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* Subscribers knew some of this already. From Gov. Bruce Rauner’s budget address…
The current Senate proposal calls for a permanent increase in the income tax rate but offers only a temporary property tax freeze in exchange. That’s just not fair to hard-working taxpayers across the state.
We need a permanent property tax freeze in Illinois, just like the one the House passed last month. Over time, as our economy grows and revenues expand, any increase in the income tax could be stepped down – dedicating future surpluses to taxpayers, not more government spending.
The current Senate proposal would expand the state’s sales tax to cover everyday services, and raise taxes on food and drugs. We’re open to a broader sales tax base to mirror neighboring states like Wisconsin, but let’s make sure it’s best for the people of Illinois, not for the lobbyists in Springfield. We cannot raise taxes on people’s groceries and medicine – just as we cannot tax people’s retirement incomes. We can find a way to balance the budget without hurting lower-income families and fixed-income seniors.
We must all support raising the earned income tax credit to help low-income families. And we must support making the research and development tax credit permanent to encourage innovation and job creation.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, a good deal for taxpayers comes with economic and regulatory changes that are significant enough for job creators to get excited about the future of Illinois.
Term limits get job creators excited. Passing term limits is one of the most important things we can do to send a positive recruiting message to job creators: “it’s a new day in Illinois, we’ve turned the corner.”
Workers comp changes get job creators excited. We must get our worker’s compensation costs in line with other states. We’re asking for a worker’s compensation system that matches Massachusetts. Massachusetts is a blue state with a strong middle class–and it’s growing.
Now, those parameters aren’t controversial– they’re right in line with what Democrats and Republicans have said they agree with. And while the Senate package is still evolving, it wouldn’t be that hard to reach a good deal for taxpayers.
I firmly believe that we can come to agreement on these issues. And I pledge to you that I will sign that good deal for taxpayers the minute it arrives at my desk.
This is now a question of political will. I’m know I’m willing– I hope you are too.
So, a permanent property tax freeze and a stepped-down income tax hike. In the briefing earlier today, I thought there was some willingness to go with a temporary property tax freeze if the income tax is stepped down within the Senate plan. Not sure at the moment by reading what was written for delivery.
The broadening the sales tax base like Wisconsin is a reference to the service tax proposal, which is in the Senate’s grand bargain.
The Senate’s proposed sales tax on food and medicine polls horribly, and the governor wants no part of it. Same goes for the tax on retirement income, which the Senate hasn’t proposed.
The Senate’s proposal for term limits for legislative leaders, I was told, will be sufficient in this context.
I would have to go back and look at the Massachusetts stuff to get a good grip on that one.
Your thoughts?
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:16 pm
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If you make it permanent, what will Rauner and the GOP have to run on next year?
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:19 pm
Is he living in a parallel universe? This speech is a joke.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:20 pm
CAT moved to Chicago cause they have term limits on the Mayor and City Council!!!
Comment by Wow Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:20 pm
Countdown to magic beans time
Comment by Precinct Captain Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:22 pm
Stepped down income tax hike? Have they learned nothing over the past two years?
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:22 pm
The Job Creators are the middle class consumers. Businesses hire to meet demand, not because they’re “excited”.
Comment by PublicServant Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:27 pm
This guy has got to be the world’s worst salesman ever.
He has accomplished very little. He can’t convince anyone of his proposal’s merits. Yet after three years Bruce Rauner trots out the same poor reasons the same poor presentation that hasn’t convinced anyone.
He has literally nothing going in his favor except his cash and his political will.
World’s worst argument for leadership ever.
Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:28 pm
Massachusetts is a good model to emulate on a number of fronts
A solid blue state like Illinois but has only had a Democrat in the Governor’s office for 8 of the past 26 years. Deval Patrick from 2007-2015.
They have been able to enact sensible economic policies on workers comp, health insurance for State employees and have a flat state income tax of 5.1%.
