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Afternoon updates: Deficit may be higher; Daley kinda sorry, blasts gun bill; QuinnTV; Burris

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Illinois

* According to the Commission on Government Forecasting & Accountability, the state’s budget deficit is even worse than Gov. Pat Quinn says it is.

COGFA’s director testified to a Senate committee that the actual combined budget deficit is $12.4 billion, not the $11.6 billion claimed by Quinn. The reason? We started the current fiscal year with an $835 million deficit from last fiscal year, which COGFA believes wasn’t counted in previous estimates. Add that to the $11.6 billion deficit and you get $12.4 billion.

Wunnerful.

* Mayor Daley kinda, sorta apologized today for the Al Sanchez conviction. The Sun-Times has the statement…

“I want to say to the people of Chicago that I understand that this is a disappointment and that this conviction does not reflect well on our city or my administration,” Daley told reporters at an event at Daley College. “For that, i am sorry.

Um, OK. Is that really an apology?

And then things didn’t go so well with reporters…

Daley declined to answer questions about whether he was aware of the corruption.

“It happened under my administration and that’s it,” he replied.

He also dodged a question about testimony in the trial that linked his brother William Daley and former top aide Timothy Degnan to the creation of HDO.

“This is a statement that speaks for itself,” he said, chiding any reporters who might describe him as “mad or upset” with the questions.

He then abruptly cut off the news conference.

“You can do with his not answering your questions whatever you will,” mayoral spokeswoman Jacquelyn Heard said after the mayor left the podium.

* Last night, Daley fumed about a gun education proposal…

Mayor Daley is seething over a West Side legislator’s suggestion that children be educated about gun safety and gun use.

State Rep. Annazette Collins (D-Chicago) said she believes that education is the key to gun safety, and said a hands-on approach is the key to taking away the mystery and allure of guns. […]

“It’s the silliest position I’ve ever heard taken,” Daley said.

Daley said putting guns in the hands of more children is the last thing the city of Chicago needs.

“It would be different if they have an interest and the family takes them so they’re going out hunting,” he said. “Don’t you think we should concentrate on math, science, reading, attendance, keeping children in school, after-school programs? I think the representative should put her priorities in order.”

* Gov. Quinn was on Chicago Tonight last night, but I think the station’s online embed player crashed my Mac, which has never happened before, so go view it at your own risk.

Progress Illinois has posted a couple of exerpts. In the first excerpt, Quinn calls on his critics to get into the game…

In this clip, he was asked about the tricky politics of the budget…

* Greg Hinz talks to John Cornyn…

The man in charge of electing more Republicans to the United States Senate says the party “absolutely” will make winning the seat now held by Sen. Roland Burris a top tier priority next year — if it can get the right candidate to run.

In an interview during a quick stop over in Chicago Monday evening, Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, suggested he is willing to open up the committee’s wallet and send money to an increasingly blue state that national Republicans effectively abandoned more than a decade ago. […]

Asked directly if a decision by either Mr. Kirk or Mr. Roskam would guarantee Illinois tier-one national support, Mr. Cornyn replied, “Absolutely.” If that happens — and November, 2010 is a long time away — an Illinois Senate race could draw tens of millions of dollars of spending.

Look for both Mr. Kirk and Mr. Roskam to make up their minds by Memorial Day, and perhaps earlier.

* Sen. Burris announces two new hires…

The Illinois Democrat announced today that he’s appointing Kenneth Montoya to be his legislative director and Jose Rivera to serve as director of his Chicago office. […]

Montoya has worked for Democratic Sens. Paul Simon of Illinois and Paul Wellstone of Minnesota. Most recently, he served as the Government Affairs Representative for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters.

Rivera joins Burris’ staff after serving as director of program audit compliance for the Chicago Department of Human Services.

* And Blagojevich hires Gillespie…

Terence P. Gillespie confirmed Tuesday that the agreement was reached during a Monday night meeting with the former governor and other attorneys.

