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* From the Illinois Policy Institute’s news service…

Budget deal with reforms coming together?

Might a draft proposal by several rank-and-file lawmakers be the beginning of the end of the budget stalemate in Springfield? Several media outlets report a bipartisan group of lawmakers is working behind the scenes on a package of compromises that address reforms, spending and revenue.

Politico Illinois reports the compromise includes proposals for taxing retirement income over $50,000, allowing all school districts to bargain for 3rd party contracting, layoffs, class size, and more, and substantial workers compensation reforms along with property tax freezes.

Meanwhile Crain’s Chicago Business reports a political consultant released proposals including suggested spending and budget reforms, business and regulatory reforms, revenue, local control and pension reform, among others. Illinois is now more than four and a half months into the current fiscal year and there’s still no budget.

1) Those lawmakers haven’t met in over a month, so they’re not currently “working behind the scenes” on anything.

2) Their “compromise” was rejected by the governor, despite its “substantial workers compensation reforms.” It was too much revenue for not enough reforms, which is not a great sign since the Democrats moved pretty far off the dime. I’m not sure how much further they could go. I mean, as is, I seriously doubt they can sell this thing to their fellow Dem legislators, particularly in the House.

3) That political consultant also runs IllinoisGO, which was formed to guard Gov. Rauner’s Democratic/left flank. While his plan wasn’t completely horrible, he is persona non grata with the Democratic leadership and with most rank and file Democratic members. If you want to trace the origins of this stalemate, look to the spring, when IllinoisGO launched.

* I’ve been hearing that Ty Fahner’s Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago has been working on a little something something for months.

If that group comes out with a do-able compromise plan, then it may be time to pay attention because, as we saw with the pension reform fight, it has some powerful backers. His membership is chock full of Raunerites, so a plan would probably nudge the governor to the table. And many of those wealthy folks are also quite influential with the House Speaker.

As much as some might hate me saying it, Fahner could wind up being the key here if he manages to retain some independence when (if) he unveils his proposal.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 9:31 am

Comments

as the old saying goes, “politics makes for strange bedfellows”.

Comment by Facts are Stubborn Things Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 9:38 am
Not as long as Mike retains his siege mentality.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 9:42 am
Rauner is hanging himself and Madigan is letting him. As Illinois continues to tank, the Governor gets to wear the crusty loafers he spent $65 million to buy.

We went from watching Rauner fighting to look like a winner against the majority party, to watching Rauner fighting to look like he isn’t a loser against the majority party. Madigan already knows he is seen as a loser and seems to be enjoying Rauner’s company and knows that Rauner loses the longer he is seen as part of the problem.

No one is going to be a winner. What we are now seeing is fighting over who is going to be seen as the biggest loser. It won’t be over until everything has been wasted.

Comment by VanillaMan Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 9:45 am
Rich makes very quick work of the ignorance of what is actually going on.

IllinoisGO is THE most dangerous threat to GA Democrats until January, bar none. Period.

This rollout by IllinoisGO is intended to keep in the discussion that “they” are there, they have $9 million to take on sitting Democrats, and will intend to run Raunerite Democrats if not… appeased.

Once the filing and challenges are over in January, their influence will be framed by their candidates they slated, and the monies they will put up.

This “plan” is the opening salvo, not even close to going battle-ready… for Rauner and his Raunerites.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 9:46 am
Seems silly to rehashin’ a rejected plan just because the dark money lobbos at IPI are issuin’ a dispatch — but hey it’s free, its Thursday and a lot easier than writin’ about new labor contracts touted by the Vegas-bound SuperStars which continue fair share and prevailing wage or the WSJ piece that praises IL for lower taxes.

Comment by Anonin' Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 9:48 am
===its Thursday and a lot easier than writin’ about new labor contracts touted by the Vegas-bound SuperStars which continue fair share and prevailing wage or the WSJ piece===

New contract story https://capitolfax.com/2015/11/18/rauner-reaches-new-contract-agreement-lashes-out-at-afscme/

WSJ editorial analysis https://capitolfax.com/2015/11/19/is-illinois-climate-change-for-real/

Bite me.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 9:50 am
The governor tipped his hand and said nothing until January, when he believes he can leverage the city.

With all the damage that has been done already, why would he back off that?

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 9:56 am
“Those lawmakers haven’t met in over a month, so they’re not currently “working behind the scenes” on anything.” REALLY?
May ‘15 to the middle of November is only a month? When did IPI change the calendar? /s

Comment by Mama Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 9:57 am
==- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 9:46 am:==
It sounds like Rauner has taken control over IL elections. It appears we won’t be living in a free country/state in our near future. Very scary times.

Comment by Mama Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 10:03 am
Rich is on it. Ty is the one to watch. Regardless of policy proposals, their numbers actually add up, and they have some key friends on both sides of the aisle.

Comment by walker Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 10:05 am
It’s all about politics…neither one deserve another term… we as “THE” people of illinois need leaders for us…# not for self-contained Syndrome!!!!

Comment by budget please Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 10:20 am
Because Fahner’s pension cuts worked so well and solved our problems?

Comment by Reality Check Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 10:22 am
Ty Fahner being the voice of reason? I never thought I’d see those words in the same sentence.

Comment by Fiercely Independent Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 10:27 am
I was surprised by the anti-union provisions in the bi-partisan working group’s proposal. Given the current environment, I didn’t see it as a viable proposal. That Rauner rejected it out of hand tells me the odds are that we won’t have a FY 16 budget by the time a FY 17 budget is to be presented.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 10:56 am
Norse, I’d keep an eye on the universities and colleges.

Kids start getting thrown out of school after break, plus layoffs, that’s big heat.

