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Rauner explains why term limits will help balance the budget

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* WDWS reporter Michael Kiser’s interview of Gov. Bruce Rauner is somewhat of a gold mine for people who follow Illinois politics. You should listen to the whole thing, and I plan to do one more post about something else the governor said before the day is done, but here is the governor talking about term limits and the budget…

Some people say, well, term limits, that has nothing to do with the budget.

Boy, oh boy. Term limits, huge impact on the budget.

If we get folks in office who are there for the right reasons, not for a career to make money, but just as public servants, we’ll have more likely to have balanced budgets, we’ll have a democracy with less corruption, and businesses and job creators and investors and working families will have more confidence in the state and will expand our tax base.

Term limits can help balance our budgets for the long term in a very strong way.

Thoughts?

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:26 am

Comments

100% agree! after 2-3 terms, a politician needs to move on. for his/her sake….. and ours!

Comment by Mattman Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:31 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zc4bGkU05o

At least this administration can remind me of funny bits from the past.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:32 am
Thoughts? Complete BS. IMHO we have term limits, they’re called elections. The loss of institutional knowledge brought on by term limits does nothing but add to the influence of the lobbyists. You know, the folks that actually write the legislation.

Comment by Gruntled University Employee Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:32 am
The Gov may get a real life lesson on term limits in 2018..nuff said

Comment by Not Rich Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:33 am
Counterargument:

With term limits you don’t have to confront long term consequences for your actions, so there is no reason to not overspend or behave in a corrupt manner.

You want to give the vaunted business types incentive to invest? Just pass a budget, period.

Comment by GraduatedCollegeStudent Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:33 am
Not sure if term limits will balance the budget, but doing the same thing over and over again certainly won’t either.

Comment by City Zen Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:33 am
Is term limits a debit or a credit?

Comment by Obamas Puppy Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:33 am
So is he supporting Quinn’s petition drive to term limit rahm?

Comment by Cantankerous Cal Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:33 am
Funny how the politicians Are called public servants but the men and women who do the actual work of government are demonized by the governor.

Comment by Rogue Roni Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:33 am
I’d like to see any data on how term limits:
(a) give us politicians that aren’t in it for career-advancement
(b) give us politicians that are better “public servants”
(c) ensure balanced budgets
(d) reduce corruption
(e) improve confidence in the state government
(f) expand the tax base.

Seriously, convince me.

Comment by MissingG Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:33 am
Correction:
You know, the folks that too often actually write the legislation.

Comment by Gruntled University Employee Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:34 am
On the flip side, term limits could lead to more corruption. Politicians will need to earn their fortunes quick, and may make dubious decisions for a quick payday knowing that their mass constituencies don’t matter in the long haul. It would be a perpetual general assembly of lame ducks.

Comment by Ratso Rizzo Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:35 am
This Democrat couldn’t agree with you more Bruce being a politician is to serve your county not make it a career

Comment by Big jack Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:35 am
“Boy, oh boy. Term limits, huge impact on the budget.”

Let’s just test that in the 2018 governor’s race, shall we

Comment by Anon221 Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:36 am
I’m sure that Rauner’s superstars can provide documentation that states with term limits have lower tax rates, provide better services, and have less conflict between parties. I’m sure they must have this information and are prepared to provide the peer reviewed evidence to the public so we can make an educated decision?

Comment by Aldyth Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:36 am
Term Limits get job creators excited I heard.

Comment by Stir Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:36 am
Term limits also need to go along with changing the length of terms in both the House and Senate. 12 years in either with 4 year terms in the House and 6 year terms in the Senate. Need to have people get elected and actually work rather than instantly be worried about the next election and who is declared against them. The House reps never stop running with the 2 year cycle now.

Comment by OurMagician Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:38 am
We already have term limits, we just dont exercise it! Its called voting!!!

Comment by highspeed Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:38 am
Term limits means you will soon be out of office anyway, whatever you do. So there is NO reason to avoid voting for tax increase!

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:39 am
LOL

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:39 am
Aldyth,

You forgot to add the /s at the end of your post.

