Latest Post | Last 10 Posts | Archives
Previous Post: Good morning!
Next Post: Hizzoner and His Excellency
Posted in:
* Erickson…
The total number of state workers actually dropped during Quinn’s six years in office. The November 2009 total was 68,299 employees versus the November 2014 total of 65,399 employees, according to comptroller records.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 9:25 am
Sorry, comments are closed at this time.
Previous Post: Good morning!
Next Post: Hizzoner and His Excellency
WordPress Mobile Edition available at alexking.org.
powered by WordPress.
Lots of retirements, few replacements
Comment by Skeptic Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 9:30 am
“The total number of state workers actually dropped during Quinn’s six years in office.”
Buh… buh… but The Narrative!!1!
— MrJM
Comment by MrJM (@MisterJayEm) Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 9:32 am
But that can’t be true! Bruce told us gubmint was getting BIGGER! Spending was out of control! It’s even more horrific than we imagined!
Somebody needs to shake up this statistic asap.
Comment by A. Nonymous Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 9:33 am
So there you go……..already on the way to slashing wasteful government. Quinn was already in the saving the taxpayer mode by decreasing government employees.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 9:37 am
These numbers follow a trend. There are also figures available that Illinois shed 4000 state employees between 2007 and 2011. But I’m not sure about how many of those were between 2007 and 2009 - and how many that were after 2009 when Quinn took office. At any rate the state workforce has been cut quite a bit.
Comment by Joe M Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 9:38 am
I imagine the number of contractual employees has increased.
Comment by Casual Observer Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 9:38 am
Numbers have a known liberal bias.
Comment by PublicServant Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 9:41 am
That continues a long term trend — the reduction of the state workforce. It’s part of a rarely mentioned one-two punch that really hurts the pension systems. There are fewer and fewer current employees paying into the system, while there are more and more retirees living longer and pulling money out of the system. When pensions were first implemented more than a century ago, no one thought a pension system’s retiree/employee ratio would be upside down, yet that’s where all the funds are heading.
Comment by RTC Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 9:43 am
How many temporary workers were hired? How many temporary workers remain employed for extended periods? How many temporary workers are celebrating 3, 4, 5 year anniversaries?
Comment by Just 4 fun Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 9:43 am
There is a nice graph of the number of active members in the State’s pension system (SERS) from FY1996-FY2014 which is similar to total employee head count (I assume the main difference is contractual employees) on page 63 of COGFA’s FY2015 budget summary. Approx 80,000 in FY1996 to about 60,000 in FY2014.
Comment by Salty Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 9:45 am
And the number will decline much further as we begin the Rauner austerity era.
Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 9:45 am
2 problems I lived with as a result of these numbers-
1) Too many people at the top being bosses and low numbers actually doing the work.
2) Contractual workers who are suppose to be doing work but do not have the skills to do so!
Comment by Shortsue Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 9:50 am
If Rauner didn’t understand (until as of late at least) that Illinois has significant financial problems, there’s just no way he could ever comprehend that Quinn was cutting government spending. Wait until he reads the procurement rules, we may have to put him in a straight jacket.
Comment by Mad Anthony Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 9:50 am
“I’m Governor Rauner, thanks for having me, I want to visit as many agencies and offices as possible.
Do me a favor…Line up, shoulder to shoulder…that’s it… Now, look at the person to your left…now look at the person to your right..,one of the three of you might not be here when I visit next time…”
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 9:51 am
The FY 2016 State budget deficit can be cut by billions simply by lengthening the pension repayment ramp. The bond rating companies will shriek their distress, but Illinois debt will continue to be a highly desirable product paying relatively low interest which the State can afford.
Comment by Quiet Sage Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 9:52 am
RTC: You hit on something I’ve been saying for years. Part of the number-crunching that went into the fiscal analysis of the early retirement law that was enacted at the end of the Ryan era was based on newer, although lower-paid, employees replacing retirees. The Blago-Filan brain trust decided not to fill many of those positions, which has led to fewer employees paying into the systems.
Comment by SAP Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 9:52 am
Workforce is significantly older too. No younger employees being recruited and hired. Loss of institutional knowledge has been significant.
