CapitolFax.com - Latest Comments in Tollway allegations

Re: Tollway allegations

Go figure — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 13:22:23 -0000

State Senator Jeffrey Schoenberg where is all this watchful care you were going to provide to the Illinois Tollway ?

Re: Tollway allegations

Another Red Flag — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 12:34:17 -0000

The employees at the Illinois Tollway recently organized and joined the union identified below.
Usually employees don't organized and join unions unless they are being treated unfairly. Hmmm ?

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, or AFSCME, Council 31 Ã¢â‚¬â€ which often works with the AFL-CIO Ã¢â‚¬â€ voted against supporting Blagojevich during an endorsement meeting involving unions statewide on Tuesday.
Ã¢â‚¬Å“Many of our members have become disenchanted with the governorÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s lack of commitment to strong public service,Ã¢â‚¬Â AFSCME spokesman Anders Lindall said.
AFSCME has been in a high-profile battle with the governor over staff cuts it contends are crippling state government agenices.

Re: Tollway allegations

Kankakee — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 11:57:47 -0000

Hello, Abner your sticking your head in the sand ! It's time you give your party an enema.
Abner youÃ¢â‚¬â„¢re a dinosaur, time for you to go back to sleep.

Re: Tollway allegations

I.D.O.T. District 3 — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 11:42:41 -0000

States agencies were not cesspools until after Blagojevich and his Storm Troopers took over. Actually, they were very good places to work and have a rewarding career.
- Not Anymore !

Re: Tollway allegations

Wilson the Volleyball — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 11:08:33 -0000

What's that paperhanger Brian McPartlin doing about all this ?

Re: Tollway allegations

Just The Beginning ! — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 09:57:59 -0000

Oh Where, Oh Where, Can Attorney General Lisa Madigan Be ?
So many investigations ?
But No Lisa Madigan !
Wonder if Central Management Services (CMS) has had any requests for shredders lately ?

Re: Tollway allegations

Tired of Living In Fear — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 13:11:21 -0000

Gulag best describes the atmosphere which exists here at the Illinois Tollway's Central Administration Headquarters in Downers Grove, Illinois.

Re: Tollway allegations

The Laughing Detective — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 11:42:31 -0000

Milorad (Mr. Testicular Verility)

The Illinois Tollway Jihad is alive, well and above all flourishing.

Thank you for cleaning up Illinois !

Re: Tollway allegations

Disgusted — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 00:05:43 -0000

Roy Slade: There is time for training. The HFS Training Program is running "New Employee Orientation" every month, with a full house each time. Doesn't the state have a hiring freeze on?

Hmmmmm! "Curiouser and curiouser," said Alice.

Re: Tollway allegations

Another One Bites The Dust — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 17:48:28 -0000

Ralph Dwyer (HNTB) Deputy Project Manager of I-355 / (North / South Tollway Extension Project and I-294 / Tri- State Tollway Widening Project) has pulled the plug and is leaving June 20, 2006.
Fed up with Blagojevich administration politics and the current Illinois Tollway Administration ?

Re: Tollway allegations

KenoMan — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 17:46:24 -0000

How about the fact that the Tollway has spent over $132,000 on OUTSIDE legal counsel defending these cases...........they've got seven staff attorneys, but needed to hire "outside" help.
And of course, a partner in the firm they hired served on Blago's transition team.....remember that the next time you are paying your toll....

Re: Tollway allegations

Helter Skelter — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 11:15:14 -0000

Blago's Motto

No Experience = Big Pay Checks for Blago's Minions

Just investigate the records before they destroy them !

Re: Tollway allegations

Tessa — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 06:15:59 -0000

High five Roy Slade. If they took the money they paid out in overtime and used it for staff, that would help. Management comes in and leaves while the same staff stay day after day. Getting ready now to head in for my fourth day of OT. Something is wrong.

Oh, and I have worked private sector. Same field. The politics on that side are just as amazing and screwed up.

Re: Tollway allegations

Criminal Enterprise Called Ill — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 03:28:45 -0000

I also am surprised at and disappointed in Abner Mikva. What a surprise coming from a person I formally admired. Perhaps he is covering his hide, since he was part of the transition team. Being proactive before he is questioned, perhaps? Look what has happened to Mary Lee Leahy. She has been muzzled and is giving a deposition. Seems there is something quite amiss here. Mary Lee and Abner go back decades and are colleagues and friends. I hope they come clean as to the true story inside Blago's hiring/firing shenanigans. It is disappointing that he, in effect, is campaigning for Rod. I thought more of hs integriry. Strange times.

Re: Tollway allegations

Papa Legba — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 00:42:06 -0000

Wow. Lately when I read comments by a few of the posters on this site my head hurts and my IQ drops a few points. Where are these people comming from? First Cassandra shows up and repeats the same ignorant message every day. At least she has been framing it a bit different lately. All I have to say to her is unless you know what you are talking about, SHUT UP ALREADY! Now we have Mikva tossing his mouth into the ring with senile ramblings about how ex-employees are trying to tar and feather Honest Rod. Abner, go find Gladys.

Rich, I am sorry to go negative, but these Blago plants (pun intended) are ruining this site. They have made it very difficult to have a meaningful debate here anymore. It is frustrating that a few have messed up the opportunity for persons who wish to have intellegent political discourse.

Cassandra. To follow up on "Seen both sides - @ 1:15 pm:" I have seen both sides also. These people installed by Blago and his minions are pathetic. They tried to run me off because they thought I was a "Republican". I had voted republican in order to vote for my father who held a township position, so I voted republican in the primaries. He didn't help get me a job with the state either. His "clout" was so powerful he couldn't even get a cup of water from the County Board Chair. One more thing Cassandra. I seem to remember three ex-state employees (it might not be Illinois, or it was DNR, I'm not sure) who sued because they were wrongly fired. They won. They won because they were found to be victims of Political Discrimination. It's only a matter of time Blago and his Brown Shirts.

