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* AFSCME has yet another radio ad playing that slams Gov. Pat Quinn for facility closures and job losses. Listen…
* Script…
[VO] Governor Quinn’s new budget plan takes our state in the wrong direction. He’s trying to push hundreds of people with severe disabilities out of the place they call home – and he’s ignoring the voices of their loved ones.
[Guardian] I don’t know why they would want to close this place down, ‘cause there’s so many people that depend on the care and the love that they get here.
[VO] At the same time, law enforcement officials say Pat Quinn’s cuts would make our streets less safe.
[Sheriff] Closing the toughest prison we’ve got, where the worst offenders go, and letting other people out to make room, doesn’t make sense.
[VO] In all, the Quinn budget would wipe out 3,000 Illinois jobs. Governor Quinn just gave huge new tax breaks to big corporations. Now he says we can’t afford to save the jobs of thousands who protect public safety and care for the most vulnerable.
It’s time for our legislators to stand up for us. Say no to Pat Quinn’s plan.
Visit NoQuinnCuts.com.
Discuss.
* Related…
* Illinois lawmakers start petition to stop closures
* Hearings on Illinois enterprise zones start Thursday: Hearings aimed at extending a long-running tax incentive program get under way this week as part of a push by state lawmakers and business groups to keep Illinois competitive with other states. In a year marked by the General Assembly and Gov. Pat Quinn scrambling to offer tax incentives to companies threatening to leave the state, the hearings are designed to clear a path for an extension of the state’s existing 97 enterprise zones for another 25 years.
* Public invited to meeting regarding state budget: he local public employees union will hold a public meeting Thursday night to discuss what it says are the deleterious effects of Gov. Pat Quinn’s budget plan.
* State backing $42 million center at Chicago college
* U of I: State funding should at least stay flat
* Officials: Plan to Shift Pension Cost to Local Schools Would Cost VVSD Millions
* Guest Column: Action must match rhetoric to achieve education goals
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 9:12 am
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Previous Post: Goodbye and good riddance
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They are not “job losses” because they are not real jobs. They are government jobs.
Comment by Shore Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 9:14 am
Yes, Shore, nobody works at those jobs. No families depend on those incomes. No communities benefit from the employment. They don’t exist. They have no impact.
Sheesh.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 9:15 am
Saying don’t close or don’t cut is a nice thing to do for your Union’s members, but how about some real options? Saying no doesn’t solve the problem.
Comment by Siriusly Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 9:18 am
Right or wrong, Quinn could use the term “QuinnCuts” in a political campaign — as far as the average voter is concerned right now.
Of course that could change.
Comment by mark walker Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 9:19 am
Wow Quinn takes afscme money and endorsment in a close election and give them a jobs guarantee then double crosses them. Never could of seen that coming. I mean Quinn has been so honest about the tax hike, the death penalty, U of I trustees. Afscme should of realized Quinn’s word is as useful as an expired super 8 membership card.
Comment by Fed up Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 9:25 am
It is possible that the union ads could have the unitended consequence of driving up Quinn’s approval ratings.
Comment by Niles Township Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 9:26 am
Please tell me Shore isn’t serious…
Comment by dave Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 9:30 am
Shore, that mean you have space at your house for some of the people at Tamms or JDC?
Comment by zatoichi Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 9:32 am
I think it’s a good ad. How Quinn is targeting the severely disabled to save money is deplorable.
Comment by Wensicia Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 9:38 am
The big mistake was giving $$$HUNDREDS of MILLIONS to Sears when they turn around and cut jobs in Illinois - that money could be paying to keep our public safety and public services funded.
Corporate welfare is a bad policy.
Comment by concerned Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 9:41 am
Rich:
Side note. Does your system update for daylight savings time? All the times on the postings are an hour behind.
Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 9:42 am
What a wast of money for AFSCME to take out an ad.
What are they going to do? Their options are to support a Republican, start a third party? Get real. They are 100% interdependent with the Democratic party.
Just a blah, blah, blah to show their hard working membership that they are ‘doing something’ to justify their (union leadership) cushy jobs.
