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Speaker Madigan: Rauner should keep “non-budget issues” out of budget process

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” House Speaker Michael Madigan opened his press conference today by recalling that he labeled Gov. Bruce Rauner’s original budget a “reckless spending plan” because he used $2.2 billion in phantom anticipated pension savings to fund his budget.

Madigan used today’s press conference to unveil the Democratic budget plan. The proposal “will be consistent with our view of what the State of Illinois should do for Illinoisans who need the government will be helpful for them.” He admitted that there will be a revenue “shortfall” with the budget, but committed to working with the governor to find a solution.

Madigan said he’ll need “a little over $3 billion” in revenues to make the budget balance. “We’ve built cuts into our spending plan,” he added, including human services, higher education and general services. There will be increases for pension payments, Department of Corrections and K-12 education.

“The most important thing for the governor and the Legislature to do right now is to prepare a spending plan,” Madigan said, adding that he didn’t think it was “appropriate” to attach non-spending demands to the appropriations process, and pointed to the governor’s press release today as an example of non-budget issues that aren’t appropriate for the budget-making process.

“I would just disagree with his method,” Madigan said. “Several of those non-budget issues have been rejected [in the House]. They’ve lost. And now it’s time to move onto a spending plan.”

“They will say what they want to say, and it would be unfortunate if they took the focus off the budget making and engaged in a bunch of political rhetoric.”

Asked about the governor’s reported plans for post-session TV ads, Madigan said Rauner will do what he was going to do after the session ended and said the Democrats would do what they were going to do. “I’m going to continue to do my work,” he said.

Asked about Rauner’s contention that some of his Turnaround Agenda could save the state money, Madigan said: “That’s pretty much of a David Stockton theory. Do you remember David Stockton?” Stockman was Ronald Reagan’s supply-side budget director.

“He has his views about what should be done by the government,” Madigan stressed about Rauner, saying others have different views. He then reiterated his demand that non-budget issues should be off the table during a budget process.”

“Issuing threats is really not helpful to this process,” Madigan concluded.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, May 25, 15 @ 4:25 pm

Comments

Does anybody have a count on how many times “non-budget issues” was blurted out in his presser?

Comment by TheGoodLieutenant Monday, May 25, 15 @ 4:27 pm
Speaker lays out his CYA reason for the Dem budget. Unless they’re willing to put some money into spreading this message, it will get lost in the deluge of Rauner ads bashing this irresponsible, corrupt, insider protecting, taxpayer killing budget.

Comment by Norseman Monday, May 25, 15 @ 4:31 pm
Leverage.

Only works when heat is applied.

If MJM frames this about holding up the budget with threats, it’s the best “visible” play. Framing it in that context, people see the threats, not the Agenda and what Rauner hopes to accomplish.

About as well as MJM can do… given $34 million is aimed to apply all that leverage.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, May 25, 15 @ 4:32 pm
You can have all the commercials you want-but truth is truth. They need a budget that includes CUTS and NEW revenue. Once that is addressed they can debate the other things on the Governor’s wish list.

Comment by CABR Monday, May 25, 15 @ 4:33 pm
So when the governor puts out a budget in February and lacks 2 billion to pay for it, its reckless. But when Madigan puts out a budget at the end of May with an over 3 billion hole, its up to the governor to find money and fix it?

Comment by Nony Monday, May 25, 15 @ 4:34 pm
===Unless they’re willing to put some money into spreading this message,…===

Yep, - Norseman -, that is the new HDem, SDem, Cullerton, and Madigan reality.

It matters what Rauner believes, and spends, not what the facts prove.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, May 25, 15 @ 4:37 pm
==It matters what Rauner believes, and spends, not what the facts prove.==

OW, you just nailed it. This will be the trajectory to watch.

Comment by Agricola Monday, May 25, 15 @ 4:41 pm
How does right to work and term limits balance the budget?my rep voted down millionaire tax. Tax the voting elderly?

Comment by Anonymous Monday, May 25, 15 @ 4:50 pm
I seem to recall the Speaker using a number of “non budget issues” in end of year negotiations on a nearly annual basis.

Comment by 1776 Monday, May 25, 15 @ 4:56 pm
Rich - I hope you don’t have any summer vacation plans.

Comment by anon. Monday, May 25, 15 @ 4:57 pm
=== Rich - I hope you don’t have any summer vacation plans. ===

I think Rich could get away with a vacation. Given the players, all he has to do is phone in an update saying the players are still deadlocked. That ought to cover it for the summer.

