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* From an e-mail sent by the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability to Rep. Dave McSweeney…
See attached requested update of FY’17/18 estimated deficits. As shown, the FY17 estimated deficit is approx. $6.249 billion. It includes updated spending figures published in the Gov’s FY’18 budget book. We then updated the resource section with CGFA’s last official forecast of March 2017.
Similarly, updated FY’18 spending under the “maintenance” scenario per the Budget Book was combined with CGFA’s revenue estimate to yield a FY’18 deficit of $7.651 billion. When that figure is added to the Comptroller’s reported likely $15-16 billion end of FY’17 owed bills projection—the total end of FY’18 unpaid bills would approach $23 billion.
Click here for the attachment.
* Back in 2016, GOMB’s forecast for the unpaid bill backlog by the end of Fiscal Year 2018 was $19.9 billion. It’s been a widely used number ever since then. But COGFA’s new projection is a $22.7 billion mountain of bill backlogs by June of 2018 - almost $3 billion higher.
We weren’t supposed to hit a backlog like that until sometime in the spring of 2019.
To give you an illustration of how bad this is, if they don’t pass a real budget, then by the end of June, 2018 our unpaid bill backlog will equal 73 percent of state revenue collections.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Ugh…
cause there hasn't been enough bad news…Univ of Ill and Illinois State University Debt Ratings Lowered Following Downgrade to state.
— yvette shields (@Yvette_BB) June 7, 2017
* And…
Odds are greater than even that Illinois debt officially will be rated junk—and soon—if lawmakers do not resolve an impasse with Gov. Bruce Rauner and enact a new budget by the beginning of the state’s new fiscal year on July 1.
That was the word from S&P Global Ratings today as the New York financial firm turned up the pressure another notch in a political feud that shows no sign of breaking soon.
In a call with reporters, analysts at S&P, which on June 1 moved state debt to just one level above junk, said that without a budget, the state’s rating could drop more than one notch.
“We think (a further downgrade) is above one in two likelihood around the time” the fiscal year 2018 begins on July 1, said Gabriel Petek, a managing director and sector leader for the firm. “This situation definitely is moving quickly if they don’t have a budget.”
Passing a temporary stop-gap budget—something Rauner has vowed to veto without Democratic concessions—”would be helpful” if only because it would provide cash to some programs and units that now are totally without help. It also “might result in us having a less than one notch” downgrade. But without new revenue, too, “the fiscal situation could continue to erode,” he added.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Pritzker campaign…
“Bruce Rauner is stumbling from crisis to crisis as Illinois families pay the price for his failed leadership,” said JB Pritzker. “Rauner ran for office attacking the previous governor for downgrades and promising a turnaround. But all we’ve gotten under Rauner’s failed leadership is eight downgrades so far and ratings agencies essentially promising that there will be more. These agencies are confirming what so many Illinois families already know: Bruce Rauner’s manufactured budget crisis has wrecked our state’s economy. S&P, Moody’s, and Illinoisans across the state have had enough. We need a real leader in Springfield who can pass a budget and clean up Rauner’s fiscal mess.”
* Related…
* Press release: Social Workers Call For End To Stop-Gap Budgets
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 3:33 pm
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Three-and-a-half years, nearly $20B added to the backlog of bills.
That’s some turnaround.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 3:46 pm
This is ludicrous.
Comment by Saluki Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 3:48 pm
First thought: oof! Almost getting close to federal budget numbers there…
Second thought: if I’m Governor Rauner, how do I spin this, 5 months in front of my re-election bid?
The bill backlog may go up to almost 500% of what it was when he took office, and while the economy here hasn’t been fantastic, it certainly isn’t in recession, either.
And with those types of numbers, we’re flat-out hosed when the next recession does hit us.
Comment by Lynn S. Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 3:50 pm
We are getting into a territory where folks can’t comprehend the numbers anymore. For an everyday person, $19 billion and $22 billion are the same thing. They are both really big numbers. The fact that you have to find an additional $3 billion gets lost.
