Gov. Quinn’s Budget Proposal is Completely Asinine, Virtually Ignores Pension and Medicaid Reform
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SPRINGFIELD, IL – State Sen. Ron Sandack (R-Downers Grove) said after months of dismal fiscal news, Governor Quinn offered no prospects of financial recovery in his budget address on Feb. 22.
“Governor Quinn has failed to do what this state needs most, which is to craft a reasonable and responsible budget,” Sen. Sandack said. “This budget is no better than the last fiscal year—it’s much worse. He has proposed to spend $50 million more this year, in the midst of the largest fiscal crisis the state has ever experienced, while doing little to pay down the bill backlog and little to no details on Medicaid and pension reform. It’s completely asinine. We need cuts in size and scope and nothing should be exempt from review and reduction.”
Sen. Sandack stressed Medicaid and pension reform, saying without it, Illinois will continue to drown in liabilities. Despite a target of reducing Medicaid spending, the proposed budget would actually see a record 3 million persons on Medicaid during the coming year—adding 160,000 persons to the program. Furthermore, while the governor acknowledged the ballooning public pension payments, he offered no real specifics of reform.
“We are not going to get anywhere without serious attention to Medicaid and pension reform,” he said. “It’s extremely disappointing and detrimental to the state. This was the year we needed change and leadership, and yet we see much of the same as years past. What we’ve heard today will do nothing to bring any sort of fiscal responsibility to the state.”
Sen. Sandack said Gov. Quinn’s proposed spending levels were unacceptable and set the stage for the temporary 67 percent tax increase to become permanent.
“Reducing the state's backlog of bills was cited as a primary reason for last year's massive income tax hike,” he noted. “The budget the governor proposed today would leave just $160 million to pay off old bills and spends 99.5 percent of every anticipated dollar the state would receive in the coming year. The $160 million towards bills, which the tax increase was supposed to pay off in the first place, is only 1.9 percent of the backlog, a number that is likely to grow with this budget. That’s like a drop in a bucket.”
It is estimated that without budget reform, the state backlog will reach $35 billion, or about $2 billion more than the state's entire annual general fund, by 2017.
Chibuster
8:27 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Sen. Ron Sandack, How about the true costs regarding the IL Budget. Hey, US Citizens of IL, wake up Your State Illinois is a 'Sanctuary State' run by Chicago, a Sanctuary City'... This 'sanctuary' declaration/activity is in direct violation of Federal INS law and is a 'Felony' see Sect. 274A(a)(1)(A) punishable by fines/imprisonment for assisting any illegal alien; according to the US Immigration Code and Nationality Act. We have 'non Us Citizens' partaking in your Social Services, Education and Health Care etc, of which you have paid taxes into for direct services 'as a Safety Net' for US Citizens of IL and the other 49 States. Of course in the 'rules-laws-qualifications' words to qualify and obtain these State of IL Services you 'will-NOT' find a specific descriptive wording of 'the recipients' being of US Citizenship or Pending US Citizens by application. Clever law word omission loophole eh. Cost overrun ? Try about $5 Billion in '05 to IL.. alone.
What do you see for 2012 ?
Chibuster
M. Taylor
8:31 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
How disrespectful that a State Senator would call anything or anyone Asinine. That reflects very poorly. Readers should note this person is running in the Republican primary. Republicans don't need anymore foul mouthed fools, they have enough already.
Karen Chadra
11:24 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Asinine is not a swear word or foul. Foul language violates our terms of use, so we certainly wouldn't use it in a headline. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/asinine
Chibuster
12:04 pm on Thursday, February 23, 2012
M. Taylor and Carol, Who is spending the 'taxpayer's money' ? Dem. more than Rep. but BOTH ARE TOTALLY CUPABLE... BOTH are Equally Corrupt with power and self-importance to not be Fiscally Responsible. Neither run their own private households the way that they run Illinois or the Federal spending. Taylor stop calling out the 'free speech' expressions of playing 'politics' and stay with the subject of Wasteful Spending. Carol 'the poor' don't pay taxes nor contribute to other poor's benefit, never will, plus they breed more poor by the hundreds, say not ? Look at every nation in the World and see 'who is breeding more every day' vs the earners paying for the poor. But the poor WILL eat Your Lunch and your relative's Lunch given half a chance because they are "entitled" and 'enabled by State/Federal government law policies of Equality to share your Wealth thru your earnings. How and Why because they 'outnumber out-breed to outnumber, and will out-vote' you ..the Working-Taxpayer Class.
Chibuster
Anne Blaeske
2:19 pm on Sunday, February 26, 2012
Asinine is not foul language - but I do have to admit, as a State Senator, he should have used a more respectful word... like it or not, the use of ASININE shows a lack of respect... and whatever we might feel about Quinn (even Democrats like myself wince when we say his name) - he is in fact the elected governor of Illinois and for that alone, deserves at least a modicum of respect in situations such as this.
That a member of an opposing party would use "ASININE" to describe the budget and show such lack of respect for another elected official is totally indicative of the problem with our political system. He could have easily used another, less disrepectful word.
