READER COMMENTS CLOSED FOR THE WEEKEND
Friday, Mar 23, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
Have a great one.
Illinoize has been hopping all week. Make sure you check it out…
And for your listening enjoyment….
There ain’t a bad song on that list. Except Graham Parker, most of these people are relatively unknown, but give ‘em a try anyway.
*** UPDATE *** Wilco live at the 9:30 in Washington, DC.
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Question of the day
Friday, Mar 23, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
As always, first we have the setup. This is a press release from the Illinois Press Association, an organization that represents newspaper publishers….
Yesterday, the Illinois Press Association Board of Directors approved the government relations committee’s recommendation that the IPA officially oppose Governor Blagojevich’s proposed Gross Receipts Tax (GRT). The Governor’s plan calls for a 1.8% tax on all gross receipts exceeding a million dollars as well as a 3% payroll tax.
Additionally, the IPA Board has instructed staff to encourage all IPA members to publish stories focusing on the community or local impact of the proposed GRT and that the IPA act as kind of “clearinghouse†for these stories.
Accordingly, the IPA government relations office asks that you please forward any news stories of this variety to the Association so that they can be uploaded onto to the IPA website for other members to access. This clearinghouse will act an online area where members can go to share and distribute story ideas as we work to defeat the proposed GRT.
And, now, the question: Do you think this is ethical? Are all GRT stories with “community or local” angles now undermined because they may have been ginned up by a publisher’s group that opposes the tax? Or is this OK with you because of the old adage “The freedom of the press belongs to those who own it.”
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My Sun-Times column this week is both national and local in focus, although it leans more local…
Fresh, independent-minded candidates, most helped by labor unions, forced 10 Machine aldermen into runoff elections this year. But now the “Empire” is striking back, and liberal icon Barack Obama is helping the Old Guard in at least one of those races.
Obama is set to endorse the always controversial 3rd Ward Ald. Dorothy Tillman in her runoff against hard-charging independent Pat Dowell. Obama isn’t alone. Almost every black political, religious and civil rights leader in the city is lending support to Tillman, who scored just 43 percent in the first round of voting, finishing a mere 400 votes ahead of Dowell.
About the only major political figure not backing Tillman right now is U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., who just helped elect his wife, Sandi, to the City Council. Jackson said this week he plans to put at least 150 foot soldiers into the 3rd Ward come Election Day, but he tried to downplay the fact that this is the first time he and Obama have ever opposed each other in a local race.
And it ends this way…
Jackson says he understands why Sen. Obama would back Tillman. The alderman was one of Obama’s earliest supporters in his U.S. Senate bid. But others are wondering how Obama’s decision to back such a die-hard proponent of slavery reparations will play in Iowa and New Hampshire. They may have a point.
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* The Pat Quinn story isn’t going away yet…
Gov. Rod Blagojevich suffered a very public rejection from within his own administration Thursday as Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn disparaged the tax and health care plans that Blagojevich has made his top priority.
Calling a news conference at the state Capitol, Quinn said the governor’s proposal for a new $6 billion business tax would end up hitting “ordinary people” in the pocketbook.
“That levy would be passed on to consumers, and I don’t think that’s the right way to go,” he said.
Quinn also said expanding health care and pumping new money into schools can be done over time and doesn’t have to be accomplished immediately, as Blagojevich has proposed
* More…
Whereas Blagojevich’s plan raises nearly $7 billion by taxing businesses, Quinn prefers to empower a panel to go through state tax breaks and eliminate those deemed unneeded. He predicted that would raise nearly $2 billion in its first year. […]
Quinn said all new tax dollars from his plan would be set aside to pay for property tax relief, education spending and health care. But there would not be enough money to finance the massive expansion of health care and education Blagojevich unveiled earlier this month.
A spokeswoman for the governor’s budget office blasted Quinn’s plan as unrealistic.
