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* Governing Magazine rates the rookie governors. Ours came out on top…
THRIVING
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D)Pritzker took over following the contentious single term of GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner, which featured ideological warfare and budgetary paralysis. The Democrat has been able to make the most of his party’s solid majorities in the legislature and successfully work with Republicans to strike bipartisan deals.
Pritzker’s legislative achievements fall in two areas: progress toward fiscal stability and a shift to the left on social issues.
On fiscal policy, bipartisan negotiations produced a budget that provides full funding for a new K-12 school formula, increases money for early childhood education, and modestly boosts spending for higher education and public safety. Pritzker enacted a transportation capital plan funded by increased gas taxes, as well as an education and public facilities capital plan that is funded by higher taxes on gambling and cigarettes. And the legislature placed on the 2020 ballot a Pritzker-backed measure to move the state income tax from flat to graduated.
In addition, Pritzker reached a four-year contract agreement with the public employee labor union, AFSCME, ending a standoff that had begun four years earlier under Rauner.
On other issues, the Democrat enacted a broadly liberal agenda that included a $15 minimum wage, an assurance that abortion will remain legal, heightened oversight of gun shops and legalization of recreational marijuana.
He had quite the session, no doubt. We’ll see if he can make his agencies function properly. That’s still to be determined.
* For example…
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services is facing new scrutiny.
The Cook County Public Guardian is accusing the agency of forcing children to sleep on the floor because of a shortage of beds. Charles Golbert says he knows of seven such children who have been forced to sleep on a cold floor, and after trying to go through the proper legal channels to get DCFS to open their records, he is taking his case to court.
It was a heartbreaking report as told by Golbert, who describes children as young as five being forced to sleep on an office room floor right after being removed from their homes.
He believes it is because of recent changes with DCFS, that they did a little restructuring of their space, reducing the number of shelter beds by 500 in the last five years.
“Just this year, DCFS converted one floor of its shelter for other purposes what formerly had been shelter beds,” Golbert said.
posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 9:56 am
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===if he can make his agencies function properly, however. That’s still to be determined.===
The biggest unanswered question is that; how are the agencies doing with the new administration at the helm, and will they be beacons of the good this governor wants to do, or be constant fires someone needs to put out?
To that, I dunno.
At the “year” mark, the way they go about their business, I’d be more surprised if they didn’t do a “status” report of some kind on where the governing has been, and the result(s) of this past session.
Come January 1st, lots of new things too, which means more bureaucracy and more governing. Heck, you could say the hard lift governing will be more visible after January 1st so any measure now might be off because of the things coming that will create more stress on governing.
We’ll see.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 10:02 am
Pritzker is thriving, not so much with approval numbers but by accomplishing much of his agenda. A highlight was bipartisanship, accommodating Republicans’ pro-business demands. The former governor was such a zealot and so dysfunctional in his loathing of opponents that he couldn’t accept Democratic compromise offers on property tax freeze and workers comp reform.
Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 10:10 am
===how are the agencies doing with the new administration at the helm===
What new administration? Look at the PSAs and SPSAs and there’s not been a lot of turn over. In many cases, folks have retained their positions that they ascended to under the Rauner administration and have been allowed to continue in their position with little examination.
Do I think Pritzker is doing a good job? Absolutely.
But I don’t think he’s done enough to change the organizational culture of the state and the one thing I consistently hear is that they’re bad at calling people when they say they’re going to call them.
Comment by Candy Dogood Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 10:14 am
JB has a super majority, pretty easy lifting to accomplish his agenda.
Comment by Pick a Name Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 10:15 am
To some extent, approval will follow success. But remember, some of the success is in doing the right things that may be politically unpopular like infrastructure/gas tax. I don’t expect universal acclaim to be reflected anytime soon given what Illinois needs to get back on its feet.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 10:15 am
– bipartisan negotiations produced a budget that provides full funding for a new K-12 school formula –
Makes it seem like the “new formula” is also a Pritzker accomplishment. It’s almost like Bruce never existed. If only we could make the debts he piled up so easily disappear.
