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* UPDATED x1 * Fisking the governor’s words and actions

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* Without a doubt, the Chicago Tribune has the best coverage today of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s budget veto. Go read the whole thing…

Rauner told lawmakers in his veto message that the financial plan sent to him by Democrats was “an unbalanced and therefore unconstitutional budget.” But he has not offered an alternative beyond his initial budget proposal in February, which also would spend billions of dollars more than available revenue.

Yep.

* Let’s go back to Wednesday, when the governor signed the K-12 appropriations bill…

“I refuse to allow Speaker Madigan and the legislators he controls to hold our schools hostage as part of their plan to protect the political class and force a tax hike on the middle class without real reform.”

* Today’s Tribune…

A day earlier, Rauner approved one bill that would free up money so elementary and high schools can open in the fall, though everything else — from paychecks for prison guards to home care for the elderly — is at risk.

Exactly. The Responsible Budget Coalition also chimed in on that particular topic last night…

Governor Rauner approved spending for schools and early childhood programs yesterday, but vetoed all other state spending on the grounds there is inadequate revenue. The Responsible Budget Coalition is pleased the Governor declined to hold school children “hostage” to the budget standoff. However, what the Governor has done by failing to work with the legislature to adopt adequate revenue to fund the entire state budget is to hold hostage a long list of others: seniors, people with disabilities, people living with mental illnesses, parents needing child care to continue working, college kids, local governments, and the list goes on. Many of those hostages are families whose children will suffer even if their local schools open their doors on time. Schools are just one part of a much larger state budget. The Responsible Budget Coalition urges the Governor and legislators to work together to find the revenue to fund the entire state budget on time to avoid disruption of vital public services.

* Remember this from yesterday’s Rauner op-ed?…

Now, in the spirit of compromise, we are willing to shorten the [property tax] freeze portion of our proposal to two years

* Tribune…

But a document distributed by the Rauner administration in April contradicts that claim. At the time, Rauner was seeking legislation that “freezes property taxes for two years,” according to the document

No new movement there.

* Rauner op-ed…

As part of the compromise, we would allow the state to pay normal costs for Chicago teacher pensions, as it does for all other Illinois school districts, in exchange for sunsetting Chicago’s special block grants.

* Tribune…

Emanuel administration officials said that the mayor was blindsided by Rauner’s school pension proposal, adding that the Republican governor’s solution would hurt CPS. […]

Kelley Quinn, a spokeswoman for Emanuel, said CPS currently receives $600 million in state block grants aimed at helping pay for programs that address the district’s high percentage of children who have special needs or live in poverty. The district’s current “normal” pension costs are $200 million.

The total annual CPS pension bill includes almost another $500 million to repay unfunded pension liabilities. The state picks up these costs for all other school districts in Illinois.

*** UPDATE *** The CPS spokesperson may have spoken too soon. The mayor might wanna pick up the phone because, as I just now told subscribers, there might be a decent offer on the table.

[ *** End Of Update *** ]

Again, go read the whole thing.

…Adding… The Tribune’s editorial board either doesn’t read the Tribune or doesn’t trust the paper’s reporters. Check out their lovely piece of propaganda today about all the new “lifelines” the governor is throwing at Democrats. Sheesh.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 9:46 am

Comments

Here’s a solution for Chicago Public Schools -

1. Increase budget deficit by $200 million to $1.2 billion.

2. …

3. …

4. Profit?!

Comment by okgo Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 9:52 am
Why is it that you and the Tribune reporters see this, but Bruce Dold and @statehousechick don’t? /snark

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 9:53 am
Bruce Rauner and the politicians he controls should learn that playtime is over.

Comment by Precinct Captain Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 9:57 am
Thanks Rich!

Fisking: a point-by-point refutation of a blog entry or a news story.

Some compromise huh?

Comment by PublicServant Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:00 am
There is a widening and significant difference between the reporters, specifically, at the Tribune, and it’s Editorial Board.

While reporters are willing to look at things and professionally report the working of government, the all-out shills that litter the Editorial Board look at the workings of government, and try, instead of being a “conscious” and using the platform as such, gladly refuse to read what the reporters report, because it might tear down their own narrative.

@FakeStatehouseChick - Why do I feel the need to be a shill? Simple. It’s my job #DontReadTheReporters

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:01 am
@FakeStatehouseChick - I will go point to point refuting the reporters of my own paper once I get the talking points Rauner wants me to use. #FeedMeMyThoughts

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:05 am
==CPS currently receives $600 million in state block grants aimed at helping pay for programs that address the district’s high percentage of children who have special needs or live in poverty.==

These block grants were based student populations from years ago when they were much higher. That population has decreased by thousands, but CPS still gets the same huge grants and are not accountable on how the money is spent.