Comment by Gruntled University Employee Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:39 am
“When you’re explaining, you’re losing.”

Comment by Arsenal Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:42 am
I would agree that California and NYC, both of which have term limits, are better governed than Illinois. Am also sure that Rauner couldn’t get elected in either place.
Perhaps non career public officials are less reluctant to raise taxes since they are not as worried about getting reflected, just like lame duck officials here.

Comment by Truthteller Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:42 am
I think Madigan is the poster child for term limits, but I would settle for outlawing gerrymandering and term limits for leaders in the House and Senate.

Comment by Arock Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:43 am
We have a governor who is not there for the salary. We have a Speaker who wouldn’t exactly be eating Alpo if he wasn’t getting legislator pay.
How has that been working for the State?

I just don’t see how A relates to B, sorry.

Comment by illini97 Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:43 am
Make that reelected

Comment by Truthteller Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:43 am
We have term limits, they’re called elections. Rauner may understand this concept better in 2018 when it appears he may be term limited out of office for making the state worse than he found it.

Comment by The Captain Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:43 am
I can already see the stack of outstanding bills getting paid in no time with term limits! Tax increase? Pshaw. What were we thinking?

Comment by AnonymousOne Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:44 am
The governor’s claims are disproven by research. Just google my comments on this blog from years past with links to the studies.

Comment by Precinct Captain Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:45 am
Show your work, please.

Comment by Who Else Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:47 am
We have term limits, they’re called the inevitability of death

Comment by MissingG Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:48 am
What he is trying to argue is that if our elected officials were not beholden to their leaders, and/or we had honest elections we would have an honest and responsible government.

Comment by Not It Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:49 am
He’s right.

Comment by John Rawlss Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:49 am
Using elections as a poster child for term limits is such a weak argument.

We don’t get to elect the House leaders and senate leaders.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:52 am
He makes a decent argument for term limits. He doesn’t convince me he is justified in the carnage he has produced which will have a negative impact on our state and its people for years to come.

Comment by Earnest Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:52 am
===What he is trying to argue is that if our elected officials were not beholden to their leaders, and/or we had honest elections we would have an honest and responsible government. ===

Coming from the guy that bought the Illinois Republican Party, I think not.

Comment by Gruntled University Employee Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:53 am
While the idea of constantly campaigning does have some negative effects, term limits only make politicians less beholden to the electorate. I actually think the high turnover in term-limited legislatures makes the party more powerful in relation to individual legislators.

Comment by MissingG Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:54 am
I mean imagine what we could get done with a General Assembly as clueless about the budget as Rauner. We could just say it’s balanced, and that’s that.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:57 am
“term limits, they’re called elections”

Yeah, elections in gerrymandered districts. Those make for great term limits….

Comment by SKI Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:57 am
Maybe I am naive, but the Governor sure talks a lot about the corruption in this state, so why doesn’t he start an investigation to root out the people who are corrupt or at least explain in detail who is corrupt and what their actions were to be labeled corrupt? And if his frequent whipping person is MJM, why isn’t he in jail by now?

Comment by Cable Line Beer Gardener Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:57 am
So why hasn’t an incorruptible, virtuous public servant like himself ever proposed a balanced budget, as required of him by the Constitution?

No one in the world can prevent him from doing that.

Isn’t that the obvious follow-up question, if you’re a journalist? Or sentient, even?

Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 11:58 am
John Rawlss makes the only argument the GOP in IL can make: Believe the Rich Man for he is here to save us.

No evidence, or argument, or anything else.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 12:00 pm
Anon comment at 12:00 was moi.

Comment by Blue Bayou Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 12:00 pm
Like the Irish say, he has the gift of gab.

Comment by Deft Wing Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 12:01 pm
1. Media said DopeyDuct gave up on term limits and tax freeze yesterday
2. And then the reporter asked
“O.K. governor but what happens during the next 10 years when the limits take hold? Current plans give 10 years, What do we do til 2028?” :

Comment by annonin' Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 12:12 pm
So just to clarify, the Governor admits Term Limits is a long term issue and has no material impact on FY 16 or FY17, or even FY18 budget. Passing Term limits does not make four or five billion appear out of a magic hat.