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 10:59 am
@Mama

=It appears we won’t be living in a free country/state in our near future. Very scary times.=
Where have you been, Mama? we haven’t been living in a free state since Blago was elected and Dems had control of both houses. reducing costs for school through repealing prevailing wage is clearly in the public interest, and the people don’t like overpaying on public construction. the Dems won’t give the people what they want. The people didn’t want Madigan’s “midnight” tax increase to 5%. That’s why he didn’t make it a campaign issue and make it permanent. He did it anyway, people of Illinois be damned.

Rauner is the first one to shake up the Dem oligarchy that only acts on its political interest rather than the hard working remaining people of Illinois. It needed to be done. I just wish there was a less painful way of doing it….

Comment by Arizona Bob Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 11:07 am
Met with the Civic Committee folks a couple of weeks ago. They sounded as frustrated with the lack of urgency among the Governor and the legislative leaders as the rest of us.

Comment by GA Watcher Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 11:13 am
Some one please tell me why we the people of Illinois do not strike until we get a budget?

Comment by budget please Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 11:16 am
- Mama -,

The Raunerite Dream is being realized by following the Blagojevich idea and playbook… and investing nearly $34 million to prove Rod Blagojevich right?

Scary? Scary in a sense that Rod’s blueprint is being followed by a man who can make it real.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 11:18 am
===Some one please tell me why we the people of Illinois do not strike until we get a budget?===

… Because Illinois isn’t a Charles Dickens book or a 3rd World Country, although Gov. Rauner continues to press this lower wages and no collective bargaining …

If you are honestly asking why, the newspaper blogs could probably help you more.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 11:22 am
ABob: All along you’ve been saying it was all caused by the greedy unions, and now you say it’s prevailing wage? Just how many billions is that going to save? (It’s ok, we’ve been waiting for an answer to that for months now. And I doubt we’ll ever hear one.)

And people didn’t want a tax increase? Color me *shocked* on that one. But you can’t deny the bills were getting paid.

“I just wish there was a less painful way of doing it…” Who says there isn’t?

Comment by Skeptic Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 11:23 am
Spike Lee remade Lysistrata about the wrong IL crisis. THAT would be an interesting strike, even if we leave Diana out of the discussion.

Comment by crazybleedingheart Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 11:53 am
==we haven’t been living in a free state since Blago was elected and Dems had control of both houses==

First of all you don’t live here so there is no “we.”

Second of all, we aren’t some Third World dictatorship no matter how many times you blather on about it.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 12:46 pm
- #5 -,

That’s choosing hostages.

That’s why I have to be a “Yes”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 1:10 pm
Apologies, my phone cycled out.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 1:14 pm
Anything with Greg Goldner’s fingerprints on it is dead on arrival.

Not zombie dead either.

More like “Supernatural” dead. Cut into pieces, soaked in holy water, and sprinkled with salt to make sure it never rises again.

Comment by Juvenal Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 1:47 pm
@skeptic

=ABob: All along you’ve been saying it was all caused by the greedy unions, and now you say it’s prevailing wage? Just how many billions is that going to save?=

Over what period? Federal and major highway jobs won’t be affected due to PLAs and Fed union preference rules.

The major savings would be at local levels. For example, a school district that needs to spend about $10 million in projects in life safety projects (mandated by state law and for which taxes are raised without referendum) will typically have projects that are very labor intensive. Things like tuckpointing, electrical upgrades, HVAC upgrades and fire protection upgrades that are typically in life safety reports will usually average about 40-60% labor in the cost. Ending prevailing wage in Illinois would save roughly half the labor cost, so the district (and taxpayers) would save about $2.5 million out of the $10 million budget, if the bids aren’t rigged, and that’s a BIG if in Illinois school and municipal budget processes.

The same savings could be realized in a lot of CDB and college maintenance and building programs.

Municipal roadwork is much more material and equipment weighted in cost so labor may only be about 30% of the budget, so savings could be in the 15% range.

Will it save the state from its billion dollar deficits on its own? Of course not. But if you can save hundreds of millions for taxpayers, schools, and municipalities by fairly paying local average rather than “prevailing” wages, why not?

BTW, I never said the problems in Illinois are ALL due to greedy unions. Political corruption and poor choices by Illinois voters are MUCH more responsible.

Comment by Arizona Bob Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 3:35 pm
@skeptic

=“I just wish there was a less painful way of doing it…” Who says there isn’t?=

If there is a politically possible less painful way in Dem controlled Illinois, I’m sure most readers here would love to hear it…

Comment by Arizona Bob Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 3:36 pm
AB, your childish, desperate-for-attention whining is a grotesque insult to those who have actually been oppressed by dictatorships.

Grow up and grow a pair.

Comment by Wordslinger Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 3:44 pm
==It was too much revenue for not enough reforms==

That’s about what I said last week.

==which is not a great sign since the Democrats moved pretty far off the dime.==

I really don’t understand the strategy. I guess everything is negotiable except somehow curbing collective bargaining and smacking AFSCME around a little?

Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 4:16 pm
===I really don’t understand the strategy. I guess everything is negotiable except somehow curbing collective bargaining and … AFSCME around a little?===

- Arsenal -,

That’s Rauner’s personal agenda, not a governor actually governing.

Telling, ain’t it?

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 4:24 pm
“Scary in a sense that Rod’s blueprint is being followed by a man who can make it real.”
OW, is it possible Rod was actually using Rauner’s playbook, but claim it as his own? I think Rauner is using Rod’s book, he is using his old playbook.

Comment by Mama Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 8:25 pm
===OW, is it possible Rod was actually using Rauner’s playbook, but claim it as his own?===

It’s “always possible”, but Rod actually attempted it first, so there’s that.

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Nov 19, 15 @ 8:38 pm