Political Rewind: Gov. Pat Quinn Continues to Slash State Spending
It's always good to be caught up on state politics. Here's an easy guide to what happened this week.
- Editor's Note: This article was created by aggregating news articles from Illinois Statehouse News that were written by various Illinois Statehouse News reporters.
Illinois Week in Review: Gov. Continues to Slash State Spending
SPRINGFIELD — In an ongoing effort to slash state spending, Gov. Pat Quinn this week signed a bill eliminating free health care for state retirees and revealed he intends to move forward with prison closures throughout Illinois.
Quinn signs bill eliminating free health care for state retirees
Quinn on Thursday signed legislation to end premium-free health insurance for state retirees.
The state spends about $800 million yearly on the insurance program, but the exact savings from the new law will not be known, until a premium rate is negotiated between the state and public labor unions.
“Those who have faithfully served the state deserve access to quality health care, and insurance costs should be more balanced and based on actual retirement income,” Quinn said. “We also have a duty to taxpayers to ensure these plans are cost efficient and put Illinois on the path to fiscal stability.”
Under the previous system, about 90 percent of state employees did not pay health insurance premiums. The benefit created a $54 billion unfunded retiree health-care liability for the state.
Kelly Kraft, Quinn’s budget spokeswoman, said it was still unclear what affect the legislation will have on the unfunded liability.
Unlike the pensions, which have dedicated funds that are invested and used to pay costs, retiree health care is a pay-as-you-go system, draining more and more from the state’s general revenue fund.
“This is a step Illinois must take to right the financial ship. Without critical reforms, the current structure is unsustainable, and taxpayers are on the hook for programs they cannot afford,” said state Sen. Christine Radogno, R-Lemont.
Southern Illinois to lose three correctional facilities in statewide closures
Lawmakers and labor leaders gathered Wednesday in Carbondale to deride Quinn as a coward and an enemy to southern Illinois for abruptly revealing he still intends to shutter numerous correctional facilities statewide, including three in southern Illinois.
They said they were shocked Tuesday afternoon by news that Quinn wants to proceed with the closures, even though the Legislature included money for the facilities in the budget it approved at the end of May.
Lawmakers also were concerned that the closures could cause voters in the traditionally Democratic part of the state to flock to Republicans in upcoming elections.
“When you’re doing something like this to southern Illinois, you’re not helping any Democrat, to be honest with you,” said state Rep. Brandon Phelps, D-Harrisburg, who was notified by fax of Quinn’s plans to proceed with the closures. “I don’t know what his plans are in the next election, but he has a chance to make this right.”
Among the facilities slated for closure are the Tamms “super-max” prison in Alexander County, the Illinois Youth Center in Murphysboro and the Southern Illinois Adult Transition Center in Carbondale.
“Alexander County is the poorest county in the state. You’re going to take away their biggest employer?” Phelps said.
House lawmakers eager for stronger framework for investigating their own
Two House lawmakers who served on a special committee to investigate criminal allegations against indicted state Rep. Derrick Smith said they believe the House should strengthen its guidelines for such investigations.
State Rep. Frank D. Comerford, D-Chicago, was expelled from the Illinois House of Representatives in 1905.
House lawmakers are allowed to investigate a colleague if at least three representatives request a probe. In the end, lawmakers can choose to expel, censure, reprimand or do nothing at all to the lawmaker. The last representative kicked out of the House was Chicago Democrat Frank Comerford in 1905.
Smith, also of Chicago, is accused of accepting a $7,000 bribe in exchange for trying to steer a $50,000 state contract to a fictitious daycare. Federal investigators caught the transaction on tape. Smith is charged in federal court with one count of bribery.
State Reps. Dennis Reboletti, R-Elmhurst, and Elaine Nekritz, D-Northbrook, sat on a House Special Investigating Committee that investigated the allegations against Smith and determined there was enough evidence to proceed with professional discipline against him.
Reboletti said the group looked to various sources for guidance on how to proceed, including the 1905 case and the conviction and impeachment hearings of Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
“We looked at as much precedent as possible and, fortunately, this doesn’t happen very often,” said Reboletti, a former prosecutor. “I don’t think it was as simple as looking at one thing in particular, but also trying to modernize things as thought was appropriate for the Smith situation.”
