By Jamey Dunn
Republicans are calling for an investigation of Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration after an audit released today found mismanagement in an anti-violence program backed by the governor.
In the summer of 2010, Quinn announced $50 million in funding for the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative, a violence prevention program. The initiative received nearly $55 million from October 2010 to October 2012. The bulk, nearly $45 million, came from Quinn’s discretionary funds and was not directly approved by the General Assembly. Lawmakers approved about $10 million for the initiative as part of the Fiscal Year 2012 budget.
The Neighborhood Recovery Initiative has been the target of scrutiny for a few years now. A 2012 report from CNN called into question some of the program’s spending, including paying youth to hand out fliers, attend yoga classes and march in a parade with Quinn. Later that year, lawmakers approved a resolution calling for an audit of the program.
That review, conducted by the office of Illinois Auditor General William Holland, was released today. The report describes the program as “hastily implemented” and says that the Illinois Violence Prevention Authority (IVPA), which oversaw the program, failed to properly document how money was spent. The funding for the program increased from $20 million to $50 million in less than two months.
Republicans are asking that the executive inspector general’s office to launch an investigation into the program. “This is the kind of information that indictments are made out of,” said Dixon Republican Sen. Tim Bivins. “Obviously there’s got to be an investigation. Everyone’s innocent until proven guilty.” He added, “I think there’s more than enough probable cause ... for an investigation to occur.”
The audit found that the IVPA did not use a competitive bidding process to select the providers that administered the services under the program, instead relying on recommendations from Chicago aldermen. The agency also did not have documentation on how it selected the communities that would receive funding. “The communities selected for NRI were not all the most violent in terms of crime in the Chicago area. Our comparison of NRI communities to the violent crime totals published by the Chicago police found seven Chicago neighborhoods that were among the 20 most violent neighborhoods that did not receive NRI funding. In Year 3 of NRI, another Chicago community, Hermosa, was added to the NRI program. This community ranked 48th in violent crime from 2005 [to] 2010,” the audit said.
The audit looked at 23 providers that participated in the program. Auditors found that 40 percent of the contracts with community providers in the program were approved after the contract work timeline was already completed. Providers were allowed to work on the program before they entered into a contract with the state, and 33 contracts either had no end date or were never approved. Only 30 percent of audited providers kept time sheets for staff paid with funding from the initiative. Holland found documentation indicating that some workers were paid for more time than they worked. More than 60 percent of providers' quarterly reports were late. Some agencies revised quarterly reports more than a year after they were due. Of the 23 providers, two closed, and the IVPA did not recoup unspent program founds. The audit found documentation indicating that $2 million in unspent funds from the initiative were never recovered.
Republicans point to the timing of the spending and accuse Quinn of using the program as a slush fund to try to build community support before the 2010 general election. Quinn narrowly defeated Republican Sen. Bill Brady in 2010 to hang onto his office. Brady is running for governor again “This is a very troubling report about a program launched by Governor Quinn just weeks before the 2010 election with little planning from what certainly appears to be a taxpayer-paid political slush fund,” Brady said in a prepared statement.
Quinn’s office brushed off the accusations. “These issues were resolved more than a year ago,” said a statement from Quinn’s office. “When the governor’s office became aware of the issues with IVPA in 2012, the administration acted quickly and, working with Attorney General [Lisa Madigan’s] Office and the General Assembly, passed legislation to have [the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority] take over the authority. The ICJIA has taken major steps to ensure responsible management of this critical violence prevention program and this issue has since been resolved. We are committed to providing effective work and educational opportunities for our youth to help prevent violence in communities across Illinois.”
The revamped version of the program, now called the Community Violence Prevention Program, is currently operating on an annual budget of about $17 million. The program serves 24 communities and plans to branch out to 33 next year. According to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, last year it administered job training to about 1,800 youth and placed young people in jobs, such as office and retail positions. The state pays the participants’ salaries in these summer jobs. Those in the program also participate in community service and receive mentoring. The program almost provided reentry services to nearly 450 young people who were returning to society after doing time in the state’s corrections system. “We’re excited about our program, and we’re going to continue to provide the effective work program that we’ve designed and continue to offer these opportunities for youth to help prevent violence in communities across Illinois,” said Cristin Evans, spokeswoman for the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority.
Republicans say a reworking of the initiative is not enough. They say they want answers about the years in which money was misspent. “Every once in a while, the truth comes out of this town, and I would hope that people have the courage to look at it and see what it shows,” said Palatine Republican Sen. Matt Murphy.
Showing posts with label Elections 2010. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Elections 2010. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Friday, November 05, 2010
Brady concedes
By Jamey Dunn
Republican Sen. Bill Brady conceded the governor's race to Gov. Pat Quinn this afternoon.
Late Tuesday night, the two were in a dead heat. On Wednesday, Brady said he wanted to wait until the State Board of Elections certified the results, which could take as long as 30 days.
But Quinn's lead continued to grow, reaching more than 19,000 votes, and the Associated Press called the race in his favor yesterday afternoon.
“After days of counting ballots and looking at potential outcomes, we came to the conclusion that Gov. Quinn won this race. He worked hard for it. And you can’t take away his effort in this endeavor,” Brady said at a Bloomington news conference.
Brady would not venture a guess as to what went wrong in his campaign, noting that recent polls had showed him with a slight lead. “We’ll leave it to the pundits to decide what happened.”
Brady said the debate he and Quinn had throughout the campaign about the best ways to solve the state's financial woes "moved Illinois forward." He said he plans to work with Quinn but remains committed to opposing an income tax increase. Brady said he and Quinn plan to meet soon to share a meal at Manny's Deli in Chicago.
Quinn reacted to Brady's concession at a Chicago news conference this afternoon, calling Brady "gracious." He called for Illinois voters and lawmakers of all political stripes to come together and confirmed he will sit down for a meal with Brady. “We may have differences — strong differences on policy issues — but we are all Americans and all Illinoisans.”
As for many polls calling the race incorrectly, Quinn said: “The people call the shots, not the experts and not the pollsters and not the insiders.”
Quinn also reiterated his call for new revenue for education.
Republican Sen. Bill Brady conceded the governor's race to Gov. Pat Quinn this afternoon.
Late Tuesday night, the two were in a dead heat. On Wednesday, Brady said he wanted to wait until the State Board of Elections certified the results, which could take as long as 30 days.
But Quinn's lead continued to grow, reaching more than 19,000 votes, and the Associated Press called the race in his favor yesterday afternoon.
“After days of counting ballots and looking at potential outcomes, we came to the conclusion that Gov. Quinn won this race. He worked hard for it. And you can’t take away his effort in this endeavor,” Brady said at a Bloomington news conference.
Brady would not venture a guess as to what went wrong in his campaign, noting that recent polls had showed him with a slight lead. “We’ll leave it to the pundits to decide what happened.”
Brady said the debate he and Quinn had throughout the campaign about the best ways to solve the state's financial woes "moved Illinois forward." He said he plans to work with Quinn but remains committed to opposing an income tax increase. Brady said he and Quinn plan to meet soon to share a meal at Manny's Deli in Chicago.
Quinn reacted to Brady's concession at a Chicago news conference this afternoon, calling Brady "gracious." He called for Illinois voters and lawmakers of all political stripes to come together and confirmed he will sit down for a meal with Brady. “We may have differences — strong differences on policy issues — but we are all Americans and all Illinoisans.”
As for many polls calling the race incorrectly, Quinn said: “The people call the shots, not the experts and not the pollsters and not the insiders.”
Quinn also reiterated his call for new revenue for education.
Thursday, November 04, 2010
Democrats stay low key about state wins
By Jamey Dunn
President Obama said at a Washington, D.C., news conference yesterday that a new Republican majority in the U.S. Congress means: “No one party will be able to dictate where we go from here.” But that does not seem to be the case in Illinois.
After speculation that the Illinois House could come under Republican control, it remains in the Democrats hands. The Associated Press this evening called Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn as the winner of the governor’s race. However, Bill Brady said today that he plans to wait for all the votes to be counted before he decides on concession.
While Republicans did not gain a majority in the House, they did unseat some long-time incumbents, such as Rep. Michael Smith, a 16 year veteran of the General Assembly from Canton; Rep. Jay Hoffman, who hails from Collinsville and has spent 20 years in the legislature; and Rep. Robert Flider;,who is from Mt. Zion and held his seat for eight years. Grayslake Sen. Michael Bond and Carlinville Sen. Deanna Demuzio were the only Democrats to lose their seats in the Senate.
But control of both the legislative chambers and the governor’s office will give Democrats almost all the cards when it comes to redrawing legislative districts. Republicans may be able to use votes on issues such as a tax increase or borrowing as leverage in the redistricting process.
Quinn also has to sign off on the map, and there are no guarantees that he will play ball with the legislative leaders. Even though Democrats appear to hold all the power on the remap, the issue will likely hang over any big votes that come up.
Senate President John Cullerton dodged a question about Democrats having the power to draw a partisan map, saying: “I think that’s kind of insider stuff. I think most people just care about the economy, and they care about what we’re going to do for our budget deficit.”
Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno said she is not concerned that the Democrats in her chamber will treat Republicans unfairly during the redistricting process. While her party did not gain as many seats as her projection last week of three to five, Radogno framed the election results as a victory. “It’s a win because we have more seats than we had before the election.”
She added that taking away the Democrats’ veto-proof supermajority gives her party more leverage.
Radogno also commented on Democrats keeping power at the state level while Republicans took control of the Illinois’ congressional delegation, gaining four seats with a fifth race still undecided. Republican Mark Kirk also won the close race against Democrat Alexi Giannoulias for Obama’s former U.S. Senate seat.
“The fact is, it is curious that there seems to be a lot of hopscotching between parties when you look at how the Statehouse did versus how [the U.S.] Congress did. That’s an interesting phenomenon. … I think there’s going to be a lot of analyzing of numbers going forward and looking to see why it came out the way it did,” she said.
Sen. John Sullivan, a Democrat from Rushville, said Senate Democrats are disappointed with the loss of two races. “It could have been worse. We had six seats that were competitive races. In theory, we could have lost all six of them, but we didn’t.”
However, he painted the results more as a wake-up call than a win. “It’s a tough environment out there. People are dissatisfied both at the state and federal level. The economy is still just barely chugging along,” Sullivan said. “I think that [this election] has sent a message to all of us here in Springfield — and I’m sure in Washington as well — that our focus needs to be on creating jobs. The economy is driving so much of the discussion that’s taking place right now."
President Obama said at a Washington, D.C., news conference yesterday that a new Republican majority in the U.S. Congress means: “No one party will be able to dictate where we go from here.” But that does not seem to be the case in Illinois.
After speculation that the Illinois House could come under Republican control, it remains in the Democrats hands. The Associated Press this evening called Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn as the winner of the governor’s race. However, Bill Brady said today that he plans to wait for all the votes to be counted before he decides on concession.
While Republicans did not gain a majority in the House, they did unseat some long-time incumbents, such as Rep. Michael Smith, a 16 year veteran of the General Assembly from Canton; Rep. Jay Hoffman, who hails from Collinsville and has spent 20 years in the legislature; and Rep. Robert Flider;,who is from Mt. Zion and held his seat for eight years. Grayslake Sen. Michael Bond and Carlinville Sen. Deanna Demuzio were the only Democrats to lose their seats in the Senate.
But control of both the legislative chambers and the governor’s office will give Democrats almost all the cards when it comes to redrawing legislative districts. Republicans may be able to use votes on issues such as a tax increase or borrowing as leverage in the redistricting process.
Quinn also has to sign off on the map, and there are no guarantees that he will play ball with the legislative leaders. Even though Democrats appear to hold all the power on the remap, the issue will likely hang over any big votes that come up.
Senate President John Cullerton dodged a question about Democrats having the power to draw a partisan map, saying: “I think that’s kind of insider stuff. I think most people just care about the economy, and they care about what we’re going to do for our budget deficit.”
Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno said she is not concerned that the Democrats in her chamber will treat Republicans unfairly during the redistricting process. While her party did not gain as many seats as her projection last week of three to five, Radogno framed the election results as a victory. “It’s a win because we have more seats than we had before the election.”
She added that taking away the Democrats’ veto-proof supermajority gives her party more leverage.
Radogno also commented on Democrats keeping power at the state level while Republicans took control of the Illinois’ congressional delegation, gaining four seats with a fifth race still undecided. Republican Mark Kirk also won the close race against Democrat Alexi Giannoulias for Obama’s former U.S. Senate seat.
