Illinois Statewide Mega-Thread: State has first budget in over a year

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

Good news for Brucey: Florida judge rules Rauner's GTCR is not responsible for the mismanagement of a nursing home in that state.

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(It's in the middle of the article)


http://abc7chicago.com/politics/rauner-says-ill-budget-problems-worse-than-expected/439356/

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

RIP possible impeachment. Also, when did Rauner move from Florida to Illinois?

No, see: GTCR had invested funds into a Florida retirement home, and then it was revealed that there was serious fraud and abuse of elderly there. I think like 2 people died from mistreatment.

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

http://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Rauner-says-agencies-will-be-asking-for-760-5961327.php

Bad news for Brucey: He accuses Quinn of accounting practices that shorted many state agencies by $760 million for 2015, as well as putting expenses for 2015 under 2014 expenses (or something like that). The Department of Corrections ($90 million shortfall) and the Department of Human Services ($130 million shortfall) is warning of serious cuts and shutdowns if funding doesn't come through. The Legislature has passed supplemental budgets in the past, such as a $2 billion one in 2013 and a $975 million one this past year. Neither Rauner nor Quinn have requested a supplemental budget.


Transition news: To deal with the problems, Rauner...

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http://www.forbes.com/sites/rexsinquefield/2014/12/12/bruce-rauner-steering-illinois-off-the-road-to-ruin/2/

Other minor headlines:
 - Rauner says he wants an actual farmer to head the state Dept. of Agriculture.

 - The soon-to-be First Lady of Illinois, Diana Rauner, is facing calls to step down from her role as President of her non-profit Ounce of Prevention (focuses on early childhood education programs), as the organization had recieved $14.2 million in state funds out of its budget of $50 million. Some fear that anyone who wants to get close to Governor Rauner will donate to the charity to gain audience.

- Brucey opposes calls for a special election in 2016 to fill the remainder of Topinka's term as Comptroller, preferring that he appoint someone to fill it from 2015 - 2019. Quinn has said his team will announce a decision on whether to appoint someone immediately or wait until Rauner is inaugurated on the 12th after Topinka's funeral services are held.

- Brucey met Obama with a bunch of other newly elected Governors back on the 5th.
 
- Rauner named two people to his incoming adminstration: Jason Barclay as general counsel and Kathy Lydon to lead his Washington office.

- Brucey also praised Obama's immigration action on November 21st.

- The Rauners have committed some of their own money to fixing the crumbling Governor's Mansion, and will probably rent in Springfield during the repairs.
 
- One of Quinn's last appointments for the Illinois Finance Authority, executive president Chris Meister, has said that if Rauner asks him to do so, he will resign, saying that Rauner deserves to have his own team with him.

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

Brucey took his Oath of Office earlier today, officially becoming Governor of Illinois.

Earlier this morning, he and his wife (Diana will be the first First Lady of Illinois in more than 5 years, since Pat Quinn was unmarried) attended an interfaith service at First Presbyterian Church led by Pastor James Meeks, whom Rauner appointed to be chairman of the Board of Education (Meeks is also a Democratic State Senator, and had endorsed Rauner in the general election).

Here is the text of his inaugural speech: http://www.daily-chronicle.com/2015/01/12/bruce-rauner-sworn-into-office-as-illinois-42nd-governor-with-text-of-speech/ah74bwq/

Rauner's first act as Governor was to freeze all non-essential state spending, and tomorrow will sign another executive order regarding ethics and accountability. Rauner also says he’s asking state agencies to review all contracts signed since Nov. 1. And the wealthy businessman is cutting his own salary to $1 and declining any benefits.

More appointments in his "first wave" here: http://www.nbcchicago.com/blogs/ward-room/Bruce-Rauner-Announces-First-Appointments-288159501.html

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

Chicago Trib: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-bruce-rauner-illinois-governor-met-0114-20150113-story.html#page=2

Yesterday, Governor Rauner announced he will rescind all appointments and hiring made by Governor Quinn after November 1st, claiming they were inappropriate decisions.

Examples:
Aaron Jaffe as chairman of the Illinois Gaming Board (Jaffe had been critical of expanding gaming)
Denise Kane who was to remain Inspector General of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
Former Chicago City Clerk Miguel del Valle for a post on the Illinois Student Assistance Commission

It is not clear if Rauner will reverse Quinn's order that Governors must make their entire tax returns public by May 1st as part of disclosure laws, something Quinn had hit Rauner with during the campaign (Rauner released the summaries, but not the details, which fulfilled the minimum of the law).

Rauner also completely banned state employees from receiving gifts or meals from lobbyists and others who do business with the state. Previously, the limit for food was $75 in one day and $100 worth of gifts in a year. Food served at events can be recieved with state approval. He also issued an order mandating that state employees (including himself) must disclose their financial interests and any membership or leadership positions in other organizations (including non-profits, business groups, educational institutions, etc.).

NBC Chicago: http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Rauner-on-Medical-Marijuana-Im-Concerned-About-the-Process-288465161.html

Rauner also raised concerns about the licensing procedures behind Illinois' medical marijuana program. Quinn had promised to issue licenses before leaving office, but didn't. Rauner has remained enigmatic and vague, saying that he "wants to enforce laws on the books" but also review the permit process and any political connections that growers may have or had. He gave no timetable.

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

Chicago Tribune: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-bruce-rauner-illinois-governor-met-0120-20150119-story.html

Rauner issued another executive order yesterday, MLK Jr. Day, that requires contractors and labor unions that do business with the State of Illinois to report on the number of minorities and veterans they have as employees, interns, and apprentices. Some companies are already required by law to report this, but many fail to do this.

His move also orders a study on how much state business goes to companies owned by veterans, women, minorities and those with disabilities, saying he cannot manage what he cannot measure. In his campaign last year, Rauner said that black business owners and black men in general were being let down by the state government.

Daily Chronicle: http://www.daily-chronicle.com/2015/01/19/gov-bruce-rauner-signs-order-aimed-at-helping-veterans-minorities/abya7in/

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In other news from today, Rauner's motorcade was involved in a crash today in the Loop. His car was stopped at a red light when an accident took place in the intersection, and one of the cars involved skidded into his car at low speed. Neither Rauner nor anyone in his entourage were hurt, but 3 other people were hospitalized with minor injuries. He continued his meetings as planned, only slightly delayed. The Chicago Police Department issued one "improper left turn" citation.

Tribune: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/chi-bruce-rauner-not-injured-in-loop-car-crash-20150121-story.html

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

Governor Rauner issued budget proposal today

Proposed:

-$600 million cut to local governments, a 50% decrease
-$110 million cut to public transportation, 50% paid by CTA, rest by Metra and Pace
-$25 billion cut to pension system (cuts COLA, freezes benefits, increases retirement age, eliminates overtime)
-$125 million cut to teacher health insurance downstate and in suburbs

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20150218/BLOGS02/150219820/rauners-first-budget-pension-shifts-transit-cuts-shared-pain

He's downright delusional.

I like how there's the $125M and $100M figures, then a little bounce to $600M, then a whopping $25 billion tucked away in the middle. Almost missed that.

Anywho, he's probably trying a similar move like Obama did with his recent budget proposal: set their number higher, so the final numbers that are passed by Congress/the IL legislature are more in their favor. Rauner knows his proposal as it stands has a snowball's chance in hell of being passed, but the pension reforms are a good start.

Now we'll see the Democrats' response proposal on spending and revenues. This was far tamer than what I was expecting

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

Good news! Rauner and the legislature passed and signed a bill, the "Illinois Unemployment Insurance Act", two days ago, after being unanimously approved by the legislature and is hailed as a compromise between business and labor.

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It also restores $25 million to older people on unemployment who also had their Social Security benefits reduced by up to 50% of the estimated insurance amount.


http://www.rebootillinois.com/2015/11/09/editors-picks/mark-fitton/rauner-business-labor-strike-deal-on-unemployment-insurance-reforms/48558/

Additionally, Rauner is reforming the Illinois EDGE policy of doling out tax credits to companies that create jobs in one location and still lay off in other locals. Created in 1999 by then-Governor Ryan to reward companies that hired and/or invested in their physical plants, the bill became a handout for companies that never fulfilled their obligations, especially after a clause treating each separate location of the same firm as a separate, independent unti was added to the Corporate Accountability for Tax Expenditures Act in 2003.

Illinois initially budgeted over $1 billion for the program, with over $450 million doled out so far, $102 million in 2014 alone. At least 78 companies who signed EDGE contracts since 2004 were not actually required to add employees, with at least 51 of those agreements cut by the Quinn administration.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/watchdog/ct-rauner-edge-changes-met-20151111-story.html

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

Still going to lose in a landslide.

Just like he was supposed to get thrashed by the Peoples' Pat last year, right?

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=200618

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=198647.0

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

For a little throwback to 1988, to see how much things have and haven't changed: http://www.lib.niu.edu/1989/ii890217.html

Worth the read, has easy-to-read tables as well

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