But what doesn’t get lost is the smaller, very personal number of how much more they have to pay in taxes to raise an additional $3 billion.
Comment by Montrose Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 3:51 pm
===our unpaid bill backlog will equal 73 percent of state revenue collections.===
No need for more revenue in that budget that needs to be passed.
Math is math.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 3:52 pm
And yet I talk to otherwise intelligent people daily who think we don’t need a revenue increase. They somehow think spending cuts and term limits will be enough. Because Madigan /s
Comment by Thoughts Matter Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 3:52 pm
Purposeful, wanton destruction of not just social services, unions, and higher ed, but the entire state. It will take us years to dig out of this hole.
Comment by CCP Hostage Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 3:53 pm
This is why a property tax freeze is so critical. We would not be in this position if we had one of those. And term limits. We would not be underwater if we had a property tax freeze and term limits. And worker’s compensation reform. If we had those three things we wouldn’t be $20 billion in the hole. And prevailing wage. If we had a property tax freeze, term limits, W/C reform and ended prevailing wage, then we wouldn’t be in this mess.
Clearly this is all Madigan’s fault.
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 4:00 pm
==It will take us years to dig out of this hole.==
With the limited ability the state has to cut spending, and an unwillingness on the part of anyone to raise income taxes temporarily above 5%, it’ll take decades.
Comment by AC Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 4:00 pm
I have no hope the progression will prompt Rauner to move an inch. If the debt and credit downgrades concerned him at all they would have done so by now. As other commenters have opined, he’s all in.
Comment by Cubs in '16 Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 4:01 pm
The Governor needs to elaborate in verifiable dollar amounts how term limits will help the State’s finances. Also, Property tax issues make for great campaign rhetoric, but the Governor also needs to verify in actual dollar amounts how they will help the State’s financial problems outlined by CGFA — since the State does not collect one penny of property tax money.
Comment by Joe M Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 4:02 pm
My first thought: oof!!!
My second thought: if I’m Governor Rauner, how do I spin this, 5 months before my re-election?
The bill backlog will have gone up almost 500% from the day he took office until that moment. Are voters truly going to buy a storyline of Bruce Rauner, victim, at that point??
And this growth in the backlog occurred in a so-so economy. When the next recession hits, this state is hosed.
Comment by Lynn S. Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 4:02 pm
Do you know how, when you pay your property taxes, you’re actually paying last year’s bill? That’s what we’ll be doing in Illinois with income and sales taxes for the foreseeable future.
Tax anticipation warrants anyone?
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 4:03 pm
Rich, can you please remove my second post? Didn’t mean to double post. They in advance, Lynn S.
Comment by Lynn S. Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 4:04 pm
Agreeing with and expanding upon what previous commenters have noted:
==For an everyday person, $19 billion and $22 billion are the same thing.==
Hell, to an everyday person, $1.9 bil and $22 bil are the same thing. I think the Administration absolutely counts on that cynical reality.
== And with those types of numbers, we’re flat-out hosed when the next recession does hit us. ==
I got the chills when I read that, because it’s so true. Rauner’s positioning to become the Herbert Hoover of IL, or worse.
Comment by Linus Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 4:06 pm
Either pass the Senate budget or give the Governor a lump sum. The former is a responsible solution, the latter would be a disaster — but at least the unpaid bill pile would stop growing under either scenario.
Comment by Telly Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 4:06 pm
=My second thought: if I’m Governor Rauner, how do I spin this, 5 months before my re-election?=
Wear more Carhartts, blame the “Machine” more, and tweet that the common people are on your side.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 4:08 pm
If this is the Gov’s plan. Which can we at least agree it is? What is the end game? I said a few months back we get SO far behind somehow the Feds through Supreme court action nullify our state pension obligations? Think Puerto Rico “super” bankruptcy or whatever the issue is officially called? If we get to the tipping point of not able to provide basic services, is that some sort of possibility? I realize what is in our constitution, but this can fast become a test case… Scary times.
Comment by Walter Mitty Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 4:08 pm
==Tax anticipation warrants anyone?==
Why stop there? What about mortgages for state parks and buildings? Since the state appears to be paying worse than jumbo loan rates on bonds, it might save on interest costs.
