See-Quinn. Everyone was watching Gov. Pat Quinn’s budget address in Springfield on Wednesday, and most of the editorial writers/columists are complaining that he’s not calling for enough cuts, streamlining, reorganization, reinvention or innovation. Illinois Statehouse News laments the lack of details or specifics in Quinn’s 27-minute address.
- Cut. The Sun-Times says the state can’t avoid big spending cuts, even if the governor’s not proposing them.
- Hurt. The Daily Herald says “pain and innovation” should precede new spending.
- Pay. The Trib says it’s time to make 84,000 public sector retirees pay more for their health benefits because their incomes average $77,000.
- Cheeze whiz? A front page story in The New York Times covers the massive and unruly demonstration at the state capitol in Madison against new Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s plan make state employees pay more for pensions and health benefits to balance the budget. Walker’s also taking aim at the collective bargaining power of the public employee unions.
- Marin’s message. In non-budget news that is still Quinn-related, Sun-Times columnist Carol Marin says it’s time for the governor to sign the bill abolishing the state’s death penalty.
- Peppered with salt. The Daily Herald reports the Illinois EPA is asking AG Lisa Madigan to make sure a Bartlett company stores excess salt in an environmentally safe way.