Meanwhile, that same population the grants support have moved to the suburbs, where every cent spent on each special needs child must be accounted for in advance of state funding. It’s about time Chicago had to follow the same rules as the rest of us.

Comment by Wensicia Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:07 am
===It’s about time Chicago had to follow the same rules as the rest of us.===

So when will the state be picking up Chicago’s unfunded pension costs like they do for everyone else?

Comment by PublicServant Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:11 am
@FakeStatehouseChick - it’s important in the newspaper business to have balance. Reporters actually find facts, we on the Edit Board find it’s better to be shills #Simple

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:11 am
I saw the poll yesterday showing the governor’s approval rating in the mid 30’s, and his approve/disapprove upside down.His actions dont suggest that we can expect anything different for the next 3 1/2 years. The real question is whether or not there is a democrat who isn’t intimidated by the governor’s cash and run against him in 2018. Can all of that money make people forget the catastrophe that is the Rauner administration?

Comment by Anon Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:12 am
The governor’s CPS pension offer is a whole lot of nothing at this point. Sounded like a big deal at first blush yesterday.

But given the governor’s op-ed passage on pensions and his signing of the K-12 bill, he has given up the pipe dream of the pension “savings” in his proposed FY16 budget.

That’s an explicit admission of the need for billions more in revenues or billions more in cuts than he has previously proposed.

Comment by Wordslinger Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:12 am
@FakeStatehouseChick - I’d like to think we have the best reporters at the Chicago Trubune. Someday I might even start reading them. #SimpleTruth

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:15 am
I don’t like not engaging the legislature, but Rauner is playing the game well right now.

We know that Madigan lacks the capability to balance the budget.

Rauner is going to capitalize on that one proven fact. He is doubling down the one thing he knows Madigan can’t do.

Comment by the Patriot Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:16 am
=== So when will the state be picking up Chicago’s unfunded pension costs like they do for everyone else? ===

The state didn’t run up that unfunded liability… CPS did by not paying into the fund for years.

The state DID run up the unfunded liability in TRS by shorting the payments.

Comment by Bluefish Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:17 am
== But he has not offered an alternative beyond his initial budget proposal in February, which also would spend billions of dollars more than available revenue.==
==But a document distributed by the Rauner administration in April contradicts that claim. At the time, Rauner was seeking legislation that “freezes property taxes for two years,” according to the document==

So does Tribune Co fire the staff reporter for pointing this out, or does a copy editor get fired for not removing it? Both, just to make sure it doesn’t happen again?

Comment by Lester Holt's Mustache Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:17 am
Somebody needs to pipe some fresh oxygen into the Tribune editorial board’s bubble tank.

Comment by Wensicia Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:17 am
Trib reporting has been REALLY sharp. Total offset for their joke of an editorial board. They really stepped up to the plate in McKinney’s absence.

Comment by Politix Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:22 am
I think we might be seeing that Bruce Rauner is shaking up Bruce Rauner as the budget deadline approaches. The confusion may be evidence that the new administration is convulsing. The Tribune is interpreting these seizures as dancing, and they are applauding the performance.

Besides, I do not trust this governor. The best he’s shown us thus far can best be described as involuntary maladministration due to extreme amateurism. Slightly different from Quinn’s negligent maladministration.

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:24 am
So we are taking the fiscally irresponsible CPS statement verbatim here?

When the drowning man refuses to be rescued . . .

Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:24 am
===So we are taking the fiscally irresponsible CPS statement verbatim here?===

Actually, the Senate Republicans claimed a year or two ago that the city’s special grants totaled over $800 million. I’ll look for the link.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:25 am
It seems to me the state picking up Chicago normal cost is moving in the wrong direction. Time to shift the normal cost to all districts and once the state replaces what they shorted get them out of it.

As for the block grants shouldn’t every special need and poor child in IL get the same amount of help irregardless of zipcode.

Comment by Mason born Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:26 am
Here’s the link: http://www.senategop.state.il.us/Portals/0/Docs/Cost-Shift-FINAL.pdf?timestamp=1409174250732

Their total: $831 million.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:27 am
@Anon, if the poll is accurate and I don’t have any reason to doubt that they aren’t, maybe people aren’t seeing the Governor’s daily anti Madigan campaign ad or maybe they are seeing it but are smarter than the Rauner people think they are. Illinois has shown in the past that they are comfortable in electing a Moderate GOP Governor. Rauner’s task is to fool the public into thinking that he really is a Centrist Governor while attempting to pass legislation popular with right wing ideologues.
Last night when hearing the news of the one month Union contract extension, the thought entered my mind that the administration might be doing some internal polling but who knows.