Comment by Johnnie F. Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 9:52 am
Fewer employees paying into the system? This isn’t social security, folks. The amount employees pay into the pension system pales in comparison to the amount the State has to pay in for each of those employees.
Comment by phocion Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 9:56 am
Retirement and death were no doubt the make reason. I doubt if anyone was fired or laid off.
We should cut the number of governments, that would save us a ton of money.
Comment by Mokenavince Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:00 am
QS “The FY 2016 State budget deficit can be cut by billions simply by lengthening the pension repayment ramp. The bond rating companies will shriek their distress, but Illinois debt will continue to be a highly desirable product paying relatively low interest which the State can afford.”
If the State takes yet another pension holiday, local governments are certain to ask for their holidays as well. Bond ratings at all levels of government will be lowered and retirement security for teachers, cops, firefighters will be imperiled. The Republicans need a new policy solution to balancing the budget besides not funding pensions and retiree healthcare to solve Illinois’ fiscal woes in manner is not an old gimmick that got the stste into its current mess.
Comment by Mad Anthony Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:00 am
RTC–fewer people contributing to a pension fund more and more are drawing from.
Yes, but not a massive cause of the absent funds. No matter which way anyone wants to cut it, the cause by far is decades of specifically choosing not to fund the system by lawmakers. No one can get around that. Look at IMRF. I’m sure there have been reductions in employees there too. Having never skipped a payment into the system, it is funded at well over 90%. Don’t know why so many are anxious to let our legislators off the hook for what is actually illegal behavior in the private sector.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:01 am
CMS is a mess. Mrs. Sleep often tells me of how difficult it is for her agency to get anything accomplished: procurement, hiring or even legal advice. I hope that Governor Rauner straightens CMS out and allows agencies some leeway to man their own ships as they see fit.
Comment by Team Sleep Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:07 am
Some of the work of state employees has been contracted out. It looks good on paper, but many times it is actually more expensive.
Comment by DuPage Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:10 am
Not because of any sense of fiscal responsibility. The Governor’s office was so gridlocked with inertia that they took 9-12 months to approve any new hires — even patronage.
Also, it now takes 3+ months even to get a grade from CMS.
Comment by LincolnLounger Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:13 am
===but many times it is actually more expensive. ===
I kinda doubt that, especially when factoring in pensions, lifetime no-premium health insurance, etc.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:15 am
Many of those who left the state workforce retired. There was some recent hiring in DHS, I believe due to the job killer that is Obamacare, and also due to an AFCSME grievance victory in regards to privatizing Medicaid eligibility redeterminations.
Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:16 am
Is this like the joke “What do you call 100 lawyers at the bottom of the ocean?…. “It’s a good start.” ?
Comment by SkeptiCal Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:16 am
Mad Anthony-I said lengthen the repayment ramp, not take a pension holiday (a terrible idea).
Comment by Quiet Sage Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:16 am
“That continues a long term trend — the reduction of the state workforce.”
Exactly right and 100% counter to GOP narratives here and around the country. The public is fed a diet of “government is growing out of control” pablum and Fox dutifully spews it out, and few in the media contradict it. Government here and around the country has been shrinking.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:22 am
Guys, it doesn’t matter WHY the workforce went down. It matters that there has been a net decrease in the state workforce. I would think those of you who constantly gripe about state workers would be happy about that.
Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:22 am
If I recall, during one of the debates, Quinn admitted he was outsourcing more government functions. Rauner refused to answer what government functions he thought were candidates for outsourcing. Rauner’s forte is investing in businesses that provide government services. I expect DCFS and DHS will see further declines in head count, as a start.
Comment by Casual Observer Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:23 am
Skeptic, Casual Observer, Anonymous and especially ShortSue are spot on…
“2 problems I lived with as a result of these numbers-
1) Too many people at the top being bosses and low numbers actually doing the work.
2) Contractual workers who are suppose to be doing work but do not have the skills to do so!”
