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Question of the day
Wednesday, Apr 18, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
CAN-TV is sending a group down to Springfield this week to lobby against a proposal that would allow AT&T to get into the cable business.
And that got me to thinking, do you believe that cable companies and phone companies which seek to provide cable-like services ought to be forced to fund community access programming and provide spaces on their service for the channels?
Bonus questions: Do you watch community access TV, and if so, do you have a favorite program?
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Contradictory argument?
Wednesday, Apr 18, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I’m not sure who I was talking to about this yesterday, but he or she made a pretty good point.
On the one hand, business opponents say that the governor’s proposed gross receipts tax will kill them off…
“To take another percent and a half or .8 percent off our gross receipts would just kill us,” Lamp said. “I think Illinois would lose a lot of business because of it.”
On the other hand, business says that the GRT would simply be passed along to the consumers in the form of higher prices…
“So it’s a cost that will compound that the consumer is going to end up paying for because the businesses don’t have that pool of funds built into their business model to be able to pay for a tax like that.”
On its face, this seems like a contradictory argument. Will it drive them out of business or will they just pass the added costs onto consumers? And it’s true that reporters ought to be pressing people a lot more on their answers, particularly when somebody like Chamber honcho Doug Whitley gives both scenarios at the same event…
“This will raise the price for goods and services in the state that all people pay for,” said Whitley, adding that firms with a profit margin of 2 percent or less could be put out of business if taxes rose by an average of 2 percent.
But it’s not as contradictory as it looks. Businesses don’t just sell goods and services to end-user consumers, but to other businesses, who then sell down the chain. They probably can’t eat all the costs, so some will be passed along, causing other businesses’ costs to rise, which then are partially eaten and partially passed along.
I’m still not convinced that, in the end, this will be the huge business-killer that some are making it out to be, but the seemingly contradictory logic does make some sense, even if the opponents aren’t being completely clear and truthful.
By the way, Caterpillar announced that the GRT won’t run it out of the state, so that argument can be kissed goodbye. Still…
Tim Elder, director of corporate public affairs for Caterpillar Inc., said that as a $41 billion business, it wasn’t likely Caterpillar would be driven out of the state, but he expressed concern about smaller suppliers.
* More tax and spend updates, compiled by Paul…
* Dueling reports praise, criticize governor’s healthcare plan
* Businesses rally to oppose GRT
* Business wary of Blago tax plan
* Dillard challenges Blagojevich’s proposal
* Cindy Richards: It’s time to act on education, health insurance
*** UPDATE *** A new press release from the realtors uses the “It’s gonna hurt consumers” argument, so therefore assumes everyone in every step of the building/selling process will be subjected to the GRT and will also pass along the full amount of the tax…
A study released today by the Illinois Association of REALTORS(R) (IAR) shows that the accumulated or “pyramid” effect of the Gross Receipts Tax proposed by Governor Blagojevich would add $8,853 to the cost of an average new home in the nine- county metropolitan Chicago region. […]
The first phase of the study, conducted for IAR by RCF Economic & Financial Consulting, Inc. of Chicago, calculated the pyramid effect of five stages of construction and marketing of a new home in Illinois based on a 1.95 percent GRT on services and a .85 percent tax on construction contracts and materials, as proposed in the Governor’s budget. The stages are: wholesaler, subcontractor, general contractor, developer, and finally consumer. RCF calculated an overall 2.84 percent increase in the cost of a new home as a result of this layering on of new taxes at different steps in the homebuilding and selling process.
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* No question, Mayor Daley did not have a great day yesterday, but a closer look reveals that most of the incumbent losses weren’t really his fault.
African-American incumbents Madeline Haithcock (2nd), Dorothy Tillman (3rd) and Shirley Coleman (16th) were just terrible aldermen who ignored their constituents and failed to change with the times. Daley supported all three, but they were mostly left to fend for themselves (with help from members of the old-time black Machine) while Hizzoner tried to save white incumbents Ted Matlak and Bernie Stone. Matlak lost a narrow race and Stone, who scored close to 50 percent in February, held on to win.
Stone was always in danger, but his relatively strong showing in the first round, despite running an awful campaign, solid support among Jewish voters and fresh talent brought in after February at the Daley Machine’s behest pretty much made him the frontrunner all along.
