CapitolFax.com - Latest Comments in This just in…

Re: This just in…

Skirmisher — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 11:23:59 -0000

I was actually dumbfounded to see on this blog (Not in the newspapers) that a component of Madigan's so-called budget is to simply ignore the State's commitment to fund public employee pensions....Again!! With underfunded pensions being one of the most dangerous of Illinois' many fiscal situations it is inexplicable that the House democrats could again be this irresponsible. I have seen absolutely no one from either legislative branch or either party say one word about this. Unbelievable. Is there no responsible person left among Illinois' elected officials??

Re: This just in…

Tessa — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 08:32:55 -0000

I know I'm worried about the next fiscal year, if the budget doesn't include an increase for more staff. Where I'm at we're working with 25% overtime a pay period. Makes no sense, paying that much money out when we should hav hired staff at regular pay to fill positions. Mandation every day for everyone every shift. People want to see their kids, don't want to get sick because of working so much. Ridiculous. It's everywhere you go in the state.

Bad enough now that even I'm looking for another job. And I swore I'd never do it.

People in charge don't know what they're doing and how it's affecting the people doing the work or the people we care for. Maybe someday a legislator will look at one of these posts and get a clue. Probably not.

Re: This just in…

Wake Up — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 08:06:40 -0000

To all Merit Comp employees - wake up, we are getting screwed. This Governor hates our guts and shows his contempt by not giving us the compensation that we merit. For those who think AFSCME isn't a viable option to protect your rights - get your head out of the sand. SIEU is the Gov's "union." They have nothing to offer.

Re: This just in…

The Conservative — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 07:37:21 -0000

The Democrats fiddle while the State burns.

Re: This just in…

Lainer — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 07:04:00 -0000

Cassandra, don't forget about payless paydays... some of the longtime people in my office (legislative branch) have gone through one or two of them. It's relatively rare, but it does sometimes happen during end-of-fiscal-year budget crunches, often enough that people are starting to worry about it. Our healthcare isn't "free" either. Maybe more affordable than a lot of private companies offer, but by no means "free."

Re: This just in…

Fed Up State Employee — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 00:14:53 -0000

Pete
A fellow employee (MC) told me he had just had his review before the plan was implemented. Said he was told he wouldn't be eligible for his raise for another year.

Re: This just in…

Peoria Pete — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 23:42:29 -0000

To Cassandra- MC employees are not getting 7 percent. The typical raise (Blago's plan is on a calendar year basis so is about half done) gives almost everyone between 1.5 and 2.5 percent. Eligibility for "bonuses" was severely limited in most departments per CMS order, so please, please, limit your comments to something closer to the truth.

Re: This just in…

demgrrl — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 23:27:53 -0000

I'm saving up my strength for the week. Good night!

Re: This just in…

A Citizen — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 23:19:58 -0000

drmgrrl - past my bedtime - Bill, where'd you find this lady - she's NO party girl! Never make it in Springfield. The real business is done at night, not in chambers.

Re: This just in…

demgrrl — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 23:19:47 -0000

Leigh,

From what I've been told the majority of kids in all kids are not "illegal" (god forbid we should give children health care -- it's not as if they had a choice in coming here) and "illegals" are not covered in IL Covered.

Re: This just in…

A Citizen — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 23:15:28 -0000

Illegals?? Of course. I'm holding out for coverage for my beagles! It's all free courtesy of those mean big bad corporate boogeymen. Te Blagster said so!

Re: This just in…

demgrrl — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 23:13:42 -0000

again, I let facts, rather than irrational statements, make my case. Illinois Covered is not for free. It's based on income. Bills for the uninsured get passed on to those of us that have our own insurance. That's why premiums skyrocket year after year for everyone.

I'm not sure how people will pay through the nose in increased costs for everything the increased taxes are squeezed out of as well as direct taxes...wait. What the heck are you getting at? Again, it's past my bedtime so I may be a bit slow right now.

Re: This just in…

Leigh — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 23:11:26 -0000

Can someone please share the answer with me. Will illegals be covered under the "health insurance for all?" Are we currently supporting illegals through allkids? I have heard that the majority of kids in allkids are illegals, but tend not to believe the right wing any more than the left.

