Re: Fw: The Union and Budget Cuts

[Guest guest]

Big Time!!!!!   Sent two letters to the Gov and called his office!!!!

Bedard, PLA

Ricky, andra and 's Mom

Mothers on a Mission, Inc.

6515 Stanley Avenue #4

Berwyn, IL 60402

708-217-3196

www.mothersonamission.net

www.noewait.net

" Don't judge me because as far as I know I haven't let you borrow my shoes to

walk in. "

  

From: ELLEN BRONFELD <egskb@...>

Subject: Fw: The Union and Budget Cuts

IPADDUnite

Date: Friday, February 25, 2011, 11:17 PM

 

FYI...

Anyone outraged, yet!

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskb@...

The Union and Budget Cuts

Tough - STRONG editorial from today's Chicago Tribune on budget cuts and the

union. Is anybody listening?

__________________________________________________________

Cronies and cuts

Gov. Quinn's budget demands few sacrifices from his union allies

My vision for Illinois is a state that looks to the future by making reforms and

sacrifices in the present. Everybody in, nobody left out when it comes to

building a better Illinois. " Gov. Pat Quinn's budget address, Feb. 16, 2011.

If you haven't yet heard the screams, you're wearing thick earmuffs. Social

services agencies hired by the state to care for disabled, sick and other needy

citizens are complaining, loudly, about rough treatment from Gov. Pat Quinn.

The providers, whom Illinois chronically stiffs by paying them late, think

Quinn's stirring call for " sacrifices " is at odds with deep cuts to human

services in his proposed budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. But

those cuts and word last Friday from Quinn's office that some severe funding

reductions actually will begin March 15 are only symptoms of the real problem

here: Quinn defines " Everybody in, nobody left out " in a way that excludes the

labor union allies whose money and muscle arguably got him elected Nov. 2.

It's as if the governor is determined to keep proving, and proving, a point we

made Oct. 10: Pat Quinn is relentlessly starving clout-poor social services so

he can protect the jobs and benefits of his union supporters. Shame on Quinn,

and on all of us in whose name he perpetrates this raw injustice.

At the time, Quinn had committed Illinoisans to spend another $75 million on a

jobs program he liked rather than pay that money to providers for services they

had already rendered. He also had assured state government's biggest union which

promptly endorsed him of no layoffs at least until mid-2012. Oh, and Quinn had

agreed that none of the state institutions where members of the American

Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees work, no matter how

obsolete, would close.

Remember, this is the governor who, early on, preached " cut, cut, cut " and even

as he awarded raises to his own staffers demanded " shared sacrifice. "

Yet, incredibly, the January deal that hiked your income tax rate by 67 percent

included no companion cuts to state spending, costly employee benefits included.

And the budget Quinn now proposes asks for nothing like higher contributions by

state workers to their health care and retirement changes he proposed, and then

ran away from, two years ago.

We weren't surprised to hear Quinn say Thursday that his March cuts will be less

drastic than his office had said. Expect more of Good Pat heroically intervening

to save needy citizens from the spending reductions that Bad Pat had announced.

Good Pat really likes to upstage Bad Pat.

But any relief-come-lately shouldn't keep the service providers from feeling

seriously chumped by a governor who has manipulated them to do his bidding: At

Quinn's urging, many providers supported his 2 percentage point income tax

increase the one that, before the election, Good Pat pledged to veto if it

exceeded 1 percentage point. More recently, again at Quinn's urging, providers

lobbied legislators to approve an $8.75 billion borrowing scheme that would even

further mortgage the future of state government and taxpayers alike. In return

for their loyalty to the governor, the providers got the stiff budget cuts.

Notice the pattern here? Taxpayers send more money to Quinn's administration.

Service providers don't get paid on time and now, it appears, will have to make

do with less. Yet one crucial group all but escapes any sacrifice at all.

We say " all but escapes " because AFSCME did agree to delays in some of the many

raises its members are receiving during their current contract with the state.

The union and the governor, whose office provided the numbers below, have been

congratulating themselves for temporarily delaying raises. Delayed raises?

That's a " sacrifice " for which hordes of private-sector Illinoisans would

stampede to volunteer.

These AFSCME raises compound to total pay hikes north of 17 percent during the

same years when many Illinois taxpayers that is, the lucky ones who still have

jobs are seeing their own wages and benefits frozen or starkly curtailed:

Jan. 1, 2009: 2.5 percent.

July 1, 2009: 2.5 percent.

Jan. 1, 2010: 2 percent.

July 1, 2010: 1 percent.

Jan. 1, 2011: 1 percent.

June 1, 2011: 2 percent.

July 1, 2011: 2 percent.

Jan. 1, 2012: 1.25 percent.

Feb. 1, 2012: 2 percent.

Raises this generous for jobs this secure in times this desperate should have

the governor demanding reductions in future pension benefits for current

employees, and an end to free health insurance for current retirees. Plus those

higher employee contributions he proposed, and abandoned, in 2009. Rising

pension costs alone will continue to steal money from social services for years

and years to come.

Quinn wants to use his billions in new tax revenues, plus billions in new

borrowing, to help increase general funds spending as he cuts social services.

That agenda serves state workers and their union officials quite well. By no

means, though, can Quinn say it serves the common good. The governor even wants

insolvent and overspent Illinois to add some 950 employees to the payroll.

That hiring would deliver more dues-paying members to Quinn's cronies at AFSCME.

[Guest guest]

I'm not surprised.

>

> FYI...

> Anyone outraged, yet!

> Ellen

> Ellen Garber Bronfeld

> egskb@...

> The Union and Budget Cuts

>

>

> Tough - STRONG editorial from today's Chicago Tribune on budget cuts and the

union. Is anybody listening?

>

>

________________________________________________________________________________\

___________________

>

> Cronies and cuts

>

> Gov. Quinn's budget demands few sacrifices from his union allies

>

> My vision for Illinois is a state that looks to the future by making reforms

and sacrifices in the present. Everybody in, nobody left out when it comes to

building a better Illinois. " Gov. Pat Quinn's budget address, Feb. 16, 2011.

>

> If you haven't yet heard the screams, you're wearing thick earmuffs. Social

services agencies hired by the state to care for disabled, sick and other needy

citizens are complaining, loudly, about rough treatment from Gov. Pat Quinn.

>

> The providers, whom Illinois chronically stiffs by paying them late, think

Quinn's stirring call for " sacrifices " is at odds with deep cuts to human

services in his proposed budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. But

those cuts and word last Friday from Quinn's office that some severe funding

reductions actually will begin March 15 are only symptoms of the real problem

here: Quinn defines " Everybody in, nobody left out " in a way that excludes the

labor union allies whose money and muscle arguably got him elected Nov. 2.

>

> It's as if the governor is determined to keep proving, and proving, a point we

made Oct. 10: Pat Quinn is relentlessly starving clout-poor social services so

he can protect the jobs and benefits of his union supporters. Shame on Quinn,

and on all of us in whose name he perpetrates this raw injustice.