Comment by AC Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 4:08 pm
Sorry…as horrific as these numbers are (and horrific is an understatement) I don’t think this is the tipping point.
Comment by J IL Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 4:08 pm
Pritzker’s response is very good, hope he sticks with it.
Comment by AC Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 4:16 pm
===at least the unpaid bill pile would stop growing under either scenario.===
If there were 8,647 MOUs just for the past 6 months of bills.
Rauner and a lump sum wouldn’t guarantee any bills paid except… well, who knows. That’s the point.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 4:17 pm
$20 billion! Can someone ask the Guv how property tax relief in years 3-4, marginally more favorable workers’ compensation, and term limits is worth $20 Billion.
I’m not even talking about all the lost jobs, lost social services, lost educational pursuits. He apparently sleeps just fine and is enjoying being Guv with all of that. I’m talking purely economics. How can he justify this massive bill?
And how does he address this? By staying as far away from the office as he can, being driven around the state and tweetin about property taxes.
Comment by Henry Francis Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 4:24 pm
Is Rauner trying to force the Feds to do something? Like a bankruptcy that’s not called a bankruptcy?
Comment by Anoniphone Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 4:29 pm
@Henry Francis
You’re right on all counts. His answer to everything is “We have a broken system.” That’s it. That’s the totality of his response to what’s going on. It’s maddening.
Comment by Cubs in '16 Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 4:30 pm
==That’s the totality of his response to what’s going on.==
He’s more creative than that, he might tell Amanda Vinicky to focus again if she insists on a response. He could even start rambling on about a machine.
Comment by AC Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 4:36 pm
Pritzker- Rauner is a failure.
Over and over, again and again. Instead of 1 minute ads. 4 different 15 second ads. 1 point in each ad, tagline Rauner is a failure. Run it everywhere all the time. By petition time his own family will believe he’s a failure.
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 4:36 pm
By comparison, Oscar’s before and after pictures are so much better than Rauner’s. And Oscar had actual cutting done,
Comment by Keyrock Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 4:41 pm
“Three-and-a-half years, nearly $20B added to the backlog of bills”
Very scary beyond the obvious. At this rate, even without the tax rate reduction, we would still be over $4B short.
What happened to the control of expenses, efficiency, and reduction of waste we were promised? What has Rauner been doing managerially? (Blaming the judges doesn’t fully cover it.)
Comment by walker Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 4:42 pm
- Anoniphone - Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 4:29 pm:
Is Rauner trying to force the Feds to do something? Like a bankruptcy that’s not called a bankruptcy?
Also, Brucie could do anything. Especially run up bills on the state’s credit. And why not? Nobody’s gonna pay for it anyway. And as soon as the deliveries are made in the front door, you move the stuff out the back and sell it at a discount. You take a two hundred dollar case of booze and you sell it for a hundred. It doesn’t matter. It’s all profit. And then finally, when there’s nothing left, when you can’t borrow another buck from the bank or buy another case of booze, you bust the joint out. You light a match.
Comment by jerry 101 Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 4:50 pm
Could a flat tax be better than a progressive income tax?
A progressive income tax could cure a lot of problems, but it would take years to enact even if rich-poor divisions within the Democratic party don’t scuttle it altogether.
Suppose instead we introduced a new “Fair Share Tax” designed to ensure that everyone’s overall state and local taxes (income, property, sales, etc.) don’t deviate too much from a flat percentage representing the target median overall tax rate in the state. That current rate is about 10%. For each taxpayer, we sum their state income tax, their property tax (or a corresponding percentage of rent paid), and an estimate of their sales taxes. If that falls below say 9% of income, the Fair Share Tax would be assessed to make up the difference. Their could also be a credit for (mostly poor and some small business owners) people whose overall tax rate is above, say, 11%. This would ensure that everyones total tax burden is within 1% of a target median rate of 10%.
The vast majority of IL taxpayers would be unaffected by this tax because they already pay their fair share or more.
It’s a flat tax and cannot be described as income redistribution, so the GOP can’t criticize it.
