Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » 2007

New poll shows horrific numbers for Dem governor even though state has liberal electorate

Thursday, Oct 25, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Illinois Wesleyan University has a new statewide poll. Let’s first look at some of the political results.

Conducted by Illinois Wesleyan University Department of Political Science
October 15 – 18, 2007 Sample Size N = 395 (Confidence Interval +/- 5%)

2. Would you say that you generally approve or generally disapprove of the way that Rod Blagojevich is handling his job as governor of Illinois?

23% approve
60% disapprove
18% Other/undecided/NR

3. Would you say that you generally approve or generally disapprove of the way that Dick Durbin is handling his job as Senator from Illinois?

54% approve
22% disapprove
24% Other/undecided/NR

4. Would you say that you generally approve or generally disapprove of the way George Bush is handling his job as President?

21% approve
69% disapprove
10% Other/undecided/NR

5. If the upcoming elections for the U.S. Congress were being held today, who would you like to see win in your district, the Democratic candidate or the Republican candidate?

49% Democratic candidate
27% Republican candidate
24% Undecided/NR

* The numbers reported yesterday in the Rasmussen poll aren’t the same, but it was a different kind of job approval question…

Blagojevich: 16% good or excellent; 83% fair or poor… Bush: 31% good or excellent; 68% fair or poor

* On to issues. This response was kinda surprising to me, considering how the politicians bloviate on the issue all the time…

7. An emerging national controversy is how to handle the large number of people who have been convicted of non-violent drug-related offenses. If two political candidates held the following views, which would you prefer to win?

25% Candidate ‘A’ says we should increase penalties and incarceration of these offenders
62% Candidate ‘B’ says we should not build more prisons but focus upon drug treatment programs
20% No preference/Undecided/NR
4% Other (specify response)

So, 82 percent either don’t want to build more prisons or have no preference? The vast majority appear to be either ambivalent about our current “lock ‘em up” policy or are against it. Wow.

* Just a third get their info about politics from the Internet…

1. Do you ever get news or information about political candidates and campaigns from the Internet?

33% Yes
66% No
1% Unsure/NR

* A big majority believes global warming is probably happening now…

8. How convinced are you that global warming or the greenhouse effect is actually happening – would you say you are completely convinced, mostly convinced, not so convinced or not at all convinced?

34% completely convinced
32% mostly convinced
16% not so convinced
13% not at all convinced
5% undecided/other/NR

* Pretty big “liberal” majorities on hot-button issues…

13. Would you say that you generally support or generally oppose government funding for medical research using stem cells obtained from human embryos?

63% generally support
27% generally oppose
10% depends/undecided/NR

14. Which comes closest to your view - Gay couples should be allowed to legally marry, or gay couples should be allowed to form civil unions but not legally marry, or there should be no legal recognition of a gay couple’s relationship?

28% Allowed to legally marry
27% civil unions
34% no legal recognition
11% other/undecided/NR

15. The U. S. Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade that a woman has right to an abortion if she chooses at any time during the first three months of pregnancy. Would you say that you generally favor or oppose that ruling?

58% favor
34% oppose
8% undecided/other/NR

* Iraq…

9. In view of the developments since we first sent our troops to Iraq, do you think the United States made a mistake in sending troops to Iraq, or not?

59% Yes, a mistake
33% No, not a mistake
8% other/undecided/NR

10. Should the U.S. troops in Iraq stay as long as it takes to make sure Iraq is a stable democracy, or should U.S. troops leave as soon as possible, even if Iraq is not completely stable?

33% stay as long as it takes
52% leave as soon as possible
15% other/undecided/NR

More tomorrow.

Discuss.

37 Comments

Question of the day

Thursday, Oct 25, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Dan Johnson-Weinberger has the setup…

The real reason why our state and local governments are broke is because we’re taxing the wrong things. We have a great tax for the 1950s economy, but in 2007, our taxes need to be modernized.

We use the sales tax to fund a big chunk of state and local government. In Illinois, we only tax goods, not services. That means if you buy a bowling ball you pay a sales tax but if you go bowling you don’t. More and more of our economy is about selling services instead of goods, so the relatively few people still selling or buying goods end up with the bill while the increasing group of people selling or buying services gets a free ride.

The sales tax rate on goods has to keep rising to try to generate the same amount of money, since less and less economic activity flows through the sale of goods and we don’t tax services.

There are 168 possible services that states tax. We tax 17 of them. Iowa taxes 94. Every other state in the Midwest taxes more services than we do. The Federation of Tax Administrators in DC put out that data recently, and you can check it out yourself here.

* The Question: Do you agree with this logic? Explain fully.

