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In March, Rauner tapped Beth Purvis, a former charter school director, as his education secretary at an annual salary of $250,000. […]

But her contract, signed March 13, indicates that she’s being paid out of the Department of Human Services, even as it indicates she will “report directly to the governor’s chief of staff or designee.”

Three weeks after Purvis’ contract was signed, the governor’s office announced that the Department of Human Services was strapped for cash, and sliced $26 million in services including for autism, epilepsy and burials for the indigent. The cuts, later known as “the Good Friday Massacre,” caused some programs to completely shut down. The cuts caused a furor, prompting House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, to call a public hearing on why it happened after Democrats said they believed a budget deal with the governor protected such services.

* But check this out…

Reached by phone while at a conference in California on Wednesday, Purvis declined comment

Um, wait.

It’s May 28th, three days before the May 31st end of session deadline and she’s in California?

* Ms. Purvis…

* The Question: Caption?

And keep it clean, people.

*** UPDATE *** Sun-Times…

llinois House Democrats are asking Gov. Bruce Rauner to appear before a House committee to explain why the governor’s office arranged to have his $250,000-a-year education czar paid out of money meant for “the frailest and most vulnerable populations in the state.” […]

In a letter to Rauner, obtained by the Sun-Times, state Rep. Greg Harris, D-Ill., questions testimony by then-Acting DHS Secretary Gregory Bassi and then-interim secretary James Dimas “that the lack of available funding was responsible for the decision to eliminate or reduce funding for these vitally needed programs. These programs serve many of the frailest and most vulnerable populations in the state.”

“I invite you to appear before the House Human Services Appropriations Committee to explain the decision-making process that led to this situation. We are also interested to know if there are other department heads whose compensation is buried within the budgets of departments other than those that they lead,” wrote Harris, chairman of the committee.

The full letter is here.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:08 pm

Comments

About to laugh all the way to the bank…

Comment by Harry Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:11 pm
Drats . . . they found me out!!! Get me one of those Illinois governmental charter jets and fly me back to Springfield!

Comment by East Central Illinois Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:11 pm
It’s only a quarter of a million dollars, we didn’t think anyone would notice!

Comment by Finally Out (and very glad to be) Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:11 pm
Isn’t there a ban on out-of-state travel?

Comment by eek Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:14 pm
“My lips are sealed; I’ve got nothin’ to say.”

Comment by Wensicia Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:14 pm
So much for that freeze on nonessential spending. Is she at least staying for Game 7?

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:14 pm
I got it. You don’t.

Comment by Macbeth Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:15 pm
Hi. My name’s Beth, and I don’t care about Illinois.

Comment by Democrat Grrrl Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:15 pm
“Hey Bruce, I’m in California studying how they turned their state around - raising the minimum wage and increasing taxes on millionaires! Think it will work here?”

Comment by Century Club Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:15 pm
What’s the problem? We can lay off some riff raff to cover my salary. And don’t bother me when I’m out of town.

Comment by kimocat Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:16 pm
Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t this “education secretary” position a brand new position under Gov. Rauner?? The same Governor that’s goin’ to Shake up Springfield and reduce waste and government spending??

Maybe she needs to stay in California and give up the $250,000.

Comment by East Central Illinois Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:16 pm
I am “speak no evil.” I think that “speak and hear no evil” are at the bar.

Comment by Observation Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:17 pm
Nuts!! Somebody ratted me out!!! Bruuuuuuuce, help me please, Bruuuuuuce!!

Comment by Big Joe Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:17 pm
Beth Purvis’ refuses to respond when asked if her placement on the DHS payroll represents business as usual.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:17 pm
Governor’s Executive Order 8 - Travel Requests
Out of state travel requests continue to require the approval of the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget.

Wonder if she received proper authorization to attend the out of State Conference?

Wonder if any federal Human Services monies are being misappropriated by using it to pay for an Education person?

Comment by Beaner Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:20 pm
I’ll have a comment after I wrap up this “conference” and have time to confer with the Governor.

Comment by Just askin' Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:21 pm
I agree with Governor Rauner, we need better people in state government and higher salaries to attract them - not just at the director level.

I hope this is a sign that he is recognizing the revenue problem because he proposed a state budget that was $6 B out of balance - so perhaps he should balance the budget first and then pay top dollar for good administrators second.

Oh yeah, and how in the world is it transparent to pay her out of DHS ?

