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* Sen. Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) was interviewed by a local TV reporter about the budget…
“There’s gonna be a difference this year, though. Last year, when we separated out the K-12 budget, we passed a whole-year budget on that. It took all the pressure off of the rest of the budget talks.
“If you don’t open schools on time, everybody is upset. If you shut down social services or cause some pain to universities, somehow that doesn’t affect everybody. It’s still serious, but the immediate effect isn’t seen throughout the state.
“I’m a believer this year that if we’re really serious about getting the budget done, we don’t separate out and fund K-12 for a whole year and then have a mess with the rest of the budget. I say: ‘Shut the schools down until we get a budget.’”
Koehler said the reason the Exelon bailout bill passed was because of a believable threat to shut down two nuclear power plants.
Senate President John Cullerton made a similar threat a year ago and it never materialized. Doing such a thing in an election year was just way too dangerous.
Your thoughts?
*** UPDATE 1 *** From Cullerton’s press secretary…
“The Senate President remains focused on a full, fair and balanced budget for all of Illinois, one that rightfully prioritizes education. It’s a focus that he believes the other legislative leaders and governor all share and is why he remains optimistic that a deal can be reached.”
Doesn’t look like Cullerton agrees with Koehler.
*** UPDATE 1 *** From an e-mail to Illinois School Funding Reform Commission members…
Colleagues,
On behalf of Governor Rauner, I would like to wish you all a happy and peaceful holiday season. In these final days of the calendar year, I hope that you will reflect on and appreciate the importance of your work.
On Wednesday, the Illinois School Funding Reform Commission will hold its 11th meeting. Over the last several months, the 25 commission members, along with countless advocates and staff have worked to understand the necessary requirements for an improved PK-12 funding formula. These bi-partisan, bi-cameral meetings have featured spirited, yet professional, discussions to determine how to both increase funding to our most at-risk students and set an adequacy target that recognizes the unique strengths and needs of each community.
I appreciate greatly the willingness of every commission member to engage in thoughtful – and sometimes tedious – analysis of each issue. Given the unprecedented investment of the FY2017 PK-12 budget that was enacted by the General Assembly and signed by the Governor, these efforts afford cautious optimism for the future. I thank all of you who have attended meetings, given written feedback, or spoken with members of the commission.
In light of the commission’s work, comments made recently by Senator Dave Koehler (D-Peoria) that Illinois should “shut the schools down until we get a budget” are irresponsible so we are not commenting on his intent. This is not, nor will it ever be, the position of Governor Rauner who has made it clear that funding PK-12 education is the number one priority of his administration. The Governor will continue to push me and the rest of his team to find a pathway to funding that will meet the needs of all Illinois residents. Right now, that includes working to ensure that backlogged FY2016 Q4 payments are released by Comptroller Mendoza’s office.
Again, thank you for work and dedication on behalf of Illinois children.
Best,
Beth
Dr. Beth Purvis
Secretary of Education
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 11:55 am
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Comment by Saluki Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 11:59 am
It’s never not dangerous to do this. Not sure how secure this guy’s seat is, but I have a feeling we’re going to find out.
Comment by A guy Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 12:01 pm
So what Sen. Koehler is saying is, “Crisis creates leverage.”
Comment by Skeptic Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 12:04 pm
Sometimes I think Rauner should just hire these guys for his PR department. That ad writes itself.
“Senator Dave Koehler wants to secure a tax hike for Boss Madigan so bad, he’s willing to shut down your kid’s school to get it.”
Comment by JohnnyPyleDriver Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 12:07 pm
A governor that can’t keep open K-12 schools because of an agenda isn’t a governor looking out for the students of Illinois.
Hyperbole?
Why is it that Rauner made sure the only “thing” he did sign to fund was, you guessed it, K-12.
Playing chicken with K-12 schools being open or closed is not the way EITHER side should think is the only way to get Illinois better.
Do this at the risk of losing weeks and months of education for students all over Illinois.
A governor wouldn’t let that happen. Rauner avoided this twice now… can Rauner avoid it a 3rd time?
