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* Finke…
The Democrat-controlled Illinois House is preparing another stopgap spending plan that would allocate more than $800 million to higher education and human services.
A House committee Wednesday afternoon approved the plan that taps into two special state funds intended to help education and human services. The vote split along party lines. The bill now goes to the full House.
The two funds get a small part of income tax receipts as they are received by the state and are constantly replenished.
“We have $800-some million dollars sitting in a bank account gathering dust, doing nothing, that could go out the door immediately to help our communities, to help seniors, to fund our higher education system,” said Rep. Greg Harris of Chicago, a top House Democrat budget negotiator.
* Tribune…
The move came as Northeastern Illinois University announced it was canceling three days of classes in an effort to save on salary costs as it struggles to make ends meet without financial support from the state. School employees were already asked to take unpaid furlough days during the recent spring break.
Rauner, however, disputed the idea that the Democrats’ plan would help. He posted a video on his Facebook page and said stopgap budgets do little to address long-term issues but “keep universities, community colleges and social service agencies on the verge of collapse with no permanent lines of funding.”
The governor repeated an earlier pledge that he would not sign off on another one-time spending plan unless it also included provisions to “protect taxpayers” such as a permanent property tax freeze.
“Instead of focusing on stopgaps that serve the Springfield insiders, we should be coming together to pass real and lasting solutions to our problems,” Rauner said.
Yeah, well, the Senate tried to do that and was stopped dead in its tracks.
* Sun-Times…
Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said Democrats were watching the Facebook video during caucus.
“It’s reminiscent of the big staircase press conference he had at the end of May a year ago, where he denounced everybody. And then at the end of the day, he signed a temporary spending plan that included $400 million in spending for higher education that he had left out,” Brown said of the video. “I think history may serve as an example here. We are hopeful of getting a full budget done but that appears to be an elusive goal.”
Brown was referring to a news conference Rauner held on the Capitol staircase, surrounded by GOP lawmakers, in which he called the 2016 spring session a “stunning failure” while accusing Madigan of holding the state hostage. The Illinois Senate — just before the midnight adjournment — shot down a budget plan that was approved by the Illinois House. In June 2016, Rauner signed a stopgap budget and school funding bill — while calling it no solution, and not a balanced budget: “This is a bridge to reform. That’s what this is.”
That partial budget ran out on Jan. 1 — leaving social service agencies and universities in the lurch of the historic budget impasse. […]
The Facebook video was released as House Democrats wrapped up a caucus to discuss the measure.
Keep an eye on our live coverage post for updates.
* Related…
* NEIU to cancel 3 days of classes due to state budget impasse
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 9:50 am
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He posted a video on his Facebook page and said stopgap budgets do little to address long-term issues but “keep universities, community colleges and social service agencies on the verge of collapse with no permanent lines of funding.”
This makes NO SENSE.
Universities are being directly harmed by having no funding. State funding was bad and getting worse before Rauner, but it’s catastrophic under his governorship.
WHAT has he proposed to strengthen higher ed? Anything? In his next breath he mentions holding down taxes, which is why the lack of funding has increased.
This makes no sense. It is NOT a plan. It is NOT governing.
Comment by Blue Bayou Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 10:04 am
It’s not the Hovernor that will face the wrath, but it will be HGOP members getting hammered and shook from the Governor, while getting pummeled “back home” in their districts, including where state universities exist downstate.
The social services are suing Bruce. Diana Rauner is find with that, already getting $5 million from the Pritzkers’ Foundations and then donating money her name to disparage JB Pritzker.
The RaunerS aren’t know for their warmth when it comes to the politics of Bruce’s Agenda.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 10:07 am
>“keep universities, community colleges and social service agencies on the verge of collapse
I know–can’t we just collapse them now and be done with it? /s
Comment by Earnest Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 10:18 am
So what’s going to happen with the annual education appropriation? The last 2 years both sides didn’t want to go full nuclear crisis by stopping schools from opening, but what happens this year (assuming no actual budget)?
Comment by Grand Avenue Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 10:23 am
How can trump be in 2 places at once?
Comment by Red Rider Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 10:29 am
If Richland really is dropping education for IDOC due to the lack of state funding, other schools should follow in their footsteps.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 10:33 am
We need the Gov. to work for the people of IL not his friends. No budget is a shame on the Gov.
