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Mt. Sterling mayor wants to organize others

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Illinois

* Remember yesterday when I suggested that prison-town mayors might want to consider banding together to keep the Rauner administration from singling them out? Somebody may be reading…

A City Council in the tiny western Illinois community of Mount Sterling may have voted to keep the water on at the local state prison despite Illinois’ budget impasse, but the payment battle may not be over.

Vada Yingling, city administrator in the community of about 2,000 people, said in an interview with WFMB-1450 AM in Springfield that officials may discuss organizing with other towns also faced with nonpayment of bills from the state. […]

“I think that, you know, as a city, our biggest fear is that our governor would make an example out of the first city who would make a stand,” Yingling said, noting about 100 people packed into the council chambers, many associated with jobs at the prison.

“We had gotten some phone calls from the governor’s office — not from he, himself, but from (the) governor’s office — saying that, you know, ‘Well, it’s a possibility if we have to move those inmates out because of the water being shut off, they may not be moved back and those jobs could be compromised. Do you understand that?’” she told the radio station. […]

Yingling said Mount Sterling buys water from a local water district, and almost half the water the community purchases is for the prison. On the day of the vote, she said, the town shut off seven homes for nonpayment and “their bill is nowhere near the prison’s and the prison is still getting water, so that’s hard to justify.” […]

“I would like to see if it’s somehow possible for all of us (owed money) to come together as a unified front and stay together … that we could somehow join forces and make a mightier stand together rather than individually,” she said. “Maybe the governor can’t say ‘no’ if we stand unified.”

Good luck with that.

* And speaking of mayors, this is from the governor’s office…

As the House of Representatives cancel another planned day of continuous session, more than 40 mayors penned an op-ed urging lawmakers to pass the GOP Leaders stopgap budget proposal and education budget.

This is an excerpt of the op-ed that was published this morning in the State Journal-Register:

As the Illinois General Assembly departed Springfield on May 31 without passing a budget, we now face a very uncertain future that affects not only our government, but more importantly, our citizens. As this budget stalemate continues, we need a plan to ensure funding for schools and local government until a comprehensive budget resolution can be reached.

[…] as of today, schools around the state have received no appropriation for state funding for this upcoming school year. Without this appropriation, schools are left in the precarious position of trying to figure out how to fill the hole the state budget dollars has left. […]

Thankfully, a bill introduced in Springfield by State Rep. Jim Durkin and State Sen. Christine Radogno will fund early childhood, elementary and secondary education for the upcoming school year and ensure our schools open on time this fall. Unlike previously floated education plans, this proposal is fully funded and would not require any additional revenues or add to the state’s ever-increasing bill backlog. Additionally, the bill contains a hold-harmless provision which ensures that any school which would have lost dollars under the current funding formula will at least receive the same amount as they did last year. […]

Another bill introduced by leaders Durkin and Radogno serves as a bridge to keep government functioning and protects public health, welfare and safety. As mayors, it is critically important that we have much-needed funding to address our local infrastructure needs. This fully funded stopgap budget funds the state’s full road construction program in Fiscal Year 2017, including bridge repair and local government road allocations, which are funded predominantly out of motor fuel tax funds and vehicle registration fees. […]

This common-sense plan serves as a bridge that allows schools to open, protects public safety and avoids a government shutdown. This plan is fiscally prudent and fully-funded, contrary to the numerous unfunded, out-of- balance spending plans we’ve seen come out of the legislature this session.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jun 22, 16 @ 10:46 am

Comments

Well Bruce said *downstate* shouldnt pay for Chicagos mess. I’m kinda tired of paying for things downstate. If you want a prison in your town, pay for it yourself.

Isnt it helpful when a Rich Man makes a bold statement?

Comment by Delbert Grady Wednesday, Jun 22, 16 @ 10:48 am
“Madeupvilles”

“Hi, ck-

Sure, 40 towns.

I’m embarrassed for you. I hope you didn’t have to write the letter pretending it was all the ‘Madeupvilles’.

If this administration was a farce or comedy, thus would be a great work-product. It’s not a farce, on purpose at least.

Thanks!

ow”

To the prison towns,

I’d hook up with Social Servives and Democrats, along with Labor…

Choices have consequences.

Good luck.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jun 22, 16 @ 10:52 am
Organize? Like a union for prison town mayors?

Comment by Cheryl44 Wednesday, Jun 22, 16 @ 10:53 am
Well, as a long time Chicago resident, I frankly don’t care what happens in Mt. Sterling. All I know about Mt. Sterling is that I used to pass through it on my way to St. Louis and eat ice cream there.

Good luck on getting those water bills paid. Good luck on dealing with that. I, frankly, don’t care.

That’s what Rauner wants? That’s what he gets. You voted for him — so deal with it.

Hang in there, Mt. Sterling. Don’t let the door swat you on the way out.

Comment by Formerly Known as Frenchie M Wednesday, Jun 22, 16 @ 10:53 am
Everyone facing Rauner’s destruction needs to band together. A broad coalition can be very powerful. Municipalities, public colleges and universities, non profits, for profit businesses, unions, social services, churches, and unions all need to stick together if they are going to survive. November will be here soon, it’s time to get to work.

Comment by AC Wednesday, Jun 22, 16 @ 11:02 am
Run the state like a business? What business doesn’t pay its bills?

Worst. Business. Plan. Ever.

Comment by Dr X Wednesday, Jun 22, 16 @ 11:06 am
“This fully funded stopgap budget funds the state’s full road construction program in Fiscal Year 2017, including bridge repair and local government road allocations, which are funded predominantly out of motor fuel tax funds and vehicle registration fees.”

Where did this come from? IDOT is preparing to shut down the construction season and suddenly there is a bill to fund IDOT?

