WASHINGTON-- (BUSINESS WIRE) - 11/10/2013 - The National Retail Federation issued the following statement on October 8 from NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay and Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz on the October jobs report:
“The latest jobs report, which came in stronger than anticipated, provides some positive indication that the economy and employment situation are steadily improving”
“It is now incumbent upon policymakers to address our pending fiscal and budgetary questions sooner rather than later. We cannot afford to repeat the same mistakes, which led us to a government shutdown and to the brink of default.”
NRF calculated retail industry job gains at 37,600 in October, and 295,000 year-over-year, a 2.4 percent increase over 2012. Job gains were seen in every retail sector with the exception of clothing and clothing stores, which witnessed a contraction of 12,500 positions in September.
In its annual holiday sales and employment forecast, NRF predicted that retailers would see a 3.9 percent increase in sales, and hire an additional 720,000 to 780,000 employees this holiday season.
“Today’s report puts the U.S. economy in a very positive light heading into the fall and winter seasons,” Kleinhenz said. “The government shutdown had little to no impact on the improving employment situation, which is steadily improving along with GDP. While retailers and businesses are hiring, consumers remain cautious, but we remain steadfast in our belief that consumer confidence and spending will improve.”
The Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Situation report showed that the economy added 204,000 jobs in October. Unemployment was calculated at 7.3 percent.
See: National Retail Federation forecast
Showing posts with label budget. Show all posts
Showing posts with label budget. Show all posts
Quinn's Budget is Called Step in Right Direction
By Benjamin Yount (Illinois Statehouse News) - 2/23/2012 - Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn's budget proposal tops 400 pages and is more than 3 inches thick.
Inside the governor's plan for the next fiscal year, which begins in June, are the details of how he wants to spend $33.9 billion in taxpayers’ money.
Illinois Statehouse News examines the governor's plan, speaking with lawmakers and outside experts and checking Quinn's math to make sure that dollars add up.
Quinn’s fiscal 2013 spending plan is $700 million more than the current budget, an increase that will pay for the increase in the state's public employee pension payment.
"Our pension payment is increasing a little over $1 billion this year," said Quinn’s Budget Director David Vaught. Illinois will owe $5.9 billion in the upcoming year/
Inside the governor's plan for the next fiscal year, which begins in June, are the details of how he wants to spend $33.9 billion in taxpayers’ money.
Illinois Statehouse News examines the governor's plan, speaking with lawmakers and outside experts and checking Quinn's math to make sure that dollars add up.
Quinn’s fiscal 2013 spending plan is $700 million more than the current budget, an increase that will pay for the increase in the state's public employee pension payment.
"Our pension payment is increasing a little over $1 billion this year," said Quinn’s Budget Director David Vaught. Illinois will owe $5.9 billion in the upcoming year/
While spending has increased, Quinn is attempting to live within the state’s means, said Laurence Msall, president of the Chicago-based fiscal policy watchdog group, Civic Federation.
"The governor's proposed spending is less than projected state revenues," said Msall. "And that is a step in the right direction."
The Legislature's Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability on Tuesday predicted Illinois will take in $34.3 billion in tax revenue in fiscal 2013.
Quinn’s proposed spending plan maintains the status quo on spending for human services — including Medicaid — holding strong at $14 billion.
"Illinois spent $14 billion on human services and Medicaid last year, at the same time the state had $15.9 billion in liabilities," said Jerry Stermer, Quinn's special adviser on Medicaid. "Illinois has to cut $2.7 billion from human services and Medicaid in the next budget, because the state simply cannot afford to spend $14 billion on $16.7 billion in liabilities."
The governor has not said how Illinois will make such a large cut.
Danny Chun, spokesman for the Illinois Hospital Association, which lobbies for almost all of Illinois hospitals, said that last year Quinn wanted to trim the amount paid to hospitals for Medicaid services. He said he fears that is the plan again.
"Governor Quinn wanted a 6 percent cut to save $550 million on Medicaid," Chun said. "To get to $2.7 billion in savings, hospitals would see a 24 percent rate cut."
