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* Do you have any new ideas for ending this impasse?…
IL late payments hit record high, and only going higher if grand bargain isn’t passed. #SenateSolution pic.twitter.com/TdsRjjRs5d
— IL Senate Democrats (@ILSenDems) March 17, 2017
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:17 pm
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Stop making the perfect the enemy of the good.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:20 pm
It will only end when either Rauner is defeated or Senate and House Republicans revolt against him.
Comment by Illinois O'Malley Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:22 pm
????? What else can be done. Speaker Madigan was effectively removed from the discussion, and a compromise died.
It’s really up to Gov. Rauner at this point. If he wants a budget, we get one. If he doesn’t, we don’t. I really think it’s that simple.
Comment by Try-4-Truth Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:22 pm
Legalize and tax Cannabis.
Comment by Jerry Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:23 pm
Rauner needs to get off the dime.
Comment by Flynn's mom Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:24 pm
Place this years revenue into a giant suitcase. The Speaker and the Governor each place a hand on the suitcase. Whoever can keep his hand on the suitcase longer decides what to do with the revenue. No takesies backsies.
Comment by AlfondoGonz Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:24 pm
Turn all the charts and graphs upside-down?
Comment by SAP Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:28 pm
Pretend it is like redistricting. Draw a plan out of Lincoln’s hat.
Comment by DuPage Saint Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:28 pm
Every state, teacher, and university employee call in sick on same day.
Comment by illinoised Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:29 pm
Some rank-and-file legislator introduce a bill that does as follows:
Modify the appropriation process so that it ends with a budget no later than, say, March.
Set the tax rate for the second half of the current calendar year and first half of the next calendar year to collect enough to fully fund the appropriated amount (plus for several years some portion of unpaid bills).
Any overcollections or undercollections are added or subtracted from the next year’s budget.
That would give both parties an incentive to find savings, and would also provide better transparency to the public.
You might say this is politically unrealistic, but so is the turnaround agenda and a tax increase alone.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:30 pm
I don’t see how there can be any solution until someone blinks. The Senate is at least trying, but Rauner doesn’t seem to think their attempt is good enough, and I personally doubt Madigan would have gone along with the Grand Bargain either. Both Madigan and Rauner have drawn their lines in the sand and refuse to budge. And no one will bite the bullet and propose cuts (mostly talking about Rauner there, since he is supposed to propose a budget). Somebody has to stick their neck out a little, take some risk and do something they find unpleasant. Not new or insightful I know but it’s what I got, sorry.
Comment by Perrid Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:32 pm
Maybe not a new idea, but end the impasse by focusing on the budget, that is revenue and spending. Fashion a New Grand Bargain out of revenue and spending.
Comment by The Real Just Me Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:33 pm
One small breakthrough could lead to others. One of Rauner’s few weak points is the K-12 schools. Two of the things he is passionate about is pension reform and local control.
So, yesterday, I tossed out an idea that combined a lot of that. It won’t be all Rauner wants, but it would be something he could point to as an accomplishment.
Agree to give CPS the $215M it needs this year. And agree to start a cost shift from the State to the local school districts for the normal pension costs. For each year going forward, lower the amount CPS gets by the same percentage you shift to all the downstate districts. Do this every year until the State pension contribution is zero.
Things you might include in this:
Adding more oversight to the CPS pension fund, ideally by having either TRS or IMRF be the administrator
A property tax cap the year AFTER normal funding has been completely transferred to the local school districts
Things not to add into this:
Any other school funding reform
No property tax caps for now
No elimination of prevailing wage laws or other union busting items
Keep it clean and both sides can claim they got something out of it.
Comment by RNUG Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:36 pm
The Real Just me,
The problem is the governor. He vetoes revenue and spending without his list of reforms. #BackToSquareOne
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:39 pm
some new cuts, some new revenue, lock them in a room until there is agreement … bring big jim thompson to town to tap the keg and let’s get this done
Comment by downstate dem Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:40 pm
Haven’t you heard?
According to Jim Harry the budget is balanced.
