Can Rauner save Illinois? (Chicago, Edwardsville: sales, 2015, unemployment rate)

[PerseusVeil]

Originally Posted by flamadiddle

I agree. The buck has to stop somewhere and we know the Democrats will never stop spending/taxing.

Sorry about the Universities PerseusVeil, but the Democrats can stop this nonsense by cutting some pork out of the budget.

It's a two way street...

Yeah, the university money is just one piece of an overall budget / court ordered spending. Rauner is playing politics, and if he thinks forcing college students out of school is going to help Illinois in the long run, then he's a fool.

[Avondalist]

Originally Posted by PerseusVeil

Yeah, the university money is just one piece of an overall budget / court ordered spending. Rauner is playing politics, and if he thinks forcing college students out of school is going to help Illinois in the long run, then he's a fool.

There's enough money in the budget to fund the universities if we cut the state workforce. Why is Madigan prioritizing state workers over students?

See two can play that game.

It's a common tactic by Democrats, like during the last federal government shutdown when the national parks were closed, to shut down feel-good services first and political patronage last so the public feels it even though the feel-good services are a drop in the bucket.

[PerseusVeil]

Originally Posted by Avondalist

There's enough money in the budget to fund the universities if we cut the state workforce. Why is Madigan prioritizing state workers over students?

See two can play that game.

It's a common tactic by Democrats, like during the last federal government shutdown when the national parks were closed, to shut down feel-good services first and political patronage last so the public feels it even though the feel-good services are a drop in the bucket.

The Democrats already put a bill on Rauner's desk, which Illinois' universities were in favor of, and he vetoed it. If he wants to harm the students so he can play politics with Madigan, then yes, I do blame him. His style of government isn't working, and it's only harming him, not Madigan, in the long run. He can either find another way to fight, or more and more of the state will turn on him.

[IrishIllini]

Originally Posted by PerseusVeil

Yeah, the university money is just one piece of an overall budget / court ordered spending. Rauner is playing politics, and if he thinks forcing college students out of school is going to help Illinois in the long run, then he's a fool.

Many of Illinois' universities are actually seeing declines in enrollment. I know EIU, NIU, SIU, and WIU are all trending downward. I'm not 100% certain about the other public universities, but I'm pretty sure U of I and UIC are the only public universities experiencing enrollment growth. Maybe ISU is in this category as well?

In my opinion we have too many public universities. EIU, NIU, SIU, and WIU just aren't on most Illinois' high school students radars. Students today want big universities with big name sports programs and active social scenes. That just isn't found anywhere in IL outside of U of I, NU, and maybe ISU/UIC. People would rather go out of state (read: Iowa, Indiana, Purdue, and Michigan State).

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by IrishIllini

Many of Illinois' universities are actually seeing declines in enrollment. I know EIU, NIU, SIU, and WIU are all trending downward. I'm not 100% certain about the other public universities, but I'm pretty sure U of I and UIC are the only public universities experiencing enrollment growth. Maybe ISU is in this category as well?

In my opinion we have too many public universities. EIU, NIU, SIU, and WIU just aren't on most Illinois' high school students radars. Students today want big universities with big name sports programs and active social scenes. That just isn't found anywhere in IL outside of U of I, NU, and maybe ISU/UIC. People would rather go out of state (read: Iowa, Indiana, Purdue, and Michigan State).

I don't know for sure, but I suspect that schools like Northern Illinois and Eastern Illinois attract many students whose families have little familiarity with college, or would like to save some money, or both. And yet, if schools ever shut down, then you'd have thousands of unemployed adm assistants, maintenance people, professors, administrators, etc, which would create a burden on the state. No easy answers here, but curbing some of the pension excesses seems entirely in order. Work a little longer, or at least well past the age of 55, take benefits according to your lifetime averages ( and not based upon a few months as a senior administrator, etc--no "king for a day" and retiring based upon that level), etc..

Maybe Illinois can elect some "new age" Dems who are not beholden to machine politics. I know--easier said than done in the Land of Lincoln..

[Antonio Montana]

Originally Posted by IrishIllini

This. I'd feel worse for the guy if he weren't your typical politician at heart. I agree we need serious reform, but anyone who gives themselves a 750k a year tax break knowing the financial constraints the state is facing is not interested in the good of the people but in the good of themselves.

I'd definitely love to see Madigan go before Rauner, but never seeing either of them associated with Illinois politics ever again is the dream scenario. I don't think Illinois is f*****. We're too big to fail. With that said, I hope the Federal Government steps in sooner rather than later to un-knot this clusterf***.

You must be smoking something if you think we taxpayers in other states are going to bail you out. You got yourselves into this. You will have to get yourselves out.

[Antonio Montana]

By the way, reading this thread just confirms what a great decision I made when I decided to leave Illinois. I'm so glad I can watch Illinois implode from the gorgeous beauty of the Rocky Mountains, and not have to worry about actually being there to deal with the damage up close. I'm going to have to give myself a nice pat on the back for making such a brilliant decision. Way to go, me!!!!!

[ChiGuy2.5]

Originally Posted by MassVt

I don't know for sure, but I suspect that schools like Northern Illinois and Eastern Illinois attract many students whose families have little familiarity with college, or would like to save some money, or both. And yet, if schools ever shut down, then you'd have thousands of unemployed adm assistants, maintenance people, professors, administrators, etc, which would create a burden on the state. No easy answers here, but curbing some of the pension excesses seems entirely in order. Work a little longer, or at least well past the age of 55, take benefits according to your lifetime averages ( and not based upon a few months as a senior administrator, etc--no "king for a day" and retiring based upon that level), etc..

Maybe Illinois can elect some "new age" Dems who are not beholden to machine politics. I know--easier said than done in the Land of Lincoln..

You can't compare EIU and NIU. At least NIU actually has a reputable sports program.... As an alum I am probably a bit biased though.

[Liledgy]

Originally Posted by ChiGuy2.5

Yes, the supreme court overturning the pension overhaul and ruling it unconstitutional was outside of his control. It wasn't because he failed to budget... You implied that somehow he is bad at budgeting.

Okay, so your company wasn't close to being bankrupt but still you're comparing a VC firm which buys/invests in 400+ companies of which 12 have declared bankruptcy to your 7 personally owned/involved business. Not only is a ludicrous comparison based on the numbers but also you're somehow drawing a conclusion based on that information that Rauner is a less capable governor of our state. Despite him having, in my opinion, higher qualifications than most people who run for office. At least he knows how to run and operate a profitable large business, even if occasionally some smaller businesses fail. That is more than any other Joe Shmoe governor can say.

I would never compare my self to Bruce Rauner, all I said was I never bankrupted any of the llc' I was involved in or my wife's small business (nor our personal life). I don't ANY respect for millionaires (and billionaires) bankrupting company's and having other people paying the price, and many of them other small businesses.

[Liledgy]

rauner isn't just hurting the universities, he's killing the towns that rely on the students, family's, employees and contractors that the university brings in. Charleston looks like a ghost town.