Be wary of the “headcount” numbers. Also, be wary of just the counts of heads. What really counts is personnel costs overall. Numbers that I have seen that include overhead costs, as reported to the Feds, indicate that the typical state employee costs less than an outsourced substitute. Contracted substitutes may reduce the count of state employees, but they cost more - remember that their cost includes overhead (like 401K costs) and profit. Moreover, the resultant false reduction of personnel costs exacerbates the pension funding issue as fewer folks are paying into the systems. The extensive patronage appointments to high-pay, high titles (more and more “Deputy Directors & such) yield people who do nothing - I once met a Deputy Director who could not tell me what he was Deputy Direct of (so he basically delivered mail). Contracted substitutes tend to not know anything and are without “corporate knowledge”, so they become a burden on the state workers assigned to train and supervise them. Gotta have some realism in looking at personnel and personnel costs.
Comment by Mister M Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:24 am
===those of you who constantly gripe about state workers===
They tend to gripe about everything.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:25 am
==outsourcing more government functions==
There’s only so much you can outsource before you run afoul of union contracts.
==Some of the work of state employees has been contracted out. It looks good on paper, but many times it is actually more expensive.
Not true unless the contracted individual is making boatloads of money (i.e. well into six figures). Even some of the lowest paid employees end up costing the state nearly six figures when you factor in retirement and healthcare costs.
Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:25 am
==those of you who gripe about state workers==
Funny, Rich. How true that these are the ones who gripe about everything. But in this case they should be happy and consider great progress has been made toward the goal they see. Nothing to complain about for them…..oh wait, some of those not employed might be collecting million dollar pensions, right? So there really IS something to gripe about after all!
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:31 am
I’m in line with the numbers declining due to retirements. Add to that fact that there is tremendous brain drain that makes running state government even more difficult.
Cutting or significantly reducing services will be the order of the day. Closing offices, eliminating overtime, and creating pain for us all will be the result of these reductions. Then….who will the public and some media blame? It won’t be the state worker…their numbers will be far, far fewer. Unfortunately their pension obligations will loom tall. Sure hope the judges and retired legislators will be okay…
Comment by Sunshine Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:33 am
What is being counted, number of employees or number of authorized positions? Get a hold of any agencies org chart and you will see an amazing number of vacant positions.
How many retirees were offered 1 or more 75-day contract extensions? All that did was delay the inevitable!
When looking at inflated numbers of employees, how come nobody reports about the number of workers in the legislature?
Comment by BMAN Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:34 am
I’d wager that the amount of retirees now being paid on a Contractual Service Voucher has risen dramatically.
Comment by Mouthy Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:35 am
Demoralized - you are incorrect on both counts. 1) At least some of the state unions have ignored the “erosion of the bargaining unit” that has resulted from unfilled vacancies and parallel outsourcing.
2) Even the lower-pay outsourced srtaffing generally costs more. Often the substitute is billed and paid with the full wage multiplier including overhead & profit, and that overhead is calculated as though the person is not using state facilities, state computers, etc. even though that is what they are doing. The outsourced person typically costs more. Period.
Comment by Mister M Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:36 am
- Mokenavince - Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:00 am:
“Retirement and death were no doubt the make reason. I doubt if anyone was fired or laid off.
We should cut the number of governments, that would save us a ton of money.”
When DHS was created it had over 20,000 staff, today they have less than 13,000, do think that many staff died or retired since 1997? Fact is, DHS’ headcount has been cut, cut again then cut again.
Comment by Give Me A Break Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:39 am
With respect to government outsourcing in general, we need smart outsourcing. A good article on the subject, by John Donahue, can be read at:
http://www.governing.com/columns/mgmt-insights/Outsourcing-Perversity.html
Comment by Mister M Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:39 am
==The outsourced person typically costs more. Period.==
Umm, wrong. Period. I do the calculations all the time. I know what I’m talking about. So bite me.
Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:39 am
===but many times it is actually more expensive. ===
===I kinda doubt that, especially when factoring in pensions, lifetime no-premium health insurance, etc. ===
Rich, I would argue it depends on the time horizon you use. In my experience, state employees cost in total about double their actual salary. I’ve seen contracts where the same expertise, short term, cost triple the salary of a state employee … so you are paying a premium for the flexibility of only having the employee a short period of time. That makes sense for one time projects but not for ongoing day to day operations.
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:40 am
@DuPage private sector workers make less, never receive raises, work harder, can be fired or held accountable. You have lower skilled public employees making considerably more than private sector workers who accomplish more and have more responsibility. It is a crime how upside down agencies are with state worker pay vs what they pay contract workers.