Alias47
11:18 am on Thursday, March 1, 2012
The word "asinine" is not at all disrespectful, unless you are confused about word choice and think he is calling Gov. Quinn an "ass" (which the Governor may be).
He called the budget proposal asinine...asinine means "extremely foolish", which entirely sums up the budget proposal.
UoCDoc
8:47 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
M. Taylor,
Why do consider the word "asinine" foul? It's a commonly accepted word, found in every english dictionary. It's a latin derivative and is defined as "obstinate or stupid".
M. Taylor
9:04 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
From the ads at the top saying he is a true conservative, the language he uses, and the foul mouthed and accepting responses of what must be supporters, I'm proud NOT to be a nasty conservative.
M. Taylor
9:06 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
I've never commented here before, and for both of you to immediately try and start a fight is...what's the word I'm looking for... so Republican.
J D McNugent
10:53 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Peace through superior firepower. The only way any dominant society in the history of human exsistance stays in power. Period. You Libs can keep your wimpy little selves in your panic rooms! LOL
Samantha Liss
9:09 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Hi folks,
Thanks for chiming in on this discussion but let's keep the language clean. I love strong words but it might be too early for the 'F' word today. Thanks for understanding!
J D McNugent
10:51 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Just proving a point Samantha...Thanks for trampling on my first amendment rights! LOL
Jim McMahon
9:56 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Obama administration called us a "Nation of Cowards", Keep that in mind when you think about voting this fall.
CAROLE
10:02 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Why are all the "cuts" taken from the "bottom", the poor and needy? Why can't the cuts be taken from the TOP? Those who are collecting 2-3 Pensions. And now, make more in retirement than when they were working??? Also why are we paying for office space and "help" for former State employees? One figure I have seen is $1million a year for a former Speaker of the House in Ill.
If all the people who are collecting State aid, in any form, Ie food stamps, medicaid, unemployment were subjected to Drug Tests before they can collect their checks-----just think what we, the citizens of this State would "save"!!!!!!!
J D McNugent
10:48 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
From your lips to the Gov's ears Carole. I love the idea of drug testing for welfare recipients. Why should a society help people who wont help themselves.
Mike Worrell
10:30 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
"Why are all the "cuts" taken from the "bottom", the poor and needy? Why can't the cuts be taken from the TOP?" <---- That's the thinking that will save this country, and I hope it spreads like wildfire. Politicians should be reluctant to take a single dollar of taxpayer money while others are suffering under their lack of fiscal discipline, and until they are nothing will change. I'm not saying that politicians should not be compensated. But perhaps they should not be permitted to make more than the median income for the district they represent, and they certainly should not enjoy lavish benefits beyond their term.
J D McNugent
10:50 am on Thursday, February 23, 2012
Needy has a different meaning today than it did during the Great Depression. The needy these days have flat screens and iPhones...Keep that in mind. The needy these days buy Alcohol and Tabacco with IL Link cards...Keep that in mind. If you are truely needy then you cant afford any of these things. YOu should really just spend my charity dollars on food for you family! Hello? Anyone out there think this is too off base????
Jeffrey Crane
1:23 pm on Thursday, March 1, 2012
How do you intend to address pension reform when you represent the Teamsters? Senator?
See pdf above. Only facts.
PAUL C.
2:11 pm on Thursday, March 1, 2012
Jeff,
Those are conjured up facts! Those letters and lawsuits are things you just made up.....I mean legally pulled up like any citizen could! Oh many thought nobody would discover these little details that aren't so little. You see the citizens of District 81 need to know EVERYBODY who's endorsing you not just the ONES that you decide.
Roseann
2:23 pm on Thursday, March 1, 2012
Government
‘Illinois’: French for ‘Just like Greece’
http://www.theblaze.com/blog/2012/01/20/illinois-french-for-just-like-greece/
Roseann
2:26 pm on Thursday, March 1, 2012
John Taylor's Open Letter To Greece: "Get Out Greece! Get Out Right Now!"
"Get out Greece! Get out right now! You should have moved two years ago; you missed that chance, but now it is much better than later...
The standard of living will drop for everyone"
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/john-taylors-open-letter-greece-get-out-greece-get-out-right-now
(Maybe time to get out of Illinois?)
Roseann
2:42 pm on Thursday, March 1, 2012
Ten States That Cannot Pay Their Bills http://247wallst.com/2012/01/11/ten-states-that-cannot-pay-their-bills/
Citizens Of Illinois Get Slapped With Staggering 33% Income Tax Hike To Fill Deficit
Say a prayer for the citizens of Illinois this evening
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/citizens-of-illinois-get-slapped-with-staggering-33-income-tax-hike-to-fill-deficit-2010-3#ixzz1ntroZs71
(We need to have this repealed!)
Jeffrey Crane
2:44 pm on Thursday, March 1, 2012
(Maybe time to get out of Illinois)
That's right Roseann. Because nothing ever changes. People keep voting in people like Sandack that just want to join the Springfield establishment and the citizens be damned. Several of my friends have already left the state. People will eventually vote with thier feet, some out of choice, some out of necessity if the culture in Springfield doesn't change.