“The fact is, it is curious that there seems to be a lot of hopscotching between parties when you look at how the Statehouse did versus how [the U.S.] Congress did. That’s an interesting phenomenon. … I think there’s going to be a lot of analyzing of numbers going forward and looking to see why it came out the way it did,” she said.
Sen. John Sullivan, a Democrat from Rushville, said Senate Democrats are disappointed with the loss of two races. “It could have been worse. We had six seats that were competitive races. In theory, we could have lost all six of them, but we didn’t.”
However, he painted the results more as a wake-up call than a win. “It’s a tough environment out there. People are dissatisfied both at the state and federal level. The economy is still just barely chugging along,” Sullivan said. “I think that [this election] has sent a message to all of us here in Springfield — and I’m sure in Washington as well — that our focus needs to be on creating jobs. The economy is driving so much of the discussion that’s taking place right now."
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
No concession means confusion
By Jamey Dunn
With neither candidate conceding in the governor’s race, Illinois legislators will return to Springfield tomorrow under a cloud of uncertainty.
Gov. Pat Quinn led Republican opponent Sen. Bill Brady by more than 16,000 votes this evening (numbers in the link will change as results are updated). Brady, who won the Republican primary by fewer than 200 votes, said that he wants to see the process through until a winner is certified by the Illinois State Board of Elections. The board has until December 3 to certify the results, though it could announce an official winner before then.
“Having been through this process before, I know the importance of making sure every voice is heard and every vote is counted. I believe we will win,” Brady said at a Bloomington news conference.
However, Quinn has said he is confident he won the race. “The Quinn [and Lt. Gov. nominee Sheila] Simon campaign wants every vote to be counted. We want to make sure the voice of every voter in the state of Illinois is duly counted and heard,” Mica Matsoff, a Quinn campaign spokesperson said in a written statement. “The ballots left to be counted appear mostly to come from Cook County, where the governor held a large margin over Senator Brady. We expect to hold our lead and may increase it. We do not see a path to victory for Bill Brady.”
Longtime Statehouse observers say it would be premature for Brady to concede early in such a close race, with absentee and military ballots still uncounted. “I think he owes it to himself and to his supporters to have all the votes be counted. … There are a lot of votes that have yet to be counted,” said Ron Michaelson, who was executive director of the Illinois State Board of Elections from 1976 to 2003. Michaelson added that if it becomes clear Brady is not the winner, he should step aside and not “hold out just to hold out.”
Kent Redfield, an emeritus professor at the University of Illinois Springfield and director of the Sunshine Project, said he doesn’t expect Brady to hold on until the certification deadline if votes start to stack up for Quinn. “I suspect that if the numbers continue to grow that we can expect a concession out of Brady over the next couple of days.”
Mike Lawrence, longtime journalist and former spokesman for then-Gov. Jim Edgar, was sympathetic to how hard it can be to give up on a close race. “He’s worked for this thing for eight years, and it’s hard to let go. … I can’t fault him at all.”
Meanwhile. the Illinois Senate is scheduled to return tomorrow — at Quinn’s request — to vote on $4 billion in borrowing so the state can make its required pension payment.
As for how the unsettled governor's race may affect the borrowing vote — and possibly the veto session — Lawrence said it might be hard to gauge. “One of the things I have learned through the years is that it is very difficult to predict what the legislature will do or not do.”
However, he added, “Quinn’s going to be somewhat distracted, and I think the members of the legislature will be as well.”
Lawrence, who is also a former director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, pointed to the 1982 governor’s race, when Republican candidate Jim Thompson led Adlai Stevenson III by a little more than 5,000 votes. Stevenson asked for a recount, which was denied by the Illinois Supreme Court and led to a rewrite of the law. “The people in the Statehouse did not focus on the state’s fiscal problems until the question of who was going to be governor was resolved,” Lawrence said. He thinks the legislature will not be interested in considering budget issues beyond pension borrowing until they know the winner of the race.
Redfield said that time is running out for the General Assembly to continue stalling on the budget crisis. “They’ve got to start taking some tough votes in order to do some of the short-term and long-term things that they need to do.’
He said he thinks the legislative leaders know something has to be done about the state’s budget woes. “[House Speaker Michael] Madigan and [Senate President John] Cullerton are very smart people, and they know that there’s a limit to how often you can finesse this situation. … They know that the state has to be in a lot better shape two years from now, when their members run for reelection.”
Cullerton spokesperson John Patterson said that regardless of the outcome of the race, Quinn is governor and continues to be governor through the coming session days.
Both Democratic leaders lost some seats to Republicans but hung onto control of their chambers. According to Sarah Wojcicki, a spokesperson for House Minority Leader Tom Cross, Republicans had claimed seven House seats with two races still unresolved as of this afternoon. Patterson said Democrats lost two seats with one race still to be decided. This means Cullerton has lost his super-majority and the ability to borrow without Republican votes. However, he repeatedly stated before the election that Democrats had no intention of passing pension borrowing on their own.
The Senate is scheduled to return to Springfield tomorrow at 1 p.m. Check back for information on the session, as well as more election analysis.
With neither candidate conceding in the governor’s race, Illinois legislators will return to Springfield tomorrow under a cloud of uncertainty.
Gov. Pat Quinn led Republican opponent Sen. Bill Brady by more than 16,000 votes this evening (numbers in the link will change as results are updated). Brady, who won the Republican primary by fewer than 200 votes, said that he wants to see the process through until a winner is certified by the Illinois State Board of Elections. The board has until December 3 to certify the results, though it could announce an official winner before then.
“Having been through this process before, I know the importance of making sure every voice is heard and every vote is counted. I believe we will win,” Brady said at a Bloomington news conference.
However, Quinn has said he is confident he won the race. “The Quinn [and Lt. Gov. nominee Sheila] Simon campaign wants every vote to be counted. We want to make sure the voice of every voter in the state of Illinois is duly counted and heard,” Mica Matsoff, a Quinn campaign spokesperson said in a written statement. “The ballots left to be counted appear mostly to come from Cook County, where the governor held a large margin over Senator Brady. We expect to hold our lead and may increase it. We do not see a path to victory for Bill Brady.”
Longtime Statehouse observers say it would be premature for Brady to concede early in such a close race, with absentee and military ballots still uncounted. “I think he owes it to himself and to his supporters to have all the votes be counted. … There are a lot of votes that have yet to be counted,” said Ron Michaelson, who was executive director of the Illinois State Board of Elections from 1976 to 2003. Michaelson added that if it becomes clear Brady is not the winner, he should step aside and not “hold out just to hold out.”
Kent Redfield, an emeritus professor at the University of Illinois Springfield and director of the Sunshine Project, said he doesn’t expect Brady to hold on until the certification deadline if votes start to stack up for Quinn. “I suspect that if the numbers continue to grow that we can expect a concession out of Brady over the next couple of days.”
Mike Lawrence, longtime journalist and former spokesman for then-Gov. Jim Edgar, was sympathetic to how hard it can be to give up on a close race. “He’s worked for this thing for eight years, and it’s hard to let go. … I can’t fault him at all.”
Meanwhile. the Illinois Senate is scheduled to return tomorrow — at Quinn’s request — to vote on $4 billion in borrowing so the state can make its required pension payment.
As for how the unsettled governor's race may affect the borrowing vote — and possibly the veto session — Lawrence said it might be hard to gauge. “One of the things I have learned through the years is that it is very difficult to predict what the legislature will do or not do.”
However, he added, “Quinn’s going to be somewhat distracted, and I think the members of the legislature will be as well.”
Lawrence, who is also a former director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, pointed to the 1982 governor’s race, when Republican candidate Jim Thompson led Adlai Stevenson III by a little more than 5,000 votes. Stevenson asked for a recount, which was denied by the Illinois Supreme Court and led to a rewrite of the law. “The people in the Statehouse did not focus on the state’s fiscal problems until the question of who was going to be governor was resolved,” Lawrence said. He thinks the legislature will not be interested in considering budget issues beyond pension borrowing until they know the winner of the race.
Redfield said that time is running out for the General Assembly to continue stalling on the budget crisis. “They’ve got to start taking some tough votes in order to do some of the short-term and long-term things that they need to do.’
He said he thinks the legislative leaders know something has to be done about the state’s budget woes. “[House Speaker Michael] Madigan and [Senate President John] Cullerton are very smart people, and they know that there’s a limit to how often you can finesse this situation. … They know that the state has to be in a lot better shape two years from now, when their members run for reelection.”
Cullerton spokesperson John Patterson said that regardless of the outcome of the race, Quinn is governor and continues to be governor through the coming session days.
Both Democratic leaders lost some seats to Republicans but hung onto control of their chambers. According to Sarah Wojcicki, a spokesperson for House Minority Leader Tom Cross, Republicans had claimed seven House seats with two races still unresolved as of this afternoon. Patterson said Democrats lost two seats with one race still to be decided. This means Cullerton has lost his super-majority and the ability to borrow without Republican votes. However, he repeatedly stated before the election that Democrats had no intention of passing pension borrowing on their own.
The Senate is scheduled to return to Springfield tomorrow at 1 p.m. Check back for information on the session, as well as more election analysis.
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
Election coverage
Since we have a small staff and little means to travel, I will be watching results roll in from my home computer, just as many of our readers will be. But I am looking forward to bringing you analysis in the coming days and weeks on what the results could mean for pension borrowing, the veto session, the possibility of an income tax increase, budget cuts and the future of Illinois.
For elections returns and analysis throughout tonight, go to:
The Capitol Fax Blog
The Chicago Tribune's Election Center
Chicago Sun-Times: Election 2010
The Daily Herald
Central and southern Illinois readers, check out:
The State-Journal Register's The Dome
Lee Enterprises' election site
I will be following along and tweeting on the Illinois Issues Statehouse Bureau's Twitter account (username: capitolbureau). If any other sites prove incredibly useful, I will add them to this list.
For elections returns and analysis throughout tonight, go to:
The Capitol Fax Blog
The Chicago Tribune's Election Center
Chicago Sun-Times: Election 2010
The Daily Herald
Central and southern Illinois readers, check out:
The State-Journal Register's The Dome
Lee Enterprises' election site
I will be following along and tweeting on the Illinois Issues Statehouse Bureau's Twitter account (username: capitolbureau). If any other sites prove incredibly useful, I will add them to this list.
Enjoy election night and don't forget to check back in the coming days for blogs examining and analyzing the results.
- Jamey Dunn
- Jamey Dunn
Candidates set to break spending records
By Jamey Dunn
As Democrats and Republicans battle it out in close races across the state, they are expected to break records for raising and spending campaign cash.
The candidates vying for governor likely will have spent more combined cash than any other gubernatorial race in Illinois history, according to the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform (ICPR).
The watchdog group projects spending by Gov. Pat Quinn and his Republican challenger, Sen. Bill Brady, will add up to about $30 million. The current record for the main party candidates is $23.7 million, set in 2006 by former Gov. Rod Blagojevich and current Republican candidate for comptroller Judy Baar Topinka. Spending by independent candidate for governor Scott Lee Cohen, Libertarian Lex Green and the Green Party’s Rich Whitney would bring the total spending for the race up to a projected $33 million.
Blagojevich was the big spender in the 2006 race, shelling out $16.6 million, and holds the spending record for a single candidate in an Illinois general election. Brady may break that record this year. The ICPR estimates that his spending could reach $17 million. However, Brady’s final spending totals will not be available until the campaign files an expenditure report in January.
Brady brought in $6.5 million from the Illinois Committee of the Republican Governors Association. David Morrison, deputy director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, said he was expecting Republicans to make a strong spending effort in this election even before Brady was the nominee because they saw an opportunity to grab power in one branch of Illinois government. “The Republicans were going to make a very serious run at that office, just because they had to have the governor’s office to have a voice in lawmaking.”
He said a year ago, he never would have projected that Republicans could gain control of one of the chambers of the General Assembly, but that now seems possible, as well.
Candidates for the General Assembly are also breaking cash records. The number of races in which candidates raised more than $1 million is up to 15 and has broken the record of 11 in 2006. In the 2008 general election, only six races hit the $1 million mark.
The ICPR estimates that the race between Democratic Sen. Deanna Demuzio and Republican Sam McCann, both of Carlinville, for the 49th District Senate seat will set a new record for spending in an Illinois Senate race. The two are projected to spend more than $2.6 million. The current record is $2.3 million.