Reboletti said he anticipates the House rules will be changed to identify the level of misconduct that can trigger an investigation. Theoretically, the way the rules are written, a speeding ticket, a cross word or political ax-grinding could trigger an investigation if at least three representatives request an investigation.
“Just because a representative says something on the House floor or in his or her district, like Comerford did, you don’t want to just base an investigation off of that,” he said. “There has to be a more substantive reason for bringing that course of action.”
Nekritz said she, too, would like to see the House revisit its rules for such investigations.
“I think that we will be looking at this portion of the rules as the new General Assembly is seated next January and try to clean this up,” she said.
Study: Public retiree debt at $203B
Illinoisans are on the hook for $203 billion in public-sector retiree debt, about a third of the state’s gross domestic product in 2011, according to a new report.
“Politicians keep talking about the state pension problem,” said Ted Dabrowski, vice president of policy for the Illinois Policy Institute, a libertarian think tank, said. “Really our problems are much, much larger than that.”
Illinois’ public pension system owes current and future retirees $83 billion more than it has in assets, but that is less than half the problem, according to the institute’s report released Wednesday. State retiree health care and pension systems also are facing:
- $15.5 billion in state pension obligation bonds;
- $54 billion in unfunded state retiree health-care liability;
- $38.2 billion in unfunded local government pension liability;
- $10.7 billion in unfunded local government retiree health-care liability;
- $1.9 billion in local government pension and benefit bonds.
A plan to curb the rising cost of the state’s public pension system by decreasing cost-of-living adjustments faltered this spring, but Quinn and lawmakers are continuing to try and hammer out some solution.
Group pushes for health-care exchange, regardless of ruling
A band of health-care advocates and small businesses are calling for Quinn to create a statewide health insurance exchange in Illinois, regardless of how the U.S. Supreme Court rules on the national law.
“We wished he would have done it two weeks ago,” said Jim Duffett, executive director for the Campaign for Better Health Care, a group that lobbies for cheaper, more accessible health care.
“And we’d like him to do it tomorrow, do it the next day. If the Supreme Court rules on Thursday, then for him to do it Thursday or Friday. He needs to do it.”
The high court is looking at whether parts or all of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act are unconstitutional, and is set to announce its decision sometime next week.
The major source of controversy is a portion of the law calling for all Americans to have health insurance. Opponents say forcing people to buy a product transcends the power of the federal government.
The law requires states to create health-care exchanges for people to compare and buy insurance by Nov. 12, or accept a federal model. Legislation in the General Assembly to create such an exchange stalled this spring as the U.S. Supreme Court heard the case.
Illinois has received $32.7 million from the federal government to establish the exchange, and it is unclear what would happen to that money if the national law is overturned.
Quinn earlier this year made it known he was thinking about using his executive powers to create an insurance exchange, but nothing came of it.
— Jayette Bolinski
Sandy L Nebel
9:39 am on Sunday, June 24, 2012
How does all or any of this effedt Quinn will his pockets still JINGLE-Where are all these prisoner to go -back to the streets-How stupid is this guy-I'm a Dem- but did not vote for him....
Ann Stanley
9:45 am on Sunday, June 24, 2012
Let's cut to the quick - Medicaid - must be a US citizen and meet new criteria. All state and city employes, including ALL congressmen/women must pay for their heath care, dental, vision and drug programs. The free ride MUST STOP with no exceptions. Reinstate the Illinois Cares RX program. Seniors are having a hard enough time keeping up with their every day bills and cost of living - -- the free train must stop
Agrippina Minor
10:35 am on Sunday, June 24, 2012
So... "the free ride MUST STOP with no exceptions," except seniors?
Anthony Bonanno
11:02 am on Sunday, June 24, 2012
I have not heard anything about cutting Quinn's Medical or his retirement. And what about all the money the state took out of the pension fund to pay bills. What happened to common sense the state isn't paying its bills but they are widening roads that don't need it repaving roads that are fine I could go on and on. I just have one question Why do the people of illinois vote these stupid people in to office?
