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Rauner previews budget speech, talks up Senate negotiations

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Calling himself the “most frustrated person in the state,” Gov. Bruce Rauner on Tuesday offered a glimpse into his third budget address — saying he’ll try to push along the Illinois Senate’s “grand bargain” plan.

Noting the high-pressure stakes of the plan – which includes a temporary property tax freeze, an income tax hike and changes in pension reform — Rauner spoke on Facebook Live to urge senators to “stay strong and do the right thing for the long-term for the people of Illinois.” […]

On Tuesday, Rauner called criticism that he’s never submitted a “balanced budget” a “common spin.”

“This spin is wrong. I have submitted budgets for two years and now I’m submitting a third budget,” Rauner said, adding that his 2015 budget with $6 billion in cuts was “ignored.”

He has indeed submitted budgets for two years and neither of them were even close to being balanced.

* Garcia, Geiger, BeMiller…

“There are individuals and special interest groups on both ends of the political spectrum, both ends, who don’t want to see any compromise, who don’t want to see any grand bargain, who don’t want to see a budget deal, and they are sending attacks left and right,” said Rauner, who has yet to pass a full-year budget since becoming governor. “But we have got to find compromise. We need to listen to each other, respect each other and come up with some solutions that give us a better future for the long term.”

Rauner’s focus on the Senate plan underscores the likelihood that his own budget address is unlikely to offer much in the way of new ideas. He’s already said that his proposal will mirror the format that was shot down last year, in which he presented a plan that was at least $3.5 billion in the red and asked the Democratic-controlled General Assembly to work with him toward an agreement or to give him the power to make massive cuts on his own.

That approach is again garnering opposition from Democrats who contend the governor is shirking his constitutional duty to present a balanced budget. Rauner was quick to shrug off the criticism, saying Democrats repeatedly have passed out-of-whack spending plans that helped create the state’s money problems.

In person, anyway, the governor is now trying to sound more like “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” than “Hardball.”

Also, the Democrats make a valid point with their criticism, but the Rauner response is also quite valid.

* Finke…

Rauner said a great deal of criticism has been leveled “against those who are trying to find a common sense, bipartisan, centrist compromise.”

“I am a big advocate of compromise,” Rauner said. “We’re all going to have to give in on what we’d love in on what we’d love in a perfect world.”

More Mr. Rogers.

posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 8:59 am

Comments

Notice sent late last night:
In acknowledgement of your demonstrated interest in Illinois school funding, please find below an invitation to a briefing on the Governor’s proposed school year 2017-18 K-12 budget to take place tomorrow, 2/15 at 9:45am in Springfield.

Our apologies for the late notice.

Briefing: Proposed FY18 K-12 Budget
9:45am, Wednesday, February 15
Large Conference Room at Illinois Board of Higher Education
1 North Old State Capitol Plaza, Suite 333
Springfield, IL 62701

Comment by winners and losers Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 9:07 am
This is “Fake Truth?”

Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 9:09 am
Mr. Rogers…

===Calling himself the “most frustrated person in the state,” Gov. Bruce Rauner on Tuesday offered a glimpse into his third budget address — saying he’ll try to push along the Illinois Senate’s “grand bargain” plan.===

Mr. “Shake-Up”, perfectly described…

“I’m frustrated 2, but taking steps towards reforming IL more important than short term budget stalemate.”

We’ll see which observation is more “important”.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 9:10 am
As someone who watched Mr. Rogers in childhood, it sounds like Bruce just got on the trolley to “the neighborhood of make-believe.”

Comment by Anon Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 9:21 am
===submitted budgets for two years and neither of them were even close to being balanced.===

Why is that? As “StatehouseChick” says… “simple”….

Revenue, additional revenue actually, was never figured, for Rauner would begin to own the “Rauner Tax” from Jump Street, and Rauner can’t have that.

Cuts, real or imagined, were never going to equal a balance budget, so again, Rauner left things at the… you guessed it… at the Status Quo.

Phony pension savings everyone and their brother knew were not going to cover the revenue required or keeping funding at levels Rauner wanted out there in press releases… all the while… it’s impossible, for many reasons, for those a ins to be realized.

So, Rauner submitted his outlines, and if Rauner wants to own these outlines as a budget, and Raunerites want to own these two “budgets” as Rauner’s… fine.

Then the grossly out of whack “budgets”, instead of calling them “working outlines”, are the Rauner examples of continuing the Status Quo, less the revenue, less the budgetary requirements of balance, and Rauner has failed… twice… and counting.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 9:21 am
The Rauner response was indeed “quite valid”. But coming out of the Governor’s mouth, was also quite disingenuous.

Comment by Henry Francis Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 9:24 am
Governor doesn’t need any authority from the GA to make cuts to a budget; that is within his powers to either AV any budget or to reserve a percentage of any agencies budget after a budget is approved.