Matlak was another story. This one is a huge loss for Daley, despite the fact that Matlak is a clueless hack who didn’t fit his ward. It’s tough to beat anybody with a goof like Matlak, but Daley and the entire white political Machine dumped almost everything it had into this race. They should have pulled out a close win, but came up short. Good riddance.
There’s been a lot of complaining and moaning about union money, but, frankly, how else were these candidates going to raise money and put together an organization to topple those deeply entrenched, if flawed, incumbents? This is Chicago, after all. It’s not easy going up against an alderman - any alderman - without bigtime help. The unions made their point in a big way, and the rest of the go-along-get-along city council will now have to take notice.
Also, Lisa Madigan should’ve stayed out of that Matlak race. You can’t claim to be a reformer if you support somebody like him. And Barack Obama got his first taste of local defeat by backing Tillman. The Machine isn’t always right, Barack. Please learn a lesson here.
* I was having dinner last night with a Republican operative who almost fainted when I told him that Sheila Simon was getting stomped by Carbondale Mayor Brad Cole. Nobody ever thought he’d win, or at least not by that much. Kudos to Cole and the Republicans for putting together a solid general election run (Cole tried it mostly on his own in the primary and failed miserably). And shame on the local media for almost completely ignoring all the outside GOP help (money and staff) that Cole received during the general while making a big deal out of the bigtime Democrats who endorsed Simon.
* Aldertrack has several videos posted from election day. Go check them out.
* Here’s a roundup of coverage, compiled by my intern Paul…
* Beaver’s seeks to curb union’s political donations
* Taxpayers eager for open space, less so for schools
* Few equipment problems in elections
* Four aldermen lose in biggest incumbent ouster since 1991
* Chicago Public Radio: Rocky night for incumbents
* Union candidates surprise Daley-backed trio
* Unions score key victories in city council
* Mary Mitchell: Third ward race split black vote
* Tillman’s council run nearing end
* Stone: ‘I proved age is no barrier‘
* Mark Brown: Stone sees win in tale of the tapes
* Oak Brook President trails in 6-way race
* Incumbents carry the day in most suburban mayoral races
* Harvey Mayor Kellogg cruises to reelection
* McQueary: No stumble too great to trip Kellogg
* Anti-immigration slate leads in Carpentersvlle
* Mayor Davlin wins, hopes second term will be more harmonious
* Summary of Springfield aldermanic races
* Simon fails to oust Carbondale mayor
*** UPDATE *** Here are some links to local blog election roundups and analysis…
* IlliniPundit (Also check out “A Republican Renaissance in Champaign“)
* DJWinfo
* Proviso Probe
* OpenLine
* Peoria Pundits
* Respublica
Apologies to any I missed. If there are others, put them in the comments section. Thanks.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Turnout was down in almost every ward, up neglibly in two wards and up significantly in one ward. Higher turnout was supposed to hurt Bernie Stone in the 50th, but it obviously didn’t…
Ward… APRIL….. FEBRUARY… % CHANGE
2………. 9297……… 11,395…………. -18.4
3………. 8372……….. 8247………….. +1.5
15……… 4652……….. 6690…………. -30.5
16……… 5114……….. 6340………….. -19.3
18……… 8977………. 13,482………… -33.4
21……. 10,576……… 14,437………… -26.7
24……… 6010……….. 8734………… -31.2
32……… 8243……….. 8284…………. -0.5
35……… 6560……….. 6736…………. -2.6
43……… 8156……….. 9460………… -13.8
49……… 7595……….. 7591………….. +0.05
50……. 11,292…….. 10,603…………. +6.5
*** UPDATE 3 *** From a press release…
While the April 17 Consolidated Election is officially nonpartisan, there were six members of the Illinois Green Party on the ballot this Tuesday, three of which were elected:
ELECTED: ROBERT BRAAM was elected as Trustee of the Manhattan Public Library District, receiving 107 votes as a write-in.
ELECTED: KRIS CAMPBELL won reelection to the Poplar Grove Village Trustee. With 340 votes (20%), she was second in a six-way race for three seats.
ELECTED: CAROL LARSON earned 3,370 votes (53.74%) and was the top vote-getter for three seats on the Oak Lawn-Hometown School Board. Larson is an educator and is a pursing a Ph.D. in educational psychology at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
endorsement of the Pantagraph. […]
Larson and Braam join Campbell, Dale Bowen (Winnebago Public Library Trustee), Jim Long (Kirby Park School Board) and Jon Murray (Mt. Morris Village Trustee) on the list of Illinois Green Party elected officials.
