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Cullerton responds to Rauner

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Illinois

* The governor said today that the Senate President should call the “agreed” pension bill for a vote right now and immediately pass the governor’s proposed K-12 approp bill.

Press release…

Statement from the office of Senate President John J. Cullerton regarding the governor’s comments on pension legislation and school funding. Please attribute to spokesman John Patterson.

Pensions:

As recently as the day before the governor’s budget speech, the Senate President met with the governor while attorneys on both sides continued to explore new ideas and new drafts. We appreciate the governor’s support. But passing pension reform legislation is a contentious process. The Senate President is trying to pass a law, not just create a roll call.

The potential savings can’t be spent now. Under the plan the governor and Senate President have been discussing, there are no savings in the first year. In addition, it would be unwise for the state to spend savings before the courts weigh in.

School Funding:

The Senate President met today with state education officials. In a couple weeks we hope to have a district-by-district analysis of the governor’s education spending plan. Remember, it was the governor who said he couldn’t support a funding system in which any school district lost money. Preliminary information shows that under Governor Rauner’s proposal Chicago public schools would lose $78 million.

He makes valid points.

And that bit about the governor’s plan producing $78 million less funding for Chicago will most certainly be repeated elsewhere.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 1:43 pm

Comments

Well said by Cullerton on pensions.

School funding reform is always a struggle. Just ask Andy Manar.

Look forward to seeing both sets of initial numbers about the same time - Rauner’s plan and Cullerton’s plan.

Comment by Formerly Known As... Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 1:47 pm
Cullerton again being the adult in the room …

(even if I do disagree with his pension proposal)

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 1:48 pm
Has the definition of “agreed bill” changed?

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 1:50 pm
Why do you need to pass these bills now governor?

Comment by Mama Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 1:52 pm
I have nothing against the K-12 funding proposal in general, but is most if not all past year, the general assembly has passed just one big budget bill, up until last year and the governor signed the K-12 budget bill, and veto the rest.

as you all know a lot of finger pointing since then. So my hope for FY17 the general assembly passes just one big budget bill as always in the past. Then the governor can veto the whole thing or go thru and line item veto things, then for sure someone will own something. That being the governor for the line item veto items, or the governor and general assembly, as there will be pressure points all over the place, not just hostages

Comment by 13th Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 1:55 pm
Preliminary information shows that under Governor Rauner’s proposal…

…anyone with half a brain wouldn’t have ever voted for him.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 1:55 pm
If Cullerton really is what passes for the adult in the room, we’re all doomed.

Comment by jim Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 1:56 pm
== Has the definition of “agreed bill” changed? ==

I think it now means any bill Rauner supports and THINKs some of the 4 Tops will also support.

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 1:56 pm
Preliminary information shows that under Governor Rauner’s proposal…

…he lied through his teeth to get elected.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 1:56 pm
“The potential savings can’t be spent now. Under the plan the governor and Senate President have been discussing, there are no savings in the first year.”

How much would be saved over the next 3 years or more? You can not spend money that isn’t there. Right?

Legally you can not take people’s current pensions away.

Comment by Mama Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 1:56 pm
If Rauner would just work with Cullerton, and stop jumping the gun on press releases about agreements that don’t quite exist, he’d be better able to point at Madigan at being the obstructionist.

Comment by Robert the Bruce Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 1:57 pm
The $78 million short to CPS is the kind of number one can sink their teeth into.

Governor, can you explain why you are pushing a vote on taking $78 million from Chicago schools?

Comment by illini97 Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 1:57 pm
Preliminary information shows that under Governor Rauner’s proposal…

…we would lose billions, while saving millions.

Comment by VanillaMan Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 1:57 pm
“In addition, it would be unwise for the state to spend savings before the courts weigh in.”

Rauner does not understand that the courts will decide what is legal. Cullerton is right in saying we should not count our chickens before they hatch.

Comment by Mama Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 2:02 pm
Robert - agreed, and Rauner has NO chance for an override failure on most issues in the Senate.

Comment by Team Sleep Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 2:03 pm
“Preliminary information shows that under Governor Rauner’s proposal…

…we would lose billions, while saving millions.”

Good point VanillaMan!

Comment by Mama Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 2:04 pm
Very strong comeback by the President after the Cullerton Mistake.

Sounds like the Press Shop has got the ship sailing right now…

To the Post,

Math is math, Chicago loses isn’t a winner for 60 and 30…

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 2:06 pm
IF Cullerton’s math on CPS is correct it is a non-starter. I am down to the point where I do not trust any of their numbers though.

You can pass a law allowing the cash buyout and maybe get a few takers. Other than that the pension changes are a waste of time and money, the ILSC has been clear in their decision. Plus, Tier II continues to drive down the annual pension cost.

The big pension cost is the DEBT, only one way to fix that and it is to pay your bills. Period.

Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 2:13 pm
==Cullerton again being the adult in the room …==

What’s that got him, other than being as frustrated as Kasich? Politics rewards adult behavior the way pop stars are rewarded for being good role models.

Comment by AC Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 2:14 pm
Just watched the Governor’s press conference… Even when someone is working with him (Cullerton on pensions), he still manages to trash them in public. Seriously, somebody give the man a copy of “How to Win Friends & Influence People” by Dale Carnegie.

