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* Ironic, to say the least…
State funding cuts are threatening services for people living with autism, as families who receive help through a program called the Autism Project say they will be devastated by its elimination.
The Autism Project says Gov. Bruce Rauner confirmed the decision to cut funding for the remainder of the 2015 fiscal year Thursday - on World Autism Day. […]
Help for autism is not covered under Medicaid.
Yes, let’s confirm our autism program elmination on World Autism Day! Hooray for us!
* An uproar ensued…
Lawmakers misled?
House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, told lawmakers on the House floor in late March — before the House and Senate voted on a bipartisan plan to resolve the $1.6 billion shortfall — that state funding for TAP and many other programs for people with mental illness and developmental disabilities would be preserved this fiscal year.
The budget compromise included appropriation authority for TAP to operate through the close of the fiscal year, TAP officials said.
“It appears that Gov. Rauner has turned his back on the budget process for the remainder of this fiscal year, which he and legislative leaders negotiated and passed less than two weeks ago,” Bonanno said. “We can’t understand why he gave his word and then took this action.”
Madigan walked out on a limb, and Rauner sawed it off.
Wonderful.
* The autism cut was only part of a list of grants that Rauner’s administration cut or eliminated on Good Friday/Passover…
Gov. Bruce Rauner suspended $26 million in social services and public health grants as part of his push to whittle away at a $1.6 billion shortfall in the current state budget.
The Republican’s office released a list of targeted programs late Friday that included funding to pay for the funerals and burials of public-assistance recipients, smoking cessation, teen programs, autism, and HIV and AIDS programs, among other things. Rauner also froze $3.4 million in funding for immigrant integration assistance as part of his ongoing efforts to keep the state rolling through the June 30 end of the fiscal year. […]
“Part of the solution to solving the inherited $1.6 billion budget hole without raising taxes or increasing borrowing is to continue to evaluate the current fiscal year’s budget,” Rauner spokeswoman Catherine Kelly said. “The governor’s office worked with agencies to see which grants could be suspended and prioritized essential services.”
The cuts will save the state $21.8 million in Department of Human Services grants and $4.5 million in unexpended funding through the Department of Public Health.
The full list of cuts is here.
* More uproar…
Gov. Bruce Rauner’s recent suspension of state payments for indigent funerals will lead to delays in bodies being picked up from hospitals, nursing homes and morgues, funeral industry officials said Monday.
“You will see the coroner system holding bodies longer and funeral homes less able to do a removal if they don’t really know there’s a payment source,” said Jay Markwell, a funeral director from Casey and president of the Illinois Funeral Directors Association.
The Rauner administration informed the association a few days ago that it will stop paying claims submitted after Jan. 15 for funerals of public-aid recipients. The action is estimated to save $6.9 million in the current fiscal year and is part of $26 million in cuts Rauner announced last week.
Rauner has proposed zeroing-out funding for the program in fiscal 2016.
The state in recent years has paid between $10 million and $11 million annually for the program, which reimburses up to $1,103 for a funeral and about $500 for burial expenses for indigent clients. Between 8,500 and 9,900 funerals are covered each year.
That was by far the largest cut in Friday’s blood-letting.
* From the Epilepsy Foundation of North/Central Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska…
“The suspension of grant funding for epilepsy, autism, developmental disabilities, and mental health programs is devastating to the individuals that rely on these services to receive effective medical treatment and care. These programs are designed to keep individuals out of the emergency room, employed, in school, and save the state millions of dollars in healthcare and disability costs. Elimination of these programs will only put individuals out of work, increase costs to state run medical care programs, and endanger the lives and well-being of hundreds of thousands Illinoisans living with developmental disabilities and mental health issues.”
* But, then the governor started walking things back…
Governor Rauner says some of the millions of dollars in state grants to social service agencies that he froze on Friday may begin flowing again.
But agencies that counsel drug addicts, the homeless, autistic people and others may need a little patience as the Rauner administration reviews the state’s budget that’s over a billion dollars short – for the period just until the end of June.
“So what I’ll do is just stop things, freeze it where we are today and then bring some thoughtful discipline to it and then free up the money and go back and reauthorize some grants, start spending a little bit more again but do it on a more thoughtful basis,” Rauner said.