*** UPDATE 4 *** From the Sun-Times…
One of the state’s most expensive school district board races, fueled by a proposed book ban in the district last May, ended Tuesday with apparent victory for three incumbents who opposed the ban.
The contest pitted the incumbents against three newcomers for three seats on the board of High School District 214, a high-achieving, six high school district based in Arlington Heights.
The incumbents raised a record-setting $67,000. A mere $500 per candidate is the norm in the district. Vonnegut, who died last week, wrote Slaughterhouse-Five, one of nine books a board member proposed dropping from classroom use last year.
Two of the challengers, Dennis Konczyk and Ken Frizane, joined forces and won big-name support from conservative icon Phyllis Schlafly and Jim Oberweis, a former Republican gubernatorial and U.S. Senate candidate.
But it wasn’t enough. Incumbents Bill Dussling, Alva Kreutzer and Robert Zimmanck were the top three vote-getters, with 97 percent of the precincts in.
*** UPDATE 5 *** The petty side of Mayor Daley…
Mayor Richard Daley today would not credit labor unions for the loss of some of his incumbent allies in aldermanic runoff elections, saying local issues were among a combination of factors that resulted in their defeats.
“I think the people spoke,” Daley said. “A lot of other issues come into play. If you think one person gets all the glory, you are greatly mistaken.”
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Morning Shorts
Wednesday, Apr 18, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson
* Illinois lawmakers joke about sex changes during debate
* Blagojevich’s job chief, Joe Cini, quits
* Editorial: Honest hire or just another political favor
* Phil Luciano: Chicago should pay for its own Olympics party
* NY enlists IL and others in invesitgation of student loans
* Sweet deals for Daley campaign supporter
An influential black minister who has provided pivotal campaign support for Mayor Daley is a 30 percent managing partner in a pair of lucrative O’Hare Airport concessions awarded by City Hall.
* Local citites get aid to pay for July cleanup
* Two Illinois soldiers killed in Iraq
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Election Results Open Thread
Tuesday, Apr 17, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson
* 7:55pm
The first set of numbers should begin rolling in soon. They’ll be up as fast as we can get ‘em.
* 7:58pm
Ward 2
66.7% of precincts reporting
Bob Fioretti 3,855 65.0%
Madeline Haithcock 2,076 35.0%
Ward 3
59.3% of precincts reporting
Pat Dowell 2,598 52.1%
Dorothy Tillman 2,387 47.9%
Ward 15
57.7% of precincts reporting
Toni Foulkes 1,627 60.8%
Felicia Simmons-Stovall 1,049 39.2%
Ward 16
52.2% of precincts reporting
Joann Thompson 1,571 55.8%
Shirley Coleman 1,242 44.2%
Ward 18
59.7% of precincts reporting
Lona Lane 3,400 66.7%
Paul Stewart 1,701 33.3%
Ward 21
60.8% of precincts reporting
Howard Brookins 3,815 59.8%
Leroy Jones 2,560 40.2%
Ward 24
64.4% of precincts reporting
Sharon Dixon 2,169 52.3%
Michael Chandler 1,982 47.7%
Ward 32
69.2% of precincts reporting
Scott Waguespack 2,967 50.8%
Ted Matlak 2,871 49.2%
Ward 35
63.9% of precincts reporting
Rey Colon 2,550 60.2%
Vilma Colom 1,687 39.8%
Ward 43
71.2% of precincts reporting
Vi Daley 3,242 53.2%
Michele Smith 2,854 46.8%
Ward 49
52.4% of precincts reporting
Don Gordon 1,928 51.2%
Joe Moore 1,841 48.8%
Ward 50
62.2% of precincts reporting
Bernard Stone 3,677 52.2%
Naisy Dolar 3,368 47.8%
* 8:10pm
So it looks like the Waugespack/Matlak race in 32rd is shaping up to be the tightest. Stone and Daley are looking like they will hold on. Fioretti is rolling along in the 2nd. Dowell/Tillman is still a toss up, but Dowell must like the numbers.