>

> At the time, Quinn had committed Illinoisans to spend another $75 million on a

jobs program he liked rather than pay that money to providers for services they

had already rendered. He also had assured state government's biggest union which

promptly endorsed him of no layoffs at least until mid-2012. Oh, and Quinn had

agreed that none of the state institutions where members of the American

Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees work, no matter how

obsolete, would close.

>

> Remember, this is the governor who, early on, preached " cut, cut, cut " and

even as he awarded raises to his own staffers demanded " shared sacrifice. "

>

> Yet, incredibly, the January deal that hiked your income tax rate by 67

percent included no companion cuts to state spending, costly employee benefits

included. And the budget Quinn now proposes asks for nothing like higher

contributions by state workers to their health care and retirement changes he

proposed, and then ran away from, two years ago.

>

> We weren't surprised to hear Quinn say Thursday that his March cuts will be

less drastic than his office had said. Expect more of Good Pat heroically

intervening to save needy citizens from the spending reductions that Bad Pat had

announced. Good Pat really likes to upstage Bad Pat.

>

> But any relief-come-lately shouldn't keep the service providers from feeling

seriously chumped by a governor who has manipulated them to do his bidding: At

Quinn's urging, many providers supported his 2 percentage point income tax

increase the one that, before the election, Good Pat pledged to veto if it

exceeded 1 percentage point. More recently, again at Quinn's urging, providers

lobbied legislators to approve an $8.75 billion borrowing scheme that would even

further mortgage the future of state government and taxpayers alike. In return

for their loyalty to the governor, the providers got the stiff budget cuts.

>

> Notice the pattern here? Taxpayers send more money to Quinn's administration.

Service providers don't get paid on time and now, it appears, will have to make

do with less. Yet one crucial group all but escapes any sacrifice at all.

>

> We say " all but escapes " because AFSCME did agree to delays in some of the

many raises its members are receiving during their current contract with the

state. The union and the governor, whose office provided the numbers below, have

been congratulating themselves for temporarily delaying raises. Delayed raises?

That's a " sacrifice " for which hordes of private-sector Illinoisans would

stampede to volunteer.

>

> These AFSCME raises compound to total pay hikes north of 17 percent during the

same years when many Illinois taxpayers that is, the lucky ones who still have

jobs are seeing their own wages and benefits frozen or starkly curtailed:

>

> Jan. 1, 2009: 2.5 percent.

>

> July 1, 2009: 2.5 percent.

>

> Jan. 1, 2010: 2 percent.

>

> July 1, 2010: 1 percent.

>

> Jan. 1, 2011: 1 percent.

>

> June 1, 2011: 2 percent.

>

> July 1, 2011: 2 percent.

>

> Jan. 1, 2012: 1.25 percent.

>

> Feb. 1, 2012: 2 percent.

>

> Raises this generous for jobs this secure in times this desperate should have

the governor demanding reductions in future pension benefits for current

employees, and an end to free health insurance for current retirees. Plus those

higher employee contributions he proposed, and abandoned, in 2009. Rising

pension costs alone will continue to steal money from social services for years

and years to come.

>

> Quinn wants to use his billions in new tax revenues, plus billions in new

borrowing, to help increase general funds spending as he cuts social services.

>

> That agenda serves state workers and their union officials quite well. By no

means, though, can Quinn say it serves the common good. The governor even wants

insolvent and overspent Illinois to add some 950 employees to the payroll.

>

> That hiring would deliver more dues-paying members to Quinn's cronies at

AFSCME.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

All state agencies have made cuts to help the state...maybe we should ask why

central management services were

not required to cut from their budgets and were just given more monies..Cms has

one of the biggest budgets within

the state of Il.

The Union and Budget Cuts

>

>

> Tough - STRONG editorial from today's Chicago Tribune on budget cuts and the

union. Is anybody listening?

>

> __________________________________________________________

>

> Cronies and cuts

>

> Gov. Quinn's budget demands few sacrifices from his union allies

>

> My vision for Illinois is a state that looks to the future by making reforms

and sacrifices in the present. Everybody in, nobody left out when it comes to

building a better Illinois. " Gov. Pat Quinn's budget address, Feb. 16, 2011.

>

> If you haven't yet heard the screams, you're wearing thick earmuffs. Social

services agencies hired by the state to care for disabled, sick and other needy

citizens are complaining, loudly, about rough treatment from Gov. Pat Quinn.

>

> The providers, whom Illinois chronically stiffs by paying them late, think

Quinn's stirring call for " sacrifices " is at odds with deep cuts to human

services in his proposed budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. But

those cuts and word last Friday from Quinn's office that some severe funding

reductions actually will begin March 15 are only symptoms of the real problem

here: Quinn defines " Everybody in, nobody left out " in a way that excludes the

labor union allies whose money and muscle arguably got him elected Nov. 2.

>

> It's as if the governor is determined to keep proving, and proving, a point we

made Oct. 10: Pat Quinn is relentlessly starving clout-poor social services so

he can protect the jobs and benefits of his union supporters. Shame on Quinn,

and on all of us in whose name he perpetrates this raw injustice.

>

> At the time, Quinn had committed Illinoisans to spend another $75 million on a

jobs program he liked rather than pay that money to providers for services they

had already rendered. He also had assured state government's biggest union which

promptly endorsed him of no layoffs at least until mid-2012. Oh, and Quinn had

agreed that none of the state institutions where members of the American

Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees work, no matter how

obsolete, would close.

>

> Remember, this is the governor who, early on, preached " cut, cut, cut " and

even as he awarded raises to his own staffers demanded " shared sacrifice. "

>

> Yet, incredibly, the January deal that hiked your income tax rate by 67

percent included no companion cuts to state spending, costly employee benefits

included. And the budget Quinn now proposes asks for nothing like higher

contributions by state workers to their health care and retirement changes he

proposed, and then ran away from, two years ago.

>

> We weren't surprised to hear Quinn say Thursday that his March cuts will be

less drastic than his office had said. Expect more of Good Pat heroically

intervening to save needy citizens from the spending reductions that Bad Pat had

announced. Good Pat really likes to upstage Bad Pat.

>

> But any relief-come-lately shouldn't keep the service providers from feeling

seriously chumped by a governor who has manipulated them to do his bidding: At

Quinn's urging, many providers supported his 2 percentage point income tax

increase the one that, before the election, Good Pat pledged to veto if it

exceeded 1 percentage point. More recently, again at Quinn's urging, providers

lobbied legislators to approve an $8.75 billion borrowing scheme that would even

further mortgage the future of state government and taxpayers alike. In return

for their loyalty to the governor, the providers got the stiff budget cuts.

>

> Notice the pattern here? Taxpayers send more money to Quinn's administration.

Service providers don't get paid on time and now, it appears, will have to make

do with less. Yet one crucial group all but escapes any sacrifice at all.

>

> We say " all but escapes " because AFSCME did agree to delays in some of the

many raises its members are receiving during their current contract with the

state. The union and the governor, whose office provided the numbers below, have

been congratulating themselves for temporarily delaying raises. Delayed raises?

That's a " sacrifice " for which hordes of private-sector Illinoisans would

stampede to volunteer.