Chun said a cut that large would be devastating.
"In Illinois, one in three hospitals, or 70 of the 200 in the state, are losing money," Chun said. "A dramatic cut in Medicaid reimbursement may force some hospitals to close."
Stermer said no decision has been made about a rate, but "everything is on the table."
Quinn's budget estimates that closing 14 facilities and consolidating dozens more could save the state close to $100 million a year.
"That's not just one year savings," said Vaught. "That's $100 million next year, and the year after that, and the year after that."
The closings would transition residents from state institutions like the Jacksonville Developmental Center in Jacksonville and the Tinley Park Mental Health Center in Tinley Park to community care.
The governor also is proposing to close the Tamms and Dwight Correctional Centers, and the Youth Centers in Murphysboro and Joliet.
State Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, whose district includes one of the youth centers considered for closure, said the governor is counting on savings while discounting the costs of moving people out of prisons, youth centers or institutions.
"Just saying that we're closing facilities is not enough," Bost said. "You actually have to implement a plan and show those savings."
Quinn’s proposal is not all cuts in spending. He has a handful of priorities where he would like to spend new money.
"While nearly 150,000 Illinois students received state (Monetary Awards Program, or MAP) scholarships last year to attend college, just as many qualified applicants were denied because of lack of funding," Quinn said as he pushed for a $50 million increase for the MAP scholarship fund.
The governor also wants lawmakers to approve clean water and new housing projects, and to make sure that elementary and high schools statewide receive the same level of funding as the current budget.
But Quinn is not saying how he intends to pay for any of the items on his wish list.
State Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, said that for that reason, the governor probably won't get much of what he wants.
"We're going to give schools another $20 million, we're going to give the MAP program another $50 million. How can you give stuff away when you're shutting other things down?" Forby asked after Quinn's speech. "The governor's math just doesn't add up. He needs to get someone who knows how to add and subtract and make sure he knows how to balance the budget."
Published courtesy of Illinois Statehouse News
"The governor's proposed spending is less than projected state revenues," said Msall. "And that is a step in the right direction."
The Legislature's Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability on Tuesday predicted Illinois will take in $34.3 billion in tax revenue in fiscal 2013.
Quinn’s proposed spending plan maintains the status quo on spending for human services — including Medicaid — holding strong at $14 billion.
"Illinois spent $14 billion on human services and Medicaid last year, at the same time the state had $15.9 billion in liabilities," said Jerry Stermer, Quinn's special adviser on Medicaid. "Illinois has to cut $2.7 billion from human services and Medicaid in the next budget, because the state simply cannot afford to spend $14 billion on $16.7 billion in liabilities."
The governor has not said how Illinois will make such a large cut.
Danny Chun, spokesman for the Illinois Hospital Association, which lobbies for almost all of Illinois hospitals, said that last year Quinn wanted to trim the amount paid to hospitals for Medicaid services. He said he fears that is the plan again.
"Governor Quinn wanted a 6 percent cut to save $550 million on Medicaid," Chun said. "To get to $2.7 billion in savings, hospitals would see a 24 percent rate cut."
Chun said a cut that large would be devastating.
"In Illinois, one in three hospitals, or 70 of the 200 in the state, are losing money," Chun said. "A dramatic cut in Medicaid reimbursement may force some hospitals to close."
Stermer said no decision has been made about a rate, but "everything is on the table."
Quinn's budget estimates that closing 14 facilities and consolidating dozens more could save the state close to $100 million a year.
"That's not just one year savings," said Vaught. "That's $100 million next year, and the year after that, and the year after that."
The closings would transition residents from state institutions like the Jacksonville Developmental Center in Jacksonville and the Tinley Park Mental Health Center in Tinley Park to community care.
The governor also is proposing to close the Tamms and Dwight Correctional Centers, and the Youth Centers in Murphysboro and Joliet.
State Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, whose district includes one of the youth centers considered for closure, said the governor is counting on savings while discounting the costs of moving people out of prisons, youth centers or institutions.