Demuzio has raised $1.7 million, with $1 million coming from Senate President John Cullerton. McCann has $818,000, with more than half coming from Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno.
Democrat Mike Smith and Republican Michael Unes are poised to break the more than $1.6 million spending record for a two-candidate Illinois House race with more than $1.8 million raised between them.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Tom Kilbride’s bid to be retained for another 10-year term is the most expensive retention race in Illinois history and the second most expensive ever in the nation. Kilbride raised more than $3.2 million, while those trying to knock him off the bench — primarily JUSTPAC, the political committee for the Illinois Civil Justice League — have raised almost $700,000.
Candidates in the 25 state legislative races the ICPR characterizes as “in play” raised $24.8 million. More than 65 percent of that, or $16.7 million, came from legislative leaders or political parties.
“I think it explains why the leaders were so reluctant to limit their own giving [during recent pushes for campaign finance reform],” Morrison said.
He added that rank-and-file legislators have little motivation to change a system where, for the most part, political parties and legislative leaders hold the purse strings because that is what got them elected. “They may have decided to run for election because they care about taxes or jobs or whatever, but the one thing they share is, they know how to circulate petitions, knock on doors and win elections.”
As Democrats and Republicans battle it out in close races across the state, they are expected to break records for raising and spending campaign cash.
The candidates vying for governor likely will have spent more combined cash than any other gubernatorial race in Illinois history, according to the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform (ICPR).
The watchdog group projects spending by Gov. Pat Quinn and his Republican challenger, Sen. Bill Brady, will add up to about $30 million. The current record for the main party candidates is $23.7 million, set in 2006 by former Gov. Rod Blagojevich and current Republican candidate for comptroller Judy Baar Topinka. Spending by independent candidate for governor Scott Lee Cohen, Libertarian Lex Green and the Green Party’s Rich Whitney would bring the total spending for the race up to a projected $33 million.
Blagojevich was the big spender in the 2006 race, shelling out $16.6 million, and holds the spending record for a single candidate in an Illinois general election. Brady may break that record this year. The ICPR estimates that his spending could reach $17 million. However, Brady’s final spending totals will not be available until the campaign files an expenditure report in January.
Brady brought in $6.5 million from the Illinois Committee of the Republican Governors Association. David Morrison, deputy director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, said he was expecting Republicans to make a strong spending effort in this election even before Brady was the nominee because they saw an opportunity to grab power in one branch of Illinois government. “The Republicans were going to make a very serious run at that office, just because they had to have the governor’s office to have a voice in lawmaking.”
He said a year ago, he never would have projected that Republicans could gain control of one of the chambers of the General Assembly, but that now seems possible, as well.
Candidates for the General Assembly are also breaking cash records. The number of races in which candidates raised more than $1 million is up to 15 and has broken the record of 11 in 2006. In the 2008 general election, only six races hit the $1 million mark.
The ICPR estimates that the race between Democratic Sen. Deanna Demuzio and Republican Sam McCann, both of Carlinville, for the 49th District Senate seat will set a new record for spending in an Illinois Senate race. The two are projected to spend more than $2.6 million. The current record is $2.3 million.
Demuzio has raised $1.7 million, with $1 million coming from Senate President John Cullerton. McCann has $818,000, with more than half coming from Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno.
Democrat Mike Smith and Republican Michael Unes are poised to break the more than $1.6 million spending record for a two-candidate Illinois House race with more than $1.8 million raised between them.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Tom Kilbride’s bid to be retained for another 10-year term is the most expensive retention race in Illinois history and the second most expensive ever in the nation. Kilbride raised more than $3.2 million, while those trying to knock him off the bench — primarily JUSTPAC, the political committee for the Illinois Civil Justice League — have raised almost $700,000.
Candidates in the 25 state legislative races the ICPR characterizes as “in play” raised $24.8 million. More than 65 percent of that, or $16.7 million, came from legislative leaders or political parties.
“I think it explains why the leaders were so reluctant to limit their own giving [during recent pushes for campaign finance reform],” Morrison said.
He added that rank-and-file legislators have little motivation to change a system where, for the most part, political parties and legislative leaders hold the purse strings because that is what got them elected. “They may have decided to run for election because they care about taxes or jobs or whatever, but the one thing they share is, they know how to circulate petitions, knock on doors and win elections.”
Monday, November 01, 2010
Election day: Close races, big spenders and unhappy voters
By Jamey Dunn
As the candidates at the top of the ticket fly throughout the state trying to energize voters the day before the election, polls show Republicans have a slight edge in two close races.
A poll of likely Illinois voters released today by Public Policy Polling has U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk leading the race for U.S. Senate with 46 points to Democratic State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias’ 42 points. The same poll shows Gov. Pat Quinn, with 40 points, trailing Republican Sen. Bill Brady, who has 45 points. The margin of error for the survey is plus or minus 3.4 percent.
Meanwhile, legislative leaders are pouring money into General Assembly races. The Illinois Campaign for Political reform released a list today of 14 legislative races — seven from each chamber — where both candidates combined reported more than $1 million in campaign funds.
Kent Redfield, an emeritus professor at the University of Illinois Springfield and director of the Sunshine Project, a nonprofit campaign contribution database connected to the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, said the total number of races with more than $1 million in funds will likely be closer to 16 when all is said and done. “Republicans are seeing opportunity. Democrats are playing defense,” Redfield said.
He added that in recent years, Republicans have had to spend more to fight for suburban districts. But with Democrats — who have a demographic advantage in Illinois — facing high levels of voter frustration and apathy, Republicans have more money to target downstate districts.
As for the possibility of a Republican-controlled Illinois House, Redfield said: “I would be surprised, but I wouldn’t be shocked. … If the Democrats stay home, and the Republicans go to the polls, you could get something like 1994 [when Republicans took control of the House.]”
Redfield said almost half of Brady’s campaign cash has come from national Republican groups. He says close races for Senate and the governor’s office in a state that is typically Democratic might have compelled national Republican organizations to spend more this time around. “Nationally, Republicans have not spent a lot of money in Illinois [in the past] because there really wasn’t much point.”
There has been heightened involvement from national parties in governor’s races across the country, due in part to the fact that states will soon be redrawing legislative districts. “If you get a Republican governor, then that’s a stopper in terms of redistricting in Illinois,” Redfield said. Even if the General Assembly stays in Democrats’ hands, a Republican governor could refuse to sign off on any map they create.
A race thousands of miles away may also affect Illinois. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is battling in a close contest for his seat. If he loses and the Democrats hang on to the Senate, there is a good chance that U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin would take over as leader for his party. Durbin said he has no plans to challenge Reid if he wins reelection.
“I have no idea what anyone else is doing, but I told Harry Reid, gave him my word, I would do nothing in any way whatsoever to angle for his position,” Durbin said. He’s the majority leader. He’s going to be reelected as the majority leader.”
Redfield said that even though it seems Democratic voters in Illinois are disaffected, Illinois Democrats would still be power players in Washington, D.C. “We [would] have the Senate majority leader and the president from Illinois. That would be interesting.”
The economic downturn and a campaign season of negative ads and divisive rhetoric highlighting the state’s and the country’s ills will do little to inspire voters, according to Redfield. “If people were depressed before about the economy after this election cycle, they are even more depressed. … Where are you going to cast a positive vote tomorrow night?”
That outlook is reflected in the Public Policy poll, which says that no matter who voters choose as their next U.S. senator and governor, they will likely not be satisfied. More respondents had an unfavorable opinion than a favorable one of Kirk, Giannoulias and Brady. More than half of respondents did not approve of Quinn’s performance as governor.
Besides picking candidates, voters will also have to decide if they want to add recall power to the Illinois Constitution. If more than 60 percent of people who cast their ballots approve the amendment, voters — with the backing of 30 legislators from both chambers and both parties — would have the power to recall a sitting governor.
As the candidates at the top of the ticket fly throughout the state trying to energize voters the day before the election, polls show Republicans have a slight edge in two close races.
A poll of likely Illinois voters released today by Public Policy Polling has U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk leading the race for U.S. Senate with 46 points to Democratic State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias’ 42 points. The same poll shows Gov. Pat Quinn, with 40 points, trailing Republican Sen. Bill Brady, who has 45 points. The margin of error for the survey is plus or minus 3.4 percent.
Meanwhile, legislative leaders are pouring money into General Assembly races. The Illinois Campaign for Political reform released a list today of 14 legislative races — seven from each chamber — where both candidates combined reported more than $1 million in campaign funds.
Kent Redfield, an emeritus professor at the University of Illinois Springfield and director of the Sunshine Project, a nonprofit campaign contribution database connected to the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, said the total number of races with more than $1 million in funds will likely be closer to 16 when all is said and done. “Republicans are seeing opportunity. Democrats are playing defense,” Redfield said.
He added that in recent years, Republicans have had to spend more to fight for suburban districts. But with Democrats — who have a demographic advantage in Illinois — facing high levels of voter frustration and apathy, Republicans have more money to target downstate districts.
As for the possibility of a Republican-controlled Illinois House, Redfield said: “I would be surprised, but I wouldn’t be shocked. … If the Democrats stay home, and the Republicans go to the polls, you could get something like 1994 [when Republicans took control of the House.]”
Redfield said almost half of Brady’s campaign cash has come from national Republican groups. He says close races for Senate and the governor’s office in a state that is typically Democratic might have compelled national Republican organizations to spend more this time around. “Nationally, Republicans have not spent a lot of money in Illinois [in the past] because there really wasn’t much point.”
There has been heightened involvement from national parties in governor’s races across the country, due in part to the fact that states will soon be redrawing legislative districts. “If you get a Republican governor, then that’s a stopper in terms of redistricting in Illinois,” Redfield said. Even if the General Assembly stays in Democrats’ hands, a Republican governor could refuse to sign off on any map they create.
A race thousands of miles away may also affect Illinois. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is battling in a close contest for his seat. If he loses and the Democrats hang on to the Senate, there is a good chance that U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin would take over as leader for his party. Durbin said he has no plans to challenge Reid if he wins reelection.
“I have no idea what anyone else is doing, but I told Harry Reid, gave him my word, I would do nothing in any way whatsoever to angle for his position,” Durbin said. He’s the majority leader. He’s going to be reelected as the majority leader.”
Redfield said that even though it seems Democratic voters in Illinois are disaffected, Illinois Democrats would still be power players in Washington, D.C. “We [would] have the Senate majority leader and the president from Illinois. That would be interesting.”
The economic downturn and a campaign season of negative ads and divisive rhetoric highlighting the state’s and the country’s ills will do little to inspire voters, according to Redfield. “If people were depressed before about the economy after this election cycle, they are even more depressed. … Where are you going to cast a positive vote tomorrow night?”
That outlook is reflected in the Public Policy poll, which says that no matter who voters choose as their next U.S. senator and governor, they will likely not be satisfied. More respondents had an unfavorable opinion than a favorable one of Kirk, Giannoulias and Brady. More than half of respondents did not approve of Quinn’s performance as governor.
Besides picking candidates, voters will also have to decide if they want to add recall power to the Illinois Constitution. If more than 60 percent of people who cast their ballots approve the amendment, voters — with the backing of 30 legislators from both chambers and both parties — would have the power to recall a sitting governor.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Republicans: Quinn misleads with early release ad
By Jamey Dunn
Republicans are crying foul over the early release of some prisoners after Gov. Pat Quinn said he suspended the controversial Meritorious Good Time program. However, a report issued yesterday says their claims are unfounded.
Quinn drew heat after the Department of Correction’s “Meritorious Good Time Push [MGT Push]” program made news. The plan suspended a longstanding policy that required prisoners to wait 60 days before they received any “good time” credits that would shorten their sentences. The new policy, applied to the statutory Meritorious Good Time program, allowed some prisoners to be released after only serving weeks of their sentences.
Once the policy became a public scandal, Quinn terminated the practice of waiving the waiting period, which was referred to as the “push,” and suspended the Meritorious Good Time Program. Since that time more than 2,000 prisoners have been released with “good time” credits, and Republicans say Quinn’s claims that the programs have stopped are misleading.
However, a report issued yesterday by the Northwestern University School of Law says Quinn followed the law by releasing those prisoners, who received their credits before the program was stopped. The report calls the Republicans claims “trumped up allegations.” From the report:
Governor Quinn was accused of lying for not having attempted the impossible: retroactively revoking “good time” credits from all prisoners to whom they had been awarded prior to January 15, 2010.
