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Raunerites rejoice as the governor starts spending money

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Illinois

Among supporters, Mr. Rauner’s fierce opposition to a tax increase unless it included other items on his agenda — a freeze on property taxes, cuts to workers’ compensation, term limits — was seen as an example of sticking with principles in the face of overwhelming pressure. It also unveiled a 2018 campaign talking point against the Democrats who ushered through the increase.

“Nobody ever wins the next cycle running on a tax increase,” said Pat Brady, a former Illinois Republican Party chairman. “The governor came out way ahead.” […]

Bill Daley, a member of the Chicago Democratic political family who served on Mr. Rauner’s transition team, said he found the end of the two-year budget impasse “a little strange.”

“It’s pretty obvious that he didn’t get anything out of the last two years,” he said of Mr. Rauner. As for the 2018 election, “there’s only one strategy left for him, and that’s to run against everybody: Democrats, Republicans, the town.”

He’ll also benefit from that same New York Times article referring to him as a “fiscally conservative” leader, which is a crock. The budget he vetoed spent less than the budget he proposed in February, and it was far more balanced. The bill backlog tripled on his watch.

Spending has shot up to $38.1 billion this past fiscal year without a budget. The budget he vetoed spends $36 billion.

* And, man, is he ever in a hurry to start taking advantage of the new budget he referred to as a “two-by-four smacked across the foreheads of the people of Illinois”…

The Illinois Lottery has resumed sales of Mega Millions and Powerball tickets now that the state’s budget stalemate has concluded, lottery officials said.

The state stopped sales late last month of the popular Powerball and Mega Millions games due to its inability to contribute to the prize pool without a budget in place.

* And…

Road construction workers across the state will begin returning to work after the Illinois Department of Transportation said construction projects can resume with Thursday’s approval of a full-year state budget.

Workers were sent home or not called it at all on Monday, the first work day of the state fiscal year amid the ongoing budget impasse that led to the state shutting down approximately 900 transportation projects totaling $3.3 billion, according to one of the state’s largest contractor associations.

The Illinois Department of Transportation estimated 20,000 workers were affected.

But with Thursday’s Illinois House vote to override Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of budget-related legislation, IDOT on Thursday evening gave the green light to restart work.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 11:17 am

Comments

==“Nobody ever wins the next cycle running on a tax increase,”==

Yeah, and I kinda expect you ain’t gonna see the Dem Nominee do that now.

Comment by Arsenal Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 11:19 am
So basically, Pat Brady just said that no matter how much of Rauner’s agenda was passed, he was not going to sign off on a tax hike that he himself said was necessary.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 11:21 am
Isn’t that why they passed a budget — to authorize the state to spend money on the lottery and everything else. now that the budget is in place, the money is starting to flow and that’s Rauner’s fault? come on. let’s keep the criticism credible.
not sure I share Pat Brady’s position that Madigan’s schooling of the Republicans is a great victory for the Republicans.

Comment by jim Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 11:26 am
Ducky LaMoore

I think that was part of Rauners gimmick with this budget impasse. He refused to compromise because he didn’t want to sign a tax hike no matter how much he got.

Comment by Real Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 11:27 am
Time to end the false notion that the FY 18 budget that is now law spends less than the Governor’s introduced budget.

Governor’s introduced budget included $2.4 billion in transfers out on the General Funds side of the spending. Over $1.6 billion in these transfers are simply switched to direct deposits. Figure that in and the true spending in the budget that passed is at least $37.8 billion, half a billion higher than the gov.

I’m not saying that the budget that passed is worse than not having a budget, but apples should be compared to apples to get the spending comparison

Heck, figuring in the $1.2 billion in pension funding reductions that are based on reforms that probably won’t actually reduce unfunded liabilities by anywhere near that much and true spending is more like $39 billion. Both sides used some of these same approaches but all this needs to be looked at if comparing to spending levels from previous years.

Comment by More Courage Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 11:31 am
The Democrats and the Dem gubenitorial candidates that let ANY Raunerite, including Rauner, enjoy this budget as a Rauner win to tout… deserve the loss(es) they will get by ignoring this obvious avenue to hammer and shake Rauner.

Geez, Louise… this holding Rauner to not owning his unsigned budget, this is Easy Peasy work.

Will Dems do the lift?

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 11:32 am
Rauner can content himself with being just another duplicitous politician concerned only about his next election and not at all about the heavy lifting of governing.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 11:32 am
Rich Miller, my profound respect for you has been tested during Governor Rauner’s tenure, which is why I have elected to largely stay away. Your bias and disdain for Governor Rauner has clearly impacted your ability to relay Illinois political goings-on fairly and neutrally. Please do better. And, the passage of the budget is a loss for all Illinois taxpayers. Period.

Comment by Black Ivy Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 11:38 am
Willy is on it. Rauner needed a tax increase, he wanted a tax increase and he got a tax increase. He damaged the state to try and get his harmful agenda with questionable benefits passed. The Dems and Rauner’s victims need to be loudly pointing out the added debt, loss of jobs and damage to schools.