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 12:07 pm
This is as courageous a statement anyone in Illinois politics can make. Why? Because it’s actually intellectually honest. Not doing this exactly is more of the same. Kick the can. Bravo to him for daring to be honest in Illinois Politics.
Comment by EchoTheBunnyman Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 12:10 pm
OW… Spot on as always. No more gimmicks. 3rd time would be tough, I hope.
Comment by EchoTheBunnyman Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 12:12 pm
Sen. Koehler, you just made Gov. Rauner’s day. You’re going to get pounded now just for shooting the breeze on the idea: “Democrats for closing schools, against job-creating reforms (and Christmas).”
Not going to happen, anyway. The governor and GA are all chicken-stuff to “go first” on a reasonable budget — who’s really going to “take the lead” on shutting down K-12?
–Koehler said the reason the Exelon bailout bill passed was because of a believable threat to shut down two nuclear power plants.–
I don’t buy that analogy at all. Exelon/ComEd did what they’ve done for decades — ask for the moon and the stars, and when they “settle” for just the moon, their bipartisan band of water-carriers can claim “victory” for consumers.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 12:14 pm
I’ve been in favor of this approach for some time. It’s the only thing in the state that would put enough pressure on the executive and legislative branches to get a full budget done. I view it as “leaving no hostages behind.”
I come across as a little cruel when I advocate it, especially when I opposed a stopgap to take care of K-12 this past fall as opposed to a full budget. I think it’s the best chance to get social services and higher education funded, at whatever level, and to stop digging the financial hole ever deeper, day after day after day. Getting some vendors paid would be a great sort of stimulus package for the state.
Comment by Earnest Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 12:16 pm
Wow
Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 12:17 pm
- EchoTheBunnyman -
Thanks for the kind words.
The ridiculously sad part in all of this is the game of chicken that everyone knows has to end can’t be ended by the premise of closing K-12 schools as a leverage that now looks to hurt everyone with only an agenda that can’t find the common ground.
What a mess.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 12:21 pm
Bossmadigan.com in 3….2….1….
Come May if your a Dem not on that list people will talk.
Comment by DuPage Bard Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 12:21 pm
Attaboy, let’s make innocent school children our political pawns.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 12:23 pm
He is probably right. Now if he can get enough legislators to go along with him….????
Comment by downstate commissioner Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 12:23 pm
I agree. I also think state employees should not get paid until there is a budget, but that’s another matter.
Conceptually Koehler’s recommendation may be able to accomplish one thing - pain. Not acute pain, which is what social workers and not for profits have been having to manage. Rather, real universal, septic, pain is what’s needed to get a budget deal done.
Democrats and Republicans alike will have to face uber heated constituencies and answer for the lack of a budget. It is only then that we can begin real discourse on the Governor’s agenda and the push against it.
C’mon, if my kid can’t go to school I’m going to want to know why. If you say its because of X, well I’m going to want you to explain X and why it is more important than opening schools. You know, its just like that book…If you give a mouse a cookie…
Comment by GetOverIt Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 12:26 pm
“Attaboy, let’s make innocent school children our political pawns.”
So you are okay with the current hostages? Are they less “innocent”?
Comment by Ole' Nelson Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 12:29 pm
I think this comment is even more astute when you look at the amount of people leaving the state. At your holiday gatherings, take an informal poll of college seniors. How many apply in state? If they are above average students see how many want to stay? I know of 8 in this position and none have applied or considered our state. It’s not like 20 years ago that it was too expensive to be out of state. Scary as well.
Comment by EchoTheBunnyman Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 12:30 pm
May or may not work but it seems to be one of the few leverage points that Rauner cares about.
Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 12:46 pm
Anon @ 12:23 But people with developmental disabilities reliant on state funded social services for their safety and well being are somehow not innocent pawns? Kudos to Cullerton and Koehler for trying to end the so far successful carve-out and conquer strategy.
Comment by Disability Advocate Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 12:54 pm
So now the Dems want some hostages…great /s
Didn’t the new sheriff of Rock Ridge try this stunt when he got to town?!?