Gillespie says he “got drafted.“

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Mar 24, 09 @ 1:10 pm

Comments

“You ain’t seen nothing yet”?

Quinn’s repeating X-Rod rallying cries now?

What’s next, he buys Cubs tickets?

Comment by Look behind the curtain Tuesday, Mar 24, 09 @ 1:13 pm
Wait til Congressman Schock’s poolside pix make the rounds he will explode to the tip top of the pile

Comment by EmptySuitParade Tuesday, Mar 24, 09 @ 1:27 pm
Not quite sure, but I think the 800+ million was accounted for in the budget docs that I read.

Comment by hmm Tuesday, Mar 24, 09 @ 2:00 pm
I thought so, too, but that’s not what the COGFA sez.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Mar 24, 09 @ 2:01 pm
Got drafted? Now we know how the player the Detroit Lions will take in the NFL draft feels… resigned to play for a losing team.

Comment by Vote Quimby! Tuesday, Mar 24, 09 @ 2:08 pm
Terry’s even more expensive than Genson. Rod must have come into some cash! Get that retainer up front, Terry.

Comment by Bill Tuesday, Mar 24, 09 @ 2:19 pm
Hands-on gun education in schools? Am I reading that correctly?

Comment by Princess Tuesday, Mar 24, 09 @ 2:20 pm
Party Chairs are supposed to say they will play everywhere. If you look at the Republican senate playing field though for next year, there are 5 or 6 gop retirements and no democrats stepping down. You’d think those seats would get money and support before the home state of the president that has elected one gop senator in 30 years.

Comment by Shore Tuesday, Mar 24, 09 @ 2:32 pm
I need to position myself to take in a fair share of the 2010 U.S. Senate campaign advertising dollars. I don’t own a TV or a radio and of course, newspapers are dead. What say you, how can a poor boy make good off this campaign?

Comment by Deep South Tuesday, Mar 24, 09 @ 2:39 pm
Daley could be way more sorry before Fitz calls it a case…

Comment by Anonymous45 Tuesday, Mar 24, 09 @ 2:53 pm
On Chi Tonight I thought Quinn’s numbers were a little hazy when he talked about how his various budget/tax initiatives would add up to the deficit. And that was before the new figures.

Ponce and Marin didn’t push him hard enough….either on the budget issues or on ethics reform. We need a Tim Russert….sigh. They just don’t make them anymore. Certainly not in Illinois media.

Quinn did seem somewhat more coherent than he has in other appearances I’ve seen. But this was a pretty easy gig.

Comment by Cassandra Tuesday, Mar 24, 09 @ 3:06 pm
With a hat tip to a modest proposal…

Gun education classes in school make sense. If we provide guns and training to the underfunded schools this will help reduce the number of students. This in trun will substantially lower student to teacher ratios allowing for more one on survivor, or one on one time. It will also allow the schools to spend more money per student, with far fewer students to support. We coudl consolidate schools as the student population is reducded, and provide Darwinian experiments for the inquisitive.

Comment by Ghost Tuesday, Mar 24, 09 @ 3:08 pm
Ken Montoya used to be with the Air Traffic Controllers’ union, in addition to his more recent work with the Teamsters. He’s a good guy. Good luck to him; working with Burris, I fear he’ll need all he can get.

Comment by 60657 Tuesday, Mar 24, 09 @ 3:10 pm
Quack! Quack! Quack!

“Duck the Question” Daley is at it again.

Comment by Bubs Tuesday, Mar 24, 09 @ 3:22 pm
Rich,

I thought the same thing. So I looked it up.

Page 38 in the Operating Budget Book (pdf) that is put out by Quinn’s budget people clearly shows that the $825 million was taken into account as part of the deficit.

BUDGET BASIS SURPLUS (DEFICIT) FOR FISCAL YEAR
($4,317)

Plus: Budget Basis Fund Balance at Beginning of the Fiscal Year
($835)

Comment by George Tuesday, Mar 24, 09 @ 3:29 pm
sorry — ** $835***. Not $825.

