Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar » 2007

This just in… Morgenthaler to announce tomorrow

Wednesday, Oct 24, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* 4:18 pm - Col. Jill Morgenthaler just called to say she will announce tomorrow that she’s running for Congress as a Democrat against freshman Republican Peter Roskam. More in a bit…

* 4:45 pm - Morgenthaler is the governor’s deputy chief of staff for homeland security, and is resigning on November 1. She’s been in the military for 30 years and is now retired.

The “Netroots,” which eventually got behind Tammy Duckworth in her campaign versus Roskam last year has been more than a little standoffish so far with Morgenthaler. The biggest reason is that she was a spokesperson for the Army during the Abu Grhaib torture scandal and she authored a blog while in Iraq (much of 2004) that criticizes the media for focusing way too much on the negatives.

She says that things were far better then than they are now. Saddam Hussein was captured, the Iraqi people were allowed to vote an they had a new constitution, etc.

“It has gone downhill,” Morgenthaler said today. “It’s severely deteriorating.”

Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, whose career was essentially ended by the Abu Grhaib scandal, recently had some super-harsh words for the way the war has been handled. Morgenthaler said that Sanchez is a “very private man,” so his highly public criticisms of the administration’s handling of the war should be taken very seriously.

Her own position on the war is that she wants to find a way to “bring the soldiers home safely while not making our nation vulnerable.”

Morgenthaler slammed Congressman Roskam for his vote against the Democrats’ S-CHIP proposal, which was vetoed by President Bush.

Roskam “doesn’t care about 50,000 of our children in Illinois,” Morgenthaler said. “Who is he representing?”

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New Rasmussen poll shows governor sinking like a stone *** Transit riders threaten to abandon system *** Voters unhappy with gaming solution *** Happy with their health insurance

Wednesday, Oct 24, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Rasmussen’s latest Illinois poll is out.

Survey of 500 likely Illinois voters taken October 17, 2007. Margin of Sampling Error, +/- 4.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence…

1 - How do you rate the way that George W. Bush is performing his role as President?

14% Excellent
17% Good

16% Fair
52% Poor

1% Not Sure

* BUSH TOTALS: 31% good or excellent… 68% fair or poor… (32 and 67 in Rasmussen’s August poll)

2 - How do you rate the way that Rod Blagojevich is performing his role as Governor?

5% Excellent
11% Good

37% Fair
46% Poor

1% Not Sure

* BLAGOJEVICH TOTALS: 16% good or excellent… 83% fair or poor… (22 and 78 in Rasmussen’s August poll)

Oof. Could it get any worse for the governor? Now he’s polling much worse than Bush, and dropping like a stone. Wow.

* Now, on to gaming and mass transit…

5 - How closely have you followed recent news stories about the Chicago Transit Authority’s financial issues?

24% Very closely
29% Somewhat closely
25% Not very closely
21% Not at all
0% Not sure

6 - A proposal has been made to authorize more casinos in Illinois with the money going to help fund public transportation in Chicago. Do you favor or oppose this proposal?

31% Favor
57% Oppose
13% Not sure

7 - Suppose a choice had to be made between authorizing more casinos or having the Chicago Transit Authority cut half its routes. Which would you prefer?

51% Authorizing more casinos
32% Having the Chicago Transit Authority cut half its routes
17% Not sure

9 - [asked only of those who said at least once a week to the question: How often do you ride subways, trains, and buses in and around Chicago?]

Will you continue to ride CTA public transportation if fares go up to $3 or higher?

50% Yes
43% No
7% Not sure

10 - [asked only of those who said at least once a week]

Will you drive more if suburban bus and commuter train fares go up?

35% Yes
55% No
11% Not sure

Folks aren’t happy with gaming expansion for transit, and very big percentages threaten to abandon public transportation if a fare increase is enacted, as House GOP Leader Tom Cross and some Senate Republicans are suggesting. Not surprising.