Comment by allkindsofstupid Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:41 am
@allkindsofstupid:
Your name says it all. And what brilliant analysis did you do to conclude the private sector workers “work harder,” “make less,” and “never receive raises?”
Dope.
Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:43 am
===That makes sense for one time projects but not for ongoing day to day operations.===
Well, yeah. But I don’t believe there are any 20-year contract employees making triple the salaries of state employees.
Hiring a state worker for, essentially, life is a whole lot more expensive than contracting out a short-term project for more than you’d normally pay a state worker.
And when I said above that the virulently anti state worker types are always griping about something, that also applies to a wide and deep vein of state workers.
Just sayin…
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:44 am
This week’s Crain’s list the Largest Employers in Chicago. The State of Illinois comes in at No. 8 with 14,925 employees in Chicago. It also lists the full-time world-wide headcount at 51,083. Does Illinois have 14,000 +/- part-time workers?
Comment by Bogey Golfer Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:46 am
The real mess is yet to be recognized. The past administrations and GA have made the state workers the scape goat for their blatant misfeasance. They have supported uneducated decisions to cut front line employees and to delay or cut funds for maintenance of facilities and infrastructure. They have kicked this can down the road just like they kicked the pension payment can down the road. Soon buildings and systems will begin to fail. And that crisis will have a huge impact on the budget. You cannot remove the people who maintain your facilities and infrastructure and expect it not to deteriorate.
I recently retired from a state agency. I had 39+ years. My main maintenance man retired with me. He had 35 years. We turned 3 facilities with over 5000 acres, infrastructure equal to a small town, and an physical inventory in the multi millions, over to three new employees with less than a year experience. Had we been able to maintain our staffing levels which were already below what was needed those employees would have had several years experience and one of the positions would have been supervisory. This is not uncommon in the Blago/Quinn/Madigan ruins.
Comment by Irish Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:47 am
“that also applies to a wide and deep vein of state workers” Could that not also be said about any group (like reporters for example)?
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:53 am
As discussed here before, Illinois had the lowest number of state employees per capita in the country long before these numbers came out. There is a real shortage of people who actually do the work. As for contracting out, you can’t just make a bland statement whether it’s beneficial or not. The Governing article linked above takes a good look at the issue. You have to take a close look at the contract, especially for hidden fees that pop up after the first year. It can cost more to contract out and sometimes the cost is lack of service or very inefficient service.
Comment by CD Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 11:04 am
As one of the state employees who left during Quinn’s administration (retirement because I couldn’t stand it any longer), I also know how many contractual workers were added at higher salaries than many long-time workers. While the contract workers might not get the pension benefits, if you add up the cost of those inflated salaries as they go from one state agency to the next due to their connections, the dollars involved are probably close to a wash.
Comment by cynically anonymous Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 11:06 am
Reasons for the fewer state employees:
1.) Retirement.
2.) Outsourcing.
Brain drain? Hardly. Technology has replaced a lot of the jobs going unfulfilled. How many people does the State need to remember paper filings or typing?
Too many bosses? Well, that is what happens when you stop hiring. People’s careers progress even when there are fewer subordinates being hired. The percentage of bosses increases. Then - you have an election every four years and campaign workers get a job, so they usually don’t begin at the bottom.
The trend shall continue until the last Boomer dies or retires. Its about demographics, folks, not conspiracy theories about union power.
Finally, outsourcing. It depends on what you outsource. Illinois government was doing things it shouldn’t or can’t do. Outsourcing not only saves taxpayer dollars regarding state hiring, but it also often does a better job. Sure, it stinks for unions, but considering the demographic and technology trends, unions are bound to be unhappy.
Quinn knew patronage - yet the number still went down. So, it is like when a GOP leader publically supports a tax increase, that is, it should be a sign that even a pro-government patronage veteran can’t stop a trend. If Rauner was in the Mansion and not Quinn, we’d probably see a slightly bigger reduction.
What Rauner has to do is ride the wave he can’t control, and call it good. For his entire first term, there will continue to be Boomers retiring and he can claim he is cutting and saving.
