Illinois leadership’s pre-budget spin: “Cusp of being in the best shape it’s been in 30 years.” – Wirepoints

By: Ted Dabrowski

Illinois Democratic leadership finally released today a 704-page budget bill monstrosity – unsurprisingly on the last day of the legislative session. 

It’s the first we’re seeing of the reported $42 billion budget, and from our discussions with several lawmakers, it’s the first time they are seeing it, too. Many of the appropriation discussions have been held behind closed doors, we’re told, and Democrats have largely shut out the super-minority Republicans. 

Politico reported this morning that administration officials say Illinois is “on the cusp of being in the best shape it’s been in 30 years…,” largely due to direct federal support for the state, cities and individuals.

What’s fascinating about that comment is just how untrue it is. Illinois’ pension debts are at record levels today and they are the nation’s worst by any reasonable measure. Expect property taxes to be at record levels, too, straining every single household. And the credit rating? It’s still the lowest in the country and Illinois is being spared a junk rating only because of the federal bailout. Best shape in 30 years?

That said, the budget will pass easily. Why? Democrats have supermajorities in both chambers and they’ve had plenty of time behind closed doors to reach an agreement. It’s a lot easier to pass a budget when the Feds send $8 billion in stimulus money: any real pressure to make the numbers balance, even under Illinois’ flawed accounting rules, was eliminated. Major upward estimates in state income and sales tax revenues, improved significantly due to the direct federal transfers to Illinois residents, have also made the “balancing” easier.

Issues that we’ll touch on once we’ve had a chance to digest what’s in the bill…

  • What this budget does and doesn’t do. 
  • Hopes for a credit upgrade? 
  • Even more money for school funding.
  • How much of the federal funds will go to programs that make things worse?
  • They’ll say the budget is balanced. Maybe under the state’s warped definition it will be, but it won’t be under proper accounting.

We’ll provide details on the budget as we unpack it.

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Eugene from a payphone
2 years ago

A note to pensions paid first, the number worth looking at is the percent of Chicago, Cook County and other public pension retirement checks being sent out of Cook County, out of state or out of country and ask yourself why are these civil servants not spending their pension $$ where they earned them. Then join them elsewhere and hope the $$ lasts.

susan
2 years ago

Take a lesson from the winners: “Silence is Violence”. Illinoisans are Silent. They do not show up at school board meetings, nor do they perform the simplest of math to comprehend/protest the economic anal fisting of most (non-TIF, non-EZ, non-political-class favored-contractor) Illinois taxpayer household budgets. Therefore, Illinoisans are violent. This Violence protects a system which exists for the benefit of a few at the expense of others. Who benefits? Why should anyone stay in Illinois? They gain a multimillion dollar present-valued benefit: State guaranteed-defined benefits if they hang in there for the 20-year vesting period. That would be teachers and… Read more »

Mike
2 years ago

Link to the Politico statement?

Mike
2 years ago
Reply to  Ted Dabrowski

“Before it went public, the administration and Democratic lawmakers said Illinois is on the cusp of being in the best fiscal shape it’s been in 30 years, thanks to federal Covid relief funding, direct checks to residents, and better-than-expected state revenue.”

So, what about the state’s gross mishandling of unemployment?

Massive deficit in the unemployment fund (due in large part to no rainy day fund), massive backlog of unanswered unemployment calls, extending juicy benefits to those that can work but won’t resulting in labor shortages.

Aaron
2 years ago
Reply to  Mike

Don’t forget state constitution in the trash (balanced budget amendment) federal constitution in the trash (#1 and #2). Illinois government has no clothes

morefandave
2 years ago

Gov. Toilets is the Burger King of politics with all the whoppers he serves up regularly.

Wolfnight
2 years ago

“largely due to direct federal support for the state, cities and individuals”

Not federal support you hacks, you mean taxpayer support, private businesses like mine that you have decimated the past 12 months with this plandemic.

No surprise my City (Palos Heights) now expects me to pay my car stickers. Another boondoggle of taxpayer waste.

PIGS. IN. TROUGH.

The Paraclete
2 years ago

Everything is fine! Pay no attention to what you see or read! It’s so bad they’ve given up trying to bllsht everyone. Nothing they can conjure is believable even to themselves. They schrug and run and get mad knowing they’re the subject of laughter. Anyone know a liberal with a sense of humor? Yea, me neither! They refuse to laugh at themselves, therefore everything is serious. Lot of adds about mental health meds?

Rick
2 years ago

“due to federal support” mmm something about that fact makes me think he should be announcing… “the state is crippled but it has the best set of crutches its had in 30 years”.

thee jabroni
2 years ago

I certainly hope that JB doesnt hurt his fat little arm reaching around and patting himself on the back for the ” outstanding ” job hes done as governor of one of the most corrupt states in the union

Pat
2 years ago
Reply to  thee jabroni

Correction: there is NOTHING ‘little’ about JB’s appendages.

thee jabroni
2 years ago
Reply to  Pat

lol!!

morefandave
2 years ago
Reply to  thee jabroni

I can’t figure out if he is knowingly lying or if he’s delusional and actually believes that nonsense.

debtsor
2 years ago
Reply to  morefandave

Lying. Many middle of the road D’s have tuned out of politics lately and the best way to communicate with low information, low propensity voters is to lie to them through sound bites, “IL budget is balanced” is all they hear.