* Also, according to the poll, 91 percent say they have health insurance, which is a lot more than what’s usually reported. Of those who say they have insurance, 40% rted their coverage as “Excellent,” 35% said it was “Good,” 20% said “Fair” and 4% rated it “Poor,” while 0% were not sure.

Discuss.

…Adding… Oops. I forgot to post the presidential numbers for Illinois. Click the pics for a larger view.

* Favorables…

* Matchups…

* Greg Blankenship of the Illinois Policy Institute makes a good point in comments about the health insurance results…

Likely voters — people who take citizenship seriously are likely to take other things more seriously…Thus the reason for the 7% difference between the 84.2% of the population who has coverage and the 91% coverage level in this poll.

My theory would be that you would see coverage rates drop for mere registered voters and drop further for Illinoisans or non voters.

58 Comments

Question of the day

Wednesday, Oct 24, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

On a scale of one to ten, with ten being the “best,” how would you rate the job performance of your own state legislators and US congresscritters? Identify the names of those people and explain why you rated them the way you did.

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Running from the truth

Wednesday, Oct 24, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Carol Marin discloses Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s property tax bills…

Yes, we hate property taxes. Yes, it is time for a Boston Tea Party of outrage at how our elected officials — state, county and city — have hardly inspired our confidence. But Tuesday’s news conference in the Bungalow Belt of the city was simply a stunt to stick a needle in the eye of House Speaker Mike Madigan, the governor’s nemesis. […]

For 2005, the Blagojevich family paid $9,789.40 in property taxes. But this year, the first couple will see a whopping 18 percent reduction. They will pay, according to county records, just $7,996.85 for 2006.

This constant gubernatorial drumbeat on property tax assessments in Cook County is driving me a bit batty. The assessment cap merely shifts tax hikes to people whose assessments have not risen as much as the “hot” neighborhoods like Blagojevich’s. It is not across-the-board relief.

Also, every downstater or suburbanite who pays more than the residents of the governor’s neighborhood ought to be outraged that he has absolutely no sympathy at all for the rest of us. This item particularly irks me to no end. The governor is screaming for property tax relief for Cook County, but his taxes are a pittance compared to mine. As I told subscribers this morning, my Springfield house is worth about half of Blagojevich’s house, yet the governor’s taxes are more than a third lower than mine.

* Meanwhile, over in Indiana, things are starting to move…

Gov. Mitch Daniels’ call Tuesday to permanently cap property tax bills and cut the average Hoosier homeowner’s bill by more than a third was met with open arms from key legislative leaders.

The tax relief, which appears genuine, would be funded by increasing Indiana’s sales tax next year to 7 percent from 6 percent. More on the Daniels’ plan…

• Capping residential property taxes at 1 percent of a home’s assessed value, at 2 percent for rental properties and at 3 percent for businesses, all by 2009.

• Adding a homestead deduction of 35 percent, on top of the current maximum of $45,000, also in ’09.

• Eliminating elected township and county assessors and creating a single appointed assessor in each county.

What do you think of this idea?

* Oh, by the way, Marin had a funny ending to her column today…

As Blagojevich was in mid-press-conference mode, Peg Wilson, who lives in the next house, walked outside and shot the governor a sidelong glance. Mrs. Wilson is 84, has lived on that same block for 70 years and was off to bring communion and some food to a shut-in friend across the way. “Here again?” she said in the direction of the governor, noting that this isn’t the first time he has staged one of his populist press conferences on her street. His own house, after all, is a just a few blocks away, and he regularly jogs through this North Side neighborhood.

“I suppose I should be concerned about property taxes,” she said. “But I also take the CTA. And I don’t know, if I were a young person, how I’d get to work.”

Too bad Mrs. Wilson isn’t one of the governor’s advisers. How, I asked, would she evaluate the governor’s leadership? She sighed.

“Well,” she said, “he’s a good runner.”

He’s running from the truth on this issue.

