Wednesday, January 04, 2006
The Chicago Tribune Questionnaire
The cover letter does have one intriguing caveat:
Can’t you just see the partisan legislative staffs working today on good answers for their candidates to use…probably on state time?
Here are this year’s questions. Pretend you’re a candidate.
1. Illinois has faced staggering budget shortfalls in recent years, leading to debate about whether the state should increase taxes and/or reduce spending. What are your priorities for the budget? Where should spending rise or fall? Should the state increase or reduce taxes, and in what specific areas?
Notice that the Tribune does not point out that state spending has risen each year since Governor Rod Blagojevich took office. It’s hard to argue that spending can continually increase without taxes going up on someone.
2. There is a significant gap in spending between the wealthiest and poorest school districts in Illinois. Is that a matter for the state or for local taxpayers to address? Should the state legislature change the way it raises and distributes revenues for local schools? Should the state provide more money for the poorest districts and, if so, how?
Note the nonsensical question about whether state or local taxpayers should address spending gaps in wealthy and poor districts. How could local taxpayers address the issue?
Obviously, it is a state issue, if it is to be addressed. And, it could be, but it is difficult to see how equalization could be afforded without taking something away from the rich suburban districts. Ironically, districts like Carpentersville 300 and Huntley 158, citizens who support higher local taxes also supported the so-called “tax swap,” which would increase their total tax load. Ignored is the question of whether additional money actually would improve educational output. (It’s not likely, according to studies I have read.)
3. The General Assembly made certain reforms in the state pension system in 2005, but also deferred $2.3 billion in payments to the system. The five state pension plans face a combined shortfall of $38 billion, a figure that will grow in the coming years. What changes in contributions and benefits need to be made to the state’s pension system? Please be specific.
The Service Employees International Union’s questions on this topic at least give its respondents a clue to the complexities of the subject, although the Tribune’s approach is more neutral.
4. Should Illinois be in the business of state-sanctioned gambling?
I wonder what the reaction would be if one replied with a “Yes” or “No” with no explanation. (Remember that casinos advertise.)
5. Does Illinois need new rules governing how candidates raise and spend money on campaigns? Does the state need new rules governing how elected officials conduct themselves in office? How can this state address its longstanding culture of corruption?
Might as well as if the General Assembly should legislator morality as the second two questions, although more frequent campaign disclosure would be helpful while the legislature is in session.
6. Illinois has a surplus of prison beds and a number of new prisons that have not been opened. Should the state close older prisons and open the new facilities? Should it continue to operate the older facilities because of their economic importance to the surrounding communities? In Illinois 55 percent of the inmates who are released eventually wind up back in prison. How can the state reduce this high rate of recidivism?
The question, it seems to me, is whether cost-benefit analysis should consider only the costs to the taxpayer or to the state’s economy as a whole. It is not as if the economy as a whole would suffer if an inefficient prison were shut down and a new, empty one opened. But, one community would win and another lose. That’s for sure.
Of course, the state could do what I suggested in my Libertarian Party gubernatorial campaign. It could go looking for prisoners in other states and the federal government.
7. Few races for Congress or the state legislature are truly competitive. That’s largely because district boundaries are drawn to give one major party or the other a decisive advantage. Should the legislature have the power to draw legislative maps, or should this be turned over to an independent process that would remove partisan considerations? If you support a change, how would you do it?
This certainly points to a big truth. Is Illinois better off when congressmen are allowed to make certain that all of their potential opponents end up in a neighboring congressman’s district? Is Illinois better off when the same people stay in the Illinois House and Senate for decade after decade? Does “experience” trump new ideas? No term limits in Illinois, that’s for sure.
8. Chicago and several other communities in the state have restricted or prohibited smoking in public places. Should the General Assembly impose a statewide ban on smoking in public?
I have never smoked and do not willing patronize restaurants that allow smoking. What ever happened to the market making decisions like this? If not the market, however, it certainly seems better to have local officials, who at least can be punished at the next election, make the decision, rather than “lifers” in Springfield.
9. Do you support the popular election of judges or a system of merit selection? If you support merit selection, how would you structure it?
Couldn’t do a questionnaire without asking this perennial “good government” question. I’d just point out that if the governor appointed judges, there would be even more legislators under his thumb than otherwise. Wouldn’t virtually every lawyer-legislator want to double his salary and pension by being appointed a judge?
10. Please tell us your priorities for the state.
The cover letter does tell candidates to "feel free to include any other supporting information."
OK. I couldn’t resist making some comments.
To return to McHenry County Blog, click here.