Finally, all those retirees did real work and earned a real pension. Complaining about the pension is ridiculous. You can either have the State filled with retiree stenographers and data entry main frame seniors, or let them retire like they should and pay them what is owed. Eventually, this super-sized generation will be gone and the pension problem will be solved. We don’t screw up our constitution in order to resolve a problem that will resolve itself, thanks to the Grim Reaper.
Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 11:07 am
I take back part of what I wrote earlier. I forgot about the fact that new state hires are actually paying more into SERS than they’ll get.
But, even without that, short-term hires are cheaper than long-term hires.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 11:15 am
Somebody mentioned 75 day contracts. Those went away with the last ERI in the 2000s. Now a retiree can come back on contract, at essentially full salary for as long has they want and is wanted. I personally know several. Great gig if you can get it.
Comment by Casual Observer Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 11:23 am
Fewer bureaaucrat to run amok, I guess.
Comment by Wordslinger Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 11:26 am
I would like to add another factor in the contractor vs union employee debate…risk.
It is generally far less risky to hire a contractor than an employee. Contractors offer the short-term flexibility that employee sometimes cannot. Change in direction? The contractors are typically the first to go.
Add limited workforce flexibility with required skill sets, union bureaucracy, guaranteed benefits, etc and you have a recipe to hire a contractor over an employee. The long-term risks of the union employee often outweigh the short-term cost of the contractor.
Comment by nixit71 Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 12:16 pm
@demoralized. I don’t see you calling out anyone else for making unsubstantiated comments. What about mine did you find so particularly distasteful that you had to resort to an ad hominem attack to me and no one else? Everyone knows that many contracts have had bottom lines frozen and Quinn prevented salary increases, that is a fact my friend. Everyone is well aware that one reason the state outsources work to contractors via grants and such is because union rules are limiting (you can’t make state workers do what a lot of private contractors do without changing agreements and rules). These are facts, what troubles you about these facts my friend? Cynicallyanonymous claims contract people have high inflated salaries. While I am sure they exist, does it represent the majority of contractors? Why are you not attacking her for making an unsubstantiated claim.
Many contract workers have helped the state budget by having contract bottom lines frozen for a number of years, this is a fact. Many contracts are back to 2005 spending levels, that is a fact. So demoralized, call me a dope but offer something substantial with your attack.
Comment by allkidsofstupid Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 12:33 pm
@Casual Observer “Somebody mentioned 75 day contracts. Those went away with the last ERI in the 2000s.”.
Unless you are considering the current century, that is not true. I know personally of several people at my agency that have retired since 2010 and came back on 75 day contracts to finish projects they had started. In 2012, there was a specific project in which I participated that was temporarily suspended because the 75 day contract for the individual in charge had run out and needed to be renewed before the project could be completed which it was. The individual in charge had retired after project launch, but before the project was completed which is why the 75 day contracts were used.
Comment by Kurt in Springfield Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 12:37 pm
Rich, The contracted workers may cost less, but the contract with the company costs more. In the case of Maximus an independent arbitrator found that the state’s contract was costing more than $20 million more, and the error rate was higher among contract workers. Look at the numbers. As is the case with the size of the state workforce, the flat-eharthers don’t want to deal with facts
Comment by truthteller Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 12:37 pm
Kurt,
I think you contradicted yourself. If the individual you mention was on a 75 day contract under the ERI rules they would not have been able to renew. A department can issue a contract for whatever term they feel is necessary.
Comment by Casual Observer Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 12:51 pm
The number of state employees has been shrinking since at least 2002. Yes, Democrats reduced the number of state workers, which is far lower than it was under Edgar. Since IL has the second lowest number of state workers per capita among the states, Gov. Rauner will have trouble balancing the budget by cutting state jobs.
Comment by anon Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 12:59 pm
Not everyone who is retired, and back on contract retired Early. The 2002 ERI did prevent those retirees from returning on contract, but has nothing to do with anyone who retired under the normal rules.
Comment by mythoughtis Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 1:03 pm
“Well, yeah. But I don’t believe there are any 20-year contract employees making triple the salaries of state employees.”
I don’t know the length of the contracts but the state spends hundreds and hundreds of millions on consulting services every year. On average, and it’s an educated guess based on the number of consulting payments I’ve seen, is about $150 an hour. I’ve seen a range of about $100 to $200 an hour but $150 is where most of them seem to fall. I wouldn’t be surprised if, after finding and totaling all the statewide consulting payments, that the total is well over a billion..