I don’t see any constitutional issues because (i) it’s a flat tax and (ii) it’s not an income tax.
Combined with a flat 5% income tax, this would cure a lot of fiscal ills. It would generate massive new revenue and produce an instant upgrade in IL bond ratings to pay down debt, and increase state support for K-12 (which would allow property tax cuts). Maybe we could even invest in our state’s future.
Curious what CapFax readers think of this. Has something like this been considered before?
Comment by X-prof Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 4:54 pm
If only we could reach the “folks in power” … smh.
“It’s breaking my heart. It’s so frustrating,” Rauner said at an event in … Hegewisch, where he was promoting his property tax freeze idea. “The folks in power need to recognize we can’t keep doing what we’ve been doing.”
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 4:58 pm
Rauner didn’t just buy his office and the ILGOP, he bought time. Time to wreck and ruin, not just shake and stir. His old Timex may still be ticking, but it’s time for the ILGA to stop the clock. Get a full budget together guys and gals, and get your votes lined up for veto overrides. If Kansas can do it, surely Illinois can. What other lessons do you need to waste time learning?
Comment by Anon221 Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 5:21 pm
On the bright side, by the governor’s previous calculations, the Turnaround Agenda would produce enough new revenue to pay off the 3.5 year increase in the backlog of bills in only 40 years.
So we’ve got that goin’ for us. That is the path.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 5:23 pm
47th Ward ==If we had a property tax freeze, term limits, W/C reform and ended prevailing wage, then we wouldn’t be in this mess.==
No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!
Comment by Whatever Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 5:28 pm
Yes, I know this is a drive by comment and I apologize for that but has anyone noticed who is NOT commenting on this post? LP? Arock? Louis? etc. Hello? Beuller?
Comment by Former Hillrod Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 6:34 pm
Crisis creates opportunity. I think.
Comment by Blue dog dem Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 6:46 pm
Rauner is only concerned about how a few of his millionaire / billionaire friends feel and his re-election. He could care less about the average Illinois citizen. I think down deep he wants the state to spiral downward and be put in a position in which Illinois is unable to recover. Maybe then he will be able to inflict more pain on unions. Also, maybe Rauner and his cronies can pickup some Illinois property for pennies on the dollar. Isn’t that how he became wealthy??
Comment by Illinois Retiree Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 6:47 pm
Serious question: What is Rauner’s end game? It can’t be a stable state government with a balanced budget. I’d like to think he doesn’t want to completely destroy state government, but it’s difficult not to infer that sometimes.
Comment by DuPage Dave Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 7:03 pm
@Former Hillrod- The usual trolls are meeting with their wordsmith/bro-down buddies for some off topic talking points to post.
Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 7:09 pm
X-Prof, I’d vote for your plan in a minute. On a taxable income of about $50K, my income tax, sales tax, and real estate tax add up somewhere between eight and nine grand (16-18%). Where do I sign up?
Comment by Anonymous Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 7:12 pm
Lol Whatever, love that Monty Python bit, but I was aiming a little lower, trying to find the best analogy for The Governor’s negotiating style.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4VbI5zcB8Ac
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 7:24 pm
== Serious question: What is Rauner’s end game? ==
(A) To try to implement ALEC’s plan to.force the federal government to allow State bankruptcy
(B) To win his $1.00 bet with his 1.4% buddies that he can force Madigan out of office
(C) To win his bet that he can destroy the government unions
(D) To keep his personal income low / freeze his property taxes / prevent a graduated income tax
(E) All of the above
Personally, I like (E).
Comment by RNUG Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 7:29 pm
Rnug… thank you. I have taken off several months of comments. One of the main reasons I was nicely attacked for saying A) is his plan. But, you said it better. I believe more than anything he is going to break us to get the ruling to get out of pension obligations. For everyone that wants to say it’s guaranteed in our constitution. The math hasn’t worked in several years. It’s never going to work now.
Comment by Walter Mitty Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 7:59 pm
What I also find telling is there is no “update X3″ word salad verbal jumble from Bruce Headguv and crew blaming Madigan. Yet.