Comment by Plutocrat03 Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 9:43 am
Shore: Be careful what you wish for. If we didn’t count government layoffs in the unemployment figures, Obama would be doing much better on the numbers.
Comment by mark walker Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 9:44 am
Anybody got a plan for how to cut the budget without goring any oxen?
Comment by Aldyth Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 9:54 am
Shore - Bite me. That has to be one of the most ignorant posts I’ve ever seen on here
Comment by Former Merit Comp Slave Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 10:02 am
These terrible cuts to state services might save $100 million next year. Quinn’s recent giveaways to CME, Sears, Motorola et al cost more than that.
Meanwhile, state employees took unpaid furlough days and deferred negotiated pay increases for two years to save the state money. The corporate tax giveaways should be deferred now.
Comment by Reality Check Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 10:14 am
Here’s a news flash: There are no big, expensive, unnecessary, politically unpopular state programs. There are some small ones, and there are places that cuts can be made without goring too many oxen. But the programs with the big numbers are big for a reason — they serve a lot of people. they hire a lot of people, and they provide services that are considered essential by most.
Look — if there were programs that cost $300 million a year that weren’t doing anything, legislators would be lining up to chop them (and the Governor would definitely get there first.)
Big cuts mean big, politically unpopular impacts.
Comment by soccermom Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 10:15 am
AFSCME is unlikely to support a Republican, but they could support someone other than Quinn in the Democratic gubernatorial primary.
Contract negotiations for the next state employee contract must be about to start, if they haven’t already. I suppose this is a good time to remind Quinn of that primary race. Lots of money at stake in employee raises and other perks.
Comment by cassandra Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 10:22 am
Quinn had the union endorsement,just think what Brady would have done.When someone gets laid off
it hurts.Most people getting laid off are doing a full days work.When we hear cut this and cut that
real folks are getting slammed. Quinn should look at cutting his pay, and the partime workers who get full benefits and pensions in Springfield.
Then and only then will fairness begin.
Comment by mokenavince Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 10:24 am
mokenavince, Brady is not the one who made promises, took endorsements and volunteers from the unions, then reneagued. Spare me any fairness talk as we probably disagree on what is fair.
Comment by Wumpus Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 10:29 am
AFSCME is doing as expected, focusing upon the most dramatic member job cuts. However, will AFSCME admit that its members’ many step increases, followed by cola increases, its members’ generous overtime rates, and all the other hard-won, but costly compensation wins mean State employee costs are increasing faster than inflation. This, in part, is contributing to these deep cuts. Will AFSCME offer any concessions to save jobs?
Comment by Sir Reel Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 10:29 am
Governor Quinn has no plan but to use the political expediency of blaming public employees for a crisis he inherited and maintains. I wish anyone who thinks public sector work is not real work should have to pay with their credit card when the fire department comes to their house. They should pay with their credit card every time they want the street in front of their house plowed. They should be required to adopt a disabled person that no one else but the state can care for. Too bad so many well meaning people vote against their own self interest and like to maintain the wealth of the corporate elite who rip them off every day. They steal with their tax breaks. That is the welfare you should be worried about. There was a time when corporations paid 28% of the total Federal Tax Revenue. It is now 6%. Why do you think your taxes are so high? Unfortunately, these are the folks Quinn is beholden to.
Comment by Lars Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 10:31 am
‘could support someone other than Quinn’
Which is how the corruption begins/continues. The candidate, in order to get or preserve his own job, spends tax money in a manner that benefits a political benefactor, who in turn provides resources back to the candidate.
Is it really that different than the bribe Mr. Smith is accused of taking? The discrete steps are different, but the result is the same.
Comment by Plutocrat03 Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 10:37 am
====The candidate, in order to get or preserve his own job, spends tax money in a manner that benefits a political benefactor, who in turn provides resources back to the candidate.====
So, you’re arguing for public financing of campaigns or what?
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 10:41 am
Sir Reel, AFSCME and some of the other unions did make sacrifices, they did offer concessions. They were told that if they met a certain dollar figure of savings and suggested savings the raises and would be given, and no layoffs or cuts would be made by the governor. They met that threshold but Quinn ignored that, he ignored the fact that there was a signed contract, he ignored HIS OWN agreements with some union members that they would not be affected. Then he went back on his word in all the instances and gave raises and steps to certain employees but not to all.