Comment by Cooley307 Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 2:16 pm
I’m not sure you can take anything the Gov says at face value until after the fall elections. I think he’s convinced the only way forward is flipping one of the chambers or at a minimum eliminating super majorities.

Comment by Dozer Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 2:21 pm
Maybe someone should check the CO2 levels on the 2nd floor

Comment by Wow Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 2:23 pm
== What’s that got him, other than being as frustrated as Kasich? ==

Respect from his peers and Senate President …

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 2:35 pm
Pension proposal is illegal. Raises are not constitutionally guaranteed, however, if you get a raise then your pension is based on that salary or it’s portion as it pertained to highest 4 years/last days pay etc. That pension salary formula is a protected benefit or the pension protection clause would mean nothing because you don’t have to change the benefits you just simply change the formula….either way the result is a diminishment.

Comment by Facts are Stubborn Things Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 2:39 pm
So CPS is going to get shorted by $78 million. That can’t be true because 1.4% said that all the school districts were going to get more money than last year. Somebody is not telling us the truth. It must be that guy Madigan. /s

Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 2:58 pm
These school formula proposals are now utterly and completely political. At one time we had respected figures such as Sen. Maitland who attempted to be fair to all parts of the State.

Now those few legislators who really know something about the formulas are interested ONLY in their own schools in their districts.

Sen. Manar has rejected several ideas simply because they did not benefit HIS schools.

Comment by winners and losers Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 3:22 pm
==So CPS is going to get shorted by $78 million. That can’t be true because 1.4% said that all the school districts were going to get more money than last year. Somebody is not telling us the truth. It must be that guy Madigan. /s ==

I think you mean “Madigan and the mathematics he controls.”

Comment by Whatever Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 3:38 pm
==Respect from his peers and Senate President==

True and I would hope that his approach would win out over less methodical approaches, but it seems as though irrationality rules the day.

Comment by AC Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 3:39 pm
So many say more money is not the answer, but more money is very much an important part of the answer. This state continues to struggle because of the structural deficit.

Comment by Facts are Stubborn Things Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 4:27 pm
A sane, reasonable response.

Let’s hear Brucie’s SuperStarts ’sham’ anchored response.

Comment by sal-says Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 4:28 pm
A sense for urgency when it’s the governor’s bills, none for coming up with a complete budget. Eventually Rauner’s going to have to let the hostages go if he wants his stuff voted on. Though I’m curious about how many Republicans will be supporting this education bill.

Comment by Wensicia Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 4:34 pm
Why is the school funding formula that has been in effect for 20 years a sudden problem? Could it be that after taking a decade off from contributing a dime to the pension fund (from 1995-2005 while picking up 7% of the 9% employee share of the contribution ) and now paying the actual amount due they need a bailout from Springfield? Amazing how a threat of bankruptcy and a takeover from the state forces attempted reforms.

Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 4:44 pm
–Eventually Rauner’s going to have to let the hostages go if he wants his stuff voted on.–

He doesn’t want his stuff voted on, he wants them passed into law.

The votes for that do not exist, as the governor surely knows.

The governor is doing just fine with his goals of taking the state out of the higher ed and social services business.

That doesn’t happen by accident.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 5:28 pm
For someone who goes by the name “Lucky”, you sure do whine quite a bit.

Education funding reform has been on a lot of people’s agendas in the General Assembly for years. Meeks threatened to run as an independent for Governor in 2006 on that issue alone. The difference is that much of the focus was on minor tweaks and pumping a lot of new money in from a large tax increase. As new revenues weren’t able to be used to be pumped just into education, a conversation about a more significant overhaul of the formula started in 2013.

So while you can act like people are just springing this on the Governor now just to be difficult, the conversation has been going on for years.

Comment by Juice Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 5:38 pm
The message from the senate President appears to be that until we have a state budget passed there will not be a school funding bill.

We already have passed a pension reduction bill.

It is called tier 2 and will save the state a whole lot of money.

Comment by Enviro Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 5:47 pm
It is called tier 2 and IT IS SAVING the state a whole lot of money.

Fixed it …

Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 6:25 pm
You just lost a follower……for good. If all you want is a pat on the back go into the bathroom and lock the door.

Comment by Lost follower Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 6:47 pm
Rauner is going to be owning even more political real estate this year, and he won’t be able to flip it.

As others has said, send him a complete budget bill, not one that has gone through the cleaners. Let him practice his AV, and let the SuperStars do their homework for once. The Incompletes are adding up!

Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 7:41 pm
Enviro,
School funding is part of the state budget.

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 7:42 pm
Might as well let the arsonist watch his fire burn. Then make him ask for the fire extinguisher once the fire gets into his yard. I

Comment by PENSIONS ARE OFF LIMITS Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 7:53 pm
On the Scribble was a Rauner tweet with a fancy new Ven(ish) diagram on the bills he supports. Does that count as “homework”?

Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 7:56 pm
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CdD47j1W8AEjujc.jpg

just chock full of details /s

Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 8:00 pm
Michelle @ 7:42:
“School funding is part of the state budget.”

Perhaps I should have said school funding reform bill.

Comment by Enviro Tuesday, Mar 8, 16 @ 9:38 pm