Comment by WWGD Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 10:37 am
==HGOP members getting hammered and shook from the Governor, while getting pummeled “back home” in their districts, including where state universities exist downstate.==
I would like to agree with you, but the last election kind of showed that folks downstate apparently do not care that their local economic engines are being throttled. Reggie Phillips, Paul Schimpf, Dale Fowler, Norinne Hammond are examples of this. For pete’s sake, even springfield voters didn’t seem to mind all the chaos Butler, Jimenez and Bourne are tacitly endorsing. Seems like as long as you get all of your money from the governor, downstaters will elect you no matter what the consequences are. Their politics are no longer local.
Comment by Lester Holt's Mustache Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 10:41 am
26 months into this, Rauner has lost what we in the military used to call “the intitiative.”
Comment by Union Man Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 10:50 am
==In his next breath he mentions holding down taxes, which is why the lack of funding has increased.==
Exactly right. We need to fund the things that are important to us. We fund them with tax dollars. That is how the world works. There is no free lunch.
Comment by Tron Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 10:50 am
If this gov. would drop his non budget items (TA agenda) and set down with the dems to craft a true balanced budget with cuts and revenue it would get done. Make the 2018 election about the TA agenda and get on with the business of keeping this state functioning. 30 and 60 matter and that is what elections are about. Rauner owns this and he had better pivot and get a budget in order to live to fight another day.
Comment by facts are stubborn things Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 10:59 am
Is it better to try to fix the Grand Bargain while it is still being negotiated or to wait until it passes to veto it so it is acceptable to the Governor?
This would not be have the first time a negotiation broke down mid session.
All of this talk about killing the Grand Bargain is designed to give cover for passing as week a Bargain as possible
Comment by Lucky Pierre Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 11:01 am
How dare Madigan try to aid Rauner’s hostages!
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 11:06 am
===“Instead of focusing on stopgaps that serve the Springfield insiders, we should be coming together to pass real and lasting solutions to our problems,” Rauner said.===
Like what? WC reform, term limits, and map reform going to close that $7 billion hole that you refuse to deal with, Bruce?
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 11:09 am
===Is it better to try to fix the Grand Bargain while it is still being negotiated or to wait until it passes to veto it so it is acceptable to the Governor?===
Rauner will undercut it before it gets to a veto. That’s how Rauner rolls.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 11:13 am
No surprises here, the best way to implement the starving the beast strategy is to oppose a bill like this. As Grover Norquist said: “My goal is to cut government in half in twenty-five years, to get it down to the size where we can drown it in the bathtub.” I don’t think Governor Rauner disagreed with Norquist back when he said that.
Comment by Rod Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 11:18 am
Rauner was voted into office because people wanted reforms on many items be it workers comp, gerrymandering, property tax relief among the few. These are all items that the Democrats will not address as stand alone issues so that is why they are tied to budget as that is how things work in politics. The Democrats have basically said no reforms of any meaning are going to be passed, the Grand Bargain is just some window dressing on many of these issues. So basically the only compromise the Democrats want is that Republicans continue to vote for business as usual and follow the same blueprint that the State has followed while thee Democrats have been the majority party in charge.
Comment by Stand Tall Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 11:42 am
===These are all items that the Democrats will not address as stand alone issues so that is why they are tied to budget as that is how things work in politics===
So Rauner is holding the state hostage, hurting social services, destroying state universities, for, as you say, politics.
Politics is also about 60 and 30 in Illinois. Rauner doesn’t have 60 or 30, so you agree, hurting people purposely IS a Rauner plan because he can’t get anything passed.
You and Rauner are pretty heartless
===The Democrats have basically said no reforms of any meaning are going to be passed, the Grand Bargain is just some window dressing on many of these issues===
Considering it was Leader Radogno, a Republican, the leader of the Republican Senate Caucus that Rauner undercut to blow up the Grand Bargain your ignorance to actual facts is noted.
===So basically the only compromise the Democrats want is that Republicans continue to vote for business as usual and follow the same blueprint that the State has followed while thee Democrats have been the majority party in charge.===
Rauner proposed 3 phony, status quo, grossly unbalanced budgets, exactly as proposed for “decades”
Why aren’t you upset Rauner IS the status quo of decades? LOL
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 11:49 am
– Lucky Pierre –
“Is it better to try to fix the Grand Bargain while…”
No Luck, Lucky. The reason it’s called a GRAND BARGAIN is that it can PASS (barely, just barely).
There’s nothing left to FIX, that can pass. Rauner’s options are compromise or failure. He has repeatedly picked failure. It’s tough to run on failure.
