Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Rauner admin backs Senate Dems’ federal approp bill

Posted in:

Illinois

* The Senate Democrats’ bill we discussed earlier today is now being supported by Gov. Bruce Rauner, according to his spokesman.

That means almost $5 billion will be appropriated for all sorts of purposes. From a subscriber post earlier today…

The amendment provides appropriations for the remaining federal funds totaling 4.8 billion for FY16. Public Act 99-05 contains federal education funds and, coupled with the amendment, brings the total FF appropriations to $7.65 billion. All federal funds for the executive agencies mirror the level introduced by the governor.

The state administers many federally funded and/or mandated programs. In many instances, agencies simply serve as a pass-through for federal funds to local providers, and the lack of appropriations authority for funds that have already been approved at the federal level prohibits this pass-through from happening.

Program Highlights

DCEO

· $330 million is included for the federally supported portion of the LIHEAP program
· $275 million is included for job training under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (formerly Workforce Investment Act/WIA)
o Community colleges and private providers throughout the state can access the funding to provide job training services to adults
· $260 million for community block grants for small cities to assist Illinois communities in meeting their greatest economic and community development needs, with an emphasis on helping communities with substantial low to moderate-income populations
· $60 million for the community service block grant program, which provides a range of services that help low-income people attain skills, knowledge and motivation necessary to achieve self-sufficiency. The program also may provide low-income people immediate life necessities such as food, shelter and medicine

DHS

· $304.2 million for family and community services including support for domestic violence victims, food banks, child care and refugees
· $323.8 million for the WIC program (services are currently being provided by court order)
· $33.4 million for mental health services for adults and children
· $80.6 million for alcohol and substance abuse treatment and preventions services
· $50 million for community services for individuals with developmental disabilities
· $176.5 million for rehabilitation services to help disabled individuals live independently and become participating members of society

Veterans’ Affairs

· $125,000 for the homeless veterans program. The veterans home in Manteno provides housing and supportive services for homeless Illinois veterans.

DPH

· $312.8 million for various programs including:
o Breast and cervical cancer screening
o AIDS/HIV prevention
o Immunizations
o Perinatal services
o Rural health centers
o Monitoring of long-term care facilities

Dept. on Aging

· $98.7 million to support statewide Area Agencies on Aging, which provide services to seniors in the community including:
o Home delivered meals
o Employment services
o Elder abuse prevention
o Ombudsmen

Military Affairs

· $9.8 million for the Lincoln’s ChalleNGe Academy

ISBE

· $163.3 million includes funding for Race to the Top, Early learning challenge and student assessments

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 1:26 pm

Comments

This whole entire process is the strangest way to handle the outgoing monies of a state. At least a judge isn’t involved this time.

This is good news for many.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 1:28 pm
Seems like the only people still getting screwed completely are the social service providers - as Rich mentioned in his Crain’s column. And they’re being decimated.

Comment by Chicago Cynic Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 1:29 pm
Hooray! The GOP is free to vote yes!

Comment by Weenie Caucus Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 1:29 pm
So if this passes will we now be funding about 80% of state activities without a budget? Great to get it passed, but this seems like we are getting a budget through “death by a thousand cuts”.

Comment by illlinifan Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 1:34 pm
Good.

When are we going to operate this state without such stop gaps?

Comment by walker Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 1:35 pm
Another U-turn.

Governor Rauner is like Shaun White in the half pipe, busting out the 180s, 540s etc. There is some serious flipping and spinning going on with these dudes.

Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 1:36 pm
Partial budgets were verboten last month. This month they are OK.

Comment by nona Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 1:37 pm
No Brick?!!!?? But it doesn’t ruin Madigan or destroy collective bargaining. How could this be?

Let the record show that the Raunerbots appeared to be human–August 4, 2015.

Comment by cdog Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 1:39 pm
Wondering how much of the budget is left to do?

I have lost track.

Comment by Cassiopeia Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 1:41 pm
Isn’t it sad that lowest funded program is for homeless veterans. If you just took $100,000 from each of the above funds, look how much more you could allow for “our” vets that fought for “our” country. So shameful the vets are forgotten so easy…………..

Comment by oldhp Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 1:42 pm
A rare and welcome moment of sanity!

Comment by Archiesmom Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 1:45 pm
Dare we say this move is progress?

Comment by Concerned Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 1:45 pm
So now a piece-meal budget is OK this week?

Comment by D.P.Gumby Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 1:45 pm
Good!

Comment by Southern Illinois Hoopdee Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 1:45 pm
Wow never seen a hostage taker so quick to release hostages. What leverage was he going to use, in the best Inigo Montoya “I do not think that word means what you think it means.”

At this rate we may see a ‘16 budget in time for the next gubernatorial election.

Please do not take this as an endorsement of BVR policy. Just wondering what pressure he thinks he has.

Comment by Mason born Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 1:51 pm
No bluster about a sham budget fix? We are making progress.

Comment by Wensicia Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 1:52 pm
When does the money dry up? January ??

Comment by Wow Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 1:54 pm
This isn’t exactly progress. No chance either side would oppose this move-which should have been made sooner.

No tough decisions required by our political masters of either party. Now that would be progress. How long can they now go without making any?