Comment by Norseman Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 11:43 am
Brady is right, huge, huge PR win for Rauner while the Dems own the 32% tax increase.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 11:44 am
So much salt in Rich’s words now against Rauner. I agree Black Ivy, impartiality is something he can never claim again

Comment by Revolver Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 11:50 am
Rauner just can’t win with most of you. Now he is being criticized for spending money and not shutting down government after “losing” the budget battle?

You either want the man to “govern” or you don’t.

What should be scary to Democrats and Rauner critics is that all those Rauner “duct tape” ads came true.

There is enough duct tape all over this budget to pave I-55 from Chicago to Springfield and back.

Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 11:50 am
(Tips cap to - Norseman -)

===The Dems and Rauner’s victims need to be loudly pointing out the added debt, loss of jobs and damage to schools.===

This the best, most obvious, easiest explained pivot off the tax increase.

“Rauner vetoed that”

Over…. and over… and over…

…

… and over.

“Rauner vetoed that”

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 11:51 am
With all this about Rauner being a fiscal conservative, but actually costing the state more in funds I have come to recognize that the public is more focused on the marketing campaigns of politicians instead of the reality of their actions.

Comment by illinifan Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 11:55 am
This is a blog, run by Rich Miller, who has a point of view, and states it in his style and tone. He allows all points of view, but to expect him to be unbiased is to misunderstand what a blog is all about.

Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 11:58 am
A gov has four budgets. Instead of tightening each budget and pushing an agenda item each year he could have had an amazing record to run on for re-election.

Now, out maneuvered by Madigan, what can he say he has accomplished that warrants re-election?

“Vote for me again, this time will be different”

Comment by Tiredless Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:04 pm
Democrats are and will be seen as the tax hiking party - it’s entrenched. I’m not sure how much talking about the details of a budget Rauner vetoed is going to change that. For this reason, you have to give Madigan credit for at least risking wearing the jacket by overriding Rauner’s veto rather than letting heck rain down on him. Then you add the coming media onslaught and that Cook County and Chicago Democrats will be steadily raising taxes. Regardless, we’ll have a better idea who won and lost after people start getting their paychecks with the new taxes taken out.

Comment by lake county democrat Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:07 pm
It is indisputable that Rauner’s budget proposal assumed income tax of 5% or close to it. It is also indisputable that the bill backlog grew to roughly $15 billion under his watch, directly caused by holding the state budget hostage in exchange for votes on the minority party agenda.

It is completely fair and appropriate to question the “fiscal conservative” label in light of the above.

Comment by Three-Finger Brown Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:10 pm
Lol, Black Ivy. Rich Miller hasn’t been the Rauner apologist you were wanting… The Trib. and IPI has that segment of “journalism” covered. People come to Capitol Fax for accurate information. I personally think of Rich Miller as a hero warrior-journalist of old that the Founders would have extolled the virtues of.

Thank you Rich for helping my family and many, many others make it through the Rauner pain. We would have been in the dark without your Capitol Fax.

Comment by Jimmy H Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:10 pm
Let’s not get too personal in attacks on Rich. He runs a nice blog, and he’s entitled to do it any way he wants. Those who find his viewpoint distressing or lacking in credibility can, like Black Ivy, go elsewhere. He clearly knows his audience.

Comment by jim Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:10 pm
A general reply to today’s troll infestation. Please stick to the topic or go elsewhwere. Attacking Rich does not add to the conversation. /rant

Comment by Finally Out Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:11 pm
Nothing’s settled. The war rages on.

Rauner thinks he was just handed a political gift. He may be right.

If Madigan’s is velvet, Rauner’s may be a sledge.

Comment by Deft Wing Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:12 pm
Lol, I’ve never seen so many snowflakes in July.

Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:12 pm
I remember when I first started reading this blog in 2009 and was certain Rich was just an anti-Quinn right wing nutjob.

Just cuz he’s rippin on your guy doesn’t mean he won’t praise your guy or rip the other team

Comment by JohnnyPyleDriver Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:15 pm
@Anonymous 11:58 am

This all day.

@Black Ivy & @Revolver

And I know that Rich Miller is more than cable of defending himself, but I just want to say that I find his approach to be very refreshing. I think he does a great job of separating his voice from the sources.

He provides us with the primary sources and then explains his take on them because this is his blog. I mean there is nothing stopping you from clicking the links he provides; reading them for yourself; and supplying you’re own bias if you don’t care for his “bias.”

Comment by Chicago_Downstater Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:16 pm
Oh good lord. I normally just let my terrible typos stay, but I meant capable instead of cable at 12:16. That one was just too terrible.

I completely understand if my comments come down for such terrible typos.

Comment by Chicago_Downstater Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:20 pm
This comment really should put the bias discussion to bed:

==And I know that Rich Miller is more than capable of defending himself, but I just want to say that I find his approach to be very refreshing. I think he does a great job of separating his voice from the sources.

