Rauner appoints team of outsiders to help fix Illinois' financial crisis

PALATINE, Ill. (WLS) -- Gov. Bruce Rauner answered questions Friday about a team of outsiders he is bringing in to try and fix the state's financial crisis.

Rauner - the political newcomer and first-time office holder - insists he'll be running the show, despite hiring a former U.S. governor to be his second-in-command.

On Friday, the governor helped open the new Career and Technical Center at Harper College in Palatine.

"Education includes vocational training, occupational training, technical training. It's all part of education," Rauner said.

But after the ceremony, the media wanted to know about Linda Lingle, the former Hawaii governor Rauner hired to be the chief operating officer of Illinois.

"In the end, all responsibility lies with me," Rauner said. "Every leader has a team. Nothing gets done by an individual. Everything gets done by a team and I want the most talented team in America."

Lingle, 61, is a former Maui mayor who served two terms as governor from 2002 to 2010, during which she dealt with a Democratic super-majority in the Hawaii legislature. That's the same situation the newly-elected Rauner faces in Illinois.

"If he wants to bring a very talented lady from Hawaii who worked with a democrat legislature Linda Lingle, I think that's a positive step," said State Sen. Matt Murphy, R-Palatine.

"The more minds we have of people who've been involved in making government more effective and more efficient, the better," said State Sen. Dan Kotowski, D-Park Ridge.

Rauner's so-called "turnaround team" also will include consultant Donna Arduin who has helped cut spending in Michigan, New York and Florida, and Trey Childress, the former Georgia COO.

"My concern is they don't understand the landscape. My concern is that when they decide they want to cut, in many cases they won't have a relationship they might not understand," said State Rep. Fred Crespo, D-Schaumburg.

The governor would not say how much the state will pay the outsiders he's hiring to help shake up Springfield.

"The folks coming into our team are willing to take pretty big salary cuts to what they've been making because they want to be public servants and give back and help the people of Illinois," Rauner said.

Former Gov. Lingle will not begin her Illinois job until later this year, possibly May or June. She is a Midwesterner at her core, having grown up in St. Louis, Mo.