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Can we move on to more important things, please?

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* The Associated Press takes a look at the dispute over Gov. Rauner’s “off-shoring”…

Amid this summer’s budget impasse, Democratic lawmakers argued that the Republican governor’s administration is squeezing essential state services, particularly by having high-priced consultants’ salaries paid by other agencies. The administration acknowledged that about $3 million in salaries for Rauner’s staff was paid by other agencies and provided lawmakers with lists showing that his Democratic predecessor, Pat Quinn, annually offshored even more — $3.5 million.

Rauner aides, who continue to insist that the office pays less in compensation than Quinn, were not counting key contractual agreements, such as a $250,000 salary for education adviser Beth Purvis paid by the Department of Human Services or a seven-month, $135,000 contract financed by the Department of Revenue for chief financial officer Donna Arduin.

Based on a publicly available online directory of governor’s staff, Rauner is asking other agencies to cover about $4 million — more than Quinn, the AP’s analysis found.

The directory lists about 80 people with contact information. Counting a dozen more staffers provided by the governor’s office and not on the list — such as those staffing the Executive Mansion — annual salaries total $7.8 million. Half of that total comes from at least 18 other agencies, including the Department on Aging, the Illinois State Police, the Capital Development Board and the Department of Natural Resources.

The problem is that the AP is apparently counting people like the director of the budget office as being off-shored, but GOMB has its own staff paid for out of its own approps.

So far, this story is a rabbit hole of little consequence.

…Adding… From an e-mail…

No, Rich, Tim Nuding was not included in the analysis; he and others were removed from the list when the governor’s office reviewed it and discussed with me why they shouldn’t be included. Please correct this supposition on your blog.

Thanks,

John O’Connor

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 11:19 am

Comments

“Rauner aides…were not counting key contractual agreements.”

It’s of little consequence because they are engaged in a pattern of deception with the point being avoiding consequences of their actions. Part of that pattern is hiding the governor’s schedule.

Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 11:32 am
Except when these offshore salaries dampen the salaries of folks promoted from within which is EXACTLY what happened to a colleague of mine in another smaller state agency. He got a well deserved promotion into a senior PSA position but then a paltry rise in salary. He was told “the administration needs to keep a lid on salary raises at the moment.” I get my colleague may simply be getting the shaft however, I also know of 5 people offshored in that small agency. It burns me that that money might not have been available to give him a raise simply because others were inappropriately put on the payroll. Again it might be just Management sticking it too him, but knowing his quality and even his management, I highly doubt it. I suspect the order was given out NO HIGHER THAN X PERCENT.

Comment by Honeybear Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 11:38 am
Problem is that as the Governor’s intent had been to slash services for the most needy in our society. .ie. elderly, disabled,single mothers..the fact that part of DHS’S budget is been subtracted by supplying the salary for his Education Secretary in and of itself denies part of the monies from DHS’S budget.So if the the.Gov’s budget calls for cutting some of DHS’S budget yet still funds his Education secretary ’s salary from the same budget..we’ll let’s just say this speaks to his true intent as regards the citizens of Illinois.

Comment by cez Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 11:40 am
This question goes to the heart of trust. While it may be factual that the governor’s office line item has a lower payroll that his predecessor, it is only because he is hiding the staff on other budget line items.

To solve this question, it would be nice to know where the individuals are sitting. Do they report to the governor’s office or do they report to the department that pays them?

Comment by Huh? Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 11:42 am
It appears to be routine deception or “business as usual”.
Remember that Rauner was elected to lower the standard of living for the middle-class and shield the 1%, not to change the way things are done in Springfield.

Comment by Qui Tam Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 11:56 am
I agree, no biggie. It’s been going on since Walker. But each outsourced job should compliment the agency from which they are paid to justify the expenditure.

Comment by Beenthereseenthat Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 11:57 am
Waste of ink and space.

Comment by A guy Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 12:11 pm
Non-story; Governor’s staff have been buried on agency payrolls for at least 45 years that I know of.

Comment by RNUG Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 12:12 pm
You can argue the merits of “off-shoring”, “ghost-payrolling”, “inner agency agreements” or whatever you call them but GOMB is doing it just like the Governors office is. Our agency paid for GOMB employees for years and was doing so when I left, during the Raurner administration.

Comment by Anon Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 12:21 pm
Old news but how many new legislative liaisons have popped up in agencies?

Comment by Liberty Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 12:21 pm
Again, so much for “Shaking up Springfield.” If the previous admin was so bad, why hold them up as a comparable? Not exactly reaching for the stars is he (Rauner)?

Comment by justbabs Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 12:24 pm
@ RNUG - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 12:12 pm:

=Non-story; Governor’s staff have been buried on agency payrolls for at least 45 years that I know of. =

Agreed, however, I think it is a bit of a story because Rauner was going to shake up Springfield and stop doing all those things that other terrible politicians have always done.