>

> These AFSCME raises compound to total pay hikes north of 17 percent during the

same years when many Illinois taxpayers that is, the lucky ones who still have

jobs are seeing their own wages and benefits frozen or starkly curtailed:

>

> Jan. 1, 2009: 2.5 percent.

>

> July 1, 2009: 2.5 percent.

>

> Jan. 1, 2010: 2 percent.

>

> July 1, 2010: 1 percent.

>

> Jan. 1, 2011: 1 percent.

>

> June 1, 2011: 2 percent.

>

> July 1, 2011: 2 percent.

>

> Jan. 1, 2012: 1.25 percent.

>

> Feb. 1, 2012: 2 percent.

>

> Raises this generous for jobs this secure in times this desperate should have

the governor demanding reductions in future pension benefits for current

employees, and an end to free health insurance for current retirees. Plus those

higher employee contributions he proposed, and abandoned, in 2009. Rising

pension costs alone will continue to steal money from social services for years

and years to come.

>

> Quinn wants to use his billions in new tax revenues, plus billions in new

borrowing, to help increase general funds spending as he cuts social services.

>

> That agenda serves state workers and their union officials quite well. By no

means, though, can Quinn say it serves the common good. The governor even wants

insolvent and overspent Illinois to add some 950 employees to the payroll.

>

> That hiring would deliver more dues-paying members to Quinn's cronies at

AFSCME.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

" Raises this generous for jobs this secure in times this desperate should have

the governor demanding reductions in future pension benefits for current

employees, and an end to free health insurance for current retirees. Plus those

higher employee contributions he proposed, and abandoned, in 2009. Rising

pension costs alone will continue to steal money from social services for years

and years to come. "

My hubby is a union member. He's now retired; I'm thinking it depends on what

union you belong to. But it might make a difference, because my hubby worked in

MO. His boss tried to vote out the union, my hubby's coworkers voted down the

insurance for retirees, so they could get more in their paychecks....(the

company was then bought out).

My hubby ended up with another union job until he was able to retire, BUT he has

NO free health insurance. He has no insurance of his own at all. I'm paying

dearly each week, so that we can have family coverage. ( has Medicaid, but

he's still on my insurance)

Our house taxes just went up, we're also paying dearly for gas. My hrs at work

got cut.

's funding got cut because he moved back home from an ICF-DD, so he's now

home. Everything I fought for all the years he went to school & while he was

working went down the drain.

It's hard to get him involved in activities now, because he's having issues with

depression. Something he didn't have prior to being in the ICF...or at least I

didn't diagnose it til after a med change & he went into withdrawal. (His

psychiatrist seemed to agree with me on my diagnosis.)

So, as much as I'm glad my hubby is a union member, I still don't like the

budget cuts & I'm not a Quinn supporter.

Liz

[Guest guest]

I believe part of the problem is...when a person retires where I work there

pension is based on

what they make in the last several years of employment ...well you work hours

and hours of

overtime and that is part of your pension monies received.your pension should be

based on

your base salary not base salary plus over time especially since alot of the

overtime comes

from federal  money.Another thing is the union has asked for suggestions for

helping cut money  to save jobs but when u give them suggestions they blow you

off.The unions

would rather have them lay people off than to let say cut some of these paid

holidays.Now our

governor is cutting back to those who don't have away to make lost money

Re: Fw: The Union and Budget Cuts

 

" Raises this generous for jobs this secure in times this desperate should have

the governor demanding reductions in future pension benefits for current

employees, and an end to free health insurance for current retirees. Plus those

higher employee contributions he proposed, and abandoned, in 2009. Rising

pension costs alone will continue to steal money from social services for years

and years to come. "

My hubby is a union member. He's now retired; I'm thinking it depends on what

union you belong to. But it might make a difference, because my hubby worked in

MO. His boss tried to vote out the union, my hubby's coworkers voted down the

insurance for retirees, so they could get more in their paychecks....(the

company was then bought out).

My hubby ended up with another union job until he was able to retire, BUT he has

NO free health insurance. He has no insurance of his own at all. I'm paying

dearly each week, so that we can have family coverage. ( has Medicaid, but

he's still on my insurance)

Our house taxes just went up, we're also paying dearly for gas. My hrs at work

got cut.

's funding got cut because he moved back home from an ICF-DD, so he's now

home. Everything I fought for all the years he went to school & while he was

working went down the drain.

It's hard to get him involved in activities now, because he's having issues with

depression. Something he didn't have prior to being in the ICF...or at least I

didn't diagnose it til after a med change & he went into withdrawal. (His

psychiatrist seemed to agree with me on my diagnosis.)

So, as much as I'm glad my hubby is a union member, I still don't like the

budget cuts & I'm not a Quinn supporter.

Liz

[Guest guest]

Yes, outraged indeed. IL is 180 degrees from Wisconsin. While I abhore the

union-busting efforts of the WI governor and support collective bargaining, our

IL politicians' are way too beholden to public employee unions.

The Tribune editorial is so right.

Bonnie Dohonge

________________________________

From: ELLEN BRONFELD <egskb@...>

IPADDUnite

Sent: Fri, February 25, 2011 5:17:01 PM

Subject: Fw: The Union and Budget Cuts

FYI...

Anyone outraged, yet!

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskb@...

The Union and Budget Cuts

Tough - STRONG editorial from today's Chicago Tribune on budget cuts and the

union. Is anybody listening?

__________________________________________________________

Cronies and cuts

Gov. Quinn's budget demands few sacrifices from his union allies

My vision for Illinois is a state that looks to the future by making reforms and

sacrifices in the present. Everybody in, nobody left out when it comes to

building a better Illinois. " Gov. Pat Quinn's budget address, Feb. 16, 2011.

If you haven't yet heard the screams, you're wearing thick earmuffs. Social

services agencies hired by the state to care for disabled, sick and other needy

citizens are complaining, loudly, about rough treatment from Gov. Pat Quinn.

The providers, whom Illinois chronically stiffs by paying them late, think

Quinn's stirring call for " sacrifices " is at odds with deep cuts to human

services in his proposed budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. But

those cuts and word last Friday from Quinn's office that some severe funding

reductions actually will begin March 15 are only symptoms of the real problem

here: Quinn defines " Everybody in, nobody left out " in a way that excludes the

labor union allies whose money and muscle arguably got him elected Nov. 2.

It's as if the governor is determined to keep proving, and proving, a point we

made Oct. 10: Pat Quinn is relentlessly starving clout-poor social services so

he can protect the jobs and benefits of his union supporters. Shame on Quinn,

and on all of us in whose name he perpetrates this raw injustice.

At the time, Quinn had committed Illinoisans to spend another $75 million on a

jobs program he liked rather than pay that money to providers for services they

had already rendered. He also had assured state government's biggest union which

promptly endorsed him of no layoffs at least until mid-2012. Oh, and Quinn had

agreed that none of the state institutions where members of the American

Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees work, no matter how

obsolete, would close.

