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* SJ-R…
Turning the tables somewhat on Gov. Bruce Rauner, some Senate Democrats said Wednesday that it is the governor who is stalling action on a new state budget.
The Democrats said the Rauner administration has never submitted legislation that contained his proposals for saving the state about $1.3 billion in next year’s state budget. That includes calls for cutting state worker health insurance benefits and beginning to shift downstate teacher pension costs to local districts and away from the state.
Rauner budget director Hans Zigmund told a joint hearing of the Senate Appropriations committees the governor’s budget is predicated on lawmakers approving the pension shifts and insurance changes. […]
But Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, one of the committee chairs, said no legislation has ever been introduced to change insurance benefits or shift pension costs. He said he is particularly concerned that shifting pension costs to school districts will unravel the benefits of the school funding reform bill that was meant to direct more state money to the neediest districts. […]
Rauner spokeswoman Rachel Bold said Wednesday the administration is “not looking for political theater. We’re working toward providing the citizens of this state with a balanced, full-year budget with no tax increase.”
He’s got a point. But May 31st is three weeks from today. Time to get to work.
posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 10:46 am
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===Rauner budget director Hans Zigmund told a joint hearing of the Senate Appropriations committees the governor’s budget is predicated on lawmakers approving the pension shifts and insurance changes.===
Yeah, you go with that.
The House has a resolution with 60 sponsors that says that cost shift is a no-go.
This is the Phony Rauner Theatre.
“Rauner budget director Hans Zigmund told a joint hearing of the Senate Appropriations committees the governor’s budget is predicated on lawmakers approving the pension shifts”
That’s a non-starter.
What else ya got?
Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 10:53 am
Second verse same as the first.
Comment by Generic Drone Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 10:55 am
I don’t get all of the tricks the administration is playing. Propose a straight-forward budget with cuts to balance the budget. I know it is more complicated than that, but it seems like a Jr High government student could put something together that was better than this.
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 10:56 am
“He said he is particularly concerned that shifting pension costs to school districts will unravel the benefits of the school funding reform bill that was meant to direct more state money to the neediest districts. […]”
Hello… Rauner plans are to privatize public schools where state & federal money will go to the private sector.
Comment by Mama Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 10:56 am
–Rauner spokeswoman Rachel Bold said Wednesday the administration is “not looking for political theater.”
No, it’s right there where it’s been since Day One with the Rauner crew.
The creepiest thing about Rauner’s dishonesty is that he frequently bemoans as negative and harmful actions that he knows that he himself is doing.
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 10:57 am
As Rich has told us time and time again, there is not enough cuts that will balance the budget.
Comment by Mama Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 10:59 am
`’I don’t get all of the tricks the administration is playing. Propose a straight-forward budget with cuts to balance the budget”
Neither side wants to show cuts that the other side will campaign on. The voting population has been taught to believe they can have everything funded with no increase in taxes.
Comment by a drop in Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 11:01 am
Considering they will ultimately reject Rauner’s budget proposal, how about stop crying and just pass a legislative crafted budget and throw it on Rauner’s desk.
Comment by Worth It Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 11:03 am
“Rauner budget director Hans Zigmund told a joint hearing of the Senate Appropriations committees the governor’s budget is predicated on lawmakers approving the pension shifts and insurance changes. […]”
1. The schools might be able to afford a 10% teachers’ pension shift per year over a 10 year period, but not more than that. I know of a school district that do not have books or computers due to no money.
2. I thought the Supreme Court already handed down a decision on ‘no diminishment’ to include health insurance. No?
Comment by Mama Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 11:09 am
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. This governor will NEVER sign a budget - never. Please stop discussing issues as if he will - he will not. This cat will never change his spots. He wants the government to fall. That is his dream.
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 11:13 am
@Mama, even if that is true, about healthcare being included in a pension, that would only affect retired people, not current employees. That would be almost funny, you have crummy insurance while you’re on the job and then get better (the current) health insurance once you retire.
Comment by Perrid Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 11:14 am
===As Rich has told us time and time again, there is not enough cuts that will balance the budget.===
That was true before the tax hike. But I think we are talking around $2 billion instead of $8 billion out of whack. But that doesn’t include paying off the backlog… which is large. And capital spending…. oy.
Comment by Ducky LaMoore Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 11:15 am
=The creepiest thing about Rauner’s dishonesty is that he frequently bemoans as negative and harmful actions that he knows that he himself is doing.=
This is spot on. Surreal. Like he isn’t talking about himself.
The cost shift that Rauner is proposing, while the best thing possible for those getting pensions, will be quite a surprise to schools that already set there tax levies back in December and time for teaching staff reductions passed a month ago. As it is now, many schools are seeing less money due to reductions in transportation and CPPRT even though there is a “hold harmless” provision. This would close some schools.