Comment by Mouthy Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 1:07 pm
Rich,
Contractual employees may be temporary but the money available for contractual services is perpetual and is always spent. That is an issue I would like to see addressed. Why are departments penalized for saving money and not depleting their budget every fiscal year. Spending in May and June every year is crazy.
Comment by Casual Observer Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 1:15 pm
==Brain drain? Hardly==
If you don’t think there has been brain drain then you have zero idea what you are talking about.
==Technology has replaced a lot of the jobs going unfulfilled.==
One word. Bull.
I just shake my head at some of the things you say VMan. Just shake my head.
Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 1:29 pm
@allkindsofstupid:
You said private workers make less, don’t get raises and work harder than state workers. Those aren’t facts “my friend.” Those are asinine assertions.
Comment by Demoralized Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 1:33 pm
I don’ think it’s fair to say a state employee costs as much again in benefits as he/she does in salary. Sure, that’s currently the case, but that’s only due to underfunding of the pension system for years & the state has to make up for those shortfalls in the systems regardless of whether a job is done contractually or by a state employee. And as Rich mentioned, Tier 2 hires are actually a net positive for the systems. When comparing costs it’s more fair to just assume the normal cost of that employees pension because without underfunding of the system the state wouldn’t be paying 40-45% towards pensions.
Comment by TCB Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 1:38 pm
“Spending in May and June every year is crazy.”
The one thing consistent in over 30 of state employment is the mad dash at the end of every fiscal year to ensure that no money lapses and goes unspent. That’s because it’s ingrained in many brains that if it’s not spent the budget will get cut next year. Plus many people think it’s a waste not to spend the money. This is a part of how a bureaucracy grows into a gigantic money sucking monster…
Comment by Mouthy Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 1:39 pm
in over 30 years of
Sure wish we could all chip in and get an “edit” feature for grammar challenged “fat finger” posts?
Comment by Mouthy Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 1:48 pm
Oh gosh, I am so sick of the headcount metric. Lower headcounts mean higher overtime costs. They also mean that actual, you know, services are not being provided, or — at best — are being provided more slowly.
Do we have all the right people in all the right jobs? Of course not. But you don’t get the work done by focusing on headcount without considering what is happening inside the head you are counting.
Comment by Soccermom Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 1:49 pm
It only took 6 years for Quinn to realize that 4% of his state workers were superfluous? That is why slow-learner Quinn got his walking papers and the new efficiency expert Rauner got Quinn’s keys to the Executive Washroom. Now comes the real hard part. We will get to see how the new efficiency expert plans on removing the rest of the excess feathers from the state’s mattress while the state employee union leaders are watching and slapping his hand.
Comment by Rowdy Yates Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 1:55 pm
S Mama, you’re on it again. I suppose it’s red meat for whomever to look at these things, but it’s an antiquated approach when technology and other changes come along to change the metrics of productivity. I haven’t met many dumb state employees and I’ve met a lot of really smart ones. There’s a better way to look at this. And in case there’s any doubt…I remain smitten.
Comment by A guy Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 1:57 pm
Soccermom: “Oh gosh, I am so sick of the headcount metric. Lower headcounts mean higher overtime costs. They also mean that actual, you know, services are not being provided, or — at best — are being provided more slowly.”
I think you are ignoring outsourcing as a replacement for headcount to provide state services. This is already happening now and will likely be accelerated under Rauner.
Comment by Bain Capital Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 1:57 pm
@ Give Me a Break
==When DHS was created it had over 20,000 staff, today they have less than 13,000, do think that many staff died or retired since 1997? Fact is, DHS’ headcount has been cut, cut again then cut again.==
It’s not reasonable to expect 35% of your headcount to die/retire over the course of 18 years? Seems pretty reasonable to me. Also, since 1997 it’s possible that some programs (and the HC associated with them) were shifted to other agencies, right? There’s been few instances of layoffs/firings that I recall, so it’s more than likely a conscious effort to avoid filling vacancies as often as possible.
Comment by TCB Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 1:58 pm
Bain, there’s some stuff you can’t outsource - direct services, for example. We can’t really outsource driver licensure, for example. (I guess we could, but I think it would be a disaster.)
