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* Sen. Susan Garrett talked to reporters today about the lite guv post. She said she has “no indication” that she’s the frontrunner, which kinda defies most evidence, but that’s media talk. She also addressed a report in Capitol Fax that she’d been driven to various events on Saturday by a Quinn campaign worker. She characterized the person as “just a driver.” Yeah. OK. Take my word for it, the guy ain’t just a driver. Gov. Quinn appeared to deny the report yesterday, so this is becoming a bit of an issue for me.
Anyway, watch the interview…
Garrett also talked about her position on Quinn’s tax hike. Have a look…
* Sen. Rickey Hendon hasn’t exactly been a fan of his fellow member of Democratic leadership Susan Garrett. Back when Garrett was leading the charge against a legislative pay hike in 2008 Hendon had this to say about her…
“People should not miss out on the fact that she’s a millionaire. She don’t need it. Have you seen her house? Mind-boggling,” Hendon said. “So it just blows my mind how the filthy rich are always the ones saying, we don’t need the raise. No she don’t.”
But Hendon did have plenty of nice things to say about Garrett today, and called that ‘08 fight over the pay raise “minor,” adding, “She has a kind heart.” Hendon also said the pick was a good strategy for Quinn and that the two would be a good fit. He also had some unkind words for Rep. Art Turner, with whom he has been feuding for ages and who is also vying for the lite guv job. Have a look…
* Gov. Quinn supported the federal health care reform bill, without knowing what it would cost the state budget…
How much will Medicaid cost the state should the federal health care legislation become law? No one really knows for sure, including Gov. Pat Quinn, who backs health care reform.
Speaking with reporters Monday, Quinn said it won’t worsen the state’s deficit, yet he doesn’t know how much the cost will be. According to Quinn, the state hasn’t made a cost estimate.
Progress Illinois has run the broad Medicaid numbers, but there will also be some benefits to the state not included in this list…
After covering the full cost until 2016, Washington will cover 95 percent of the expansion in 2017, meaning Illinois would need to pay an additional $130 million that year. In 2018, the federal assistance drops to 94 percent, costing Illinois $156 million. In 2019, it drops one more percentage point, adding $183 million to the state budget. That means the grand total Illinois would owe, between 2014 and 2019, will be approximately $469 million. Thought about another way, Illinois will extend health coverage to about 5 percent of its population at a cost of just $40 per person annually.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 2:04 pm
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If Ricky Hendon doesnt like Art Turner he can’t be a bad guy. Hendon is a bigger joke than Blago.
Comment by fed up Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 2:20 pm
==She characterized the person as “just a driver.” Yeah. OK. Take my word for it, the guy ain’t just a driver. Gov. Quinn appeared to deny the report yesterday, so this is becoming a bit of an issue for me.==
I am with you, Rich. I don’t think it is a big deal if he asked a campaign staffer to help her, but it is a big deal if that’s what happened and he continues to deny it.
Besides, if she’s so rich, she could afford her own driver if necessary and wouldn’t need a Quinn campaign staffer.
Comment by deny, deny, deny Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 2:30 pm
“She characterized the person as “just a driver.”
of course! to a “filthy rich” person he is JUST a driver.
now, jeeves call the driver and tell him to bring the rolls, no. on second thought let’s make it the bentley instead. it’s such a schlep to springfield. tell the driver i’ll be ready in 5 minutes. i’d call the driver myself, but i don’t want to break a nail.
whatever.
Comment by Will County Woman Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 2:32 pm
What they’re trying to do is not make this thing look like a done deal. I get it. And it’s not 100 percent. Close, but not 100.
What irks me is that they’re both trying to make it look like I didn’t get my facts right. I’d just drop the whole subject and move on if they’d quit this goofiness.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 2:33 pm
Rich, just another example that the Quinn people are amateurs. Never question Rich’s facts!!
Comment by deny, deny, deny Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 2:36 pm
After covering the full cost until 2016, Washington will cover 95 percent of the expansion in 2017, meaning Illinois would need to pay an additional $130 million that year. In 2018, the federal assistance drops to 94 percent, costing Illinois $156 million. In 2019, it drops one more percentage point, adding $183 million to the state budget. That means the grand total Illinois would owe, between 2014 and 2019, will be approximately $469 million. Thought about another way, Illinois will extend health coverage to about 5 percent of its population at a cost of just $40 per person annually.