Comment by Cassandra Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 1:56 pm
Perhaps it would be wise for Rauner to convene a leaders meeting to make sure Radigno and Durkin’ are on board / snark.
But more importantly, because we have yet to hear from MJM.

Comment by Austin Blvd Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 1:57 pm
Good. Now, move on.

Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 2:00 pm
Game over. What’s the point of continuing it?

But it was never a game to begin with. Fix the last bit and move on.

If the governor wants to build support for his anti-union stuff, he’s got $20 million for starters to flood the airwaves and a bully pulpit all over the state. Sell it.

He was never, ever, going to get it without substantial support. Never made sense.

Comment by Wordslinger Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 2:00 pm
If I’m MJM, I’m going to try to get this thing closer to the whole enchilada.

Comment by Austin Blvd Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 2:06 pm
The time for tough decisions like the progressive income tax is drawing near. Reality is that neither party has done enough. Both proposed budgets are out of balance, and the pension obligations are spiraling out of any and all control.

I just don’t think we see how far under the gun we are. The time for games is drawing to a close… I’m not saying this to be mean-spirited, I’m saying this because if the state becomes insolvent we’re all in deep trouble, the kind of trouble that doesn’t discriminate based on political affiliation or location.

Comment by Southern Illinois Hoopdee Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 2:10 pm
While I am happy these programs will get funded, I have to wonder at the big picture.

In Bruce Rauner’s Illinois, you don’t need a budget to operate the state. You don’t need a contract with public unions. And thanks to Citizens United, you don’t need to regulate campaign finance.

Comment by the Other Anonymous Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 2:11 pm
The fact that it’s August 4th and this particular no brainer aspect of the budget (federal pass through funds) is only now being addressed doesn’t give me much confidence. Some superstars.

Comment by Sir Reel Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 2:11 pm
This is good news and bad news. The good news is that folks dependent upon services from these programs will now be served. The bad news is that another pressure point is taken away and RNUG may have to rethink this October prediction. We may be looking at Christmas.

Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 2:16 pm
People who don’t hold up well to pressure should stop kidnapping.

Comment by Abe the Babe Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 2:17 pm
Not sure if it’s a done deal even with this bill. Remember some of these Federal funds came with the understanding that the state also provide funding. Hopefully this works.

Comment by walker Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 2:23 pm
“As a measure of our good faith bargaining, Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration has agreed to release another hostage. But without significant reforms supported by Speaker Madigan and the politicians he controls, these remaining social service providers will be dropped into tank of ravenous sharks.”

Comment by Tournaround Agenda Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 2:25 pm
Good news is good news. Always acceptable.

Comment by A guy Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 2:26 pm
Rules? Who needs rules! We just just make it up as we go along. Constitution? That was 40 some years ago. Budget? Why bother? Just vote for stuff, no master plan needed. Appropriations? Just steps to avoid having to make real decisions.

Just talking about my a-a-a-a-propriations.

Comment by zatoichi Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 2:45 pm
lest we forget…

The programs affected by today’s federal pass-through funds are not fully funded at the current revenue level.

The previously submitted Rauner Budget and GA Budget do not reflect the massive cuts that will have to come from Human Services and Higher Education programs.

I would say this action today is more like a metaphor that would include a band-aid, a tourniquet, an amputation, or death.

The silly and useless band-aids with pictures of “Madigan and all his Puppets/Unions” are never going to work for this type of injury. Thank goodness a tourniquet has been applied to stop the bleeding. Unfortunately, there is still an impending amputation, or death, unless the right crew gets on the scene.

Comment by cdog Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 2:59 pm
Wow @ 1:54 pm: When does the money dry up? January ??
***
Federal budget year ends Sept. 30, 2015. Bearing or not??? May depend on the program.

Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 3:11 pm
Norseman you win. I had been hearing December from some legislators (names will not be given).

Comment by illlinifan Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 3:37 pm
Too many people on here forgetting that a revenue increase is needed for the budget numbers being proposed to work, and we heard zero talk about that lately

Comment by steve schnorf Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 3:52 pm
You mean there a difference between “fiscal year” and “calendar year”? /s

Comment by SAP Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 3:58 pm
== Rauner admin backs Senate Dems’ federal approp bill ==

But, I wasn’t good enough, nor my administration, to actually initiate this in the first place?

Great job, Governot.

Comment by sal-says Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 4:51 pm
When you first read this stuff it sounds like an OK move and your eyes glaze over. Then the reality detail hits:

$50M for DD and $33M for mental health services in DHS? There are current DD and mental health organizations in Chicago with bigger budgets. All other providers in the state…so sorry.

That Fed money needs the state money to cover the entire year. When the Fed money runs out, what is the excuse then?

Those DHS figures above come to about $966M. The DHS budget proposals were in the $6B range.

Both budget proposals are still $3.5B or $4B short of cash. Revenues are where they are due to a request to cut taxes from 5% to 3.75% because someone has the business wisdom to handle it all.

It’s one thing to not have air conditioning in 95 degree weather. A little tougher in that same home at 10 degrees. Apparently that is no longer the state’s concern.

Comment by zatoichi Tuesday, Aug 4, 15 @ 5:05 pm