These policies have allowed their economy to grow and have paid off for employers and state residents
Massachusetts unemployment is 3.6%, Illinois is 5.5%
Comment by Lucky Pierre Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:33 pm
==He has accomplished very little==
Other than destroying the lives of many. Destroying programs, starving some.
Governor Destructo
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:33 pm
Rauner’s supporters need to see how their governor’s failures are raising their taxes before they see the light.
Comment by VanillaMan Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:34 pm
Rauner speaks for 35 minutes so far, not one budgetary success is spoken.
When a governor has no budgets, a governor has no successes.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:36 pm
And he was the salesman for GTCR. In fairness, he had a heckuva better product to push back then.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:36 pm
Growth voodoo, that’s Donna Arduin.
Mark my words permenant property tax freeze will cause tremendous damage. Short term gain for long term destruction. Setting up another hostage situation.
Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:39 pm
“Job creators” get excited by term limits? If so, job creators are wierd.
Comment by TominChicago Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:40 pm
PublicServant - Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:27 pm:
The Job Creators are the middle class consumers. Businesses hire to meet demand, not because they’re “excited”.
But those jobs can be created in states with better business climates and the products shipped into Illinois for the consumers to purchase.
Comment by Stand Tall Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:42 pm
He’s stayin’ the course.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:43 pm
You forgot to drop the g’s off the words ending in ing…
Comment by Ryan Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:43 pm
Income taxes don’t drive people out of this state, and wouldn’t even if doubled. What is a killer in Illinois are property taxes. They must be frozen first, then reduced. That means a cost shift from local to state government, and an income tax structure to support the shift.
Comment by Skirmisher Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:43 pm
“When Speaker Madigan has the best line during your budget speech… ”
A budget speech that goes off the rails is ironically poetic…
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:43 pm
PublicServant—-How many private sector employees have you hired in your lifetime?
Comment by Piece of Work Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:45 pm
Nothing enacted by statute is “permanent.” Legislatures and governors change laws all the time.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:46 pm
Didn’t mention right to work. Maybe he thinks Trump will take care of that.
Comment by Anon Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:48 pm
- PublicServant -
lol, next - Piece of Work - is going to ask you what university you attended.
You know… “that person”…
“Oh yeah, well… “
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:48 pm
=…dedicating future surpluses to taxpayers…=
Future as in 2150 or somewhere there about? Lots of debt to pay off first.
Comment by MSIX Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:52 pm
Piece, can’t speak for PublicServant, but I’ve worked both public and private sectors, including running a small business. I can tell you right now that most of the small business owners I know personally don’t care about term limits in regards to their businesses. That has zero economic impact for them. The property tax freeze is a popular idea, but implementing something like that is going to shift costs elsewhere (higher markup on products and services, it sounds like).
Unless the governor is going to propose paying every state, county, and municipal employee, every teacher, etc. minimum wage and no benefits, this plan isn’t going to do much of anything besides shuffle the costs around, in my opinion.
Comment by August Spies Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:54 pm
Get the knives out… I like what he said. It’s give an take. Talk to any business owner about workman’s comp. Term limits are elections, but in Illinois, not so much look where it has gotten us… I like these ideas.
Comment by Echo The Bunnyman Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:54 pm
By all means OW let’s continue to mock the job creator’s concerns.
It seems if you were interested in lowering our unemployment and reversing Illinois out migration of businesses and the people they employ (as well as the taxes they used to pay) it would be a good idea to pay attention to them.
We only trail 5 states
Washington DC
West Virginia
Louisiana
Alabama
New Mexico
Alaska
https://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm
Comment by Lucky Pierre Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:54 pm
Um, did I miss the part where he said he would be restoring and perhaps increasing state funding to higher education (other than MAP grants, as important as they are). I hope so.
If there were to be a property tax freeze, community colleges, especially, would become more dependent on state funding than ever.