“We’ve pushed for four years to close corporate loopholes. The General Assembly has consistently opposed those efforts,†said Becky Carroll. “We don’t think it’s right to ask our schools and the uninsured to wait for years for those tides to change.â€
* The president of the Illinois Education Association, Ken Swanson, chimed in as well in a press release yesterday…
While we are pleased the lieutenant governor has entered the school funding discussion, his proposal is woefully inadequate.
The Illinois Education Association believes any school funding reform proposal must deliver adequate funding to public education through a revenue stream that is predictable and sustainable. The Lt. Governor’s proposal falls short on all counts. The projected revenue from this plan comes no where near the level needed to close the achievement gap in Illinois.
Thousands of students, in every part of the state, are being denied the resources necessary to get a high quality education. Changing this system demands a bold plan and that is why the Illinois Education Association supports the Gross Receipts Tax proposal. We are urging the members of the Illinois General Assembly to support this proposal.
* But just about every farm group is registering in opposition to the gross receipts tax…
Bart Bittner, spokesman for the Illinois Farm Bureau, said that regardless of their revenue, Illinois farmers will be hit hard by the tax thanks to the increased cost of supplies.
“It impacts all farms whether they generate $1 million in gross receipts or not because of the (cost) pass-on that comes from the input side of things,†he said.
Bittner said that because agriculture prices are driven in large part by commodities markets it would be difficult for producers to set their own prices to recoup their losses.
Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Chuck Hartke said opponents of the tax are neglecting the savings that it will create, particularly in the area of health care.
* And the Daily Herald takes a look at how one aspect of the governor’s health plan would work…
As part of a sweeping health-care proposal, Gov. Rod Blagojevich wants to give parents the option of including children age 29 and under on their policies, rather than 19 and under.
“They are the kids that are now grown-up,†Blagojevich said earlier this month. “They’re mostly healthy, but Mom and Dad are worried, understandably so, that God forbid, something happens and they don’t have health insurance.â€
Few details have been released and, at this point, it is unclear how many people would sign up or when the program would start. The only clear-cut condition is that it would apply only to families making less than $80,000. A Blagojevich spokeswoman said everyone within the age and parental income categories could be covered.
* Action for Children President: Governor’s health insurance plan must be Ok’d
* Tribune Editorial: Scale it back Governor
* Editorial: Take it slow on health care reform
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Massive Statehouse rally
Friday, Mar 23, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
The Statehouse was jam-packed yesterday…
One of the largest rallies in a decade packed the Capitol so full with supporters of immigrant rights Thursday that they spilled out onto nearby lawns.
Organizers said more than 2,000 people came to Springfield from across the state on about 35 buses to rally and lobby for driver’s certificates for illegal immigrants and others without Social Security numbers, as well as other immigrant issues.
Many of those attending were Latinos from the Chicago area, said Catherine Salgado of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, which helped organize the event. But supporters also came from downstate areas such as Beardstown and Bloomington and included South Asians, Koreans, Arabs, Chinese, Poles and Africans.
“These are the people that need to drive because they have to work, they have to take their children to school, they have to go grocery shopping - things that many people don’t even think will be any problem,” Salgado said.
The Tribune has some much-needed context…
If approved, the driver’s certificates would be distinct from regular driver’s licenses and learner’s permits, supporters say. For one, they would clearly state that they cannot be used as identification for any other official purpose. The certificates are a nod to new federal standards for driver’s licenses under the Real ID anti-terrorism act approved by Congress in 2005, which several states have refused to implement.
In Illinois, the Roadway Safety and Mandatory Insurance Coverage Act has been promoted as an act of pragmatism amid one of Illinois’ greatest immigration waves, a way to ensure that everyone driving in the state gets proper training and has access to automobile insurance. […]
Brian Konen, co-owner of an insurance agency in Aurora, said he views his support for a driver’s certificate law as a business decision.
