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* Quinn wants big layoffs in addition to 12 unpaid furlough days…

Gov. Pat Quinn says 2,200 state employees could be laid off as he attempts to cut an additional $1 billion from the Illinois budget. […]

Quinn says he’d settle for raising the corporate income tax rate to 6 percent, instead of the 7.2 percent he originally proposed. The corporate rate is now 4.8 percent.

* Rahm Emanuel had this to say about Attorney General Lisa Madigan today…

“She’s the most popular political figure in Illinois,” he said, referring to Madigan as “the 800-pound gorilla in Illinois politics.”

* More money woes for mass transit…

The CTA will need to reduce spending by $35 million for the rest of the year; Metra, $19 million; and Pace, $7 million. In addition, a $6 million cut was ordered for Pace’s paratransit program serving people with disabilities.

The bad news did not end there. The board was told by RTA staff that it was necessary to shift $25 million in 2010 capital-improvement funds to keep Pace’s paratransit services going past October, when it would run out of money.

But the RTA board, deeply split over the diversion of scarce capital funds for other uses, deferred the matter until next month.

* From a press release…

Patti Blagojevich is scheduled to return to Chicago late tonight at O’Hare International. She will make a brief statement to the media at the airport.

We ask any media waiting at the Blagojevich home to respect the family’s privacy as there will be no media availability at the family’s home either tonight or in the near future.

More details regarding her arrival late tonight will be released this evening.

Visit Patti Blagojevich’s Web site: www.junglepatti.com.

* That’s quite the over the top apology…

“I have been recently notified by the International Baseball Federation that I tested positive for marijuana during the 2009 World Baseball Classic during which I proudly represented Puerto Rico,” reads Soto’s statement. “I am embarrassed by my lapse in judgment.

“While I fully acknowledge my inappropriate behavior, I want to assure my fans and my family that this was an isolated incident. I do not say this to minimize or deflect from my conduct and I fully understand the ramifications of my actions. I have and will accept any and all consequences. […]

The Cubs issued their own statement […]

“Geovany assured the organization this was an isolated incident and a misstep in judgment that will not be repeated. Though surprised and disappointed, the club supports Geovany as he takes responsibility for his actions and accepts the consequences.”

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 3:44 pm

Comments

Good Lord!! I looked at the ‘junglepatti’ website and now I feel sooo dirty.
train111

Comment by train111 Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 3:52 pm
The Cubs statement sounds strangely familiar to the one they issued when Sammy got caught with the corked bat, doesn’t it?

Comment by GA Watcher Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 4:00 pm
Rahm/Obama hearts Lisa. Pretty remarkable that she gets this level of admiration considering her dad. You gotta wonder what Alexi is thinking at this point.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 4:07 pm
I think Quinn’s head is spinning.

Comment by Cosmic Charlie Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 4:10 pm
WHY was I not informed earlier about www.JunglePatti.com?! haha

Comment by P. Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 4:13 pm
Government workers are fired, this is a protected activity, fire him now.

Comment by Patrick McDonough Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 4:19 pm
Hmmmm…any correlation between Geo’s 2008 and 2009 stats?

Comment by Vote Quimby! Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 4:19 pm
Fire who? Soto? For once doing pot? Are you outta your mind?

I may be a Sox fan, but leave that poor cubbie alone. lol

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 4:20 pm
Now how did we get from 10,000 threatened layoffs to “only” 2,200 threatened layoffs in a couple of days time? Was it just the pension bond thing that made the difference, or what?

Comment by Secret Square Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 4:21 pm
I’m not understanding where this idea that LMadigan is the “most popular” politician in IL comes from, unless its truth is a function of its being repeated so often.

I do understand that her dad may be the most powerful politician in IL, and those who have created her career seem to have done a good job of employing that power and wedding it to a vaguely “good-government” type image. I don’t buy into the assumption that she’s any more invincible than other democrats. Alexi, for example, would as easily beat Kirk in a senate race, and Quinn won’t have a much harder time beating any of the myriad republicans thinking about running for governor.