"Just saying that we're closing facilities is not enough," Bost said. "You actually have to implement a plan and show those savings."
Quinn’s proposal is not all cuts in spending. He has a handful of priorities where he would like to spend new money.
"While nearly 150,000 Illinois students received state (Monetary Awards Program, or MAP) scholarships last year to attend college, just as many qualified applicants were denied because of lack of funding," Quinn said as he pushed for a $50 million increase for the MAP scholarship fund.
The governor also wants lawmakers to approve clean water and new housing projects, and to make sure that elementary and high schools statewide receive the same level of funding as the current budget.
But Quinn is not saying how he intends to pay for any of the items on his wish list.
State Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, said that for that reason, the governor probably won't get much of what he wants.
"We're going to give schools another $20 million, we're going to give the MAP program another $50 million. How can you give stuff away when you're shutting other things down?" Forby asked after Quinn's speech. "The governor's math just doesn't add up. He needs to get someone who knows how to add and subtract and make sure he knows how to balance the budget."
Published courtesy of Illinois Statehouse News
Is Illinois Next in Collective Bargaining Battle?
By Andrew Thomason (Illinois Statehouse News) 4/10/2011 – Education reform in Illinois has gained serious momentum recently, but a day of meetings between all the major players on April 7 failed to produce a plan everyone could agree on.
Changes to the firing and layoff processes and tenure have been ironed out, according to Illinois Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, who led the effort in the General Assembly. She said the sticking point now is collective bargaining, the ability for teachers' unions to negotiate items such as pay and benefits.
“Collective bargaining by rights of union groups, that law hasn’t been touched since it was enacted (in 1983) and we’re really wanting them to do something that they haven’t had to do,” Lightford said. “You want to make sure that you work out as many details as possible and lead yourself into the tough areas that may take more focus and constructive dialog.”
Plans floated in December would limit teachers’ ability to strike. Without the ability to strike at will, teachers would lose a lot of power at the negotiating table, unions say.
For their part, the Illinois Education Association, the Illinois Federation of Teachers and the Chicago Teachers Union have been pushing their own reform plan that revolves around performance-based evaluations of teachers and principals, but doesn’t change collective bargaining.
Illinois Education Association Executive Director Audrey Soglin told Illinois Statehouse News earlier this week that her organization didn’t plan to offer any compromises or changes to a collective bargaining system it views as working the way it was designed to.
Charles McBarron, director of communications for the Illinois Education Association, said Friday that discussions are ongoing.
“I think Sen. Lightford has run a fine process. We’re going to respect the process and I’m sure there will be more discussion of this next week,” he said.
The other major player in changes to education in Illinois is Stand for Children, an education reform group that gained recognition last year in Illinois when it poured money into elections around the state. It has been a loud voice in calling for revamping the state’s education system, especially teacher tenure and the power of teacher unions.
Much like the unions, Stand for Children was tightlipped about the ongoing talks.
“Negotiations concerning legislation to improve the quality of public education in Illinois are ongoing. We look forward to a positive outcome," Jessica Handy, Stand for Children's Illinois policy director, said.
What has been a fairly ad hoc approach to education reform has become finely honed in recent weeks. Lightford emphasized that while collective bargaining changes are what’s causing some delay right now, the big picture involves more than just teachers.
“This is about the whole administration, the management team, the school board members and the effects leading to the child’s education,” she said.
Lightford said she hopes to have some plan ready to go before the Senate the week of April 12.
Story courtesy of Illinois Statehouse News. Originally published 4/8/2011.
Changes to the firing and layoff processes and tenure have been ironed out, according to Illinois Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, who led the effort in the General Assembly. She said the sticking point now is collective bargaining, the ability for teachers' unions to negotiate items such as pay and benefits.
“Collective bargaining by rights of union groups, that law hasn’t been touched since it was enacted (in 1983) and we’re really wanting them to do something that they haven’t had to do,” Lightford said. “You want to make sure that you work out as many details as possible and lead yourself into the tough areas that may take more focus and constructive dialog.”