Comment by Former Hillrod Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 8:35 pm
Yeeeeehaw! This State (and country) is going Third World. Let’s try to enjoy the ride as much as possible. We’ve already been thrown down the sewer hole they just haven’t hit the flush handle yet.
Comment by Uncle Scam Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 9:21 pm
Illinois Republicans are all responsible, not just Rauner.
Comment by DeseDemDose Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 10:36 pm
Govenor campaigned on a plan fore coming, grow Illinois, (debt), bring back illinois (return to a territory)
Comment by Rabid Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 6:27 am
RNUG, did you see what happened in Kansas?
Republicans VOTED FOR a tax increase and overrode the veto!
Kansas has learned a hard lesson that trickle down doesn’t work.
Who advised them to do this experiment
Laffer
Who is the business partner of Laffer
Arduin
Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 7:00 am
==Illinois Republicans are all responsible, not just Rauner==
When will everyone accept that he’s the head honcho? The big ringleader? THe buck stops here person ? The one and only governor—-not the many Republicans?
Yes, many people bear responsibility. But his leadership is supposed to be solving problems, not creating them!
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 7:48 am
“Former Hillrod - Wednesday, Jun 7, 17 @ 6:34 pm:”
Sorry I don’t live on this site and rarely check it in the evening. Was working till 11 last night on a demolition project at home.
This is even more reason for major reforms to be enacted to get Illinois back on the right track and get a budget passed. I know it will take a tax increase but first we need a total reform of Illinois’s broken system. The temporary tax increase was temporary because there was suppose to be fiscal reform which never happened. You guys have been following a failed agenda under Madigan’s leadership. The guy has sat by and watched the pension debt grow and has had absolutely no answers to solve this or any other major fiscal problems. He has 32 years of leadership and the only thing he has to show for it is a democratic majority in the GA. In the recent past you had super majorities in the GA and the Governorship and didn’t pass your beloved progressive tax that you say would solve all our problems. You didn’t raise minimum wage regularly. But let’s keep doing the same things that stared the mess and help it fester.
Comment by Arock Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 7:52 am
Oh - Arock -, this is adorbs…
===This is even more reason for major reforms to be enacted to get Illinois back on the right track and get a budget passed.===
… and yet, the reforms are measuring out, according to the Governor’s own numbers, 1.4% or $500+ million… to cover $23 billion.
Your grasp of math and words meanings seem to lack, lol
===The temporary tax increase was temporary because there was suppose to be fiscal reform which never happened.===
… and yet, bills were paid, the backlog was 30 days, the pension payments were made. I know, you are math challenged.
===You guys have been following a failed agenda under Madigan’s leadership.===
… and yet, with Rauner’s agenda of NO budget and now a federal judge sees Rauner’s failed leadership to pay bills is so awful, a date is given to the Governor.
I know, you love the hyperventilating way you get to say “Madigan!”, it feels good, lol
===The guy has sat by and watched the pension debt grow and has had absolutely no answers to solve this or any other major fiscal problems===
… and yet, the growth of the backlog of bills under Rauner’s purposeful destruction, married with countless diengades that Rauner sped up, saying he expects more… you?… “Madigan!!!”, lol
===He has 32 years of leadership and the only thing he has to show for it is a democratic majority in the GA===
You should be proud! Rauner, in 30 months has done far worse damage to Illinois than ANYONE else in 30+ years.
I’m gonna go with willful ignorance on your part, with heavy mouth breathing, wrapped in “Madigan!!”
===But let’s keep doing the same things that stared the mess and help it fester.===
This is my favorite. Rauner IS the status quo. Your willful ignorance of Rauner’s 3 phony, grossly unbalanced sham budgets… that’s the status quo. That’s Rauner, lol.
Like I said. Adorbs.
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 8:10 am
OW- $9 Billion interest payment per year on pension debt - Madigan owns, plus unfunded retiree healthcare
Backlog 12/31/10 $7.9 Billion
12/31/14 $6.6 Billion
From the Comptrollers office
Pension debt continued to grow during that period
The reforms are designed to promote business and job growth hopefully with better pay then the part time entry level minimum wage jobs that are happening in the downstate. More jobs and people actually opening businesses in downstate mean a larger tax base which hopefully means more revenue.
