Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Munger: HDem budget will push unpaid bills past $15 billion, force delays in legislator paychecks

Posted in:

Illinois

* From Comptroller Leslie Munger…

“The only thing more irresponsible than allowing our state to operate without a budget would be to pass a spending plan that digs us deeper into debt. Yet, legislation being circulated in the House does just that.

“The consequences of implementing this proposed budget would be catastrophic to those who are already suffering from the state’s continued fiscal mismanagement. Today, Illinois has more than $7 billion in unpaid bills and payment delays are running more than 6 weeks behind at best. If the proposed budget is passed, our unpaid bills would surge past $15 billion, with payments delayed an unprecedented 8-9 months. That means everyone – small businesses, nonprofits, schools, hospitals, elected leaders and others – will wait even longer for what they are owed by the state.

“When you’re in a hole, the best thing you can do is stop digging. For Illinois, that means members of both parties coming together in good faith to pass a budget that is truly balanced.”

Subscribers already know about the likely delay in issuing legislator paychecks. You will recall that Munger tossed those checks into a pile with the rest of the state’s past-due bills in April. Their April 30th checks were delayed. Some thought they’d get those checks on May 31st. Nope.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 2:49 pm

Comments

But she seemed so nice when she gave me cheesecake

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 2:50 pm
WWJBTD?

Comment by Handle Bar Mustache Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 2:53 pm
Where was her indignance with the governor’s budget?

Comment by burbanite Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 2:53 pm
@burbanite
Stuffed in a big bag of cash!

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 2:55 pm
Right on cue. Had the math ready too. Nice touch.

Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 2:55 pm
Seems like the simple solution would be for the Governor to cut spending where he wanted, and then propose the taxes he needs. Am I missing something?

Comment by Delimma Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 2:56 pm
Mungers perfidy laid bare.

Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 2:56 pm
How much additional revenue does she think the state needs?

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 2:56 pm
I keep trying to change the channel but it’s always the same program. These people need new writers. Pawn stars has better dialogue than this.

Comment by Trolling Troll Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 2:58 pm
Funny how Wingman blew the announced timeline so badly….hmmm…..maybe they could send over the VSI applications.

Comment by Annonin' Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 3:03 pm
Whatever.

Leslie who?

Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 3:03 pm
Leslie can’t resist those orders from Rauner.

Comment by Norseman Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 3:09 pm
What a disaster!

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 3:09 pm
==Anonymous==

Do us all a favor and move first then, please.

Comment by Paperback Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 3:11 pm
demanding a bilartisan fix is a bit whimpy. she needs to take a stance in new revenues such as restoring the inc tax, soda tax etc or get out of the way. be a leader.

Comment by Ghost Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 3:11 pm
Anonymous 3:05 and 3:09 —

Just in case you’re like the other internet trolls, Jimmy John’s and the rest of the whiners who threaten to move out, please look at the ground rules at the bottom of the thread and “take a half second to come up with a nickname. It makes following the posts easier for everyone… Thanks.”

Comment by olddog Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 3:22 pm
The best part of all this is that Rauner’s proposed budget was woefully out of balance. So, it could easily be argued, he’s the one who started the whole “let’s purposefully propose woefully out of balance budgets” game. Dems have just upped the ante.

Comment by From the 'Dale to HP Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 3:39 pm
I understand that people think that she is political and obviously she is at times. But simply stating what will happen (and it will) if this particular budget passed should be viewed for what it is - a legitimate warning. She’s the one who has to figure out how to make everything work because she’s the one that has to pay all of the bills.

Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 3:39 pm
== he’s the one who started==

Are we really resorting to “he started it?”

Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 3:39 pm
Did she also call the governor’s budget woefully out of balance or is she just discovering Excel now?

Comment by Dee Lay Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 3:40 pm
==WWJBTD?==

I don’t recall JBT ever supporting spending money the state didn’t have.

Comment by Anon Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 3:43 pm
I don’t understand all the outrage. Munger’s been a pretty honest broker in this whole mess and repeatedly called out both sides. It’s no secret that RaunerLand isn’t thrilled with her for that reason. She’s been consistent in her bipartisan condemnations. I suppose that independent thinker, Susanna Mendoza, would have fought the brave fight in condemning her own spendthrift party, though.

Comment by Indochine Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 3:44 pm
Blah, blah, blah, Madigan, blah, Brucie, blah, Munger, blah, budget….Just never gets old, does it.

Comment by D.P. Gumby Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 3:46 pm
By failing to mention that Rauner’s proposed budget also requires revenue, Munger doesn’t appear to be objective. Failing to mention the need for revenues (a.k.a. taxes) in practically any budget proposal in order to avoid increasing the backlog makes her more deserving of the title “Rauner’s wingman” than the title of Comptroller. WWJBTD, indeed.

Comment by AC Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 3:47 pm
Old dog. Gotcha

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 3:47 pm
Spoken like a true “Wingman” to Governor Rauner.

So let me get this straight. It’s ‘more irresponsible’ ‘to pass a spending plan that digs us deeper into debt’ than it is ‘to operate without a budget. Why, both plans dig us deeper into debt.

Comment by BeenThereB4 Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 3:55 pm
–You will recall that Munger tossed those checks into a pile with the rest of the state’s past-due bills in April.–

I understand the red-meat populism of not paying legislators when you’re an appointee up for election.

But does the comptroller really just “throw bills in a pile” and deal with them willy-nilly? That’s not a great selling point.

What’s the point of having the gig then? Is there no triage or prioritization regarding payments?