The Republican says his management team is reviewing the grants and some could be reissued in days, others in a couple of months.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 10:33 am
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Gov. Edgar said something about earning trust with the Speaker. Yeah, that will do it.
Comment by Demise Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 10:44 am
Let me be very, very clear;
I am not saying the cuts, any of the cuts, optics and timing notwithstanding (and the timing? Dopes!), all are not more tragic or more important to one group or another.
All that said;
You literary…lie…to the Speaker, and that lie… put MJM on a limb you, personally, cut from below his feet…
Right there… that’s the very distinct difference between a Sonny Corleone Governor, and a Michael Corleone Speaker;
Sonny refused to see what should and can be done, Michael settles all family business completely, decisively, and finally. Period.
“Sonny Mode” will literally derail Governor Rauner when he least suspects it, and it will be crushing.
Lying to the Speaker? Cardinal Sin in governing.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 10:45 am
Why are we burying the indigent? Cremation is far less costly on all sides of the issue. I know perhaps some folks don’t like this approach to dealing with the departed. But,IMO, it is a waste of resources.
Comment by dupage dan Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 10:45 am
This guy is giving entirely new, horrifying, and unintended meaning to the words “turnaround agenda.”
Comment by Linus Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 10:46 am
“let’s confirm our autism program elmination on World Autism Day!
Do these people even THINK? Whether or not the cuts should have been made, the timing is a nasty, sadistic slap in the face.
“suspension of state payments for indigent funerals . . . Rauner has proposed zeroing-out funding for the program in fiscal 2016.”
Oh, well, just dump the (no)bodies in a mass grave somewhere.
This guy is a real piece of work.
Comment by JoanP Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 10:49 am
Amazing. Not only cruel, but willfully arrogant and just plain politically dumb. Shades of Blago. Wasn’t this guy supposed to be “smart”? Double-crossing MJM? Oy.
Comment by Crispy Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 10:51 am
This guy is giving the term “Tone Deaf” a bad name.
@Dupage Dan,
We are burying the indigent, because it’s the right thing to do. I know the fiscally conservative solution might be to toss them off the bed of a truck in the middle of a forest preserve or something ‘because it’s cheaper’ but, we’re not that society.
That Rauner sure doesn’t have a social agenda though, does he?
Comment by How Ironic Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 10:51 am
give me a break dupage dan….cremate or bury someone has to pay for the cost….
Comment by illinifan Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 10:52 am
The bigger uproar is the sorry financial condition of the state budget, not the ensuing outrage following every decision made to try and reverse the financial insanity that created a $6 billion budget deficit. It’s going to get ugly, but that’s the real world consequence of years of spending excesses and the failure to modernize the tax system. The consequence with letting a problem fester is the eventual erosion of desirable solutions. The solution to this mess will require both cuts and new revenues. Nobody likes the day of reckoning, but it’s here.
Comment by Illannoyed Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 11:00 am
@Dupage Dan,
Also, these indigent burials are a no-frills affair. Pine box, no decorations, mass burial. As for your cremation suggestion:
“…“At the moment, burial is still the preferred method for everyone in Cook County,” said Sledge. The county says it will not creamate any unidentified bodies because someone could eventually claim them, or they could be needed in an investigation.”
http://www.wbez.org/news/burying-cook-countys-unclaimed-dead-110092
Comment by How Ironic Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 11:01 am
@DuPage Dan
Yes, lets go back to building mass incinerators like they had in WWII to take care of those who can’t afford to be buried. Only the select few who have friends in high places deserve to be buried. Basically, your saying your too high on the mountain top or really detached from reality to take care of small things like this? I guess your solution would be to have IDOT take care of it, like they scrape up the animals on the expressways throughout the state.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 11:02 am
“But we thought if you bury the cuts during the holiday weekend, no one would notice.
Signed,
People who don’t think much about how cuts hurt people”
I can not stand politics when it’s played so very poorly by anyone, let alone an Adminstration not even 90 days old.
Ya can’t bury cuts like these, as a “Holiday Weekend” dump, especially if you are, literally, double-crossing a partner you need in governing. Ever. Period.
“You can never, ever, ever, walk back trust. Trust lost takes double to be earned back.”
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 11:04 am
With shared sacrifice like this, I can’t wait to see what Rauner is going to give up!