Susan Vanden Bush
11:19 am on Sunday, June 24, 2012
Yes, he did take money out of the retirement fund, but nothing is said about that. I'm sure the Governor and rest of all the politions keep their benefits. It's only the retired peons the get stuck loosing the benefits that were part of their retirement package
mary larkin
1:51 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
The money to repair the roads comes from federal money
R. Paxson
9:43 am on Monday, June 25, 2012
Got to love our Pols they create our problems and lay it back on us (the taxpayer). But better than that, they do it by playing us against each other, suggesting we caused the problems they have to fix. If elderly weren't so old, the poor didn't need so much medicad, the young just stop racking up so much student debt, If the voters had only voted and given us a stronger mandate. You get the picture. It's never about them, it is always for the good of us, and it will always be as long as we continue to give them 65% (on average) voter turnouts. See you (hopefully) in November.
Lee Shell
11:45 am on Sunday, June 24, 2012
As a community college employee, I paid for retirement health care from every paycheck plus I now pay as a retiree. I have never had free health care even though I am in the SURS system. The public needs to know this important fact.
Tim
2:49 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
Why do you think the public is stupid? The public already knows what the 'important facts' are;
"Under the previous system, about 90 percent of state employees did not pay health insurance premiums"
For every one person like you that says they don't get this benefit, 9 other people do. Just because you as an individual do not get it, does not mean everyone else in state govt. is not getting it.
Lee Shell
11:47 am on Sunday, June 24, 2012
What would make this situation at least palatable is a public admission of guilt and an apology to all retirees for this abysmal situation. For 25 years my pension contributions were taken out of my checks while Illinois politicians were "stealing" my future pension by not contributing the state's portion and using that money to fund other things. I'm not very politically literate, but one would think the funds would have somehow been protected from pilfering by a "hands off" policy of some kind. Meanwhile, thanks to the media, the public looks at me with disdain labeling me as a greedy "thief." When I started my teaching career, I accepted a salary lower than what I could have earned choosing a different career. It took years to work up to a comfortable salary. This same public probably isn't aware that, thanks to Reagan, I have also forfeited the bulk of my earned social security check and all of my husband's social security should he precede me in death. So once again we are expected to be the fix. Shameful, shameful, shameful.
mary larkin
1:45 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
Many people have had their state pension money used to pay for funding for other things. Look at the lottery when that started here in IL we were told that money would go to education until they saw the amount it brought in so it went to the general fund. The same with SS that was to be in a account not to be used for any other funding it was left alone for many years till Johnson started borrowing from it.. When i think about all the monies IL collects and the way it is wasted makes me sick. I am not a senior yet but i will stand up with them about taking away their break in property taxes to cover spending to up grade parks. Its time we stood up and vote everyone in office out. Quinn needs to get a back bone and stand up to Madigan who really runs IL Quinn is his puppet.
Jim R
3:33 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
Mary, what seniors receive as a tax break is pathetic. After paying taxes on our home for years we are given 10% break and you have to apply for this pathetic break every year. I guess the Illinois officials do not know that we will not get younger, and if we die the taxes are someone else's problem. It really irritated me that though our homes were devalued our taxes went up with one of the line items causing this was the increase in taxes for the pension fund.
We have a college administrator retiring receiving $380,000 a year from their pension. They still have not gotten to this area which they must, and that is reducing these pensions across the board. Claims of being underpaid does not hold since their salaries are competitive.
Hank Olenick
12:08 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
WORST GOVERNOR EVER! including the one's doing time. He's worried about losing downstate votes....he already lost mine.
mary larkin
1:11 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
I would rather have the crook still in office than Quinn how dare this man take away the property tax break from seniors. Why not cut thier own pension. Sure we need to cut spending but not at the cost of seniors.
Jim R
3:49 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
Where did it say they were to take away the property tax break from seniors? Was that mentioned in another article. Illinois is rated as one of the worst places to retire. A former neighbor had to sell their house and move to another state.