“In Aurora, we have a large Hispanic population. If those folks are not driving with insurance, our clients are getting hit by them,” said Konen, who is also president of the Professional Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois. “If we can get them to drive legally and with insurance, I’m sure some of those folks will also become our clients.”
Try to keep the discussion focused on the issues at hand, please. Thanks. And, remember, my wife is an immigrant, so if you bash all immigrants you could be dealth with harshly.
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Clueless aldermen
Friday, Mar 23, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
On the same day that Al Sanchez was indicted for mail fraud related to city patronage, some Chicago aldermen were griping about the Shakman case.
Chicago aldermen were grumbling Thursday about a settlement in the long-running Shakman case amid concern about how a federal hiring monitor will dole out $12 million to political hiring victims and how new rules will ensure work force diversity.
It’s not just the fact that monitor Noelle Brennan would become a fixture at City Hall — at least for the next 21 months. She would help draft a “color-blind” hiring system and have absolute power to pass judgment on political hiring claims and determine compensation for them, according to aldermen who must approve the settlement. […]
Ald. Pat O’Connor (40th) wondered how Brennan will respond to claims filed by Democratic precinct workers denied jobs and promotions in favor of foot soldiers for the Hispanic Democratic Organization. […]
For months, aldermen have accused Brennan of invading their turf, railing about her $1.65 million in legal fees, her ever-expanding role in city hiring and the effect those controls have had on their ability to deliver neighborhood services and get their people placed in top jobs. […]
“When it’s driven by a federal judge, people understand we want to get it resolved and get it behind us. But you may have a lot of disgruntled ‘yes’ votes — people voting ‘yes’ under duress,” said Ald. Isaac Carothers (29th), vice chairman of the City Council’s Black Caucus.
Timing is everything.
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Morning shorts *** Updated x1 ***
Friday, Mar 23, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
*** UPDATE *** Must-read story in Illinoize: Knox County - In the spotlight for all the wrong reasons
—————————————————-
* I-Team: “You may be surprised to learn what an ABC7 investigation has found in the personal investments of top ComEd executives. There are allegations that electric bills have skyrocketed because of it.”
* Ex street and sanitation boss indicted by feds
* Sanchez cut his teeth on the east side
* NBC5 video: Top Daley aide indicted
* CBS video: Former Daley aide indicted for fraud
* Ex-Daley aide indicted
* John Kass: Sanchez had smelled the coffee before
* Federal Grand jury indicts former Chicago commissioner
* ‘Mediocre job’ rating doesn’t faze Fitzgerald
* Fitzgerald says he does the best job he can do
* Kadner: Prosecutors find evaluations can stink
* Greeley: Why prosecutors, politics should not be mixed
* Editorial: Governor falling short on pledge of openness
* Senate passes measure aimed at FutureGen lawsuits
* Some lawmakers say car smoking proposal goes too far
* Treasurer: Bank collateral too high
* Senate committee approves electric rate rollback proposal
* Electricity rollback hinges on talks
* ComEd freeze back in Senate mix
* ComEd threatens to sue over rates
* Electric rate rollback now includes ComEd
* Concerns grow over sale of student loan portfolio
“We’ll leave the interest groups on the sidelines and get an economic outlook on the market and how it might respond to proposals like this one,” said Sen. Jeff Schoenberg (D-Evanston), chairman of the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, which will hold hearings on the issue in mid-April. “For a series of transactions of this size, it is especially critical to know how the markets might respond.”
* Editorial: It’s hard to get too excited over state scores
* School finances better, but cost bemoaned
* Fewer public schools use deficit spending
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* Full indictment here
* Full press release here
————————————————-
US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald has scheduled a 2 o’clock press conference for today “to announce new criminal charges in an ongoing public corruption investigation.”
Participants will include: Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Kenneth T. Lag, Inspector-in-Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago; and James Vandenberg, Special Agent-in-Charge of Investigations for the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General in Chicago.
Check back later for more. No comments yet. I’ll open them when we know something.