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 11:08 am
How Ironic: Forest preserve “Turnaround” fertilizer program–the ultimate in “shared sacrifice” and “skin in the game.” (Snark, of course.)
Illannoyed: That won’t preach; Rauner himself ensured the extra pain by insisting on rolling back the temp tax increase. Plus, even if that weren’t the case, money problems don’t excuse inhumanity and promise-breaking. The guy appears to simply enjoy hurting the powerless.
Comment by Crispy Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 11:12 am
Heckuva Job, Brucie!!!
When will this clown show get its act together?
Seems like Brucie imported the management team from Target Canada here.
Comment by Jerry 101 Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 11:14 am
Strategic blunder.
Comment by Jorge Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 11:14 am
Anonymous @ 11:08:
Brucie already gave up his tax hike! What more do you want out of him? Jeez, the sacrifices being heaped upon the wealthy!!
Comment by Jerry 101 Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 11:17 am
“let’s confirm our autism program elimination on World Autism Day!”
And announce the elimination of indigent burials on Good Friday to boot….
Comment by Secret Square Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 11:23 am
@How Ironic
If burial is that important to you, no one is stopping you from lobbying your county/local government to pick up those costs. I’m sure voters in your area would be happy to cover the necessary tax increase.
That aside, many people in all income brackets choose cremation over being pumped full of toxic chemicals and stored underground in a metal box. It’s by far the more green way to go.
Comment by Reader Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 11:27 am
“The bigger uproar is the sorry financial condition of the state budget, not the ensuing outrage following every decision made to try and reverse the financial insanity that created a $6 billion budget deficit.”
Nope, sorry- you do not get to cover for every horrible non-solution to the problem just by repeatedly whining, “But the problem is really really hard!” A 100% confiscatory income tax would balance the state’s budget in a heart beat, but we would all rightfully complain about that. Not every response to the problem is immune to criticism just because there is a problem. Indeed, I don’t think ANY of them are.
Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 11:33 am
What’s that again about judging a society by how it treats its poor, vulnerable, and otherwise disenfranchised?
Comment by Graduated College Student Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 11:34 am
Rauner sees anyone who has not accumulated the wealth he has as lazy, worthless, defective. Folks like him think that everyone has had the opportunity to do so and if they’re not at his level, they don’t qualify as human. That’s a whole lot of us….even if you’re not indigent. When you view others the way he appears to, they don’t deserve anything, not even respect.
Comment by AnonymousOne Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 11:36 am
Seem to recall a recent vote here on the chances of everyone getting together for FY 2016 budget like they did for FY 2015. Anyone want a re-do on your vote?
Comment by West Side the Best Side Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 11:38 am
Yes to cremation. Over the long term, I suspect cemeteries are on the way out for everybody, not just for the indigent.
As to autism services, I guess we’ll see for this fy, but the more important issue is long-term, that is, why doesn’t Medicaid cover treatment for autism-indeed, why isn’t such treatment part of the mandatory package of care insurance policies must provide under the ACA. If the need is clearly established by current research, it makes no sense to have patients treated differently by different systems across the country. And the costs for low-income patients should be spread across the largest possible number of taxpayers. If there is some question as to the need or efficacy of these services, that’s another issue. The Rauner admin needs to be clearer about their reasoning. They also need to be sure that if some of these services are currently covered by health insurance ACA, the insurance companies/Medicaid are being billed to the fullest.
Comment by Cassandra Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 11:42 am
@Arsenal
Why doesn’t MJM just push through a tax increase to fix all this? The Democrats can override any veto they want. What is he waiting for? He can stop ALL these cuts. Don’t fool yourself. MJM still runs Illinois. Is MJM more worried about the optics of a tax increase than those who will be hurt by the cuts? He must not think much about how cuts hurt people.
Comment by Reader Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 11:47 am
===The Democrats can override any veto they want===
Have you ever met Jack Franks?
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 11:48 am
===He can stop ALL these cuts. Don’t fool yourself.===
(Sigh) Gov. Rauner promised NOT to impliment some cuts. Rauner literally lied to the Speaker. If Rauner doesn’t lie to the Legislature, no need to stop anything. Please learn.
===MJM still runs Illinois.===
Speaker Madigan “controls” 1/2 of 1/3 of Illinois Government. President Cullerton “controls” 1/2 of 1/3 of Illinois Government. “Control” - Herding cats. Good luck.