Comment by frisbee Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 1:00 pm
Tragic to equate the leverage of closing two nuclear plants with the closing of all public schools.
Comment by walker Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 1:01 pm
I’m not a fan of this idea. I actually hate it. I get the concept but I’m going to argue about the broader viewpoint and impact. Social services are vital and needed but they don’t impact everyone. Vendors need to be paid but not everyone uses a vendor and vendors aren’t everywhere. Public schools are in every county and almost every village/town/city. Schools are often all-encompassing in terms of services (breakfast/lunch/snacks, before/after school programs, transportation, extracurricular programs, etc.). In some areas - such as downstate communities and poorer neighborhoods in Chicago and Cook County - there are either no alternatives to public education or the populace can’t afford private education. Schools are everywhere and have a broader community impact than anything else our state funds. And while some schools could stay open for a short time it’s clear that many districts would close up shop almost immediately and put parents in a bind.
Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 1:04 pm
Democrats through their decades of financial shenanigans have been piling debt on these students who hopefully will become Illinois taxpayers. Now over 50 % of state funding for higher education goes for - you guessed it pensions!
Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 1:07 pm
The kids will still have to be in class the required number of days. So its somewhat of an empty offer. Sen Koehler has to know this. Mean while some of the schools in the University system are contracting to levels they may not be able to recover from. Kids going out of state for college are not coming back to this hot mess. Greener pastures lie ahead for them. #thebraindraincontinues
Comment by NorthsideNoMore Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 1:07 pm
Takeaways from the interview:
19 minute mark: Koehler states rank and file needs to take over the budget process, and Barickman keeps up the “Blame Madigan” game and Koehler won’t play. Barickman even claims that the R’s have stood up to Rauner, whereas the D’s haven’t to the Speaker. Is Dunkin his model for buckin’ Madigan???
8:20- Koehler makes his statement on closing K-12 down to change the dynamics of this mess. Barickman looks visibly shaken.
4:30 mark- Koehler asks, “What is it going to take to get to a budget?” At 3:50 he continues, “It’s not like we’re saving money (referring to social services cuts), we’re just deferring it in other ways (police having to take on mental health issues).”
As far as the Exelon analogy-
Exelon had over 40 lobbyists working on the “Clean Jobs Bill”. Just think how many “lobbyists” will be breaking down EVERY door in Springfield if K-12 is threatened. it won’t be pretty, to say the least, but IMO it will need to be done. There will be “Blame…”, there will be lists, there will be robocalls and Proftness- those are givens. But Rauner believes he is 1st down and goal as long as he has the K-12 ball. Compromise does not live at the 10 yard line. There needs to be a “flag” on Rauner’s play.
Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 1:10 pm
===Democrats through their decades of financial shenanigans…===
That would include Thompson, Edgar, and Ryan…
… since we’re talking “decades” and all…
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 1:13 pm
==Democrats through their decades of financial shenanigans have been piling debt on these students==
Yeah. The Democrats didn’t have any help. /s
You are a piece of work.
Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 1:14 pm
Yes OW you sure are a forceful advocate for ending the financial shenanigans
Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 1:16 pm
===…you sure are a forceful advocate for ending the financial shenanigans===
For 1.4% and $500 million… the destroying of Social Services and destroying Labor?
That’s the ROI?
Who would advocate that return?
You? Rauner? lol
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 1:18 pm
Yes by all means lets reform nothing and continue the unbalanced budgets that produce record exodus of Illinois residents
Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 1:26 pm
===Yes by all means lets reform nothing and continue the unbalanced budgets that produce record exodus of Illinois residents.===
1) Not one person has said that.
2) Rauner signed and hailed a stop gap $8 billion out of whack.
… Rauner signed that months ago, not decades ago.
What else ya got?
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 1:29 pm
The Governor signed Senator Cullerton’s stop gap proposal and the Speaker wants no reforms and another “successful” stop gap budget.
Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 1:34 pm
@ Team Sleep 1:04 pm
Sigh. You’re right and make good sense. I’d probably cave rather than put so many kids and families in a really bad spot.
