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* From a Better Government Association report…
* The state’s executive inspector general is investigating hiring irregularities, and has interviewed a number of former state government employees.
* Since 2003, IDOT officials routinely manipulated job descriptions as a means to get around court-ordered hiring rules.
* In many cases, once political hires were made, they did not fulfill the responsibilities in their job descriptions.
* The number of political hires at IDOT jumped by 63 percent in the last decade, while the number of highway road maintainers plummeted by nearly 800 posts.
More on the IG stuff…
The BGA learned that the state’s executive inspector general — the in-house government watchdog — has been investigating possible hiring abuses in the Quinn administration since at least last year, although it’s unclear whether wrongdoing has been confirmed. The inspector general’s office refused to comment. IDOT officials would say little because, they indicated, the investigation is ongoing. […]
Documents obtained by the BGA show some of those hired into political positions had little or no work history, including a bartender, a truck driver and a community college student.
All told, IDOT has hired more than 200 “staff assistants” since 2003, under the watch of both Blagojevich and Quinn. Records show that practice stopped late last year, apparently after the inspector general launched its investigation. [Emphasis added.]
Hmm.
* The governor does love his patronage, and he always has. From an invaluable 1980 Illinois Issues profile…
“[Qunn’s] only problem was that he loved power and was vicious in doling out patronage and taking it away. He is not politically naive. The stuff he says now doesn’t jive with the stuff he said then. He’s a guy you’d love to have a beer with and in charge of your own patronage, but he would not get the most Christian guy of the year award, by any means.”
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 9:11 am
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Another highlight of the Blago/Quinn years in state government.
Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 9:29 am
==Since 2003, IDOT officials routinely manipulated job descriptions as a means to get around court-ordered hiring rules==
Duh, how about since the Rutan ruling in 1990 IDOT officials have been routinely manipulating job descriptions……
I am no fan of Quinn, and can’t stand Blago, but this was going on under Ryan and squeaky clean Governor Edgar as well. Gonna have to do better than “he wants to give out jobs to loyal supporters” to move me from simply incompetent to corrupt.
Comment by Jaded Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 9:35 am
Is this a whiff of the “endemic political hiring” the federales were supposed to be pursuing when they went after Blago?
If Quinn kept it up, he’ll wear the jacket for it and it could sting.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 9:38 am
AT least those other guys didn’t pretend to be goo-goo, crusading reformers. The hypocrisy of Quinn is nauseating, and the Zuccarelli appointment was a new low.
Comment by LincolnLounger Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 9:59 am
The political abuses at IDOT makes one head spin. It’s been going on since Cellini… And getting worse.
Comment by Rufus Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 10:01 am
Jaded, Who cares how long it has been going on,
Comment by WOW Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 10:01 am
Jaded, Who cares how long it has been going on, it needs to stop. Quinn claims to be a reformer but he continues to operate like always. It is a waste of taxpayer money. He wants to cut pensions but he still does this crap. It’s not only IDOT. Look at other agencies as well. The state needs a Shakman monitor.
Comment by WOW Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 10:05 am
And now he is in the process, thanks to the legislature, of removing up to 5000 state employees from the rights afforded under the collective bargaining so there will be even more patronage available.All in the name of “reform”.
Comment by truthteller Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 10:11 am
Illinois citizens should be more outraged than they probably will be about these Rutan violations, especially those whose children are competing for increasingly scarce decent jobs available to those without exceptional skills and advanced education. Midlevel bureaucratic jobs with regular raises, defined benefit pensions and good health insurance are going the way of the dinosaur but not in Illinois state government, apparently. And we’re all paying for these sinecures awarded to political favorites.
Comment by Cassandra Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 10:18 am
It’s not just hiring that’s problematic. Under Quinn appointed unqualified inexperienced political people are worming their way into union jobs where they’ll while away their careers.
Comment by Sir Reel Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 10:42 am
Not a shock at all. The “real” workers at IDOT really take it in the shorts. Their work piles on while IDOT hires new people incapable of helping to reduce workloads. I really do feel bad for the real engineers and workers at IDOT.
Comment by Shemp Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 10:49 am
BGA would get more traction with better writers.
“Patronage politics appears to be alive and well in Illinois government nearly 25 years after the U.S. Supreme Court dramatically limited political hiring, firing and promotions in the state’s estimated 53,000-person workforce.” Not exactly stop-the-presses material. Patronage alive in Chicago? Holy smokes…
Try this instead: Even as the State of Illinois cut the jobs of 800 frontline road workers, Governors Blagojevich and Quinn created new patronage positions for hundreds of political appointees in the Illinois Department of Transportation — putting “politics as usual” ahead of highway safety and costing millions in taxpayer dollars.