Sen. Kirk Dillard, a Republican from Hinsdale, said the real problem is that Quinn is not being up front with the public by running a campaign ad claiming he stopped the program “cold,” which Dillard said “lets people think that early release is no longer taking place in any fashion.”
Dillard added: “Gov. Quinn misleads the public in his ad. And he has released thousands of additional early releases. … We still have thousands of people pouring out on the streets.”
Sharyn Elman, a spokesperson for the Department of Corrections said the Republicans are the ones warping public perception by implying the “MGT Push” program is still active. She said the state has to honor credits awarded under the standard “good time” program before its suspension and calls the Republican complaints “fear mongering.”
Republicans are crying foul over the early release of some prisoners after Gov. Pat Quinn said he suspended the controversial Meritorious Good Time program. However, a report issued yesterday says their claims are unfounded.
Quinn drew heat after the Department of Correction’s “Meritorious Good Time Push [MGT Push]” program made news. The plan suspended a longstanding policy that required prisoners to wait 60 days before they received any “good time” credits that would shorten their sentences. The new policy, applied to the statutory Meritorious Good Time program, allowed some prisoners to be released after only serving weeks of their sentences.
Once the policy became a public scandal, Quinn terminated the practice of waiving the waiting period, which was referred to as the “push,” and suspended the Meritorious Good Time Program. Since that time more than 2,000 prisoners have been released with “good time” credits, and Republicans say Quinn’s claims that the programs have stopped are misleading.
However, a report issued yesterday by the Northwestern University School of Law says Quinn followed the law by releasing those prisoners, who received their credits before the program was stopped. The report calls the Republicans claims “trumped up allegations.” From the report:
Governor Quinn was accused of lying for not having attempted the impossible: retroactively revoking “good time” credits from all prisoners to whom they had been awarded prior to January 15, 2010.
Sen. Kirk Dillard, a Republican from Hinsdale, said the real problem is that Quinn is not being up front with the public by running a campaign ad claiming he stopped the program “cold,” which Dillard said “lets people think that early release is no longer taking place in any fashion.”
Dillard added: “Gov. Quinn misleads the public in his ad. And he has released thousands of additional early releases. … We still have thousands of people pouring out on the streets.”
Sharyn Elman, a spokesperson for the Department of Corrections said the Republicans are the ones warping public perception by implying the “MGT Push” program is still active. She said the state has to honor credits awarded under the standard “good time” program before its suspension and calls the Republican complaints “fear mongering.”
Quinn and Brady's last duel
By Jamey Dunn
In their last televised face-off before the election, Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn and his Republican challenger, state Sen. Bill Brady, tore into each other but failed to cover much new ground.
Last night’s event, which was broadcast by WTTW Chicago Public Media, was a more loosely structured forum, as opposed to a formal debate. The candidates did not face time limits or make opening statements. The more lax format resulted in Brady and Quinn arguing, interrupting each other and sometimes outright sniping while trying to get in the last word before moderator Carol Marin cut them off.
The two candidates bickered over the possibility of borrowing $4 billion to make the state’s required pension payment for the current fiscal year. The Senate plans to return to Springfield on November 4 to vote on a borrowing bill, which the House narrowly approved last May.
Brady said Quinn should look for other ways to make the payment and is borrowing because “he’s not willing to face up to the tough decisions that a governor must make.” Brady added that he would do “everything [he] can” to oppose the borrowing. Quinn accused him of working behind the scenes in block the bill last spring.
Quinn said the state must make the pension payment, and — given the dire financial straits he inherited — borrowing is the way to go. “Our problems did not begin the day I lifted my hand off the Bible when I got sworn in.” He called Brady’s budget plans “irresponsible,” “reckless” and “wrong.” Meanwhile, Brady criticized Quinn for borrowing money without a dedicated funding source to pay it back.
Brady addressed recent media reports that his campaign failed to pay for airtime for its ads. He says the campaign made a “tactical” change and there was a “glitch” in payment, which has since been corrected. Quinn said the failure to pay spoke to Brady’s management skills.
When the conversation turned to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues, Brady said he had no intentions of creating a “hostile” environment for the LGBT community. However, he stuck by his stance that the law should define marriage as being between a man and a woman. Quinn went after him on social issues saying: “The governor should be tolerant. …You haven’t been tolerant.”
When asked if he had any regrets, Quinn said he had been disappointed with the political climate after he was sworn into office. He said he “thought Illinois would have a bipartisan moment to really do hard things.”
Brady said he regretted sponsoring a bill early in his run that would allow for the mass euthanasia of cats and dogs, after Marin directly asked him about the legislation. He has taken political fire over the measure and quickly removed his name from the bill after it made news.
In their last televised face-off before the election, Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn and his Republican challenger, state Sen. Bill Brady, tore into each other but failed to cover much new ground.
Last night’s event, which was broadcast by WTTW Chicago Public Media, was a more loosely structured forum, as opposed to a formal debate. The candidates did not face time limits or make opening statements. The more lax format resulted in Brady and Quinn arguing, interrupting each other and sometimes outright sniping while trying to get in the last word before moderator Carol Marin cut them off.
The two candidates bickered over the possibility of borrowing $4 billion to make the state’s required pension payment for the current fiscal year. The Senate plans to return to Springfield on November 4 to vote on a borrowing bill, which the House narrowly approved last May.
Brady said Quinn should look for other ways to make the payment and is borrowing because “he’s not willing to face up to the tough decisions that a governor must make.” Brady added that he would do “everything [he] can” to oppose the borrowing. Quinn accused him of working behind the scenes in block the bill last spring.
Quinn said the state must make the pension payment, and — given the dire financial straits he inherited — borrowing is the way to go. “Our problems did not begin the day I lifted my hand off the Bible when I got sworn in.” He called Brady’s budget plans “irresponsible,” “reckless” and “wrong.” Meanwhile, Brady criticized Quinn for borrowing money without a dedicated funding source to pay it back.
Brady addressed recent media reports that his campaign failed to pay for airtime for its ads. He says the campaign made a “tactical” change and there was a “glitch” in payment, which has since been corrected. Quinn said the failure to pay spoke to Brady’s management skills.
When the conversation turned to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues, Brady said he had no intentions of creating a “hostile” environment for the LGBT community. However, he stuck by his stance that the law should define marriage as being between a man and a woman. Quinn went after him on social issues saying: “The governor should be tolerant. …You haven’t been tolerant.”
When asked if he had any regrets, Quinn said he had been disappointed with the political climate after he was sworn into office. He said he “thought Illinois would have a bipartisan moment to really do hard things.”
Brady said he regretted sponsoring a bill early in his run that would allow for the mass euthanasia of cats and dogs, after Marin directly asked him about the legislation. He has taken political fire over the measure and quickly removed his name from the bill after it made news.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Quinn and Brady touch on budget ideas: Part 2
By Jamey Dunn
During recent debates, Gov. Pat Quinn has mentioned the “Budgeting for Results” provision — a plan to reform the state budgeting process — included in a budget bill approved last spring. (Scroll almost to the end of the bill. Section 50-25 is the bulk of it.)
However, Quinn has done little to describe the new law that seeks to make drastic changes in the way money is doled out to agencies and programs by next fiscal year.
The changes require the governor to work with legislative budgeteers and lay out priorities and goals for each agency in the budget. Executive officers will be required to set goals for their offices, as well. Budgeting for the next fiscal year will be based in part on the agencies’ abilities to meet their goals, and the governor’s office is required to report to the public on the results, compared with the original goals.
Democratic Sen. Dan Kotowski , who sponsored the bill that originally contained the reforms, said the measures represent a “paradigm change in Springfield.”
Kotowski said measuring effectiveness would give lawmakers the ability to “make decisions to cut, fund, eliminate and reform programs” based on data. He added that funding choices are now often made based on how much money a program got in the previous year and which programs have the most vocal backers. He said there is a mentality of “You have to support this because we’ve always supported it.”
Kotowski, who is from Park Ridge, said having measurable outcomes could make difficult cuts more tolerable for politicians and constituents, but they will also make it easier to justify funding for programs that work. “Here’s our budget, and it’s not just numbers, and it’s not just dollars being spent. It’s outcomes.”
In the end, he thinks such reforms could make voters more open to a possible tax increase. “When people see that government is making a difference in their lives, they are more likely to support revenue for those programs.” Kotowski made a down-to-the-wire decision to back the income tax increase approved by the Senate last year.
This new process would, in theory, mean no more budgeting in the way the legislature has for the last two fiscal years — approving lump sums and letting the governor make the cuts. “We wanted to turn a bad situation into a good one,” Kotowski said. He added that the reforms are intended to “make sure that we never, never do budgets like this again in the state of Illinois.”
Kotowski said he has been working with Quinn on the plan for the last year. If Brady wins the governor’s race, the senator said he could work with him on the reforms. However, he is worried about Brady’s proposal to cut the budget by 10 percent. “My concern is that he doesn’t understand the concept of funding: what works and cutting what doesn’t.”
Calls to Brady’s campaign on the subject were not returned. Brady voted against the bill, but since the reforms were contained in the “Emergency Budget Act,” which broadly expanded Quinn’s budgeting powers, little can be determined from the vote in relation to these measures. A section of Brady’s recovery plan does sound similar to some aspects of the new law:
No new spending initiative or program expansion will be allowed without a linked
funding source and measurable outcomes. … Further, when an agency seeks budget authority, it makes a contract with the people that it will meet its performance expectations, or it will be discontinued.
However, Brady’s plan puts more emphasis on balancing the budget and programs being linked to specific funding sources.
Kotowski admitted that the changes he sought have been met with some skepticism but added that he has been working with stakeholders on the plan for some time. He also pointed out that the requirements have been signed into law and will apply to the budget for fiscal year 2012. “If they don’t follow the law, we’ll file an injunction with the attorney general.”
Calls to Quinn’s budget office to inquire about the “Budgeting for Results” plan were not returned.
During recent debates, Gov. Pat Quinn has mentioned the “Budgeting for Results” provision — a plan to reform the state budgeting process — included in a budget bill approved last spring. (Scroll almost to the end of the bill. Section 50-25 is the bulk of it.)
However, Quinn has done little to describe the new law that seeks to make drastic changes in the way money is doled out to agencies and programs by next fiscal year.
The changes require the governor to work with legislative budgeteers and lay out priorities and goals for each agency in the budget. Executive officers will be required to set goals for their offices, as well. Budgeting for the next fiscal year will be based in part on the agencies’ abilities to meet their goals, and the governor’s office is required to report to the public on the results, compared with the original goals.
Democratic Sen. Dan Kotowski , who sponsored the bill that originally contained the reforms, said the measures represent a “paradigm change in Springfield.”
Kotowski said measuring effectiveness would give lawmakers the ability to “make decisions to cut, fund, eliminate and reform programs” based on data. He added that funding choices are now often made based on how much money a program got in the previous year and which programs have the most vocal backers. He said there is a mentality of “You have to support this because we’ve always supported it.”
Kotowski, who is from Park Ridge, said having measurable outcomes could make difficult cuts more tolerable for politicians and constituents, but they will also make it easier to justify funding for programs that work. “Here’s our budget, and it’s not just numbers, and it’s not just dollars being spent. It’s outcomes.”
In the end, he thinks such reforms could make voters more open to a possible tax increase. “When people see that government is making a difference in their lives, they are more likely to support revenue for those programs.” Kotowski made a down-to-the-wire decision to back the income tax increase approved by the Senate last year.
This new process would, in theory, mean no more budgeting in the way the legislature has for the last two fiscal years — approving lump sums and letting the governor make the cuts. “We wanted to turn a bad situation into a good one,” Kotowski said. He added that the reforms are intended to “make sure that we never, never do budgets like this again in the state of Illinois.”
Kotowski said he has been working with Quinn on the plan for the last year. If Brady wins the governor’s race, the senator said he could work with him on the reforms. However, he is worried about Brady’s proposal to cut the budget by 10 percent. “My concern is that he doesn’t understand the concept of funding: what works and cutting what doesn’t.”
Calls to Brady’s campaign on the subject were not returned. Brady voted against the bill, but since the reforms were contained in the “Emergency Budget Act,” which broadly expanded Quinn’s budgeting powers, little can be determined from the vote in relation to these measures. A section of Brady’s recovery plan does sound similar to some aspects of the new law:
No new spending initiative or program expansion will be allowed without a linked
funding source and measurable outcomes. … Further, when an agency seeks budget authority, it makes a contract with the people that it will meet its performance expectations, or it will be discontinued.