Comment by Jane A. Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:55 pm
The Governor should have proposed a 8% - 10% income tax rate and vastly increased State school funding in exchange for slashing school based property taxes by 2/3’s and then freezing them at that level unless any increase is approved by the school district voters.
Better yet, in the long run, he should have proposed a progressive income tax and freezing of property taxes, but only on one personal residence worth less than $250,000.
/s?
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:55 pm
He got his sound bites in. Dems never balance the budget. State employees overpaid. Waste and abuse, etc etc etc.
Lot of bold growth promises for “reforms” of questionable effectiveness.
Our attention is back on the Senate.
Comment by Norseman Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:55 pm
“We don’t need Republicans running to the press blaming the Democrats after I am done.” I will blame them enough here in my speech.
Comment by OpenYourEyes Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:56 pm
The governor is still beating his war drums at Afscme. And now proposing a Tier3. I suppose war it will be. Sigh….
Comment by Steward As Well.... Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:57 pm
—We cannot raise taxes on people’s groceries and medicine – just as we cannot tax people’s retirement incomes—
Go on…..
Comment by Romeo Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:57 pm
== MOST IMPORTANTLY, a good deal for taxpayers comes with economic and regulatory changes that are significant enough for job creators to get excited about the future of Illinois. ==
I believe that is still code for busting unions and eliminating prevailing wage, among other TA items.
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 12:57 pm
I look forward to seeing the FY 18 budget proposal in written form. Because if GOMB did it correctly it would be balanced without any revenue from increased sales tax on everyday services, and taxes on food and drugs. It would not include income tax on pensions no matter the income of the retired individual. Apparently the Governor is ok with a flat income tax of 4.99% with a sunset date which he did not give.
The increases in k-12 funding mentioned by the Governor are radically insufficient to even begin implementing the Evidence Based Model of funding schools which the commission proposed. None the less I want to see the details.
Comment by Rod Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 1:00 pm
- Lucky Pierre -
If Illinois had a budget like the other 49 other states, then it would be apples to oranges. What job creator wants to be in a state with an inept governor that can’t get a budget?
Rauner isn’t helping.
When Rauner gets a budget, get back to me.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 1:00 pm
“wouldn’t be”
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 1:01 pm
If property taxes are high, which form of government receives the largest share? School districts.
And why is that?
Because the state underfunds its education obligation. That leaves schools no choice but to raise property taxes so that school buses, special education, and other important (and in some cases mandated) services will continue.
What he should seek is full funding for school categorical obligations in return for a freeze on school district property taxes.
Comment by Mongo Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 1:01 pm
Did the Governor release a budget that includes actual numbers or was everything rhetorical?
Comment by Hamlet's Ghost Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 1:02 pm
As the tweet responses go… IEA/NEA should not be so vocal and angry… Schools had money and appear to get more… I think their leader should wait a little bit before being so negative… Ask the community service folks…
Comment by Echo The Bunnyman Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 1:03 pm
I see a budget address, but no actual proposed budget:
https://www.illinois.gov/gov/budget/Pages/default.aspx
Comment by Hamlet's Ghost Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 1:03 pm
My bad, it just went up. Let the number crunching begin.
Comment by Hamlet's Ghost Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 1:04 pm
Great point VM. The Rockford brewpub, luxurious condos and marina cost MILLIONS! Generously paid for by through Rivers EDGE grants by taxpayers. You also paid for a hospital to be turned into a luxury retirement home in Aurora. 89 EDGE agreements in 2016. Hundreds of millions.
Comment by Honeybear Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 1:06 pm
Wow… That is a lot of spendin for a state with no budget… Again, NEA/IEA pres now that the proposed budget for education is out, stop tweeting.
Comment by Echo The Bunnyman Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 1:13 pm
==I think their leader should wait a little bit before being so negative==
Two years isn’t long enough?
Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 1:14 pm
You mean like the “balanced budget” we had from 2003-2015 when we experience .9 % growth in income for state residents as well as zero net job creation
Comment by Lucky Pierre Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 1:17 pm
- Lucky Pierre -
Again. Learn.