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 10:16 am
===has a super majority, pretty easy lifting to accomplish his agenda.===
… and yet things like the motor fuel tax, and the budget was a bipartisan lift… but “you know”…
lol
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 10:17 am
===But I don’t think he’s done enough to change the organizational culture of the state…===
It’s a double edged sword; massive turnover for its own sake, keeping folks, holding them over as change is being implemented.
My only suggestion was any of the folks with an IPI background still in agencies “probably” need to be… well… asked to move elsewhere.
You can be results-driven and change the culture and methodically change personnel.
You can’t do all three quickly and radically for the sake to be able to claim all three.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 10:21 am
Give JB his due. He ran on an agenda. He got it passed. Most people in Illinois want that agenda. A minority doesn’t want his agenda. Will JB’s agenda produce above average economic growth for Illinois? How will the agenda weather a recession? We will find out. If it fails JB can blame Rauner, Trump, and Cook County Republicans.
Comment by Steve Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 10:21 am
=provides full funding for a new K-12 school formula=
meh, it should read “better funding for a new k-12 school formula” because it is still a long way from full funding. Much better, but not full funding.
Pritzker is a better governor than we have had in a while. He has shown the ability to work with people. He has shown good faith.
Changing the culture and leadership of the various agencies will take more time and even more skill. I hope it happens.
Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 10:33 am
===was a bipartisan lift===
The blow back from some of the GOP caucus about policies that legitimately have major benefits to down state legislative districts has been amazing to watch.
County and municipal elected officials down state that are against a progressive state income tax are like fish against water.
Comment by Candy Dogood Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 10:39 am
===It’s a double edged sword===
I don’t disagree and there’s significant literature on this topic available in academic public administration that would be difficult to go over in a concise fashion with differing recommendations over which course of action is best, but the reality for those agencies is this:
The administrators that have been retaliating against their employees and going in lock step with the prior administration are mostly still in their positions of authority with no consequences.
That says a lot to the run of the mill employee.
If someone wants to have a lot of fun, they should check out the ethics complaints that the OEIG referred to agencies over the last two years of the Rauner administration and see how those were handled.
My personal experience in this matter is that they weren’t.
Comment by Candy Dogood Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 10:43 am
==”The biggest unanswered question,”==
Comment by the Patriot Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 10:45 am
===The administrators that have been retaliating against their employees and going in lock step with the prior administration are mostly still in their positions of authority with no consequences.===
Ok. And?
Are you more interested in payback or good governing?
At times, it can be both, but the measured rolling out of new hires or “resignations” should also have at their core governing and doing the daily, the mundane.
I’m always most fearful of those needing “throw them out” mentality in agencies for the sake of the feel-good.
Those folks think they are for the best interests, but they’d rather just feel good and deal with the fallout later. That’s not the best way to run a railroad.
===That says a lot to the run of the mill employee.===
What exactly does it say? Sincerely.
The last governor flat out refused to fund agencies for a whole General Assembly.
You’d think a first budget for these agencies, not worried what the governor will do with a budget, would make the “run of the mill” worker… pleased.
If it’s vengeance you want, then governing is taking a back seat.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 10:52 am
The difference in intent between our former governor and our current Governor is obvious…the former intended to have His way based on a personal political agenda… seemingly regardless of any negative outcome…and the latter apparently intended to be Governor of Illinois…the difference is remarkable.
Comment by Dotnonymous Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 11:17 am
- Dotnonymous -
JB can have his way because the legislative branch agrees with him. Rauner never had that. Illinois is a pro-union, high tax, high cost, high regulation state. Rauner would have been a better fit in Florida or Tennessee.