However, Brady’s plan puts more emphasis on balancing the budget and programs being linked to specific funding sources.
Kotowski admitted that the changes he sought have been met with some skepticism but added that he has been working with stakeholders on the plan for some time. He also pointed out that the requirements have been signed into law and will apply to the budget for fiscal year 2012. “If they don’t follow the law, we’ll file an injunction with the attorney general.”
Calls to Quinn’s budget office to inquire about the “Budgeting for Results” plan were not returned.
Kirk and Giannoulias spar in debate
By Jamey Dunn
During last night’s debate, U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk and state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias spoke about events from their pasts that have become fodder for the negative campaign ads that are characterizing their race for the U.S. Senate. They also weighed in on some national issues.
Both candidates acknowledged that the race has gotten personal. “This has been a tough and at times very negative campaign,” Giannoulias said at the Chicago debate. Kirk agreed that the focus has often been on the two candidates’ backgrounds but added that voters will be more concerned with the economy when they cast their votes.
Kirk — who has taken flack for exaggerating his military record as well as some personal stories about his life — said he has taken responsibility for his mistakes. Kurt has apologized for making false claims about his military service. “I misstated a part of my military record. It’s a painful process. I learned a big lesson from that. … It’s made me a better congressman.”
When asked about accusations that he was involved in loans his family bank made to alleged mobsters and criminals, Giannoulias said he should have done a better job of explaining the loan approval process when he ran for state treasurer.
“It’s easy to cherry-pick a few individuals out of thousand — out of thousands — and make a nasty political ad. But any business owner will tell you that running a business is not a straight line. Of course, mistakes are made. And inevitably, unfortunately, there are people you wish you would have never done business with.”
Kirk said he could have supported a different version of the federal stimulus program if it were “a much smaller bill with a much larger amount of money for infrastructure.” He said too much money was spent on social programs, and the package was ultimately a failure because it did not keep unemployment below President Barack Obama’s goal of 8 percent.
He also railed against deficit spending, saying the “legacy” of Obama’s recovery bill will be the debt “leveled on the financial future of our kids.” He added, “Our country used to number our debts in billions; now it’s in trillions.”
Giannoulias accused Kirk of recently becoming a deficit hawk after backing former President George W. Bush’s budgets, which put the country trillions of dollars into the red. He said the stimulus bill wasn’t perfect, but it kept the country out of another “Great Depression.”
Kirk said the bill excluded valid stimulus opportunities, such as an overhaul of O’Hare International Airport, because it excluded projects that were not “shovel-ready.”
Giannoulias said he supports the repeal of the Pentagon’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy, which prevents gays and lesbians from openly serving in the U.S. military. A federal judge recently deemed the policy unconstitutional, and military recruiters have been ordered to begin accepting gay and lesbian recruits.
Kirk said he voted to keep the policy in place and thinks mixed messages coming from Obama’s administration, which sought to block the judge’s order, are bad for the military. Obama has said he supports the repeal of “Don’t Ask. Don’t Tell.”
“I think we ought to listen to the men and women who run the U.S. military. It is one of the most complicated organizations on Earth,” Kirk said.
Giannoulias also supports the “Dream Act,” which would create a path to citizenship for immigrants who go to college in America or serve in the military. Kirk said he doesn’t think the time is right for the bill. He said it should not be debated until officials “restore the trust of the American people in the ability to administer our own border.”
Kirk said he supports civil unions for same-sex couples. However, he added: “I also don’t think we should have a federal takeover of all marriage law in the United States. I think the federal government is already trying to take over too much.”
Giannoulias said he supports same-sex marriage rights. “We’re going to look back in 20 or 30 years and be embarrassed that we didn’t move sooner on this." (For more on the race for U.S. Senate see the current (October) Illinois Issues, Page 24.)
During last night’s debate, U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk and state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias spoke about events from their pasts that have become fodder for the negative campaign ads that are characterizing their race for the U.S. Senate. They also weighed in on some national issues.
Both candidates acknowledged that the race has gotten personal. “This has been a tough and at times very negative campaign,” Giannoulias said at the Chicago debate. Kirk agreed that the focus has often been on the two candidates’ backgrounds but added that voters will be more concerned with the economy when they cast their votes.
Kirk — who has taken flack for exaggerating his military record as well as some personal stories about his life — said he has taken responsibility for his mistakes. Kurt has apologized for making false claims about his military service. “I misstated a part of my military record. It’s a painful process. I learned a big lesson from that. … It’s made me a better congressman.”
When asked about accusations that he was involved in loans his family bank made to alleged mobsters and criminals, Giannoulias said he should have done a better job of explaining the loan approval process when he ran for state treasurer.
“It’s easy to cherry-pick a few individuals out of thousand — out of thousands — and make a nasty political ad. But any business owner will tell you that running a business is not a straight line. Of course, mistakes are made. And inevitably, unfortunately, there are people you wish you would have never done business with.”
Kirk said he could have supported a different version of the federal stimulus program if it were “a much smaller bill with a much larger amount of money for infrastructure.” He said too much money was spent on social programs, and the package was ultimately a failure because it did not keep unemployment below President Barack Obama’s goal of 8 percent.
He also railed against deficit spending, saying the “legacy” of Obama’s recovery bill will be the debt “leveled on the financial future of our kids.” He added, “Our country used to number our debts in billions; now it’s in trillions.”
Giannoulias accused Kirk of recently becoming a deficit hawk after backing former President George W. Bush’s budgets, which put the country trillions of dollars into the red. He said the stimulus bill wasn’t perfect, but it kept the country out of another “Great Depression.”
Kirk said the bill excluded valid stimulus opportunities, such as an overhaul of O’Hare International Airport, because it excluded projects that were not “shovel-ready.”
Giannoulias said he supports the repeal of the Pentagon’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy, which prevents gays and lesbians from openly serving in the U.S. military. A federal judge recently deemed the policy unconstitutional, and military recruiters have been ordered to begin accepting gay and lesbian recruits.
Kirk said he voted to keep the policy in place and thinks mixed messages coming from Obama’s administration, which sought to block the judge’s order, are bad for the military. Obama has said he supports the repeal of “Don’t Ask. Don’t Tell.”
“I think we ought to listen to the men and women who run the U.S. military. It is one of the most complicated organizations on Earth,” Kirk said.
Giannoulias also supports the “Dream Act,” which would create a path to citizenship for immigrants who go to college in America or serve in the military. Kirk said he doesn’t think the time is right for the bill. He said it should not be debated until officials “restore the trust of the American people in the ability to administer our own border.”
Kirk said he supports civil unions for same-sex couples. However, he added: “I also don’t think we should have a federal takeover of all marriage law in the United States. I think the federal government is already trying to take over too much.”
Giannoulias said he supports same-sex marriage rights. “We’re going to look back in 20 or 30 years and be embarrassed that we didn’t move sooner on this." (For more on the race for U.S. Senate see the current (October) Illinois Issues, Page 24.)
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Brady and Quinn touch on budget ideas during debates
By Jamey Dunn
Both Gov. Pat Quinn and his Republican opponent for governor, Sen. Bill Brady, have avoided sharing many specific details of their budget plans during the recent debates. However, they each briefly mentioned some compelling ideas for tackling the state’s broken finances.
When asked about the possibility of borrowing up to $50 billion to help pay down the state’s unfunded pension liability, Brady touched on a borrowing plan to pay off Illinois’ growing stack of past due bills.
“Once we solve the pension crisis, there are some who have suggested that the marketplace may make it more affordable to pay back the backlog of unpaid bills that Gov. Quinn and Gov. Blagojevich have racked up,” Brady said at the recent debate in Elmhurst. “The crisis is so bad we have to consider all options.”
Brady has not ruled out the $50 billion in pension borrowing, which he has said would go toward the unfunded liability not the annual payments. Brady has also characterized the idea as one of many possible plans floating in the ether.
Patty Schuh, a Brady spokeswoman, said borrowing to pay down the deficit or fund the operating budget is out of the question. She said Brady “will not borrow to fill the structural debt.”
However, she added that Brady would not rule out borrowing against a “dedicated revenue stream” as part of a payment plan to address the backlog of unpaid bills.
Brady does not support $4 billion in borrowing, which the Senate plans to take up shortly after the election, to make this fiscal year’s pension payment “I’m opposed to that. Because [Quinn] does not have a plan to pay it back. You cannot borrow for structural operating deficits,” he said.
Quinn — who at the Elmhurst debate referred to his role in the budget crisis as the “cleanup man” — scoffed at Brady’s take on borrowing. “The state of Illinois is not going to borrow $50 billion. That is the most ridiculous thing you could possibly do.”
A statement Brady made to reporters after the debate implied solving the state’s deficit would take priority over the backlog. “We have to eliminate the structural deficit year one and then pay back the backlog of unpaid bills.”
However, Schuh said today that Brady plans to tackle both issues “in tandem” adding “those unpaid bills are out there” and cannot be ignored.
Meanwhile, Quinn has been touting the “Budgeting for Results” provision, which was rolled into the approved budget bill last spring, in recent debates. Check out tomorrow’s blog for a closer look at what it is and what role it could play in the budgeting process for next fiscal year.
Both Gov. Pat Quinn and his Republican opponent for governor, Sen. Bill Brady, have avoided sharing many specific details of their budget plans during the recent debates. However, they each briefly mentioned some compelling ideas for tackling the state’s broken finances.
When asked about the possibility of borrowing up to $50 billion to help pay down the state’s unfunded pension liability, Brady touched on a borrowing plan to pay off Illinois’ growing stack of past due bills.
“Once we solve the pension crisis, there are some who have suggested that the marketplace may make it more affordable to pay back the backlog of unpaid bills that Gov. Quinn and Gov. Blagojevich have racked up,” Brady said at the recent debate in Elmhurst. “The crisis is so bad we have to consider all options.”
Brady has not ruled out the $50 billion in pension borrowing, which he has said would go toward the unfunded liability not the annual payments. Brady has also characterized the idea as one of many possible plans floating in the ether.
Patty Schuh, a Brady spokeswoman, said borrowing to pay down the deficit or fund the operating budget is out of the question. She said Brady “will not borrow to fill the structural debt.”
However, she added that Brady would not rule out borrowing against a “dedicated revenue stream” as part of a payment plan to address the backlog of unpaid bills.
Brady does not support $4 billion in borrowing, which the Senate plans to take up shortly after the election, to make this fiscal year’s pension payment “I’m opposed to that. Because [Quinn] does not have a plan to pay it back. You cannot borrow for structural operating deficits,” he said.
Quinn — who at the Elmhurst debate referred to his role in the budget crisis as the “cleanup man” — scoffed at Brady’s take on borrowing. “The state of Illinois is not going to borrow $50 billion. That is the most ridiculous thing you could possibly do.”
A statement Brady made to reporters after the debate implied solving the state’s deficit would take priority over the backlog. “We have to eliminate the structural deficit year one and then pay back the backlog of unpaid bills.”
However, Schuh said today that Brady plans to tackle both issues “in tandem” adding “those unpaid bills are out there” and cannot be ignored.
Meanwhile, Quinn has been touting the “Budgeting for Results” provision, which was rolled into the approved budget bill last spring, in recent debates. Check out tomorrow’s blog for a closer look at what it is and what role it could play in the budgeting process for next fiscal year.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Debate includes third-party candidate
By Jamey Dunn
During last night’s gubernatorial debate, Gov. Pat Quinn and Republican candidate for governor Sen. Bill Brady took shots at each other, while Green Party candidate Rich Whitney advocated for free higher education.
Much of what Quinn and Brady focused on was a rehash of their talking points from previous debates and campaign events.
Quinn criticized Brady for wanting to eliminate the Put Illinois to Work program. Meanwhile, Quinn said that he has “taken on the crisis of state government with a heart.”
Brady, who was leading the race in a recent poll, called the program a cynical election ploy and characterized the work it has created for residents as “temporary tax jobs.” He said as governor, he would grow the public sector by being “business friendly” and create more permanent jobs.
Whitney took a swipe at Brady’s economic plan calling it “warmed over Reaganomics.” He added: “It didn’t work then. It doesn’t work now.”