Comment by The Dude Abides Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:27 am
“The Tribune’s editorial board either doesn’t read the Tribune or doesn’t trust the paper’s reporters.”

Astonishingly so. It’s as though one is reading two entirely different newspapers.

Comment by JoanP Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:28 am
So we’re taking the fiscally irresponsible Senate Republican statement verbatim here, lol?

Comment by Wordslinger Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:31 am
===We know that Madigan lacks the capability to balance the buget.===

Ugh.

===SECTION 2. STATE FINANCE
(a) The Governor shall prepare and submit to the General
Assembly, at a time prescribed by law, a State budget for the
ensuing fiscal year. The budget shall set forth the estimated
balance of funds available for appropriation at the beginning
of the fiscal year, the estimated receipts, and a plan for
expenditures and obligations during the fiscal year of every
department, authority, public corporation and quasi-public
corporation of the State, every State college and university,
and every other public agency created by the State, but not
of units of local government or school districts. The budget
shall also set forth the indebtedness and contingent
liabilities of the State and such other information as may be
required by law. Proposed expenditures shall not exceed funds
estimated to be available for the fiscal year as shown in the
budget.===

Anytime Rauner wants to do his constitutionally required job when it comes to the budget, he can. No one is stopping him.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:35 am
Sadly if you read the Senate GOPies report you learn the data does not back up the headlines, The CPS block grants provide no special bonus. The programs are based on poverty, need and special ed mandates.
The fact TeamBungle wants to go the wrong way and EXPAND the Free Lunch pension to Chicago rather then end everywhere else is a huge blunder. The fact the BobbleHead thinks Chicago should give more than it gets is a common GOPie mistake
The fact the Bobblehead failed to use is AV/Reduction Pen was another huge mistake.
He had the sole authority to reduce spending and avoid the shutdown, but bungled badly.

Comment by Anonin' Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:39 am
For some, like the Tribune Editorial board, facts don’t matter when expressing political opinions.

Comment by walker Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:43 am
VMan: hilarious! “The Tribune is interpreting these seizures as dancing, and they are applauding the performance.”

Having observed McQueary since the early part of her career, and her descent from a once promising and fair-minded reporter, she’s in too deep to change. She’s got a good paying job (in a highly unstable industry) that obviously doesn’t require a lot of work or to be informed/accurately represent what is going on. She says things that please elements of the civic/financial elite with whom she clearly identifies and, I suspect, mistakenly believes herself to be among. And, if the Trib goes busto (stock down 36% in last 11 months while market up nearly 6%) or realized the ed board staff adds nothing to the bottom line and does some trimming, she can jump to a foundation, “think tank”, Reboot, or civic org that will appreciate how loyally she espoused such warped gibberish.

Comment by Willie Stark Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:44 am
- Willie Stark -,

Yep.

“@FakeStatehouseChick” is writing for the tank you notes handed out every two weeks.

It’s a livin’

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:53 am
=CPS currently receives $600 million in state block grants aimed at helping pay for programs that address the district’s high percentage of children who have special needs or live in poverty. The district’s current “normal” pension costs are $200 million.=

It’s not quite this bad. CPS gets $246 million more than it should under the block grant mechanism. Rauner’s not suggesting CPS get no MCAT funding, just that they get them from reporting actual claims like everyone else. So the normal cost payment/block grant elimination costs them about $50 million. http://www.isbe.net/gov_relations/pdf/cps-block-grant-claim-data-sy13-14.pdf

The SGOP “free lunch” report includes more than block grants, like saying CPS shouldn’t get poverty concentration grants - which more and more states are moving toward and which research backs up. As poverty density increases, the costs of educating everyone increases. And CPPRT distribution, which seems to make some sense until you consider that for Foundation Level districts, for every dollar it adds to their local wealth it removes a dollar the state gives under the equalization grant. (For alternate and flat grant districts, it’s not so simple.)

Comment by Jack Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:56 am
OW-I agree with you. Rauner said he would be in Springfield working with the legislature, he has not.

Holding the budget hostage for other issues is poor leadership in my opinion.

But Madigan made the choice to again pass an unconstitutional budget. He could have said we will act when we get the governor’s plan, but he is so used to dumping bad budgets on the guv’s desk, he did it again.

So, yes, Rauner ain’t holding up his end of the bargain, but Madigan predictably acted and failed as everyone knew he would.

