Former Gov. Jim Edgar urges Gov. Bruce Rauner to quit holding budget hostage - News - The State Journal-Register - Springfield, IL

 

By Bernard Schoenburg, Political Writer

Posted Oct. 16, 2015 at 12:01 AM
Updated Oct 16, 2015 at 11:47 PM

The lack of a budget four months into the fiscal year has destabilized state government, and Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner should quit holding a state spending plan hostage to a list of demands because permanent damage is being done, former Gov. Jim Edgar said Friday.

"State government's probably in the worst state it's been in the 47 years that I've been around (it)," Edgar, a fellow Republican, told The State Journal-Register in an interview from his Springfield home. "You've got dozens and dozens of programs that aren't being funded, agencies that are having trouble doing their mission, and I just think it's very unfortunate."

"We need a budget," he added. "These other issues, they're important, some of them I think more important than others, but you don't hold the budget hostage to get those. ... It has been very destabilizing for state government. I think a lot of people have suffered."

Rauner vetoed most of the budget the the General Assembly passed last spring, saying it was out of balance. He did sign the education budget, so elementary and secondary schools have been receiving state funds for the fiscal year that began July 1. In all, about 90 percent of state spending — at last year's levels — is going out under court orders, consent decrees and state statutes.

Edgar, who was a lawmaker and secretary of state before serving as governor from 1991 to 1999, campaigned for Rauner in the general election last year, and he said he repeatedly told Rauner of the importance of having a budget.

"I think he listened," Edgar said. "I don't think he necessarily agreed with it, apparently."

Rauner has said he wants business and governmental reforms to make Illinois more attractive for business before he will agree to a budget. But Edgar said the budget standoff has the opposite effect.

"An unstable state government — and that's what we have right now, very unstable — is a detriment to economic growth," he said. "I mean, folks aren't going to come to this state and make an investment if they think state government's dysfunctional."

Edgar, who is a senior fellow with the University of Illinois' Institute of Government and Public Affairs, noted that no higher education budget is in force. He said the U of I has a lot of reserves and can cover costs for a while, but other institutions "are really getting into trouble. ... I'm not sure how long that can go."

"One of the strengths this state's had for years is ... a great higher education system," he said. "I think that is in jeopardy now."

When he was governor, Edgar said, CEOs of companies would tell him that they'd wanted tax breaks and lower workers' compensation costs, " 'but most important, we want a stable, dependable state government. We want an education system that works. We want a good quality of life.' "

• Edgar noted that the fact that some Illinois lottery winners can't get paid until there is a state budget recently made national news.

  "We already have a questionable reputation out there," he said. "It's the little things that kill us."

  One manifestation of the budget impasse in Springfield has been the closing as of Oct. 1 of the Illinois State Museum. Union workers there are still being paid and going to work, though the administration has closed the museum and satellite facilities to the public. Nonunion workers, including the museum's former director, were laid off or have retired.

  "He closed the state museum, but we're still paying for people to work at the museum," Edgar said. "At the same time, we're not paying for domestic abuse shelters. We're not paying for homeless shelters. I mean, there are a lot of things that really need money, people really need help. ... It's a complete mess-up, what's going on, and I think we need to end it."

  Edgar also said that even if the museum is reopened, top people won't return.

  "And that's the trouble," he said. "The longer this goes, the more permanent damage is done to the state."

  Rauner having 'productive discussions'

  Rauner, at a news conference in his office Friday, said when asked about the museum: "We're working on a lot of things. ... One of the big frustrations, obviously, of not having a budget is we're having to do things that we'd rather not do. ... That's the nature of the process. We're doing the best we can."

  Edgar said he thinks Rauner is a person who cares and is smart, but he should adjust his priorities "to what is doable."

  "He does not come from government," Edgar said of the governor, who was a venture capitalist. "He doesn't even really come from mainstream business. He comes from (being an) entrepreneur where you buy a business, you tear it apart and you sell it. ... I don't think you're going to tear apart the state and sell it. He might want to, but you can't do that."

  Catherine Kelly, spokeswoman for Rauner, said via email, "Governor Edgar is certainly entitled to voice his opinions, but we all know the structural and fiscal challenges facing the state have been decades in the making and require major reforms to fix."

  At his meeting with reporters Friday, Rauner reiterated the need for elements of his "turnaround agenda," saying that term limits and legislative redistricting reform are popular, and allowing local governments to decide if they should collectively bargain with their workers or pay prevailing wages on construction projects is not extreme.

  "Everybody, Democrats and Republicans, believe in local control of issues," Rauner said. He said he's not trying to decimate collective bargaining in Illinois.

  Page 3 of 4 - "All I'm saying is let local people decide," he said.

  While all four legislative leaders and the governor have apparently not met in one place since May, Rauner said Friday that he has had "fruitful discussions" with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who needs legislative help from Springfield to ease the city's budget.

  He also said he's had "some pretty productive discussions in recent weeks" with House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, and "some cordial conversations ... as well" with Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago.

  Rauner said there should have been a budget in May, and there is now "a lot of pressure" and an "incentive to get something done" for Chicago.

  "Will we get it done in December or early January?" Rauner said. "I hope it's before then, but it could well last a lot longer. All we can keep doing is working hard."