In my younger days, I did some work with kids who had severe behavioral issues. Back then I was very fond of “being right,” so it took me awhile to learn the lesson that, even if you’re the adult and you think you’re right, it makes no sense to get into a power struggle over anything unless you’re willing to take it as far as the kid will. Since some of them would go so far as to destroy things or hurt themselves, you’ll never be able to help them unless you come at it a different way. With the kids I learned, was able to be of help to many of them, and became a better person because of it. With the state of Illinois’ governance, my inclination towards power-struggling is likely the wrong instinct.
Comment by Earnest Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 1:36 pm
===The Governor signed…===
Governors own their signatures…
Governors own their Vetoes.
Do you remotely understand governing? At all?
No one forced the governor to sign anything.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 1:38 pm
Lucky Pierre-
I’m all in for any reform with an ROI that can stand up to objective evaluation. So let’s start with just one reform. Explain one “reform” that will have a measurable impact on the budget; you get to choose the metric by which it’s evaluated and the first shot at presenting the math to support it. Please just tell me about one and we can go from there.
Comment by Markus Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 1:39 pm
Yes I understand governing OW and I know you are an advocate of the Madigan stonewall. He owns nothing as far as you are concerned
Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 1:45 pm
===Yes I understand governing… ===
Then a Governor’s signature… Governors own
“Pat Quinn failed”.
Capiche?
===… you are an advocate of the Madigan stonewall. He owns nothing as far as you are concerned===
If you read McKinney like you said you did, and I am a believer in that, how can you type what you did, knowing I advocate the McKinney work?
So… you’re willfully ignorant, or blissfully unaware?
You pick, lol
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 1:48 pm
Earnest - thanks. I put some serious thought into that before I typed it out. I should make that my M.O. from now on.
My wife and I are blessed enough to be able to send our kids to a private school system and we do not want for basic needs. But after being involved in a school program at a local public elementary school it is eye opening how much those kids and their families receive in the way of services. We had nowhere near the services available when I was in school - even in my rural home district - and I’m not that old. Kids get breakfast, lunch and often a snack after school. A lot of kids do before and after care or some sort of after school program run by a church or NFP organization. There are a lot of counseling/outreach services. And this is just in Springfield, so I’m sure the list of services and assistance is comparable or even bigger in other large cities and counties.
Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 1:51 pm
Day after day you browbeat Rauner and ignore the Speaker’s obstruction. You are what you write
Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 1:53 pm
===Rauner and ignore the Speaker’s obstruction===
“Pat Quinn failed”
Skyhook, in reverse.
Can’t deny a Governor’s signature, can’t ignore a Governor’s Veto.
“… budget with reforms… ” - Rauner wants, or no budget. That’s not on anyone but him.
“Changin’ is hard” - Rauner requires the change, that’s on him, not on anyone else.
Also, you ignored the McKinney bit. But, you already knew that.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 1:57 pm
Team Sleep. You are on to something.
Comment by Blue dog dem Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 1:59 pm
The SJ-R had a good article on the state of the State’s schools. As TS pointed out, schools are having to offer a lot more services than in the past, and a lot of it is tied to poverty levels.
http://www.sj-r.com/news/20161218/illinois-school-districts-see-surge-in-low-income-families
Rauner’s “leverage” has consequences, and K-12 is seeing some of those magnify.
Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 2:03 pm
What has the Speaker done to fix the pension crisis that he, more than anyone else currently in Springfield helped create after 2002? He did not have and Republican obstruction to worry about and Democrats could have implemented any proposal they liked.
He finally passed a pension reform bill in 2013 that was ruled unconstitutional.
Since that time he has made no effort to pass Senator Cullerton’s pension reform proposal.
Yes I see what you mean, the Speaker is a reformer and Rauner should just buckle under and raise taxes all on his own.
Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 2:06 pm
- Lucky Pierre -
Being a victim to your imagined truth isn’t reality.
Again, you don’t respond to any of my points.