46 Comments

This just in… Ryan loses appeal *** Fitzgerald responds *** Appeal posted online ***

Thursday, Oct 25, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* 9:48 am - George Ryan has lost his appeal and will likely be reporting to prison within a week or so…

Former Gov. George Ryan may soon be reporting to federal prison after an appellate court refused today to reconsider a ruling in August that affirmed his sweeping convictions for public corruption and fraud.

The full U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals decided not to review the work of a three-judge panel that voted 2-1 to uphold Ryan’s convictions despite a series of juror controversies at the end of his historic six-month trial last year.

Ryan has one possible appeal left—to the U.S. Supreme Court—and the nation’s highest court need not accept the case. Ryan is expected to ask to remain free while the U.S. Supreme Court decides whether to hear his case, but winning an appeal bond at that stage is a long shot, experts said. […]

Absent last-minute intervention by the U.S. Supreme Court or the 7th Circuit, Ryan must report to prison within four business days after the 7th Circuit issues the official paperwork rejecting his request for a rehearing. That paperwork typically would come soon, in no more than seven days.

* 10:58 am - US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald responds…

“We are pleased that the full Court of Appeals has decided to let stand the initial careful opinion of the panel majority, which held that the defendants received a fair trial. Even the three judges voting to rehear the appeal agreed with the majority of judges that ‘the evidence of the defendants’ guilt was overwhelming.’ Ryan and Warner were convicted of serious crimes in awarding state leases and contracts that were steered illegally in return for hundreds of thousands of dollars in benefits for Warner and Ryan, including financial support for Ryan’s successful 1998 gubernatorial campaign.”

* 11:13 am - You can read the court’s decision by clicking this link.

44 Comments

Car title fee hike, cigarette tax increase and higher fares proposed for bailout

Thursday, Oct 25, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The “secret plan” to bail out mass transit is no longer a secret, but it could prove even more controversial than the original idea…

Less than two weeks before the latest “doomsday” deadline for the Chicago Transit Authority, a House Republican bailout plan funded by a cigarette tax hike and vehicle title fee increase went nowhere Wednesday.

* I’ve been reporting for a while that Cross wants to divert gasoline sales tax revenue to mass transit and replace the cash with a cigarette tax hike. Gov. Blagojevich appeared to reject using a tax increase on cigarettes for anything other than health care several weeks ago, but the Trib says it’s back on the table. More…

House Speaker Michael J. Madigan (D-Chicago) questioned the political feasibility of asking Downstate lawmakers to raise taxes to save Chicago mass transit, while he also continued to publicly turn thumbs down at House Republican leader Tom Cross’ desire to tie CTA help to gambling expansion for a public works program.

* And a few more details…

Though the transit plan backed by Madigan would rely on small sales tax increases in the metro area, Cross said he would prefer to help the system by diverting $300 million in revenues generated by the sales tax on gasoline. Cross said those funds could be replaced by increasing the fees on automobile titles and fund sweeps of other agencies to eliminate unnecessary spending. Cross also suggested fare increases.

* So, the secret plan that the governor said he had “signed off” on would include slapping motorists with higher title fees and transit riders with increased fares? Could this be true? What about Blagojevich’s oft-stated opposition to any tax hikes on “PEOPLE”? No wonder the guv didn’t divulge any details earlier this week.

* The competing proposals set up an interesting choice…

“I don’t like the fact that we’re looking at a sales tax. I don’t like the fact that every time we turn around, we see another tax proposed or an increase in a tax. I think there’s a way to do it without raising taxes,” Cross said. […]

Madigan contends “regional taxes for a regional problem” are the way to go, and the strategy has fewer political problems than Cross’ idea.

* More stories, compiled by Paul…

* Gov wants to fund mass transit with $350 million from gas tax

* Local schools fear fund cuts amid feuding in Springfield

* Clout Street: Goodbye veto overrides

* GOP hopes to exploit Gov’s weakness in ‘08

I’ll have more on the poll mentioned in that last article later today.

Thoughts?

15 Comments

Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - House sets November session dates (Use all caps in password)

Thursday, Oct 25, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Where’s the bloat? Claypool can’t answer

Thursday, Oct 25, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Forrest Claypool, who ran and lost for Cook County Board President last year, has been a constant critic of Todd Stroger and the “bloat” at Cook County Hospital. Dr. Robert Simon, who runs the county’s health system, has been asking for a public debate with Claypool for weeks. Claypool finally complied yesterday, agreeing to a debate on a Chicago Public Radio show hosted by Gabriel Spitzer. He didn’t come off too well…

Three times host Gabriel Spitzer asked Claypool where he would cut spending.