While we’re waiting for Fitzmas (and the scuttlebutt right now is that it may be city related), I forgot to point out an important aspect of this story about how a federal judge had dismissed charges against Nick Hurtgen.
Grady also found that the mail and wire fraud charges against Hurtgen didn’t specify exactly what the former investment banker did that was illegal.
One of the issues addressed in George Ryan’s appeal is that no actual statutes were violated in his mail fraud convictions.
*** UPDATE *** It’s Al Sanchez.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Sun-Times…
Federal authorities have indicted Al Sanchez, a former top aide to Mayor Daley, according to the U.S. Attorney’s office.
Sanchez, a key leader of the Hispanic Democratic Organization, was the mayor’s Streets & Sanitation Department commissioner from 1999 until 2005.
They’re getting very close to the top with this one. Comments are now open.
While we await the official word, here is some background on Sanchez from a Sun-Times story about last December’s indictment of John Resa, an HDO coordinator…
The indictment reveals the feds are probing hiring and promotion fraud under HDO, created in the early 1990s and now about 500 members strong. Though Resa is charged with one count of lying, the indictment lays out HDO’s structure, its voter outreach efforts and an allegation of a broader scheme to reward its volunteers with jobs and promotions.
“This is part of a bigger investigation that does allege a scheme,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Collins said.
Collins said Resa headed an HDO political army made up of 70 to 80 volunteers.
When Resa wanted to reward them with city jobs or promotions, he went to a former high-ranking city official for help, identified as “Individual A,” who headed HDO’s southeast division, according to the charges. Sources say the individual is former Streets and Sanitation commissioner and HDO lieutenant Al Sanchez, sources say.
Sanchez sponsored Resa and other Resa relatives who got city jobs, according to a clout list kept by the mayor’s patronage director. The list was introduced as evidence in this summer’s City Hall hiring trial of the mayor’s former patronage chief Robert Sorich.
More background on Sanchez and HDO…
On paper, HDO was formed on March 1, 1993. But insiders say that HDO started with Daley’s 1989 election.
Former foot soldiers in Ald. Edward Vrdolyak’s once-mighty 10th Ward organization, which disbanded when the alderman switched parties, crowded the back room, the former volunteer said.
And former Vrdolyak precinct captain Al Sanchez organized the “standing room only” gathering, the former volunteer said.
Degnan’s message was simple.
“‘We’re going to build a Hispanic organization like you have never seen,’” he said, according to the former volunteer.
“That was the inception of HDO. Al [Sanchez] came up with the name, Hispanic Democratic Organization. And Tim said, ‘That’s beautiful.’ “
*** UPDATE 3 *** From Fitzgerald’s office…
A retired commissioner of the City of Chicago’s Department of Streets and Sanitation and a Chicago police officer who has held various city jobs, both of whom were high-level leaders of the Hispanic Democratic Organization (HDO), a citywide political campaign organization, were indicted today on federal charges in connection with the ongoing investigation of city hiring and promotion fraud. The retired commissioner, Alfred Sanchez, a principal organizer for HDO, was charged with engaging in a systematic fraud scheme to provide city jobs, promotions and other employment benefits to induce and reward political campaign work. The second defendant, Aaron Delvalle, who assisted Sanchez in coordinating HDO activities and who received immunity from prosecution relating to this investigation, was charged with perjury for allegedly lying to the federal grand jury about his HDO activities.
Sanchez, 59, of Chicago, was charged with nine counts of mail fraud, and Delvalle, 34, of Chicago, was charged with one count of perjury in a 10-count indictment returned today by a federal grand jury. Both defendants will be arraigned at a later date in U.S. District Court.