And you can’t outsource program management and oversight. At least, if you do, then you need to hire somebody to watch the watchdogs.
Comment by Soccermom Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 2:05 pm
Not to mention, if you have dolts in charge of the outsourcing, then god help us all….
Comment by Soccermom Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 2:06 pm
Here’s a question: Where are we at on the upgrades of the State’s IT systems? How much has been spent, and what have we received for that money?
If the project is well under way, then maybe some (although not all) of those headcount reductions reflect improved efficiency.
I’m not optimistic, however… http://www.govtech.com/state/Editorial-Sell-bonds-then-update-state.html
Comment by Soccermom Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 2:21 pm
In back-of-the-cocktail-napkin figures, it costs the state about $1 million for every ten employees. So cutting 2,900 represents an annual budget savings of $290 million.
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 3:02 pm
===In back-of-the-cocktail-napkin ===
A little early in the day for cocktails, ain’t it?
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 3:10 pm
Heck no, not if you want the numbers to get bigger. lol
Comment by A guy Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 3:12 pm
Soccermom….upgrades are always last on the list…I remember working for the state when they brought in electric typewriters (okay I am old)….this was about 25 years after private industry had been using them. The state has never led on technology.
Comment by illilnifan Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 3:12 pm
Singer and Tinley Park Mental Health centers. Howe and Jacksonville Mental Health centers. Tamms and Dwight prisons. Joliet and Murphysboro youth centers- all closed by Quinn. Did I miss any? All cut employees.All designed to save money, . Folks who think cutting the state payroll will solve the budget problem know not whereof they speak.The deficit would grow if every state employee went without a paycheck every year. No one wants to talk about revenue.This is like Seinfeld- about nothing
Comment by truthteller Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 3:15 pm
Soccermom
When the state does try to use cost effective methods authorized by the Procurement Code to upgrade IT, they get skewered for “evading” competitive bidding
http://forthegoodofillinois.org/blog/2013/12/governor-quinn-targets-the-whistleblowers/
Does anyone know if this is the reason Rep. Sandack introduced HB 135?
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=135&GAID=13&DocTypeID=HB&LegId=83626&SessionID=88&GA=99
Comment by Anyone Remember Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 3:49 pm
truthteller, you are so right. When folks talk about running the state like a business, the problem is that so many of the state’s affairs deal with services to people. So what happens to the people who are just left out in the cold due to the closing of facilities? Does anyone care? I’m convinced that the people who only see line items on budgets view people as disposable widgets because that money is king (of their world). These types of people need to pray they and their families are never ever in need. They also never need to complain about slow service at the SOS office, renewing their license. It’s all the same stuff. You get what you pay for.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 4:04 pm
and of which 400 less troopers
Comment by ISP retired Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 4:21 pm
75 day contracts, try looking at several retired State Police who were assigned to Gaming and returned the next day on contract and have been there over 5 years, ask them, they just laugh at the 3 pay checks a month they get, well over $200,000.
Comment by ISP retired Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 4:32 pm
now we are overstaffed at IDOT lol
Comment by foster brooks Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 6:17 pm
Foster ???? I thought there was supposed to be a monitor to watch the hiring at IDOT. With all of the new/recent hires, doesn’t that set off some alarm bell? I’m trying to be fair but I can’t help but to be cynical. What’s going on? Where’s the transparency?
Comment by Ginhouse Tommy Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 7:04 pm
Although state workers may be down I suspect the salaries have risen with the posh afscme and isea contracts! Really do we need to pay a shift commander 150,000 a year?
Comment by Union boss Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 7:43 pm
Union Boss- Who cares about the $150k salary? It’s that shift leader retiring at 50 or 55 with a $120K/year pension. If he lives to 85 he’ll have collected $7.74 million and be up to $338,000/year. Not to mention his free healthcare for 30 years… But ask any commentator on this site: he’d make so much more in the private sector with a GED no doubt.
Comment by AFSCME King Wednesday, Jan 21, 15 @ 10:38 pm
Ginhouse these are union jobs. Mostly veterans. Got 2 new hires starting feb 1 after rauners freeze
Comment by foster brooks Thursday, Jan 22, 15 @ 9:47 am