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Brown looks back, and forward

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Bruce Rauner has been Illinois’ governor for one year now, and I would defy you to name one thing off the top of your head that he has accomplished during that time.

There actually are a few things, I would hasten to add, but I’ll bet most of you couldn’t name them because Rauner has made his hallmark what he hasn’t been able to accomplish — which is most everything he named as a priority. […]

As his chief accomplishment, Rauner is citing record state funding for schools. True, except that the Democratic Legislature sent him the education funding bill over his objections after he required Republican lawmakers to vote against it.

There’s also the little problem that there has been no appropriation approved for Illinois’ higher education, which has meant the state’s public colleges and universities are withering on the vine although their leaders are too chicken to speak up.

And then there’s the small matter of Chicago Public Schools, on the verge of financial collapse in 2016 without state involvement in solving its pension funding problems. That’s not Rauner’s fault, but his efforts to use the crisis as the key to his bargaining strategy hardly make him the best friend of schoolchildren.

The governor still has time, three long years at least, to pull off the Rauner Miracle, and I’m not counting him out.

If he’s going to ask for a second term, though, he might want to have a better list of accomplishments on hand by this time next year, which could start with a more realistic set of goals.

Several Republicans are still steamed at Rauner for pushing them to vote against that education appropriations bill and then signing it into law.

And some university types did bemoan their plight on Chicago Tonight last night.

* Rauner, by the way, reiterated his position against helping the city’s public schools again this week…

“I don’t know whether [the CTU will] strike. . . . I’ve proposed reforms on local control that could help fix and bring those problems to resolution without a strike. … I’ve proposed all kinds of assistance for Chicago Public Schools. So far the mayor has rejected our assistance. It’s amazing to me: the mayor has just basically publicly said ‘Hurry up and put a massive tax hike on the people of Illinois and send me some of the cash as a bailout.’ It’s stunningly unrealistic and irresponsible. It’s ludicrous.”

* And…

“I’m not going to discuss the terrible tragedies with the shootings in Chicago. I will talk about Chicago Public Schools, and the financial condition of Chicago. Chicago has basically the lowest credit ratings of any big city, other than Detroit; massive debt, deficits,” the governor said. […]

“Brutally high taxes, and a massive property tax [hike] coming now, without any real reforms connected to it; and without reforms, the massive property tax hike that’s hitting Chicagoans, and Chicago homeowners and businesses is only the first step of many large tax hikes that are coming in the future years, because so far Mayor Emanuel has refused to do any true real structural reform,” he said.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 9:42 am

Comments

Some day Mark Brown will author a column praising Rauner. But I doubt it.

Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 9:49 am
–Several Republicans are still steamed at Rauner for pushing them to vote against that education appropriations bill and then signing it into law.–

“Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice…..”

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 9:49 am
==true real structural reform==

I’m with Gov. here. Let’s stop paying Bank of America their ridiculous fees and get ourselves an elected representative school board.

I assume that is what he means.

Whose decisions tanked CPS’ credit rating? Rich guys or teachers?

Comment by LizPhairTax Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 9:50 am
LGA,

I doubt it too. Brown doesn’t write fiction.

Comment by LizPhairTax Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 9:51 am
===True, except that the Democratic Legislature sent him the education funding bill over his objections after he required Republican lawmakers to vote against it.===

Exhibit A in the $20 million owning of the GOP GA and NOT looking out for the GOP GA’s best interest.

===There’s also the little problem that there has been no appropriation approved for Illinois’ higher education, which has meant the state’s public colleges and universities are withering on the vine although their leaders are too chicken to speak up.===

Well, Carbondale, Quincy, B-N, DeKalb… Champaign… they could ask their legislators as to why their towns and economic engines feeding those towns need to be a significant “short term pain” hostage. But, that’s just me.

===…so far Mayor Emanuel has refused to do any true real structural reform,” he (Rauner) said.===

So clearly, crystal clearly…

Rauner requires Rahm to do something Rahm has yet to do with the General Assembly; Deliver votes to Rauner.