*** UPDATE 4 *** Check out “Individual A” in this one…
Sanchez alone was charged with engaging in a fraud scheme beginning no later than 1994 through early 2005. As part of the alleged scheme, Sanchez and uncharged co-schemers Individual A ( who was the overall leader of HDO), Robert Sorich, Jack Drumgould, Delvalle, Patrick Slattery, Roberto Medina and various other city employees and officials, engaged in the following conduct:
o while he was employed at I&I and Streets and Sanitation, Sanchez and certain co-schemers engaged in a systematic effort to provide public financial benefits, in the form of city jobs, promotions, and other employment benefits, in order to induce and reward campaign work to benefit HDO and other private political organizations;
o Sanchez and other co-schemers corrupted the city’s personnel process by awarding city job-related benefits in non-policymaking positions to applicants selected by Sanchez and IGA officials by: falsifying and causing the falsification of ratings forms; signing and causing the signing of fraudulent Shakman certifications; and otherwise granting preferential treatment;
o in the case of “mass†hiring sequences, Sanchez negotiated a certain portion of the total available positions with IGA officials in order to award the positions to individuals selected by Sanchez on the basis of their work on behalf of HDO. Applying political and other considerations, IGA selected the remainder of the candidates for the particular hiring sequence; and
o the individual HDO Southeast participants who received job-related benefits included individuals who provided Sanchez with various personal services and things of value, including home repair work, snow removal, lawn care and yard work.
*** UPDATE 5 ***
* Full indictment here
* Full press release here
*** UPDATE 6 *** More…
The co-schemers allegedly tracked and maintained records relating to city job-related requests on behalf of HDO participants, and officials of HDO North and HDO South also submitted requests for city employment benefits at Streets and Sanitation to IGA officials and Sanchez on behalf of other HDO volunteers.
When he was an I&I official, Sanchez allegedly caused false and fraudulent ratings forms to be signed in order to favor his selections in the award of city job-related benefits. Sanchez and Medina, while at I&I, signed false and fraudulent Shakman certifications, attesting that political considerations played no role in I&I’s hiring sequences, when in fact, they knew that certain hiring decisions were based, in substantial part, on the applicant’s political participation.
*** UPDATE 7 *** Still more…
At Streets and Sanitation, Sanchez and Drumgould allegedly caused certain individual HDO Southeast participants to become eligible to be interviewed for certain hiring sequences, even on occasions when the positions were closed to applications from the general public, and receipt of applications was not permitted under City hiring guidelines.
*** UPDATE 8 *** Sanchez is looking at up to 25 years if convicted…
If convicted, eight of the nine mail fraud counts against Sanchez carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, while a single count carries a maximum term of five years in prison. If convicted of perjury, Delvalle faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Court, however, would determine the appropriate sentence to be imposed.
*** UPDATE 9 *** From the indictment, more on the identity of “Individual A”…
Between 1993 and 2000, Individual A was a full-time salaried employee of the City, employed at IGA. From approximately 1995 through 2000, Individual A was a high-ranking official of IGA. […]
From approximately 1995 through 2000, [Robert] Sorich reported to Individual A.
*** UPDATE 10 *** The feds are spelling it differently, but an Aaron Del Valle ran for alderman this year against Ald. Danny Solis and was backed by Sanchez and described as a former aide to Sanchez and active in the HDO. He’s described here as taking a leave of absence from the Chicago police department.
*** UPDATE 11 *** A bit more background…
Del Valle got trounced in that aldermanic race, but there was at least one other HDO member in there as well, Joe Acevedo, the brother of the state Rep. And one of Mike Madigan’s lieutenants, Mike Kasper, was working to keep Cuahutemoc Morfin on the ballot in that district. Morfin was endorsed by former Ald. Ambrosio Medrano, who was knocked off the ballot because he’s a convicted felon. Morfin finished second.
The theory is that HDO and Co. threw a bunch of different guys at Solis to force a runoff. But Solis squeaked by with 51.39 percent of the vote.
*** UPDATE 12 *** Fitzgerald’s spokesman Randall Samborn just confirmed that the “Aaron Delvalle” who was indicted for perjury today is the same HDO-backed “Aaron Del Valle” who ran for alderman this year.