Comment by Facts are Stubborn Things Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 12:30 pm
I think it not a coincidence that the language used is offshoring. Who started that turn of phrase? If it came from the Speaker it may be a subtle hint to the Governor’s office of GA investigations to come. Just speculatin on my part. Really though if it is no big deal why aren’t they avoiding sending someone to Representative Bradley’s committee hearing to answer their questions? If there isn’t any there there.., they sure are giving the opposite impression.

Comment by Triple fat Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 12:36 pm
Why are they avoiding.,, golly gosh darn phone.

Comment by Triple fat Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 12:37 pm
One of my biggest beefs with President Bush 43 was that he missed opportunity after opportunity to reform and streamline our federal government. It grew instead of shrinking.

The same kind of goes with Governor Rauner. He had a chance to rely on real outsiders to run the ship and hire staff. Instead he used insiders and “old hands” to start the motor.

Some things just never change.

Comment by Team Sleep Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 12:41 pm
I agree this should be a non-starter, but if SB 1229 becomes law and the AFSCME contract goes to arbitration, what will the arbitrator make of the administration’s claim that it has to cut unionized employee’s pay or benefits when its insiders are being paid so much more than Quinn’s?

Comment by Anon. Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 12:49 pm
The governor campaigned against a “bureaucracy run amok.”

How he puts his own together, and how much they’re paid, is relevant.

Comment by Wordslinger Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 12:56 pm
It would be no biggie IF Rauner hadn’t campaigned to do the opposite, and if HE hadn’t spent the past several weeks demonizing the legislature for not taking unconstitutional action to reject a COLA.

Comment by out of touch Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 1:11 pm
The story is that his Turn Around Agenda calls for limiting Unions from negotiating pay but he raises the salary bar for his insiders. Then he is not transparent about which budget pays. True all governors since at least Dan Walker have placed their employees on agency payrolls. Most had at least some connection unlike the Education Czar. But Rauner should have simply been willing to present a list of his staff, their salaries and the agency budget taking the hit.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 1:16 pm
Yes this is a long standing practice and yes at the end of the day a dollar is a dollar but that doesn’t make it right.

To the average person, this misleads, inflates agency spending and deflates Governor’s Office spending.

Just more non transparency.

Comment by Sir Reel Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 1:31 pm
Sleazy man

Comment by AnonymousOne Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 1:33 pm
==- A guy - Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 12:11 pm:==

Kinda like the governor’s budget book

Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 1:42 pm
The only “issue” I have is the blatant hypocrisy is saying business as usual is ending, then the Administration going out of it’s way saying “everyone did it, we’re doing it too.”

Otherwise, yeah, ok, self-inflicted jargon and rhetoric is drivjbg this, not the choices of the Administration.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 1:43 pm
I like the old adage: “Just because you’ve always done it that way doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good idea.”

Comment by Skeptic Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 1:47 pm
I agree not the most huge story. But, transparency, honesty, hypocrisy…all fairly important issues in my judgment.

Comment by Michael Westen Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 2:13 pm
It may be standard procedure for Governors to do this. But it becomes more of a story with Rauner, because he campaigned on doing things differently - and he denied he was doing it. That at least makes it noteworthy for its commentary on Rauner’s “transparency, honesty, hypocrisy” as poster Michael Westen pointed out.

Comment by Joe M Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 2:38 pm
And money is fungible, especially money that we taxpayers pay to the state of Illinois. Plus ca change, as we continue to learn every day during this latest period of bad Illinois governance. Even a supposed reformer can’t help doing things the same old way. Something in the Illinois air?

Comment by Cassandra Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 2:52 pm
Wasn’t this part of the “corruption” Rauner promised to change when he took office?

Comment by Wensicia Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 3:10 pm
You can not believe anything the man says.

Comment by Mama Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 3:30 pm
Yes, it would have been good if Rauner had the cojones to say, “I’m not playing these games anymore, here’s what it costs to run this office.” Instead, he played the same old game. In the scheme of things, though, it’s only of interest to reporters and insiders with axes to grind. Of more interest is the same old games he’s playing with pensions and other 500-pound elephants that refuse to leave the room.

Comment by Inside Baseball Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 4:04 pm
Non-story! Past time to move on.

Comment by Lincoln Lad Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 8:00 pm
This is another completely self-inflicted wound for Rauner and because he campaigned to do things differently every single bit of criticism and every single article written is 100% warranted. He had the opportunity to do things differently and he made the conscious decision not to.

Comment by MyTwoCents Monday, Aug 10, 15 @ 8:04 pm
I cannot believe John O’Connor was not smart enough to figure out that GOMB was an office of it’s own. It’s not like he’s new to the ballgame.

Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Aug 11, 15 @ 7:43 am