Now, after bashing Rahm, and piling on to Rahm, publicly, and in sentences before this ultimatum, Rauner expects Rahm to have the juice to flip seats, as Rauner, personally, weakens the public Rahm, and makes Rahm less effective to twist arms for him, Rauner.

Goodness gracious, the deafness to political manuvering is so comically sad.

Also, Chicago..,

Rauner cadres more about decimating unions then the Chicago School System.

You’re welcome, Chicago.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 9:56 am
Bruce,

I’m sure by “structural reforms” you also mean Revenue Offsets for the massive increase in Wealthy Welfare that you insisted on prior to becoming Guv’nor.

Right?

Love,
Jack

Comment by Jack Stephens Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 10:01 am
==true real structural reform== It is unfortunate that this phrase has come to mean destroy the Unions. The unions did not create the pension deficit, the governors and legislators did. If you look at the OIG reports, most of the serious violations have been caused by Political appointees. And if you take Union protections away from the employees, these appointees will become dictators as many have never managed people before, and don’t have the mental capability to be a leader or manager.

Unions in goverment is essential, political appointee are just too vindictive.

Comment by Rufus Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 10:01 am
= he required Republican lawmakers to vote against it.=

Important point for those that still adhere to the all-controlling Speaker narrative.

=Rauner is citing record state funding for schools=

Knowing that higher ed is getting completely hosed in the funding area, I would still like to know what the total difference is between what the governor sign for funding and what is actually being delivered.

The actual funding numbers would probably make substantiation of the governor’s “record funding” claim impossible and therefore untrue.

Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 10:05 am
=Some day Mark Brown will author a column praising Rauner.=

That will happen on the same day the INI writes a column praising Quinn and the Cubs win a World Series.

Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 10:07 am
Louis, hitting the whine early and often today.

You’re free to list some accomplishments, as you see them. Not Mark Brown or anyone else can stop you.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 10:17 am
From a pro-Rauner perspective, which I admit I lose every time I get mad about the lack of real numbers thing, I’d rather see him take the reforms he could get now and lock them in.

Comment by Earnest Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 10:21 am
@JS Mill, Cubs World Series win, 2016!

Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 10:21 am
If people put their hatred for Rauner aside, the question of whether bailing out CPS helps Chicago schools is very murky. CPS is a freaking BILLION dollars in the hole. Bankruptcy would let it shed a lot of that debt, including the “toxic swaps” with the banks. It’s possible (but not a certainty) that federal bankruptcy would permit pension cuts, but even if they didn’t, they would start the slate clean with pensions going forward. CPS would have to sell most of its assets and bankruptcy would cause pain for all, not just teachers, but again: One. Billion. Dollars.

As an aside: ideological conservatives (not necessary the same as the state GOP) don’t see a lack of accomplishments as a big deal at all. Their favorite President is Calvin Coolidge, who they idolize for purposefully not “interfering” with the economy.

Comment by lake county democrat Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 10:24 am
I don’t think all of the people criticizing Rauner on CPS necessarily want him to bail it out so much as they object to him predicating his solution to the problem (whatever it may be, has he even said he’d bail it out?) on getting Rahm to help him with the Turnaround Agenda.

Comment by Boss Tweed Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 10:37 am
Corporate welfare reform of DCEO grants.

He did that with no help from Democrats and after his predecessors failed to act. Funny thing is that it took a rich Republican to change that, thus few people mention it because it flies in the face of the narrative pushed by some.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 10:38 am
@JS Mill, Cubs World Series win, 2016!

My handle says so! : )

Comment by Cubs in '16 Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 10:40 am
Seriously? Does any action by the Chicago Teachers Union in the last decade make you think that implementing the “Turnaround Agenda” would avert a strike????

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 10:43 am
Dearest Governor-In-Name-Only Raunner:

Your statement: ” I will talk about…the financial condition of Chicago. Chicago has basically the lowest credit ratings of any big city, other than Detroit; massive debt, deficits,”

Is exactly the same for the State of IL of which you are the top ‘administrator’. How many times has IL’s credit rating been lowered since YOU have been ‘governor’? How does IL’s credit rating compare to other states, especially well managed ones.