67 Comments

Mystery meat may not even be meat

Wednesday, Oct 24, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The governor claimed yesterday that he and the other legislative leaders (sans Michael Madigan) have cooked up a secret plan to solve the RTA and CTA’s budget woes…

“We have an idea and a plan,” Governor Rod Blagojevich said during a news conference in Chicago Tuesday.

* The governor would reveal no details, but said there was a deal on the table…

Gov. Rod Blagojevich said Tuesday that he, House GOP leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) and both Senate leaders have “signed off” on a new proposal to provide additional revenue streams to pay the operating costs of the CTA, Metra and Pace.

Now, they have to sell the idea to Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), who has continued to back a proposal to provide new funding streams through a regional increase in the sales tax and an increase in the Chicago title transfer tax, even though Blagojevich has pledged repeatedly to veto any such bill.

Madigan steadfastly refused to take part in the transit funding discussions that have taken place in recent weeks, involving the other legislative leaders, the governor and his staff.

“I’m optimistic that we will have a very sound, solid, long-term proposal to address the RTA-CTA problem that includes accountability and a sustainable source of revenue that does not raise taxes on people,” Blagojevich said.

* Yep. It’s all Madigan’s fault…

Blagojevich said Cross is supposed to meet Wednesday with Madigan, and he said Cross will explain the plan so Madigan will abandon a proposed regional sales tax increase in the Chicago area to pay for mass transit.

“Hopefully he can get him on board,” Blagojevich said of Cross and Madigan.

* All on Madigan’s head…

“We do know that Mike Madigan wants to call the House back into session to try once again to raise sales taxes on people. On top of the two percent sales tax that Todd Stroger wants to impose on the people of Chicago in Cook County, on top of the record property tax increase that the city of Chicago, Mayor Daley, is asking for, on top of the bottled water tax,” Blagojevich said.

* Curiously enough, however, there are several holes in the governor’s story…

Blagojevich says he wants to announce the mass transit plan with State Senate President Emil Jones. But a spokeswoman for Jones says the president has only heard rumors of the plan.

* Turns out, nobody else knows what the governor is talking about, either…

But David Dring, a spokesman for House Republican leader Tom Cross, said there was “not a set concrete plan.” And Patty Schuh, a spokeswoman for Senate Republican leader Frank Watson, said there have been discussions with the governor but “none of those have produced a plan.”

* And…

The comments by Blagojevich came as a surprise to Metra and Pace, whose spokespersons said they had not been advised that a funding alternative had emerged. Spokespersons for the CTA and RTA had no immediate comment.

Governing by press conference has apparently been taken to an all-time low.

Discuss.

22 Comments

How the big money is made

Wednesday, Oct 24, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Smalltime stuff like patronage hiring and promotions do add up, but this is how the real money is made in Chicago…

Mayor Richard Daley took an hourlong boat ride on the Chicago River in fall 1997 and came back with a vision of improving the riverfront in the city’s neighborhoods.

Just about that time, Thomas DiPiazza, an ally of Daley’s, also took an interest in the riverfront, buying a highly contaminated piece of land that was slated to become a public park under the mayor’s plan. […]

DiPiazza and a partner bought the vacant, odd-shaped property in Daley’s native Bridgeport neighborhood for $50,000 in 1998. Six years later, the city paid them $1.2 million for the land.

As you might imagine, DiPiazza is hooked in but good. According to the article, his father was a prominent Democrat under the old Mayor Daley. DiPiazza and Tim Degnan have reportedly been doing real estate deals for years.

* The two men were recently sued by a developer who claimed that DiPiazza and Degnan shook them down for kickbacks and then shut down his project when he wouldn’t pony up. The suit was dismissed by a judge who claimed the two men “have no authority to make governmental decisions.”

* The way the appraisals worked on the DiPiazza property will make your whole day…

City Hall hired four appraisers to determine how much it should pay for the land. The first, in 1999, turned in an estimate of $220,000. In 2002 another appraisal report put the value at $520,000.

Two other appraisers reviewed and approved the $520,000 estimate, including Francis Lorenz Jr., who told the city in July 2003 that he agreed with the figure. DiPiazza and Ferro said they would sell their land for $520,000 at that time, but the city did not respond to the offer, Kralovec said.