Comment by Norseman Monday, May 25, 15 @ 5:00 pm
From the presser it seems like the media has finally figured out the BVR non budget issues raise no money for programs and services …only took five months.

Comment by Anonin' Monday, May 25, 15 @ 5:19 pm
While I think it is irresponsible for the Democrats to pass an unbalanced budget, it puts Rauner in a tough spot since he does have the power through his veto pen to make it balanced. How can he simply veto the whole budget? He won the election based on the fact that a tax increase wasn’t necessary.

Comment by Pelonski Monday, May 25, 15 @ 5:31 pm
questions:
1. will the fight in IL be nationalized — with D money flowing in too, or just Koch $$?
2. will the fight in IL be part of the 2016 Prez campaign?
3. are the nation’s Raunerites+other plutocrats anxious to see that?

*******************************************
- Oswego Willy - Monday, May 25, 15 @ 4:37 pm:

===Unless they’re willing to put some money into spreading this message,…===

Yep, - Norseman -, that is the new HDem, SDem, Cullerton, and Madigan reality.

It matters what Rauner believes, and spends, not what the facts prove.

Comment by zonz Monday, May 25, 15 @ 5:33 pm
Pelonski as the Speaker said Governor Rauner has a number of options, a full veto is not the only option. He can issue line item vetos, he can also sign the bill and make cuts using an Executive Order to bring spending into alinement with existing revenues.

If he goes the EO route cuts could be implemented over the course of the fiscal year and it will make life very difficult for vendors and service providing agencies that will never know what tomorrow may bring.

Comment by Rod Monday, May 25, 15 @ 5:41 pm
Let’s see…

Rauner is willing to throw the state under the bus if he doesn’t get his way. Madigan says, well, go ahead. You’re the governor.

The GA Republicans? They’ve abandoned their role in the process and instead will be paid messengers for Rauner moving forward.

I don’t think the back and forth in the media will do either side any good. Playing the bully backfired on Quinn. The same will happen to Rauner.

Comment by Wensicia Monday, May 25, 15 @ 5:41 pm
Needless to say I am assuming Governor Rauner will not just agree to increase taxes by 3 billion.

Comment by Rod Monday, May 25, 15 @ 5:43 pm
The big legislative story on the local news was teens and e-cigarettes. Okay. Guess wanting to curtail teens from smoking e-cigarettes is more important than working towards a balanced budget or else the tobacco companies are backing this law.
On this Memorial day week, I would like us to remember those that gave their lives for our citizens to retain rather than lose our freedoms.

Comment by keg's kid Monday, May 25, 15 @ 5:45 pm
I think the Speaker meant David Stockman, not David Stockton of the Sacramento Kings (and son of NBA Hall of Famer John Stockton)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Stockman

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Stockton

Comment by Betsy Monday, May 25, 15 @ 5:47 pm
It has taken 4 months of GA time to produce a budget proposal that is $3 Bill out of whack and you are going to produce this blue print only 6 days before the end of the session? Gee Mr. Speaker, I don’t know why your 30 years of leadership has lead us to this despicable and irresponsible place that Illinois has become. Quit playing these silly games! Grow up and do the job you were elected to do. Produce a balanced budget. Or get out of the way.

Comment by Big R. Ph Monday, May 25, 15 @ 5:51 pm
WOnderin’ if the GOPies need to return their “presentations” They did nothin’ acoomplished nothin’ and left BVR with nothin’ to do but choke the old veto pen. Opppps!

Comment by Anonin' Monday, May 25, 15 @ 5:54 pm
dippin into the goods today?
******************
- Big R. Ph - Monday, May 25, 15 @ 5:51 pm:

It has taken 4 months of GA time to produce a budget proposal that is $3 Bill out of whack and you are going to produce this blue print only 6 days before the end of the session? Gee Mr. Speaker, I don’t know why your 30 years of leadership has lead us to this despicable and irresponsible place that Illinois has become. Quit playing these silly games! Grow up and do the job you were elected to do. Produce a balanced budget. Or get out of the way.

Comment by zonz Monday, May 25, 15 @ 5:56 pm
Kudos to Betsy for the catch. Yes, he was who we thought he was.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, May 25, 15 @ 6:03 pm
Above was me.

Comment by Norseman Monday, May 25, 15 @ 6:04 pm
Is the Speaker’s play that for the Governor to maintain credibility he needs to come up with another $3B in cuts?

Comment by east central Monday, May 25, 15 @ 6:07 pm
Mr/Ms Big R:
It took BVR five months to produce a spending plan that is about $3 bill out of whack, crushes cities and lots of others
House Ds do in about a week without any victims except BVR and those still holdin’ the checks which BVR certainly stops payment on.