In fact, in certain quarters, such as some minority and downstate communities, i think both would out-perform her (not that they’d generally be voting republican instead, but that either of those guys would mobilize a larger turnout than her in a general election).

also, i think many voters are growing resentful of the number of legacies in IL politics and are especially suspicious of her dad–rightly or not.

I’ve always assumed she’d at some point rather be governor, since that position involves so many more jobs and contracts than being a senator, and, perhaps cynically, i think she’s all about political power like her old man. that being the case, can she afford a senate career with the possibility that Giannoulias or Hynes or some other young politician who also wants to be governor does so in the next election? Alexi can, as i understand the rules, use his considerable federal dollars, and anything he might still have in his state fund, to run for governor if so inclined. (Not, frankly, that i think she’d just roll over him if both ran in the senate primary as Rahm and so many others seem to assume.)

Comment by corvax Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 4:23 pm
The notion that Lisa Madigan is the most popular politician in Illinois undoubtedly stems from the fact that she is head and shoulders above any competition in any poll that’s been run the last several years.

However, her high polling numbers could be a cautionary tale. I point to two other high-flying Attorneys General in Illinois–Jim Ryan and Neil Hartigan–who could not take it to the next level despite high–and in the case of J. Ryan–soaring–poll numbers.

Comment by James Rockford Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 4:29 pm
“I’m not understanding where this idea that LMadigan is the “most popular” politician in IL comes from”

Um, it comes from every poll taken in the last year, many of which Rich posts here.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 4:32 pm
Quinn should tell everyone which agencies are in line for cuts and how quick will these furlough days need to be taken. This spin on employee cuts and furloughs are making me dizzy.

Comment by Mr. Ethics Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 4:34 pm
The Quinn Who Cried Wolf…

So Monday this week it was the social service agencies going to release insane crippled dialysis patients in the streets by July 2nd… by Friday it’s not so much that at all, it’s employee layoffs and furlough days. 10,000! Or wait, is it 2,200? Or is it…?

Look, I understand fluid situations, but credibility here is getting shot, no?

Comment by Mike Ins Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 4:40 pm
Once again Quinn negotiates with himself, concedes and IL gets farther away from closing the gap…Good Job.
Can we assume World Laughing Stock’s Don and Roma will be doing a live remote on Mrs. Blagoof’s return. Wonder if she will eat the hairy toad for the cameras?
BTW University of Emil runner-up,DoctorCarolAdams, contradicted Quinn in a briefing today and told providers they will get slashed.
Biz honchos beat poor, sick people again.

Comment by CircularFiringSquad Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 4:40 pm
my gut feeling is that those speculative polls would not translate into comparable real world results in the context of a contested primary/general election sequence.

Comment by corvax Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 4:40 pm
“www.JunglePatti.com”

I guess that’s better than ‘PottiMouthPatti.com’

Comment by sal-says Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 4:48 pm
Credibility? Credebility? Weee don neeed no stinkin credibility!

Look ma, no credibility!

Comment by dupage dan Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 4:50 pm
==In fact, in certain quarters, such as some minority and downstate communities, i think both would out-perform her (not that they’d generally be voting republican instead, but that either of those guys would mobilize a larger turnout than her in a general election).==

Why would you say that? What makes you think that Alexi or Quinn have a better standing with minority voters than Lisa? And what makes you think they could mobilize a larger turnout when she has produced more statewide votes than either of them? Her standing with the African American community is very strong and her record is much stronger than Alexi’s on a host of issues that are of concern to many in minority communities. It seem like an opinion with record to back it up?

Comment by Huh? Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 4:50 pm
This whole credibility thing and Illinois is really an incongruency. To get to the “Truthiness” of it all we need to get Quinn on the Colbert Report!

Comment by A Citizen Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 4:55 pm
I know that Rahm Emanuel meant it as a compliment when he refereed to Lisa Madigan as “the 800-pound gorilla in Illinois politics” but it just doesn’t seem right to use that slogan when talking about a lady. Guess I’m kind of old fashion.

Comment by I'mTellingYou Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 4:58 pm
Well, I don’t think I like the sound of what would amount to a 5% paycut on top of a raised income tax. Gov. Quinn you’re just going to have to go back and tell the citizens I said ‘NO’ and the Republicans that they can find that extra revenue in that ‘magical someplace else’.

See, as said before, I don’t mind doing my part, but no, have no desire to take on other peoples’ share too.

Comment by Princess Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 4:58 pm
I’m Telling You-

Does “the daughter of the 800-pound gorilla” sound any more flattering?

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 5:05 pm
===my gut feeling is that those speculative polls ===

Speculative polls? As opposed to… what? Your gut? lol

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 5:08 pm
as opposed to polls naming declared candidates taken during an election when the opposition’s running attack ads and the candidates and their surrogates are sparring

Comment by corvax Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 5:11 pm
I got ya. But that goes both ways.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 5:14 pm
“Now how did we get from 10,000 threatened layoffs to “only” 2,200 threatened layoffs in a couple of days time? Was it just the pension bond thing that made the difference, or what?”

The 10,000 number is including the Private Agency workers. It is alot easier to lay us off. We will most likely take the big hit.

Comment by 815Sox Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 5:18 pm
What an amazing world we live in when a man feels compelled to apologize for smoking some pot. If he had drunk 14 beers and staggered back to his hotel it would have been A-OK.

Comment by Independent Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 5:21 pm
That is silliness regarding Soto.

However he has gained quite a few pounds.. maybe it wasn’t so isolated lol

Comment by 815Sox Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 5:24 pm
===The 10,000 number is including the Private Agency workers. ===

Nope.

Quinn has said the 50 percent budget would cause 100,000 private agency layoffs.

The 10K was for state workers. But that was not a plan so much as a ballpark scare tactic, apparently.

Comment by Rich Miller Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 5:27 pm
“Nope.

Quinn has said the 50 percent budget would cause 100,000 private agency layoffs.

The 10K was for state workers. But that was not a plan so much as a ballpark scare tactic, apparently. ”

oh joy…

thanks for the correction though.

Quinn is not looking too good right now. I almost feel bad for him as he is taking the blame for this budget fiasco when it rests on all IL lawmakers shoulders

Comment by 815Sox Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 5:32 pm
Actually I don’t blame Quinn for this budget mess at all. While I’m sure many do and many others won’t agree with my reasoning, I think he’s trying hard. He walked into a real mess, has a bunch of thumping pols beating all over, and he is trying to work together and do some compromising. But in the end, he’s appearing to many as a waffler, poor leader ect.

And on top of that if thousands of stateworkers hit the door, myself I would blame Cross who is the one demanding the 1 billion additional cuts. May not be true, but it’s the way I see it.

Comment by Princess Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 5:46 pm
I think Quinn is using a random number generator (RNG) as he discusses his budget of the moment. As we all know those numbers are reliably inconsistent.

Comment by A Citizen Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 5:47 pm
Whatever happened to laying off the ‘political appointees’. I’m not talking about the ones hired 20-24 years ago - I’m referring to the ones who were hired as liaisons (under Blago) and are now Directors (who BOUGHT their positions). Or all the recently created Directors or Deputy Directors positions where they do absolutely nothing. This is no longer the proud State of Illinois - this is the State of Disgust.

Comment by this voter will remember Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 6:38 pm
Is this 2,200 figure only for state employees under Quinn’s jurisdiction (CMS-tested positions), or does it also include the other constitutionals too (SOS, Treasurer, AG, etc.). I also would think the contracturals, 75-day workers, etc. that are non-union positions will probably be hard hit if this threat becomes reality.

Comment by Leatherneck Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 9:01 pm
Next I see PQ holding a gun to a photo of a disabled kid’s head and saying “don’t make me pull the trigger!!”

In the meantime MJM and Cullerton will be solving the problems behind closed doors. Who’d ever thought we’d be looking to these two for reform?

Comment by Bobs yer Thursday, Jun 25, 09 @ 9:17 pm
You think Alexi’s gotten the message yet from the White House?

Comment by wordslinger Friday, Jun 26, 09 @ 7:59 am