Comment by Yeah Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 12:13 pm
I wonder how he feels about rich people that can afford to buy an election, intimidate their peers, and unmask their real intentions to destroy the State using helpless and needy people as their fuel.
How about a simple method to recall state officials instead?

Comment by Mouthy Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 12:15 pm
Peer reviewed research on the impact of term limits on budgets suggests that term limits can actually increase budget deficits:

http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1532673X12461270

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2012.00347.x/full

Let me repeat that. Term limits make budget imbalances worse.

Comment by Scamp640 Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 12:16 pm
Generally I’m against gerrymandering, but come on…until red states don’t do it then why shouldn’t blue states….

I saw a bill somewhere where the blue state said this is how we will eliminate gerrymandering and it will take effect when x number of other states pass similar legislation….

I’m not for sticking my necklace out unless the other guy is just as willing

Comment by JohnSchmidt Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 12:17 pm
The states with term limits seem to be faring overall better than the states without (in my subjective opinion, but there’s examples on both sides). Whether it impacts the budget specifically, I don’t know.

Regardless, the people against a term limit referendum in this state are putting their greed over what’s right - they won’t even allow the voters, 80% of whom consistently say they want term limits, to decide. Oh, maybe there’s a tiny few who think that the principle of being able to elect their representative to unlimited terms is so sacred that the voters should not be allowed to decide, but those are few and far between.

Comment by lake county democrat Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 12:19 pm
So let’s follow his logic. Term limits have to be a constitutional amendment, so the earliest they could be on the ballot is 2018 that would make them effective in 2020. They can’t apply retroactively to terms already served, so the first folks termed out would be in 2028-2032 depending on the parameters.

So, we can look forward to a Rainer balanced budget no sooner than 11 years from now? Sounds like a great plan.

Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 12:21 pm
Here is an argument that imposing term limits weakens legislatures. I wonder why the Governor would want to weaken the General Assembly?

http://www.governing.com/topics/politics/Truth-Term-Limits.html

Comment by Scamp640 Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 12:21 pm
Rauner is well on his way to making me vote for only the second democrat candidate for governor in my voting lifetime. (Poshard was first, voted libertarion as a none of the above vote in 14) At this point any one else will be an improvement over Rauner. The only way out of this mess that I see is for gop reps and senators to look past raunerite money and see the damage to their party and stand up and do their jobs. As of this point dont see them doing that either.

Comment by SOIL M Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 12:23 pm
Again: the first term limitation we need is language like the US 20th amendment for constitutional officers. 2 terms and out for any of them. The one good thing about term limits for the GA is that Rauner would have to talk about something else.

Comment by Excessively Rabid Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 12:23 pm
“Thoughts?”

I’ll let Rauner go first. Still waiting.

Comment by AlfondoGonz Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 12:24 pm
“Term limits can help balance our budgets for the long term in a very strong way. ”

LOL!

Comment by mama Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 12:27 pm
==maybe there’s a tiny few who think that the principle of being able to elect their representative to unlimited terms==

Count me among those. We already have term limits. They are called elections. You want to talk about redistricting reform? I’m all for it. Term limits are just an avenue for people to get someone out of office they can’t manage to do through an election.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 12:33 pm
Our mess in IL is driven in no small part because we use the Constitution to hamstring our legislature. We have made it constitutionally unable to raise much needed revenue and constitutionally unable to control or address many expenditures. But by all means let’s keep digging the hole and think more constitutional handcuffs around the legislature will fix what ails us.

Comment by ZC Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 12:34 pm
That is a complete illogical reasoning.

Can someone do the world (and Illinois) a favor and tell all these rich guys that they have a lot of bad ideas?

Comment by From the 'Dale to HP Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 12:34 pm
How many votes does he have for term limits?

Oh. Well come back when you have 30 and 60.