Comment by the Patriot Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:56 am
===He had the sole authority to reduce spending and avoid the shutdown, but bungled badly.===

Or he wanted a shut down all along. I don’t see any other strategy on Rauner’s part. He’s not a stupid man, he’s clearly trying to achieve a goal of some sort, I just can’t figure out what it is yet. My best guess based on his rhetoric and his few actions as Governor is he wants to break AFSCME.

Forcing non-essential employees to go a month without a paycheck should soften them up enough to make them grateful for the coming paycut in the next contract, or so I imagine Team Rauner is hoping.

Does anyone else see any discernible strategy here? Is there an obvious goal that Rauner is working toward that is remotely achievable?

Wordslinger’s Col. Kurtz reference keeps playing in my head, “Are my methods unsound?”

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 10:59 am
@ The Patriot:
“But Madigan made the choice to again pass an unconstitutional budget. He could have said we will act when we get the governor’s plan, but he is so used to dumping bad budgets on the guv’s desk, he did it again.”

Just out of curiosity, would you be singing the same tune, had Madigan passed Rauners propsed budget -Feb 2015, which was $3 BILLION unbalanced as well?

You do know that right? The budget that Rauner proposed in Feb during his budget address was $3 B out of whack.

Comment by How Ironic Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 11:05 am
===But Madigan made the choice to again pass an unconstitutional budget.===

Gov. Rauner vetoed part of it, signed part of it too.

Let that sink in, - the Patriot -, Rauner signed part of the “sham”, forcing the GOP GA not to be “green” for an increase in Education Funding.

Also, you’re suggesting Madigan shouldn’t have passed anything, leaving schools opening on time out too?

Rauner will own a budget, all governors do.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 11:07 am
47th - I think Rauner’s “strategy” is to hold out, in the belief that a Chicago/CPS and state meltdown (and his ad campaign), will break the Democrats, who will be so desperate they’ll agree to anything Rauner wants to stop the pain. A high-risk, go for broke strategy that certainly doesn’t contemplate failure or the massive collateral damage to House and Senate Republicans that would result.

Comment by Willie Stark Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 11:08 am
47th: Been stretching to project a Rauner Team strategy, focused on getting most of his Turnaround Agenda items seriously on the table by the end of session 2016. A very short shutdown might be part of what he leverages. He’ll take what progress he can get, as long as some beginnings or commitments are made by end of session then.

Yet the words “random walk” keep coming to mind.

Comment by walker Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 11:12 am
Willy your observation about the reporting core at the Tribune and the editorial board rift is true. I do not feel free to share discussions I have had with some reporters, but there is particular antagonism with Bruce Dold.

It’s not that Mr. Dold is conservative either, its because some of his stances are so ideologically driven that they twist reality. This gets you average fact driven reporter crazy.

Rich I am amazed you recalled the Senate Republican’s attack document on the CPS block grants. There is of course this complicating factor that probably the Governor does not understand, the Manar proposal while it wiped out the CPS special education block grant would have replaced it with a child count based reimbursement that other districts get in Illinois. The net loss to CPS on that was about $225 million.

But just the trade that Governor Rauner talked about was a very bad deal indeed. Possibly he assumes Mayor Emanuel’s people can’t count. Really good post Rich.

Comment by Rod Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 11:13 am
From the Tribune editorial:

“Democrats balk at term limits and citizen control of redistricting. But public support for both is strong.”

Always keep that in mind when reading the comments here: whether you like term limits/anti-gerrymandering or not, positions that have overwhelming support of the public are blocked from any consideration by Madigan and the Democrats. People throughout U.S. History have sacrificed their lives for the principle of one-man-one-vote, and even that is kept off the table. Those who express outrage at Rauner *and* none at Madigan are betraying basic principles of democracy.

Comment by lake county democrat Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 11:13 am
47th Ward, you are right. The game here is to break the unions. The same thing is happening in Chicago where charter schools are fighting against unionization. The economic elite, to which Rauner belongs, want to Illinois to become a RTW state. They are willing to do whatever it takes to make this happen. The good thing is that so far most of the people of Illinois are not willing to go along with this scam. The day is coming, very soon, where Illinois workers will have to stand up and make it clear to elected officials that we are the financial backbone of Illinois government and we deserve a state that works with us to build stronger families and stronger communities. We will no longer stand for our money being transferred to the wealthy.

Comment by REE Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 11:39 am
=== *** UPDATE *** The CPS spokesperson may have spoken too soon. The mayor might wanna pick up the phone because, as I just now told subscribers, there might be a decent offer on the table. ===

If there is a decent offer on the table, shouldn’t the Rauner folks have shared the full ramifications of it before publicizing the offer? That would be my expectations. Rahm’s call should be to complain about being blindsided.