Mark
2 years ago
Reply to  thee jabroni

J B knowing about being in shape,is like Biden being a Mensa member

Thee Jabroni
2 years ago
Reply to  Mark

lol,hilarious but true!!

LessonLearned
2 years ago

Those of us that have abandoned Illinois are happily telling everyone in our new state that Illinois is a hopeless mess. Don’t underestimate the impact of word of mouth and each day our numbers grow. Illinois can’t hide it’s decay forever. The day is coming when the remaining Illinois residents will regret not leaving the state when they had the chance.

Pat
2 years ago
Reply to  LessonLearned

Every intention of following the exodus and encouraging our offspring to do the same. Why should our kids and grandkids get stuck with the bill?
Nothing attractive about Illinois anymore; especially nothing to lure anyone to Chicago.
Now the CPD is warning Chicagoans trying to enjoy the parks and strolling the streets to watch for roving ‘robbery mobs,’ some of whom are violent.
WTH???

Debtsor
2 years ago
Reply to  Pat

Exodus? What exodus? Jb prickster said it was just some college kids leaving!

Ex Illini
2 years ago
Reply to  LessonLearned

Soon enough the only people left in Illinois will be the Crapitol Fax crew, led by well known Democrat Silly Willy.

Pensions Paid First
2 years ago
Reply to  Ex Illini

The population of Illinois is down 18k over the last 10 years. At that pace, in 100 years Illinois will drop from 12.8 million residents to 12.6 million. Though you may have a different definition of soon.

debtsor
2 years ago

The rate of resident loss will unlikely remain constant. Slow bleeds often progress to hemorrhaging.

Ex Illini
2 years ago

You choose to follow the number that fits your narrative. That’s your choice. Illinois consistently comes in last or second to last in terms of population loss year after year. Your large hero stuffed the census box in 2020 and you claim victory. It must keep you up at night though. Tick tick tick…..

Pensions Paid First
2 years ago
Reply to  Ex Illini

I choose to follow the official census numbers not the ones that fit my narrative. You are using “estimates” rather than the actual numbers.

debtsor
2 years ago

I trust the Census numbers like I trust the CDC coronavirus figures.

In the ballpark, but wholly inaccurate.

Pensions Paid First
2 years ago
Reply to  debtsor

So you don’t trust the actual census numbers but you trust the estimates? That’s funny considering when the estimates were showing a downward trend everyone touted them like they were gospel. Now that the actual census shows population loss at much smaller numbers you won’t believe it. If they are “in the ballpark” as you suggested then the comparison between 2020 and 2010 hold up as showing a slight loss in population. If nobody trust any of the numbers then I guess we can just look at the actual revenue that the state brings in. Let’s see, Illinois brought in… Read more »

Ex Illini
2 years ago

You put your faith in a process that is completely incomparable between 2010 and 2020. JB put significant resources into getting every body counted, dead or alive, in 2020. But you know that. Tick tick tick….

Bye bye pension.

Admin
2 years ago

PPF, I don’t know where you are getting those revenue numbers. The state brought in $25B in 2010 and 42B in 2020, yet it still lost money hand over fist. The state lost about $10B per year on average over that period. That’s what matters. But let me ask you more generally, do you seriously think Illinois is on a sustainable path — even if population were to stay flat? That it will not suffer a major meltdown without radical reforms? There is no scenario for restoring Illinois that does not include restoring growth in population and tax base. If… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by Mark Glennon
Pensions Paid First
2 years ago
Reply to  Mark Glennon

Mark, My source is from the Illinois Department of Revenue Annual Report FY2020 vs FY2010. Even if we go off your numbers the state increased revenue by 68%. This happened while all the out migration you quoted took place. So sure Illinois lost 6 billion in AGI but they also collected more in overall taxes. If a business raises prices by 67% and loses 1% of their customer base then it doesn’t matter. Until total revenue declines or is flat after raising taxes then expect more of the same. As we just witnessed a national bailout, I don’t see any… Read more »

Aaron
2 years ago

All roses. No problem in Illinois. True utopia

Admin
2 years ago

Trust the IRS migration data. We just posted the latest.

Aaron
2 years ago

Nobody trusts government numbers. Here’s the deal, 98% of scientists, politicians, retirees agree with the people funding them.

Aaron
2 years ago

Official like the vote count? Sure as official as a mail in ballot? Lol. Get out of here democrap!

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WIREPOINTS ORIGINAL STORIES

A statewide concern: Illinois’ population decline outpaces neighboring states – Wirepoints on ABC20 Champaign

“We are not in good shape” Wirepoints’ Ted Dabrowski told ABC 20 Champaign during a segment on Illinois’ latest population losses. Illinois was one of just three states to shrink in the 2010-2020 period and has lost another 300,000 people since then. Ted says things need to change. “It’s too expensive to live here, there aren’t enough good jobs and nobody trusts the government anymore. There’s just other places to go where you can be more satisfied.”

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