Ring the church bells.
It’s all over.
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:41 pm
RNUG your’s is an interesting approach but would be an incredibly hard vote for suburban Cook and collar county members of GA - Repubs or Dems.
Comment by TominChicago Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:43 pm
Massive excise tax on snarky memes generated by legislative caucus or executive branch staff.
Comment by LakeviewJ Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:45 pm
New governor?
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:48 pm
Just running the state like a business.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:49 pm
I think we have to separate our problems (revenue and spending) from why we have an impasse (ideology). If all we had to do was solve our problems this would be easy. I don’t see any solution to solving the impasse short of changing the players with the hope that the ideology changes with them.
Comment by Pundent Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:51 pm
Lisa wins her suit re State employee pay? The collapse of State services might motivate people to contact their representatives and Senators.
Short of that, Rauner, Madigan, and all the rest are acting within the bounds of what we voters let them do. It’ll end when enough voters insist on it, and not before then.
Comment by Harry Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:54 pm
@Michelle, actually it is Scott Harry who is in charge of GOMB.
And since he isn’t doing his job, maybe his pay check should be thrown in the same pile as the GA’s. The Executive branch needs to share the pain from the impasse. The Governor’s staff should have their pay delayed as well.
Comment by A Jack Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:54 pm
We’ve tried delegating the task to Cullerton and Radogno, and that hasn’t worked. Maybe it’s time to appoint Roland Burris to lead negotiations on a resolution to the impasse which will prove an opportunity for him to fill the blank space remaining on the list of accomplishments at his tomb. /S
Comment by AC Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:56 pm
It will end when either:
a) Rauner is replaced; or
b) Madigan is indicted, passes on or retires.
This is the Battle of Verdun replayed in Springpatch.
Comment by Walter Concrete Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:57 pm
Borrow the money. Kick that can down the road.
Comment by CLJ Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:58 pm
Send in the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come?
Comment by 37B Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:59 pm
==b) Madigan is indicted, passes on or retires==
How do you explain what happened in the Senate with the Grand Bargain?
Comment by AC Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:59 pm
@RNUG- While I agree in principal with your repeated suggestion of pension cost shift because it is the only way that pension money goes where it needs to how do schools pay for it?
Simply funding schools at 100% of $6119 and fully funding MCAT’s is not an offset for the additional significant costs of the pension cost shift.
Would you advocate for allowing schools to levy for TRS like they already do for IMRF and SSI?
Just cut costs to equalize?
I am curious, I have a lot of respect for your acumen but this is a real issue for hundreds of districts and thousands of teachers.
With Respect.
Comment by JS Mill Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 2:59 pm
Pritzker buys the Trib. Kennedy buys the Sun-Times.
Comment by 37B Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 3:01 pm
Instead of paying out tax refunds, take that money to Vegas and let it ride. Fool proof!
Comment by CLJ Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 3:01 pm
Mendoza gets a talk show.
OK, now I’m done.
Comment by 37B Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 3:02 pm
We have an impasse because an incoming governor revealed to everyone that he lied throughout his campaign and then spent millions burning every bipartisan bridge in television ads. Rauner was damaged goods by February 2015.
He ranted against any citizen who worked for government, needed assistance from government, or served in office as an elected official. Judges, legislators, party leaders and state workers discovered that the new governor blamed them for the problems he faced.
He never earned the Office. He never regained trust. He only knew how to blame, not lead.
We’re supposed to be at an impasse. We have a governor who has run amok worse than the proceeding felons serving jail time.
Rauner is our state’s Dr. Kevorkian. He wants this impasse. He wants Illinois to collapse.
There’s nothing new here. There’s nothing to do to get around this gubernatorial quack.
Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 3:04 pm
Only if Rauner loses in 2018. If Rauner wins he probably will still have Madigan and a Democratic legislative majority to deal with. Rauner must go for the impasse to end.
