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Budget director orders agencies to “aggressively” curb spending

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* From the governor’s office…

Readout of GOMB Meeting with Agency Chief Financial Officers

SPRINGFIELD – Tim Nuding, director of the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget, led a meeting and conference call with state agency chief financial officers to discuss Executive Order 15-08 addressing the state’s fiscal crisis.

Nuding stressed the dire fiscal condition of the state and the need to eliminate a mid-year budget hole totaling nearly $1.5 billion.

He strongly emphasized the seriousness of the executive order and that agencies must aggressively determine spending that can and will be halted.

He also asked agencies to begin building their reserves as much as possible by retaining money from items like unspent grants wherever applicable.

Nuding made clear that the Administration is preparing to responsibly manage the inherited budget hole without inter-fund borrowing and the governor does not want to push more unpaid bills into next year.

Last, Nuding said that the governor is not afraid to take the arrows and do what it takes so we can get to the point where Illinois doesn’t have fiscal crises year after year.

Those CFOs are Quinn holdovers, so we’ll see how much they cooperate.

The executive order referenced above is here.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 7:55 am

Comments

If I were them I would be cooperating as much as I could if I wanted to remain employed.

Comment by Just Me Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 7:57 am
I can’t remember any agency CFO that I ever dealt with that was particularly political, they tend to be more technocratic than political.

Having said that they’ve been living in a world with tremendous downward pressure on spending for many consecutive budget cycles, it’s not like they’ve just been sitting on their hands with the money spigot wide open waiting for Rauner to come shut it off. I’m not confident this strategy will bear much fruit.

Comment by The Captain Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:09 am
Rauner’s going to see more than arrows.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:13 am
How much spending does this actually freeze? It sounds good, but what does it actually do?

Comment by Pot calling kettle Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:14 am
This is all part of the show. It needs to be done, but the amount of GRF that agencies can scrape together will be small. It does set a good tone, but the Blago and Quinn people already cut out newspapers, office supplies, calendars, computer upgrades, travel, etc. Nuding knows this. The costs of state government are in Medicaid, education, and state employees. By this time in the fiscal year there are very few grants left that have not been pushed out the door.

Comment by 100 Miles West Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:15 am
Nuding said that the governor is not afraid to take the arrows and do what it takes so we can get to the point where Illinois doesn’t have fiscal crises year after year.

Good. If he is correct, and is quoted correctly, and if the new governor doesn’t back down from that, then after the budgets are tied down and measured, there will be proposals to find new tax revenue early in this administration. However, that won’t mean a higher tax directly upon incomes, because that is the other condition the new governor made as well.

I suspect there will be an unleashing of new fees and indirect taxations to offset the fiscal crisis we face, and this, coupled with budget talks, could find support under the Dome.

Over the past decade, the Democrats have carefully avoided raising taxes directly, and even when they were finally forced to do so - sold it as a temporary increase. One of Quinn’s many campaign mistakes was to support extending it without selling voters first.

Illinois Republican governors can do what Illinois Democratic governors cannot do - raise taxes and not loose their political viability doing it. It is easier for the acclaimed teatotaller to be caught taking a shot and a beer, than it is for the acclaimed alcoholic to be caught doing the same.

No - it isn’t fair. On the other hand, what we can do is benefit from the fact that we have a GOP governor new into his first month in office who can take this tax shot and a beer early in in term and be willing to do it in a way that rights the budget and keeps him politically viable.

If Rauner finds new tax revenue without directly taxing income, then his only future political challengers would be within his own party who are anti-tax absolutists.

He is not afraid to take the arrows? Good - because we need a fresh target willing to take them. A political sacrifice would be a good fresh start towards a bipartisan Illinois future.

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:15 am
No doubt he will take a number of quivers of arrows if he does in fact live up to his promises. Tax increase, cuts in services, stepping on toes, and generally ticking people off will be the order of the day. That said….I believe he is up to the task.

Comment by Sunshine Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:20 am
Raising new revenue “without directly taxing income” has the distinct disadvantage of increasing our federal tax burden by reducing our itemized deductions.

=== If Rauner finds new tax revenue without directly taxing income, then his only future political challengers would be within his own party who are anti-tax absolutists. ===

Eh, fees, sales taxes and use taxes fall disproportionately on the poor.