Remember, this is the governor who, early on, preached " cut, cut, cut " and even

as he awarded raises to his own staffers demanded " shared sacrifice. "

Yet, incredibly, the January deal that hiked your income tax rate by 67 percent

included no companion cuts to state spending, costly employee benefits included.

And the budget Quinn now proposes asks for nothing like higher contributions by

state workers to their health care and retirement changes he proposed, and then

ran away from, two years ago.

We weren't surprised to hear Quinn say Thursday that his March cuts will be less

drastic than his office had said. Expect more of Good Pat heroically intervening

to save needy citizens from the spending reductions that Bad Pat had announced.

Good Pat really likes to upstage Bad Pat.

But any relief-come-lately shouldn't keep the service providers from feeling

seriously chumped by a governor who has manipulated them to do his bidding: At

Quinn's urging, many providers supported his 2 percentage point income tax

increase the one that, before the election, Good Pat pledged to veto if it

exceeded 1 percentage point. More recently, again at Quinn's urging, providers

lobbied legislators to approve an $8.75 billion borrowing scheme that would even

further mortgage the future of state government and taxpayers alike. In return

for their loyalty to the governor, the providers got the stiff budget cuts.

Notice the pattern here? Taxpayers send more money to Quinn's administration.

Service providers don't get paid on time and now, it appears, will have to make

do with less. Yet one crucial group all but escapes any sacrifice at all.

We say " all but escapes " because AFSCME did agree to delays in some of the many

raises its members are receiving during their current contract with the state.

The union and the governor, whose office provided the numbers below, have been

congratulating themselves for temporarily delaying raises. Delayed raises?

That's a " sacrifice " for which hordes of private-sector Illinoisans would

stampede to volunteer.

These AFSCME raises compound to total pay hikes north of 17 percent during the

same years when many Illinois taxpayers that is, the lucky ones who still have

jobs are seeing their own wages and benefits frozen or starkly curtailed:

Jan. 1, 2009: 2.5 percent.

July 1, 2009: 2.5 percent.

Jan. 1, 2010: 2 percent.

July 1, 2010: 1 percent.

Jan. 1, 2011: 1 percent.

June 1, 2011: 2 percent.

July 1, 2011: 2 percent.

Jan. 1, 2012: 1.25 percent.

Feb. 1, 2012: 2 percent.

Raises this generous for jobs this secure in times this desperate should have

the governor demanding reductions in future pension benefits for current

employees, and an end to free health insurance for current retirees. Plus those

higher employee contributions he proposed, and abandoned, in 2009. Rising

pension costs alone will continue to steal money from social services for years

and years to come.

Quinn wants to use his billions in new tax revenues, plus billions in new

borrowing, to help increase general funds spending as he cuts social services.

That agenda serves state workers and their union officials quite well. By no

means, though, can Quinn say it serves the common good. The governor even wants

insolvent and overspent Illinois to add some 950 employees to the payroll.

That hiring would deliver more dues-paying members to Quinn's cronies at AFSCME.

[Guest guest]

I am outraged...state employees being paid by tax money...a portion is then

taken out for union dues...which is used to promote a single political

party which then votes to give the unions raises. How is this not corrupt?

Public employee unions must be busted, or at least be banned from contributing

to political campaigns, or make membership voluntary, or wages/benefits

tied to CPI or some other index.

The ending problem will be that despite the tax increase and proposed 8.7 B

borrow, services in IL will not improve. Wisconsin here I come!

(just me...not the chapter)

In a message dated 2/26/2011 12:50:24 P.M. Central Standard Time,

bdohogne@... writes:

Yes, outraged indeed. IL is 180 degrees from Wisconsin. While I abhore the

union-busting efforts of the WI governor and support collective

bargaining, our

IL politicians' are way too beholden to public employee unions.

The Tribune editorial is so right.

Bonnie Dohonge

________________________________

From: ELLEN BRONFELD <_egskb@..._ (mailto:egskb@...) >

_IPADDUnite _ (mailto:IPADDUnite )

Sent: Fri, February 25, 2011 5:17:01 PM

Subject: Fw: The Union and Budget Cuts

FYI...

Anyone outraged, yet!

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

_egskb@..._ (mailto:egskb@...)

----- Original Message -----

From: N Rubin

N Rubin

Sent: Friday, February 25, 2011 8:38 AM

Subject: The Union and Budget Cuts

Tough - STRONG editorial from today's Chicago Tribune on budget cuts and

the

union. Is anybody listening?

__________________________________________________________

Cronies and cuts

Gov. Quinn's budget demands few sacrifices from his union allies

My vision for Illinois is a state that looks to the future by making

reforms and

sacrifices in the present. Everybody in, nobody left out when it comes to

building a better Illinois. " Gov. Pat Quinn's budget address, Feb. 16,

2011.

If you haven't yet heard the screams, you're wearing thick earmuffs.

Social

services agencies hired by the state to care for disabled, sick and other

needy

citizens are complaining, loudly, about rough treatment from Gov. Pat

Quinn.

The providers, whom Illinois chronically stiffs by paying them late, think

Quinn's stirring call for " sacrifices " is at odds with deep cuts to human

services in his proposed budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1.

But

those cuts and word last Friday from Quinn's office that some severe

funding

reductions actually will begin March 15 are only symptoms of the real

problem

here: Quinn defines " Everybody in, nobody left out " in a way that excludes

the

labor union allies whose money and muscle arguably got him elected Nov. 2.

It's as if the governor is determined to keep proving, and proving, a

point we

made Oct. 10: Pat Quinn is relentlessly starving clout-poor social

services so

he can protect the jobs and benefits of his union supporters. Shame on

Quinn,

and on all of us in whose name he perpetrates this raw injustice.

At the time, Quinn had committed Illinoisans to spend another $75 million

on a

jobs program he liked rather than pay that money to providers for services

they

had already rendered. He also had assured state government's biggest union

which

promptly endorsed him of no layoffs at least until mid-2012. Oh, and Quinn

had

agreed that none of the state institutions where members of the American

Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees work, no matter how

obsolete, would close.

Remember, this is the governor who, early on, preached " cut, cut, cut " and

even

as he awarded raises to his own staffers demanded " shared sacrifice. "

Yet, incredibly, the January deal that hiked your income tax rate by 67

percent

included no companion cuts to state spending, costly employee benefits

included.

And the budget Quinn now proposes asks for nothing like higher

contributions by

state workers to their health care and retirement changes he proposed, and

then

ran away from, two years ago.

We weren't surprised to hear Quinn say Thursday that his March cuts will

be less

drastic than his office had said. Expect more of Good Pat heroically

intervening

to save needy citizens from the spending reductions that Bad Pat had

announced.

Good Pat really likes to upstage Bad Pat.

But any relief-come-lately shouldn't keep the service providers from

feeling

seriously chumped by a governor who has manipulated them to do his

bidding: At

Quinn's urging, many providers supported his 2 percentage point income tax

increase the one that, before the election, Good Pat pledged to veto if it

exceeded 1 percentage point. More recently, again at Quinn's urging,

providers

lobbied legislators to approve an $8.75 billion borrowing scheme that

would even

further mortgage the future of state government and taxpayers alike. In

return

for their loyalty to the governor, the providers got the stiff budget

cuts.