Comment by siriusly Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:21 pm
“Illinois?” Hmm. “Is that somewhere close to Ohio?”

Comment by Mouthy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:21 pm
Nervous, Pervis?

Comment by Johnnie F. Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:22 pm
My advice to Governor Rauner was eliminate teachers’ unions and education will be reformed. That is $250,000 well spent and there was no reason to spend any more time in Illinois, especially that backwater hell hole of a state Capitol.

Comment by Hawkeye in Illinois Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:22 pm
“Guess I’m not a ‘Superstar’ after all this…”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:22 pm
Still don’t understand why my cards say DHS.

Comment by Give Me A Break Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:23 pm
Keep quiet, he said. Nobody will notice, he said.

Comment by LaughingJane Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:23 pm
“Shoulda took the job at Payton Prep…”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:23 pm
See what I can get away with when I only have to answer to Gov. Rauner!

Comment by Coach Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:24 pm
“Guess that perfect score on the ethics test won’t help explain this mess…”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:24 pm
they said I could go to Venice. I thought they meant Italy, not just the beach. Public service…..

Comment by Amalia Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:25 pm
“Hi Beth -,

If you could come in at least once this month, like a well-bribg check, that would be great.

Thanks!
ck”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:26 pm
She needs to be paid out of DHS because…well, kids with disabilities go to school, right? Makes perfect sense. Nothing to do with making the governor’s office look more thrifty.

Comment by Tournaround Agenda Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:26 pm
Trey just told me that I don’t qualify for the superstar staffer classification since I work for DHS.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:26 pm
“Can you explain why your travel vouchers all say ‘United’? United what? United Airlines?”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:27 pm
“Ms. Purvis, we don’t think your time sheets, on Pacific Time, are of any help…”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:29 pm
D’oh!

Comment by Arthur Andersen Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:29 pm
“Ms. Purvis, ‘Skype’ is a tool, not an office…”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:31 pm
“Ms. Purvis, your state issued cell phone has put of area roaming charges of $1,893 dollars… and 13 cents.”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:32 pm
“Ms. Purvis, for the record, ‘Arizona Bob’ is located closer to Illinois than you are…”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:33 pm
“A quarter million bucks a year? Sorry — Superstars™ don’t get on a plane for anything less than 300 grand!”

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:34 pm
“I ain’t kiddin’ around when I tell you Beth is a real superstar! I said it before and I’ll say it again, she’s worth every penny I’m… I mean, you’re…. payin’ her. Heck, she’s so good she doesn’t even need to be here. I’m tellin’ ya, I just wind her up and let her go. In fact, I didn’t even know she was in California until you just told me. How about that.”

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:35 pm
California Dreaming (apologies to The Mamas & The Papas)

All the chips are down and Bruce’s mood is grey
I went to a conference on a session day
I’ll be safe and warm if I stay in L.A.
California dreamin` on such a session day

Stepped into a job I passed along the way
Well, I got 250 grand and I pretend to stay
You know the governor uses a slush fund for my pay
California dreaming on such a session day

All his bills voted down and Dems he’s gonna slay
I’ve seen the education budget and think I’ll stay away
How the heck did Sun Times track me down today
California dreamin` on such a session day
On such a session day, on such a session day

Comment by Bluefish Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:35 pm
“Is it too early to start drinking?”

Comment by State employee Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:38 pm
“It’s May 28th, three days before the May 31st end of session deadline and she’s in California?”

And she’s made $52,000 since signing her contract.

– MrJM

Comment by MrJM Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:39 pm
“I’ll tell you something. I’ll teach you. Now listen: you want to talk about 1%? I’ll talk. Here’s what it means: I make money when you’re on strike. Think about it, and you tell me. Would you rather strike and make nothing? Or be like me and make money during a strike? That’s my education. And it’s a thing you haven’t learned.”

Comment by Macbeth Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:39 pm
Telecommuting and a big paycheck….government work is so like private industry.

Comment by illinifan Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:42 pm
“Is this true, you were once an elevator operator in for Cook County?”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:43 pm
Looks like the Illinois House also has questions about Ms. Purvis. http://t.co/K9GH8knkMc

Comment by Tournaround Agenda Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:43 pm
Let’s leave Chicago to the Eskimo… that town’s a little too rugged for you and me babe…. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtDhtadoeUk

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:44 pm
“Well, of course, this conference is non-non-essential spending.”