That could lead to an odd alliance between those further on the left and anti-tax absolutists.

Comment by Bill White Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:22 am
The temporary nature of the income tax increase benefits the Democrats going forward because the income tax de jour will soon be known as the “Rauner Tax” rather than the “Quinn Tax”. Dems will be happy to give the tax jacket to the Republicans. The may even dry clean it for them first.

Comment by SAP Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:23 am
Be prepared for federal grant requirements not being met, and ultimately more dollars leaving the state and never coming back from the feds. Compliance with this order isn’t a problem, rather compliance is the problem. It won’t be the first poorly thought out order from the governor’s office, nor will it be the last.

Comment by AC Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:27 am
“Last, Nuding said that the governor is not afraid to take the arrows and do what it takes so we can get to the point where Illinois doesn’t have fiscal crises year after year.”

Good. This means Rauner will also go against his own party when it comes to raising revenue, right?

Comment by Grandson of Man Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:28 am
For many years agencies have been asked to squeeze or reduce their budgets. The problem is that “doing more with less” is not a sustainable strategy. The agencies are basically providing services that they have been told to provide. Someone has to identify specific real services that can be reduced and/or eliminated. Then raise the funds to pay for what is left.

Comment by Out Here In The Middle Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:28 am
Good luck. According to CTBAs analysis of the FY14 budget, nominal GRF spending was down $4.7 billion from the FY09 budget.

There’s been plenty of whacking going on for some time now.

Half-baked anecdotes about pigeons don’t really help much once you’re sitting in the big chair.

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:29 am
I guess I missed the part of Nuding’s directive that increased the spending on education AND froze my property taxes???

Comment by Secretariat Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:32 am
I will assume that Rauner has deliberately gone into this with the knowledge that he is personally okay with his likely becoming just a one term governor. Kudos to him if that be the case (and he gets the problems fixed).

Another way for Rauner to more easily find ways to reduce the budget deficit is to have an open e-mail line where former and current employees can anonymously send in their own ideas where money can be saved. I have several retired state employee friends that were in middle and upper management when they worked for the state that would like to offer Rauner their insightful thoughts as to where they encountered waste and redundancy while working for the state of Illinois. Since they are still members of the union, they would like to offer their suggestions to Rauner in an anonymous manner so they do not suffer any retributions from their union officials. Just a thought on my part.

Comment by Rowdy Yates Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:33 am
To the extent that there is waste and inefficiency, they have to find it, since the Quinn admin did do a lot of the easy stuff. There are people in the agencies who know where it is, but what is the incentive for them to come forward, given Rauner’s anti-government-employee rhetoric. Perhaps some kind of reward for innovative budget-saving ideas. But actually listening to lower level bureaucrats might be hard for the Rauner team.

And although personnel costs are such a large part of the budget, and most of your personnel is heavily protected by union and civil service rules, big staff cutbacks seem unlikely. Remember when Quinn was all about layoffs, and then he wasn’t. Yes you can cut staff through reorganizations and restructuring, but it takes a long time not to mention union involvement.

It’s all talk at this point.

Comment by Cassandra Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:34 am
“Aggressively cut spending?” Is that how it works? Hm? “Cut spending.” “Overruled.” “Oh, no, no, no. No, AGRESSIVELY cut spending.” “Oh. Well, if you want me to aggressively cut spending then I should take some time to reconsider.”

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:39 am
sales taxes…fall disproportionately on the poor

That depends upon what the poor are buying. Sales taxes on premium goods should avoid penalizing the poor’s need to survive. Use taxes can also be implemented to impact only those who actually use the services taxed.

Lumping everything together as a sales tax isn’t being proposed, hasn’t been proposed and has no political viability in either political party.

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:39 am
Rowdy, you think the “suggestion box” is going to do the trick? Like copying on both sides of the page?

Take a look at the components of the budget and get real.

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:44 am
Never heard at thing about rauners order at Idot. I dont think anyone there is taking him seriously

Comment by foster brooks Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:49 am
Sounds like the “Waste, Fraud and Abuse” bug is spreading amung us commenters this morning.

“send in their own ideas where money can be saved.” Was it Ryan or Edgar that started doing that in the 90’s? A friend of mine won some sort of “prize” for his suggestion.