Notice the pattern here? Taxpayers send more money to Quinn's

administration.

Service providers don't get paid on time and now, it appears, will have to

make

do with less. Yet one crucial group all but escapes any sacrifice at all.

We say " all but escapes " because AFSCME did agree to delays in some of the

many

raises its members are receiving during their current contract with the

state.

The union and the governor, whose office provided the numbers below, have

been

congratulating themselves for temporarily delaying raises. Delayed raises?

That's a " sacrifice " for which hordes of private-sector Illinoisans would

stampede to volunteer.

These AFSCME raises compound to total pay hikes north of 17 percent during

the

same years when many Illinois taxpayers that is, the lucky ones who still

have

jobs are seeing their own wages and benefits frozen or starkly curtailed:

Jan. 1, 2009: 2.5 percent.

July 1, 2009: 2.5 percent.

Jan. 1, 2010: 2 percent.

July 1, 2010: 1 percent.

Jan. 1, 2011: 1 percent.

June 1, 2011: 2 percent.

July 1, 2011: 2 percent.

Jan. 1, 2012: 1.25 percent.

Feb. 1, 2012: 2 percent.

Raises this generous for jobs this secure in times this desperate should

have

the governor demanding reductions in future pension benefits for current

employees, and an end to free health insurance for current retirees. Plus

those

higher employee contributions he proposed, and abandoned, in 2009. Rising

pension costs alone will continue to steal money from social services for

years

and years to come.

Quinn wants to use his billions in new tax revenues, plus billions in new

borrowing, to help increase general funds spending as he cuts social

services.

That agenda serves state workers and their union officials quite well. By

no

means, though, can Quinn say it serves the common good. The governor even

wants

insolvent and overspent Illinois to add some 950 employees to the payroll.

That hiring would deliver more dues-paying members to Quinn's cronies at

AFSCME.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Guest guest]

Gotta be careful here (IMHO). The effort in WI, IN and OH has essentially

nothing to do with debt. It's really about breaking the unions - the only

organized group that can even come close to combating the influence of the Koch

brothers corporations, and other fat cats.

The unions in WI have already agreed to pay cuts and give backs, but

wants to squash them so he and the rest of the tea partyers won't have any

competition.

Ya know --- I used to say that I expect sometime the " have nots " in America will

rise up against the " haves " , but I always followed that with " but not in my

lifetime. " Now I'm not so sure. If the poor and workers of America had a strong

leader such as blacks had M.L. King, it could (and in my opinion SHOULD happen.

Ron

>

> FYI...

> Anyone outraged, yet!

> Ellen

> Ellen Garber Bronfeld

> egskb@...

> The Union and Budget Cuts

>

>

> Tough - STRONG editorial from today's Chicago Tribune on budget cuts and the

union. Is anybody listening?

>

>

________________________________________________________________________________\

___________________

>

> Cronies and cuts

>

> Gov. Quinn's budget demands few sacrifices from his union allies

>

> My vision for Illinois is a state that looks to the future by making reforms

and sacrifices in the present. Everybody in, nobody left out when it comes to

building a better Illinois. " Gov. Pat Quinn's budget address, Feb. 16, 2011.

>

> If you haven't yet heard the screams, you're wearing thick earmuffs. Social

services agencies hired by the state to care for disabled, sick and other needy

citizens are complaining, loudly, about rough treatment from Gov. Pat Quinn.

>

> The providers, whom Illinois chronically stiffs by paying them late, think

Quinn's stirring call for " sacrifices " is at odds with deep cuts to human

services in his proposed budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. But

those cuts and word last Friday from Quinn's office that some severe funding

reductions actually will begin March 15 are only symptoms of the real problem

here: Quinn defines " Everybody in, nobody left out " in a way that excludes the

labor union allies whose money and muscle arguably got him elected Nov. 2.

>

> It's as if the governor is determined to keep proving, and proving, a point we

made Oct. 10: Pat Quinn is relentlessly starving clout-poor social services so

he can protect the jobs and benefits of his union supporters. Shame on Quinn,

and on all of us in whose name he perpetrates this raw injustice.

>

> At the time, Quinn had committed Illinoisans to spend another $75 million on a

jobs program he liked rather than pay that money to providers for services they

had already rendered. He also had assured state government's biggest union which

promptly endorsed him of no layoffs at least until mid-2012. Oh, and Quinn had

agreed that none of the state institutions where members of the American

Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees work, no matter how

obsolete, would close.

>

> Remember, this is the governor who, early on, preached " cut, cut, cut " and

even as he awarded raises to his own staffers demanded " shared sacrifice. "

>

> Yet, incredibly, the January deal that hiked your income tax rate by 67

percent included no companion cuts to state spending, costly employee benefits

included. And the budget Quinn now proposes asks for nothing like higher

contributions by state workers to their health care and retirement changes he

proposed, and then ran away from, two years ago.

>

> We weren't surprised to hear Quinn say Thursday that his March cuts will be

less drastic than his office had said. Expect more of Good Pat heroically

intervening to save needy citizens from the spending reductions that Bad Pat had

announced. Good Pat really likes to upstage Bad Pat.

>

> But any relief-come-lately shouldn't keep the service providers from feeling

seriously chumped by a governor who has manipulated them to do his bidding: At

Quinn's urging, many providers supported his 2 percentage point income tax

increase the one that, before the election, Good Pat pledged to veto if it

exceeded 1 percentage point. More recently, again at Quinn's urging, providers

lobbied legislators to approve an $8.75 billion borrowing scheme that would even

further mortgage the future of state government and taxpayers alike. In return

for their loyalty to the governor, the providers got the stiff budget cuts.

>

> Notice the pattern here? Taxpayers send more money to Quinn's administration.

Service providers don't get paid on time and now, it appears, will have to make

do with less. Yet one crucial group all but escapes any sacrifice at all.

>

> We say " all but escapes " because AFSCME did agree to delays in some of the

many raises its members are receiving during their current contract with the

state. The union and the governor, whose office provided the numbers below, have

been congratulating themselves for temporarily delaying raises. Delayed raises?

That's a " sacrifice " for which hordes of private-sector Illinoisans would

stampede to volunteer.

>

> These AFSCME raises compound to total pay hikes north of 17 percent during the

same years when many Illinois taxpayers that is, the lucky ones who still have

jobs are seeing their own wages and benefits frozen or starkly curtailed:

>

> Jan. 1, 2009: 2.5 percent.

>

> July 1, 2009: 2.5 percent.

>

> Jan. 1, 2010: 2 percent.

>

> July 1, 2010: 1 percent.

>

> Jan. 1, 2011: 1 percent.

>

> June 1, 2011: 2 percent.

>

> July 1, 2011: 2 percent.

>

> Jan. 1, 2012: 1.25 percent.

>

> Feb. 1, 2012: 2 percent.

>

> Raises this generous for jobs this secure in times this desperate should have

the governor demanding reductions in future pension benefits for current

employees, and an end to free health insurance for current retirees. Plus those

higher employee contributions he proposed, and abandoned, in 2009. Rising

pension costs alone will continue to steal money from social services for years

and years to come.

