41.
>>> STATE REPUBLICAN LEADERS ARE
PROPOSING A PLAN THEY CALL A
LIFETIME TO SOCIAL SERVICE
PROGRAMS THAT STRUGGLED DURING
THE BUDGET IMPASSE.
BUT IT COMES WITH A CATCH...
JOINING US FROM SPRINGFIELD TO
TALK ABOUT THAT AND MORE IS
"CHICAGO TONIGHT"'S AMANDA
VINICKY.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
AND EXPLAIN EXACTLY WHAT THE
OFFER IS, WHAT THE PROPOSAL IS?
>> THIS WOULD BE ABOUT $1.3
BILLION TOWARDS SOCIAL SERVICES
THAT HAVE GONE WITHOUT FUNDING,
MENTAL HEALTH MEDICINE,
ADDICTION TREATMENT, MONEY FOR
THE ELDERLY AND THE SPECIAL
OLYMPICS MOST OF THAT COMES FROM
SPECIAL FUNDS MEANT FOR THE
CAUSES.
BUT A THIRD OF IT DOES COME FROM
THE STATE'S GENERAL BANKING
ACCOUNT THAT IS WHERE ILLINOIS
IS RUNNING THAT GIANT DEFICIT.
>> HOW WOULD THIS $1.3 BILLION
PROGRAM INITIATIVE BE FUNDED?
>> WELL, REPUBLICANS SAY THAT
WHATEVER THEY DO THEY WANT TO
TIE TO A WAY TO PAY FOR IT.
THEIR PLAN IS TO GO FORWARD WITH
THE PENSION DEAL THAT THE
GOVERNOR AND SENATE PRESIDENT
WORKED OUT BUT HAS NOT MOVED
THAT WOULD AFFECT CURRENT
WORKERS AND EMPLOYEES AND IS
KNOWN AS THE CONSIDERATION MODEL
BASICALLY THEY WOULD HAVE TO
MAKE A CHOICE ABOUT KEEPING THE
RICHER PENSION BENEFIT FOR TAKE
A SMALLER PAY OUT LATER ON IN
TERMS OF COLAS.
BUT THEN IT DEALS WITH SOME
MATTERS THAT WOULD BRING IN MORE
IMMEDIATE SAVINGS TO THE STATE.
THINGS THAT THE GOVERNOR TALKED
ABOUT WAY BACK WHEN HE GAVE THE
BUDGET ADDRESS AND THOSE WOULD
BE IF YOU HAVE A PUBLIC EMPLOYER
A UNIVERSITY THAT IS PAYING
SOMEBODY THAT WORKS IN THEIR
MEDICINE SCHOOL A LOT OF MONEY
OVER $180,000, THAT IS WHAT THE
GOVERNOR WOULD BE MAKING AS THE
STATE SALARY, THEN THAT COST
WOULD NO LONGER BE BORN BY THE
STATE IT WOULD HAVE TO BE PAID
FOR BY THE EMPLOYER AND THAT
COULD AFFECT LOCAL SCHOOL
DISTRICTS WHO PAY TOP DOLLAR TO
THE SUPERINTENDENTS.
THOSE CHANGES.
>> CHRISTINA RADOGNO SAYS THE
EFFORT WAS NEAR AND DEAR TO HER
HEART.
EXPAND ON THAT?
>> YOU SEE, SHE DID SAY THIS IS
NEAR AND DEAR BECAUSE SHE BECAME
A SENATE REPUBLICAN LEADER SHE
HAILS FROM MY HOMETOWN LA GRANGE
AND SHE WAS A SOCIAL WORKER.
AND LET ME SAY THAT THIS IS ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT HAS GOTTEN SO
MUCH ATTENTION AS WE HAVE TALKED
WITH THE STATE BUDGET ABOUT 90%
OF IT IS BEING FUNDED AND IT'S
REALLY HIGHER EDUCATION AND THE
SOCIAL SERVICES THAT HAVE BEEN
LEFT OUT.
>> SO WHAT DOES IT SAY ABOUT
LAWMAKERS THAT THIS BUDGET
IMPASSE DRAGS ON THE FACT THAT
SO MANY CERTAINLY OF SERVICE
AGENCIES HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING
AND RALLIES IS THIS AN
INDICATION THAT THE LEGISLATORS
ARE OK WE HEAR YOU AND WILL TRY
TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
>> IT SHOWS THAT THEY ARE UNDER
PRESSURE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT
IT AND REPUBLICANS AT THE LEAST
MAKING AN ATTEMPT OR TRYING TO
MAKE IT LOOK LIKE THEY ARE
MAKING AND ATTEMPT.
THEY CAME THROUGH WITH A SIMILAR
PROPOSAL FUNDING HIGHER
EDUCATION AND THEY TIED THAT TO
PROCUREMENT CHANGES THAT WOULD
PAY FOR IT AND DEMOCRATS HAVE SO
FAR SAID NO TO BOTH OF THOSE.
THEY HAVE NOT SAID NO IN A WORD.
NONETHELESS THEY WANT THE
GOVERNOR TO DROP HIS OTHER TURN
AROUND AGENDA DEMANDS.
AS LONG AS THEY ARE OUT THERE
THERE IS NOT GOING TO BE ONE BIG
DEAL.
VERY MUCH THERE IS A LOT OF
PRESSURE.
AND FOR SOME SOCIAL SERVICE
AGENCIES IT IS TOO LATE.
MANY HAVE CLOSED THEIR DOORS AND
THERE ARE A LOT OF LAYOFFS SAME
FOR UNIVERSITIES.
>> HOUSE MINORITY LEADER JIM
DURKIN WAS ASKED IF THE GOVERNOR
SHOULD SIGN A BILL TO HELP
CHICAGO AND PENSION COSTS.
>> THAT WAS A SEMI PENSION
HOLIDAY CAUGHT IN THERE AND IT
COULD POSSIBLY PUT A SIGNIFICANT
BURDEN ON CHICAGO TAXPAYERS.
>> SO WHAT DOES IT SAY ABOUT THE
CHANCES OF THE GOVERNOR SIGNING
THE BILL?
>> WELL THERE IS A REASON THAT
YOUR LISTENERS AND VIEWERS MAY
HAVE NOT HEARD ABOUT THIS
BECAUSE THIS MEASURE PASSED IN
JUNE.
AND SENATE PRESIDENT CULLERTON
HELD ON TO IT BECAUSE HE WAS
FEARFUL THAT THE GOVERNOR WOULD
VETO IT.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MAYOR
EMANUEL VERY MUCH WANTS HIM TO
SIGN AND THE CITY'S BUDGET
DEPENDS ON THAT.
AT THE TIME BACK IN JUNE, THE
GOVERNOR SAID HE WAS
DISAPPOINTED IN THIS EFFORT THAT
IT WOULD FURTHER KICK THE CAN
DOWN THE ROAD.
IT DOES NOT APPEAR AS IF
ANYTHING CHANGED BUT RAUNER HAS