Comment by George Tuesday, Mar 24, 09 @ 3:29 pm
Though, now that I look at it - it does add up to $12.4 billion on their little sheet there for Deficit at end of FY2010.

So, it doesn’t look like they missed it. But that they aren’t counting that $835 in their big deficit number for some reason.

Comment by George Tuesday, Mar 24, 09 @ 3:33 pm
What’s up with this: From Daily Herald a AP article on IDOT uppers getting $6 thousand a year raise as Blago exists. And ends with “Gov. Pat Quinn said Tuesday he’ll review the raises and whether they’re justified. Spokeswoman Marisa Kollias says the raises were necessary to keep seasoned employees on board.”

What? Were they all about to jump ship and run for greener pastures?

Comment by Princess Tuesday, Mar 24, 09 @ 3:42 pm
Apparently CGFA Director Long didn’t spend long enough time in looking at page 2-12 of the FY2010 Operating Budget. (That’s the key financial statement in the entire budget book!)

In the financial statement on p 2-12 called Budget Results & Plans, in the column headed FY 2010 (Base Budget Deficit), there is a line called “Budget Basis Fund Balance (Deficit) at the end of Fiscal Year.” The amount shown in bright red ink, as that deficit, is -$12,441 million.

Wonder if CGFA Director Long will issue an apology for his oversight and claim that Quinn didn’t cite the correct amount for the total deficit?

BTW, the frequently cited $11.6 billion amount relates to the sum of the FY09 and FY10 projected deficits only and not prior years deficits.

Comment by Professor of Finance Tuesday, Mar 24, 09 @ 3:44 pm
Isn’t the logic behind gun education the same as the logic behind sex education? Is that inconvenient to suggest?

And civilian marksmanship used to be taught in some high schools… It was more of a rural thing. Heck, U of I used to have an indoor rifle range (but we’re not talking college, here).

For younger kids there used to be the Eddy the Eagle program from the NRA that taught young kids what to do… Assume it’s loaded, don’t touch, go get a trusted adult… etc…

Comment by Greg B. Tuesday, Mar 24, 09 @ 4:23 pm
U.S. Senator Cornyn? Honestly, shouldn’t the GOP find someone that someone has heard of to lead the charge? Seriously, who is he? Boy this is lame.

Comment by babs Tuesday, Mar 24, 09 @ 4:27 pm
The taxpayers of Illinois have to be the stupidest, most naive people in the whole country. Rod was right. They were going to raise taxes all along.
Question is how high can they go ? First we heard oh my God we’re 1.5 billion in the red. Then 2 billion. Possibly as high as 6 billion. Oh no it’s 7 billion. Now we’re up to 11.5 and rising. What a bunch of easy mark suckers.

Comment by WindyCityGardener Tuesday, Mar 24, 09 @ 7:02 pm
Regarding gun education…..

When my son was six I brought home a 1911 pistol I’d bought from a friend. Being a six year old boy, he was curious and wanted to see it. I made sure the weapon was clear an safe and handed him the pistol. I showed him how it worked and answered his questions. Then he wanted to see “where the bullets go” so I took the pistol back from him and handed him an empty magazine. He asked a few more questions and I answered them.
His curiosity was gone. I’ve repeated that same process with him with several other firearms.

I’m a certified range instructor. The only “formal” training my son has received is going thru the hunter safety course. That being said, he’s safer than the vast majority of shooters I’ve had on the line.

Teach the kids about guns. Better they learn in a controlled environment than out on the street.

Comment by howie Tuesday, Mar 24, 09 @ 7:57 pm
Gun education is reasonable in the abstract. But we live in the real world. They’re not hunting squirrels on the South and West Sides.

Is the idea to cut down on innocent bystanders being hit? Teach gangbangers to hit their target? Just bizarre.

Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Mar 25, 09 @ 8:15 am