Comment by Arthur Andersen Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:44 pm
Out of Service Purvis

Comment by Former Titan Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:45 pm
BTW — this isn’t a caption but a comment. Knowing know that this woman is making an obscene amount of money — and heading out-of-state on travel which for most employees is restricted — this woman — this “education” person — should insist — publicly — that her salary should come from the Governor’s office — and not from the same funding that funds autism.

She wants to teach? She wants to consult on her “education” bona fides? Then publicly insist on proper funding for her half-a-million dollar a year a job. Illinois is not a cookie jar for folks like this woman who don’t need it — and most likely don’t deserve it.

No one deserves 250K a year. I don’t care if she has advanced degrees (many line employees do, too — where’s the 250K for them)? I don’t care how many books she’s written (has she written any?). No one deserves that much money coming from the cookie jar of those who — without a doubt, without question — need and deserve it more.

Comment by Macbeth Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:45 pm
Superstar turnarounder Beth Purvis looks out for special interests, unions, Quinnochios, and Madigan cronies.

Comment by Precinct Captain Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:46 pm
I’m in California as part of the Governor’s Turnaround Agenda. It’s too complicated to explain. Trust me.

Comment by Sir Reel Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:51 pm
I’m touting Gov. Rauner’s Turnaround Agenda in Illinois West.

Comment by Tournaround Agenda Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:53 pm
It was supposed to be a no-show job, not a no-work job!

Comment by james the intolerant Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:53 pm
Gov. Rauner is here to turnaround Illinois, not turn me back around to Illinois.

Comment by Tournaround Agenda Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:54 pm
Education Czar? No, Tsar. Yes! Or maybe Tsarina?

SuperTsar?

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:54 pm
Let the FOIA’s begin.

Comment by Annon3 Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:57 pm
“Are you sure your testimony is ‘I’m going so you don’t have to’…”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 2:59 pm
“Ms. Purvis, you can’t expense your Hawks-Ducks tickets…”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:00 pm
California Dreamin’

Comment by Evelyn Macbeth Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:00 pm
Right now, I’d rather be in Disneyland

Comment by Bill White Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:01 pm
“Sunscreen? You asked CMS if they had sunscreen?”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:02 pm
“Yes, Ms. Purvis, you can expense meals, but really ‘4 Double Animal’ In and Out burgers?”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:04 pm
Well…um….it’s in my “portfolio”

Comment by WeeblesWobble Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:05 pm
“Mr. Schock is wondering if you will Instagram your wasting of tax dollars…”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:05 pm
What? You mean you’d rather have mediocrity?

Comment by vole Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:09 pm
As it ever was, on hiding salaries away from the Governor’s staff, just bigger numbers.

Comment by walker Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:13 pm
“Ms. Arduin was wondering when you’ll get a job…”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:13 pm
“Ms Purvis, did you just say to this committee you’ll send us a postcard!”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:14 pm
Hmmm, maybe I shouldn’t have said, “why don’t you go and ask him yourself,” to Greg Harris…

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:15 pm
“Ms. Purvis, anything to say to the Autistic children and their families?”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:15 pm
“Ms Purvis, heading to Cali to warm your cold heart, or…”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:16 pm
Face of government reform and restoration of faith and confidence of the electorate. Not …

Comment by vole Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:16 pm
“Beth Purvis, shortly after she is informed that her salary will be unable to be paid due to budget cuts”

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:17 pm
“We feel your trip to Jamaica, and the month in the South of France is probably be held in review now…”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:18 pm
“You submit this trip to California for reimbursement, and the one lecture you skipped for beach time was.. ‘Ethics in Education’?…”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:20 pm
“Did you really submit a receipt for dinner and drinks with Arne Duncan?”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:21 pm
“Wait, Ms Purvis, the TMZ Bus Tour is not considered research…”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:22 pm
What is that package of cannoli doing in the seat next to me?

Comment by Anon. Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:23 pm
“I have known Bruce for 6 or 7 years”

Direct quote by the way, and THAT is how she got the job, by her own statement.

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:24 pm
“We’d reprimand you for your choices, Ms Purvis, but you and the governor seem to have no conscious so we won’t waste anyone’s time here today…”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:24 pm
Word is that Ms. Purvis is on her way back now that the House and Senate Dems have worked out their differences on the education funding bill.