Flora Dora
1:38 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
Who wrote this? It sure wasn't my favorite commentator, Joe Hosey!
Lee Shell
2:26 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
Interesting that Kerry could spout off, but couldn't include his/her complete name. Without a doubt, as a Masters prepared Nurse, had I stayed outside of the classroom, I would have earned more. I worked with women who took a huge pay cut leaving their jobs to come and teach. My good friend would have earned 25K less and stayed in the hospital setting rather than teach for my college. And before Kerry spouts off again, I always took work home - grading, creating power points, keeping up with my area of expertise
.
Hank Olenick
2:40 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
"Kerry" never leaves a complete name on any post...so much easier to snipe from the bushes. I believe this is in direct violation of "patch" rules, but seems not to be enforced . Therefore may I make a suggestion that "Kerry" , along with all the rest who are not willing to stand behind what they say be taken with a grain of salt and regarded as drivel.
Jim R
3:53 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
Feel free to give your full name on a public board with some of the wacko's out there. Hopefully you are not stupid enough to leave your address if you are that transparent. There is also no guarantee that a posted name is the person's real name either. Here are some grains of salt..................................................
Hank Olenick
4:46 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
Well Jim R if you are to scared to post your name then keep your comments to yourself.
Jim R
4:54 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
I do not need to follow what you try to dictate. I make the same comments to people in person so I have no fears in stating my opinions. However here I will speak as I wish, feel free to ignore this post and previous ones and all future ones.
Tim
7:42 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
It is not true that full names are required. So there is nothing to be enforced. It is true that you can not use an alias other than your real name to mask your identity.
My name is Tim, and I have no intention of giving anyone on Patch my last name.
John Moreli
4:47 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
Quinn is a bigger ass than Odumba! I'm surprised Quinn hasn't said yet to give amnesty to all illegal immigrants !
John Moreli
4:52 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
Quinn the loser was on Channel 7 this morning and he is dropping the circuit breaker on taxes for senior citizens and State employees will always have their pension, but some reforms!
Lee Shell
7:10 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
If it's true that full names are required, why isn't the Patch enforcing this?
I'm glad the seniors will not lose the circuit breaker. This was different from the Homestead break.
@Tim, no need to name call. I know that we are the only group paying for health care and I was in total agreement that all should pay. But I personally know people that thought I was part of the nonpaying group. That was my only motive for sharing this.
@Jim no need to name call. And PLEASE do not lump all of us into the same basket. Teachers and administrators and politicians are not the same. I, too, agree, that the games being played by those with the power to do so must be stopped. Believe me, I didn't have that kind of power. Lee Shell aka Lee Shell
@Jim
Jim R
9:15 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
I have not name called anyone here. I made a comment about the governor who I do not respect, not only because of his taxes but his lack of respect for marriage and life.
Pensions have been increased too much by many on the public payroll which includes the groups you mentioned. I do believe they deserve pensions but not what has been negotiated by unions and the politicians. Sorry but when many can retire in their 50's while those outside public jobs who pay taxes cannot even retire when they reach full retirement age something is wrong. I do see a big difference between the different groups and the pensions may be at the right level for some, but there needs be a review of all and I would suggest to start with those in high 6 figure pensions.
Tim
8:19 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
"Hank Olenick" has an interesting history.
http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/lemont/news/x1991996058/Man-almost-thrown-out-of-School-Board-meeting
"“Your childish antics will not be tolerated,” he told Olenick. “This meeting is for everybody, not just for you. You really have to maintain composure and act in a respectful manner.”
Olenick continued to speak over Wood.
Wood admonished him.
“We’re trying to conduct a professional meeting,” he said. “I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”
Olenick refused and told Wood to “bring it on.”
Wood instructed another district official to contact the Lemont police.
Police officers showed up at about 8:15 p.m. When officers asked if he wanted Olenick removed from the meeting, Wood said no.
“I will defer it at this time, however I will ask that we act mature for the rest of the meeting,” he said.
Olenick did not cause any more disruption during the meeting."
Looks like Hank has not learned any lessons in maturity in the intervening years.