  Edgar: Attacks don't help

  Edgar, in the interview, faulted the Democratic-controlled General Assembly for passing unbalanced budgets for two years, but he said "the governor is the one the public holds responsible" for operations of the state.

  He said as time goes by, the budget hole gets deeper — as less tax money is coming in this year because a temporary income tax increase partially rolled back as of Jan. 1, with the rate on individuals dropping from 5 percent to 3.75 percent. And under the school appropriation the governor signed, Edgar said, more is being spent.

  If Rauner thinks Democrats will "cave" under pressure, Edgar added, "I don't know if they are. ... There's some basic things that he's trying to get that I'm not sure they will ever give up."

  Rauner ran television ads against Madigan in June. He also told reporters that month that he thought Madigan and Cullerton had a "conflict of interest with taxpayers" because they work for law firms that handle property tax appeals.

  "I don't think those comments help," Edgar said. He said he doesn't think the ads "softened up the Democrats any. I think, if anything, they probably got a little more dug in."

  "There are a lot of things I muttered in private" as governor, Edgar said. "I always thought I had to watch what I said or my staff said. ... We always tried to be extremely careful ... not to get involved in personalities."

  Rikeesha Phelon, spokeswoman for Cullerton, said the governor's budget proposal was also unbalanced, and Democrats acknowledged that the budget they forwarded to the governor "was not a comprehensive solution." They had said they wanted to work with Rauner on revenue and cuts to patch the budget hole.

  "President Cullerton has been willing to consider changes to collective bargaining agreements with labor in recent years," Phelon added. "Those were negotiated policies that didn't undermine the fundamental right to organize. That hasn't changed."

  Page 4 of 4 - Edgar said the state will need more revenue as well as cuts, and the amount of revenue that will be needed keeps growing with the budget impasse. He said Rauner has acknowledged the need for more revenue, including talk of broadening the sales tax to services.

  "I think the income tax is easier," Edgar said, because a new tax is harder for people to accept and figure out.

  Edgar said the he doesn't like term limits but thinks remap reform is "a great idea."

  But he said a budget shouldn't hinge on getting that reform.

  "If you understand state government, you'll know there's nothing more important to legislators than redistricting," Edgar said. "So why do this when the chances are about nil that you're going to get it, but you cause all these other problems that are really your responsibility?"

  The former governor said he likes "the ceremonial side" of how Rauner is handling the office, including appearing at community events.

  Edgar said he wouldn't say now-imprisoned former Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich was "anything close to being a better governor" than Rauner.

  Still, Edgar said, "at least Blagojevich ... was off doing his crazy things and state government kind of continued to move along. I don't think state government's moving along right now. I mean, I just think too many things are at a standstill."

  About his support for Rauner in his 2014 battle against former Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn, Edgar said, "We had a choice between the two candidates, and I think that was the right choice."

  "I guess the question is, Would I support him next time?" Edgar added. "And I would say, 'I hope so,' but we won't know until we get to that point in history."

• "All I'm saying is let local people decide," he said.

  While all four legislative leaders and the governor have apparently not met in one place since May, Rauner said Friday that he has had "fruitful discussions" with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who needs legislative help from Springfield to ease the city's budget.

  He also said he's had "some pretty productive discussions in recent weeks" with House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, and "some cordial conversations ... as well" with Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago.

  Rauner said there should have been a budget in May, and there is now "a lot of pressure" and an "incentive to get something done" for Chicago.

  "Will we get it done in December or early January?" Rauner said. "I hope it's before then, but it could well last a lot longer. All we can keep doing is working hard."

  Edgar: Attacks don't help

  Edgar, in the interview, faulted the Democratic-controlled General Assembly for passing unbalanced budgets for two years, but he said "the governor is the one the public holds responsible" for operations of the state.

  He said as time goes by, the budget hole gets deeper — as less tax money is coming in this year because a temporary income tax increase partially rolled back as of Jan. 1, with the rate on individuals dropping from 5 percent to 3.75 percent. And under the school appropriation the governor signed, Edgar said, more is being spent.

  If Rauner thinks Democrats will "cave" under pressure, Edgar added, "I don't know if they are. ... There's some basic things that he's trying to get that I'm not sure they will ever give up."

  Rauner ran television ads against Madigan in June. He also told reporters that month that he thought Madigan and Cullerton had a "conflict of interest with taxpayers" because they work for law firms that handle property tax appeals.

  "I don't think those comments help," Edgar said. He said he doesn't think the ads "softened up the Democrats any. I think, if anything, they probably got a little more dug in."

  "There are a lot of things I muttered in private" as governor, Edgar said. "I always thought I had to watch what I said or my staff said. ... We always tried to be extremely careful ... not to get involved in personalities."

  Rikeesha Phelon, spokeswoman for Cullerton, said the governor's budget proposal was also unbalanced, and Democrats acknowledged that the budget they forwarded to the governor "was not a comprehensive solution." They had said they wanted to work with Rauner on revenue and cuts to patch the budget hole.

  "President Cullerton has been willing to consider changes to collective bargaining agreements with labor in recent years," Phelon added. "Those were negotiated policies that didn't undermine the fundamental right to organize. That hasn't changed."

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Former Gov. Jim Edgar urges Gov. Bruce Rauner to quit holding budget hostage - News - The State Journal-Register - Springfield, IL