And if you really want to get results, BGA, tell your newspaper partner to take your story out from behind the paywall. Otherwise, this is only going to be read by their 40,000 subscribers — not the reach you’re looking for.
Comment by Journ Prof Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 10:50 am
Check out the winter temp program that IDOT does for snowbirds. They now are in the union, have paid days off, personal business days, ect. They have everyone been political hires. Years ago they only called them in when bad weather or snow was on the way. Now they work a 40 hour week plus overtime and then draw unemployment for the other 6 to 8 months they are laid off.
Comment by Nieva Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 10:52 am
+1 to Shemp’s comment. For gosh sakes, “ghost” payrollers should neither be seen nor heard, if you’re gonna have them. You don’t give them actual authority, you give them a wink, a nudge, a state car to get “lost” and a paycheck.
Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 10:55 am
It’s about time someone focused on this. PQ’s patronage practices have been a surprisingly hidden secret. That said, I agree with Jour Prof completely.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 11:39 am
Blagojevich/Quinn legacy coming to the surface.
Comment by NW Illinois Dem Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 11:50 am
It used to be Quinn is honest but incompetent, we have learned over the last 5 years Quinn is not honest but yes he is still incompetent.
Comment by Fed up Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 11:55 am
I worked at a IDOT garage for 30 years. When the democrats took over they brought in inexperienced political hacks to take over lower and mid-level management positions. These people didn’t know the difference between a rake and a shovel. I left early because of this.
Comment by catch22 Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 12:02 pm
These political hacks also get a state vehicle to commute to work, some drive over 100 miles a day. Guess who gets stuck with that gas bill.
Comment by foster brooks Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 12:07 pm
IDOT hiring gives all state employees a bad name, including the non-union employees, since everyone just lumps them all together anyway.
Comment by PublicServant Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 12:17 pm
Wonder if David Phelps is talking.
Comment by dr. reason a. goodwin Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 2:25 pm
IDOT should hire the snowbirds that have been there for years but instead they hire veteran’s
it should be both. Also as long I remember snowbirds have always worked 40 Hours and gotten overtime when they needed to be called .
Comment by no sense Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 2:29 pm
Foster brooks is correct. these hacks get a state car and gas paid by taxpayers to drive 100 miles home and back each day. who can take Quinn seriously when he says state is broke when this is going on all over state
Comment by Kathryn Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 2:42 pm
Blagojevich/Quinn/Ryan/Edgar/Thompson/Walker/Ogilvie/Shapiro/Kerner/Stratton legacy coming to the surface.
I will give Stevenson a pass.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 3:15 pm
So tell me again how Quinn is nothing like Blago and was not part of his administration.
Comment by SO IL M Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 4:19 pm
IDOT just hired another 20 staff assistants/community liaisons. They have no experience working for IDOT or community planning.
Comment by Old timer Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 5:01 pm
Once upon a time, I was a department head for an agency that serves people with developmental disabilities. About ‘94 (give or take a year) I needed to hire for a position in one of the day programs and interviewed a young political science major from NIU. He was connected and, in the course of the interview, described his previous summer job at IDOT, which consisted of a regular, full shift of sweeping and mopping a small office area which dimensions escape my memory but which were very small, something along the order of 12′x12′. I remember the young man’s smugness and certainty that he was pretty well “set for life” due to his dad’s connections. That I remember it probably marks the beginning of my political education in Illinois.
Comment by yinn Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 5:07 pm
It is nice to know as a state worker that things come out like this.The smear campaign by are legislatures /MR.Raugner /the civic club.Ii good to see where the finger can be pointed at.
Comment by fake county chairman Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 8:13 pm
Yeah catch22 and you probably did nothing political to get your job…..just cuz your a hack from a different party doesn’t make you less of a hack
Comment by Jimmy James Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 8:38 pm
I don’t understand why IDOT would promote “state employee B” to a Deputy Director in the midst of an IG investigation. Seriously, doesn’t make sense unless “state employee B” is needing extra funds to pay for an attorney. Or, to keep “B” quiet.
Comment by Can't Say Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 9:12 pm
Maybe they out to form a comm.on pension reform based on political hiring.I work in a agency where a PSA is in charge of one employe.
Comment by fake county chairman Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 9:20 pm
To cant say.Because they think they are above the rules they write and are above the law.LOOK how many we send to jail.
Comment by fake county chairman Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 9:28 pm
Can’t Say @ 9:12 pm:
Bingo.
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 10:02 pm
FCC@9:20 State agencies are replete with employees whom supervse one employee and call themselves “managers”. Another prevalent stunt is writing job descriptions with qualifications that only one person can meet. The guy that they TA’d to that position. An old DHS tradition…
Comment by Madison Wednesday, Aug 14, 13 @ 10:38 pm