>

> Quinn wants to use his billions in new tax revenues, plus billions in new

borrowing, to help increase general funds spending as he cuts social services.

>

> That agenda serves state workers and their union officials quite well. By no

means, though, can Quinn say it serves the common good. The governor even wants

insolvent and overspent Illinois to add some 950 employees to the payroll.

>

> That hiring would deliver more dues-paying members to Quinn's cronies at

AFSCME.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Thanks, B. for following through on some letters to our " leadership. "

Ellen

Ellen Garber Bronfeld

egskb@...

[Guest guest]

For those who rant against tax dollars going to unions who then typically

support one party, please remember that every time you buy a Koch brothers

" product " or most items sold by large corporations, the profits from those

purchases allow those companies to give essentially unlimited dollars to help

get corporate-friendly candidates elected and lack of government oversight bills

passed. (Thank the not-very-supreme court " for that bit of wisdom.)

Personally, I wish we had a much stronger two-party country but we seem to be

fairly rapidly moving toward one " help-the-rich-screw-the-poor " society.

Ron

>

> Thanks, B. for following through on some letters to our " leadership. "

> Ellen

> Ellen Garber Bronfeld

> egskb@...

>

>

[Guest guest]

I agree with Ron. The mood of the country right now is one that has led to

demonizing the public employees, making them out to be the cause of all the

problems. This is a successful distraction from the real issue here, namely

that all the corporate entitlements, tax breaks and subsidies for the Big Guys

has led to 1% of the people in this nation hording 90% of the wealth. Yet it's

up to us folks at the bottom and middle to shore up the states' coffers.

The collective bargaining issue has nothing to do with the money. It's a ruse

and the others are using to destroy the unions and therefore destroy the

main source of the Democratic campaign financing. It's a bunch of smoke and

mirrors, and the majority of Americans are falling for it while the wealthy

laugh their way out to sea in their yachts.

I work in a public school district where we agreed 2 years ago to a 5-year

contract that has our wages frozen at CPI and our health care premiums doubled.

I am happy with that -- I think it's fair. Yes, we had it too good, and we are

aware of that and willing to make concessions... as are the good people of

Wisconsin. They have offered to do the same, but that's not good enough for

. He's out to destroy the unions. It's not about the money for him.

Kate, Palatine

> >

> > FYI...

> > Anyone outraged, yet!

> > Ellen

> > Ellen Garber Bronfeld

> > egskb@

> > The Union and Budget Cuts

> >

> >

> > Tough - STRONG editorial from today's Chicago Tribune on budget cuts and the

union. Is anybody listening?

> >

> >

________________________________________________________________________________\

___________________

> >

> > Cronies and cuts

> >

> > Gov. Quinn's budget demands few sacrifices from his union allies

> >

> > My vision for Illinois is a state that looks to the future by making reforms

and sacrifices in the present. Everybody in, nobody left out when it comes to

building a better Illinois. " Gov. Pat Quinn's budget address, Feb. 16, 2011.

> >

> > If you haven't yet heard the screams, you're wearing thick earmuffs. Social

services agencies hired by the state to care for disabled, sick and other needy

citizens are complaining, loudly, about rough treatment from Gov. Pat Quinn.

> >

> > The providers, whom Illinois chronically stiffs by paying them late, think

Quinn's stirring call for " sacrifices " is at odds with deep cuts to human

services in his proposed budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. But

those cuts and word last Friday from Quinn's office that some severe funding

reductions actually will begin March 15 are only symptoms of the real problem

here: Quinn defines " Everybody in, nobody left out " in a way that excludes the

labor union allies whose money and muscle arguably got him elected Nov. 2.

> >

> > It's as if the governor is determined to keep proving, and proving, a point

we made Oct. 10: Pat Quinn is relentlessly starving clout-poor social services

so he can protect the jobs and benefits of his union supporters. Shame on Quinn,

and on all of us in whose name he perpetrates this raw injustice.

> >

> > At the time, Quinn had committed Illinoisans to spend another $75 million on

a jobs program he liked rather than pay that money to providers for services

they had already rendered. He also had assured state government's biggest union

which promptly endorsed him of no layoffs at least until mid-2012. Oh, and Quinn

had agreed that none of the state institutions where members of the American

Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees work, no matter how

obsolete, would close.

> >

> > Remember, this is the governor who, early on, preached " cut, cut, cut " and

even as he awarded raises to his own staffers demanded " shared sacrifice. "

> >

> > Yet, incredibly, the January deal that hiked your income tax rate by 67

percent included no companion cuts to state spending, costly employee benefits

included. And the budget Quinn now proposes asks for nothing like higher

contributions by state workers to their health care and retirement changes he

proposed, and then ran away from, two years ago.

> >

> > We weren't surprised to hear Quinn say Thursday that his March cuts will be

less drastic than his office had said. Expect more of Good Pat heroically

intervening to save needy citizens from the spending reductions that Bad Pat had

announced. Good Pat really likes to upstage Bad Pat.

> >

> > But any relief-come-lately shouldn't keep the service providers from feeling

seriously chumped by a governor who has manipulated them to do his bidding: At

Quinn's urging, many providers supported his 2 percentage point income tax

increase the one that, before the election, Good Pat pledged to veto if it

exceeded 1 percentage point. More recently, again at Quinn's urging, providers

lobbied legislators to approve an $8.75 billion borrowing scheme that would even

further mortgage the future of state government and taxpayers alike. In return

for their loyalty to the governor, the providers got the stiff budget cuts.

> >

> > Notice the pattern here? Taxpayers send more money to Quinn's

administration. Service providers don't get paid on time and now, it appears,

will have to make do with less. Yet one crucial group all but escapes any

sacrifice at all.

> >

> > We say " all but escapes " because AFSCME did agree to delays in some of the

many raises its members are receiving during their current contract with the

state. The union and the governor, whose office provided the numbers below, have

been congratulating themselves for temporarily delaying raises. Delayed raises?

That's a " sacrifice " for which hordes of private-sector Illinoisans would

stampede to volunteer.

> >

> > These AFSCME raises compound to total pay hikes north of 17 percent during

the same years when many Illinois taxpayers that is, the lucky ones who still

have jobs are seeing their own wages and benefits frozen or starkly curtailed:

> >

> > Jan. 1, 2009: 2.5 percent.

> >

> > July 1, 2009: 2.5 percent.

> >

> > Jan. 1, 2010: 2 percent.

> >

> > July 1, 2010: 1 percent.

> >

> > Jan. 1, 2011: 1 percent.

> >

> > June 1, 2011: 2 percent.

> >

> > July 1, 2011: 2 percent.

> >

> > Jan. 1, 2012: 1.25 percent.

> >

> > Feb. 1, 2012: 2 percent.

> >

> > Raises this generous for jobs this secure in times this desperate should

have the governor demanding reductions in future pension benefits for current

employees, and an end to free health insurance for current retirees. Plus those

higher employee contributions he proposed, and abandoned, in 2009. Rising

pension costs alone will continue to steal money from social services for years

and years to come.