No truly balanced budgets for decades but you guys were evidently alright with that, which is the starting point of Illinois fiscal crisis.
Madigans owns the problems form the past that started the problem and owns the fact that he will not usher in reforms to right the ship.
The temporary tax increase brought in what close to $25 billion dollars and Illinois’s economy was still limping along?
So no, I am not math challenged but I do look at facts and the facts prove that Madigan’s tenure has been a failure for the citizens of Illinois.
Comment by Arock Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 9:16 am
===$9 Billion interest payment per year on pension debt - Madigan owns, plus unfunded retiree healthcare===
Governors own. Ask Candidate Rauner, who made clear these backlogs, debts, downgrades, “Pat Quinn failed”
I get it, it’s incinvienent for you, you have this.. thing… always Madigan… even with Rauner blamed Quinn, lol
===Backlog 12/31/10 $7.9 Billion
12/31/14 $6.6 Billion
From the Comptrollers office
Pension debt continued to grow during that period===
… and yet, Rauner forcing Illinois far, far deeper then these numbers… “Madigan!”… and again, things Candidate Rauner blamed on a governor. It’s adorbs, it really is, your blind willful ignorance to make everything “Madigan!”
===
The reforms are designed to promote business and job growth hopefully with better pay then the part time entry level minimum wage jobs that are happening in the downstate. More jobs and people actually opening businesses in downstate mean a larger tax base which hopefully means more revenue.===
Adding more words to your utter ridiculousness that measures to 1.4% or $500+ million for Gov. Rauner’s probable $23 billion backlog, your blind willingness to ignore math and numbers are noted and seen in your own word jumble.
===Madigans owns the problems form the past that started the problem and owns the fact that he will not usher in reforms to right the ship.===
Read McKinney, Read Rich Miller’s Ceain’s article too. Madigan, Edgar, Ryan, Pate, Daniels… it’s like you just can’t get past “Madigan!”, so very telling… lol!
===The temporary tax increase brought in what close to $25 billion dollars and Illinois’s economy was still limping along===
Your embarrassing lack of grasping math continues to shine the embarrassing light that you ignore bills were paid down and pension payments made during that time. Reasonable people would think that’s good. You? “Madigan!!” lol
===So no, I am not math challenged…===
Yet I’ve shown multiple times that you are, and you seem to ignore inconvenient math at every turn. Putting numbers with letters in a comment doesn’t show proficiency in math. At all.
===Madigan’s tenure has been a failure for the citizens of Illinois.===
lol,
By nearly every measure, Illinois is worse off since Rauner became governor.
If you’d like, I’ll quote Crain’s directly. lol
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 9:38 am
Roughly a $6.5 Billion backlog when the tax expired so the backlog was not paid off. The pension debt continued to increase all through the time that the temporary tax hike was in affect. Business and population continued to leave the State and the economy was sluggish. The budget that was in place when he took office was way out of whack.
How can the pension debt be Rauners to own when Madigan is the one that helped pass the legislation that failed to make the payments. His house passed the budget for decades that failed to make the pension payments. Proving again that his agenda failed and laid the groundwork for Illinois problems. Without the $9 Billion interest payment on the pension debt you have a easily balanced budget. You could even probably fund K-12 at the required levels, something once again that Madigan let fall to the wayside during his tenure as Speaker. I don’t say Rauner is without fault during this crisis but there has been no meaningful movement from Madigan. Two and a half years and nothing of much substance in reforms. He tried to backdoor an agreement with AFSCME that would have drastically increased cost for the State. Things are worse off because Rauner can not negotiate with a rock. You have not showed me jack crab, Madigan has had two and a half years as well to come up with a plan and has zilch to show for it much like his pension plan that was struck down by the Court.
Comment by Arock Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 3:28 pm
===The budget that was in place when he took office was way out of whack.===
That was fixed. Rauner signed the fix, LOL.