* 8:31pm
Updated numbers…
Ward 3
70.4% of precincts reporting
Pat Dowell 3,237 54.0%
Dorothy Tillman 2,762 46.0%
Ward 32
86.5% of precincts reporting
Scott Waguespack 3,626 50.6%
Ted Matlak 3,546 49.4%
Ward 43
74.6% of precincts reporting
Vi Daley 3,361 53.1%
Michele Smith 2,966 46.9%
Ward 49
64.3% of precincts reporting
Don Gordon 2,457 51.4%
Joe Moore 2,321 48.6%
Ward 50
73.3% of precincts reporting
Bernard Stone 4,360 52.9%
Naisy Dolar 3,880 47.1%
* 8:32pm
Word is that Dowell will soon be officially declared the winner in the 3rd
* 8:34pm
Carbondale Mayoral Race
77.8% reporting
Brad Cole 1272 55.52%
Sheila Simon 1017 44.31%
Rich says that word from the Cole camp is that their strong precincts may not even be in yet.
* 8:51pm
Tight, Tight, Tight…
Ward 32
94.2% of precincts reporting
Scott Waguespack 3,882 50.6%
Ted Matlak 3,784 49.4%
It’s over…
Carbondale Mayor
Precincts Reporting 26 96.3 %
Sheila Simon 1478 45.55%
Brad Cole 1757 54.14%
* 9:25pm
A few city of Springfield numbers…
60% Reporting
Mayor
TIMOTHY J. DAVLIN 7,875 60.39
BRUCE STROM 4,873 37.37
Ward 5
SAM CAHNMAN 515 53.20
BOB BARTNICK 446 46.07
Ward 8
GEORGE R. PETRILLI 588 49.04
KRISTOFER “KRIS” THEILEN 608 50.71
Ward 9
THOMAS M. SELINGER 467 39.18
STEVEN DOVE 725 60.82
Ward 10
BARRY McANARNEY 576 45.68
TIM GRIFFIN 683 54.16
* 10:08pm
A few final tallies…
Ward 15 .
100.0% of precincts reporting
Toni Foulkes 2,790 60.2%
Felicia Simmons-Stovall 1,842 39.8%
Ward 18 .
100.0% of precincts reporting
Lona Lane 6,050 67.5%
Paul Stewart 2,917 32.5%
Ward 21
100.0% of precincts reporting
Howard Brookins 6,418 60.8%
Leroy Jones 4,137 39.2%
Ward 32
100.0% of precincts reporting
Scott Waguespack 4,177 50.7%
Ted Matlak 4,055 49.3%
Ward 35
100.0% of precincts reporting
Rey Colon 4,073 62.3%
Vilma Colom 2,464 37.7%
Just about finished…
Ward 3
72.2% of precincts reporting
Pat Dowell 3,326 54.1%
Dorothy Tillman 2,825 45.9%
97.8% of precincts reporting
Joann Thompson 2,895 56.8%
Shirley Coleman 2,206 43.2%
Ward 24
91.5% of precincts reporting
Sharon Dixon 3,035 51.9%
Michael Chandler 2,818 48.1%
78.0% of precincts reporting
Vi Daley 3,452 53.0%
Michele Smith 3,059 47.0%
Ward 50
80.0% of precincts reporting
Bernard Stone 4,602 51.8%
Naisy Dolar 4,281 48.2%
Not done yet…..
Ward 49
69.0% of precincts reporting
Don Gordon 2,713 51.6%
Joe Moore 2,540 48.4%
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Question of the day
Tuesday, Apr 17, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
First, the setup…
Central Illinois lawmakers agree that Chicago would make a fine host for the 2016 Olympics, but they’re less certain about whether state government should provide $150 million in case the event loses money.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich, Senate President Emil Jones and House Speaker Michael Madigan, all Chicago Democrats, have said they would support legislation authorizing the state to put up that money as a sort of safety net. The Chicago City Council recently agreed to put up a layered, $500 million guarantee if the games were to go into the red, even though supporters insist a Chicago Olympics would make money.
Now, the obvious question: Should the state provide this $150 million safety net for the Chicago Olympics? Explain.
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Covering up for the bosses
Tuesday, Apr 17, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Illinois Press Association has followed through on its promise to highlight every recent story about the local impact of the governor’s proposed gross receipts tax. You can find that page here.
The IPA, as you already know, is on record opposing the GRT and has officially encouraged its member newspapers to publish stories about the tax’s potential local impact. So far, not a single columnist or editorial has been published (that I can find) questioning the ethics of the IPA’s actions. And there are also no “straight” news stories yet exploring the potential impact of or motive behind the IPA’s decision.