An annually cost of $40 per person to Illinois taxpayers in State taxes. What about the federal share? Last time I looked Illinois taxpayers pay federal tax also.
This makes the cost close to $900 a year, not forty. And where does a State with a $12 billion deficit magically find another $400 million plus each year?
Comment by downstate hack Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 2:38 pm
RE: taxes. She is throwing a lot of “ifs” around, as if they just brought up the issue in conversation over the weekend. She also says we’re not ready to talk about a tax hike yet… where has she been? We’ve been talking about it. What does she mean by the “message hasn’t been articulated to the public..?” We do understand that there needs to be additional revenue and we do understand that it’s not going to come out of thin air. I don’t know where her town hall meetings were but I hope she was there.
Comment by Island Girl Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 2:38 pm
Senator Garrett, towards the end of interview, tells reporters they should learn more about her background. This is in response to the question, “Have you ever stayed at a Super 8?” She said she and her husband have humble beginnings and have worked their way up.
Rich: Can you provide more background on the humbleness of the Garrett beginnings?
Comment by LG Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 2:43 pm
===another $400 million plus each year?===
Where are you seeing that?
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 2:56 pm
@Hack - That’s $469 over six years, an average of $78 million per year, not $400 million per year. Did you study math with the Tribune Editorial board or what?
I love Susan Garrett, but she needs help with her media skills, and a more direct answer to the tax hike question.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 3:00 pm
@Hack - That’s $469 over six years, an average of $78 million per year, not $400 million per year. Did you study math with the Tribune Editorial board or what?
My bad, Reading the trib too much,
However, Where does the State get an extra $78 million a year? And my main point is that when we calculate costs, we must include federal. Federal tax dollars are paid by Illinois citizens.
Let’s just not say we are serving 5% of our citizens at $40 per.
Comment by downstate hack Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 3:07 pm
I’ve met Susan a few times. She seems to be a sincere woman. But she is not the powerhouse personality Quinn needs with him on the campaign trail to burnish his own fairly boring countenance and droning speechifying. They’ll need to pass out high octane caffeinated drinks at campaign rallies to keep voters awake.
Comment by Responsa Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 3:12 pm
Whoever is doing the Medicaid math may not be taking into consideration the increased FFP for SCHIP, Senior Rx, and regular Medicaid. Current state expenditures for these programs will be enhanced. It is also unlikely that the estimates are adjusted for the probable slow uptake in enrollment (It’s unlikely that all possible eligibles will be covered in the early years — only about 50% of current eligibles are actually enrolled in the existing program.)
Comment by HANAL Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 3:30 pm
- of course! to a “filthy rich” person he is JUST a driver. -
WCW, do you ever actually get the point of anything?
Comment by Small Town Liberal Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 3:34 pm
yeah - boring and evasive, a great combination for someone who will be painted as an out-of-touch Lake Forest millionaire. I also hear organized labor is not happy at all about Garrett as LG nominee - should be an interesting battle.
Comment by Robert Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 3:41 pm
Hmm! At her Lake Bluff Town Hall Meeting on Saturday, she stated she was opposed to the tax increase proposal of Quinn. Now?
Moths should always be wary of the limelight.
Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 3:55 pm
I think a real problem with the health bill and the point is Quinn supported it without knowing what was in it. Congress said we would have 72 hours to view the final bill and it was being work on until the last minute. The president said would let us see it for five days and it lasted less than 36 hours. The state is the biggest employer. Did they receive a full exemption or does everyone who is employed by the state have to be offered healthcare now? I don’t know becuase it is 3000 pages long and it was done before we saw it.
If we have to go and put everyone on health insurance it will sink us. The schools alone will see a spike in health insurance costs if all staff has to be put into the health insurance pool. I don’t have facts, and I think the problem is we just passed the largest spending bill in the history of the world with no facts. If that don’t make your skin crawl, you need to wake up.