Comment by Austin Blvd Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:25 pm
“Did you submit selfies of yourself on Santa Monica Pier as examples of work-product?”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:26 pm
“Umm… isn’t this a part time position?” Followed by “Bruce told me the General Assembly only works part time, so I assumed the same was true for employees of the executive branch. My bad”

Comment by MurMan Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:27 pm
“Did you just snicker at us when we asked do you think you’re worth $250 thousand in salary?”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:29 pm
“Is it your belief you, Ms Purvis are a duel threat of time and money wasting?”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:32 pm
“Did you think… no one would find out?”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:33 pm
D@#n! there are people from IL here.

Comment by Mama Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:33 pm
“Is it your testimony that your trip to California was to answer once and for all, for the Governor, if the Portillo’s Strawberry Shake the same in Illinois and California?”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:36 pm
“Bruce warned me about those (banned word) at the Sun-Times.”

Comment by Arthur Andersen Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:40 pm
Caption: “After careful deliberation, I’ve decided to resign to spend more time with my family.”

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:41 pm
I’m actually out here managing the State’s olive oil import business.

Comment by Quizzical Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:42 pm
==We are also interested to know if there are other department heads whose compensation is buried within the budgets of departments other than those that they lead==

If it’s anything like past administrations the answer is yes. I think you’d be surprised as how prevalent this is. If somebody submitted a FOIA for these agreements dating back a few years it would be interesting reading.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:43 pm
No one told me that this was ‘gotcha’ Illinois where all state employees are treated like children, whose lives must be controlled through forms and approvals and ‘travel’ is the greatest gotcha of them all. Billions of dollars of endemic overspending, but let’s concentrate on a $2000 business decision I made.

Comment by Henry Moon Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:46 pm
Answer / Deline I knew I should have sent that one to voicemail…

Comment by Careful what you wish for... Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:47 pm
Bilandic didn’t take the blizzard seriously and look how that worked out for him. Too bad Rauner isn’t near an election - this makes him, and the sec’y, look disinterested.

Comment by dupage dan Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:48 pm
I’d bet a whole box of wine that Rauner doesn’t accept Rep Harris’s invitation.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:48 pm
Are you sure Bruce that’s it’s not “shaking down” Springfield instead of “shaking up”?

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:48 pm
Gee… why should the Gov pay his Education Secretary from the Board of Ed’s budget? Hmmm…

Comment by Mama Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:49 pm
Statement from Lance Trover, Director of Communications, Office of the Governor:

“Rep. Greg Harris’ letter is part of the corrupt bargain the Illinois Democrats have sustained for years. Governor Rauner needs a superstar team to Turnaround Illinois, and they come at a low cost compared to the mess Speaker Madigan and union bosses have put us in.”

Comment by Tournaround Agenda Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:50 pm
Demoralized, you are right. This has been done many times before. That’s been business as usual. Like Blago, Rauner pledged to end business as usual. Most of us knew that wouldn’t be the case. He’d just have creative ways of justifying business as usual.

Rauner is who we thought he was.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:51 pm
Beth Purvis, Secretary of Education of the State of Illinois, will be a featured speaker during an AAG Annual Meeting panel on K-12 policy. The session will be held on Friday, April 24, from 8:00 – 9:40 a.m. and speakers representing various U.S. Senate and House offices have also been invited. The panel will focus primarily on the possibility of Congressional reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA; currently known as No Child Left Behind) in 2015 and related opportunities for geography.

Geography is one of the nine core academic subjects included in the ESEA, but it is the only one of these disciplines that does not receive a dedicated authorization to promote its instruction. The AAG has been working in recent years to promote the importance of K-12 geography as a critical STEM field and as a public need for American students as the world becomes increasingly interconnected. John Wertman, the AAG’s Senior Program Manager for Government Relations, will lead the session.

Really-Geography???? How is this essential

Comment by Stacy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:53 pm
@Norseman

And we let him off the hook!

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:53 pm
@Stacy - You’d be surprised how many kids these days couldn’t point Russia out on a map.

Comment by Tournaround Agenda Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:55 pm
Rauner, Trover and his lapdogs have boasted that, while he is paying his staff higher salaries than under Quinn, it should be relatively easy for one to do an analysis of whether this is true.