Just thinkin’ you might not want to bring attention to credit ratings and deficits.

Comment by sal-says Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 10:44 am
Anonymous,

I think that’s fair.

A little like expecting people to rave about how good the green beans were after serving a Thanksgiving dinner with no turkey but an accomplishment nonetheless.

Comment by LizPhairTax Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 10:45 am
Whatever happened to the structural reform ‘millionaire’s tax’ that voters actually voted on — and said, yes, we want this?

Where’s that reform? Why isn’t that front and center?

Comment by Macbeth Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 10:46 am
lst Governor to ride a camel?

That seems like a SuperStar moment.

lst Governor to make a “get well” call a state rep recoverin’ from surgery while mailin’ negative lit.

lst governor to invite rep to sign at Fair openin’ while mailin'’ negative lit.

See how easy that was.

Comment by Annonin" Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 10:46 am
== Some day Mark Brown will author a column praising Rauner. But I doubt it. ==

Some day the may be a reason to author a column praising Rauner. But I doubt it.

Better.

Comment by sal-says Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 10:49 am
The obst ructionist Democratic GA has done an excellent job imitating the Republican Congress.

Any achievements by the GA during this time? It’s a standoff between Madigan and Rauner. Little progress in either direction, though we should count preventing the passage of yet another unbalanced budget as a first step towards progress in Illinois.

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 10:54 am
== One. Billion. Dollars. ==

And the Repubs are talking Twenty.Five.Billion more debt by 2020?

Comment by sal-says Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 10:55 am
Gov,
To many of us thoughtful and independent voters, many of whom voted for you, your most significant act this first year is to DOUBLE the projected bill backlog. $9,000,000,000 is a very big number, sir.

When your TURNAROUND AGENDA TAX (a tax hike that became necessary due to your reckless strategy) hits the citizens’ paychecks, your spin will be very entertaining.

$9,000,000,000. ($5,000,000,000 from Rauner’s failed Turnaround Agenda strategy)

Comment by cdog Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 11:01 am
Not surprising that Mark Brown’s question is difficult to answer.

It simply hasn’t been Rauner’s strategy to focus on short-term accomplishments. He has a few, as noted in another thread today, but they add up to pennies compared to our overall fiscal challenges.

Comment by walker Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 11:04 am
I am sick of being mired in the mud. I never thought I would say this but I heard a little Chris Christies speech on the state of his state and to hear that a prison is closing and they are going to use it for drug rehab was refreshing. A government actually doing something instead of what we have where both sides are saying “my way only” and are stuck with the accomplishment being accomplishing nothing.

Comment by illinifan Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 11:07 am
Gov. Rauner bashing him might be the shot in the arm Rahm needs to slow the decline in his poll numbers.

Comment by Robert the Bruce Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 11:24 am
Responding to lake county democrat: where did you get the idea that CPS had the legal right to file for bankruptcy? We have had this discussion repeatedly on this blog and Rich even posted stories about legislative hearing discussing allowing government entities to have the right to file for bankruptcy because as of right now they do not have that right in Illinois.

According to ISBE City CPS’s financial score declined in 2014 , landing the state’s largest district in the lowest designation of Financial Watch for the first time in the state’s 12-year history of providing this analysis. As of June 30, 2014, the district has been deficit spending for the last two fiscal years and had only eight days’ cash on hand. ISBE predicted that this trend continues without additional revenue or reduced expenditures, CPS was projected to have a negative fund balance for its operational fund in FY 2015, with a deficit of $862.3. This analysis was done in March of 2015 and it has turned out to be true.

The most likely solution for CPS will be invoking 105 ILCS 5/Art. 1B of the school code that would put CPS under a School District Financial Oversight Panel and allow for Emergency Financial Assistance to CPS. But since the State is without a budget that is unlikely. If CPS were put under an oversight panel it would then be legally possible to “recommend dissolution or reorganization of” CPS to the General Assembly and that too is unlikely.

Comment by Rod Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 11:36 am
==Bruce Rauner has been Illinois’ governor for one year now==

Miracles take time.