Comment by Skeptic Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:51 am
I hope they are bringing in legislative liasions with the background and skill to handle the members of the GA who are going to explode when their district’s projects get cut and their providers start calling them.

Then those GA members will unleash hell on those agency liasions who are going to be earning their pay several times over.

Hope Team Rauner undestands those agency legislative staffers better know what they are doing or they are going to be eaten alive.

Comment by Give Me A Break Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:52 am
IDOT runs largely on road tax and relies very little on general funds.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:53 am
The former state employees that I know that would like to help Rauner by pointing out the “leaks” that they found in the boat really are not looking for any compensation for helping Rauner. I think it is simply a sincere offer to help a guy like Rauner who has already shown that he ran for this position for governor for the right reasons. If Rauner chooses to offer some sort of compensation to those individuals that can come up with useful money-saving ideas, then so much the better. However, many people will help simply because they want to do what they consider to be the “right thing to do”. A good leader (Rauner?) often inspires others to give of themselves because of the noble and selfless actions shown by the leader himself. “Leadership by example” as one might say. This was a concept that totally escaped poor Pat Quinn. The way that Quinn left office on the last days of his reign totally destroyed his future political legacy. It showed that he was not simply a well-meaning but inept individual but that he was instead an inept and petty individual. It was amazing how Quinn’s personal demons caused him to commit his own political suicide which will be forever recorded in the Illinois history books for future generations. A pretty sad ending for a political individual at the end of his long political career.

Comment by Rowdy Yates Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:54 am
Big Hat with no cattle but loads of smoke/mirrors combos!

Comment by I B Strapped Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:56 am
People are going to be HOT when they realize County Fairs, horse racing, state fairs are among some items on the chopping block. Why do we need 2 state fairs? If the County wants a fair they can fund it. Reality check is going to happen!

Comment by no suprise Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 8:56 am
===Another way for Rauner to more easily find ways to reduce the budget deficit is to have an open e-mail line where former and current employees can anonymously send in their own ideas where money can be saved. ===

Is that like that “hotline” they had fur the campaign, remember that?

How many called? How did all that go?

- Rowdy Yates -, is that what Ronald Reagan would do?

Maybe Rauner could use one of those “Jump To Conclusion” mats.

If you won’t send that in to that email address You suggested, can I?

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 9:00 am
=== He also asked agencies to begin building their reserves as much as possible by retaining money from items like unspent grants wherever applicable. ===

In other news, he asked the grass to turn green and water to run downhill.

Comment by olddog Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 9:01 am
My last 15 years with the state included heavy involvement in budget matters for my department and I can tell you budgets have already been slashed. While I agree there are still areas where spending is ridiculous, the savings found by this executive order will be a drop in the bucket. Makes for good press releases though

Comment by Former Merit Comp Slave Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 9:06 am
Word, you know I love you. But you also know that a budget is like the diet I plan to go on starting next Monday — and spend is what I actually wind up eating for the week.

The state’s actual spend includes supplementals and bills pushed forward into the next fiscal. So while it’s true that spending has decreased, I’m not sure the reduction is as stark as the CTBA analysis would suggest.

Yes, spending is down since 09. But those budget proposals don’t include supplementals and bills pushed forward into the next fiscal. So it’s hard to say whether the reduction is as stark as CTBA’s analysis would make it seem.

Comment by Soccermom Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 9:21 am
He should look to end the CSBG grant program

Comment by low level Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 9:25 am
The Community Services Block Grant Program (CSBG), administered by DCEO, is federal. Is there another, state funded CSBG program?

Comment by Nilwood Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 9:30 am
I like how people scoff at small savings. As if the state has the luxury of blowing money even if the savings only constitute a small percentage of overall spending.

I’m not saying Rauner is going to “shake up Springfield” but I’m willing to give the guy more than a couple days to see if he can get things on the right track.

Comment by Just Observing Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 9:33 am
A lot of posturing and words which play to his base, but the net savings from these window dressing moves will be negligible. Let him get it out of his system, because once he awakens to the reality that his situation is not like Mitch Daniels (who preaches to his legislative choir), he will be speaking to a choir that is singing a different song. One term governor who will achieve little more than awakening the masses to the fact that our flat income tax rate is the real culprit.

Comment by illinoised Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 9:33 am
Dear Bruce,

My name is Soccermom, and I work for free.