Comment by Austin Blvd Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:57 pm
Her Kellogg bio:

http://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/faculty/directory/purvis_elizabeth.aspx

Comment by Macbeth Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 3:58 pm
Let’s try again…
Rauner, Trover and his lapdogs have boasted that, while he is paying his staff higher salaries than under Quinn, over all, the payroll of his staff is lower. It should be relatively easy for one to do an analysis of whether this is true.
Perhaps someone from the Chicago Tribune editorial board might want to take this one on.

Comment by Austin Blvd Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 4:00 pm
@Turnaround Agenda: is that a real comment from Trover?

If so, please elaborate on how the letter is part of a “corrupt bargain”

Comment by MurMan Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 4:01 pm
Greg Harris - 1
Bruce Rauner - 0

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 4:09 pm
Cant’ we pull an OW and blame the staff?

Comment by Subzero Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 4:11 pm
===Cant’ we pull an OW and blame the staff?===

The suntan you can’t blame on staff, lol

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 4:13 pm
No different than other Admins, much ado about nothing. Gary Hannig went to work in Gov Quin’s office and was paid out of IDOR. Doubt he spent one day at IDOR. Happens in Interagency Agreements all the time.

Comment by Fly On the Wall Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 4:13 pm
@turnaround agenda - great post. We’ll probably see something like that from Trover soon. I really hope this doesn’t get swept under the rug.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 4:20 pm
I’m waiting for the Rauner team response…

Comment by Wensicia Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 4:21 pm
My contract doesn’t include a chauffeur!

Comment by Emily Booth Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 4:21 pm
==“I am not sure that given our history of governors in Illinois that simply repeating mistakes from the past is a good idea,” said Harris.==
He did everything but call him Blago…

Comment by Vote Quimby! Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 4:27 pm
We know the answer. Rauner just thinks we have no right to ask the question.

Comment by Aldyth Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 4:27 pm
The Ledger lists her as a DHS “Contractual Worker” and says her Last Paid Gross was $10,417.00 and YTD Gross was $62,502.00

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 4:32 pm
I’ll bet Trover says “we’re not going to comment on this sideshow in the middle of negotiations” or something like that.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 4:34 pm
I know it looks bad, but let’s wait for the facts to come in on this.
Was it an educational conference?
Will it be billed to the taxpayers or paid out of her own pocket?
Will she be back in Illinois for the close of Session?
How would her presence in the Capitol affect the budgeting that is going on?

Comment by Anon Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 4:37 pm
Bruce this is Beth, had to cut the conference short to meet with the “Terminator” to see if he can get us out of this mess.

Comment by XDNR Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 4:37 pm
Stuporstar.

superfly: dept of revenue ain’t DHS, and Quinn didn’t throw people with disabilities in the street. Other than that, your comparison is useful.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 4:38 pm
@MurMan, it’s not real. Trover’s comments often veer so close to satire it’s hard to parody them well.

Comment by Tournaround Agenda Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 4:40 pm
My brain hurts. 3 1/2 more years of this?

Comment by dupage dan Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 4:42 pm
Willy, you have outdone yourself today - well done. And the other participants in this link as well. Do you think BVR is taking notice?

Comment by illini Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 4:46 pm
(Tips cap to - illini -)

Agreed, way too many good ones today.

Rauner doesn’t read news, the Governor is probably not aware Ms Purvis left town…

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 4:52 pm
Maybe she heard the Lenny Kravitz song “California” and just decided to leave.

Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 4:54 pm
Ooops… how did the Sun-Times find out?

Comment by NewWestSuburbanGOP'er Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 5:19 pm
Hey, aren’t you banned for life? Take your garbage somewhere else. You’re way out of bounds.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 5:25 pm
Yes.

Comment by RaunerSuperFan Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 5:27 pm
==Really-Geography???? How is this essential==
Maybe her next position will be Redistricting Czar?

Comment by Robert the Bruce Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 5:31 pm
Never sign a contact on Friday the 13th

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 5:39 pm
YDD, I have to agree with you here. This isn’t your everyday “payroll parker,” as we called them back in the day.

Comment by Arthur Andersen Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 5:58 pm
“It was a joke! I can’t believe he said ‘yes,’ no hesitation. I should have asked for $350K…..”

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 6:01 pm
Rich,

The Napa city council passed the Turnaround Agenda!

ck

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 6:01 pm
“Autism, autism, autism… I’d like to phone a friend, Regis….”

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 6:03 pm
“Yo, Cali, I gotta governor who can make it rain rycheer…..”