===Rauner should just buckle under and raise taxes all on his own.===
Because of #TaxHikeMike, Rauner can raise taxes, and then the Rauner Tax will indeed have lots of Raunerites “green”
… unless Rauner has a budget without any needed revenue.
LOL!
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 2:10 pm
Hilarious OW I can see why you are laughing out loud
Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 2:13 pm
- Lucky Pierre -
When you have actual facts to counter my points, get back to me.
So far, you don’t.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 2:18 pm
Sen. Koehler is just putting his own party at risk. Both parties seem to be holding up fairly well despite the degradation of social services and public universities.
Comment by BK Bro Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 2:18 pm
According to do some data that I’ve looked at, Senator Koehler has 27 school districts in his senate district. 20 of them could make it an entire year without state funding. The school that is the worst off is South Pekin SD 137 and it would last about four months into the new FY without funding. So, they could drag it out until Halloween of 2017 before Koehler’s district saw any damage.
Comment by Crosstab Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 2:23 pm
==What has the Speaker done to fix the pension crisis that he, more than anyone else currently in Springfield helped create after 2002==
If you think the pension crisis was created after 2002 then you don’t have any idea what you are taking about. People like to gripe about the 3% compounded AAI. Do you know who signed that? Jim Thompson. And one of the biggest pension “sweeteners” passed was the ERI under George Ryan. What’s my point? That it’s laughable to try and lay the blame for pensions at the feet on one man.
Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 2:31 pm
==Yes I see what you mean, the Speaker is a reformer and Rauner should just buckle under and raise taxes all on his own.==
If there were a Golden Horseshoe award for perpetual victim you would win hands down.
Comment by Demoralized Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 2:32 pm
Excellent point Team Sleep. Here in East St. Louis the schools fed the kids even during the strike. It’s the only good meal many many kids get here in this epicenter of poverty. Cut off k-12 and kids will quite literally starve. Plus the kids are warm at school. Many do not have proper coats. Do you remember last year me posting about a daddy and little girl going to school? She was wearing daddy’s zip up hoodie jacket leaving dad in a t shirt on a very cold day. I will never forget that. Cutting off k-12 would have big consequences besides inconvenienced suburban parents.
Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 2:40 pm
== What has the Speaker done to fix the pension crisis that he, more than anyone else currently in Springfield helped create after 2002? ==
The pension “crisis” in Illinois has been around in one form or another since about 1910. Don’t think Madigan was running the state then.
As to Madigan specifically, yes, he was one, repeat, only one of the delegates to the 1970 Con Con that enacted the Pension Clause in the hope it would force proper state funding. Yes, he helped pass various kick the can “reforms” … but you can only pass what you have the votes for and the Governor will agree to sign.
== He finally passed a pension reform bill in 2013 that was ruled unconstitutional.==
As will almost any other so-called pension reform, including Cullerton’s as modified by Rauner.
We have forty years of court rulings that, in sum, add up to one statement: you have to pay the pensions as they exist, period, end of discussion. Which means the only pension “reform” left is to just restructure the debt and find the revenue to pay it.
Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 2:58 pm
I wish that Sen. Koehler was right. I have been advocating for this from September 2015. If anything would hasten the end of this ghastly destructive impasse, it would be including K-12 among the other “innocent” hostages.
Comment by Pawn Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 2:59 pm
The other leverage point, possibly coming soon, is to stop pay for all state employees. Seriously doubt if challenged that the judge, after over a year, will buy the previous argument a second time that the State can’t tell who is paid with Federal funds.
Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 3:04 pm
@Lucky, I don’t believe Cullerton’s pension proposal which Rauner seems to have legit interest in, will be thrown out by the court too. Among the “consideration” that needs to be part of any bill, needs to include the choice to keep what you have now. Any bill that doesn’t include that option is just more kicking the can down the road.