Also, FYI, Aaron Del Valle is not related to City Clerk Miguel del Valle. In fact, Miguel got mighty upset during the campaign that Aaron was using yard signs that looked just like his.
*** UPDATE 13 *** From the AP…
Sanchez and Delvalle are the 47th and 48th defendants charged since 2004 in the continuing investigation. Of those defendants, 44 have been convicted, one is dead, and rest of cases are pending.
The accusations against Sanchez surfaced when fired city worker Gerry Sarussi, 50, said he helped three employees with ties to Sanchez get truck-driving licenses without the required training.
Sarussi told the city’s Human Resources Board that he certified in early 2002 that the men were qualified to drive trucks because a supervisor told him that “Al wanted it done.”
Sarussi, who was on disability leave in 2002 when he made the certification and is fighting his dismissal, has said he repeatedly lied to city investigators and hid any connection to Sanchez because a supervisor told him to shield the commissioner and the Hispanic Democratic Organization.
*** UPDATE 14 *** From Chicago Public Radio…
[audio:cityroom_20070322_sglinton_U.S..mp3]
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Question of the day
Thursday, Mar 22, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
First, the setup…
Public school students would be required to observe a moment of silence under legislation the Senate passed Wednesday, giving lawmakers a chance to work around constitutional prohibitions against school prayer. […]
The legislation would require schools to have a moment of silence at the beginning of every school day for kindergarten through high school students. The measure would change current law, which merely allows schools to have a moment of silence. That has created some schools in which some teachers allow the quiet period while others don’t.
“It is a neutral act, which affords students the opportunity to reflect upon whatever they wish, whether religious or not,” said Sen. Kimberly Lightford (D-Maywood), the sponsor. […]
Sen. Dan Rutherford (R-Chenoa), the lone opponent, said the legislation was unnecessary because schools already have a right to hold a moment of silence and schools don’t need government telling them what to do.
To the question: Is this bill necessary?
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As I told you yesterday, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn has come out in opposition to the governor’s gross receipts tax on business. There’s more today…
Quinn said he cannot support the governor’s proposed gross receipts tax, a lynchpin of Blagojevich’s 2008 state spending plan, because it is “regressive,” unfairly targets the working class, and provides no tax relief.
“I really don’t think this is a fair approach,” Quinn said.
Instead, Quinn proposed a competing plan that would target untapped “corporate loopholes” that he said could generate as much as $2 billion a year to be split equally between schools, health insurance and tax relief.
“I’d hope we could go to Plan B, and come up with a tax fairness plan that incorporates some of the ideas I’ve expressed,” the lieutenant governor said during an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times.
More from the AP…
“The businesses pass it on. The ultimate consumer at the store suffers the burden,'’ [Quinn] said in a telephone interview. “The notion that everyday people will be exempt from this levy is not correct at all.'’
The Daily Herald has a bit of history…
The debate creates the somewhat unusual situation of a governor and his running mate publicly feuding over tax policies, something not seen since the mid-1980s when then-Republican Gov. James Thompson pushed an income tax increase and his lieutenant governor, George Ryan, came out against it.
Phil Kadner has the best lede…
Lt. Gov. Patrick Quinn shouted that the governor of Illinois isn’t wearing any clothes.
And then ends his column this way…
So now we have two school funding reform plans.
The income tax plan and the gross receipts tax plan.
It’s looking more and more like the House will pass one version and the Senate another.
If that happens, the governor won’t have to sign or veto anything.
All of the state’s elected leaders will be able to claim they did something, when in fact they accomplished nothing.
That’s called political cover in the state capitol.
Quinn has chosen to expose the governor.