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 6:05 pm
I’m missing something, hasn’t it been past practice by many Governor’s to put Governor’s Office’s employees on the payroll of a state agency? I’m not being snarky here, I thought this was pretty common. Is the difference being the amount she is paid or that there is no direct correlation between education and human services?

I would argue there is a correlation, but I digress….

Comment by Just Me Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 6:14 pm
It looks like Rep. Harris could be asking a lot of questions about how staff are being paid:

http://thesouthern.com/news/state-and-regional/rauner-may-be-shuffling-payroll-to-hide-office-costs/article_1630c209-a39f-56bc-9b27-3bbc72f12403.html

And Just Me, yes it’s been done before but 1) it doesn’t make it right 2) didn’t Gov. Rauner say he was going to “shake up” Springfield? I think Professor Redfield sums up the issue quite nicely in the Sun-Times article.

Comment by MyTwoCents Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 6:30 pm
“I’m not really in California, it’s Baja Illinois.”

Comment by Tough Guy Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 6:56 pm
I am not surprised this came out and I expect more. Its the same little trickle that turned into a flood for Ryan and Blogojevich. The Feds see these little things and start to dig deeper.

Comment by A Jack Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 7:03 pm
“So, Ms. Purvis, what would you say…. you do here?”

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 7:16 pm
The cat that ate the canary

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 7:37 pm
Word, excellent!

Comment by Arthur Andersen Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 7:42 pm
Superstar glowing radioactive

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 7:42 pm
I’m a superstar, baby, $1,000 a day. Don’t have to be in Illinois. Bruce says it’s OK.

Comment by DuPage Dave Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 7:44 pm
Brain freeze

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 7:49 pm
Superstar walk of shame

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 7:54 pm
The grin reaper

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 8:23 pm
What’s everyone complaining about?
Bruce is paying Purvis less than what he paid Stuart Levine.

Comment by Chicago 20 Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 8:39 pm
Not a caption but a question-
When Rauner made his announcement that he was running for Governor, he joked that his daughter told him not to, she didn’t want him to go to prison.
Bruce, is it still funny?

Comment by efudd Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 9:33 pm
^^ comment of the day!

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 9:35 pm
The hypocracy is staggering. This administration is so busted.
No citizen should condone, from either side of the aisle, a “do as say but not as I do” fake leadership style.

Mr. Turnaround Transparency needs to be watched very carefully. He may have missed the lecture on when, or if, the means are ever justified by the ends.

Comment by cdog Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 9:43 pm
“I’m taking a few vacation days”. There was a typo, it said 20 weeks instead of 20 days. Bruce winked and said “a deal is a deal”.

Comment by DuPage Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 9:49 pm
Rich, there are other departments currently running payroll through DHS.

Comment by In the know Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 9:51 pm
A search of the Ledger shows 236 “contractual workers” at DHS. Purvis is the second highest paid. The highest paid is Howard Tin who was paid quite a bit more the last pay period.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 10:03 pm
ooooooo!! That federal hiring monitor is going to get it now.

Comment by Dr X Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 10:08 pm
Accept her resignation.
Then fire the person who put her on the DHS payroll.
Oh wait, mr hands on, i know all my managers is clueless

Session is boring, so the financial pedigree of all the
superstars is prob being scoured as we blog. Timing is everything

Comment by Langhorne Thursday, May 28, 15 @ 11:02 pm
Here is the problem with Rep Harris’ letter to the Governor. He needed to have ordered a complete audit of DHS and have all the listed employee’s reviewed to determine the full scope of this. The Southern Illinoisan article linked by MyTwoCents is important. The article indicates “one-quarter of the more than 40 people Rauner announced as members of his administrative team don’t technically work for the governor’s office.” This calls for much more than an inquiry just by the House Human Services Appropriations Committee, because Governor Rauner’s tactic involves multiple State agencies. Of course Rep Harris did get his PR hit, but did the joint committee meeting he cites in his letter chaired by Rep Barbara Flynn Currie ever get the explanation of the assignment and expenditure of money from the FY 15 fund sweeps they asked for once Team Rauner backed off the Good Friday cuts, I bet not.

Comment by Rod Friday, May 29, 15 @ 7:02 am
He’s a no good spoiled rich snob take from the poor and middle to make his rich friends richer dirtbag

Comment by ruck fauner Friday, May 29, 15 @ 1:27 pm