Seriously, your incompetent babble completely ignores that “Pat Quinn failed”, and the state of Illinois with Rauner, according to Crain’s, is by nearly every measure is worse off with Rauner as governor.
You always ignore that, why? lol
Your “because… Madigan!” is so tiring and insincere to honest discussion, it’s embarrassing how much time you take to type so many words that boil down to the heavy mouth breathing of “Madigan!”
===Things are worse off because Rauner can not negotiate with a rock.===
… and yet it was Rauner alone blowing up two Grand Bargains…
I know, I know… “Madigan!”… lol
Pat Quinn failed.
If you believe that, then not seeing that Rauner is worse is beyond mockable and it makes me sad for you.
I know, “Madigan!”
Just don’t hyperventilate, lol
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 3:37 pm
Your whole spill is Rauner or Raunerites with no substance and Crain has been hard on Madigan as well.
Nothing incompetent in the facts I present that you can not and have not been able to refute. Illinois has taken a further turn for the worse while Rauner has been Governor mainly because of no compromise on the Democrats side to pass true reforms as part of the budget process.
So you admit that the previous GA passed an out of whack budget that had to be fixed when Rauner became Governor, that wasn’t very constitutional of them to pass a bogus budget.
You act like Madigan is not one of the most powerful political office holders in the State and that the House Democrats don’t make any moves without his okay.
Lastly are you actually in junior high with all your BS lol? You remind me of Bill O’Reilly with all your bloviating.
Comment by Arock Thursday, Jun 8, 17 @ 11:58 pm
===Nothing incompetent in the facts I present that you can not and have not been able to refute. Illinois has taken a further turn for the worse while Rauner has been Governor mainly because of no compromise on the Democrats side to pass true reforms as part of the budget process.===
Your own dishonesty… in thinking the Crain’s column is ignoring anything Madigan… you should learn to actually read.
===So you admit that the previous GA passed an out of whack budget that had to be fixed when Rauner became Governor, that wasn’t very constitutional of them to pass a bogus budget===
LOL!
Rauner was suppose to end the status quo, be the one to shake up and bring back, and your own argument is… to say Rauner IS the status quo that Rauner despised?
It’s late, you should head off to sleep. Your heavy mouth breathing all day must make you so dizzy, lol
When you are done with “Madigan!” and understand that Illinois is worse off since Rauner, and Rauner being the continued status quo Rauner said he was “different from” isn’t any sort of argument…
… you will realize that your blindness to Rauner is far worse than your comically based belief, no matter what, of “Madigan!”
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 12:19 am
I said Crain had been hard(critical) of Madigan as well in who is responsible for this mess.
The budget Rauner inherited when he took office was out of whack so how does that make him part of the status quo on the budget he didn’t sign and had to fix once he took office?
Least it is mouth breathing and not talking out of my a** like you have been doing. Refute the numbers and the mess that the past budgets and failure to make the pension payments have caused.
What actual meaningful reforms that he has asked for have reached the Governors desk for his signature.
Comment by Arock Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 8:06 am
===The budget Rauner inherited when he took office was out of whack so how does that make him part of the status quo on the budget he didn’t sign and had to fix once he took office?===
Rauner proposed 3 grossly out of whack, sham, phony budgets.
That IS the Ststus Quo, LOL
===Least it is mouth breathing…===
lol, at least you admit your own ridiculousness.
===Refute the numbers and the mess that the past budgets and failure to make the pension payments have caused.===
.. and…
===What actual meaningful reforms that he has asked for have reached the Governors desk for his signature===
Asked and answered.
1.4%, $500+ million are not meaningful reforms. You are clueless to math. These two grand continue to prove your own ignorance and the doubling down on “Madigan!”, lol
You have no numbers to dispute. You have no budgets that prove anything. You just have “Madigan!”
It’s a pathetic way to pretend “you know”
Oh, and talking out my…
… then why can’t you come up with numbers, provable measurables, or show the non-status quo?
You can’t. Let it go.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 9, 17 @ 8:13 am