When Rauner gets a budget passed he will sign, get back to me.
I can’t help Rauner is so grossly inept that states you, and he, compare Illinois to as failing actually have budgets and Rauner can’t get one.
“Bruce Rauner failed” - going on 2 years.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 1:20 pm
So going directly to k-12 spending for FY 18 the proposed budget increases funding by $308.5 million. But his own commission’s report indicated that the cost of implementing the evidence based model to provide adequate funding to schools was between $3.5 and $6 billion more a year. The commission came up with a low ball increase to start implementation of $500 million more they called it the “pathway to adequacy.” This won’t work.
Comment by Rod Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 1:21 pm
So without the “grand bargain” it has a hole in it of over 4 billion?
Comment by btowntruth from forgottonia Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 1:22 pm
Rod… I agree with you. I think the biggest issue with Illinois education is the unfunded mandates. There are ways to streamline ISBE to get funds to local districts easier and more directly. For one time, they could look at district consolidation at schools that are in the black, not red. Look at the amount of districts that are standalone on the north shore? THey don’t want Unit districts so let them pay higher taxes. My ramble is, we are a mess!
Comment by Echo The Bunnyman Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 1:27 pm
Yes Bruce Rauner has refused to pass another unbalanced smoke and mirrors budget like Springfield has done forever.
Illinois residents have had the least faith in their state government than any other state before Rauner got elected, you seem to always forget that
Comment by Lucky Pierre Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 1:28 pm
===Yes Bruce Rauner has refused to pass another unbalanced smoke and mirrors budget like Springfield has done forever.===
From Rich today…
“He (Gov. Rauner) has indeed submitted budgets for two years and neither of them were even close to being balanced”
So that blows your whole “fiscal champion thingy” out of the water.
===Illinois residents have had the least faith in their state government than any other state before Rauner got elected, you seem to always forget that===
Rauner is under water in polling right now. I haven’t forgotten. You seem to ignore the inconvenient.
When a governor has no budget, a governor has no successes.
When Rauner gets a budget he will sign, get back to me.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 1:32 pm
Lucky:
The one he proposed isn’t balanced.
The “stopgap” he signed wasn’t balanced.
Working together on “grand bargain” (4,572) is magic beans.
Comment by btowntruth from forgottonia Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 1:33 pm
=They must be frozen first, then reduced. That means a cost shift from local to state government, and an income tax structure to support the shift.=
First, your post is a contradiction.
If you freeze property taxes and then cost shift the pension, you will break no less than 50% of the school districts or lead to much higher unemployment.
Why? Welp, cost shift means shifting the annual employer (formerly the state) pension obligation to local districts. For us the means coming up with an additional $600,000 moving us to a deficit budget and will exhaust reserves in 3 years.
I doubt we would get an increase through referendum.
Springfield cannot be trusted. period.
The “property tax freeze” advocates must understand that. The state should have zero role in property taxes.
I know they are higher in Illinois than in other states, but the actual differences are rarely quantified factually. And income tax is lower than most states that have one, lower than all of those around Illinois.
But if you do not care about schools, freeze the one reliable source of funding and put your hope and faith in Springfield.
If you do that, I have some property in a lovely vacation town named Chernobyl I would like to sell you.
Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 1:42 pm
“Massachusetts is a good model to emulate on a number of fronts” I hear they have some pretty good universities that people really really want to go to as well. If only Illinois had something like that…
Comment by Skeptic Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 1:49 pm
Rauner’s budget balances with revenue he supports in a bipartisan compromise.
Putting the revenue ahead of the compromise is like putting the cart before the horse
Just raising taxes will not fix Illinois
Comment by Lucky Pierre Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 1:51 pm
And not a single word about Higher Education.
Good luck EIU, Chicago State and all the other Regionals and Community Colleges. Not to mention my Alma Mater that is past due close to $1 Billion.