Whitney's plan for recovery involved free public higher education for all. Whitney said it would create jobs at universities, which are, “well-distributed geographically around the state.” Whitney said the money students and parents would save by not paying tuition could provide economic stimulus and not having to take out loans to get an education would help residents avoid debt.
Brady took the opportunity to again slam Quinn’s deal with American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which guarantees no layoffs until 2012 in exchange for $50 million in savings. The union endorsed Quinn shortly before the deal was signed, and Brady accused Quinn of making a trade to get the organization’s support. “Gov. Quinn has an endorsement. The union has a deal that will tie the hands of the next governor.”
However Quinn played up the fact that the union plans to make cutbacks under a contract that has already been negotiated. “I’ve been able to get concession from the unions … under the existing union contracts.” He also touted cost-saving pension reforms that he signed last spring.
Quinn and Brady both focused on the economic state of the state. Quinn highlighted manufacturing jobs that are new to Illinois in recent months. However, Brady said Illinois’ unfriendly business policies are running jobs out of the state. “Gov. Quinn’s the job governor all right, but it just happens to be for Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky and other states.”
Whitney said that until state government can pay its bills and “perform its most basic functions,” Illinois does not look like a good bet to the business sector. “What business wants to come to or stay in a state whose public sector is falling apart, whose schools are falling apart — the cost of higher education going through the roof. … Where the infrastructure is falling apart where health care vendors aren’t being paid on time. Where people dependent on social services aren’t being paid on time. Social services are crumbling. What business wants to stay in a state like that?”
The debate, held on Southern Illinois University’s Carbondale campus, was Whitney’s chance for exposure before three upcoming debates in which he will likely not participate. Sponsors in those debates did not extend an invitation to the Green Party candidate, citing his low numbers in recent polls.
During last night’s gubernatorial debate, Gov. Pat Quinn and Republican candidate for governor Sen. Bill Brady took shots at each other, while Green Party candidate Rich Whitney advocated for free higher education.
Much of what Quinn and Brady focused on was a rehash of their talking points from previous debates and campaign events.
Quinn criticized Brady for wanting to eliminate the Put Illinois to Work program. Meanwhile, Quinn said that he has “taken on the crisis of state government with a heart.”
Brady, who was leading the race in a recent poll, called the program a cynical election ploy and characterized the work it has created for residents as “temporary tax jobs.” He said as governor, he would grow the public sector by being “business friendly” and create more permanent jobs.
Whitney took a swipe at Brady’s economic plan calling it “warmed over Reaganomics.” He added: “It didn’t work then. It doesn’t work now.”
Whitney's plan for recovery involved free public higher education for all. Whitney said it would create jobs at universities, which are, “well-distributed geographically around the state.” Whitney said the money students and parents would save by not paying tuition could provide economic stimulus and not having to take out loans to get an education would help residents avoid debt.
Brady took the opportunity to again slam Quinn’s deal with American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which guarantees no layoffs until 2012 in exchange for $50 million in savings. The union endorsed Quinn shortly before the deal was signed, and Brady accused Quinn of making a trade to get the organization’s support. “Gov. Quinn has an endorsement. The union has a deal that will tie the hands of the next governor.”
However Quinn played up the fact that the union plans to make cutbacks under a contract that has already been negotiated. “I’ve been able to get concession from the unions … under the existing union contracts.” He also touted cost-saving pension reforms that he signed last spring.
Quinn and Brady both focused on the economic state of the state. Quinn highlighted manufacturing jobs that are new to Illinois in recent months. However, Brady said Illinois’ unfriendly business policies are running jobs out of the state. “Gov. Quinn’s the job governor all right, but it just happens to be for Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky and other states.”
Whitney said that until state government can pay its bills and “perform its most basic functions,” Illinois does not look like a good bet to the business sector. “What business wants to come to or stay in a state whose public sector is falling apart, whose schools are falling apart — the cost of higher education going through the roof. … Where the infrastructure is falling apart where health care vendors aren’t being paid on time. Where people dependent on social services aren’t being paid on time. Social services are crumbling. What business wants to stay in a state like that?”
The debate, held on Southern Illinois University’s Carbondale campus, was Whitney’s chance for exposure before three upcoming debates in which he will likely not participate. Sponsors in those debates did not extend an invitation to the Green Party candidate, citing his low numbers in recent polls.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Senate to vote on pension borrowing in early November
By Jamey Dunn
Leaders in the Illinois Senate plan to return to Springfield a few days after the election to consider $4 billion in borrowing to make the state's required pension payment for the current fiscal year.
The Senate plans to hold session on November 4 to address the borrowing plan, which passed by a narrow margin in the House after contentious debate last May.
John Patterson, a spokesperson for Senate President John Cullerton, confirmed the announcement that Gov. Pat Quinn made about the vote last July. He said Quinn asked Senate leaders during the summer to take up the issue as soon as possible. He added that the November 4 date was the earliest Senate members could accommodate the governor's request.
UPDATE: Steve Brown, spokesperson for House Speaker Michael Madigan, said the House will be sticking to it's planned veto session schedule, which has them returning on November 16.
Leaders in the Illinois Senate plan to return to Springfield a few days after the election to consider $4 billion in borrowing to make the state's required pension payment for the current fiscal year.
The Senate plans to hold session on November 4 to address the borrowing plan, which passed by a narrow margin in the House after contentious debate last May.
John Patterson, a spokesperson for Senate President John Cullerton, confirmed the announcement that Gov. Pat Quinn made about the vote last July. He said Quinn asked Senate leaders during the summer to take up the issue as soon as possible. He added that the November 4 date was the earliest Senate members could accommodate the governor's request.
UPDATE: Steve Brown, spokesperson for House Speaker Michael Madigan, said the House will be sticking to it's planned veto session schedule, which has them returning on November 16.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Whitney demands debate invitations
By Jamey Dunn
With only a few weeks before the general election, Rich Whitney, the Green Party candidate for governor, has launched a campaign to be included in public debates.
Whitney is pushing to be invited to three planned gubernatorial debates, which now only include Republican candidate Sen. Bill Brady and Democrat Gov. Pat Quinn.
The debates, scheduled for later this month, are sponsored by Elmhurst College, the League of Women Voters of Illinois and the City Club of Chicago.
Whitney said all candidates should be invited to debate, but he thinks he has the strongest appeal for inclusion because he won more than 10 percent of the vote in the 2006 governor’s race. He added that he is the only candidate who has detailed a specific plan to address the state's current budget crisis.
Whitney said that candidates who collect enough signatures to get on the ballot should not then face a polling requirement to be included in debates. “We shouldn’t be relying on the polling numbers. What is the purpose of a civic organization? It’s to allow the citizens to choose,” Whitney said.” It’s to inform the voting public so that they have an opportunity to decide who the best candidate is. Then you will see the polling numbers change.”
Jan Czarnik, executive director of the League of Women Voters, said the purpose of a debate held shortly before the election is to give voters a chance to find out more about the candidates who are likely to bring in votes. “It’s not our job to build support for candidates that the public doesn’t seem to be very interested in.”
According to the organization’s written policy, the league requires that candidates get at least 10 percent support in “one or more statewide non partisan public poll not more than 30 days prior to the election and at least five days prior to the debate.”
Czarnik said representatives of Whitney’s campaign and the Green Party were involved in debate planning sessions and agreed to those terms last July.
Whitney said his representatives may have “acknowledged” the league's terms but never agreed to them. He said there could have been a "miscommunication" between his staff and the league, but his view on debate participation has not changed. “In any event, I think it’s still wrong.”
Whitney has created an advertisement advocating his inclusion in the debates. He said he is raising money to buy television airtime for the advertisement. He is encouraging supporters to contact the debate sponsors and said he will be organizing protests outside any “illegitimate” debates that do not include him.
Whitney plans to participate in a debate with Brady and Quinn on the Southern Illinois University Carbondale campus tomorrow night.
With only a few weeks before the general election, Rich Whitney, the Green Party candidate for governor, has launched a campaign to be included in public debates.
Whitney is pushing to be invited to three planned gubernatorial debates, which now only include Republican candidate Sen. Bill Brady and Democrat Gov. Pat Quinn.
The debates, scheduled for later this month, are sponsored by Elmhurst College, the League of Women Voters of Illinois and the City Club of Chicago.
Whitney said all candidates should be invited to debate, but he thinks he has the strongest appeal for inclusion because he won more than 10 percent of the vote in the 2006 governor’s race. He added that he is the only candidate who has detailed a specific plan to address the state's current budget crisis.
Whitney said that candidates who collect enough signatures to get on the ballot should not then face a polling requirement to be included in debates. “We shouldn’t be relying on the polling numbers. What is the purpose of a civic organization? It’s to allow the citizens to choose,” Whitney said.” It’s to inform the voting public so that they have an opportunity to decide who the best candidate is. Then you will see the polling numbers change.”
Jan Czarnik, executive director of the League of Women Voters, said the purpose of a debate held shortly before the election is to give voters a chance to find out more about the candidates who are likely to bring in votes. “It’s not our job to build support for candidates that the public doesn’t seem to be very interested in.”
According to the organization’s written policy, the league requires that candidates get at least 10 percent support in “one or more statewide non partisan public poll not more than 30 days prior to the election and at least five days prior to the debate.”
Czarnik said representatives of Whitney’s campaign and the Green Party were involved in debate planning sessions and agreed to those terms last July.
Whitney said his representatives may have “acknowledged” the league's terms but never agreed to them. He said there could have been a "miscommunication" between his staff and the league, but his view on debate participation has not changed. “In any event, I think it’s still wrong.”
Whitney has created an advertisement advocating his inclusion in the debates. He said he is raising money to buy television airtime for the advertisement. He is encouraging supporters to contact the debate sponsors and said he will be organizing protests outside any “illegitimate” debates that do not include him.
Whitney plans to participate in a debate with Brady and Quinn on the Southern Illinois University Carbondale campus tomorrow night.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Poll shows Brady gaining in governor's race
By Jamey Dunn
A poll released today by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute shows Republican candidate for governor, Sen. Bill Brady, with a greater lead than other recent polls.
Today’s poll of more than 700 likely Illinois voters — conducted between September 30 and October 10 — shows Brady with 38.4 percent of the vote and Gov. Pat Quinn with 29.8 percent. Independent candidate Scott Lee Cohen got 5.9 percent, and Green Party candidate Rich Whitney had 2.2 percent. Libertarian candidate Lex Green had 1.5 percent, and 22.1 percent of respondents were undecided or said they preferred another candidate. The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
Two polls released at the end of September showed a much closer race for the governor’s seat. A Chicago Tribune poll had Quinn in the lead at 39 to Brady’s 38, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.
A CNN/Time poll had Brady with 40 percent of the vote and Quinn 38 percent. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.5 percent. All three polls show the race for U.S. Senate as a toss up. The Public Policy Institute Poll had Republican candidate U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk with 37.3 and Democratic Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias with 36.8 percent. Green Party candidate LeAlan Jones had 3.3 percent. Libertarian Mike Labno had 1.8 percent, and 20.7 percent were undecided or preferred another candidate.
Just as those polls caused a stir earlier this month — many polls earlier in the race showed Brady leading by about 10 points — today’s Public Policy Institute poll has people taking notice. However, Charles Leonard, a visiting professor with the institute who oversaw the poll, said many factors come into play when looking at such public opinion surveys.
One is the margin of error. Leonard pointed out that the margin of error in his organization’s poll and the Tribune’s poll is very close to the difference in numbers. “When we do a survey, it’s not like sticking a thermometer in the water.”
Leonard added that all the polls paint a picture of a two tight races and — with the high level of undecided respondents — a group of candidates that voters are not very enthusiastic about. “It is a volatile, fluid race. It doesn’t look like people are very firmly committed,” he said.
He said some pollsters will push undecided voters to say which candidates they may be leaning toward, but that was not the case in the Public Policy Institute’s poll. “It’s a weird year, and other surveys don’t have as many undecideds as we do. … We didn’t poke the undecideds.”
Participants were also asked about their approval of President Barack Obama. Half of respondents approve of the president’s performance; a recent Gallup found 46 percent of voters approved nationwide.
However, well over half, 62 percent, of the respondents in the Public Policy Institute survey thought the country is headed in the wrong direction, and 81 percent thought the state was going down the wrong path.
While more respondents — 41 percent — said they agree with the ideals of the so-called Tea Party movement than those who disagreed — 36 percent. More — 45 percent — said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate affiliated with the Tea Party than the 33 percent who said they would be more likely to support a candidate tied to the movement.
