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WNIJ's summary of news items around our state.

Rauner Sees The State Of The State As A Work In Progress

Declaring himself “frustrated by the slow pace of change here in Springfield,” Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner described the State of the State as needing compromise and additional reform to accomplish its goals.

Credit Carl Nelson/WNIJ
Gov. Bruce Rauner

He touted great “strides in ethics reform” since taking office two years ago and “modernizing and streamlining” state government and making information more accessible to citizens.

He described the contracts with Illinois state employees as “innovative” for the way they imposed new rules on overtime, instituting productivity rewards, and allowing unpaid volunteers to work in state facilities on tasks once handled by paid workers.

Read the text of Gov. Bruce Rauner's address

He praised efforts by communities like Grayslake and Hainesville to save money by sharing services and assailed the 7,000 separate governmental units in the state as “worst in the nation.”

Rauner decried the failure of efforts to get referenda on the statewide ballots to limit terms in office and reform redistricting practices. Noting that the courts said only the General Assembly could take such steps, the governor made a direct plea:

“I ask you today, on behalf of all the people of Illinois – Democrats and Republicans – please do the right thing and pass the bills to put term limits and fair maps on the ballot,” he said. “Let the people decide these issues for themselves. Let them have the ability to vote on these issues. End the power of incumbency and special interest groups, and give power back to the people of our state.”

Noting the $700 million in additional annual funding for kindergarten-through-high-school education, Rauner called for lawmakers take the next steps and create permanent reform to the way public schools are funded.

The governor said violence – in Chicago and elsewhere – must be stopped and a solution found to what causes the gangs and shooting and beatings and more:

“Addressing the roots of this plague will take much more: to restore hope where hope has been lost, to build a long-term future of quality education and good jobs for communities that need it most.

“Tearing down the barriers to good jobs and economic opportunity. Getting rid of blight and incentivizing redevelopment.

“Making sure both the state and Chicago Public Schools treat low-income kids the same as high-income kids.

“Giving parents more choices and support to give their kids a world class education. Putting vocational training back into our high schools so young people, whether they want to go to college or not, can see a clear path to a career rather than falling victim to the gang recruiters.”

Rauner stepped away from his script to offer special thanks to members of the Illinois Senate in their efforts to resolve the budget impasse with a package of interlocked bills addressing issues important to both parties.

“Please don’t give up,” he implored. “Please keep trying. The people of Illinois need you to succeed.”

Several times he referred to the lack of a balanced budget, especially noting the $130 billion unfunded Illinois pension liability and the state’s backlog of unpaid bills.

Rauner proposed investing in higher education to make public universities – he specifically cited the University of Illinois and Southern Illinois University in Carbondale – research rivals to Silicon Valley and the vaunted Research Triangle in North Carolina through alliances with the University of Chicago and Northwestern University.

“We’ve been at the bottom for far, far too long,” he said. “It’s time we race to the top. To lead the nation in job creation. To lead the nation in education funding and outcomes. To lead the nation in ethics and accountability. To lead the nation in poverty alleviation and violence reduction.”

He told the assembled audience that people of all political stripes have a moral obligation to work together to bring change and return Illinois to a place of hope, opportunity and prosperity.

“Now,” Rauner concluded, “let’s work together to get the job done.”

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