Great way to grow our state.
Sorry, I forgot, “term limits gets job creators excited”. Prove it!
Comment by illini Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 1:51 pm
I’m stuck on the juxtaposition of “Job Creators” versus “Lobbyists in Springfield.” Which is which, again? Exelon is a Job Creator and not Lobbyist? Human services are a Lobbyists? I’m not a fan of Rauner’s large-corporations-are-good worldview.
Comment by Earnest Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 1:55 pm
=Business owners across the country are forced to make hard decisions to manage soaring health costs.=
Business owners across the industrialized world aren’t burdened with employee health care costs because they all have single payer health care.
Why is THAT not a competitive disadvantage?
“Most Illinois families have seen their health insurance premiums skyrocket…So imagine what Illinois families think when they hear our state employees get ‘Cadillac platinum” coverage for barely more than bronze rates.”
Loosely translated:
Imagine…those greedy public workers want affordable healthcare for everyone, whereas I want affordable healthcare for NO ONE.
Comment by TinyDancer(FKASue) Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 2:00 pm
Only 30 of the 114 colleges and universities in Massachusetts are public. Illinois does enjoy University of Chicago #3, Northwestern #12, U of I #44, Loyola #99 and IIT # 103 as well as numerous other fine colleges and Universities
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_colleges_and_universities_in_Massachusetts
Comment by Lucky Pierre Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 2:08 pm
Hey Lucky—It only took Willy 3 minutes to respond to my post. Willy is always laying in the tall weeds waiting to pounce.
He can’t or won’t answer basic questions but he loves to dole out the “learn” “own” “keep up” diatribe.
Comment by PoW Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 2:13 pm
- Lucky Pierre -
Illinois is only behind New Jersey in loss of college freshmen going out of state for higher education.
You advocate closing Illinois universities?
That’s interesting. Any governor closing a state university will own the closure, so…
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 2:14 pm
“89 EDGE agreements in 2016. Hundreds of millions.”
…There is that evil EDGE program again. The tax credit so ineffective and difficult to use that companies have only been able to redeem less than half of what was actually awarded (Chicago Tribune ‘14 analysis).
A whopping $414 million in total credits were redeemed between 2001 and 2014 (DCEO ‘15 EDGE program report). That is $414 million, with an “M”.
To put this another way, all of the money redeemed by EDGE recipients going back to the Ryan Administration is equal to about 5% of our current bills backlog or 2.4% of our state’s annual medicaid spending.
Find another boogeyman.
Comment by sulla Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 2:16 pm
- Piece of Work -
No one cares if I’m a job creator or what university I went to.
The old man yelling at the fluffy clouds and you seem concerned, lol
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 2:21 pm
Maybe that has something to do with the fact that 50% of State funding for Higher Education goes towards pensions and not making college affordable for Illinois families.
Governor Rauner and President Cullerton are trying to reform this. Speaker Madigan who said in 2013 that Illinois pensions are unsustainable has been like a stone wall on this issue.
Don’t make up quotes about me advocating closing Illinois universities, another fake quote from you.
https://www.illinoispolicy.org/reports/pensions-vs-higher-education/
Comment by Lucky Pierre Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 2:39 pm
===Don’t make up quotes about me advocating closing Illinois universities, another fake quote from you.===
No, I asked you. Please, learn to read…
===You advocate closing Illinois universities?===
Well, do you?
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 2:48 pm
… cause… - Lucky Pierre -
If you don’t advocate funding state universities, and state universities close, how can you say you’re for funding… state universities?
Capiche?
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 2:50 pm
Do you understand that funding for education and all other spending is being squeezed by increased pension funding estimated to take up to 25-30% of all state revenue? Remember the Squeezy campaign that was mocked?
A responsible legislature would try to fix the problem rather than shout from the cheap seats about Rauner failing.