We both know that there is no freaking way you can solve this budget problem by tweaking around the edges. But what you can do is demonstrate to the voters and taxpayers that you’re doing everything you can to squeeze full value out of every cent.

So here’s a pro tip — don’t focus your energies on the CFOs. Instead, round up agency employees for all-hands meetings, and tell them directly what you need. Show them that you’re committed to doing this job right, and that you understand the stresses that frontline employees are facing. Be brave and go face-to-face with the people you’ve been dissing for the past two years. It won’t be fun, but you’ll earn some respect.

Make sure that everybody on 16 understands that wasting money is a firing offense. (Unlike the idiot child who made zillions of single-side COLOR copies of the horrific FY11 budget to hand out to media. “Please pay attention to what we say, not what we do. Thank you very much.”)

Announce some high-profile, politically significant cuts. (I would start with the second State Fair. I know there are folks on this blog who love it, but most states manage to stumble along with a single Fair.) And then offer some rewards to state employees who get with the program and start shaving dollars from their spending. Because nothing makes you feel more like a dope than taking the train to SPI, lugging your bag from the station to the hotel — and then hearing your colleagues bragging about how they drove down in their nice cozy cars and then made bank on the mileage reimbursement.

Executive orders are easy. Change — not so much.

Comment by Soccermom Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 9:36 am
Waste, Fraud and Abuse can be found with overtime. Especially with employees close to retirement so they can beef up their pension.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 9:55 am
To Anon @9:55

Spot on! Example: look at the top-paid employees at EPA over the last several years. Paid well above the Director as a result of unionization, and massive amounts of OT and “on-call” pay.

Comment by EPA Watcher Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 9:59 am
Anon @9:55 - SO TRUE! An analysis of this tactic can be very easily done by knowing the employee’s closeness to retirement, whether by age or Rule of 85, and going to the payroll records and voila - just see how their overtime has increased their salary in the last 2-3 years. TRS raises the actual salaries - SERS employees give themselves raises. At least this is what I’ve seen at IDOT.
Some employees are increasing by 10-15 thousand a year. Better than a raise. Overtime for one individual I’m aware of accounts for a third of their annual salary.

Comment by Gone, but not forgotten Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 10:14 am
Spoke with a Democratic legislator during the inauguration festivities this weekend. He insisted that “not one dime” can be cut out of the state budget and “there is no fat” in the budget.

Not one dime. Must be true. Right?

Comment by Louis G Atsaves Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 10:14 am
===Not one dime. Must be true. Right?===

You can find plenty of dimes to cut from the budget Louis, but wake me up when you find the missing $2 billion in the current budget.

That’s a lot of dimes.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 10:18 am
Louis, nice straw man.

That moves the ball forward….. how?

Your new guy will have to propose a budget. A silly conversation you had doesn’t change that.

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 10:19 am
Supervisors to staff ratio needs addressed too. We have 9 highly paid supervisors for 17 subordinates.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 10:21 am
@Anon
“Waste, Fraud and Abuse can be found with overtime.”

Yeah! That’s the ticket! Lets fire all of those pesky corrections officers that are being FORCED to take mandatory overtime because the can’t hire additional officers!

They are cheating the system!

Oh wait. We can’t leave the inmates unguarded can we?

Get a grip. Overtime isn’t the problem. Overtime is a bandaid to lack of staffing. Hire more people.

Your suggestion is almost as helpful as directing staff to look for loose change in the office furniture.

Comment by How Ironic Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 10:30 am
Supervisors are in the union in many if not all agencies, tho. They can be transferred, but laid off? That’s a lot more complicated and layoff chains are extremely disruptive.

Comment by Cassandra Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 10:35 am
Getting directives to spend all of the money allocated for the FY so you will get that money the next FY is a stupid idea. If you managed to save some place or not have an expenditure you were planning on, you shouldn’t be penalized for the next FY. Instead, people should realize a budget is just that - what you expect to need, based on fixed costs and some costs you think your will incur.

If this were your own household budget, you might put the extra that you didn’t spend in an account for unexpected things that come up in the future or spend it on ’something you always wanted to do’ when you had some spare money.

It’s time to start treating the state like it was your own.

Comment by anon Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 10:38 am
“A silly conversation you had doesn’t change that.”