Comment by DyingonVine Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 11:49 am
==Is it better to try to fix the Grand Bargain while it is still being negotiated or to wait until it passes to veto it so it is acceptable to the Governor?==
It was better to realize that apparently the bargain negotiated was the best the Democrats in the Senate were going to do. You still don’t understand doing the doable. You have to have legislation that will PASS.
==All of this talk about killing the Grand Bargain==
Talk to the Governor. He killed it.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 11:52 am
It isn’t doable if it doesn’t pass both houses and is signed by the Governor.
Not passing the first 1/3 of the process does not mean it is dead.
Ignoring the changes and horsetrading that would inevitably happen in the last 2/3 of the process is being deliberately ignorant
That is the normal give an take in politics.
Madigan democrats don’t understand the normal give and take after not having to “give” anything since 2002
Comment by Lucky Pierre Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 1:22 pm
==Madigan democrats don’t understand the normal give and take ==
Neither does the Governor so that makes two of them that don’t understand it. Wouldn’t it be nice if just once you could be honest?
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 1:57 pm
The Governor has given plenty and is down to a just a few items from the Turnaround Agenda from over 40.
What have the democrats budged on?
They won’t even take tough votes much less pass the Turnaround Agenda.
Comment by Lucky Pierre Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:03 pm
Still no honesty
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:04 pm
==What have the democrats budged on?==
See the Senate “Grand Bargain.” Of course that compromise still wasn’t enough. So the Gov killed it.
Look, we’ve moved past the point of compromise. The Governor has no intention of doing anything now and neither does Madigan. We’ve now moved into a battle of who will be painted worse - a Governor with zero accomplishment vs. a Speaker with incredible baggage.
We’re all losers in this scenario.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:09 pm
===from over 40.===
You sure it was 40?
How many are “a few”?
Don’t need to grab the Ryan and Edgar quotes again about doing the doable and governors are the top and understanding how to get 60 and 30?
You know all this, but you mock yourself by repeating the continued refutable talking points.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:11 pm
–“keep universities, community colleges and social service agencies on the verge of collapse with no permanent lines of funding.”–
That’s a bad thing now? When did that happen?
If you’ve truly had an epiphany, governor, you might want to re-prioritize and get on it.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:11 pm
A lot of Collective amnesia here.
Several bills in a he Grand Bargain including the one that addressed pension reform did not pass before the Governor addressed his concerns with the legislation.
If the Grand Bargain was killed there is more than one murderer
Comment by Lucky Pierre Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:21 pm
===Several bills in a he Grand Bargain including the one that addressed pension reform did not pass before the Governor addressed his concerns with the legislation===
… then why did Rauner insert himself and peel off Republicans and undercut Leader Radogno as Rauner did?
If it was falling apart, why did Rauner, and Rauner alone, blow up the Grand Bargain?
Your talking points are lacking, along with your honesty lately.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:26 pm
Stand Tall is of course right the people of Illinois voted Mr. Rauner into office, but I think its less than clear it was because of support for the outline of a turn around agenda Rauner presented while campaigning. Pat Quinn was one of the most unpopular Governors in the country going into the elections. Only 31% of voters approved of the job he was doing to 54% who disapproved. In my opinion the people of Illinois voted against Quinn effectively and not in favor of Rauner’s agenda.
Comment by Rod Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:26 pm
–A lot of Collective amnesia here.–
He said, to the voices inside his head….
Even the troncs know that Rauner killed the deal in the Senate. They said he threatened to primary GOP Senators who didn’t do as they were told.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-springfield-rauner-madigan-cullerton-bargain-budget-edit-0307-jm-20170306-story.html
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:30 pm
==before the Governor addressed his concerns with the legislation==
He didn’t want his concerns addressed. He wanted it DEAD. Ask Radogno.
==If the Grand Bargain was killed there is more than one murderer==
Really? Again, ask Sen. Radogno about those bus tire tracks on her and then get back to all of us. You continue to be purposely obtuse on the subject of the Grand Bargain.
More dishonesty . . .
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:51 pm
The majority of the people in Illinois voted to break the Democratic monopoly in state government for the prior 12 years that has seen our debt rise and competitiveness diminish.
Democrats still don’t get they will need to make concessions to this new political reality.
Democrats running for Governor will also have to state their solutions to the state’s problems which will have to impact democratic special interest groups.
Comment by Lucky Pierre Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:56 pm
It’s fair to say that Rauner was for stopgap budgets before he was against them.