The state’s press corps is always quick to point out potential conficts of interest when it comes to politicians, but so far nobody in that bunch has offered up even a peep about the IPA’s actions. Considering how much sway those newspapers have over their local legislators, that omission is completely inexcusable, no matter where you happen to stand on the GRT.
* Meanwhile, here’s the tax and spend roundup, compiled by Paul Richardson…
* Expert calls GRT a textbook case of ‘inefficient tax’
* Business representatives say new tax will be devastating
* Editorial: Response to the Governor’s GRT
* Editorial: Governor’s gross tax consequences
* Business people speak out against tax proposal
* Business Group: Cut future state workers health benefits
* Economist claims governor’s budget offer 2-to-1 benefits on healthcare costs
* Illinoize: High-Dollar Puppeteers
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* Billy Dennis, the Peoria Pundit, notes that he and another local blogger are being interviewed by the area’s mainstream media about today’s municipal elections…
Either bloggers are entering the mainstream because our work is being recognized, or we’re the flavor of the month. I suspect a combination of the two, although I won’t hazard to guess in what proportion.
I’ll add a third reason. Because the mainstream media is focusing less and less on local politics, blogs are some of the only places where you can find any sort of reporting and analysis on those campaigns. (Just take a look at the paltry selection in the roundup below for proof.) So, when crunch-time comes, some bloggers are the best sources for what’s really going on locally.
There are exceptions to this. The Daily Herald does a lot of local political coverage, but the reporters assigned to those beats are usually young and inexperienced. Suburban bloggers can fill in the gaps.
Dennis, for his part, sent a questionnaire to every local aldermanic candidate and posted the full results on his blog. It was a perfect example of how a local blogger can make a real difference. We need more of that in this state. A lot more.
I always encourage local bloggers to keep their focus on their immediate surroundings. We’ve got way more national political bloviators than we need. They’re a dime a dozen. Stay local, stay focused and if you’re any good, success and recognition will follow.
Anyway, here’s the roundup, compiled by Paul Richardson…
* Don’t hassle voters, candidates are told
* Sun-Times Endorsements in run-off elections
* Vote today in suburbs, 12 Chicago wards
* Voters to decide fate of Daley-backed aldermen
* Election eve calls stir emotion in two Springfield wards
* Archpundit: When the Math Doesn’t Work
This is an election day open thread. Polling place observations and predictions, please.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Naisy Dolar’s 50th Ward campaign is live blogging their election day efforts. Check it out. One excerpt…
This morning 2 voters came into the office alleged that as they were casting ballots at the Congregation Ezras Israel, they saw a man handing out Stone literature to 4 younger voters inside the polling place. The allegation: after the younger voters checked in with the election judges, but before they voted, they were directed to another man wearing a tie who handed out Stone literature. It is unclear whether this man was an election judge or a pollwatcher. Lawyers are on the way.
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Morning Shorts
Tuesday, Apr 17, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson
* Report: Abraham Lincoln hotel spending money in violation of loan terms
* Lawmakers may license midwives, give parents options
That means most parents who want to deliver at home must do so without assistance or seek out midwives — who may have varying levels of training and risk being accused of practicing medicine without a license.
* Audit: State was underpaid for flights
* Foreclosures on the rise
* Transit chief puts focus on funds
* Phil Kadner: Will Illinois allow illegals the chance to drive?
* Judge drops federal lawsuit over 2004 state Supreme Court race
* To pay or not to pay for interchange
The trend of forcing towns to chip in for new ramps on Illinois’ toll roads faces its biggest test yet with the renewed effort to build an interchange linking Interstates 57 and 294.
* U.S. Justice Dept. launches civil rights investigation of Cook Co. Jail
* Some laid off janitors to be rehired by county
* Did Stroger really chop ‘from the top’?
* Half the Cook Co. health cuts were doctors and nurses
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Tuesday, Apr 17, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller
Note to readers: I try to keep this place an oasis from national and international politics as much as possible, which is why there was no mention yesterday of the grotesque tragedy in Virginia.
And, frankly, after surfing the blogs, watching the cable nets and listening to talk radio hosts, I got the distinct impression that way too many people were using the horrific events to score one cheap political point after another and take potshots at their perceived “enemies.” I’m in no mood to see that happen here.
There are many, many websites where you can express your horror, shock, grief and outrage about yesterday’s tragedy, but let’s try not to let it leak in here for now.
Thanks.
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