> >

> > Quinn wants to use his billions in new tax revenues, plus billions in new

borrowing, to help increase general funds spending as he cuts social services.

> >

> > That agenda serves state workers and their union officials quite well. By no

means, though, can Quinn say it serves the common good. The governor even wants

insolvent and overspent Illinois to add some 950 employees to the payroll.

> >

> > That hiring would deliver more dues-paying members to Quinn's cronies at

AFSCME.

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Yea, ya know I am a federal empoyee, and I am sick and tired of everyone

thinking we are not suffering like the public at large. When the economy is hot

and those in the public sector are getting big bonuses and making great

salaries, the state and federal and city government employees are not getting

these type benefits. Our salaries are on a steady slower incline and at times

at a plateau. So why is it in tough times everyone comes after us. And after

all we dont work in very pretty buildings with fancy surroundings etc. I work in

the VA hospital, and our hospital has none of the pretty decor like private

hospitals not do we have all the extras. After all we all make choices. I was

well informed by a family member to look past the sometimes downright ugly

scenery in this type hospital and some of the backwards buerocratic BS, so now I

am benefiting. It was a choice.

And by the way since I started there 24 years ago, I signed away my rights to

strike way back then. So we dont have much bargaining powers anyway.

Diane S

> > >

> > > FYI...

> > > Anyone outraged, yet!

> > > Ellen

> > > Ellen Garber Bronfeld

> > > egskb@

> > > The Union and Budget Cuts

> > >

> > >

> > > Tough - STRONG editorial from today's Chicago Tribune on budget cuts and

the union. Is anybody listening?

> > >

> > >

________________________________________________________________________________\

___________________

> > >

> > > Cronies and cuts

> > >

> > > Gov. Quinn's budget demands few sacrifices from his union allies

> > >

> > > My vision for Illinois is a state that looks to the future by making

reforms and sacrifices in the present. Everybody in, nobody left out when it

comes to building a better Illinois. " Gov. Pat Quinn's budget address, Feb. 16,

2011.

> > >

> > > If you haven't yet heard the screams, you're wearing thick earmuffs.

Social services agencies hired by the state to care for disabled, sick and other

needy citizens are complaining, loudly, about rough treatment from Gov. Pat

Quinn.

> > >

> > > The providers, whom Illinois chronically stiffs by paying them late, think

Quinn's stirring call for " sacrifices " is at odds with deep cuts to human

services in his proposed budget for the fiscal year that starts July 1. But

those cuts and word last Friday from Quinn's office that some severe funding

reductions actually will begin March 15 are only symptoms of the real problem

here: Quinn defines " Everybody in, nobody left out " in a way that excludes the

labor union allies whose money and muscle arguably got him elected Nov. 2.

> > >

> > > It's as if the governor is determined to keep proving, and proving, a

point we made Oct. 10: Pat Quinn is relentlessly starving clout-poor social

services so he can protect the jobs and benefits of his union supporters. Shame

on Quinn, and on all of us in whose name he perpetrates this raw injustice.

> > >

> > > At the time, Quinn had committed Illinoisans to spend another $75 million

on a jobs program he liked rather than pay that money to providers for services

they had already rendered. He also had assured state government's biggest union

which promptly endorsed him of no layoffs at least until mid-2012. Oh, and Quinn

had agreed that none of the state institutions where members of the American

Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees work, no matter how

obsolete, would close.

> > >

> > > Remember, this is the governor who, early on, preached " cut, cut, cut " and

even as he awarded raises to his own staffers demanded " shared sacrifice. "

> > >

> > > Yet, incredibly, the January deal that hiked your income tax rate by 67

percent included no companion cuts to state spending, costly employee benefits

included. And the budget Quinn now proposes asks for nothing like higher

contributions by state workers to their health care and retirement changes he

proposed, and then ran away from, two years ago.

> > >

> > > We weren't surprised to hear Quinn say Thursday that his March cuts will

be less drastic than his office had said. Expect more of Good Pat heroically

intervening to save needy citizens from the spending reductions that Bad Pat had

announced. Good Pat really likes to upstage Bad Pat.

> > >

> > > But any relief-come-lately shouldn't keep the service providers from

feeling seriously chumped by a governor who has manipulated them to do his

bidding: At Quinn's urging, many providers supported his 2 percentage point

income tax increase the one that, before the election, Good Pat pledged to veto

if it exceeded 1 percentage point. More recently, again at Quinn's urging,

providers lobbied legislators to approve an $8.75 billion borrowing scheme that

would even further mortgage the future of state government and taxpayers alike.

In return for their loyalty to the governor, the providers got the stiff budget

cuts.

> > >

> > > Notice the pattern here? Taxpayers send more money to Quinn's

administration. Service providers don't get paid on time and now, it appears,

will have to make do with less. Yet one crucial group all but escapes any

sacrifice at all.

> > >

> > > We say " all but escapes " because AFSCME did agree to delays in some of the

many raises its members are receiving during their current contract with the

state. The union and the governor, whose office provided the numbers below, have

been congratulating themselves for temporarily delaying raises. Delayed raises?

That's a " sacrifice " for which hordes of private-sector Illinoisans would

stampede to volunteer.

> > >

> > > These AFSCME raises compound to total pay hikes north of 17 percent during

the same years when many Illinois taxpayers that is, the lucky ones who still

have jobs are seeing their own wages and benefits frozen or starkly curtailed:

> > >

> > > Jan. 1, 2009: 2.5 percent.

> > >

> > > July 1, 2009: 2.5 percent.

> > >

> > > Jan. 1, 2010: 2 percent.

> > >

> > > July 1, 2010: 1 percent.

> > >

> > > Jan. 1, 2011: 1 percent.

> > >

> > > June 1, 2011: 2 percent.

> > >

> > > July 1, 2011: 2 percent.

> > >

> > > Jan. 1, 2012: 1.25 percent.

> > >

> > > Feb. 1, 2012: 2 percent.

> > >

> > > Raises this generous for jobs this secure in times this desperate should

have the governor demanding reductions in future pension benefits for current

employees, and an end to free health insurance for current retirees. Plus those

higher employee contributions he proposed, and abandoned, in 2009. Rising

pension costs alone will continue to steal money from social services for years

and years to come.

> > >

> > > Quinn wants to use his billions in new tax revenues, plus billions in new

borrowing, to help increase general funds spending as he cuts social services.

> > >

> > > That agenda serves state workers and their union officials quite well. By

no means, though, can Quinn say it serves the common good. The governor even

wants insolvent and overspent Illinois to add some 950 employees to the payroll.

> > >

> > > That hiring would deliver more dues-paying members to Quinn's cronies at

AFSCME.

> > >

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

I agree with Ron, Diane and Kate too. Human's are really jump on the

bandwagon types. I don't understand why people who are making a living

wage...not getting over, not scamming the system, not getting anything

other than a living wage and some benefits are the ones to be attacked.