He provides us with the primary sources and then explains his take on them because this is his blog. I mean there is nothing stopping you from clicking the links he provides; reading them for yourself; and supplying your own bias if you don’t care for his “bias.” ==

Now on to something substantive:

Does

More Courage have a source for his claims above?

Comment by JPC Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:23 pm
JPC - if you want a source consult the FY18 budget book. Walk down on page 30, transfers on page 129 and the provisions of SB42 to make the transfers direct deposits.

Comment by More Courage Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:30 pm
Mr. Miller does us all a great service by keeping us informed and aware of what our state is doing. He does us an even greater favor by providing one of the only places where discussion is required to be civil and opinions are (usually) well reasoned. in other words, he treats us like adults and most of us respond as such.
Thank you, Mr. Miller.

Comment by northsider (the original) Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:32 pm
Rich is giving his audience and his subscribers what they want.

It is obvious whose side most of them are on.

His audience at Crain’s is the complete opposite.

I can confirm he does allow all points of view.

Nothing wrong with that.

Give the audience more credit than that. People make up their own minds and are not spoon fed what they should think.

No level of bias perceived or real can change that.

Comment by Lucky Pierre Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:33 pm
I love the first-time commenters who think they know me. lol

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:33 pm
Goodness some of y’all are delicate flowers today! This is the inevitable result of too much Fox News - someone said something bad about my guy, so it’s automatically unfair and biased. What Rich wrote makes your guy look bad - so there’s no possible way it could also be completely true, huh?

Comment by Lester Holt's Mustache Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:43 pm
It’s a beautiful thing to see big lottery games resume and workers returning to work, finally being freed from the clutches of Gov. Destructo.

Comment by Grandson of Man Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:54 pm
== I love the first-time commenters who think they know me. ==

Heck, I can’t always predict where you are going to land on a specific issue.

Comment by RNUG Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 12:57 pm
The Governor complained there wasn’t enough cuts. We’ll see if he uses his authority over spending to cut some more from the budget.

Comment by Demoralized Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 1:00 pm
It’s hard to defend Rauner’s record as “fiscally conservative” when you objectively look at how little he reduced spending in areas where he had the ability to do so. It amazes me how many people he has fooled by his rhetoric which does not match his actions.

Comment by Pelonski Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 1:11 pm
RNUG is Right. Rich is an issues journalist, not a personality journalist.

Comment by Cheswick Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 1:19 pm
Pelonski –It’s hard to defend Rauner’s record as “fiscally conservative” when you objectively look at how little he reduced spending in areas where he had the ability to do so. It amazes me how many people he has fooled by his rhetoric which does not match his actions.–

He’d have a leg to stand on if any of his administration or Department heads could name cuts they’d like to see put in place. They didn’t. They had to years to find billions in fraud, waste and abuse. They couldn’t.

Why does any voter think Rauner is fiscally conservative? He’s done zero to demonstrate that. Not paying for services rendered is theft, not conservatism.

Comment by illini97 Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 1:23 pm
Like Chicago weather…

The “bias” card played by either side towards Rich?

Give it 15 minutes, it’ll change back to the other side.

Rich’s take on things, read his columns in “Crain’s”, read his syndicated columns too.

Rich comes at his work with reason and institutional knowledge to aid in his writing too.

Can’t ask for a better way to approach Illinois politics.

This blog? No different. That’s why it’s the place to be, learn, and know what’s really happening… today.

Thanks for all you do Rich.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 1:25 pm
It ain’t Rich’s fault that Rauner’s a failure.

Comment by Arsenal Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 1:28 pm
I agree with Rich when he wrote: “The budget he (Rauner) vetoed spent less than the budget he proposed in February, and it was far more balanced.” I don’t think many of the progressive Democrats should have voted for it as easily as they did, there were more cuts in it than there would have been if they had become less reliable allies of President Cullerton and Speaker Madigan by staging at least credible threats of no votes. I also liked that Rich indirectly admits that the current budget to revenue is still not balanced by stating it is “more” balanced than was the Governor’s proposal. That is the truth too.

Our State is still in significant fiscal trouble and back debts will be paid back slowly, probably too slowly for many agencies that are in trouble.

Comment by Rod Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 1:42 pm
Anyone know when the Dept. of Revenue is expected to issue new withholding tables for the new tax rate? And thus when people will see the difference in their paycheck?

Comment by drew Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 1:48 pm
I’ve criticized Rich in the past, RNUG…I can tell you that when he lands, he lands hard, and I have the broken ego to show it.

Comment by PublicServant Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 1:50 pm
What’s the beef, anyway. That Miller called the NYTs description of Rauner as a “fiscal conservative” a “crock?”

Would all those object to that characterization give their definition of “fiscal conservative” and apply it to the governor’s stewardship, please?

–There is enough duct tape all over this budget to pave I-55 from Chicago to Springfield and back.–

I guess they didn’t have a “Coherent Metaphor” class at Box of Crackerjack Law School.

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Jul 7, 17 @ 3:07 pm