If you draw your responses from a master ‘answer’ sheet provided to you by someone else, you will virtually guarantee a non-endorsement.
Can’t you just see the partisan legislative staffs working today on good answers for their candidates to use…probably on state time?
Here are this year’s questions. Pretend you’re a candidate.
1. Illinois has faced staggering budget shortfalls in recent years, leading to debate about whether the state should increase taxes and/or reduce spending. What are your priorities for the budget? Where should spending rise or fall? Should the state increase or reduce taxes, and in what specific areas?
Notice that the Tribune does not point out that state spending has risen each year since Governor Rod Blagojevich took office. It’s hard to argue that spending can continually increase without taxes going up on someone.
2. There is a significant gap in spending between the wealthiest and poorest school districts in Illinois. Is that a matter for the state or for local taxpayers to address? Should the state legislature change the way it raises and distributes revenues for local schools? Should the state provide more money for the poorest districts and, if so, how?
Note the nonsensical question about whether state or local taxpayers should address spending gaps in wealthy and poor districts. How could local taxpayers address the issue?
Obviously, it is a state issue, if it is to be addressed. And, it could be, but it is difficult to see how equalization could be afforded without taking something away from the rich suburban districts. Ironically, districts like Carpentersville 300 and Huntley 158, citizens who support higher local taxes also supported the so-called “tax swap,” which would increase their total tax load. Ignored is the question of whether additional money actually would improve educational output. (It’s not likely, according to studies I have read.)
3. The General Assembly made certain reforms in the state pension system in 2005, but also deferred $2.3 billion in payments to the system. The five state pension plans face a combined shortfall of $38 billion, a figure that will grow in the coming years. What changes in contributions and benefits need to be made to the state’s pension system? Please be specific.
The Service Employees International Union’s questions on this topic at least give its respondents a clue to the complexities of the subject, although the Tribune’s approach is more neutral.
4. Should Illinois be in the business of state-sanctioned gambling?
I wonder what the reaction would be if one replied with a “Yes” or “No” with no explanation. (Remember that casinos advertise.)
5. Does Illinois need new rules governing how candidates raise and spend money on campaigns? Does the state need new rules governing how elected officials conduct themselves in office? How can this state address its longstanding culture of corruption?
Might as well as if the General Assembly should legislator morality as the second two questions, although more frequent campaign disclosure would be helpful while the legislature is in session.
6. Illinois has a surplus of prison beds and a number of new prisons that have not been opened. Should the state close older prisons and open the new facilities? Should it continue to operate the older facilities because of their economic importance to the surrounding communities? In Illinois 55 percent of the inmates who are released eventually wind up back in prison. How can the state reduce this high rate of recidivism?
The question, it seems to me, is whether cost-benefit analysis should consider only the costs to the taxpayer or to the state’s economy as a whole. It is not as if the economy as a whole would suffer if an inefficient prison were shut down and a new, empty one opened. But, one community would win and another lose. That’s for sure.
Of course, the state could do what I suggested in my Libertarian Party gubernatorial campaign. It could go looking for prisoners in other states and the federal government.
7. Few races for Congress or the state legislature are truly competitive. That’s largely because district boundaries are drawn to give one major party or the other a decisive advantage. Should the legislature have the power to draw legislative maps, or should this be turned over to an independent process that would remove partisan considerations? If you support a change, how would you do it?
This certainly points to a big truth. Is Illinois better off when congressmen are allowed to make certain that all of their potential opponents end up in a neighboring congressman’s district? Is Illinois better off when the same people stay in the Illinois House and Senate for decade after decade? Does “experience” trump new ideas? No term limits in Illinois, that’s for sure.
8. Chicago and several other communities in the state have restricted or prohibited smoking in public places. Should the General Assembly impose a statewide ban on smoking in public?
I have never smoked and do not willing patronize restaurants that allow smoking. What ever happened to the market making decisions like this? If not the market, however, it certainly seems better to have local officials, who at least can be punished at the next election, make the decision, rather than “lifers” in Springfield.
9. Do you support the popular election of judges or a system of merit selection? If you support merit selection, how would you structure it?
Couldn’t do a questionnaire without asking this perennial “good government” question. I’d just point out that if the governor appointed judges, there would be even more legislators under his thumb than otherwise. Wouldn’t virtually every lawyer-legislator want to double his salary and pension by being appointed a judge?
10. Please tell us your priorities for the state.
The cover letter does tell candidates to "feel free to include any other supporting information."
OK. I couldn’t resist making some comments.
To return to McHenry County Blog, click here.
# posted by Cal Skinner : 10:57 AM