Comment by Anonin' Monday, May 25, 15 @ 6:16 pm
Speakin’ of holidays nothin’ sez happy holidays like droppin’ a little note on the state board of elections sayin’ you got your presentation $$$
Altohff $8K
Syverson $4K

Comment by Anonin' Monday, May 25, 15 @ 6:21 pm
I wonder why the Speaker would propose an increase in K-12 education spending when he knows that the result will be to put a plan that is already out of balance more out of balance?

Comment by Hit or Miss Monday, May 25, 15 @ 6:30 pm
- zonz -,

Sometimes you’re hard to follow, but hopefully I understood your thoughts…

For me, it really comes down to a simple premise that hopefully answers your questions.

Wether the national Dems get involved or not, millions or not, message or not…

Wether the 2016 race goes thru Illinois, or Illinois is a flyover state…

And no matter if Rauner, Raunerites, or even plutocrats are playing here…

A national narrative, running in any state, (Wisconsin, Indiana, Nevada, New Jersey, pick a state…), must be accepted by the tendencies of the state, the snapshot politics at play now, and the governmental and political realities driving the state.

Each state is so unique, that driving a national narrative that had success anywhere else, that won’t matter as much as how the state, it’s ploitical players inside, and the politics of governing allow that narrative to be framed “locally” (statewide in this case)

So, money, a presidential race, national and statewide plutocrats still must look at Illinois, it’s political snapshot, it’s leaders, and it’s governmental issues befure trying to believe a few commercials and a fly-around or 3 will change any narrative, or move any political winds.

It’s macro versus micro.

It just is. No matter who, or “who” or the money or the spotlight. Usually the first to make it about the state and not about the national narrative, they have the greatest success.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, May 25, 15 @ 6:31 pm
A budget will have to be done, The other stuff, not at all, with the “have to.”

So much for leverage.

Big Rph, Ron, your statesmanship view is always appreciated.

Hope you got a handle on those other issues.

Comment by Wordslinger Monday, May 25, 15 @ 6:58 pm
It is the governor’s constitutional responsibility to propose a budget. No one disputes that the Rauner budget is $2.2 billion in the red. So the GOP now has to gall to complain that Democrats are proposing an unbalanced budget?

Comment by nona Monday, May 25, 15 @ 7:12 pm
== wonder why the Speaker would propose an increase in K-12 education spending when he knows that the result will be to put a plan that is already out of balance more out of balance? ==

Maybe the Speaker is showing us why we need to increase revenue?

Comment by Enviro Monday, May 25, 15 @ 7:21 pm
Rod,

I should have been clearer. My comment was written from the perspective that Rauner will want to try to force the Democrats to take part in the budget solution so they share some of the blame for the consequences.

If the Dems pass an out of balance budget, his only real option is to find a reason to veto the total bill to bring them back into the discussion. Otherwise, as you point out, he will need to use his veto powers to reduce it down to a balanced budget. That will put him on the hook with the people who are affected.

He can try spending his millions to get the people on his side, but I just don’t see an effective message for that approach considering he is the one who ran a campaign on the premise that we didn’t need additional revenue.

Comment by Pelonski Monday, May 25, 15 @ 7:35 pm
There is no solution to the budget without more revenue.Madigan has clearly stated he will support more revenue. Rauner insists that he must h as very tort reform et AL which has nothing to do with the budget. The negotiations should be about how much revenue to raise and how to do it and where cuts can be made. Everything else has nothing to do with the subject at hand.I understand that Rauner wants to take care of his business buddies, but that has nothing to do with the needs of the people

Comment by Truthteller Monday, May 25, 15 @ 7:43 pm
Am I the only poster seeing a series of maintenance budgets in our future? No obvious year long solution to this standoff.

Comment by Stones Monday, May 25, 15 @ 8:03 pm
Rauner’s “Turnaround Agenda” would not actually impact the state budget for at least the next three years, if ever. He has tried to demand long term “reforms” as the price of agreeing to workable balanced budgets for the short term. His problem is mismatched timeframes.

The most disappointing thing about this standoff is that it was clearly defined in early March. Both sides moved a little since then, but nowhere near enough.

Comment by walker Monday, May 25, 15 @ 8:11 pm
Why not just ask the Feds for a bailout and be done with it?

Comment by Anon Monday, May 25, 15 @ 8:19 pm
One of the above comments: “He won the election based on the fact that a tax increase wasn’t necessary.” I assert he won the election by incorrectly asserting that a tax increase wasn’t necessary.