Re: Tollway allegations

roy slade — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 23:31:08 -0000

Oh- I get it. Training is bad...unless its for ethics (California campaign donor provided). Now, for the record, due to layoffs and unfilled positions, we no longer have time for training. I do remember training- the type that actually make us better employees, reinforcing skills that we already have, or helping us deal with the public. But now, we just work mandated overtime shifts- and watch our request for time off to spend with our families get denied, all the while, our "bosses" work five hour days and talk politics at work.

Re: Tollway allegations

Anonymous — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 20:47:52 -0000

Angry and outraged,

The hard work and important contribution to the taxpayers that this guy did was teaching Disney motivational training classes? Were Mickey and Donald working there, too?

If his co-workers were such excellent, hard workers, why did they need motivational training?

Cassandra is looking more and more correct.

Re: Tollway allegations

Amused — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 20:20:01 -0000

Boy, Mikva has lost it! Defending Blago and his corruption? Wow! Whatever happened to the do-gooder lib known as the embodiment of good government?

Re: Tollway allegations

angry and outraged — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 19:32:35 -0000

First to "Toll Weigh" mr good worker did go through the proper channels about the $100,00.00 that is why he was fired and I know that for a fact! Second to Cassandra you keep throwing out allegations that state employees are overpaid do you know what a FOIA(Freedom of Information Act) is because I think you need to do one and quit listening to propoganda, the bulk of state employees are not overpaid and have you ever worked at a state agency to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are lazy? The fact is these people and others were illegally let go. They were not RUTAN exempt! They were let go under the guise that their jobs were eliminated HUH! This administration never attempted to find out what anyone did from the first minute they stepped into that building! They are just City of Chicago thugs that were brought in by Blago to get rid of people because of course you know we are all Republicans???? and to bring their worseless hacks in! Oh they claimed they cut the fat at the Authority well "Tollway Insider" is right it was just a dog and pony show for the press they brought in alot more employees from their list than the main Authority Building has ever had-no fat was cut! Oh wait "Toll Weigh" on the, IG, that puppet position was not in place at the time these folks were let go! I worked (yes Cassandra-worked) with all five of these people and they were hard working folks that did not on any level deserve this and are not whining as some of you are accussing them of. Many faced their fate and those that did not had huge amounts of money taken away from them with the sole purpose to drive them out figuring they could not afford to stay. They pulled one of out a Disney Motivational Training Class to tell him his job(that they had no idea of what he did) was eliminated-so went the motivational class! Last, Cassandra, I worked for 18 years in the (what I like to call) the real world so I know that the private sector does not work on things at this level. This was political blood shed to scare people into quitting, but if you have a family, you have the years and you need the benefits it is not an easy thing to walk away. Oh by the way I go my job at the Tollway by filling out an application-no politicl affiliation "Cassandra and "Niles Township"!!!!!

Re: Tollway allegations

outsider — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 18:29:56 -0000

[comment deleted - OK, that's enough of that]

Re: Tollway allegations

Seen both sides — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 17:48:42 -0000

Cassandra,
I agree that employment is not an entitlement, and if they were Rutan-exempt, then they were simply victims of the Governor's puffery. But conversely, most government employees are rightfully covered under civil service protections against politically motivated sanctions.

For the record, I work in the private sector and I've never been asked on any of my projects to disclose how I voted in the last primary nor on which campaigns I worked for.

Re: Tollway allegations

Anonymous — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 17:30:04 -0000

The tollway subpoenas concern the food contracts which were handed out by Tony and Chris AFTER Wilton Partners gave Rod a 50K contribution. I'm sure the feds are particularly interested in how convicted felon Eddie DeBartolo Jr. got a contract.

Re: Tollway allegations

Tollway Insider — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 17:26:32 -0000

Yes, they illegally terminated 50 positions held at the Illinois Tollway but added well over 125 of the politcally connected.
Do the math.... I'm sure they saved the motoring public a considerable amount of money - NOT !

Re: Tollway allegations

Tollway Insider — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 17:10:00 -0000

If media continues to pursue interviewing both long time State of Illinois employees and the ones who were illegally terminated you'll find there is a common denominator within their stories. Which is that the Blagojevich administration and current Illinois Tollway administration is an arrogant, deceptive and condescending group of bitter individuals who are hell bent on political retribution.
As you can see from the ABC / Channel 7 -I-Team investigational story the administration has their spun their story as if they were poor -disgruntled employees. I'm sure they didn't become disgruntled until after they were illegally terminated.
Smokin' Mirrors is high on Governor Blagojevich's agenda and they're the ones who should be ferreted out.
If the Blagojevich's administration are in the right, why have they fought so long and hard to hide evidence pertinent to the pending cases ?
If this political climate is allowed to prevail in our state - We All Lose !

By the way, what ever happened Jack Hartman and Scott Okun for their crooked deeds ?

Re: Tollway allegations

Cassandra — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 17:05:31 -0000

I didn't say all hires should be political.

I said that the people who lost their jobs may not have been entitled to lifetime job security under the civil service regulations. If so, they must have known this, or should have. State employment is not an entitlement, although it comes close for many union and civil service employees.

And the state is entitled to a certain number of Rutan-exempt positions. Politicals can be hired into these. It's legal and there has been no indication that voters wish to change this, probably because the number is a small fraction of the overall state work force.