===Is MJM more worried about the optics of a tax increase than those who will be hurt by the cuts?===
MJM, he doesn’t like to be lied to when going out on a governmental limb. That’s what’s at play here.
===He must not think much about how cuts hurt people.===
Um, MJM was lied to, there wasn’t suppise to be cuts to worry about.
Please email or call for better Raunerbot talking points. Thanks.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 11:55 am
Reader’s one of those Republicans who enjoyed the hammock years of Democratic governors and minority status in the GA. No responsibility, no accountability, just continuous whining.
Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 11:57 am
“Why doesn’t MJM just push through a tax increase to fix all this?”
I don’t know, and it’s really weird that you think I do.
It’s also weird that you think there’s no Democrat who promised not to raise taxes last time they faced the voters, and that you think even the people devastated by these cuts would prefer legislative brinksmanship to a negotiated resolution.
Comment by Arsenal Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 12:13 pm
*“So what I’ll do is just stop things, freeze it where we are today and then bring some thoughtful discipline to it and then free up the money and go back and reauthorize some grants, start spending a little bit more again but do it on a more thoughtful basis,” Rauner said.*
Is this government run like a business? “Hey, we had an agreement with you to give you a grant for this year so you could do work for the state. You hired people, invested in infrastructure, and made other commitments based on that agreement. I am breaking it. Today. I may change my mind. It may be tomorrow. It may be in a couple months. You still have staff and rent and services you need to manage. You will likely have to lay people off, skip paying bills, and shut down programs. When and if I restore your funding, it will cost you much more to get things restarted, bring staff back online, etc. I hope you are ok with that, because this is how I am shaking things up.”
Comment by Montrose Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 12:15 pm
Reader: every claim you made about MJM’s power is obviously false. You must not be watching Illinois government.
Such a comforting myth, and mindset, though.
Comment by walker Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 12:17 pm
So Rauner’s crew finally negotiated an agreement with Madigan and Cullerton to close the 2015 funding gap, and then simply broke the agreement by a stroke of the pen after spending the last three weeks traveling the state showing he has big ideas and binders. Does Rauner even know or care what he agreed to? Are his staff too overwhelmed by him to even point out this specific cut wasn’t part of the deal.
It’s obvious he hasn’t learned Springfield’s first rule: no matter how tough it gets, your word is your bond.
Comment by walker Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 12:30 pm
“Immigrant Integration Services.” $3.4 million cost
What’s this doing in the state budget?
Comment by Federalist Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 12:32 pm
Rauner’s march to Illinois fiscal restoration is patterned on Sherman’s march to the sea.
Comment by Buzzie Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 12:38 pm
Thanks General Assembly, past and present, for the years of overspending and under funding the pension systems that now are taking a huge portion of our tax dollars. Now those who can least afford it are being squashed and forgotten. The only satisfaction is that someday you will need to answer for your your actions to a higher power!!
Comment by Union Man Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 12:40 pm
Here is what I would say Executive Order 15-08 that Governor Rauner issued on Jan 12, 2015 gave him the full authority to cut the programs that now are being discussed, that was obvious when the EO was issued. Both President Cullerton and Speaker Madigan could have challenged the scope of the EO and maybe have been successful or maybe not, but they both chose not to challenge the EO back in January. There was no definition of “essential” in that EO, hence the Governor’s office of management and budget was free to determine the scope of essential services.
Another reason for not challenging the EO was that the Senate President and the Speaker allowed Governor Quinn similar authority before and that is a matter of record.
If one examines HB 317 as amended that authorized specific reductions to Autism programs in several places you will not find any language that limited the Governor’s prior EO from applying to those programs and their remaining appropriations.
Both the Speaker and the Senate President are fully aware that no such limiting language was included in HB 317, in could have been included if the leaders had carefully drafted the bill instead of rushing it through the legislature. Have the leaders learned their lesson yet?
For the record I do not support these additional reductions so don’t attack me for supporting these additional cuts, because I do not support them.
Comment by Rod Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 12:46 pm
Whacking MJM and the cuts themselves aside, doing all of this on Good Friday is just cold.
Seriously, waiting until yesterday or even this Friday wasn’t an option in his mind? I get having to make ‘hard decisions’, but if I didn’t want to believe better, this was seemingly intentionally cruel.