Plans floated in December would limit teachers’ ability to strike. Without the ability to strike at will, teachers would lose a lot of power at the negotiating table, unions say.
For their part, the Illinois Education Association, the Illinois Federation of Teachers and the Chicago Teachers Union have been pushing their own reform plan that revolves around performance-based evaluations of teachers and principals, but doesn’t change collective bargaining.
Illinois Education Association Executive Director Audrey Soglin told Illinois Statehouse News earlier this week that her organization didn’t plan to offer any compromises or changes to a collective bargaining system it views as working the way it was designed to.
Charles McBarron, director of communications for the Illinois Education Association, said Friday that discussions are ongoing.
“I think Sen. Lightford has run a fine process. We’re going to respect the process and I’m sure there will be more discussion of this next week,” he said.
The other major player in changes to education in Illinois is Stand for Children, an education reform group that gained recognition last year in Illinois when it poured money into elections around the state. It has been a loud voice in calling for revamping the state’s education system, especially teacher tenure and the power of teacher unions.
Much like the unions, Stand for Children was tightlipped about the ongoing talks.
“Negotiations concerning legislation to improve the quality of public education in Illinois are ongoing. We look forward to a positive outcome," Jessica Handy, Stand for Children's Illinois policy director, said.
What has been a fairly ad hoc approach to education reform has become finely honed in recent weeks. Lightford emphasized that while collective bargaining changes are what’s causing some delay right now, the big picture involves more than just teachers.
“This is about the whole administration, the management team, the school board members and the effects leading to the child’s education,” she said.
Lightford said she hopes to have some plan ready to go before the Senate the week of April 12.
Story courtesy of Illinois Statehouse News. Originally published 4/8/2011.
Wisconsin Makes High-Stakes Gamble on Budget
By Melissa Leu - (Illinois Statehouse News) - 2/27/2011 - SPRINGFIELD — Illinois lawmakers may be feeling a sense of deja vu as they look to neighboring Wisconsin's struggle to solve a pension and budget deficit. Illinois last March reformed its public employee pensions when the General Assembly passed legislation that created a “two-tier” pension system.
However, Wisconsin has added collective bargaining rights to the mix, muddying the waters.
Amid widespread protest, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker proposed a budget repair bill that would require public workers to contribute more to their pensions and health insurance and reduce their collective bargaining rights.
Wisconsin Democratic senators have fled the Capitol in protest of the repeal of most collective bargaining rights, leaving the rest of the GOP-led legislature to ponder how to close the state’s $136.7 million budget deficit for the current year. Walker's plan passed the Assembly chamber early Friday morning, but still needs to clear the Senate before hitting Walker's desk for his signature.
Illinois' reforms allow current employees to keep their existing pension plan, changing the rules only for new employees hired after Jan. 1. The retirement age increased to 67, maximum salaries were capped at $106,800 and payouts became based on a worker's highest salary during eight consecutive years of the last 10.
At the time, Illinois was facing a roughly $13-billion budget deficit. Although the measure angered unions, it was passed and ratified without much legislative opposition — 92-17 in the House and 48-6 in the Senate.
Jim Nowlan, a research fellow at the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, attributes the diverging reactions from each state to a contrasting political climate.
“The speaker of the (Illinois) House did strike very quickly last year and surprised the public employee unions, which did mount some opposition,” Nowlan said.
Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, pushed the measure through in a single day.
Nowlan attributes the lack of comparable opposition to a Democratic majority in the Illinois Legislature — typically backed by labor unions — that led the charge for pension reform. He likened Madigan's Democratic push to that of the late Republican President Richard Nixon's visit to China.
“Only President Nixon could go to China back in his administration. A Democratic president would not have been able to get away with going to China to face and meet with the Communist leader of the world,” Nowlan said.
In contrast, Wisconsin Republicans hold majorities in both the House and Senate. Walker, also a Republican, has made national news recently for moving to restrict union collective bargaining rights.
Illinois state Sen. Dave Syverson, R-Rockford, who recalls last year's pension reforms, said he approves of how Wisconsin Republicans are handling the current situation.