Comment by JS Mill Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 11:20 am
“That would be almost funny, you have crummy insurance while you’re on the job and then get better (the current) health insurance once you retire.”
That you are saying may be true prior to Medicare age. I can personally vouch that you once a person hits Medicare age, the insurance coverage is worse for retirees.
Comment by Mama Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 11:39 am
“But that doesn’t include paying off the backlog… which is large. And capital spending…. oy. ”
Those state vendors need their money, and the workers need capital spending… IDOC needs gas and toilet paper, and the list goes on and on…
Comment by Mama Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 11:45 am
== 2. I thought the Supreme Court already handed down a decision on ‘no diminishment’ to include health insurance. No? ==
The Kanerva ruling was strictly about the premium free health insurance that (mostly SERS) retirees with 20 or more years of service receive. Nothing in there are active employees current health insurance; just that those current employees will get the 20 year premium free health insurance when they do retire.
Comment by RNUG Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 11:59 am
===Rauner spokeswoman Rachel Bold said Wednesday the administration is “not looking for political theater.===
L, as they say, OL.
Comment by Nick Name Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 12:01 pm
Some lame duck legislator with nothing to lose should take the Governor’s revenue estimate, his budget, back out the phony savings estimates, and then start chopping to make up that difference.
Here are my suggestions: (/s?)
1) zero out the Governor’s Office budget
2) zero out all contractual services contracts (note: this would be legal because almost all of them have non-appropriation clauses)
3) to keep Rauner from doing an end run like he did during the budget impasse, set the spending authority for all revolving funds (like SSRF and CRF for example) to zero
4) for whatever gap is left, pass a bill to temporarily suspend that amount of GO bond payments. Yes,it will crash what is left of the State’s credit rating … but that is what Rauner has been trying to do the past 3 years, so let the citizens find out just how bad an idea that is
And just remember, since is would be the GA doing it, all that would be presumed “legal” until challenged in court.
Comment by RNUG Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 12:12 pm
Mama
How is it worse
Comment by Anonymous Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 12:40 pm
Rauner knows what he is doing. He knows he won’t win in November so he is wrecking the state before he moves to Italy.
It’s clear as day to many of us.
Comment by Anon Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 12:51 pm
Rich,
Has there been a recent study of how the budget is impacted by immigration?
“In 2005 the average cost to (4.37 million) Illinois households to support the million illegal immigrants was at least $695 per native household per year.
That works out to $3 billion/year.
https://www.fairus.org/sites/default/files/2017-08/Illinois_Cost_Study.pdf
Comment by John 56 Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 1:02 pm
Tried this once and it didn’t go through. RNUG, my man, does the classic car have an exhaust leak? Don’t hear you talkin’ this way too often.
My thoughts on your idea:
-Give the Guv a dollar.
-I’m not sure I would cut all the contracts, but yes, all the “Professional/Artistic” 100% gone
-We need some cash in the CRF so the phones get answered, but I would be ok with zeroing out SSRF until after Inaug Day and placing DoIT on GRF. I’m hopeful the Wingman’s departure will stop the nonsense in the revolving funds, but we’ll see
-I wouldn’t mess with GO bond payments, Take the shortcake out of K-12, pensions, and higher ed pro rata.
Watch the fit hit the shan.
Comment by Arthur Andersen Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 5:07 pm
Reamortize the pension payments.
Comment by Ron Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 5:32 pm
–Reamortize the pension payments.–
What should we call that kickin’ the can? The Ron Ramp?
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 5:34 pm
Straight line it. No ramp.
Comment by Ron Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 7:22 pm
And no pay increases for any tier 1 employee
Comment by Ron Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 7:23 pm
And eliminate government employee benefit protection in the state Constitution
Comment by Ron Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 8:01 pm
–Straight line it. No ramp.–
What are you talking about, Ron, when you say “reamortize?” Larger payments over a shorter term, smaller payments over a longer term…. what?
Comment by wordslinger Thursday, May 10, 18 @ 9:44 pm
-AA-
Did you miss the “/s?” for snark?
Comment by RNUG Friday, May 11, 18 @ 7:11 am
Smaller payments over a longer term.
Comment by Ron Friday, May 11, 18 @ 8:20 am
No ramp.
Comment by Ron Friday, May 11, 18 @ 8:20 am
Illinois has the 5th highest state and local tax burden in the nation right now, we can’t raise taxes anymore.
Comment by Ron Friday, May 11, 18 @ 8:25 am
–Smaller payments over a longer term.–
Ron, that is the definition of kicking the can down the road. That’s how the liability grew in the first place.
Comment by wordslinger Friday, May 11, 18 @ 9:03 am