Re: This just in…

A Citizen — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 23:09:40 -0000

dmgrrl, that headache is coming from a bad case of cognitive dissonance - come over to the light side while you still can. You're too caring for the dark side. Night, night.

Re: This just in…

A Citizen — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 23:05:51 -0000

dmgrrl - ...If we provide health care to the uninsured, your costs will stop skyrocketing year after year.... - If we provide? Then costs would be zero to the individual. Except they would pay through the nose in increased costs for everything the increased taxes are squeezed out of as well as direct taxes. The citizens will NOT be getting something (health ins. etc.) for nothing! You don't have enough wool to cover everyones' eyes. Really, they are not that stupid.

Re: This just in…

demgrrl — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 23:02:33 -0000

please stop using big words. I'm getting to close to my bedtime to think.

No, that's not what I said nor what I mean. the gov's medicaid budget includes a reduction in the payment cycle of 30 days. it also includes a lot of other good things, including rate increases to hospitals and docs. These are on top of the Illinois Covered proposal.

Re: This just in…

demgrrl — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 22:58:52 -0000

Fed up,

there have not been thousands of employees laid off since this admin took office. Totally false. Maybe a couple hundreds, tops. However, I think you're totally in the right to be fed up over your rising health care costs. If we provide health care to the uninsured, your costs will stop skyrocketing year after year.

Re: This just in…

A Citizen — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 22:53:27 -0000

drmgrrl - Are you saying the gov's health care budget is just for medicaid pmts? You parse to finely - and then gloss over grossly. Your arguments become specious.

Re: This just in…

Fed up State Employee — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 22:50:55 -0000

I've had enough of Cassandra's inane comments. Last month my "free" state insurance cost me $178.00. My "free" pension cost me $276.28.

And job security? Tell that to the thousands of state employees who have been laid off since the current regime took power.

Enough said...

Re: This just in…

demgrrl — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 22:46:31 -0000

A Citizen,

Are you saying that the governor's budget would provide another 6 or 7 billion for health care? You would be horribly mistaken if that's the case.

Re: This just in…

A Citizen — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 22:42:10 -0000

With "his" budget the pmt cycle would be 30 days? Geez, with 6 or 7 BILLION dollars they should be paid 6 months plus in advance! The gov's attempted money grab is outrageous and unaffordable. NO growth is the responsible budget.

Re: This just in…

anon — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 22:40:40 -0000

Fair is fair. If the Governor's press assistant can be a Deputy Governor, then Brown can be a Deputy Speaker. Congrats Mr. Deputy Speaker.

Re: This just in…

demgrrl — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 22:36:51 -0000

Rich, I'm sorry that you've had to take up a part-time job of coming to my defense. I always welcome a good, honest debate, and there are plenty out there on your blog willing to do so even if I don't agree with most of them. And, if folks think I'm sheila nix, that's fine by me. She's a very decent person.

And, your point about the speaker's comments that the gov can lay off folks and increase medicaid payments to make up for his $600 million-plus deficit (which he did indeed make) will never fly in his caucus. They spent half the time beating up the gov during his three-hour marathon with them for medicaid payments being too far overdue and not having enough docs in the program -- which happens to be totally untrue since the payment cycle is 70 days or so less today than it was four years ago, and the governor's budget would bring it down to 30 days. With that said, the madigan budget could add another 30 days to the payment cycle and wouldn't provide rate increases to docs. I don't think the house dem caucus had any idea what they were voting for when they passed madigan's budget, but when they find out I'm sure they'll have a lot of questions for their speaker.

Re: This just in…

A Citizen — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 22:30:18 -0000

When they start serving fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches in the Rathskeller and the blind guy under the stairwell pushes quaaludes we'll know he's in town. Elvis, that is.

Re: This just in…

State of Farce — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 22:16:54 -0000

You know, just when you think that Blago can't get any weirder or more stupid...I truly think he is insane. I always have. Remember when he first got elected and came out with guns blazing against the legislators (the drunken sailors)? Then it was his father-in-law and landfills. Since then, he has fallen flat on his face every time. Not to mention the investigations...and Elvis! I have been watching the Legislature for 30 years. No one has acted like this village idiot. Impeach the fool! Picking fights with Madigan....certifiable.