But the opposition didn’t come from just Pat Quinn. Comptroller Dan Hynes and Treasure Alexi Giannoulias both expressed strong reservations yesterday…
Comptroller Dan Hynes and Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias say they’re concerned about the Democratic governor’s desire to tax nearly all business transactions in the state. Hynes also criticized one of Blagojevich’s proposed uses for the revenue - universal health insurance - saying the state needs to first fix problems with the existing Medicaid system.
The Blagojevich administration said the officials are reacting to pressure from the business community. […]
“I think there is some sense of a lack of fairness in our tax structure as relates to how much corporations or businesses pay versus the individual,” said Hynes, comptroller for the past eight years. “I don’t think it’s quite as dramatic or drastic as it’s being portrayed.” […]
“I’m concerned they’ll end up leaving the state or going out of business, frankly,” Giannoulias said. “I understand the governor’s desire to help the working class and middle-income people, but I think … businesses are only going to take a certain amount of hits before they start passing these things on to consumers.”
But, wait, there’s more. Sen. James Meeks (D-Chicago) is also not a happy man…
In another development that could complicate passage of a state budget, a top leader of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus told the Sun-Times that his group will withhold support for a budget unless it has four full days to review its details prior to a vote.
“We don’t want a middle-of-the-night vote,” said Sen. James Meeks (D-Chicago), joint chairman of the caucus.
Meeks had a lot more to say than that. Check out this audio clip, supplied by our good friends at Metro Networks. It’s pretty harsh and is a must-listen…
[audio:Meeks3-21.mp3]
Comptroller Hynes’ comments can be heard here…
[audio:Hynes3-21.mp3]
Treasurer Giannoulias’ comments are here…
[audio:Giannoulias3-21.mp3]
More…
* Blagojevich tax plan takes hits from both sides
“‘Lie’ is a strong word, but it’s a great mystery as to what happens over there,” [Hynes] said at a Statehouse news conference.
* Governor pushes “Tax Fairness”
Key Democrats oppose governor’s tax hike plan
*** UPDATE *** Here’s a snip from Quinn’s press conference today, supplied by Metro Networks…
[audio:Quinn322.mp3]
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Civil unions bill advances
Thursday, Mar 22, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
Even though I always say that a committee vote doesn’t mean much, it’s still kind of surprising that this bill passed a committee on the first try…
A plan to recognize civil unions for same-sex couples narrowly advanced out of a House committee Wednesday despite opposition from faith-based organizations.
By a 5-4 vote, members of the House Human Services committee approved a bill that would give same-sex couples the protections married couples enjoy, including hospital visitation rights, child custody and survivor benefits.
“It’s a question of equality,” state Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago), the bill’s sponsor, said. The civil union bill is Harris’ second attempt at giving gay couples legal rights.
Harris, who is the only openly gay state lawmaker, said he intends to call the bill for a vote by the full House floor this spring. His proposal needs the approval of the House, the Senate and Gov. Blagojevich before it becomes law.
The bill faces an uncertain future, as many Republicans, family organizations and faith-based groups are promising a fight. “Government shouldn’t recognize a lifestyle that’s been considered immoral,” said David Smith, the executive director of the Illinois Family Institute.
More…
“It was clear the time is not now for marriage,” said Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago), the sponsor of the civil-union and gay-marriage proposals. “When it will come back, I don’t know. Clearly the appetite of this legislature is not to have that discussion.”
But some lawmakers opposed the civil-union legislation, approved 5-4 in the Human Services Committee, saying it draws little distinction from traditional marriage.
“There is a fine line, and I think Rep. Harris crossed it,” said Rep. Mary Flowers (D-Chicago), who opposed the bill in committee. “I think what he did is make this, indirectly, same-sex marriage but called it something else. … Marriage is between a man and a woman.”
The civil-union legislation follows a gay-rights victory two years ago when the General Assembly passed legislation that prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in employment and housing. But that measure took several years of effort to pass, and the civil-union legislation clearly will meet strong resistance.
Four other states currently recognize some form of same-sex unions. The proposal wouldn’t allow gay couples to file taxes jointly, but would give them marital state tax deductions.
