Health & Fitness

Madigan stares down unions, literally

RAUNER UNFILTERED: You can't say billionaire GOP gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner panders to his audience. In a radio interview this week in Springfield -- a metro area packed with state employees -- Rauner said this: "Even Pat Quinn … has acknowledged that our government workers are overpaid by 23 percent compared to government workers in the five states surrounding us. And that number is low. It’s actually more overpaid than that." He said more, and we've got it on our Campaign 2014 blog, along with some skeptical reaction from the capital city and Chicago. Read it here.
MADIGAN STARES, UNIONS DON'T BLINK Is there open hostility between House Speaker Michael Madigan and public employee unions? It sure looked that way Tuesdayafternoon, as Madigan silently scowled at Illinois AFL-CIO President Michael Carrigan throughout an hour-long House committee hearing. The unions aren't much interested in negotiating a solution to the pension stalemate, Carrigan said, nor are they interested in hearing about any bill other than their own. The atmosphere in the hearing was at times surreal -- like watching a sports agent attempting to bargain with a disinterested team owner. Your intrepid editor was there and filed this account.
BARGAINING UNTIL BROKE Chicago attorney and Sun-Times columnist Eden Martin believes public employee unions are putting their members in danger with their approach to pension reform: "Retirees and state workers have by far the greatest interest in getting this fixed. Younger workers are paying into plans that will be broke by the time they retire. Yet their union chiefs block the proposed reforms and actuarial funding schedule, and threaten litigation," writes Martin. Read it and add your thoughts in the comments!

SENATE STOPS QUINN In March, Gov. Pat Quinn issued an executive order to eliminate or consolidate 75 government panels after the Better Government Association highlighted the waste and perks that accompany many taxpayer-supported boards and commissions. (How does $50,000 a year for 13 hours' work a month sound?) But the Illinois Senate blocked the order, saying Quinn overstepped his authority. The BGA follows up in this report.
TOP 5 Here are the five most popular stories from rebootillinois.com this week:

NEWS FEED Here are the top stories from around the state. Find more in our Daily Tip-Off section.

  • 9. Illinois jobless Rate fell from 9.3 to 9.1 percent in May. (Chicago Tribune
    8. McHenry County lawmakers unsure that pension committee will work. (Northwest Herald
    7. Committee members likely to look at old legislation and concepts for pension compromise. (Illinois Issues
    6. State Sen. Darin LaHood is eyeing a run for State Treasurer. (Illinois Review
    5. GOP gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner told a downstate radio station he feels state government workers are overpaid. (NBC Chicago
    4. Eight of the 10 members of the committee for pension compromise backed the Michael Madigan pension plan. (The Republic
    3. A cigarette tax enacted by lawmakers last year is falling short of the projected revenue it was supposed to bring in for the state. (The Republic
    2. State Rep. Tom Morrison (R-Palatine) says pensions should be replaced with a retirement savings program. (Chicago Tribune
    1. Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis needs a reality check, says Tribune Editorial Board member Kristen McQueary. (Chicago Tribune)
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