“Illinois is just putting off for a few months, maybe a year, what is inevitably going to be some painful decisions, because of the fact they refused to make small improvements over the last few years,” Syverson said.
David Yepsen, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, said the widespread protests aren’t surprising considering the financial crisis and recent political turnover in Wisconsin leadership.
“It's one thing to raise questions about the level of benefits, about the numbers of state workers, and it's another thing to question whether unions really have a right to exist. So that's bound to spark a great deal of militancy on the part of labor leaders,” Yepsen said.
Walker has threatened layoffs of state workers if his budget repair bill doesn't pass within the next few days.
Anders Lindall, a spokesman for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said an attack on public unions is an attack on middle-class America.
“There is no good public policy justification for any of these attacks on vital services that teachers, firefighters, police officers, nurses and public service workers provide to the state of Illinois,” said Lindall.
Like the proposal itself, even Wisconsin’s future seems to be a place of contention.
“I think Wisconsin, at the end of the day, is going to pay a terrible price for this,” Yepsen of the Simon Institute said. “The Republicans may well win in the short term, but they are going to create levels of personal animosity that will make it difficult for their policy makers to work together. They're going to create levels of union militancy that's going to affect the delivery of public services.
Syverson, the Rockford senator, however, had a more positive outlook.
“What's going to happen a year from now is that people are going to look back and say the tough decision that Wisconsin made as regard to their budget has made them financially sound,” Syverson said. “Their bond rating is going to be good. They're going to be attracting more business (and) more jobs because they’re going to be a financially sound state.”
Story courtesy of Illinois Statehouse News. Originally published 2/24/2011.
However, Wisconsin has added collective bargaining rights to the mix, muddying the waters.
Amid widespread protest, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker proposed a budget repair bill that would require public workers to contribute more to their pensions and health insurance and reduce their collective bargaining rights.
Wisconsin Democratic senators have fled the Capitol in protest of the repeal of most collective bargaining rights, leaving the rest of the GOP-led legislature to ponder how to close the state’s $136.7 million budget deficit for the current year. Walker's plan passed the Assembly chamber early Friday morning, but still needs to clear the Senate before hitting Walker's desk for his signature.
Illinois' reforms allow current employees to keep their existing pension plan, changing the rules only for new employees hired after Jan. 1. The retirement age increased to 67, maximum salaries were capped at $106,800 and payouts became based on a worker's highest salary during eight consecutive years of the last 10.
At the time, Illinois was facing a roughly $13-billion budget deficit. Although the measure angered unions, it was passed and ratified without much legislative opposition — 92-17 in the House and 48-6 in the Senate.
Jim Nowlan, a research fellow at the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, attributes the diverging reactions from each state to a contrasting political climate.
“The speaker of the (Illinois) House did strike very quickly last year and surprised the public employee unions, which did mount some opposition,” Nowlan said.
Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, pushed the measure through in a single day.
Nowlan attributes the lack of comparable opposition to a Democratic majority in the Illinois Legislature — typically backed by labor unions — that led the charge for pension reform. He likened Madigan's Democratic push to that of the late Republican President Richard Nixon's visit to China.
“Only President Nixon could go to China back in his administration. A Democratic president would not have been able to get away with going to China to face and meet with the Communist leader of the world,” Nowlan said.
In contrast, Wisconsin Republicans hold majorities in both the House and Senate. Walker, also a Republican, has made national news recently for moving to restrict union collective bargaining rights.
Illinois state Sen. Dave Syverson, R-Rockford, who recalls last year's pension reforms, said he approves of how Wisconsin Republicans are handling the current situation.
“Illinois is just putting off for a few months, maybe a year, what is inevitably going to be some painful decisions, because of the fact they refused to make small improvements over the last few years,” Syverson said.
David Yepsen, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, said the widespread protests aren’t surprising considering the financial crisis and recent political turnover in Wisconsin leadership.
“It's one thing to raise questions about the level of benefits, about the numbers of state workers, and it's another thing to question whether unions really have a right to exist. So that's bound to spark a great deal of militancy on the part of labor leaders,” Yepsen said.