What the Governor wants, and does not have (and will not get from this GA), is an unlimited ability to cut one agency and transfer the cut funds to a different agency. Doesn’t work that way in government.

He doesn’t like the restrictions; he’s used to playing fast and loose with funds in the private sector.

Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 9:26 am
“We’re all gonna have to give in what we would love” how about you give in on your demands to Afscme and return to the table you hypocrite. The only ones sacrificing are the citizens of this state who were foolish to believe that a Koch puppet had their interest at heart.

Comment by Generic Drone Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 9:27 am
I’m taking the over on dropped g’s. I predict around 70. He needs to be ultra folksy to try to convey sincerity with the stuff he’ll be saying today.

Did anyone else notice no dropped g’s in the video he sent to state employees?

Comment by Anon1234 Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 9:28 am
==most frustrated person in the state==

I think any one of the 62 providers of shelter, counseling and advocacy for victims of domestic abuse would disagree.

Comment by Jocko Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 9:33 am
As long as Governor Rauner has Lady Elaine Fairchild on board with his proposals then I am A-OK.

Comment by Curl of the Burl Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 9:35 am
Uncle Fuzzy just wants everyone to get along, and hopes the kids in the Senate can figure it all out for him because he’s just powerless to do anything.

Like everything else Rauner has done the last two years, this latest act is another lame attempt to avoid any responsibility or accountability.

That’s what the Raunerbots write here all day, every day: it’s not his fault. That’s the dominant message, every day.

Why do some politicians and lawyers think they’re good actors? This particular bit is just embarrassingly contrived and senseless. You’re the governor; it’s the big job.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 9:35 am
If the Dems had a coherent messaging scheme - they would have the proposed budget analyzed and ready to get blown up as out of whack by 3:00 p.m.

That’s a big if.

Comment by Dee Lay Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 9:38 am
We can try and throw all the blame possible at Rauner but that won’t fix the problems. The legislature has been and continues to be absentee landlords in this state. All they can find time to get done is a Zombie Preparedness bill. Come on people, this goes beyond party affiliation, this is about ensuring that we have a state that works and ensures that those most vulnerable are provided for. All of you who love to pontificate on this site would do better to demand our legislators actually do their jobs.

Comment by NeverPoliticallyCorrect Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 9:41 am
=“I am a big advocate of compromise,” Rauner said.=

Prove it and get something done.

=Rauner was quick to shrug off the criticism, saying Democrats repeatedly have passed out-of-whack spending plans that helped create the state’s money problems.=

So what. Does that now absolve you of the responsibility for proposing a balanced budget? Moral relativism at it’s finest. School yard excuse making.

The failure of past and present leadership does not mean it is ok for you to fail as well. Be better.

I remember the campaign where you stated you would get it done, do it better, be more transparent, be honest.

To date, governor, you are 0-4.

Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 9:47 am
===All of you who love to pontificate on this site would do better to demand our legislators actually do their jobs.===

LOL…

===He (Gov. Rauner) has indeed submitted budgets for two years and neither of them were even close to being balanced.===

Your “frustration” isn’t aimed too well…

Article VIII, Section 2, (a).

Unless you think Rauner continuing the Status Quo…

===We can try and throw all the blame possible at Rauner but that won’t fix the problems.===

What, asking any governor who ran “against” the Status Quo and can’t formulate a balanced budget… and you’re “Kool” with that?

Also…

What governor, any governor, allows any legislature to dictate the budget to them? The legislature is going to weigh and measure Rauner’s priorities… for Rauner? LOL!

Start with the Department of Aging, let’s say. The legislature is going to tell Rauner the “worth” of his own agency?

Do you even realize how incredibly and fundamentally messed up that is? It’s bizarre.

But, you go on, it’s the “decades” stuff, not about this governor refusing to be a governor.

That works.

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 9:49 am
“I’m a big advocate of compromise.”

Please provide evidence. I imagine pretty much everyone not on your payroll - AFSCME, Dems, social services without the word “Ounce” in their title - may disagree.

Comment by The_Equalizer Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 9:50 am
Tonight Rauner should endorse the entire Senate compromise, and ask the Gang of 9 House Dems to do the same. Do his part to move the state forward, and if it doesn’t pass, much of the media will join him in blaming Madigan.

He’d win either way.