Comment by the Patriot Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 4:18 pm
thank you for providing video evidence that Susan Garrett is
just– plain– boring. YAWN!!!!!!!!! coffee, stat!
unless her humble beginnings provide some sort of compelling
narrative, please, Committeemen and Committeewomen (there
are both by statute, Ms. Garrett), pick another candidate, someone who is dynamic!
Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 4:35 pm
Drop the pitchforks!
Those of you who think Garrett is a bad fit for Illinois or for the ticket are quick to ignore that she’s got a proven track record of winning decisive elections.
Maybe her appeal is mostly regional, and limited to portions of the Cook Suburbs, Lake County, McHenry County, and portions of DuPage and Kane.
Well, I’ve got news for ya folks: THAT’S the ballgame.
Whatever your criticisms, go back and watch the clip of Jason Plummer on Chicago Tonight, and then get back to me.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 4:44 pm
Average voter doesn’t care about the Lt Gov pick as much as all of you do. Voters are not going to vote for Brady because Garrett is a boring Lt. Gov choice.
Comment by Illinois voter Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 4:50 pm
So let me get this straight. Princess Susan from the House of Garrett in Lake Forest hasn’t signed on to vote for the Governor’s tax increase, but Quinn’s people have assigned her a chauffeur.
And Garrett ranks at the bottom of her caucus with her lifetime labor voting record. What a great message from the Democratic Party to working men and women across Illinois struggling to keep a job and their home during this Great Recession.
I also hear she is supposed to be Quinn’s “attack dog” on social issues against Brady. I’m sure the GOP will be glad to have a debate about Garrett pushing to have sex education start in KINDERGARTEN!!! Check out SB 99 from the 93rd General Assembly. That’ll play well downstate in Christian County.
Comment by Betsy Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 4:50 pm
@Betsy, “That’ll play well downstate in Christian County.”
So, you think this election is going to be decided in Christian County?
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 5:02 pm
@ Anonymous,
I bet Kirk Dillard wishes he could have cobbled together a couple hundred more votes among counties like Christian County.
Comment by Betsy Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 5:07 pm
actually, it does matter that she is boring, at least if you
buy the line that the LG candidate is supposed to energize
women for Quinn. it means she cannot do the job.
as for how she won her most recent ” difficult race,” it was all about Emil winning the senate back. she hardly did that
on her own.
and after reading Betsy’s comments above, Garrett will have
even more problems getting Dems excited.
who had the task of driving Miss Daisy?
Comment by Amalia Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 5:15 pm
The Federal Funds Information for States — a joint subscription service of the National Governors Association/National Conference of State Legislatures and subscribed to by Quinn — pegged the Medicaid expansion stateside cost numbers at a much higher level than Progress Illinois.
Earlier this year, FFIS released an updated cost estimate on what the Senate’s plan of mandating an expanded Medicaid program to 133 percent of federal poverty level would mean for Illinois’s state budget. From 2017 to 2019, Illinois taxpayers would have to cover over $1.4 billion in new costs to meet the Medicaid mandate.
Source: Federal Funds Information for States, FFIS Issue Brief 10-01, January 7, 2010
Comment by Kristina Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 5:41 pm
Didnt Blago expand Medicaid on his own? Wont this replace it Might we not end up ahaed?
Comment by western illinois Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 7:59 pm
Shouldn’t someone ask Rickey Hendon if he will be collecting three government pensions when he finally leaves the General Assembly, since he was a county worker and an alderman before becoming a senator?
Comment by Professor Chaos Tuesday, Mar 23, 10 @ 8:51 pm
omg
StatwideTom, RXRon and the other blowhards have really missed a chance. No one introduced a res demanding the AG sue Obama on health care. They were even beaten to the punch by Manzullo. It is hard to imagine anyone slower than Manzullo.
Of course the AG knows the law suit is a loser and will cost the states millions.
Maybe this will be today’ rant….A day late and a dollar short — as usual
Comment by CircularFiringSquad Wednesday, Mar 24, 10 @ 8:26 am
Kristina, that number was issued before the reconciliation bill.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Mar 24, 10 @ 8:30 am