 The Governor said the bill, sponsored by Democratic Senator Andy Manar, was an
unfunded mandate with no appropriations to support the museum or it’s branch
locations. In his amendatory veto message the governor authorized the director
of the Department of Natural Resources to establish entrance fees as a revenue
source while ensuring special rates or waivers for school children and senior
citizens. Rauner also said the Illinois State Museum Society should do more to
help generate private donations for the museum operations. The governor notes
the museum and its branch locations cost taxpayers $6 million a year.
Manar was unavailable for comment as of late Friday. A media contact for Manar
said they expect to issue a statement early next week. Lawmakers must either
override the governor’s veto with a super majority, concur with the governor’s
changes, or do nothing and let the bill die.
SOME CONSOLIDATION EFFORTS HAS BIPARTISAN SUPPORT
Several measures supporters say will drive value for taxpayers by addressing
some consolidation recommendations has bipartisan support.
Among the four measures introduced Friday includes a bill to allow for voter
referendum to consolidate governments while another would allow for easier
township consolidations. Republican Senator Michael Connelly says businesses do
what they can to find cost savings every year, something they hope to replicate
in government.
“A large measure of what we are doing today is incorporating the best practices
of business into the public sector.”
Democratic Representative Jack Franks says the current system of 7,000 units of
government in Illinois is too bloated and unaccountable.
“And by implementing these ideas I believe that we can begin to restore balance,
eliminate redundant government and most importantly, we can save taxpayers
money.”
LAWMAKERS BELIEVE THIS IS YEAR FOR CONSOLIDATIONS
Meanwhile Franks says there’s a reason property taxes are so high in Illinois.
“Our present system of 7,000 governments is simply unsustainable. It is also a
big reason why we have the second highest property taxes in the nation.”
Franks says there won’t be agreement on all the measures, but he’s confident
lawmakers will find common ground on some and move those forward to save
taxpayers money. Republican Representative Mark Batinick agrees this is the year
to bring about consolidation reforms because it will free up needed resources to
spend on things everyone agrees must be funded, like education and various
social services.
“And we can’t continue down a path of doing things inefficiently.”
Governor Bruce Rauner says the four introduced measures will address 8 of 27
recommendations generated by his Local Government Consolidation and Unfunded
Mandates Taskforce.
COGFA: DOES A RECESSION LIE NEAR?
Is Illinois on the verge of a recession? Not quite yet, but economic growth has
definitely slowed. That’s according to the latest monthly report from the
Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability.
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 Dan Long, executive director of COGFA, says Illinois’ growth is
the slowest it’s been in more than 70 years.
“We’ve had the slowest recovery from a recession, the slowest
recovery since at least World War II. The economy is growing but it
is growing at a rather slow pace and if we start having drop off in
economic activity we could slide back into a recession.”
In the last quarter of 2015, Long says the state only grew
seven-tenths of one percent. If that drops off anymore, Long says
the state could go into recession, but truly defining when is
difficult.
COGFA: CONSUMER SPENDING WEAKENS
Consumers saving their money rather than spending is just one
indicator that Illinois could be on the verge of a recession.
Long says they’re not declaring a recession quite yet.
“We’re not there yet, we’re not saying that. The recovery has been
in place now for quite some time, probably eight years or so. These
things go in cycles but there is no definition of how long it is
between recessions or anything of that nature.”
Long says Illinois consumers aren’t spending the money they’re
saving from lower gas prices and a further drop off in consumer
spending could have a deeper impact on economic growth.
Poll: Voters from all political persuasions support criminal justice
reform
There’s overwhelming bipartisan support among Illinois voters for
criminal justice reforms being promoted by Illinois’ Republican
governor, according to a new poll released by the American Civil
Liberties Union of Illinois.
Benjamin Ruddell, the ACLU of Illinois’ criminal justice policy
attorney, says their poll of 800 voters from across the state, and
from all political persuasions, produced several results, including
nearly three-quarters of those polled agreeing the state’s criminal
justice system isn’t working.
“The numbers were not that different among democrats, republican and
independents. 70% or more of each of those groups agree that the
criminal justice system in the state of Illinois is broken.”
Ruddell says there was also significant support for relaxing
penalties for nonviolent drug crimes and other nonviolent offenses.
ACLU: VOTERS SUPPORT “SMART ON CRIME” REFORMS
Ruddell also says politicians should take note: the vast majority of
voters support a smart on crime, rather than a tough on crime,
approach to fixing the state’s criminal justice system.
“Despite incarcerating so many people, the system doesn’t seem to be
keeping communities that safe or achieving the goals of getting a
good value for our public safety dollar.”
Ruddell says despite the ongoing partisan battles over the budget
and other issues, criminal justice reforms are bipartisan, something
he says the poll proves.
A commission prompted by Governor Bruce Rauner advanced 14
recommendations they hope will help achieve the governor’s goal of
reducing the state’s prison population by 25 percent in the next
decade.
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