Comment by Huh? Wednesday, Jun 22, 16 @ 11:09 am
==Well, as a long time Chicago resident, I frankly don’t care what happens in Mt. Sterling==

As someone living downstate for the past decade, I care what happens across the state, and I refuse to let Rauner’s divide and conquer. CPS, SIU, EIU, WIU, NIU, and Mt. Sterling among many other people and places make Illinois better than we would be without them.

Comment by AC Wednesday, Jun 22, 16 @ 11:11 am
I can remember when the incarceration business was introduced as an engine for economic development by the GOP (see Gov. Jim Thompson , Pres. Ron Reagan). I guess with Rauner as the head of the IL-GOP that’s another shake-up of the IL-GOP).

Comment by Qui Tam Wednesday, Jun 22, 16 @ 11:11 am
Thanks for further fueling the downstate contempt for Chicago, Formerly Known as Frenchie M

It further demonstrates to me how far out of touch so many people are with the plight of downstate Illinois. Few people get how perilous the long-term future is for most downstate communities. We are quickly losing our best people and that is going to make it all the harder to recover.

Comment by Shemp Wednesday, Jun 22, 16 @ 11:15 am
===Thanks for further fueling the downstate contempt for Chicago===

Another victim.

Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jun 22, 16 @ 11:17 am
Well, I did forget to put ‘/s’ at the end of the post. Thought it was obvious. Guess not.

Comment by Formerly Known as Frenchie M Wednesday, Jun 22, 16 @ 11:37 am
Why would you travel through Mt. Sterling going to St. Louis from Chicago? Maybe you’re thinking of Mt. Olive.

Comment by Robert the 1st Wednesday, Jun 22, 16 @ 11:41 am
Shemp, I love downstate and get where you’re coming from but answer truthfully: as folks downstate (and in the burbs) continuously elect legislators that leap at every opportunity to take a moral-values based flamethrower to the people of Chicago, push their kids school system towards bankruptcy, shut down their social service organizations in pursuit of vague “reforms”, etc etc - why in the world should Chicagoans like Frenchie care about “the plight of downstate Illinois”?

Comment by Lester Holt's Mustache Wednesday, Jun 22, 16 @ 11:46 am
@Shemp -

with all due respect, Governor Quinn paid his water bills, downstate decided they wanted a change.

Too the post:

Can’t believe that the governor’s office made such an obvious threat to a vendor.

If I were one of the seven folks in Mt. Sterling that had my water shut off, I’d go to court and ask a judge to void the city’s capricious policy of terminating service for some customers but not others.

Comment by Juvenal Wednesday, Jun 22, 16 @ 11:47 am
“organizing with other towns also faced with nonpayment of bills from the state”

I feel the mayor is right in coordinating with other mayors who are owed large sums of money by the State of IL. I hope all of those towns will be paid what they are owed without shutting off the water to prisons, etc..

Comment by Mama Wednesday, Jun 22, 16 @ 11:49 am
It’s a tough day to be a Yingling. Even the one who provides water to the local Sing Sing.

Comment by A guy Wednesday, Jun 22, 16 @ 11:49 am
Love the way they leave out the social service providers they induced to sign contracts and provide services — and now want to either not pay at all for a year of services provided, or pay less than half. Goes along with trying to force better deals at the negotiating table. It’s the WalMart-ization of Illinois.

Comment by SouthernILGirl Wednesday, Jun 22, 16 @ 12:38 pm
“It’s the WalMart-ization of Illinois.”

- SouthernILGirl @ 12:38 pm -
You got that right.

Comment by Mama Wednesday, Jun 22, 16 @ 12:44 pm
Not everyone downstate voted for Mr. Rauner.

Comment by dog lover Wednesday, Jun 22, 16 @ 1:22 pm
SouthernILGirl is right. Plus, here’s the kicker and why it’s even more ridiculous that state agency heads asked providers to help “advocate” for this bill:

If HB6585 is enacted - and SB2038 (human services emergency funding bill still waiting on Rauner’s desk) either becomes law before or after the enactment of HB6585…. HB6585 HAS A PROVISION THAT REPEALS THE SECTION OF SB2038 THAT PROHIBITS THE EXEC FROM REALLOCATING FUNDS TO OTHER BUDGET ITEMS outside the intent of SB2038. Aka Exec could move funds meant for services providers into state agency operations. Specifically, it would repeal ARTICLE 996 of SB2038: “No appropriation authority granted in this Act shall be used for personal services, state contribution for employee group insurance, contractual services, travel, commodities, equipment, permanent improvements, land, electronic data processing, operation of automotive equipment, or telecommunications services, as those terms are defined in Section 13 of the State Finance Act.”

Yes it was an onerous bill to review which most certainly was intentional. These little dangerous nuggets are tucked in towards the end.

Comment by Pesky Details Wednesday, Jun 22, 16 @ 1:30 pm
–What business doesn’t pay its bills? –

Rauner had a track record in the private sector of busting out businesses — loading them up with debt, not paying vendors, and charging them “management fees” that went to his funds.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jun 22, 16 @ 3:40 pm
Yeah, what is it today with everyone whining about the elected official they picked?

Prison water costs money, just like every other “service” that’s been starved out of business. We’re all in it together.

I know AFSCME opposes it, but how do downstaters feel about reducing the prison population?

Comment by State worker Wednesday, Jun 22, 16 @ 4:04 pm
—“Maybe the governor can’t say ‘no’ if we stand unified.”—
But his office could still single out Mt Sterling for organizing this little revolt.
To quote the great OW, “Choices have consequences.”

Comment by Bu Wednesday, Jun 22, 16 @ 5:59 pm