuit (2012-L-000162). The next action on it is not until Jan 14th. Until it is determined whether or not the health insurance for people with 20 years of service is a protected benefit under either straight contract, deferred compensation or IL pension clause, you can’t really move forward because some of the current bills (such as the COLA / health insurance “choice”) could end up invalid if the rulings go against the State.

Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 6:27 pm
I wondered where RNUG was on this I was thinking the same thing. I am facinated that both Madigan and Cross just lost interest. I wonder if that is polotical. It flopped as an issue big time There was no money from the civic club,the amendment flopped the tribune flopped and the unions did very well and even Bill Daley hardly Mr. Labor blasted Quinn on it so why stick out your neck and ask for a primary on something that is 20 years off

Comment by western illinois Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 9:14 pm
I wondered where RNUG was on this I was thinking the same thing. I am facinated that both Madigan and Cross just lost interest. I wonder if that is polotical. It flopped as an issue big time There was no money from the civic club,the amendment flopped the tribune flopped and the unions did very well and even Bill Daley hardly Mr. Labor blasted Quinn on it so why stick out your neck and ask for a primary on something that is 20 years off

Comment by western illinois Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 9:14 pm
western illinois

I’ve been busy working on a quarterly newsletter I publish, so I haven’t been keeping up with Rich’s blog. Took a break earlier in the evening to catch up here.

Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 9:33 pm
RNUG You do good updates.
It looks like guns not pensions is the big suprise today

Comment by western illinois Wednesday, Jan 2, 13 @ 9:57 pm