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Gun stuff and poll results
Thursday, Mar 22, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
As I’ve said before, just because a bill passes a committee (particularly in the House) doesn’t mean that it will clear the full chamber or the other chamber. With that in mind…
Gun purchases would be limited to one per month and anyone selling a gun would have to get a background check on the prospective buyer under gun control plans an Illinois House committee endorsed Wednesday.
Currently there are no legal limits on how many guns someone can buy at one time. As proposed, someone wanting to buy more than one within 30 days would have to ask state police for an exemption.
Supporters said a dozen guns a year should be enough. “I think the benefits far outweigh any hardships,†said Chicago Police Commander Nicholas Roti.
But opponents said the state already has laws targeting people who buy numerous firearms and pass them on to criminals. […]
Similarly, Democrats supported requiring background checks when an individual sells or gives a handgun to someone else. The requirement would apply to all private sales.
Meanwhile, the Illinois Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence released a statewide poll yesterday of 603 Illinois registered voters. Survey method and poll results follow. Click the pics for larger images…
  
  
  
The entire document can be downloaded here. [pdf file]
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Huge population loss for Cook County
Thursday, Mar 22, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
To put this into perspective, Cook County’s population loss is almost the size of an entire state House district…
Census population estimates released today show Cook County posted the third biggest decline in the nation, losing 88,000 residents since 2000.
Only counties surrounding New Orleans, ravaged by a hurricane, and Detroit, clobbered by a declining auto industry, lost more.
In the same period, however, Kendall County, about 40 miles southwest of Chicago, added nearly 34,000 residents and had the second-fastest growth rate in the nation — 61.7 percent. Will County, south of Chicago, also made the top 100 fastest-growing counties. It came in 36th and grew 33 percent. […]
But the twist in recent years is that people aren’t just leaving Chicago — they are also leaving suburban Cook County. “What we’re seeing is like ripples in a pond,” Johnson said. “The city and central core are losing, the inner suburbs are starting to face some losses and the suburbs on the outer edge are growing like crazy.
While not all of the suburban population growth can be attributed to flight from Chicago and Cook, much of it is. Cheaper housing is one reason. Talk about others in comments…
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Morning shorts
Thursday, Mar 22, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Foes fight charter schools boom
* ComEd may be added to proposal to freeze electric rates
* Editorial: Plenty of blame to go around on electric rates
* Koehler changes rate freeze stance
Sen. David Koehler, D-Peoria, on Wednesday removed his name as a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 1592, which would reinstate an electric rate freeze for at least a year. “I can’t support the freeze right now because a freeze really doesn’t give anybody relief,” said Koehler, a first-year senator.
* Legislators urge more prison guards
* Study: Illinois prison conditions deteriorating
* Unanimous vote a step forward in race for experimental plant
* Stew-Stas school on top of Governor’s funding list
* Sun-Times Editorial: Fitzgerald much more than mediocre
* New predatory lending revisions in Cook Co. ; press release
* Editorial: Who would give more cash to this bunch
* Editorial: Here’s your chance to change the Pace
* Duckworth delivers funds, hope to vets at Wheaton shelter
* City will pay for clout hiring; more here
Mayor Daley agreed Wednesday to establish a $12 million fund to compensate victims of City Hall’s rigged hiring system and abandon his five-year-old effort to vacate the federal Shakman decree banning political hiring.
* Tribune Editorial: Toward an honest city hall
* County may close heath facilities to non-residents
* Snuffing out a smoking ban plan
“The whole bar was watching,” said Steve Mitchell, co-owner of the Ogden Avenue bar. “When the council didn’t do anything, everybody was relieved. I know I was. It shows they understand this isn’t California and it’s not New York. Those people are freaks. People from the Midwest are more mainstream.”
* McQueary: Trustee’s mom kicks off campaign in Chicago Ridge
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