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So far, the transition is going smoothly

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Illinois

As he prepares to leave government, Rauner said he hasn’t talked to Pritzker personally since conceding the election not long after the polls closed on Nov. 6. But he said his staff has worked closely with Pritzker’s transition team to help the incoming Democrat get started.

“My immediate predecessor did the exact opposite,” Rauner said of former Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn. “I learned what not to do.”

Yeah. Quinn did not leave office on a particularly noble note.

* SJ-R…

Despite his stated misgivings about the incoming administration, Rauner said his office is “making every effort to make sure the transition is smooth and very effective. It’s the right thing for the people of Illinois.”

Pritzker’s office agreed that the Rauner administration has been cooperating in making a smooth transition of power.

I spoke with a high-level member of Pritzker’s transition team yesterday and was told the same thing.

* Daily Line…

Quinn did not attend Rauner’s inauguration in January 2015, but Rauner said he’ll be at Pritzker’s, saying “it’s the appropriate thing to do.” Up until the moments before Rauner was sworn in, Quinn also signed four bills, amendatorily vetoed two, granted 43 clemency petitions and denied 119 and released 102 new appointees to state boards and commissions.

Asked Thursday whether Rauner intended to do any last-minute business like executive orders, the governor laughed and said that “At the moment I don’t foresee that.”

In one of his first acts as governor, Rauner rescinded seven of Quinn’s executive orders signed in the Democrat’s last week in office, alleging the orders “were not wholly motivated by serving in the public’s interest.”

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Nov 30, 18 @ 9:45 am

Comments

Quinn didn’t do well as out-going Treasurer after the 1994 election. Although he lost to George Ryan for SOS, as outgoing Treasurer he stood up JBT at the symbolic transition at the Vault (hasn’t happened since). Heck, even Donnewald met Cosentino after the 1986 election.

Comment by Smitty Irving Friday, Nov 30, 18 @ 9:56 am
Interestingly enough, the Governor Transition Act mandates that office space be provided as well (likely within the existing office, separate from the official transition office: “When at any general election for the office of Governor the incumbent Governor is not elected, the Governor, within 2 weeks after such election, shall provide space for not more than 5 persons designated by the Governor-elect to enable the Governor-elect to begin a review and analysis of budgeted expenditures during the then current biennium and budget requests for the ensuing biennium and to acquire a working knowledge of the various offices, departments, commissions, boards and other agencies of the executive branch of the State government.”

I wonder if that is being followed as well.

Comment by NIU Grad Friday, Nov 30, 18 @ 9:57 am
Good on Rauner and his staff for their efforts to make the transition go smoothly.

Comment by Earnest Friday, Nov 30, 18 @ 9:58 am
Quinn had a side to him that was akin to a petulant child. For all his good qualities i never understood this one.

Comment by Gallactic Cupcake Friday, Nov 30, 18 @ 10:03 am
Quinn’s last 7 executive orders are fascinating, progressive documents that deserve another look:

Minimum Wage Requirements for State Contractors and Subcontractors
Executive Order Number 15-7

Illinois Open Data
Executive Order Number 15-6

Enhanced Ethical Standard for Financial Disclosure
Executive Order Number 15-5

Executive Order Concerning Medicaid Expansion Implementation and Affordable Care Act Enrollment
Executive Order Number 15-4

Pregnancy Discrimination in State Employment
Executive Order Number 15-3

Executive Order Establishing Governor’s New Americans Trust Initiative
Executive Order Number 15-2

Executive Order Establishing Governor’s New Americans’ Welcoming Initiative
Executive Order Number 15-1

from https://www2.illinois.gov/Pages/government/execorders/executive-orders.aspx#y2015

Comment by Handle Bar Mustache Friday, Nov 30, 18 @ 10:06 am
That is good work by Rauner’s team. If he wants to talk smack, so be it, as long as his people are ensuring a smooth transfer of governing.

Comment by lakeside Friday, Nov 30, 18 @ 10:24 am
Quinn has always been classless in defeat. Good for everyone else for setting a good example.

Comment by Ron Burgundy Friday, Nov 30, 18 @ 10:31 am
” the governor laughed and said…”

Well, we know what that laugh means.

Comment by Ok Friday, Nov 30, 18 @ 10:42 am
“Quinn did not leave office on a particularly noble note.”

This holiday season finds you in an exceptionally generous spirit, Rich.

– MrJM

Comment by @misterjayem Friday, Nov 30, 18 @ 10:46 am
Leaving better than Quinn at losing.

Hey, if that’s how he wants to define success on his way out the door, who am I to argue with the truth?

Comment by Tom Threat Friday, Nov 30, 18 @ 10:58 am
Pritzker transition folks,
Please please please
Do not be duped by Management staff being helpful.
The shear hell many of them put AFSCME’s through
is incredible.
Solicit evaluations and feedback from the frontline and middle management.
Seriously
You will have a huge huge huge
problem right from the start
If those who oppressed us
are left in charge.
Not all management were Raunerites.
Find those, confirm them, and lock the good ones in.
But root out with extreme prejudice
The Raunerite collaborators.
Truth and reconciliation

Gov. Pritzker has a lot to repair.
tens of thousands of state workers
will help him do that
with a zeal never seen
if, and I mean, if
we get agency and department leadership
that believes in us,
has our back,
strives for our success,
and is competent for the job.

I know it’s a titanic lift.
But my best best advice
is to, yes, get competent agency heads,
But as I’ve said,
Focus on finding the Chiefs, the best NCO’s
The technocrats
Who can do the work of government
Who can fulfill the tasks ahead.
AFSMCE’s are so hopeful
We want to work hard to pull us out of the dive.
But keeping Raunerites in place
Will have the exact opposite effect.
You show your front line that
nothing has changed
nothing was learned

You don’t have to clean them all out.
But you’ve got a big job to find the good ones.
Ask your front line and your middle managers
They won’t be short on comments.

Comment by Honeybear Friday, Nov 30, 18 @ 11:04 am
Oh, and btw
I don’t see a lot of frontline represented
on those transition teams.
A lot of big names
A lot of big titles
I’m happy to see labor represented on each team.
But, my opinion, you need some grunts.
You need some salty frontline state workers on each panel.
Somebody who’s gonna say B.S. when they see it.
I don’t see a lot of folks who have actually
worked for government.
Legislators legislate
Business executives do business profit
Non Profit folks do non-profit
Academics teach, research, publish and think.
but none of them
know the grind
know the problems
know the frustrations
know the bureaucracy
know the effects/consequences of policy
like a frontline stateworker
We’re not dolts
Half of my coworkers at this office have Masters degrees.
You’ve done great finding elites
But I can tell you
You’re only going to do half as well as you could
If you empowered
some frontline
action oriented
bs detecting
state workers.

Don’t give us the impression that you used us for our votes, our ground GOTV work.
Then put us back in our place.
Just think about how the BTIA made us feel the last four years.
“If you don’t have a seat at the table, then you’re on the menu.”

Comment by Honeybear Friday, Nov 30, 18 @ 11:31 am
Rauner is trying to ram through last minute changes at the state board of education.
https://www.ift-aft.org/news/2018/11/16/learning-is-more-than-a-test-score—tell-isbe-to-reject-rule-changes-today!

Comment by teachrrr Friday, Nov 30, 18 @ 11:47 am
Honeybear, you are absolutely right. 100%

Comment by Soccermom Friday, Nov 30, 18 @ 3:37 pm