Leonard said it is still fairly early for observers to latch onto poll numbers. “They should take every poll with a grain of salt until we get into the last couple days. … People either overstate what polls can do, or they ignore them and say they are all bogus. The truth is obviously somewhere in between.”
The institute plans to release more results from the poll tomorrow. Check back for more details.UPDATE: Additional poll results on ethics issues will not be released until tomorrow.
A poll released today by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute shows Republican candidate for governor, Sen. Bill Brady, with a greater lead than other recent polls.
Today’s poll of more than 700 likely Illinois voters — conducted between September 30 and October 10 — shows Brady with 38.4 percent of the vote and Gov. Pat Quinn with 29.8 percent. Independent candidate Scott Lee Cohen got 5.9 percent, and Green Party candidate Rich Whitney had 2.2 percent. Libertarian candidate Lex Green had 1.5 percent, and 22.1 percent of respondents were undecided or said they preferred another candidate. The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
Two polls released at the end of September showed a much closer race for the governor’s seat. A Chicago Tribune poll had Quinn in the lead at 39 to Brady’s 38, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent.
A CNN/Time poll had Brady with 40 percent of the vote and Quinn 38 percent. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.5 percent. All three polls show the race for U.S. Senate as a toss up. The Public Policy Institute Poll had Republican candidate U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk with 37.3 and Democratic Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias with 36.8 percent. Green Party candidate LeAlan Jones had 3.3 percent. Libertarian Mike Labno had 1.8 percent, and 20.7 percent were undecided or preferred another candidate.
Just as those polls caused a stir earlier this month — many polls earlier in the race showed Brady leading by about 10 points — today’s Public Policy Institute poll has people taking notice. However, Charles Leonard, a visiting professor with the institute who oversaw the poll, said many factors come into play when looking at such public opinion surveys.
One is the margin of error. Leonard pointed out that the margin of error in his organization’s poll and the Tribune’s poll is very close to the difference in numbers. “When we do a survey, it’s not like sticking a thermometer in the water.”
Leonard added that all the polls paint a picture of a two tight races and — with the high level of undecided respondents — a group of candidates that voters are not very enthusiastic about. “It is a volatile, fluid race. It doesn’t look like people are very firmly committed,” he said.
He said some pollsters will push undecided voters to say which candidates they may be leaning toward, but that was not the case in the Public Policy Institute’s poll. “It’s a weird year, and other surveys don’t have as many undecideds as we do. … We didn’t poke the undecideds.”
Participants were also asked about their approval of President Barack Obama. Half of respondents approve of the president’s performance; a recent Gallup found 46 percent of voters approved nationwide.
However, well over half, 62 percent, of the respondents in the Public Policy Institute survey thought the country is headed in the wrong direction, and 81 percent thought the state was going down the wrong path.
While more respondents — 41 percent — said they agree with the ideals of the so-called Tea Party movement than those who disagreed — 36 percent. More — 45 percent — said they would be less likely to vote for a candidate affiliated with the Tea Party than the 33 percent who said they would be more likely to support a candidate tied to the movement.
Leonard said it is still fairly early for observers to latch onto poll numbers. “They should take every poll with a grain of salt until we get into the last couple days. … People either overstate what polls can do, or they ignore them and say they are all bogus. The truth is obviously somewhere in between.”
The institute plans to release more results from the poll tomorrow. Check back for more details.UPDATE: Additional poll results on ethics issues will not be released until tomorrow.
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
N.J. governor stumps for Brady
By Jamey DunnNew Jersey and Illinois have a lot in common: massively underfunded pension systems, widespread teacher layoffs and gaping budget holes.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie seems to be a role model of sorts for state Sen. Bill Brady, the Republican gubernatorial candidate who mentions Christie often when pressured on how he will make his budget plans a reality. Christie came to Illinois today to stump for Brady on a statewide tour, and he talked about the harsh similarities the two states share.
“With New Jersey facing many of the same challenges that Illinois is facing — unemployment high taxes and overspending — Gov. Christie has proven that you can balance the budget without raising taxes,” Brady said as he introduced the governor.
Christie, who took office facing an $11 billion deficit, defended the lack of specifics in Brady’s budget plan, saying he did not detail specific cuts “as if I’m a CPA putting together a ledger” when he was running for office. He said people want more general information.
“The same things were being hurled at me a year ago right now. Democrats, some members of the press, were saying I wasn’t being specific enough,” Christie said. “What the people of Illinois need to know is what direction is the governor going to take them in. … Telling people that you’re going to cut the size of government, cut taxes, and I know he’s laid out specifically which ones he wants to cut — I think that’s a pretty good idea for voters to make a decision on.”
Christie added that if he had made specific statements, he would have gone back on them once he got into office and discovered the full scope of the state’s budget problems.
Brady has suggested that one way to save money in local school districts without layoffs would be to ask teachers to forgo raises that are built into their pay scales. He has mentioned New Jersey as a model for such a plan. However, Christie said negotiations with teacher’s unions in his state fell through and resulted in layoffs.
“It’s a pretty sad example of a public sector union who simply doesn’t get it,” Christie said. “I would hope, after watching what’s happened in New Jersey, the teachers union in Illinois would step up to the plate and say, ‘Hey we’re going to be part of the shared sacrifice.’”
Christie also said that reducing pension benefits for current state employees should be on the table in Illinois. Most observers agree that any changes to current employee benefits would require a constitutional amendment.
Gov. Pat Quinn’s campaign fired back at Brady's and Christie’s claims that Brady is proposing the right things to address the deficit in his state.
“If you want to get a picture of Bill Brady’s Illinois, you need look no further than New Jersey. Chris Christie laid off nearly 10 percent of the state’s teachers, eliminated property tax relief for the middle class, cut public transit funding and skipped $3.1 billion in pension payments — hurting working families and costing taxpayers billions in the long term to pay for his own budget shortcuts. At the same time, he granted billions in tax breaks to corporations,” Mica Matsoff, a Quinn campaign spokesperson, said in a written statement.
Christie said Brady can live up to his claim of balancing the budget in a year if he is willing to make difficult decisions.
“We cut every department of state budget — every one of them. … Real spending was cut 9 percent year over year. This is serious medicine that has to be given when you want to close that kind of hole.”
Brady also brushed aside several recent polls that say Quinn has narrowed Brady’s lead to single digits. “We’re confident in our strategy and the fact the we are building momentum. We care deeply about one poll, and that’s the poll on November 2,” he said.
Brady said internal campaign polls show his support is growing. “I will tell you that we’d just as soon our supporters thought this was a dead heat and make sure that we get our supporters out. And make sure the voters get out, so we don’t take anything for granted.”
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Quinn and Brady duke it out in first debate
By Jamey Dunn
Gov. Pat Quinn and his Republican opponent for governor, state Sen. Bill Brady, talked policy and traded shots in a debate this morning held by Chicago's Union League Club.
Quinn started things off by outlining the difficulties he faced when he entered office last year after his predecessor, former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, was impeached and removed from office. He said he was confronted with three major crises — the national recession, Illinois’ budget deficit and an “integrity crisis” — when he took office during “probably the toughest time in Illinois history.”
Quinn put a positive spin on the state’s current bleak situation by listing accomplishments from his year in office, including pension reform, campaign finance reform, budget cuts and getting a recall amendment on the November general election ballot.
“I took on those crises. And rolled up my sleeves and took the oath of office. And [I] have worked hard ever since,” Quinn said at the Chicago debate.
Brady focused on his ability to bring a business perspective to a state budget that is drowning in red ink. “As a businessman, I know what those challenges are like. … Our state when you look at it like a bus is in a difficult spot. … When you look at the liabilities section of the balance sheet, the numbers are horrifying.”
Brady reiterated his plan to eliminate the gasoline tax and the estate tax, as well as reduce fees. He repeated his plans to balance the budget without a tax increase and to cut agency budgets by 10 percent. “We cannot work our way out of this crisis with higher taxes, more borrowing and more spending,” he said.
Quinn said the best way to create more jobs is through working directly with businesses and tailoring tax cuts to get the most bang for the buck. “The way you grow jobs is you have a governor that can work with CEOs and small businesses, and actually talk to them about targeted tax cuts — not the estate tax on multimillionaires. That’s not going to grow our economy. What really is going to grow our economy is targeted tax cuts that really help businesses grow jobs.”
Quinn touted his role in bringing Ford Motor Co. manufacturing jobs to the state and persuading Navistar, a producer of large truck parts, to remain in Illinois.
Brady took several shots at Quinn over the department of corrections’ secret “Meritorious Good Time Push” early release program, which let prisoners — some of them violent offenders — out after serving only weeks of their sentences. Brady said Quinn’s mismanagement of the budget and the agency put Illinois residents at risk. He said public safety would be his top budget priority, followed by paying off pension and bond obligations.
Quinn said Brady can’t have it both ways by cutting the corrections budget 10 percent while still promising to safely house prisoners. “Under his plan., we’ll cut the Department of Corrections. We’ll close prisons. We’ll endanger the people of Illinois.”
Quinn emphasized education as his top spending priority. “I have the courage to tell the truth to the people of Illinois. We need more revenue for our education. … I don’t want to lose a generation of children. I don’t want to take away scholarships.” He highlighted his ability to bring in federal dollars, while Brady said Illinois must stop looking to U.S. Congress for bailouts.
Gov. Pat Quinn and his Republican opponent for governor, state Sen. Bill Brady, talked policy and traded shots in a debate this morning held by Chicago's Union League Club.
Quinn started things off by outlining the difficulties he faced when he entered office last year after his predecessor, former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, was impeached and removed from office. He said he was confronted with three major crises — the national recession, Illinois’ budget deficit and an “integrity crisis” — when he took office during “probably the toughest time in Illinois history.”
Quinn put a positive spin on the state’s current bleak situation by listing accomplishments from his year in office, including pension reform, campaign finance reform, budget cuts and getting a recall amendment on the November general election ballot.
“I took on those crises. And rolled up my sleeves and took the oath of office. And [I] have worked hard ever since,” Quinn said at the Chicago debate.
Brady focused on his ability to bring a business perspective to a state budget that is drowning in red ink. “As a businessman, I know what those challenges are like. … Our state when you look at it like a bus is in a difficult spot. … When you look at the liabilities section of the balance sheet, the numbers are horrifying.”
Brady reiterated his plan to eliminate the gasoline tax and the estate tax, as well as reduce fees. He repeated his plans to balance the budget without a tax increase and to cut agency budgets by 10 percent. “We cannot work our way out of this crisis with higher taxes, more borrowing and more spending,” he said.
Quinn said the best way to create more jobs is through working directly with businesses and tailoring tax cuts to get the most bang for the buck. “The way you grow jobs is you have a governor that can work with CEOs and small businesses, and actually talk to them about targeted tax cuts — not the estate tax on multimillionaires. That’s not going to grow our economy. What really is going to grow our economy is targeted tax cuts that really help businesses grow jobs.”
Quinn touted his role in bringing Ford Motor Co. manufacturing jobs to the state and persuading Navistar, a producer of large truck parts, to remain in Illinois.
Brady took several shots at Quinn over the department of corrections’ secret “Meritorious Good Time Push” early release program, which let prisoners — some of them violent offenders — out after serving only weeks of their sentences. Brady said Quinn’s mismanagement of the budget and the agency put Illinois residents at risk. He said public safety would be his top budget priority, followed by paying off pension and bond obligations.
Quinn said Brady can’t have it both ways by cutting the corrections budget 10 percent while still promising to safely house prisoners. “Under his plan., we’ll cut the Department of Corrections. We’ll close prisons. We’ll endanger the people of Illinois.”
Quinn emphasized education as his top spending priority. “I have the courage to tell the truth to the people of Illinois. We need more revenue for our education. … I don’t want to lose a generation of children. I don’t want to take away scholarships.” He highlighted his ability to bring in federal dollars, while Brady said Illinois must stop looking to U.S. Congress for bailouts.
“Last time I checked, the people of Illinois paid a lot of money to the federal government in taxes, and we are entitled to some of that money back,” Quinn said.
Perhaps Brady’s sharpest barb was his renouncement of Quinn’s “secret” deal with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which allows the union to avoid layoffs until 2012 in exchange for at least $50 million in cost-cutting measures. He called on the governor to rescind the offer, which came on the heels off the union’s endorsement of Quinn for governor. “It’s wrong, and you know it,” Brady said.