Comment by don the legend Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 3:04 pm
At least no one suggested a hurricane. /s
Comment by A guy Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 3:08 pm
Republicans and Job Creators seem to have an aversion to the courts and love for arbitration, so how about submitting all issues not resolved by a set date (3/31/17) to Binding Arbitration with an agreed respected Neutral. (ie., Edgar, Thompson, Obama; not Quinn). Finding the neutral is the hard part, but faced with the ‘trial’ date issues may resolve.
Comment by DE Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 3:09 pm
Create a series of “temporary” adjustable personal and corporate income tax rates dedicated to required appropriations for actuarially whole pensions, bill backlog pay down, Medicaid and education at a per student rate. Require all transportation related expenses to be paid from new constitutional amendment funds. Reduce the regular and corporate income tax rates to fund remaining appropriations. COGFA and GOMB would set adjustable rates annually using real math to balance real metrics. Collecting taxes specifically assigned to the big ticket appropriations reduces the temptation to rob Peter to pay Paul. I’ll add one more idea; state legislator and constitutional officer pay should be equal to the lowest paid full-time State employee salary.
Comment by Markus Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 3:12 pm
300+ solid independent citizens with some money in the bank announcing for the General Assembly, and everyone still giving money to the powers that be immediately shifting their financial support.
Comment by Jeff Trigg Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 3:18 pm
Charge a one-time $1,000.00 surcharge to each of the 12.8 million men, women and children who call Illinois home.
Comment by CLJ Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 3:19 pm
Sit Madigan and Cullerton in a room and show them a documentary on how their agenda has ruined the State and that things must change for Illinois too move forward.
Comment by Stand Tall Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 3:20 pm
Step 1: Rauner Quits
Step 2: Laurence Msall is appointed to temporary governor.
Step 3: Pass a real budget.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 3:21 pm
Um, “Failure is not an option” - how I dispise that idiotic phrase. It is an ABSOLUTE option, and it has been the operative option for decades.
Illinoised: “…call in sick on the same day.” Yes, and who in hell would be persuaded this action would positively alter the
course of this sickening fiasco. Why not take a page out of the old, tired march chant “What do we want?” “JOBS”. When do we want ‘em?” “NOW!!!” Inane.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 3:23 pm
Turn the IL SEN DEM’s graph into a walk-piece! Gov’s mansion will turn back to the Ds (if they want to own this mess?)
Comment by Reformed Public Servant Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 3:24 pm
“* Do you have any new ideas for ending this impasse?…”
I vote for splitting off and selling Chicago to California. All problems solved. (we’ll give you a heck of a deal Sacramento!)
Comment by Exhausted Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 3:25 pm
For 1 month let the votes that members in the House and Senate cast be private. No different than the votes cast by private citizens. A bill comes up for a vote, and members vote, but it’s not put on the big board, just the final tally displayed.
Comment by Saluki Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 3:25 pm
take the last grand bargain that was agreed to then cut every budget by 1% and kick the income tax back up to were it was. Lay off everyone that works for the state that used to be in the legislature. Get a democratic high roller to buy all the tv time to rail against everyone in both chambers and Madigan agrees to just pass what the senate sends him(saves a skeleton coming out) then make Rauner own something for a change.
Comment by duckblind Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 3:29 pm
Harley Davidson union workers show up at the Capitol and do a complete tear down of Rauner’s motorcycle. Carhartt starts a twitter revolt #NotOurGuvner and the organic apple orchards from Illinois and Michigan double down on MJM by providing free apples to all statehouse offices.
Or a roofie coloda in a few drinks and let’s start running some substantive bills in both chambers.
Comment by frisbee Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 3:30 pm
RNUG the Civic Federation has recommended a full merger of the CTPF and TRS. It was included in the Federation’s last report on fixing State finances. The City government and CPS retirees are totally opposed to a merger. One big reason has to do with investment decision making for CTPF. Overall with the exception of massive losses in 2008, CTPF as a fund has done well in terms of returns. It did get killed in the 2008 melt down.