Mary Van
9:03 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
Amanda...it is my opinion that Mr. Olenick is going to far here with accusing a previous poster of domestic abuse and pedophilia.
Tim
10:32 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
Don't worry, that's all Hank can do.
He has nothing of actual substance to say, so he tries to make up for it with distractions.
Hank Olenick
9:08 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
I didn't accuse anyone of anything. I was making a point...the key word being "almost".
Ironic a member of the BoE can't figure that out.
Mary Van
10:08 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
Who's a board member, Hank?
Tom Koz
9:29 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
OK, I am goimg to go out on a limb here. WHY should seniors receieve ANY breaks, tax or otherwise?? Hear me out, I'm close to 50 and not some snot nose kid. BUT why should seniors receive any breaks??? Woukd that not be age discrimination??? If seniors get breaks, am not I or anybody younger being charged MORE just because we are younger??? Politically Incorrect I am sure!!!
Wherever I go, I look for "senior" discounts and I DEMAND the retailer give it to me based on the above. They always do, they know legally they can not charge me more because I am younger.
I will soon be beginning the process of legally challenging the County for the "senior excemption" on property taxes. I suggest ALL do the same!!!
Jim R
10:48 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
From what I have read they are not illegal. Would you also demand a discount or treat on your non-birthday since others on their birthday are.
http://elder-law.lawyers.com/Are-Senior-Citizen-Discounts-Legal.html
People have paid real estate taxes for years, and some are forced out of their homes because of their cost. Much of the tax is used for schools which they nor their own children will use. But the main reason is to irritate people like you.
Anthony Bonanno
9:54 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
Reading some of these posts ........I can't help but to see why things in illinois suck like they do. I am sure it is just going to get worse.
James Smith
10:37 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
I agree Anthony. Who really cares if someone doesn't put there full name...
I think a lot are feeling guilty for voting for Quinn and Obama. Let's get it right next time people.....
G.Ryan
11:45 pm on Sunday, June 24, 2012
It is my understanding that seniors are provided a property tax reduction as they no longer have the earning potential and are on a fixed income of social security and or a pension. Although I am not sure if they get the homestead exemption and the senior discount.
Gov. Quinn is just another Illinois gangster who is full of himself. I do agree he is worse than the other two in the slammer. But the biggest gangster is Madigan...I hear he has been in office for 40 years! Now why is that? Why do the voters vote for these gangsters? And why can't we vote Quinn out now as he lied about the income tax increase? Every move he makes is destructive.
Chad
12:01 am on Monday, June 25, 2012
I am involved in union representation of the members for council 31. I can surely tell you I will not vote for any dumbycrat or democant again!! I don't care who they tell me to vote for!!! Goodbye Quinn!! Hope you lose the next election and your job!!! I hope they take away retiree benefits for you and your family you were promised sellout!!!!!
Stewart Levine
4:58 am on Monday, June 25, 2012
I think i might have to vote for pat quinn for re-election. He needs to get rid of that mike madigan though and prevent people from serving that long as house speaker, that is where major corruption still exists in this state. if he did that he would be guaranteed to be re-elected.
Tom Nosal
8:53 am on Monday, June 25, 2012
Vote for Quinn, don't vote for Quinn, it won't matter. The real problem with the economy, pension and taxes in Illinois rest solely on the shoulders of Mike Madigan and his gang to thieves in Springfield. Until the voters in his district gain a brain and vote this idiot out of office, we are doomed to repeat the same problems over and over again.
Mike G.
3:56 pm on Monday, June 25, 2012
Quinn 'slashing spending' is like Attila The Hun giving classes on etiquette. In English - Baloney.
Tthe problem we have in IL is more than just State Pensions driving us off the cliff, it's this our: 'State Agencies' http://www2.illinois.gov/pages/agencies.aspx
There are 86 links on that web page, each going to an agency website full of other links to MORE sub-agencies and sub-sub-agencies to the linked agency. And all of those 'agencies' are filled with BUREAUCRATS that we're paying their salaries, and paying handsomely at that (forget their benefits for now)
But when any government cuts are needed who do the Pols always target: Police, 'Firemen', Teachers, Closing prisons, and now it's Seniors too. And its always the same canard to the MSM and brainwashed sheeple: 'Raise Taxes NOW Or We're Doomed'. It's never abolishing an Agency that does nothing useful or cutting the BUREAUCRATS in said agencies that are duplicating work covered by some other agency. But that ever happening in IL would be like the Sun rising in the West as even the lowest File Clerk was 'sent by somebody who knows someone'.