Quinn said Brady lacks a record of accomplishments, even after spending more than 15 years in the legislature. “This is how you roll up your sleeves and get the job done in Illinois. You don’t just talk about it. You have a record. I have a record of accomplishment. … Brady has no record. He talks about great things, but he doesn’t deliver,” Quinn said. He played off of Brady’s home building business to criticize the Republican's lack of a specific budget plan: “Who in the world would ever buy a home from some one without seeing the blueprint?”
Brady did choose to focus primarily on what is wrong in Illinois instead of any past successes he may have had as a legislator. On the topic of overdue payments to service providers, he said: “The people out there are on life support because your government has left them with an IOU. And they’re having to let people [go.] Those are real jobs.”
Perhaps Brady’s sharpest barb was his renouncement of Quinn’s “secret” deal with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which allows the union to avoid layoffs until 2012 in exchange for at least $50 million in cost-cutting measures. He called on the governor to rescind the offer, which came on the heels off the union’s endorsement of Quinn for governor. “It’s wrong, and you know it,” Brady said.
Quinn said Brady lacks a record of accomplishments, even after spending more than 15 years in the legislature. “This is how you roll up your sleeves and get the job done in Illinois. You don’t just talk about it. You have a record. I have a record of accomplishment. … Brady has no record. He talks about great things, but he doesn’t deliver,” Quinn said. He played off of Brady’s home building business to criticize the Republican's lack of a specific budget plan: “Who in the world would ever buy a home from some one without seeing the blueprint?”
Brady did choose to focus primarily on what is wrong in Illinois instead of any past successes he may have had as a legislator. On the topic of overdue payments to service providers, he said: “The people out there are on life support because your government has left them with an IOU. And they’re having to let people [go.] Those are real jobs.”
Both candidates, usually not known for their strong public speaking styles, seemed to have stepped up their games for the debate.
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Randle resigns as corrections director
By Jamey Dunn
After repeatedly defending Department of Corrections Director Michael Randle, Gov. Pat Quinn is now seeking his replacement and facing political fallout as another top staffer makes an exit so close to the general election.
The Chicago Tribune reported early this morning that Randle resigned. Randle took responsibility for the controversial “Meritorious Good Time Push” program, which applied “good time” credit to prisoners’ sentences as soon as they began serving them. Under the program some prisoners served as few as 11 days. The department previously had a longstanding policy that required prisoners to serve at least 61 days before they could receive discretionary early release credit.
“I have accepted the resignation of Illinois Department of Corrections Director Michael Randle, effective September 17. I appreciate Director Randle’s dedicated service to the state of Illinois during these challenging times and will name his replacement shortly," Quinn said in a written statement.
Quinn has said Randle went against his orders by releasing some violent offenders early but defended him while many called for Randle to be fired. “The man made a mistake. He is a nationally recognized expert, and he’s done a number of good things with respect to running our prisons. This is not any easy job,” Quinn said.
Randle said he implemented the program to make required budget cuts. “MGT Push” resulted in 1,745 inmates being released before the usual 61 days. On average, they served 36 fewer days than they would have under 61-day policy. The DoC estimated that “MGT Push” could save $3.4 million annually.
Randle is leaving in the wake of several other high profile departures from the Quinn administration, such as former Chief of Staff Jerry Stermer and former Communications Director Bob Reed.
“There has been quite an exodus,” says Mike Lawrence, former director of the Paul Simon Public Policy institute. “I think [Randle’s resignation] opens [Quinn] up to continuing attacks regarding his management of government.”
He says that plays into the narrative that Quinn is having trouble keeping things under control in his administration. “There’s a feeling that Quinn is not on top of things. He’s been accused of being a micro manager and managerially inconsistent.”
Lawrence, who was also a spokesman for former Republican Gov. Jim Edgar, says he think Randle may have been motivated to leave because he could have potentially been on the chopping block. “He probably saw the writing on the wall. If [Sen. Bill] Brady wins [the governor’s race] I think it’s a good bet Randle would have been gone. And Quinn might have let him go after the campaign.”
He thinks there is a good chance that Randle’s replacement will be promoted from with in the Department of Corrections. “[Quinn] did move some of his people into the department, and maybe he will go with them between now and November … and see what happens in the election.”
After repeatedly defending Department of Corrections Director Michael Randle, Gov. Pat Quinn is now seeking his replacement and facing political fallout as another top staffer makes an exit so close to the general election.
The Chicago Tribune reported early this morning that Randle resigned. Randle took responsibility for the controversial “Meritorious Good Time Push” program, which applied “good time” credit to prisoners’ sentences as soon as they began serving them. Under the program some prisoners served as few as 11 days. The department previously had a longstanding policy that required prisoners to serve at least 61 days before they could receive discretionary early release credit.
“I have accepted the resignation of Illinois Department of Corrections Director Michael Randle, effective September 17. I appreciate Director Randle’s dedicated service to the state of Illinois during these challenging times and will name his replacement shortly," Quinn said in a written statement.
Quinn has said Randle went against his orders by releasing some violent offenders early but defended him while many called for Randle to be fired. “The man made a mistake. He is a nationally recognized expert, and he’s done a number of good things with respect to running our prisons. This is not any easy job,” Quinn said.
Randle said he implemented the program to make required budget cuts. “MGT Push” resulted in 1,745 inmates being released before the usual 61 days. On average, they served 36 fewer days than they would have under 61-day policy. The DoC estimated that “MGT Push” could save $3.4 million annually.
Randle is leaving in the wake of several other high profile departures from the Quinn administration, such as former Chief of Staff Jerry Stermer and former Communications Director Bob Reed.
“There has been quite an exodus,” says Mike Lawrence, former director of the Paul Simon Public Policy institute. “I think [Randle’s resignation] opens [Quinn] up to continuing attacks regarding his management of government.”
He says that plays into the narrative that Quinn is having trouble keeping things under control in his administration. “There’s a feeling that Quinn is not on top of things. He’s been accused of being a micro manager and managerially inconsistent.”
Lawrence, who was also a spokesman for former Republican Gov. Jim Edgar, says he think Randle may have been motivated to leave because he could have potentially been on the chopping block. “He probably saw the writing on the wall. If [Sen. Bill] Brady wins [the governor’s race] I think it’s a good bet Randle would have been gone. And Quinn might have let him go after the campaign.”
He thinks there is a good chance that Randle’s replacement will be promoted from with in the Department of Corrections. “[Quinn] did move some of his people into the department, and maybe he will go with them between now and November … and see what happens in the election.”
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Brady unveils recovery plan
By Jamey Dunn
State Sen. Bill Brady, the Republican candidate for governor, laid out his plan for economic recovery today. He and Gov. Pat Quinn agree that job creation is the biggest issue of the campaign and even back some similar proposals. But their disagreements center on what may be the second biggest issue of the race: taxes.
Brady’s plan has four goals. The first is to create a “stable tax environment.”
As he has said before, he wants to repeal the sales tax on gasoline and the estate tax. He also wants to make permanent a research and development tax credit that the General Assembly extended this year.
He estimates that cutting the sales and estate taxes would cost the state $650 million to $1 billion. He says the economic growth those two cuts would spur means they would pay for themselves in a “year or two.” In the meantime, he would have to cut that amount if he wants to uphold his pledge of presenting a plan for a balanced budget to legislators next year.
Brady said discussion of an income tax increase, such as Quinn’s proposed 1-percentage-point hike, creates uncertainty for businesses and may encourage them to leave the state.
Besides pledging not to raise taxes, he wants to offer business a tax credit for hiring new workers. Quinn pitched a similar plan for small businesses, which is currently in effect. Any business with fewer than 50 employees that hires a new employee between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011 is eligible for a $2,500 tax credit. The total number of credits that can be doled out is capped at $50 million, enough for 20,000 new jobs.
Brady would offer $3,750 tax credit to all businesses for each new hire; $2,500 in the first year and $1,250 in the second year.
He would also create several panels to help him “engage in long-term strategic planning.” This second part of Brady’s plan includes naming a council of economic advisers and a task force to investigate the economic challenges facing communities on the state’s borders, which would be headed by Jason Plummer, Brady’s running mate.
Brady’s third goal is to make Illinois more competitive with other states. He says he wants to do that by making “significant changes” to the worker’s compensation system in Illinois and capping damages awarded for pain and suffering in medical malpractice cases at $500,000. Although the Illinois Supreme Court has struck down similar caps three times, Brady said he doesn’t think Democrats made a “sincere effort” to draft a bill that would hold up to a constitutional challenge. However, he could not describe what aspects of former bills he would change.
Finally, Brady says he wants to bring “transparency and accountability” to the budgeting process. He has said he cannot provide a detailed budget until after he is governor and can audit the state’s finances. Brady blamed his absence of details on a lack of transparency from the Quinn administration. He said he would appoint a jobs ombudsman to help businesses navigate state regulations. He also wants to prohibit new spending or programs without dedicated funding sources and “measurable” outcomes.
But Quinn said later that there is no money for Brady’s cuts. He said that businesses looking to set up shop in Illinois are most concerned with the quality of the state’s infrastructure and workforce. “I think he’s not being honest with the people running around the state saying he’s going to cut all these taxes. Well, how’s he going to pay for education, health care, public safety and helping our veterans?” Quinn has proposed property tax cuts if his plan for an income tax increases is approved.
Brady said that as a small business owner, he knows what businesses are looking for in Illinois. “I understand the importance of education. I understand the importance of infrastructure. I understand the importance of deregulation.”
State Sen. Bill Brady, the Republican candidate for governor, laid out his plan for economic recovery today. He and Gov. Pat Quinn agree that job creation is the biggest issue of the campaign and even back some similar proposals. But their disagreements center on what may be the second biggest issue of the race: taxes.
Brady’s plan has four goals. The first is to create a “stable tax environment.”
As he has said before, he wants to repeal the sales tax on gasoline and the estate tax. He also wants to make permanent a research and development tax credit that the General Assembly extended this year.
He estimates that cutting the sales and estate taxes would cost the state $650 million to $1 billion. He says the economic growth those two cuts would spur means they would pay for themselves in a “year or two.” In the meantime, he would have to cut that amount if he wants to uphold his pledge of presenting a plan for a balanced budget to legislators next year.
Brady said discussion of an income tax increase, such as Quinn’s proposed 1-percentage-point hike, creates uncertainty for businesses and may encourage them to leave the state.
Besides pledging not to raise taxes, he wants to offer business a tax credit for hiring new workers. Quinn pitched a similar plan for small businesses, which is currently in effect. Any business with fewer than 50 employees that hires a new employee between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011 is eligible for a $2,500 tax credit. The total number of credits that can be doled out is capped at $50 million, enough for 20,000 new jobs.
Brady would offer $3,750 tax credit to all businesses for each new hire; $2,500 in the first year and $1,250 in the second year.
He would also create several panels to help him “engage in long-term strategic planning.” This second part of Brady’s plan includes naming a council of economic advisers and a task force to investigate the economic challenges facing communities on the state’s borders, which would be headed by Jason Plummer, Brady’s running mate.
Brady’s third goal is to make Illinois more competitive with other states. He says he wants to do that by making “significant changes” to the worker’s compensation system in Illinois and capping damages awarded for pain and suffering in medical malpractice cases at $500,000. Although the Illinois Supreme Court has struck down similar caps three times, Brady said he doesn’t think Democrats made a “sincere effort” to draft a bill that would hold up to a constitutional challenge. However, he could not describe what aspects of former bills he would change.
Finally, Brady says he wants to bring “transparency and accountability” to the budgeting process. He has said he cannot provide a detailed budget until after he is governor and can audit the state’s finances. Brady blamed his absence of details on a lack of transparency from the Quinn administration. He said he would appoint a jobs ombudsman to help businesses navigate state regulations. He also wants to prohibit new spending or programs without dedicated funding sources and “measurable” outcomes.
But Quinn said later that there is no money for Brady’s cuts. He said that businesses looking to set up shop in Illinois are most concerned with the quality of the state’s infrastructure and workforce. “I think he’s not being honest with the people running around the state saying he’s going to cut all these taxes. Well, how’s he going to pay for education, health care, public safety and helping our veterans?” Quinn has proposed property tax cuts if his plan for an income tax increases is approved.
Brady said that as a small business owner, he knows what businesses are looking for in Illinois. “I understand the importance of education. I understand the importance of infrastructure. I understand the importance of deregulation.”
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