St Bruce will tell you that, particularly when dealing with the Child Emperor Madigan.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 11:39 am
==A little like expecting people to rave about how good the green beans were after serving a Thanksgiving dinner with no turkey==

After years without turkey or green beans, I am grateful for the green beans.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 11:41 am
==As of June 30, 2014, the district has been deficit spending for the last two fiscal years==

Followed by the passage of a 12 month budget using 14 months of revenue to avoid cuts before an election, and then passage of a budget with a $500 Mill deficit.

I am shocked to learn they are in $ trouble.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 11:45 am
–If people put their hatred for Rauner aside, the question of whether bailing out CPS helps Chicago schools is very murky. CPS is a freaking BILLION dollars in the hole.–

Maybe the governor feels some personal responsibility.

Daley and Emanuel have had sole control of the schools for decades.

And Citizen Rauner dropped millions on their campaign funds and various “education” initiatives. Persuaded his rich buddies to do the same.

Citizen Rauner thought Daley and Emanuel were doing a swell job when it came to the schools, and opened his wallet for them.

Clearly, as governor, Rauner has a responsibility for education in all of Illinois (that includes CPS and universities, last I checked).

When it comes to the financial mess Daley and Emanuel created at CPS, Rauner, personally, certainly was one of their biggest enablers.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 11:45 am
- Some day Mark Brown will author a column praising Rauner. But I doubt it. -

Perhaps Bruce could put Brown’s wife on the payroll for $125k per year, then he could write lots of nice things.

Comment by Daniel Plainview Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 11:48 am
Wordslinger,

Leaving aside you evade the question and instead return to the Rauner hating…

Right - and when Emanuel tried to reduce some of that budget deficit by closing schools depopulated by the African-American exodus out of the city (as shown by the 2010) the anti-Rauner crowd cheered the move. ANd when the predictions of grave violence to the migrating schools and plumeting tests scores never materialized, these anti-Rauner/Emmanuel critics all admitted how wrong their predictions were and how good it was to save that money.

So back to the point -you say “Clearly, as governor, Rauner has a responsibility for education in all of Illinois). Given the immense potential benefits changing the law to allow CPS to go bankrupt both to CPS and the taxpayers of Chicago, and the paucity of evidence that preserving the general status quo of the current agreement with CTU is cost-effective in the least, bailing out the billion-dollars-in-debt CPS is hardly a no-brainer.

Of course, when it comes to welcoming CPS children, Oak Parkers turns into Donald Trump, agressively surveying its borders and deporting all found there illegally.

Comment by lake county democrat Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 12:27 pm
You’d think our businessman Governor would know rule #1 for successful change management: engineer many small wins. Succeed often, not big.

This is all making him look like such a failure. I am not sure who he thinks is supporting him.

He looks immature, unprofessional, over his head, etc, an truly unable to manage politics in this state (let alone policymaking).

He’s a fool and making a fool of our state.

My husband wants us to move away from Ill. because all of this is such a headache. I’m a lifelong Illinoisan and don’t want to leave.

All of this crap is making it very tempting.

Comment by Square Pegs Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 12:33 pm
LCD, I’m trying to follow your stream-of-consciousness:

Are you advocating municipal bankruptcy for CPS?

What are your expectations for cost/benefits of such a move?

As an aside to one of your non-sequiturs, it’s my understanding that out-of-district students are allowed to buy in to Oak Park schools.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 12:43 pm
Did Rauner make any progress on repairing the Governor’s Mansion that was neglected by Pat Quinn? Did Rauner replace the leaky roof?

Never understood why Quinn felt basic building repairs and routine maintenance were contrary to his populist agenda.

Comment by Wondering Aloud Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 12:45 pm
==Perhaps Bruce could put Brown’s wife on the payroll for $125k per year, then he could write lots of nice things.==

Tom Dart actually hired Mr Brown’s wife in November. Did you know that?

She is one of multiple family members of journalists now on his payroll.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Wednesday, Jan 13, 16 @ 1:39 pm