But THAT'S where the fat is at to be cut. Fire the do nothing BUREAUCRATS, not the Cops on the street or the teachers in the classroom.
(If Madigan's or Quinn's house ever catches on fire, instead of calling the Fire Department maybe they should call the Department of Bureaucracy) /s
Gary
5:52 pm on Monday, June 25, 2012
The harsh lessen that we are all learning is that governments can not be trusted to save our money for our future needs.
Every savings program run by a government agency at any level is the same. They collect money, immediately spend that money to buy votes, and then dump the liabilities on to the next generation.
State and local pension plans, State health care plans, Social Security, Medicare... it's all the same. The money is gone, and we end up enslaving the next generation to pay for goodies we voted for ourselves. We were too lazy to keep our politicians disciplined enough to to keep the funding at appropriate levels. It's disgraceful. It was too good to be true and we all should have known it.
How did so many get fooled so easily?
Joe Smith
8:28 pm on Monday, June 25, 2012
We need to end the reign of lifelong politicians running our cities counties, states and national gov, we need to return the power back to the form of gov that our founding fathers layed out. Lifelong politicians are out of control.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/04/sen-tom-coburns-new-book-the-debt-bomb-warns-of-economic-crisis/
ibthinkin
12:27 am on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Wow.. Gerat posts from all sides... Leaving my 2 Cents worth here. I suggest
Mandatory Alcohol and Drug Testing of ALL Elected Officials. All royalties for the books they write wile in office be withheld untill they leave office...
Your Thoughts?
Stewart Levine
5:35 am on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
I dont think pat quinn has slashed enough yet though sad to say. much more should be gutted so we can start over with a fresh slate.
Barry Allen
9:20 am on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Stewart, You're right. But, I don't think Governor Quinn has the skill set necessary to determine where to cut ... so he thinks he's doing fine.
His entire career has been in government and politics in and around Chicago (before he graduated to the big time and moved to Springfield). His only experience cutting has been in making the politically visible cuts he is making now. His hope is that he can visibly cause enough pain that the taxpayers will just let him raise taxes. Because in his experience that is the way it has always been.
A mentor of mine had a sign on his office wall: "Doing what has always been done before may be a dangerous substitute for thinking".
Lynn Davis-Livesay
7:50 am on Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Here are the effects of the Pension Shift (i.e. the Debt Dump), if enacted, http://yfrog.com/z/kjv75wuj and (appointed - not elected) Walsh Jr.'s hard work at balancing the State's Budget http://yfrog.com/z/gydhhprmj ...
gr5ub
4:12 pm on Sunday, July 1, 2012
They dont call it the ILL state for nothing. Owned by the Dems and the Unions in there lies the problem.
Mickey
9:56 am on Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Ill-annoy
Annoying illness
David Equinstein
10:03 am on Wednesday, August 29, 2012
If you want to cut government costs without hurting important family programs then cut the salaries of the elected Commissioners at our Forest Preserve District! The 6 Part-Time Commissioners from the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County get paid $53,500 a year plus full-time benefits and a taxpayer subsidized pension for maybe 1,000 hours a year and they just sit there! Not one of the Commissioners (Cantore District 2 is absent frequently so I guess he can't be faulted?) has said a word at any meetings about the FBI's investigation. Here is one of the articles http://elmhurst.patch.com/articles/fbi-investigates-dupage-forest-preserve-contracts-a19cbfe2#comments_list about the investigation that the DCFPD President Dewey Pierotti keeps saying (even yelling at citizens on 8/14) http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1017&pid=49313 that there is no investigation.
We need better Commissioners and cut their salaries in half! Also if they don’t show up like frequently absent Joe Cantore from District 2 they should not get paid.