Twice, Claypool declined to give specifics and instead pointed to an alternative budget that he and other opposition commissioners introduced for 2007 that he said “would have slashed patronage jobs” and “transferred those dollars to health care.” […]

On Spitzer’s third pass at Claypool to identify waste in the government, Spitzer asked, “Just one more time, specifically, where is the waste? Can you name positions? Can you name departments?”

Claypool: “We presented an alternative budget that would have given us a year to move forward. Obviously the system needs more money in the long run. But that would have bought us a year of stability.”

Simon said Claypool’s alternative budget would have cut workers needed to help the county fix its finance system. Simon said if Claypool could identify unnecessary workers he would investigate them.

* Stroger is also lashing out at other county officials…

Cook County Board President Todd Stroger made clear Wednesday he’s tired of standing alone in taking the heat over his plan to raise taxes: If other county officials want more jobs and money in 2008, they’d better “stand up” and take the heat with him.

Stroger singled out State’s Attorney Richard Devine for particular criticism, asking why Devine isn’t backing Stroger’s plan to raise the sales, parking and gasoline taxes — especially given the $113 million in raises Stroger and the County Board recently delivered to assistant state’s attorneys and others. […]

A spokesman for Devine said he supports “finding the resources needed to support” salary hikes but questions “the approach of raising more revenue than we need.”

That’s a good point, of course. Stroger wants to raise more taxes than the county has plans to spend. He’s promised to refund any overage, but nobody is buying it.

* Meanwhile, in the city, Mayor Daley is apparently scaling back his massively unpopular tax hike plan…

The mayor’s budget team has cobbled together a revised revenue package that incorporates some of the new ideas tossed out by aldermen while raising some of the non-property taxes in Daley’s original plan even higher. More budget cuts are also in the works, sources said.

* Related stories, compiled by Paul…

* Stroger rips lack of support from officials for tax hikes

* Health care workers back Stroger tax hike

* Stroger Hospital cuts the wait for mammograms

* Money from skyway lease won’t go into budget bailout

* Opinion: Why Toyota over Ford, Mayor Daley?

* Go private to boost minority firm pacts: black aldermen

* Daley has big plans to use casino cash for City Colleges

18 Comments

Morning shorts

Thursday, Oct 25, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson

* Another ex-soldier to run against Roskam

Morgenthaler said she believes health care, the war and immigration are the most important issues to voters in the 6th District. And after just one year, voters in the district are dissatisfied with the incumbent, she said.

“He seems to be in lock step with President Bush and out of step with [the] district,” Morgenthaler said.

* Ex-White House staffer to run for Weller’s seat

* McConoughey details Ag plan in Congressional run

* Upstart vies for Cook Co. state’s attorney

* City council panel OKs stiffer rules for late-hour bars

Chicago bars licensed to sell booze until 4 a.m. would pay a price for the noise and crime problems they create: surveillance cameras, exterior lighting and “adequately trained” security guards who attend CAPS meetings, under a crackdown advanced Wednesday by a City Council committee.

* Another city investment deal for Daley’s nephew

* Mark Brown: How did Chicago developer get such a sweet deal…I wonder?

* Tribune Editorial: On ‘luck’ of Chicago development deal

* Editorial: Enough of pay-to-play already

Jones should let the measure come to a vote. Or stun the state of Illinois into delightful disbelief by putting forth his own reform measure that would at last give the corrupt something more to worry about than Patrick Fitzgerald.

* McQueary: State officials’ web sites dig up fundraising stink

* Editorial: Connect the dots between contracts, campaign cash

* Lon Monk’s lobbying business

Gov. Blagojevich’s former chief of staff and campaign manager — Alonzo “Lon'’ Monk — launched a government consulting firm, AM3 Consulting Ltd., on Jan. 2, state lobbying records show. Monk has since built a stable of clients, many of them longtime contributors to Blagojevich’s campaign fund, according to campaign finance records. Monk’s clients have donated more than $480,000 to Blagojevich over the years.

* Tenants want voice on Chicago condominium panel

* Parents say school for the disabled a disgrace

* Oak Brook officials deny ’shadow government’ charges

An Oak Brook community watchdog group accused current and former officials of secretly spending nearly $20,000 on legal fees in a clandestine attempt to fire the village’s top cop.

But the officials named by the group, including former Village President Kevin Quinlan, denied allegations of a plot to terminate Police Chief Thomas Sheahan’s contract and hide the billing statements from members of the village board.

“Nobody set out to fire the chief. That was not the purpose at all,” Quinlan said Wednesday in a phone interview.

* Bethany Jaeger: Video competition, phone vs. cable

* AT&T gets OK for Internet TV service

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