When asked why he did this, he says that the GA is at fault, they didn’t give him enough money. They didn’t give him enough money to meet his obligations AND give large sums to all his favorite entities.
Comment by Irish Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 10:51 am
The problems Democrats face with these budget issues is forming. D’s have got to find a way to deflect the criticism from the party. It appears the Governor Quinn is in the box at this time. If Republicans continue their “no additional taxes” position and the D’s have to choose between public employees/pensioners, and human service recipients and providers it could get messy.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 11:04 am
So, you’re arguing for public financing of campaigns or what?
I like self funding.
Comment by Plutocrat03 Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 11:05 am
===I like self funding. ===
Ergo your screen name. Shoulda known.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 11:06 am
–The problems Democrats face with these budget issues is forming. D’s have got to find a way to deflect the criticism from the party.–
Not really. The others guys aren’t even in the ballgame.
It’s a problem of governing. That’s tough work, but it will get done.
Elections aren’t as tough when the opposition is comprised of fantasists who believe government jobs aren’t “real jobs,” or that public employee union members are some sort of sinister cabal.
It’s easy to beat those guys.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 11:26 am
When I donate to a candidate, or walk for them, I expect them to be honest and do their best for all. I do no business with any governmental entity, so there is no financial benefit to me.
Those who donate with an expectation of preferential treatment are no less guilty of a crime than the officeholder who sells out the public for a campaign contribution.
Comment by Plutocrat03 Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 12:04 pm
It’s a question of what we value as a society. Public employees perform those functions which our society believes are necessary: caring for the disabled and the mentally ill who have no one and who would be on the street without government programs; incarcerating lawbreakers; rehabilitating misfits. Societies who value these functions pool resources (through taxes) to see that they are done. It’s what we do in a civil society. Let’s honor our values and keep these needed services.
Comment by Shorty Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 12:24 pm
And the union’s alternative is what? Quinn’s already raised taxes. The level of state spending programs is unsustainable, so there have to be cuts which will hurt. Public employees have been living off the taxpayers’ credit cards for too long.
Comment by formerpolitico Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 12:35 pm
Former,
State employees have been living off of their hard earned wages not anybody’s credit card. The citizens of Illinois have been living off of credit and now the time has come to pay up. It is the public that demands excellent human services, public education, and public safety. Look at the outcry when Quinn proposes woefully inadequate budget cuts. Taxes are still fairly low compared to neighboring states and businesses don’t pay their fair share. Neither do the rich. It is time for a graduated income tax, sales tax on services similar to other states, and closing tax loopholes. The free ride is over. It is time for the citizens to pony up and pay for what they get.
Comment by Bill Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 12:45 pm
Apparently nobody here asking “How to pay for it?” has actually listened to the radio spot or read the comments above.
In both places, it clearly counterposes Quinn’s terrible cuts with his egregious corporate tax giveaways.
State employees took furlough days and deferred contractual pay increases for two years. Now the tax giveaways to CME, Sears, Motorola etc should also be deferred for two years.
That would MORE than pay for avoiding these awful cuts, and provide money to pay down bills, too.
Comment by Reality Check Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 1:47 pm
- In both places, it clearly counterposes Quinn’s terrible cuts with his egregious corporate tax giveaways. -
Not that I’m a fan of these giveaways, but did everyone forget that those were passed through the GA? It wasn’t like Quinn just grabbed bags of cash from the general fund and handed them over. And again, people are demanding cuts, now they get to see what that means. Despite the popular myth, there isn’t a pile of money being spent on things that would be painless to cut. This is going to hurt, there is no way around it.
Comment by Small Town Liberal Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 2:39 pm
I’m with Bill.I don’t want to see our society become a place where the most vulnerable are turned out into the streets and public services suffer. Shame on Governor! I thought he cared about the little guy! (I know, I know…i should never have been so naive).
Comment by anon Wednesday, Mar 14, 12 @ 2:43 pm