Until then, do your job.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 12:35 pm
Scamp640, you’re citing data and studies. Rauner prefers to argue using emotions and misdirection, not data. Shame on you for trying bring objective information into the debate.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 12:36 pm
Let’s do a trial run and term limit the position of governor to see how it works out. As enthusiastic he is about term limits, why hasn’t he offered that approach yet? (Snicker)

Comment by Sarcastic One Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 12:41 pm
With term limits in effect there would be so many ex legislature/comptrollers getting management jobs in state offices they would need to get rid of union people just to have enough chairs. Munger said she didn’t need the Comptrollers job but the Gov placed her twice at the state trough and never thought twice that that was a waste of taxpayers money???

Comment by duckblind Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 12:43 pm
What he meant to say was, with term limits and my millions, I can crush any new Democrat trying to get elected. I can dictate to the Republicans who must beg me for money.

Comment by Sir Reel Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 12:45 pm
Strongly agree, governor Rauner.

Comment by Greetings Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 12:52 pm
===come back when you have 30 and 60===

36 and 71.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 12:53 pm
===36 and 71.===

Oh, right. And how many of those votes does Rauner have so far? What’s his plan for getting more?

Seriously, if his plan is to wait and have enough elections to finally win Republican majorities in the General Assembly, we’ll have to wait at least until 2023 for a budget.

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 1:01 pm
Agree with HP.

Term limits do nothing but limit the rights and choice of potential candidates and voters. The only real argument for term limits is that voters can’t be trusted. If you don’t stop them, they’ll re-elect someone who’s bad.

Comment by From the 'Vern to Epson Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 1:05 pm
1. Term Limits.
2. Drop Gs at the end of words.
3. ??????
4. Balanced Budget!!!

Comment by Pangloss Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 1:11 pm
“Term limits can help balance our budgets for the long term in a very strong way. ”
What was left off was “This would be huge, gonna change things hugely, nothing like it ever seen before”.

Comment by don the legend Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 1:12 pm
If we get more people like Rauner in office “we’ll have a democracy with less corruption”?

Boy oh boy. Some people say.

Comment by Vole Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 1:18 pm
Cable Line Beer Gardener - not all forms of corruption are illegal. Just look at the relationship between Berrios and Madigan for example. They’re not breaking a single law, but it sure is corrupt.

Comment by Not It Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 1:22 pm
What nonsense. Term limits do not automatically create better public servants. Why would they? They just force people who continually get reelected by their own constituents to leave. We already have high turnover in the legislature now. Has that made our GA better or worse in the past decade?

OK Governor, and his supporters: How much and when? Even if Rauner’s theories are correct, the real fiscal impact would likely be modest, and would certainly occur no sooner than 2030. Given that context, do you really want to defend this as part of a current budget negotiation?

Another case of selling pie in the sky, to avoid dealing with governing problems today.

Comment by walker Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 1:24 pm
Has Rauner ever released his tax returns? I would love to see how lily white his tax returns are.

Blagojevich used to cry ethics all the time too and we know how that turned out.

Comment by A Jack Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 1:24 pm
A Jack: Let’s not go national here.

Yes Rauner did release his tax returns, for multi years, when he was officially running, and as I recall paid a substantial amount — at least more than I would have expected for a rich guy.

Comment by walker Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 1:46 pm
==Is term limits a debit or a credit? ==

Gotta be a debit, because “credit” comes from the Latin “credere” (to believe), and I sure don’t.

Comment by Whatever Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 2:07 pm
===Thoughts?===

We need term-limits, a unicameral legislature, resign-to-run, and one-(wo)man-one-office.

Term-limits are only part of the needed solution. They are only as effective as the ability to restrict presence in the legislature.

In Arizona, they have term limits but every few terms legislators just switch chambers when they hit their limit. That’s hardly effective.

A unicameral legislature would eliminate this problem.

Something else Arizona has is ‘resign-to-run’ (which applies to ALL elected offices in the state, including municipal, county, and special districts) whereby an office-holder who has more than one year remaining to his/her term in office, MUST RESIGN from that office when they file to run for a new office. This keeps people from repeated office-hopping.