Comment by Left Leaner Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 1:00 pm
==World Autism Day == Good Friday/Passover==
How cold or tone deaf do you have to be to make these cuts on these days?
No one on staff caught this or cared?
Comment by Formerly Known As... Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 1:07 pm
Rod: ok, we got your legal arguments
No one was arguing that Rauner cannot legally take these steps. His political problems are timing, and much more seriously the apparent breaking of an agreement with legislative leaders.
Comment by walker Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 1:16 pm
Just wait until Bruce put a new fee on sparklers (in July) and candy (in October)…combined with a lock-out on September 7th.
Comment by Jocko Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 1:20 pm
===His political problems are timing, and much more seriously the apparent breaking of an agreement with legislative leaders.===
Spot on. Easter weekend, and the day designated for one group’s cause is the day Rauner chooses to “announce” cuts, in hopes of burying them in the Holiday.
Speaking of burying;
===“I’m one of the baddest, you know, enemies anybody can have.” - Bruce Rauner ===
Is this the man who threatened a female he hired, to go after her family, or…
…a governor, who has legislative hurdles, needing more conpromise to get things realistically done.
“Sonny Mode” really doesn’t care about the optics, until he cares. A pattern? Dunno. Might know after May, but how much trust could be lost by then? Dunno that either.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 1:25 pm
What kind of public servant cuts funds to bury indigent people? I can’t wait to vote this heartless weasel out of office.
Comment by PoliticalPro Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 1:27 pm
Regarding the bill mentioned above, one has to wonder if the Speaker and President just gave the Governor enough rope to hang himself. One of my greatest joys in life is to use my remaining brain cells to figure out their end game. Happy National Beer Day!
Comment by Former Merit Comp Slave Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 1:37 pm
=== Gov. Bruce Rauner’s recent suspension of state payments for indigent funerals will lead to delays in bodies being picked up from hospitals, nursing homes and morgues, funeral industry officials said Monday. ===
Rumor has it that the Rauner non-trust trust is working on a commercial venture called Soylent Green, Inc.
Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 2:02 pm
To the post. What strikes me is that the Superstar staff is anything but. Seriously, do they not consider the ramifications of hanging the Speaker out to dry. They may do things differently in Indiana, Wisconsin, Florida and Georgia, but in Illinois breaking your word is really really bad form. You shall pay for that transgression.
Also, Rich may be able to answer this but does the Governor’s press staff take off Monday through Thursday and show up to write all the news releases on Friday. We think they work the other days because of the inane responses reporters get to calls for comments. However, it is really a sophisticated phone answering system that rotate the appropriate Rauner buzz words to formulate an acceptable Rauner response.
Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 2:08 pm
As despicable as it was making these cuts on the holiday weekend, Rauner also signed the utility rate hike bill on a Good Friday…or at least made it public that day.
Never forget he is a politician…on steroids.
Comment by Tim Snopes Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 2:12 pm
“So what I’ll do is just stop things, freeze it where we are today and then bring some thoughtful discipline to it and then free up the money and go back and reauthorize some grants, start spending a little bit more again but do it on a more thoughtful basis,” Rauner said.
Well, that is what a governor was supposed to do, but he didn’t do that. Once again Bruce Rauner seems to be saying that we need a governor who is better than the current one we have - which is him.
What is it about this guy that makes him keep speaking like he isn’t governor?
Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 2:24 pm
Not only did he send the notices discontinuing the programs on Good Friday, they were effective immediately. No notice. No class. I voted for and supported Rauner; but he’s going to turn me into a Democrat if he keeps this up. I bet there are a whole lot of people on both sides of the political spectrum who wish Dillard had won the primary.
Comment by logic not emotion Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 2:24 pm
I can almost see the commercials now. Body bags in cold storage, maybe a toe tag visible. Overworked county staff remarking about ‘how many bodies are we up to now that need to be buried?’, cut to Rauner and staff laughing about something, with the amount of pay increase each staffer is earning over Quinn’s old staff.
Tag line…”Rauner eliminated funds to help pay for indigent burials…so he could pay his staff 40% more than their predecessors. Is this the turnaround Illinois needs?”
Comment by How Ironic Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 2:26 pm
=== Never forget he is a politician…on steroids. ===
I disagree. He is a politician on very expensive fine wine.
Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 2:32 pm
MJM is not known as the “velvet hammer” for nothing.
No one should be surprised at what Rauner is doing.
Comment by facts are stubborn things Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 2:34 pm
Meantime kids and adults don’t get needed services, bodies don’t get buried, and program staff is getting laid off left and right. Yikes!
Comment by Nuclear Bozo Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 2:38 pm
Well it is a good thing that class warfare is only waged by liberals, then we’d really have problems.
Comment by Dr X Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 3:04 pm
I find it ironic that the Gov’s mansion has blue ribbons up along the gate to support Autism Awarness Month.
Comment by light it up BLUE Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 3:05 pm
I really hope that he did deliberately cross MJM…the payback will be fun to watch…and again, MJM will end up proving who is boss.
Comment by downstate commissioner Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 3:23 pm
“‘Immigrant Integration Services.’ $3.4 million cost
What’s this doing in the state budget?”
It is helping new immigrants to navigate the bureaucracy, learn English, and take citizenship classes, among other things (see Illinois.gov website). It encourages immigrants to do all of those things that we tend to criticize them for NOT doing.
This is a devastating blow to programs currently in progress and the people who need these services.
Comment by Jeanne Dough Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 3:37 pm
Walker again I want to emphasize I do not support the specific cuts the Governor is adding on with the use of his Executive Order. But where exactly is the evidence of “apparent breaking of an agreement with legislative leaders?”
There was no limiting language in the HB 317, there was no statement even made by the Governor’s office when he signed the bill that the cuts made in HB 317 to specific programs would be the limit of those cuts until the end of FY 15.
Neither the Senate President nor the Speaker have been quoted as saying they personally were in any way assured by the Governor or his staff that the passage and signing of HB 317 would constitute a cap on the cuts for FY 15. I think maybe they made that assumption, because of the protracted negotiations over the cuts listed in the bill or funds swept in HB 318. But both the President and the Speaker are lawyers and they know about the four corners doctrine. As the Supreme Court appropriately stated not long ago “Absent ambiguity, the parties intentions must be discerned from the four corners of the document,”
Governor Rauner’s team has just beaten the Democrat leadership, regardless of the optics and politics of it. Time for the leadership to learn from this mistake and not do it again.
Comment by Rod Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 3:38 pm
===Governor Rauner’s team has just beaten the Democrat leadership, regardless of the optics and politics of it===
If he had, he wouldn’t be walking it back now.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 3:39 pm
Rich we will see how long of a walk back that will be over the next three months. The EO remains in effect for all of April, May, and June.
Comment by Rod Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 4:02 pm
Regardless Rod, Rauner has poisoned the well now with Madigan, and the rest of them. It’s one thing to have to make adjustments to agreements. It’s quite another to literally lie to the speakers face, then totally break an agreement.
What kind of business does that work in anyways?
Comment by How Ironic Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 4:14 pm
Could this all lead to Memorandums of Understanding?
Trust is beyond huge, it’s just about everything.
I’ve yet to see someone claim victory in the middle of a walk-back. Just saying.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 4:18 pm
===Could this all lead to Memorandums of Understanding?===
Absolutely not. But it could very well lead to Memoranda of Understanding.
lol
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 4:19 pm
I am a Dope.
Thanks. Humbly.
Sam/Frank
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 4:23 pm
Rod has a point. What are the chances that madigan has been in on it the whole time?
Comment by easter bunny Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 4:57 pm
I suspect he would just like to zero out the Department of Human Services and Department of Public Health. Businesses don’t have these departments! Protecting the disabled should be the last place a government cuts. I used to just not care for Rauner, but I’m now leaning to believe he has a pile of black dust wherever the soul should be.
Comment by late to the party Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 5:10 pm
Reader: “If burial is that important to you, no one is stopping you from lobbying your county/local government to pick up those costs. I’m sure voters in your area would be happy to cover the necessary tax increase.”
I suspect the state of Illinois paid $500 for either a burial or cremation, at the discretion of the Funeral Home and family members of the deceased. In other words, the costs to the state are exactly the same, regardless of which choice is selected. And $500 doesn’t come close to covering the costs of either method for treating the deceased.
Comment by Ultimata Tuesday, Apr 7, 15 @ 7:09 pm