Comment by Wishful Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 9:56 am
The fact that the Governor believes he is the “most frustrated person in this State” is indicative of the incredible lack of empathy and disconnectedness of his administration.
I do not believe this Governor is more frustrated or devastated by this impasse than the woman or child who was raped but could not get immediate counseling or care because of budget cuts… I do not believe this Governor is more frustrated or devastated by the impasse than the parent who was laid off as a civil servant at a state university over a year ago even though he was told he was a great worker and his work functions were still needed… or the single mother who works at a state university and has already missed nearly a month’s pay in the past year and now is looking at possibly a similar year of furloughs if this continues to drag on… or the State employee whose kid’s breathing machine which literally keeps him alive was threatened for repossession.. He’s clearly not as frustrated as the 10s of thousands of Illinoisans who’ve literally been packing up and moving elsewhere.
We don’t all have hundreds of millions of dollars in the bank and the resulting ability to dabble as a volunteer Governor. Some of us have to deposit a paycheck every pay period to provide shelter and food and maybe a future for our young kids.

Comment by TownGown Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 10:01 am
Beth Purvis just told the 9:45 AM briefing:
“Capitol Fax incorrect this morning. Stated MCATs [mandatory categoricals] frozen. Actually Regular transportation increased by $107 million and English Language Learners by $38 million. That is why it is important not to write about things before you know the facts.”

Comment by winners and losers Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 10:01 am
How dare he say he’s the “most frustrated person in the State”. The most vulnerable citizens of Illinois are SUFFERING as a direct result of his “my way or the highway” approach to governing. He needs to immediately and humbly apologize for this statement. What a careless and unfeeling choice of words.

He has a constitutional obligation to serve the people of Illinois and his failure to do so has been devastating to many lives.

Words matter Governor. Apologize now. You obviously have no concept of the depth of the people’s frustration with your refusal to do your job!

Comment by (un)Happy Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 10:02 am
–Tonight Rauner should endorse the entire Senate compromise, and ask the Gang of 9 House Dems to do the same. Do his part to move the state forward, and if it doesn’t pass, much of the media will join him in blaming Madigan.

He’d win either way.–

You’re presuming that Rauner has not been “winning” on his own squeeze-the-beast terms.

As a governor, you don’t initiate and preside over this kind of destruction unless you want it to happen.

Did you catch this story yesterday?

–Illinois officials waited more than five months to alert dozens of domestic violence programs that their funding had been eliminated, an omission that has forced layoffs and other cuts at some facilities, according to interviews and documents reviewed by The Associated Press.–

They let them keep working, spending money, and incurring debt, knowing full well they were never going to pay them. For five months.

That’s who we’re dealing with; someone who would do that.

Those are real facts.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 10:10 am
“We’re all going to have to give in on what we’d love in on what we’d love in a perfect world.”

What Rauner didn’t say, “and by ‘we’ I mean ‘you’, just surrender already!”

Comment by PDJT Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 10:44 am
” big advocate of compromise” - he either doesn’t know the meaning of the word or believes he can fool most of the people all of the time.

Comment by Skeptical Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 10:55 am
=“Capitol Fax incorrect this morning. Stated MCATs [mandatory categoricals] frozen. Actually Regular transportation increased by $107 million and English Language Learners by $38 million. That is why it is important not to write about things before you know the facts.”=

Dr. Purvis, with all do respect you may claim that you increased funding by a billion dollars if you want to, it is entirely meaningless when you are not paying any of the claims.

Your claim for regular transportation is dubious at best when one understands that the claims were “prorated” or reduced not once, but twice. The first time the claims were reduced by 39% and then that total was reduced by another 20%. Leaving districts with a reimbursement of less than 50% of claimable expenses for services mandated (hence Mandated Categorical) by the state of Illinois. In addition, none of the claim is being paid.

The reductions disproportionately impact large geographic districts, especially rural districts. On the other hand, CPS receives a lump sum proportion of state transportation funds (roughly 23% of total transportation funding if memory serves)from the state. I do not know if that was “prorated” but I don not believe so.

If funding for regular transportation was increased by $107 million, what is that in relation to? Last years total, which was similarly prorated or reduced? if it was increased where?

Maybe you should get the facts before commenting.

With respect.

Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 11:34 am
“I’m a big advocate of compromise.”

Sure he is.Just ask AFSCME.

Comment by btowntruth from forgotonnia Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 11:43 am
–Dr. Purvis, with all do respect you may claim that you increased funding by a billion dollars if you want to, it is entirely meaningless when you are not paying any of the claims.–

A fake billion dollars from the fake “secretary of education.”

What a way to make a grifter livin’ — but $250K a year in ghost pay from DHS can be such a comfort when charged with peddlin’ such perfidy.

Who is surprised by that, at this point?

Words are meaningless, actions reveal all.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 11:57 am
After reading the early edition to the CapFax, I walked away sick to my stomach. All the great one(Rauner) could talk about was which TAX(es) were ok by him. Didn’t specify any spending cuts. Folks, if all we can do is keep raising taxes and hope some mythical increases in revenue due to TA bail this state out, then our future as a solvent state are OVER. It is a never ending cycle. Tax, overspend, over promise. Doom and gloom.

Comment by blue dog dem Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 1:41 pm