Comment by The Dude Abides Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 3:08 pm
Proposed “reforms” with supportable ROI- ZERO
Ethereal Republican ideological rhetoric - Continuous Loop
Comment by Markus Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 3:08 pm
Demoralized- for any readers with short memories- let’s not forget that Jim (IEA)Thompson as part of his 3 percent COLA give away on his way out the door included language in the law that increased his own pension by a HUGE amount
Comment by Sue Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 3:30 pm
I really wish one of the geniuses who works for Rauner would educate him that there is really no lawful pension reform available for existing people. I rather see him reduce his demands to a Madigan to 1- agree to the final implementation of the ACSFME contract proposal and move on
Comment by Sue Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 3:33 pm
To the Update 2- “… irresponsible so we are not commenting on his intent.”
So…. what was Rauner’s “intent” when he almost forgot about K-12 funding in his first total veto of a state budget??? Care to comment on that, Dr. Purvis???
Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 3:39 pm
Since the Governor apparently feels that holding CPS students, parents and teachers hostage with his recent veto, maybe it’s only fair to see how the technique works on the rest of the state.
Comment by northsider (the original) Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 3:41 pm
RNUG, what makes you think a stop pay for all state employees is coming soon? I not being a contrarian, I’m just curious because I expected it from the beginning and I keep being wrong. It seems the AG has abandoned any pretense of moving her challenge forward. I can’t see her or Munger taking the political hit for a stop pay just because of the pesky constitution.
Comment by Unsolicited Advice Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 3:52 pm
Living Savior……I hope to God the AG doesn’t pop the nuke if canceling all pay. I’d forgotten about that. Talk about workforce collapse. Ugggh how awful. Trolls would love it here. It wouldn’t solve anything. They would expect us to still come to work.
Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 4:36 pm
Wasn’t there a pension bill in 2011? Tier 2 I believe it was called.
How much is Beth Purvis being paid to be a contractor “for a couple months” since Rauner took office?
Is that coming out of the K-12 budget?
Comment by DuPage Bard Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 4:47 pm
Purvis is probably the most talented staffer in the administration. If she were allowed to negotiate the budget we might have one
Comment by Sue Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 4:47 pm
- Unsolicited Advice -
I replied but not seeing it on my phone. Hope it’s just delayed in posting.
Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 4:47 pm
== I hope to God the AG doesn’t pop the nuke if canceling all pay. ==
Short version of my long answer I don’t see … -HB-, it might save AFSCME from self-destructing with a strike that the members won’t sustain more than a week or two.
Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 4:56 pm
Honeybear, I agree with you that it would be awful and cause a crisis, but I disagree (respectfully) that it wouldn’t change anything. I think it should have happened on day one and this budget impass would have been over in a week or two tops. If it happened now we’d get a budget faster.
Comment by Unsolicited Advice Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 5:00 pm
=Purvis is probably the most talented staffer in the administration. If she were allowed to negotiate the budget we might have one=
After meeting Purvis and hearing her speak a couple of times along with Tony Smith, I was hopeful. They seemed like they understood the situation and what priorities should be.
In her two years she has yet to do/accomplish anything of substance. There has been nothing new out of ISBE or the governors office that has been impactful for schools.
So if your post is true, that she is the most talented, well…that makes a lot of sense as to why Illinois is in the worst shape ever.
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 5:17 pm
- Unsolicited Advice -
Still not seeing it. Here’s short version without all the rationale, Mendoza might set it off to save AFSCME from a strike that may not succeed.
Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 5:34 pm
Don’t forget to pad lock those doors as well.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 9:05 pm
JS Mill… Remember how Koch was not a world beater and was a shill for Quinn… I think having Purvis at her salary along with Tony Smith make me long for Chris Koch!
Comment by EchoTheBunnyman Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 9:28 pm
Well you have a good point RNUG. Honestly I’m not real sure we’d even get to a strike. I’m not revealing anything here, but we’re struggling to stay alive here. I’m doing okay personally but many if not most of my colleagues live paycheck to paycheck. You may be totally right but I fear any work stoppage will be the final blow to our loyal workforce. I’m very concerned that we will falter and not get back up. Just like with DCEO in the other post. They didn’t even get their major program reauthorized. It’s that they no longer have the functionality to do it. They have been gutted and no longer function. I fear every agency will soon be like that.
Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Dec 20, 16 @ 9:33 pm