Nice try Word. That legislator will be voting on a budget. He voted on the last one which is blowing up in everyone’s faces as I type this. And he was very earnest and honest in his beliefs there.

Comment by Louis G Atsaves Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 10:43 am
so the spending limit is $50,000? while I do agree that tweaking around the edges is not a way to dig out of a hole, this is actually not supposed to be the point of such an exercise. you do a lock down on spending, hiring, and projects to get hold of the business ship that you are trying to correct. $50,000 is actually too high a limit. I would have set the bar much lower. It surely does anger those who work in the government, but it does stop all sorts of things and helps figure out what is what. designating one staffer per department for a specified period of months to supervise the lockdown would uncover the slugs. it sets a tone. it enables a better takeover. in the meantime work on bigger things to really make things happen.

Comment by Amalia Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 10:45 am
Louis, you’re going to give Guy a run on Baghdad Brucism.

I wouldn’t worry about that “not a dime” conversation too much.

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 10:48 am
In the last 30 plus years I’ve been through many variations of “the sky is falling” spending cuts, freezes, and recissions. Announcements don’t phase me. Gotta wait to see what the reality is, because it’s often very different from what is put out for public consumption, and much less dire.

Comment by PolPal56 Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 11:09 am
I recall seeing a pre-election piece from the Rauner campaign that imposed a host of new professional or sales taxes. As a lawyer I was doubly surprised that 1) he proposed taxing legal services (I have doubts about the constitutionality of that, since it is a bar to legal representation, however small); and 2) he pointedly omitted accountants from the proposed sales tax. The cynic in me assumed that his companies have in-house counsel (and therefore wouldn’t pay sales tax), but for compliance reasons have outside accountants/auditors, who conveniently also would not be taxed…..

Comment by PatrickinCary Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 11:13 am
@How Ironic
My post mentioned nothing about mandatory overtime. There is a difference. Read and comprehend.

Comment by Anon Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 11:15 am
@Amalia:

“…so the spending limit is $50,000?…I would have set the bar much lower.It surely does anger those who work in the government, but it does stop all sorts of things and helps figure out what is what. designating one staffer per department for a specified period of months to supervise the lockdown would uncover the slugs. it sets a tone. it enables a better takeover.”

Yes, this is perfectly logical solution. Take one staffer out of an agency, continue to pay them but now have them poring over every requisition for pencils, erasers, fuel receipts for the folks that travel, but not doing their ‘regular job’.

That’s one heck of a solution. Spend $100,000 per agency to uncover extra pencil requisitions. That really ’sets the tone’ alright.

Next up…napkin counter at the cafeteria, and a person in each restroom to hand out either 1 napkin or 3 squares per person.

Yes, this would surely solve Illinois’ budgetary concerns.

Comment by How Ironic Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 11:18 am
You can find un-necessary expenses in the pet projects Quinn and the legislators requested for their districts. The media seems to know where to find these pet projects - ask them.

Comment by Mama Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 11:20 am
It appears the governor wants mass lay-offs to make him look good. It sounds good on the news but, the work still needs to be done. The tax-payers will not be happy with having to wait weeks or months to get what they need.

Comment by Mama Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 11:22 am
@Anon:

“Especially with employees close to retirement so they can beef up their pension.”

A short term bump in income from overtime does not result in a pension bump. The increase has to be sustained for 4 years.

So either get educated in your comments, or don’t make them.

If someone is working sustained overtime for 4 years, more staff need to be hired. The gain in not paying bennies for the additional staff is lost in the compensation.

You’re delusional if you think someone can work overtime for a few weeks, or even months that would result in a bump in pensions.

Furthermore, if the overtime is sustained for 4 years, they would be entitled to a pension bump. They did the work right?

Perhaps you need to read and comprehend how overtime affects pensions. Because at this time, it doesn’t appear you do.

Comment by How Ironic Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 11:26 am
-How Ironic @11:26: Maybe you should read and comprehend how overtime affects pensions by reading and comprehending my previous comment @10:14 a.m. I am referring to employees in positions that do not have their overtime supervised, audited, or questioned about it being justifiable. Remember also, by getting this bump, which you think is small, that bump grows larger in their pension year after year. So maybe pensions should be based on base salary only? Just a thought.