Comment by Norseman Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 11:46 am
===Rahm’s call should be to complain about being blindsides.===

“Get in line!” - the GOP GA.

- Rod -, thanks, and I enjoyed your riff on the “half a league” mentality, well done.

There seems to be this ongoing undercurrent with Rauner; break the unions with all means necessary. There should be no confusion. It’s the easiest Rauner goal seen, using all “benign” ways to do it.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 11:53 am
Term limits
I want good legislators to remain in the GA — not be booted arbitrarily due to term limits.
In MI, for example, newspaper stories describe intense dissatisfaction with term limits on the part of former constitutional officers, both D and R. Google it.
I’m glad we have a representative democracy, not a direct democracy.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 12:52 pm
Term limits
I want good legislators to remain in the GA — not be booted arbitrarily due to term limits.
In MI, for example, newspaper stories describe intense dissatisfaction with term limits on the part of former constitutional officers, both D and R. Google it.
I’m glad we have a representative democracy, not a direct democracy.

Comment by zonz Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 12:53 pm
47th, With last nights no lockout/strike agreement during July, it leaves the Shutdown unchallenged yet still provoking for that month. Thus the union cannot strike, the pain of a shutdown can still be felt, AND Rauner gets his precious protesters making a HUGE stink over the cuts and shutdown. AFSCME foot soldiers get pounded by no pay during the shutdown, which despite any resolve will scare the living feces out of them. THEN in August Rauner submits his last and final offer, because the veto override on the arbitration bill failed, the union is then forced into a terrible decision, accept a horrific contract or strike. I hope OW or 47th will take the time to correct me if I’m wrong. Regardless, the war will be over in mid to late August. to add a Kutz quote “the horror..the horror

Comment by Honeybear Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 1:03 pm
==There is a widening and significant difference between the reporters, specifically, at the Tribune, and it’s Editorial Board.==

It’s not terribly unusual in the business. The Wall Street Journal is filled with some of the best reporters in the nation. Its editorial board is total madness.

Comment by whetstone Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 1:18 pm
=The SGOP “free lunch” report includes more than block grants, like saying CPS shouldn’t get poverty concentration grants =

They did because those “hidden” additions to the CPS budget have an impact. The PTELL adjustment is one of the biggies, as I have posted before.

The PTELL shouldn’t exist for anyone. That funding could go directly into GSA funding. It would make a big difference across the board.

No one has ever stated that CPS should not get poverty funding. They get the maximum per pupil level of poverty funding from the state and, get a disproportionate share when considering their level of poverty. CPS gets nearly 1/2 of all state poverty funding. They also get the largest share of federal poverty funding that flows to the state.

With regard to the pension debt at CPS- CPS has the power to levy for the teacher pension costs. No other district in the state has that authority. CPS created the unfunded liability during the Daley administration by diverting the funds. BTW- They do get some pension money from the state.

No doubt- without Chicago Illinois is more like Nebraska economically. It is THE economic engine for Illinois and, arguable, Indiana and Wisconsin. Many in my role do not get that part of it, but I do and am willing to accept a little additional financial consideration for their schools as a result. Just not to the level it has been happening.

Also, poverty funding through the GSA formula has been growing disprportionately from the grwoth of poverty in Illinois. It is now almost 50% of state aide. That has cost districts that are 20%-35% poverty dearly becuase they have enough poverty to impact the cost of instruction but not enough to gain adequate funding from the state. That is a problem because those kids come with many of the same needs as high poverty CPS students.

Comment by JS Mill Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 1:30 pm
=positions that have overwhelming support of the public are blocked from any consideration by Madigan and the Democrats.=

Rauner is playing that game too with the millionaires tax.

Just sayin….

Comment by JS Mill Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 1:32 pm
Hinz adds some more info on proposed deal. “According to the briefing papers, the CPS pension money would be tied to passage of larger pension reforms and to adoption of a new statewide school funding formula.” As Hinz says in the lead up to the above quote, there’s always a catch.

Comment by Norseman Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 2:11 pm
You can’t honestly claim to stand for the principle of balanced budgets while signing the only appropriations bill that includes a notable spending increase.

Where are you gonna get the $244 million from, Governor?

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 2:34 pm
The Paper in Hinz article throws in collective bargaining and prevailing wage provisions.

Comment by Norseman Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 2:41 pm
@TribTowerChick - I changed my Twitter handle, claiming statehouse is a sham #NotUnderTheDome

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 26, 15 @ 2:47 pm