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* Gov. Pat Quinn was determined to avoid answering some questions at his press conference yesterday. On the Chicago Park District pension reform bill, for instance, he said…
“We’ll look at that bill as we do every other bill,” Quinn said, “and look at it very carefully, and make a decision based on how I feel the merits are.”
* More…
Quinn was asked three times about keeping the income tax increase. He opted to discuss pensions instead.
“I’ve said before, you know, our No. 1 focus has to be on pension reform,” Quinn said, adding, “You don’t want to put the cart before the horse.”
* More…
Pressed on why he wouldn’t directly answer the question, Quinn responded: “A budget is based on what your costs are. We don’t know what our pension costs are until we really address the pension-reform issue. That is the No. 1 budget challenge that we have.
“You don’t want to put the cart before the horse,” Quinn continued. “I think you need to know what your expenditures are and what the pension requirements are, and I hope we can come up with a pension-reform measure that is good for those who receive retirement income as well as for the taxpayers,” he said.
* More…
Efforts to increase penalties for gun crimes? “When it comes to anything with public safety and criminal justice, I think we need to do it in a comprehensive way; a way that protects the public. I’ve signed bills dealing with those who commit crimes with guns.”
What about whether the income tax rate should stay at 5 percent after 2014? “We don’t know what are pension costs are, until we really address the pension reform issue.”
Pension reform was also his answer to a question of whether lawmakers will return to Springfield between now and the end of 2013. As for what sort of corporate tax breaks the state should be offering, the governor walked away. The news conference took all of 20 minutes and included the presentation to Quinn of a pink guitar autographed by country music star Carrie Underwood.
* And…
Wednesday’s event was the latest in a series of taxpayer-financed fly-arounds Quinn has scheduled to highlight construction projects heading into the 2014 election season.
In addition to praising changes being made to the Prairie Capital Convention Center in Springfield, the governor also made pit stops in East Alton and Peru.
While he wouldn’t discuss the pension proposal, Quinn did say the $4 million in state funds to upgrade the convention center was money well spent.
“We want Brad Paisley to be very happy,” the governor said, pointing to the country music star’s upcoming visit to the facility.
* Raw audio…
* In contrast, Metro East reporters attending Quinn’s Alton presser basically gave him a pass on everything yesterday…
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 9:36 am
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Because if Brad Paisley ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.
Comment by Sgt Schultz Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 9:51 am
That Brad Paisley line might make a great radio commercial.
Comment by OneMan Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 10:13 am
Playing dodgeball is better than Whack-a-Mole, especially if you’re the mole.
Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 10:47 am
I’m sorry, but I don’t think $4 million in public funds for Springfield’s PCCC is “money well spent.” Can any of these downstate convention centers make money without infusions of public funds? Most of the time, PCCC stands empty, similar to the State Fairgrounds, another public infrastructure black hole that’s hardly used.
Comment by Sir Reel Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 11:14 am
==State Fairgrounds, another public infrastructure black hole that’s hardly used==
Buildings at the State Fairgrounds are used all the time.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 11:23 am
===Can any of these downstate convention centers make money without infusions of public funds?===
Well, can a public park, or an opera program, or theater companies, etc?
Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 11:33 am
Demoralized, I worked at the State Fairgrounds for years, and believe me, the buildings were not “used all the time.” One or two were used on a somewhat regular basis (week-ends), the arenas and track were used a few times a year(e.g., Springfield Mile motorcycle race, Illinois Horse Fair)), but the entire fairgrounds was used only once a year.
Rich, public parks, opera programs, etc. don’t make money either, but were not sold to taxpayers as money makers. Parks provide benefits beyond money - environmental, habitat, etc.
All publicly funded infrastructure should be looked at closely to ensure scarce public funds are well spent.
As I recall, downstate convention centers were originally sold as economic development projects. Funding them with revenues from shows and events makes the most sense, funding them with hotel-motel tax revenues makes some sense, but funding them with general tax revenues makes less sense. They’ve had decades to prove their viability.
Comment by Sir Reel Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 12:27 pm
==As for what sort of corporate tax breaks the state should be offering, the governor walked away.==
It is encouraging that this time the governor did not answer the corporate tax break question by saying he wants pension reform first. Someone might believe the governor wants to pay for corporate tax breaks with the money saved from state pension reform.
Comment by Ruby Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 5:12 pm
To Rich’s Point:
Go read the Civic Center Act. The purpose is not to create jobs or promote economic development. The purpose is to provide citizens in every part of the state access to civic, cultural, industrial, theatrical and other similar events.
Economic development may or may not be a result. But if these were all supposed to be moneymakers, then they should/would have been done by the private sector.
See previous comments regarding Wrigley Field.
By contrast, I dont think pulic funding of minor league parks is such a bad thing.
Comment by Juvenal Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 6:11 pm
Madigan really stuck it to the governor. If he does not do an amendatory veto to the Chicago Park District bill he can kiss all labor money gone along with their support. If he signs the bill labor abandons him and their in court for possibly two to three years. If he amends the bill them business and the other politicians can attack him for not actually being for pension reform just doing or saying any thing to be re-elected.
Comment by Rollo Tomasi Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 6:19 pm
PQ and Pension Crisis Resolution is as Obsessive/Compulsive is to Disorder…! And so at this point in Illinois–with its’ array of other problem after problem which ALso need to be addressed for the betterment of the People–nevertheless, from PQ’s perspective, as the ‘Ol Sayin’ goes, “There’ll be no rest for the Wicked”…until it’s done and over with!!!
Comment by Just The Way It Is One Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 6:39 pm
Rollo -
You think SEIU and AFSCME are gonna support Rauner? Gimme a break.
Now AFSCME may not be able to convince its members to vote for Quinn if he signs a pension bill - Quinn is the lesser of two evils isnt the best GOTV message - or volunteer, but neither Rauner, Brady or Dillard stand a chance of being endorsed. Assuming Dillard and Brady will either vote for the pension bill or demand something stronger.
This puts Rutherford in an interesting position, and I am betting on him to make a play for the IEA endorsement, then IFT then AFSCME for the general.
Comment by Juvenal Thursday, Nov 14, 13 @ 7:29 pm