Comment by Gone, but not forgotten Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 11:39 am
@How Ironic, a spending freeze with tight overview is a reliable method of learning how money is spent and stopping the flow. it is not for a long period of time and it does change how business works. If you want to change the thinking and practice of those who spend, you have to do something dramatic.

Comment by Amalia Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 12:09 pm
I would hope that the new administration treats state employees with respect. Most have earned this - and it will help improve things. It also needs to be acknowledged that Illinois is at the bottom of the 50 states in employee per capita rates. Not all employees receive compensation of any type for overtime (no time and no $) and many positions are paid with federal $ - and as stated above there are rules regarding maint. of these funding levels - or dollar for dollar loss.

Comment by Yatzi Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 12:15 pm
Yeah Soccermom! An all hands meeting by the Gov in a department sounds like real leadership. Not sure Rauner has any of that actual hands-on stuff in his background but he ought to try it here.

Comment by walker Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 12:17 pm
Bruce’s EOs remind me of the “Itchy & Scratchy Land” episode from “The Simpsons” where Homer says, “Don’t worry, I’ve got an ace up my sleeve.” then begins honking his horn repeatedly.

Comment by Jocko Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 12:19 pm
I woner if they will continue making agencies pay for the Gov’s staff?

Comment by Yatzi Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 12:32 pm
Napkins or paper towels in the restrooms? Not at the Thompson Center last time I checked.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 12:41 pm
The tollway has been a social service agency since Paula and Kristi got there. Money for all kinds of pet projects, including more than a million dollars to fill in a pool in the basement of UIC to create a call center, millions more in technology, and millions more to pay someone else to run it. It’s a great charity, but that’s not their mission, and that’s a lot of tolls not paying for the roads.

Comment by Alex Cross Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 12:43 pm
=== Napkins or paper towels in the restrooms? Not at the Thompson Center last time I checked. ===

Isn’t Chicago the Windy City? Just rub your hands together while the wind blows.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 12:45 pm
Alex Cross - Kristi pretty sure she is safe for now is what she saying

Comment by Lake County GOP Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 12:58 pm
==Those CFOs are Quinn holdovers, so we’ll see how much they cooperate.==

I am SO SICK of this crap. Many of those “Quinn holdovers” have worked in state government for many years, INCLUDING as CFOs. Can you please stop with the crap that makes it sound as if everyone was hired by Quinn. Because I’m sick of the misinformation. Do a little research.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 12:59 pm
==it is not for a long period of time and it does change how business works.==

Wanna bet? Because I certainly don’t want to have to spend my time playing “mother may I” with every decision that has to be made. That’s a real efficient way to operate don’t you think?

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 1:03 pm
They’re holding up expenditures of federal money too. Why? I have no idea.

Comment by Me Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 1:10 pm
Re: CSBG. The economic development loans should be ended. Job training should be the focus. Better, more efficient use of DCEO time IMO.

Comment by low level Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 1:31 pm
Anon 10:21 am — The reason that ’supervisor’ to ’supervised’ ratios look odd in a lot agencies is because CMS has been stuck in a mindset for years now that employees only come in two types - low skill slugs and supervisors of low skill slugs. If you tried to create a position that required real testable technical skills and degree/experience requirements and a mid-high salary, you got pushback, unless the person also ’supervised’ people, so you made up reporting relationships. CMS needs to get into the 21st century and allow the establishment of highly technical, highly compensated positions NOT based solely upon their supervising someone.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 1:40 pm
I don’t feel like the Rauner administration is respecting current and former State employees. He is leading via “Press Release” and should be providing agencies with more guidance.

Comment by Em Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 1:45 pm
Wow, somebody better change the litter in Demoralized’s box. Meow.

Comment by Anon Too Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 1:48 pm
Low level “Re: CSBG. The economic development loans should be ended. Job training should be the focus. Better, more efficient use of DCEO time IMO.”
Not disagreeing with better use of DCEO time comment, but isn’t the loan program federally funded too?

Comment by Nilwood Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 1:54 pm
Tim Nuding and GOMB is attempting to either limit or eliminate the need for a supplemental appropriation. In fact in section III of the order #8 it explicitly states “each State Agency shall take all necessary actions to manage its State Funds and other resources to avoid the need for supplemental funding. . .”

The problem is Agency leadership prior to the election of Governor Rauner assumed there would be a supplemental appropriation and spent funds at a rate commensurate with that assumption.