Comment by illinoised Monday, May 25, 15 @ 8:19 pm
Another typical democrat budget that robs Peter to pay Paul when Peter is already broke. How many more more years will the good “working” people of Illinois put up with these con-men who fueled by the unions and ambulance chasing lawyers.

Comment by Short Bus Rider Monday, May 25, 15 @ 9:06 pm
How much would taxes have to be raised to fill the $3B budget hole?

Comment by Mama Monday, May 25, 15 @ 9:06 pm
===Another typical democrat…===

Feel better?

Really, “democrat”? You can do better. Rauner talking points have evolved.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, May 25, 15 @ 9:17 pm
I think the name says it all OW.

Comment by Jorge Monday, May 25, 15 @ 9:25 pm
@Mama, Bumping the income tax up to 4.50% from the current 3.75% should get us pretty close under the Madigan budget.

Comment by The Dude Abides Monday, May 25, 15 @ 9:27 pm
@mama
One post on revenue options is linked below*
Taxing “retirement income” is always a discussion topic, so for more posts, google
capitolfax “retirement income”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
*https://capitolfax.com/2015/05/05/revenue-options-detailed/
________________
- Mama - Monday, May 25, 15 @ 9:06 pm:

How much would taxes have to be raised to fill the $3B budget hole?

Comment by zonz Monday, May 25, 15 @ 11:43 pm
This was 10 days before IL Sup Ct’s ruling that gutted Rauner’s phantom, pension-derived revenue plug.

four steps, says Ralph Martire:

Want to fix the state budget? Here’s how, says one expert http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2015-04-28/want-fix-state-budget-heres-how-says-one-expert.html

Comment by zonz Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 12:08 am
@ Short Bus
Propose a specific solution already.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 12:21 am
Rauner could have made a sincere attempt to work with the Dems to reduce our states severe budget deficit. Instead he squandered any good will by blaming organized labor and government workers for all the politicians who stole from the pension funds. Rauner could have kept the income taxes in place and offered less drastic cuts for programs that affect our most vulnerable citizens.
He comes across as a ham handed puppet for big business interests.

Comment by BlueLu Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 12:22 am
I agree with those who say reform items can wait. We need to get our financial house in good order right away. A long term fix would be major reform in and of itself.

Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 6:56 am
Actually, while at OMB, David Stockman gave an infamous to Rolling Stone in which he said they really didn’t know what was going on with their budget numbers.

Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 7:20 am
Aren’t Rauner’s and Madigan’s budgets about the same — about $3 billion short in revenue?

Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 8:23 am
In fairness to the Governor on workers comp reform, that would bring in new revenue (business growth and employment) and reduce state spending, so some of these are budget issues in revenue and expense.

Comment by Ahoy! Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 8:37 am
Rauner needs to show how his workers comp reforms are distinct from the recent changes (2012?) and also how they would save the state money and not just benefit employers and insurance companies.

Comment by Joe Biden Was Here Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 9:00 am
I’ve lived in Illinois my whole life (40+ years) but only paid attention to Illinois politics the past 15 years or so. I’d love some perspective on if there was a comparable era in Illinois politics to what’s happening now?

Comment by Chicago Hack Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 9:03 am
Vintage Madigan. Brilliant maneuvers for short-term tactical advantage, while putting off indefinitely solving the large problems.

Comment by jake Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 9:17 am
Some of the issues Rauner is demanding that Democrats deal on are issues that have been debated for a long time in this state without resolution, tort reform, workman’s comp, term limits, property taxes etc.
Almost everyone in the Legislature on both sides of the aisle knows that it will take both revenue and cuts to get Illinois back on track fiscally. But you have one side presenting a long list of issues that they want to negotiate on first before talking about revenue, with which without you have no budget. In other words the budget fix is being held hostage over a long laundry list of GOP demands. It’s not reasonable to expect any agreement on half of those issues on that list anytime in the next couple of years if then. There is a lot at risk if a sound budget isn’t passed soon so common sense would dictate that they fix the budget first and in return the Democrats pledge to bargain in good faith on some of the issues on the GOP wish list once the 800 pound Gorilla in the room, the budget, is fixed. The GOP doesn’t want to give up leverage though but it could take years to reach agreement on some those issues that they want concessions on and there just isn’t time.

Comment by The Dude Abides Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 9:30 am
==Madigan said he’ll need “a little over $3 billion” in revenues to make the budget balance.==
And I need a little over a million to buy a nice house that I can’t afford.

Comment by Soccertease Tuesday, May 26, 15 @ 9:42 am