Walker has threatened layoffs of state workers if his budget repair bill doesn't pass within the next few days.
Anders Lindall, a spokesman for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said an attack on public unions is an attack on middle-class America.
“There is no good public policy justification for any of these attacks on vital services that teachers, firefighters, police officers, nurses and public service workers provide to the state of Illinois,” said Lindall.
Like the proposal itself, even Wisconsin’s future seems to be a place of contention.
“I think Wisconsin, at the end of the day, is going to pay a terrible price for this,” Yepsen of the Simon Institute said. “The Republicans may well win in the short term, but they are going to create levels of personal animosity that will make it difficult for their policy makers to work together. They're going to create levels of union militancy that's going to affect the delivery of public services.
Syverson, the Rockford senator, however, had a more positive outlook.
“What's going to happen a year from now is that people are going to look back and say the tough decision that Wisconsin made as regard to their budget has made them financially sound,” Syverson said. “Their bond rating is going to be good. They're going to be attracting more business (and) more jobs because they’re going to be a financially sound state.”
Story courtesy of Illinois Statehouse News. Originally published 2/24/2011.
Illinois Lawmakers: No Surprises in Quinn Budget
Illinois Statehouse News
(Springfield) – 7/1/2010 – Illinois lawmakers say they have questions or concerns about Gov. Pat Quinn's new budget. But few members of the General Assembly say that they are surprised.
Quinn inked the $24.9 billion spending plan Thursday morning.
The governor talked of cutting over $1 billion in state spending, but offered few specifics.
State Sen. Tim Bivins, R-Dixon, said he doesn't expect to get those specifics anytime soon because he doesn't believe the cuts are real.
"It's the old thing of let's get as much carnage to a couple agencies as we can and get the populace to scream at the legislators to raise taxes."
Bivins said Quinn promised a billion dollars in cuts in the last budget that never happened. So he doesn't "see the management" in Quinn's handling of the state's finances.
GOP State Rep. Bill Mitchell, R-Forsyth, agrees. He said even though the governor walked into a bad situation when he took over in the office, Mitchell said he hasn't seen Quinn do anything to step up to the plate.
"I think you can predict what a person is gonna do in the future by what they've done in the past."
But Democratic State Sen. Toi W. Hutchinson said no one can place all of the blame for Illinois' financial mess at the governor's feet. She said lawmakers in both parties, and leaders stretching back decades, did their part to get the state to this point.
"There's no way to make this pretty. There's no way to make this easy. This is going to hurt across the board, but we need folks who are willing to step-up and take that challenge."
Hutchinson said Republicans in Springfield are only willing to say "no" and not help. GOP lawmakers say their ideas to stop spending and slash government programs are ignored.
Mitchell said the budget should be about paying for Illinois' real needs, not about blaming the other guy for all of the problems.
"There's plenty of blame to go around. The bottom line is you can't spend money you don't have."
State Rep. Frank Mautino, D-Spring Valley, a leading House "budgeteer," doesn't expect any of the state's budget problems to go away anytime soon.
He expects lawmakers to take a vote on some sort of revenue enhancing measure, whether it is a $3.7 billion pension borrowing plan, a 33-percent income tax increase that Quinn has championed, or both.
"I think (voting on both proposals) is a possibility because the longer we delay, the worst the bond markets view us, the less willing vendors are to sell to us," he said.
Illinois' new budget is $1.4 billion smaller than last year's, Hutchinson said, mainly because the state is bringing in at least a billion dollars less in taxes.
"The governor has the authority to do what he can with what he's got. And what he has isn't enough to keep the ship floating," she said.
But Bivins and other GOP lawmakers guess the budget plan laid out this week is part of a Democratic strategy to have lawmakers come back to the Capitol after the election to "fix" the budget.
Hutchinson said that line of thinking, however popular, isn't helping.
"The fact that we have a trust crisis in government, an integrity crisis in government, that is as big as the fiscal crisis, makes this infinitely more difficult."
(Article courtesy of Illinois Statehouse News)