The Speaker’s failure to govern responsibly caused Rauner’s election
Comment by Lucky Pierre Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 3:00 pm
–The Speaker’s failure to govern responsibly caused Rauner’s election–
LOL, the cultists’ chant has now reached it’s absurd conclusion:
We got Rauner because…..Madigan!
He’s the guy to blame for the soon-to-be tripling of the backlog of unpaid bills.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 3:03 pm
Nah, - Lucky Pierre -
If Eastern Illinois University closes under Rauner’s watch, that’s on Rauner.
Governors open universities, they don’t board up windows and doors at universities.
I’d think you’d advocate for Eastern to stay open, why aren’t you?
Governors own closed state universities.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 3:04 pm
Pardon, 3:03 was me.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 3:04 pm
I consider the cost of state and university employee pensions to be a different thing than the cost of paying back what we borrowed from them in the past. I know it doesn’t change the numbers.
Comment by Earnest Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 3:08 pm
Of course it was you Wordslinger, I would recognize your chanting anywhere. Why else would a solid blue state elect a Republican Governor?
Because the majority of voters do not trust the Speaker and his party to be fiscally responsible
The Speaker’s solution continues to be just raise taxes, pretty quiet about what they would cut
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 3:10 pm
Willy is trying to blame Rauner for the debacle at EIU. Never have heard him once blame Quinn, the EIU administrators, MJM or the democrats in the legislature.
It is Rauner, Rauner, Rauner!!
Comment by PoW Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 3:10 pm
–The Speaker’s solution continues to be just raise taxes, pretty quiet about what they would cut–
Yeah, lot of that goin’ round today, don’t you think?
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 3:13 pm
–It is Rauner, Rauner, Rauner!!–
Take it easy, Jan.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 3:14 pm
I couldn’t catch the address. What happened to the collective bargaining and prevailing wage TA demands as part of a property tax freeze? I haven’t seen much of those lately. Are they still in play?
Comment by Grandson of Man Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 3:15 pm
Oh - Piece of Work -
Rauner is the sole governor to fund Higher Ed at a level of … zero.
You want to say Rauner is an advocate of Higher Education in Illinois?
Governors own. “Pat Quinn failed”
Pat Quinn never closed a state university.
So there’s that, lol
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 3:16 pm
Memo to Willy—Last time I checked EIU is operating.
Pat Quinn never closed a state university, he just ignored the terrible performance of the administrators while the university went on life support. Do the math big boy—2500 students times $15000 times 7 years.
Tell us all what number you come up with and if that number would have a positive impact on EIU.
Comment by PoW Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 3:23 pm
‘We can find a way to balance the budget without hurting lower-income families and fixed-income seniors.’
Yet he demands pension cuts. Cognitive dissonance at it’s best
Comment by Morty Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 3:32 pm
===Last time I checked EIU is operating===
They wrote a whole letter that the planned on being around the whole school year.
What state university has to write a letter to say “we plan on staying open this year.
Why did they write the letter?
Rauner refuses to fund Higher Ed.
===Quinn never closed a state university, he just ignored the terrible performance of the administrators while the university went on life support. Do the math big boy—2500 students times $15000 times 7 years.===
You just told me… it’s open. Rauner wants it closed. You find something at zero when you want it gone.
===Tell us all what number you come up with and if that number would have a positive impact on EIU.===
Maybe a governor would do that. Rauner says the number is zero.
When Eastern Illinois University closes, it will be noted Rauner refused to fund the University… as the windows and doors are boarded up.
Rauner won’t be known as an education advocate, Rauner will be despised for refusing to fund Higher Ed and closing state universities… for Term Limits.
“Pat Quinn failed”
“Bruce Rauner closed Eastern Illinois University”
Right? Exactly right.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 3:33 pm
Since you never can answer simple, straight forward questions, I’ll help you Willy. I’m just that kind of guy.
If the EIU administrators had done their job, 2500 students times $15,000 annually(fees, tuition, dorm living)times 7 years =……………
$262,500,000!! Let’s say my number is high and it is just $200 million. There you go, there is your answer. $200 million in the coffers at EIU.
