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| Economy |
| Illinois Shrugs Off Paying Bills |
| 2010-07-09 |
| The state of Illinois is more than $5 billion dollars in debt. The Land of Lincoln is giving California a run for its money at becoming the most fiscally unstable state. So Illinois' answer? Just stop paying the bills and see what happens!! That's not a joke - that's what they're doing! Residents across the board in that state are struggling with an uncertain future and dwindling pensions. That is unless you work for Pat Quinn - the governor is handing out raises to all his employees. Here are the numbers: the Democrat leader has given 43 salary increases - averaging 11.5% to 35 staffers in the past 15 months, according to the Associated Press. Ironically, the state's budget director, David Vaught, made out the best--he got a 20% raise or $24,000! And the deputy budget director -Gladyse Taylor - got a 10.5% bump! What makes this actually offensive is that in other parts of the state they're not talking about getting raises - they're trying to keep their jobs. In almost every district of the state - thousands of teachers have lost their jobs and health centers have shut down. Published reports say the University of Illinois has yet to receive 45% of the money owed to them. The unemployment rate for the state nears 11% and the state ranks in the top five of states with the most foreclosures. So Governor Quinn - I understand running the state of Illinois is not an easy job and you don't have a long list of good examples to learn from. But it doesn't take a rocket scientist or a political genius to understand that if your state is in the red... your staff shouldn't be bathing in big bucks. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #12 Have a look at Indiana please. It's right next door. #2 So Governor Quinn - I understand running the state of Illinois is not an easy job and you don't have a long list of good examples to learn from. He is widely cited as a rising star within the Republican party and has approval ratings hovering near 70% Daniels was named one of 2008's eight best public officials of the year by Governing Magazine, citing his persistence and efficiency.[25] Ouch --similar economy...dramatically different results |
| Posted by: TZSenator 2010-07-09 22:31 |
| #11 As far as these hospitals go, and just about all their other creditors, they have been living high on the hog with taxpayer funded contracts from the State. But now that the State is putting the squeeze on them, until their contracts are over, they are SOL. But as soon as those contracts *are* over, there is going to either be a lot of the businesses out of business, or no longer willing to take on State contracts. Ironically, this might actually be the plan, if you think about it. That is, there is no way the State government could just cancel these contracts without getting sued for a fortune. But if the businesses no longer renew their contracts, the State can just shrug. "We offer you free healthcare, and all you have to do is find an in-State provider who is on contract with the State. There are none." |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2010-07-09 12:46 |
| #10 Pretty sad, Illinois is a nice state until you get to the war zone in the north. It's too bad the rest of the state can't divorce themselves from Chicago. |
| Posted by: Jefferson 2010-07-09 12:43 |
| #9 2 - 7% raises?? I work for local gubbamint and got a 6% cut via furloughs last year and same this year. You know what? I understand it and agree with it. At least I have a job, unlike so many hard-working people in the private economy. You won't hear any bitching from me. |
| Posted by: Frank G 2010-07-09 10:50 |
| #8 When these crooks get old and feeble, the younger generations will be after them. It will not be a pretty picture. |
| Posted by: Beldar Thavitch8881 2010-07-09 09:44 |
| #7 That's O.K.......We gonna git somodat Obamamoney... |
| Posted by: armyguy 2010-07-09 09:12 |
| #6 Illinois voters HAVE TO REVOLT! Not one of the idiots running that state (read DEMOCRATS) should be returned to office in November. NOT ONE, NADA, ZERO, ZILCH |
| Posted by: Ebbese Ebbump8799 2010-07-09 08:40 |
| #5 How do they justify a 10-14% raise during this economy? Rhetorical question. Power is self justifying. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2010-07-09 08:15 |
| #4 How do they justify a 10-14% raise during this economy? I got a 1% raise - and was glad for it. Several people in my department got nothing this year. Of course, I work for a private company, not the government. |
| Posted by: Rambler in Virginia 2010-07-09 02:16 |
| #3 State hasn't paid the DuPage County Health Dept., Lutheran World Services and a host of others for going on 9 months but still demands they must preform service for the state... and sends collectors after the these orgs. when patients on state aid take tests the state demands but stiffs on paying for. In other words we are dumping these folk on you, you must do X,Y,Z tests on them every week and when they don't pay and we don't pay we send bill collectors after you.... |
| Posted by: 3dc 2010-07-09 00:38 |
| #2 So Governor Quinn - I understand running the state of Illinois is not an easy job and you don't have a long list of good examples to learn from. Have a look at Indiana please. It's right next door. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2010-07-09 00:24 |
| #1 It's not just the governor's staff getting raises: 40,000 Illinois State Workers To Get 14% Payraises Updated: Wednesday, 07 Jul 2010, 1:10 PM CDT By Mike Flannery, FOX Chicago News Springfield, Ill. - More than 40,000 unionized state workers got a pay raise last Thursday, bringing to 7 percent the amount they're gotten since last year. These same state employees are in line for another 7 percent by next July 1, all at a cost of a half-billion tax dollars a year. |
| Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418 2010-07-09 00:13 |