According to information provided to the Tribune an unknown number of State agencies are projected to run out of money for “critical services” by the end of February. ( see http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-illinois-budget-met-0104-20141231-story.html#page=1 ) Rauner also told the Tribune that state agencies were as of January 3rd asking for $760 million more to cover the final six months of the current budget year.

So the only major way the need for a supplemental appropriation can be avoided within the timeframe of this fiscal year is by rolling some bills into the next fiscal year and slowing down internal expenditures of agencies.

We have been down this road before.

Comment by Rod Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 2:09 pm
@Amalia:

“…a spending freeze with tight overview is a reliable method of learning how money is spent and stopping the flow.”

Maybe for your child’s allowance, or for a micro manager that has no idea how the agency they are running actually works. The CFO already fulfills the ‘new role’ you are envisioning. Have you actually ever looked at an agency budget? It’s really not all that hard to see where the money is going. It’s all accounted for, down to the dollar.

“…it is not for a long period of time and it does change how business works.”

No, it doesn’t actually change how business works (in your anticipated change anyways). All it does it make everyday necessary requisitions turn into an exercise in added bureaucracy. Think how much more efficient the DMV could be if every time an employee needs to use a form they have to go to their supervisor to justify form 11-fc, and the supervisor has to go to their supervisor and check with the newly established ‘forms supervisor’.

Yes, that’s really helping curb the tide of budget shortfalls.

“If you want to change the thinking and practice of those who spend, you have to do something dramatic.”

Your assumption that every $$ spent in State Gov is somehow a wasted $$. I think you need to change your thought process, and realize that the professionals in the State Gov don’t waste resources every day, ‘because the don’t have oversight’.

Comment by How Ironic Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 2:10 pm
==Wow, somebody better change the litter in Demoralized’s box. Meow.==

Bite me. I’m just sick of all of the misinformation out there. Because there are plenty of morons out there who eat that information up as the gospel. If we are going to talk about these things then at least we need to be truthful about them.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 3:10 pm
Demoralized-You do realize that it was Rich Miller’s reference to “Quinn holdovers”, don’t you? I think you should chill (or change the litter), as it’s not nice to criticize the person who offers the opportunity to comment on these issues. It’s also not nice to call people names (morons). Thank you.

Comment by Gone, but not forgotten Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 3:43 pm
=== Wordslinger - Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 10:48 am:

Louis, you’re going to give Guy a run on Baghdad Brucism.

I wouldn’t worry about that “not a dime” conversation too much.===

Sling, I’m touched. You think about me even when I’m away. Very moving.

Comment by A guy Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 4:00 pm
D: Where do you draw the line? WSJ? Tribune? Sun-Times? ANY subscription?

Comment by Skeptic Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 4:12 pm
@ -D-

Come to think of it, the Dept of Ag should cancel all subscriptions to grain reports, and animal related publications.

Dept of Health better not be buying any medically related publications either.

And DCEO better stop publicizing trade opportunities in publications for the State of Illinois.

And certainly, there is not need for an ‘ear to the ground’ when it comes to politics for any agency to have any idea what’s going on in state Gov.

Got it. Maybe we should take away the phones, and computers. People can just send information by carrier pigeon.

Comment by How Ironic Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 4:44 pm
Re: CSBG - Loan Program. DCEO. Yes, federal dollars.

BUT not a good use of those funds. Takes too many man hours to administer it for little return, not to mention the resources and time involved. End the loan aspect, make them all grants - give more flexiblity as well.

Comment by low level Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 7:11 pm
Then use those federal funds in more productive areas within the guidelines of the program. Efficiency and effectiveness - will help state in the long run.

Comment by low level Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 7:16 pm
Foster Brooks: if you haven’t heard anything at IDOT you might not be in a position that needs to know. Regardless the word is out big time.

Comment by Macoupin Minority Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 7:43 pm
Low Level - I believe the CSBG loan funds were included in the grants to the Community Action Agencies prior to Blago. I doubt DCEO staff would disagree with returning the funds to the CAA grants.

Comment by Nilwood Thursday, Jan 15, 15 @ 10:12 pm
@How Ironic, I have seen the spending limit business investigation model work, and in government too. it respects the use of public funds by directing as much money as possible to the best use of the money.

Comment by Amalia Friday, Jan 16, 15 @ 9:45 am