Go ahead and make your cute little quips about owing it and zero and keep up…..
That’s the bottom line Jack and the answer for all their problems.
Comment by PoW Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 3:43 pm
“Jack”, “big boy”… Ugh.
Friend,
In governmental budgeting, you fund something at a level of zero, you want it eliminated.
Not my rules. That’s how it goes.
When a university is purposely closed by funding it at a level of zero, governors own that.
You should take a walk. Paint. Sculp.
Your unhinged anger is noted, lol
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 3:50 pm
This is the thing that can never be downplayed in the Rauner-Madigan spat. The idea is that, if Madigan is somehow defeated, Rauner can implement more of his ideas.
But Rauner doesn’t have very many good ideas. Some are merely “blah,” and some of his ideas are supply-side, magic-bean fantasies. (Term-limits supply-side?)
You don’t give more power to a guy so he can implement his -bad- ideas on the state.
Comment by ZC Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 3:52 pm
The governor has my support, for saying no tax on retirement income, food and medicine!
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 4:09 pm
“I would have to go back and look at the Massachusetts stuff to get a good grip on that one.” In fact, the MA WC medical fee schedule pays on average lower than Medicare rates to doctors and hospitals that treat injured workers. That has created an enormous access to quality medical treatment problem for injured workers. But the Governor knows this, because he was told this when he made the exact same mention of MA in last year’s budget address. It is apparent that the Governor has not compromised in any way on this particular issue from exactly where he was last year.
Comment by The Real Just Me Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 4:39 pm
What the heck is a “stepped-down” income tax, anyway? Does it mean that the tax rate is lowered if the state actually runs a surplus? In that case, taxes may never go down in our lifetimes (barring the use of sleight-of-hand tricks to create fake surpluses).
If “stepped-down” means that the tax increase is gradually phased out regardless of the state’s financial condition, then we’re going to end up right back where we started. But, hey, that’s Future Illinois’s problem!
Comment by tobias846 Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 5:08 pm
The logic of his constraints on the budget are nice.
The mathematics are horrible.
The ratings agencies are wise enough to figure out that a plan to “step down” the income tax rate over the next four years will never work.
for example: if you are going to reduce the income tax rate from 5 percent to 3 percent over four years, gross taxable revenue would have to increase by 66 percent over four years in order to maintain spending at current levels, even more to barely allow for minimal cost of doing business increases. Not possible.
Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 5:51 pm
Not taxing retirement income is perpetuating the cycle of bad policy where the debts of the greatest generation and baby boomer generaion are paid for by future generations. You retirees elected the politicians who continued to kick the can. And even now, you want someone else to pay for the mess you created. I support a means-based tax on retirement income. (You pay tax on every dollar of income over x dollars.) All the states adjacent to Illinos tax some form of retirement income. So why not us?
Comment by Millennial Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 7:04 pm
EIU enrollment down to 6,673 for spring semester, 15 percent lower than one year ago.
Comment by up2now Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 7:56 pm
I support the Governor, he is a hell of a lot more successful than the way the state has been operating under the current Democrat controlled Legislature. Do I dare compare? Let me see, my choices are a successful businessman who is now Governor, or a Legislature that has driven the state to the brink bankruptcy.
Comment by Ur killing me Smalls Wednesday, Feb 15, 17 @ 8:01 pm
I have been successful in everything I do, if you don’t count my first marriage and just count money
Comment by Rabid Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 4:39 am
Ur killing me smalls- wow okay…you need to keep up. Let me know how the “successful businessman” works out for you. Good God. I hate to see what unsuccessful looks like. Actually nevermind. We’ll all get to see. Rauner has failed AT EVERYTHING as Governor. Why don’t you go back to your 4 wheeler and enjoy the rest of the day.
Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Feb 16, 17 @ 8:01 am