Comment by Steve Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 11:24 am
I think that they will get to the agencies this summer and in the fall. They were going to hard to pass legislation, I couldn’t imagine how they could get to agency management staffing while they couldn’t even find time for Senate confirmations. The car was moving too fast to jump on.
Comment by levivotedforjudy Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 11:26 am
The difference is remarkable?
Home sales plummet in June in 12th straight down month
The double-digit drop in Chicago and in the nine-county metro area was far larger than the dip nationwide.
With a double-digit plunge in home sales in June, the Chicago area’s housing market reached its 12 consecutive month of declines.
In Chicago, 2,766 homes sold in June, 13.3 percent below June 2018, according to data released by Illinois Realtors, the statewide trade group.
In the nine-county metropolitan area, 12,002 homes sold, down 11.6 percent from a year earlier.
The local declines were far steeper than the national dip. Nationwide, home sales fell 2.2 percent in June from a year ago, according to data released separately by the National Association of Realtors.
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/residential-real-estate/home-sales-plummet-june-12th-straight-down-month?
Comment by Lucky Pierre Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 11:27 am
“JB has a super majority, pretty easy lifting to accomplish his agenda”
Tell that to New York and New Jersey who failed to legalize marijuana.
Comment by Seats Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 11:28 am
===JB has a super majority, pretty easy lifting to accomplish his agenda.===
You didn’t pay much attention the last week of the session, did you.
Comment by Nick Name Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 11:34 am
But Lucky, Bruce sold his home.
And he sold it really fast.
So there.
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 11:42 am
- Steve - Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 11:24 am:
- Dotnonymous -
JB can have his way because the legislative branch agrees with him. Rauner never had that. Illinois is a pro-union, high tax, high cost, high regulation state. Rauner would have been a better fit in Florida or Tennessee.
I can’t think of anywhere Rauner would actually fit in…except possibly a bike wear fashion show for 1%ers R.U.B.s only?…Thoughts?
Comment by Dotnonymous Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 12:04 pm
Steve: JB can have his way because the legislative branch agrees with him. Rauner never had that. Illinois is a pro-union, high tax, high cost, high regulation state. Rauner would have been a better fit in Florida or Tennessee.
I assume none of Rauner’s nine houses are in Florida or Tennessee. If they are why in the heck did he run for governor of Illinois and ruin our state?
Comment by don the legend Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 12:26 pm
There is no excuse for not addressing the agencies ASAP. A good governor must be able to handle legislation and agencies at the same time. Pritzker has failed to address the agencies because he has hired several unqualified directors and senior staff who know nothing about government and in some cases no nothing about the agencies they lead. For whatever reason the media has given JB a pass on that type of stuff.
Comment by Stein Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 12:30 pm
@Lucky:
For (banned word) sake, read your own articles beyond the headline before trolling CapFax. Save that stuff for Facebook:
“It’s too soon to know how much of a pullback is related to the reduction of homeowners’ property tax deductions in last year’s tax reform package.” - Lawrence Yun, chief economist, National Association of Realtors
I wish you the best of luck blaming a national decline in home sales that started seven months before he took office on Pritzker.
Comment by Thomas Paine Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 1:21 pm
Overall, he’s done well by me. I don’t think I’ve ever been as proud to live in this state (a few exceptions, like DCFS, of course).
I’m almost regretful I supported Biss in the primary.
Comment by Proud Papa Bear Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 1:23 pm
The squeaky wheel gets the oil with this administration.
There seems to be little if any Mid-Level leadership, which is why you end up with IdOt unable to approve stop signs, Confederate bands at the state fair, and foster kids sleeping on office floors.
I dunno if it’s the holdovers or vacancies or just a lack of direction.
Comment by Charlie Brown Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 1:26 pm
“Rauner would have been a better fit in Florida or Tennessee.”
He would have been a great fit in lower-income, anti-union states. Many would have been more than happy to diminish their earning potential and political power so super-rich people like Rauner could pay as little as possible in wages, benefits and taxes.
Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 1:28 pm
===He would have been a great fit===
Meh. Word couldn’t be trusted, constantly threatening folks on his side of the aisle, 100 percent pro choice to the point of publicly funded abortions. I’m thinking he’s an outlier everywhere.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 1:29 pm
Never forget;
If you don’t have trust or your word in governing, you’ll never succeed.
It starts there.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 1:33 pm
The agencies will never function until the middle management problem is dealt with and that will never be fixed until Pritzker spends the political capital to adjust salaries for folks beyond his squad of 200. Managers have, with a few exceptions, not seen pay raises in nearing 15 years. Most of them are managing unionized employees who top out at 30% or more higher pay. People who retire are being replace with 26-year-olds without subject matter expertise or management experience, because no one will accept a promotion out of a union position. The situation has been a problem for a long time and will continue to get worse.
Comment by Rasselas Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 1:39 pm
He’s excelled at the easy things. Let’s see how he does with the difficult.
Comment by Quads Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 2:09 pm
===He’s excelled at the easy things.===
(Sigh)
* Getting the progressive income tax *on* the ballot
* Getting rates for that progressive income tax in place, passed and signed
* Legalizing Marijuana (ask New Jersey and New York about easy)
* A budget
* Minimum wage increase, in steps
* Abortion legislation
* Gun legislation
* Capital bill, and thru a fuel tax increase
Tough for me to see a “layup” here.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 2:14 pm
===excelled at the easy things===
lol
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 2:16 pm
Not a single thing on the itemized list is counter the desire of the majority of the voting base in Illinois. With super majorities in the GA, how were any of those things so hard?
Comment by Quads Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 2:40 pm
===…the desire of the majority of the voting base in Illinois===
Popularity doesn’t necessarily equate with “good policy” or “easy passage”.
That’s not how legislation works, never has.
Unlike the Raunerites, the Dems have real factions, interests, they also, some, have targets for defeat on them.
If you think this was all “simple”, this blog might be too deep of water for ya.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 2:44 pm
===how were any of those things so hard? ===
Have you ever worked with legislators?
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 3:03 pm
“how were any of those things so hard?”
Progressive taxation failed the last time Democrats had a supermajority, during Rauner’s term (millionaire tax). Marijuana legalization seemed to be on very shaky ground, with many “go slow” House Democrats and uncertainty of passage in up to the last minute. I listened to a good part of the floor debate and it was nerve-wracking, not knowing how some Democrats would vote.
Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 3:30 pm
== Look at the PSAs and SPSAs and there’s not been a lot of turn over. …
But I don’t think he’s done enough to change the organizational culture of the state ==
You do understand that most PSA’s are in coded union positions,protected by Civil Service rules, and not subject to replacement except for cause?
And that a large portion of the SPSA positions are 4 year term appointments and, again, protected by Civil Service during those 4 years, and not subject to replacement except for cause or at the end of their four year term?
Only the truly political positions, typically agency directors, deputy directors, bureau chiefs,and Governor’s staff, are “at will” and subject to replacement at any time.
If you have a middle of term SPSA you want to replace, you have to create a new position out of the line of management and transfer to old person into that position, then install your person in the line management position. That increases headcount and payroll, at least short term. Or you just wait out the 4 year term and then place your management person in that position.
Note: the 4 year terms can start and end at any date, so most do not run the same as a Governor’s term.
Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 3:47 pm
== how were any of those things so hard? ==
== Have you ever worked with legislators? ==
Trying to get Legislators to work in lockstep is a lot like herding cats. It’s hard to do and it mostly just irritates them.
Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 3:51 pm
JB did grab some (relatively) low-hanging fruit, but that hardly means he had an easy time of it. Now what to do about the departmental management and leadership that needs to go? RNUG,can PSAs and SPSAs be bought out of 4-year protected positions without violating civil service/union rules? But filling the openings is already tough, so…
Comment by revvedup Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 4:38 pm
The agencies and day-to-day functions are getting to be a larger problem than the public is aware of at the present time. Let me give one major example:
The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Advisory Board, 12 members “strong” now has two vacancies. Their terms all expired in January, 2019. It is now nearly August. No action has been taken on any of these positions. This Governor was elected in November. He had a transition team in place. It is now almost the end of July. There is no logical explanation for this delay. These positions are expenses only type of slots to fill.
Part of their function is to vet candidates for Arbitrator to hear trials of Workers’ Compensation cases. They make recommendations about them. These appointments are also to be with the advice and consent of the Senate. The remaining 10, whose terms have all expired, will be making those types of three year recommendations shortly? Is that logical?
Now there are 8 Arbitrator vacancies with an additional 10 more whose terms expired on July 1, 2019. Those 10 are working day-to-day for the next 60 days and then they become vacant seats. The remaining 8 Arbitrators not mentioned are serving terms that will expire on July 1, 2020. No one wants to try a case before an Arbitrator who may vanish before their very eyes a few days after proofs are closed. Some court calendars on the Commission website are identified by TBA, TBA1 or TBA2. Including one larger one . . . in Springfield.
So how are injured Workers and their employers benefiting from having over half of the Arbitration positions in limbo or vacant at the present time? At least under Rauner, if an Arbitrator was appointed under Quinn or Blagojevich, and was doing his or her job, they would be reappointed. Timely. With the advice and consent of the Senate. And not at the last possible moment.
After four years of reducing pending cases annually, this foot dragging will only increase the backlog. The clock almost ran out on 9 others, who were reappointed in what looked like a state of panic from the Governor’s office on the eve of their deadlines. Two had nearly 90 years of Workers’ Compensation law experience between them, and are considered well versed with great reputations, yet rumors were flying that they would not be reappointed by this Governor. What was the plan, replace them with Abbott and Costello? Laurel and Hardy? Mutt and Jeff? Tom and Jerry?
One Commissioner spot, a management slot, remains vacant. Why? Out of millions of residents in Illinois, they can’t fill one seat? The other 8 were filled in middle March, 2019. Those fired were given no letter, e-mail, telephone call or notice of termination. Why? When I started in that field back in the Jim Thompson days, everyone then not being reappointed would receive “Dear John” letters (thank you for your years of service, but . . . ). This is the first Governor who doesn’t bother with such niceties in my 40 years of experience. And I go back to assisting Senator Geo-Karis who served on Executive Appointments for decades.
The Governor’s office needs to get their act together, like now, with this agency, and with other agencies. Again, like now. No more alibis. No more excuses. No more claims that they are studying the situation. Governor, they work for you.
Otherwise, we will read about more children with DCFS sleeping in offices (the Sun-Times article refers to this year a floor of beds was closed), perhaps the ILEPA is too understaffed to monitor Sterigenics and other matters. What else is out there? Licensing of gun dealers being delayed? Reading stories about University Board meetings being canceled due to last second appointments? Or two others being bounced for making the wrong decision on a hospital closing?
Get your act together Governor. Rauner kept those agencies running, even without cash. You have a pile of debt as proof of same. You have the cash to keep them running, but you seem way too late on hirings and appointments to keep them running adequately.
Do your job. Replace anyone in your office not doing theirs. There are no excuses for delays in making qualified appointments. That was one of the things you were elected to do.
Do it.
You seem like a decent, caring guy. Prove it.
Comment by Louis G. Atsaves Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 4:59 pm
- Louis G Atsaves -
For two fiscal years, a whole General Assembly, Rauner refused to fund agencies and sign a budget.
You are the very *LAST* person to say…
===You seem like a decent, caring guy. Prove it.===
… you supported a man, and his wife, who wanted to destroy this state and refused to fund its agencies… and your family did well all the while.
Spare those of us who watched you cheer this state’s purposeful implosion.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jul 23, 19 @ 5:07 pm