Comment by Rod Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 3:31 pm
Sure- Give a Rauner his AfSCME contract in exchange for dropping all other reform items and peg the taxes at 5 percent thru 2019
Comment by Sue Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 3:49 pm
As I said, the Executive Branch needs to feel the impasse pain. The GA feels it. The service providers feel it. The colleges and universities feel it. Local government feels the pain. Even regular state employees feel the pain through the backlog of medical bills.
But the people at the top of the Executive Branch feel no pain.
Comment by A Jack Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 3:56 pm
@Rod- TRS investing has been very good over the years with the same 2008 exception that you noted.
That said, I would rather see the two remain separate. I am not sure what the CTPF benefits are or their exact level of funding.
Comment by JS Mill Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 4:04 pm
Plus the no raises part.
Comment by A Non Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 4:08 pm
This Governor the state and the Senate needs a Pate Phillip type presence ! Someone to sweep the Snowflakes to the curb !!!!
Comment by Railrat Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 4:08 pm
Legalize pot, a Chicago casino, drop the front license plate. There, done.
Comment by striketoo Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 4:13 pm
Now my nuclear option: The AFSCME pay ruling should have only applied to bargaining unit employees, not all employees. The Comptroller can easily distinguish who is bargaining unit and who isn’t. Delay or stop the non-bargaining unit employees pay until there is an appropriation. Since that is upper management at most state agencies, that will give the Executive Branch some impasse pain.
Now I hate suggesting this about the hard working SPSA’s that are in some agencies, but you do serve at the Governor’s pleasure and you might have to take one for the team.
Comment by A Jack Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 4:14 pm
== Would you advocate for allowing schools to levy for TRS like they already do for IMRF and SSI? ==
If that is what it takes, I would be OK with that … and it would hit me fairly hard since I currently own 2 and 1/2 homes here (the 1/2 is a jointly inherited house). Anybody want to buy a house or two?
Comment by RNUG Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 4:16 pm
Whatever happened to the idea of extending the pension deadline or lowering the 90% funding mandate? It’s a self-imposed restriction. It has to be tied to something forcing payments to be made, though, or we’ll just kick the can down the road.
Yeah, it’s unpopular because we’ve already vilified the pensioners and voters want blood. So what. Ease the pain and revisit later.
Comment by Stuff Happens Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 4:24 pm
== AC: How do you explain what happened in the Senate with the Grand Bargain? ==
The governor pulled GOP senate votes off the plan. It’s that simple.
Comment by Newness Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 4:29 pm
It ends when somebody wins and somebody loses. Not before 2019.
Comment by Alton Giant Friday, Mar 17, 17 @ 4:30 pm
The day Rauner has a primary opponent
Comment by Rabid Monday, Mar 20, 17 @ 10:12 am
When trump returns to the land of his party
Comment by Rabid Tuesday, Mar 21, 17 @ 10:17 am
When the superstars miss money
Comment by Rabid Tuesday, Mar 21, 17 @ 5:29 pm
No one cares about what the govenor says
Comment by Rabid Tuesday, Mar 21, 17 @ 5:39 pm
Ken dunkin becomes chief of staff for govenor
Comment by Rabid Tuesday, Mar 21, 17 @ 5:41 pm
When the govenor loses the primary next year and realizes he’s going to be a footnote in history
Comment by Rabid Tuesday, Mar 21, 17 @ 5:44 pm
Evelyn takes the reins
Comment by Rabid Tuesday, Mar 21, 17 @ 5:51 pm
When Mendoza’s Suv is painted avocado green
Comment by Rabid Tuesday, Mar 21, 17 @ 5:54 pm
Govenor’s staff outsourced for cost savings
Comment by Rabid Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 11:16 pm
When “dads home state”. Gets picked up by HBO
Comment by Rabid Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 11:23 pm
PBS special the rise of Rauner
Comment by Rabid Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 11:25 pm
Live tv 24/7 budget negotiating till its over
Comment by Rabid Wednesday, Mar 22, 17 @ 11:28 pm
Wiki leaks find the governors secret Email
Comment by Rabid Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 5:17 am
The entire GOP general assembly resigns
Comment by Rabid Thursday, Mar 23, 17 @ 5:23 am