The way the taxing system has changed and the way so many corporations

base themselves in other countries to avoid taxes doesn't seem to even

be an issue. I would also mention that we spend a crazy amount of money

killing and being killed, maiming and being maimed, in unwinable " wars "

over oil rather than creating jobs here to work on solving our oil

problem. That's good money that could be spent on the health, education

and the welfare of our children. There are alternatives to doing things

the same old way. Gotta look at the whole big picture. We're not little

closed systems that don't need each other.

Ellen K.

On 3/6/2011 12:12 AM, swedegrl2005 wrote:

>

> Yea, ya know I am a federal empoyee, and I am sick and tired of

> everyone thinking we are not suffering like the public at large. When

> the economy is hot and those in the public sector are getting big

> bonuses and making great salaries, the state and federal and city

> government employees are not getting these type benefits. Our salaries

> are on a steady slower incline and at times at a plateau. So why is it

> in tough times everyone comes after us. And after all we dont work in

> very pretty buildings with fancy surroundings etc. I work in the VA

> hospital, and our hospital has none of the pretty decor like private

> hospitals not do we have all the extras. After all we all make

> choices. I was well informed by a family member to look past the

> sometimes downright ugly scenery in this type hospital and some of the

> backwards buerocratic BS, so now I am benefiting. It was a choice.

>

> And by the way since I started there 24 years ago, I signed away my

> rights to strike way back then. So we dont have much bargaining powers

> anyway.

>

> Diane S

>

>

> > > >

> > > > FYI...

> > > > Anyone outraged, yet!

> > > > Ellen

> > > > Ellen Garber Bronfeld

> > > > egskb@

> > > > The Union and Budget Cuts

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > Tough - STRONG editorial from today's Chicago Tribune on budget

> cuts and the union. Is anybody listening?

> > > >

> > > > __________________________________________________________

> > > >

> > > > Cronies and cuts

> > > >

> > > > Gov. Quinn's budget demands few sacrifices from his union allies

> > > >

> > > > My vision for Illinois is a state that looks to the future by

> making reforms and sacrifices in the present. Everybody in, nobody

> left out when it comes to building a better Illinois. " Gov. Pat

> Quinn's budget address, Feb. 16, 2011.

> > > >

> > > > If you haven't yet heard the screams, you're wearing thick

> earmuffs. Social services agencies hired by the state to care for

> disabled, sick and other needy citizens are complaining, loudly, about

> rough treatment from Gov. Pat Quinn.

> > > >

> > > > The providers, whom Illinois chronically stiffs by paying them

> late, think Quinn's stirring call for " sacrifices " is at odds with

> deep cuts to human services in his proposed budget for the fiscal year

> that starts July 1. But those cuts and word last Friday from Quinn's

> office that some severe funding reductions actually will begin March

> 15 are only symptoms of the real problem here: Quinn defines

> " Everybody in, nobody left out " in a way that excludes the labor union

> allies whose money and muscle arguably got him elected Nov. 2.

> > > >

> > > > It's as if the governor is determined to keep proving, and

> proving, a point we made Oct. 10: Pat Quinn is relentlessly starving

> clout-poor social services so he can protect the jobs and benefits of

> his union supporters. Shame on Quinn, and on all of us in whose name

> he perpetrates this raw injustice.

> > > >

> > > > At the time, Quinn had committed Illinoisans to spend another

> $75 million on a jobs program he liked rather than pay that money to

> providers for services they had already rendered. He also had assured

> state government's biggest union which promptly endorsed him of no

> layoffs at least until mid-2012. Oh, and Quinn had agreed that none of

> the state institutions where members of the American Federation of

> State, County and Municipal Employees work, no matter how obsolete,

> would close.

> > > >

> > > > Remember, this is the governor who, early on, preached " cut,

> cut, cut " and even as he awarded raises to his own staffers demanded

> " shared sacrifice. "

> > > >

> > > > Yet, incredibly, the January deal that hiked your income tax

> rate by 67 percent included no companion cuts to state spending,

> costly employee benefits included. And the budget Quinn now proposes

> asks for nothing like higher contributions by state workers to their

> health care and retirement changes he proposed, and then ran away

> from, two years ago.

> > > >

> > > > We weren't surprised to hear Quinn say Thursday that his March

> cuts will be less drastic than his office had said. Expect more of

> Good Pat heroically intervening to save needy citizens from the

> spending reductions that Bad Pat had announced. Good Pat really likes

> to upstage Bad Pat.

> > > >

> > > > But any relief-come-lately shouldn't keep the service providers

> from feeling seriously chumped by a governor who has manipulated them

> to do his bidding: At Quinn's urging, many providers supported his 2

> percentage point income tax increase the one that, before the

> election, Good Pat pledged to veto if it exceeded 1 percentage point.

> More recently, again at Quinn's urging, providers lobbied legislators

> to approve an $8.75 billion borrowing scheme that would even further

> mortgage the future of state government and taxpayers alike. In return

> for their loyalty to the governor, the providers got the stiff budget

> cuts.

> > > >

> > > > Notice the pattern here? Taxpayers send more money to Quinn's

> administration. Service providers don't get paid on time and now, it

> appears, will have to make do with less. Yet one crucial group all but

> escapes any sacrifice at all.

> > > >

> > > > We say " all but escapes " because AFSCME did agree to delays in

> some of the many raises its members are receiving during their current

> contract with the state. The union and the governor, whose office

> provided the numbers below, have been congratulating themselves for

> temporarily delaying raises. Delayed raises? That's a " sacrifice " for

> which hordes of private-sector Illinoisans would stampede to volunteer.

> > > >

> > > > These AFSCME raises compound to total pay hikes north of 17

> percent during the same years when many Illinois taxpayers that is,

> the lucky ones who still have jobs are seeing their own wages and

> benefits frozen or starkly curtailed:

> > > >

> > > > Jan. 1, 2009: 2.5 percent.

> > > >

> > > > July 1, 2009: 2.5 percent.

> > > >

> > > > Jan. 1, 2010: 2 percent.

> > > >

> > > > July 1, 2010: 1 percent.

> > > >

> > > > Jan. 1, 2011: 1 percent.

> > > >

> > > > June 1, 2011: 2 percent.

> > > >

> > > > July 1, 2011: 2 percent.

> > > >

> > > > Jan. 1, 2012: 1.25 percent.

> > > >

> > > > Feb. 1, 2012: 2 percent.

> > > >

> > > > Raises this generous for jobs this secure in times this

> desperate should have the governor demanding reductions in future

> pension benefits for current employees, and an end to free health

> insurance for current retirees. Plus those higher employee

> contributions he proposed, and abandoned, in 2009. Rising pension

> costs alone will continue to steal money from social services for

> years and years to come.

> > > >

> > > > Quinn wants to use his billions in new tax revenues, plus

> billions in new borrowing, to help increase general funds spending as

> he cuts social services.

> > > >

> > > > That agenda serves state workers and their union officials quite

> well. By no means, though, can Quinn say it serves the common good.

> The governor even wants insolvent and overspent Illinois to add some

> 950 employees to the payroll.

> > > >

> > > > That hiring would deliver more dues-paying members to Quinn's

> cronies at AFSCME.

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >