action alerts, borrowing & the Tribune

[Guest guest]

Hi -

I get zero pleasure from publicly disagreeing with the ARC of IL. But today, an

action alert from the ARC (copied below) tells us to make calls/visits w/

Senators and tell them to vote to borrow $4 BILLION. Please, before you follow

those instructions, read this article from the Tribune. I am SO FREAKING tired

of the Governor's office using human service agency folks to pressure lawmakers

to go along with their political agenda.

www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-illinois-state-budget-0528-20100527,0,3\

581413.story

Senate does not finish state budget package Cullerton fails to have enough votes

to approve $4B borrowing plan By and Manchir, Tribune

Reporters

9:57 PM CDT, May 27, 2010

SPRINGFIELD

— The Illinois Senate left town Thursday without finalizing a key part of the

budget package: borrowing $4 billion to pay for government worker pensions and

keep state government afloat another year.

The plan to take out a major loan failed to come together when Senate President

Cullerton could not get all of his Democratic troops in line, including one

who didn't show up. Cullerton quickly sought to pin blame on Republicans who

have resisted the expansive borrowing Gov. Pat Quinn wants and House lawmakers

already approved.

Senators went home for Memorial Day weekend with plenty of time to think about

how to resolve the latest budget breakdown, as Cullerton said it's unclear when

they would return for a vote.

" It's not urgent like we have to do it in the next weekend, but it has to be

done relatively soon, " Cullerton said. He added that Quinn must work to build

support.

Retiring Sen. DeLeo, D-Chicago, was not in Springfield, but a Cullerton

spokeswoman said that even if he was, there weren't enough votes to approve the

borrowing. A handful of Democrats refused to sign on, including Sen.

Steans of Chicago, who said borrowing is not a comprehensive fix and would only

push the problem down the road.

The Senate did send Quinn a tax amnesty measure that would allow delinquent

taxpayers to pay their debt without penalty. That plan could raise up to $250

million, though that figure likely will be partially undercut by another measure

they approved to allow back-to-school shoppers in August to stock up without

paying the state portion of the sales tax.

Quinn spent part of Thursday frantically lobbying lawmakers but could not sway

enough senators to support the pension borrowing plan. Sen. Larry Bomke,

R-Springfield, said Quinn called asking for his support, and Bomke said he's

open to the idea because it's " a little less fiscally irresponsible " than

skipping a pension payment. But senators did not end up voting on the plan.

At one point, Quinn Chief of Staff Jerry Stermer met with social service

providers in an effort to persuade them to put pressure on lawmakers to vote for

borrowing.

Senate Republican leader Radogno, of Lemont, accused Quinn's office of

unfairly manipulating providers by threatening payment delays of an additional

10 months if they did not help build support.

" Human service providers once again are being held hostage, " Radogno said.

" That's unconscionable. "

Quinn spokesman Bob said Radogno was distorting the meeting's intent, which

he characterized as a broad discussion about the state's " serious cash-flow

problems " that would get worse without pension borrowing.

Tribune reporter Ray Long contributed .

mcgarcia@...

xtxmanchir@...

Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune

Leaders in The Arc:

The Senate has left town today without voting on the pension bill Senate Bill

3514!

The Senate intends to come back after the Holiday in the next week or two. This

is a big problem because we still need a super majority to pass this borrowing

bill!

We need your help!.

We need every Senator in Illinois needs to vote for Senate Bill 3514!

Please make your calls and or make personal visits this next week while your

Senators are in their local district offices.

We need every Senator to support the pension borrowing bill SB 3414.

Our message continues to be:

Support Senate Bill 3514t, the pension borrowing bill! We cannot afford to have

payment delays of 10 months or more and absorb another $4 billion in cuts to

community services for children and adults with disabilities.

I appreciate your advocacy in these very difficult times.

Tony auski

The Arc of Illinois

[Guest guest]

Hi -

I get zero pleasure from publicly disagreeing with the ARC of IL. But today, an

action alert from the ARC (copied below) tells us to make calls/visits w/

Senators and tell them to vote to borrow $4 BILLION. Please, before you follow

those instructions, read this article from the Tribune. I am SO FREAKING tired

of the Governor's office using human service agency folks to pressure lawmakers

to go along with their political agenda.

www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-illinois-state-budget-0528-20100527,0,3\

581413.story

Senate does not finish state budget package Cullerton fails to have enough votes

to approve $4B borrowing plan By and Manchir, Tribune

Reporters

9:57 PM CDT, May 27, 2010

SPRINGFIELD

— The Illinois Senate left town Thursday without finalizing a key part of the

budget package: borrowing $4 billion to pay for government worker pensions and

keep state government afloat another year.

The plan to take out a major loan failed to come together when Senate President

Cullerton could not get all of his Democratic troops in line, including one

who didn't show up. Cullerton quickly sought to pin blame on Republicans who

have resisted the expansive borrowing Gov. Pat Quinn wants and House lawmakers

already approved.

Senators went home for Memorial Day weekend with plenty of time to think about

how to resolve the latest budget breakdown, as Cullerton said it's unclear when

they would return for a vote.

" It's not urgent like we have to do it in the next weekend, but it has to be

done relatively soon, " Cullerton said. He added that Quinn must work to build

support.

Retiring Sen. DeLeo, D-Chicago, was not in Springfield, but a Cullerton

spokeswoman said that even if he was, there weren't enough votes to approve the

borrowing. A handful of Democrats refused to sign on, including Sen.

Steans of Chicago, who said borrowing is not a comprehensive fix and would only

push the problem down the road.

The Senate did send Quinn a tax amnesty measure that would allow delinquent

taxpayers to pay their debt without penalty. That plan could raise up to $250

million, though that figure likely will be partially undercut by another measure

they approved to allow back-to-school shoppers in August to stock up without

paying the state portion of the sales tax.

Quinn spent part of Thursday frantically lobbying lawmakers but could not sway

enough senators to support the pension borrowing plan. Sen. Larry Bomke,

R-Springfield, said Quinn called asking for his support, and Bomke said he's

open to the idea because it's " a little less fiscally irresponsible " than

skipping a pension payment. But senators did not end up voting on the plan.

At one point, Quinn Chief of Staff Jerry Stermer met with social service

providers in an effort to persuade them to put pressure on lawmakers to vote for

borrowing.

Senate Republican leader Radogno, of Lemont, accused Quinn's office of

unfairly manipulating providers by threatening payment delays of an additional

10 months if they did not help build support.

" Human service providers once again are being held hostage, " Radogno said.

" That's unconscionable. "

Quinn spokesman Bob said Radogno was distorting the meeting's intent, which

he characterized as a broad discussion about the state's " serious cash-flow

problems " that would get worse without pension borrowing.

Tribune reporter Ray Long contributed .

mcgarcia@...

xtxmanchir@...

Copyright © 2010, Chicago Tribune

Leaders in The Arc:

The Senate has left town today without voting on the pension bill Senate Bill

3514!

The Senate intends to come back after the Holiday in the next week or two. This

is a big problem because we still need a super majority to pass this borrowing

bill!

We need your help!.

We need every Senator in Illinois needs to vote for Senate Bill 3514!

Please make your calls and or make personal visits this next week while your

Senators are in their local district offices.

We need every Senator to support the pension borrowing bill SB 3414.

Our message continues to be:

Support Senate Bill 3514t, the pension borrowing bill! We cannot afford to have

payment delays of 10 months or more and absorb another $4 billion in cuts to

community services for children and adults with disabilities.

I appreciate your advocacy in these very difficult times.

Tony auski

The Arc of Illinois