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 3:56 pm
Governor you tried to reach an agreement. It looks like it didn’t happen. They are going to give you a budget.

You either cut it - or specify which taxes you want to increase to pay for it.

Cut or raise taxes or both. It’s the formula that you and all 172 lawmakers have known about for 18 months. Say which cuts you want, say which taxes you will support. Say something besides “no” please.

Comment by siriusly Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 4:02 pm
Just curious, where is the Governors Constitutionally Mandated Balanced Budget?

Comment by Mike Cirrincione Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 4:03 pm
WWJBTD?

Have a “come to Judy” meeting … and proceed to verbally knock some heads together

Comment by RNUG Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 4:03 pm
===proceed to verbally knock some heads together===

They’d be lucky if she stopped at verbal.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 4:12 pm
were all moving out old dog, please dont cry

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 4:14 pm
=== ===proceed to verbally knock some heads together===

They’d be lucky if she stopped at verbal.===

If this is lost on anyone on either side, maybe you need to read-think what public service is really suppose to be about.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 4:17 pm
Another hair brain idea

Comment by Rabid Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 4:19 pm
== They’d be lucky if she stopped at verbal. ==

Rich, that was my edited version; I was trying to hold down the violent imagery.

Comment by RNUG Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 4:21 pm
===our unpaid bills would surge past $15 billion, with payments delayed an unprecedented 8-9 months.===

The various vendors should consider providing the State of Illinois with goods and services only when payment is made in the form of cash on delivery. There is no payment backlog when using a COD payment model.

Comment by Hit or Miss Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 4:21 pm
===Rich, that was my edited version; I was trying to hold down the violent imagery.===

Ok, that made me really laugh.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 4:21 pm
8-9 month delays in the state paying its bills is hardly unprecedented. I know many vendors that have been paid this way for years, which is why the panic hasn’t set in the way it should have.

Comment by burbanite Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 4:27 pm
-OW-

My first thought involved the judicious use of a cue stick.

Comment by RNUG Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 4:27 pm
@ Anonymous 4:14 –

It doesn’t bother me when y’all whine about taxes and say you’re moving out. It’s when you whine and threaten, and then you don’t do it, that it gets tiresome … I get my hopes up, and then you come back and whine and threaten some more. So, just in case you keep whining, “please take a half second to come up with a nickname. It makes following the posts easier for everyone… Thanks.”

Comment by olddog Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 4:27 pm
She’s campaignin’, just like her boss.

Comment by Wensicia Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 4:31 pm
- RNUG -

As long as it was judiciously…

Yeah, bud, that actually made me laugh, it just was plum honest.

To the Post,

When governing, and I mean the governmental functioning of branches and offices, is transformed into not finding solutions but “who” is worse, with no solution…

… everyone strayed too far from where everyone needs to be for Illinois.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 4:34 pm
++Is there no triage or prioritization regarding payments? == I would argue that the Comptroller did reprioritize legislator paychecks when she moved them out of the express lane last month.

Comment by SAP Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 4:50 pm
Seriously, though, did Munger just get this statement directly from the Rauner press shop?

Comment by Handle Bar Mustache Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 5:13 pm
Pssssssh…….does anyone think the Speaker actually cares about his paycheck? His state salary is pocket change compared to his law firm salary.

[snark]

Comment by Just Me Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 5:17 pm
Indochine +1. Well said.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 5:28 pm
Facts are nasty little things. She is correct politics aside. Pay your bills.

Comment by the Cardinal Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 5:29 pm
A 500 page budget bill submitted around 5:00. That does not leave a lot of time to review the bill before a floor vote.

And we wonder why Illinois is $140 Bill in debt? With attention to detail like this? What can go wrong?

Comment by Formerly Known As... Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 5:33 pm
Sounds like to me the solution given Rauner does not like union employees and paying wages is to simply lay off staff. Why not just start dropping the state payroll after all those employees and all the benefits have just been the cause of the problem. Personally I hope they decide that since there is no appropriations nothing has to be paid including wages. Just shut everything down till they figure it out.

My solution is to figure a way to get the tax increase in that is need in any situation. We can blame the Dems on that all they do is tax, but Rauner does not get his labor union agenda that will eventually allow cheap phone line assistance for all programs the state administrates. The GOP does not like big government then shut it down to nothing bare minimum till they get it worked out.

For Rauner this is a toy/venture and he buys something, milks it with patchwork policy and sell. Oh…………..this is a State in the US.

Comment by cleric dcn Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 5:39 pm
This cuts homeless youth funding by over $1,000,000, while the Susan G Komen foundation still gets $130,000?

Susan G Komen foundation netted $242,239,060 in donations last year.

Maybe the state’s $130,000 could be put to better use?

Comment by Formerly Known As... Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 6:17 pm
Did she mention how many billions in the unpaid bill backlog would be saved if the bill were vetoed?…I didn’t think so. Munger politicizing the comptroller’s office means she’s unfit for re-election. Dump her. She’s a Rauner shill.

Comment by PublicServant Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 6:45 pm
Sio it will be less than $15B if there is no budget? Just trying to understand the math there.

Comment by Zapped Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 8:08 pm
== Sio it will be less than $15B if there is no budget? ==

Probably more without a budget …

Comment by RNUG Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 9:25 pm
Seems like the simple solution would be for the Governor to cut spending where he wanted, and then propose the taxes he needs. Am I missing something? Delimma, what you are missing is Rauner reform of state government and workers comp etc. We need the first two pieces, but without the third peace we accomplish nothing and we will be in 2017 to raise taxes again.

Comment by Dandy Edward Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 10:06 pm