Here is a developing story in Springfield from our GateHouse News Service:
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Breaking News: Speaker Madigan says Quinn, Cullerton don’t object to firing Ryan, Blagojevich appointees
State Capitol Bureau
GateHouse News Service
SPRINGFIELD, Ill.
12:50 p.m.: Speaker Madigan says Quinn, Cullerton don’t object to firing Ryan, Blagojevich appointees
House Speaker Michael Madigan says he has no objections from other top Democratic leaders to his idea to fire 3,000 state workers appointed and hired by two ex-governors.
Madigan says he’s discussed House Bill 4450 with Gov. Pat Quinn and Senate President John Cullerton. Madigan says Quinn did not object to the idea, and Cullerton favors it.
Madigan’s proposal is aimed at getting rid of thousands of people put in state government under ex-Govs. George Ryan and Rod Blagojevich.
The speaker also says, as lawmakers work toward a new budget and wrapping up their spring session this month, that he’s prepared to vote for a tax increase that balances the budget and pays the bills but not to “grow the government.”
Madigan says he’s not interested in working on gambling expansion as a way to fill the budget hole or pay for a construction program.
State Capitol Bureau
12:35 p.m.: Speaker Madigan proposes firing thousands of Ryan, Blagojevich appointees
Unhappy with the “pace of change,” House Speaker Michael Madigan is proposing ousting thousands of state employees hired and appointed by ex-Govs. George Ryan and Rod Blagojevich.
Madigan announced his push today for House Bill 4450 at a Statehouse news conference.
He says the proposal to fire within two months the appointees and hires made by the criminally troubled ex-governors would affect 90 boards and commissions and about 3,000 state workers.
Madigan says the move isn’t intended to impugn the integrity of those who would be fired but to speed up work by Gov. Quinn in cleaning up government’s image.
“It’s imperative, to use his word, to fumigate the government,” Madigan said of Quinn. “I’m not satisfied with the pace of change. I think we have to move faster.”
Those affected by the measure include Ginger Ostro and Jack Lavin, both top aides under Blagojevich who have remained in top spots for Quinn since he took office Jan. 29 for the impeached Blagojevich.
Labeled the “Officials and Employees Termination Act of 2009,” the measure would get rid of agency heads, assistant heads and deputy heads who were nominated by a governor between Jan. 11, 1999, and Jan. 29, 2009. It also would apply to members of executive boards or commissions who were nominated between those dates and to other officials whose jobs require Illinois Senate confirmation.
Ryan took office in January 1999, and Blagojevich was forced out of office on Jan. 29.
If Madigan’s plan becomes law, those officials would have to leave their jobs within 60 days. The governor would have the authority to make temporary appointments to fill the posts, and he could later nominate or employ one of the fired officials.
State Capitol Bureau
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Me again. Wow, 3,000 employees — that’s a lot of people. Does Speaker Madigan have enough children to fill all those positions? Just wondering.
Stumble It!
1 Comment
May 15, 2009 at 9:43 am
WAIT a minute! *Some* employees hired during this period were MERIT Appointments, and they have worked in a hellish environment; where they weren’t “part of the team” and they could never become “part of the team”. They watched unqualified people step in with no experience and start at the highest pay scale level in the agency (Level 8). They stand out in the fact that three new LOWEST pay levels ever (Levels below a “Level One”) such as “Level 1A, 1B, and 1C” were created just for them, so that they made less than anyone ever had with their experience and credentials. These Merit Appointment employees worked four years to make it to the starting pay level. The Merit Appointments were the ones who showed up and did their jobs. I hope and pray that provisions are built into the bill so that *Merit Appointments* aren’t also tossed out after all they’ve contributed and endured.