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Vallas won’t join campaign until March

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Illinois

Paul Vallas, Gov. Pat Quinn’s running mate, plans to keep working as the school superintendent in Bridgeport, Conn., until March 1 — 17 days before the primary election. […]

Vallas has continued to work in Bridgeport because “he does not want to leave the Bridgeport school system in the lurch,” says Steven Ecker, an attorney for Vallas in Connecticut. “If he had done nothing and they wanted to fire him, he would have gotten a big payday.”

If the Bridgeport school board had fired Vallas before Dec. 31, the board would have owed him a lump sum of $234,000 — equivalent to one year of his salary — plus one year of health insurance for him and his family, according to his contract.

Instead, Vallas will collect about $72,000 from the school system if he remains on the job until March 1 — 16 weeks after he decided to run for lieutenant governor of Illinois.

It’s not like Quinn really needs him around, but this is a very unusual arrangement, to say the least.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jan 7, 14 @ 2:27 pm

Comments

Hmmm.

March is “bad” for me, March Madness basketball, end of baseball Spring Training …

April is …ok, I guess …. after Masters Week …

How about Paul rolls in about April 16th or so, just so I have time to settle in? That works better for me, actually.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 7, 14 @ 2:35 pm
Even with all this, he’s still a whole lot for credible than Sheila Simon. As vocal as Paul can be, keeping him in CT. until the primary is (all but) over might be the smartest strategic move on anyone’s part thus far.

Comment by A guy... Tuesday, Jan 7, 14 @ 2:39 pm
I could be wrong but I thought he said when he was picked that he intended to stay on in Bridgeport until the school year ended in June.

Comment by And I Approved This Message Tuesday, Jan 7, 14 @ 2:41 pm
Maybe he’s concerned that the state won’t start paying him until 6-12 months after he starts working, and he can’t afford to go that long without a paycheck.

Comment by Anon. Tuesday, Jan 7, 14 @ 2:50 pm
It’s the Chicago way.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ScvAJG51V4

Comment by Empty Suit Tuesday, Jan 7, 14 @ 2:58 pm
==”Vallas won’t join campaign”==

would have been enough.

He’s often better when spoken about, than when speaking.

Comment by markwalker Tuesday, Jan 7, 14 @ 3:13 pm
It actually looks good for his resume, and to Illinois voters- he didn’t screw over a school and a bunch of taxpayers in Connecticut, maybe he won’t do it to us…

Comment by downstate commissioner Tuesday, Jan 7, 14 @ 4:05 pm
If anyone thinks Vallas is not raising money or otherwise involved in the campaign until March, he/she is being naive.

Comment by anon Tuesday, Jan 7, 14 @ 4:59 pm
Oswego Willy,

Further complicating matters is that April 16 is four days before Easter this year (Apr. 20), so Paul may have to wait to settle in until at least the Tuesday after Easter.

Comment by Leatherneck Tuesday, Jan 7, 14 @ 5:54 pm
- Leatherneck -,

Well, that is just great!

I am looking at my calendar now, I have plans for May Day, so if Paul can get things up and running after May Day and before Memorial Day, so like 25 day window, I can live with that.

I would really like to stay out of June to get thngs rolling, I mean, June is packed for me; Gradutations, a Wedding or 2 I thiink, vacations …

Running for Lt. Governor is hard, getting started is harder I guess.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 7, 14 @ 6:07 pm
I just get this sick feeling when I read developments like this–he wants to be OUR 2nd in Command, dag nab it! I don’t care how tired he gets–if he wants such an incredibly important position in service to we, the 13 Million + Residents, as any fine teacher would agree, he should be PRESENT HERE OFTEN and actively appearing and campaigning. I don’t care how much he loses or gains financially–this is just plain wrong, irresponsible, and ridiculous!

Comment by Just The Way It Is One Tuesday, Jan 7, 14 @ 7:35 pm
Hey, this isn’t nearly as bad as the GOP recruiting Alan Keyes, who was never an Illinois resident, to run against Obama for the senate in 2004. (Remember the GOP’s tone deafness that year: they figured that bringing in another African American — even if he lived in Maryland — would do the trick against a skilled, up-and-coming leader such as Obama.)

Still, it does give me pause when a governor feels that he has to reach far outside of his state for his next-in-line position. I’m not all that critical of Hillary Clinton or Bobby Kennedy moving to NY to run for the senate, so yes, I’m a bit of a hypocrite, but even with Vallas’s education-guru reputation, it’s too bad that no one who has lived in the state for most of the past decade is qualified to be Quinn’s Lt Gov.

Comment by Steve Downstate Tuesday, Jan 7, 14 @ 8:37 pm
In most cases you have to be an Illinois resident to work for the state….go figure

Comment by anon Tuesday, Jan 7, 14 @ 9:06 pm
Vallas is an Illinois “resident”, working in CT.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 7, 14 @ 9:08 pm
Willy, then there is the Fourth of July….

Comment by Arthur Andersen Tuesday, Jan 7, 14 @ 9:25 pm
- AA -, Happy New Year to you.

Maybe like July 10th or so then … Vallas can skip the parades, and its after the baseball All-Star Break, so I should be rested too.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 7, 14 @ 9:32 pm
Actually, coming back to Illinois is August will work just fine. P.V., will be able to start the fall campaign on Labor Day weekend. The after that, you have the various fall festivals then in the middle of the campaign. Timings everything! Besides, Paul will be back for the Cubs post season! OK, Ok, there goes my creditability!

Comment by South of I-80 Wednesday, Jan 8, 14 @ 7:42 am