We also need to eliminate the practice of Illinois pols (typically legislators) holding more than one office (e.g., a village president/trustee/city alderman also holding office as a State Rep/Senator, etc. etc.). When we eliminate this preposterous double-dipping and power concentration, we’ll help reduce corrupt wheeling-dealing and might even get more buy-in for government consolidation.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 2:32 pm
because we have led the nation in voters distrust of state government for a while now it is hard to believe anyone would be against this except the legislature

They have accomplished absolutely nothing for at least two years and most run unopposed because tha maps determine who wins

Comment by Lucky Pierre Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 2:39 pm
===They have accomplished absolutely nothing for at least two years…===

Bruce Rauner hasn’t accomplished anything in the past 2 years, you think he shouldn’t be re-elected? Fine, we agree, Rauner should not be re-elected.

“Thanks!”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 2:48 pm
Doesn’t Rauner say “golly” and “boy oh boy” a lot? Between that and his g dropping, I feel like we’re in a cross between a Leave it to Beaver and Andy Griffith episode.

Comment by Flynn's mom Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 2:57 pm
Let’s go ahead and enact term limits with a few rules to make sure we get budgets:

1) Executive Offices

a) Governor limited to 2 four year terms, 8 years max, regardless of whether the terms are consecutive. Governor is not allowed to run for any other State level office after reaching the term limit.

b) All other State executive elected positions are limited to 12 years maximum, regardless of whether the terms are consecutive. These officers may run for other executive positions but are limited to a total of 20 years in the Executive branch.

2) Agency Directors limited to 8 years max, regardless of whether the periods of service are consecutive.

3) Representatives are limited to 3 four year terms, regardless of whether the terms are consecutive.

4) Senators are limited to 2 six year terms, regardless of whether the terms are consecutive.

5) Representatives who are term limited out of their seat are limited to one Senate term. Senators who are term limited out of their seat are limited to one House term. Any Representative or Senator is allowed to run for the full 2 terms of Governor.

6) Budget Responsibility Act:

a) In order for a year to counted towards the term limit number, the Governor must not only submit a balanced budget but the Governor must complete the fiscal year with both a cash accounting surplus AND a total debt backlog reduced by 5%, with specific targets of a 10% reduction in all state contracts, a 10% reduction of employee health insurance debt backlog, and a 5% reduction in total pension debt. Failure to achieve any of these targets means the Governor and all agency Directors shall have their Term limit number reduced by one year.

b) The General Assembly must pass either the Governor’s proposed budget, or an alternative balanced budget, that is the equivalent in terms of spending and revenue estimates. Should the GA want to increase spending beyond the projected revenue, the GA must identify and enact a revenue source. Failure of the GA to pass a balanced budget will reduce the term limit years of all members of the GA, regardless of position or votes taken on the budget.

/s?

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 3:12 pm
RNUG, I was about to debate your term limits for Agency Directors and then did some ciphering of my own time, and that should be just fine. /s

Comment by Arthur Andersen Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 3:39 pm
-AA-

LOL !

Comment by RNUG Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 3:46 pm
“Agency Directors limited to 8 years max” Yeah, I’m amazed when they stay longer than 2.

Comment by Skeptic Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 3:52 pm
Political Theatrics…diversionary tactics. January 2019

Comment by JAH Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 3:56 pm
Government needs to be run more like a business!

We should hire “outsiders” who don’t have a clue how things work, put them in positions of authority over management and finance, and then automatically fire them in ten years regardless of how they perform.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 5:25 pm
Not having term limits is not the reason our government is in such a mess. Any term limit law would not have any effect until 2030.

We need solutions that make a positive difference NOW.

Term limits is a Rauner attempt to destroy his hated -Madigan.
What a brat this child is.

Comment by Rufus Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 6:00 pm
At the risk of sounding obtuse, just how does making public servants step down after two terms ensure that folks enter office for “the right reasons”. Is magic involved?

Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Thursday, Apr 13, 17 @ 6:26 pm
Pants on fire

Comment by Rabid Friday, Apr 14, 17 @ 3:17 am