Comment by anon2 Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:59 pm
Word I agree the Governor killed the grand bargain, there were indeed problem with it in terms of revenue in, revenue saved, and appropriations to put it simply. But the Governor never, ever, actually discussed those problems in any public manner. He talked in code, not fully baked, etc. Amendments were made in response the analysis of GOMB on the package, but no real response from Rauner to the attempt at adjustments which I feel still did not create a balanced package once one assumes the need for increases in k-12 appropriations over the next 9 years totaling in the billions due to the evidence based model for school funding.
The Governor if he had substantive disagreements with the so called grand bargain could have and should have intervened and requested changes while team Cullerton and Radogno were in the process of formulating the deal. I have a hard time believing that the Governor was communicating with leader Radogno in a clear way what his disagreements were or the package would not have gotten as far as it did. The Governor has effectively impaired Senator Radogno’s ability to lead her caucus and that is a terrible thing to do to an ally in the same party.
Comment by Rod Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 2:59 pm
==The Governor has effectively impaired Senator Radogno’s ability to lead her caucus ==
Not only that be he’s impaired her ability to be part of any negotiation. Who is going to negotiate with her when the person pulling the strings is clearly the Governor. Radogno was trying to do something positive. The Governor made her irrelevant and just made a deal that much harder.
Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 3:01 pm
===Democrats still don’t get they will need to make concessions to this new political reality.===
Both Edgar and Ryan made clear, it’s up to the Governor to find 60 and 30 and take what he can get as governors work with the GA to find those votes
Your conntinued ignoring of that is purposeful and ignorant to governing as prescribed by two former governors that got agendas passed… with Madigan.
===Democrats running for Governor will also have to state their solutions to the state’s problems which will have to impact democratic special interest groups.===
No they don’t. Not at all
“Bruce Rauner fails”
It works. I know. Bruce Rauner knows.
Over and over… “Bruce Rauner fails”… daily.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 3:01 pm
===Democrats still don’t get they will need to make concessions to this new political reality.===
Or the backlog of bills will go to $24B in FY18 and social services and higher ed will collapse, as the governor said.
Because it’s all about improving the economy and getting the budget under control, through term limits.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 3:06 pm
===I agree the Governor killed the grand bargain…===
There’s really nothing to agree with, it’s an undisputed fact. You can’t “give” a fact, a fact isn’t an optional give. (Sigh)
===I have a hard time believing that the Governor was communicating with leader Radogno in a clear way what his disagreements were or the package would not have gotten as far as it did.===
Talk to Leader Radogno, get back to all us.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 3:07 pm
Like Dem said, if Rauner is willing to do that to the leader of his own caucus, what do you think he’ll do to someone with a “D” after their name?
Comment by Jocko Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 3:20 pm
== The majority of the people in Illinois voted to break the Democratic monopoly in state government for the prior 12 years that has seen our debt rise and competitiveness diminish.
Democrats still don’t get they will need to make concessions to this new political reality. ==
And it’s rate of increase has been SO much better under Wrong Way Rauner!
Comment by RNUG Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 4:23 pm
–Democrats still don’t get they will need to make concessions to this new political reality. ==
Does the “new political reality” still include 60/30 and a judiciary?
Or did that 50.3% of the vote bestow license to wreck whatever he feels like?
If Rauner had been honest on his intentions during the campaign, do you think he would have achieved the Himalayan heights of 50.3%?
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 4:28 pm
== If Rauner had been honest on his intentions during the campaign, do you think he would have achieved the Himalayan heights of 50.3%? ==
IMO, no!
Comment by RNUG Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 4:31 pm
=The majority of the people in Illinois voted to break the Democratic monopoly in state government for the prior 12 years that has seen our debt rise and competitiveness diminish.=
No, they voted for a Republican governor with the expectation that he would govern. Same expectation that people had when they voted for Thompson, Edgar and Ryan.
If people were judging Rauner on his efforts to break the Democratic monopoly don’t you think his approval would be a wee bit higher?
Comment by Pundent Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 4:31 pm
…Democrats running for Governor will also have to state their solutions to the state’s problems which will have to impact democratic special interest groups… Rauner didn’t state his solutions, he just said ‘Quinn failed’. Who needs solutions when you have “Rauner Failed”.
Comment by don the legend Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 4:37 pm
=Who needs solutions when you have “Rauner Failed”.= And assuming the make-up of the House and Senate is more or less the same as it is today, why wouldn’t Rauner continue to fail? What’s his argument. Re-elect me so I can finish what I can’t seem to start?
Comment by Pundent Thursday, Apr 6, 17 @ 5:06 pm