Eight months later, in March 2004, Lorenz submitted another estimate, tripling the value to $1.6 million.

Amazing.

According to the article, the state gave the city a grant to pay for the land, which is still not yet converted to a park.

DiPiazza, a Bridgeport native and former sewer worker, drives a Bentley and a Ferrari, according to the Trib.

* More reform and renewal stories, compiled by Paul…

* Rep. Fritchey: Governor should issue executive order on pay-to-play

* Tribune Editorial: Protecting Illinois sleaze

* Editorial: Now is the time for Illinois to approve ethics reform

16 Comments

Morning shorts

Wednesday, Oct 24, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson

* Complaint names McHenry Co. state’s attorney

Bianchi said accusations that he was improperly reimbursed for office expenses were politically motivated.

“Anyone can write a letter to complain,” said Bianchi, who faces opposition in the GOP primary in February. “This is strictly a political move.”

Bianchi said he was outraged.

* Knox Co. board members not surprised Madigan won’t file charges against state’s attorney

* Clout Street: Hynes swipe at governor launches website on pay to play

* Website links campaign donations to contractors

* Contributions, contracts are traced by Comptroller’s website

* Comptroller’s new website highlights contracts, donors

* Bethany Jaeger: Comptroller to follow the money

* Opinion: Personal injury lawyer adopts stealth campaign

* First hearing on Cook Co. tax hikes tonight

* Downtown peak parking rate may increase to $1 an hour

* Chicago Public Radio: Cook Co. health officials talk money

* Daley defends decision to not name accused cops

* Daley rips aldermen who demand names of police

* Kadner: 28 year old woman to run for Cook Co. state’s attorney

* Cook Co. health chief wins praise for progress

Commissioner Joan Murphy even suggested the county spend more for an effective PR effort to spread the word about changes in the system — though the county repeatedly has been ripped for spending too much on PR.

Simon laid out ways he has cracked the whip on what was “the worst situation I personally have ever seen.” Employee overtime is down, he said, and so are waiting times for patients at clinics.

It’s not all rosy, of course. Hospital staff and contractors still aren’t collecting bills at nearly the rate they should. Hospital hires continue to draw scrutiny as being tinged by patronage, while Board President Todd Stroger wants to add hundreds of new jobs.

* Cook Co. weighs co-pay for jails, clinics

He said officials are concerned about a potential public relations backlash.

“It’s a tough one,” Simon said. “If you guys stand in our shoes and in the board’s shoes, the moment we do, say, $20 for a clinic visit … what will end up happening is you’re going to get patients that will say … ‘I can’t afford it,’ and then it will become a newspaper article.”

* Tribune Editorial: Fair trade, work for housing; more here

It has been more than a decade since federal welfare reform pushed the idea that citizens who receive the government’s help should be expected to help themselves through work or education requirements. There were predictions of dire consequences. But welfare reform proved to be a smashing success.

So, we think, will the CHA’s plans for tenants.

* Cabbies beg city to raise fares

* Chicago cabdrivers denied 24% fair hike

During a City Council hearing that dragged on for hours and adjourned without action, Consumer Services Commissioner Norma Reyes slammed the door on the increase on grounds it “does not correspond with the increase in driver expenses.”

“Their lease expenses have remained static. And gas prices have gone up and down, up and down, up and down. Now there’s a downward trend since it increased last summer. Based on that, I’m not supporting a fare increase,” Reyes said.

Reyes said she remains “sympathetic” to the plight of cabbies and vowed to consider innovative “formulas” to address fuel prices.

* Americorps volunteers to march on state capitol in annual parade

* Possible Silver Cross move puts Joliet, county at odds

In July, Silver Cross announced that it planned to build a $400 million, 289-bed hospital on 70 acres along Interstate 355 in New Lenox, about three miles east of the existing hospital.

Officials said the new hospital would be more modern and would better meet the region’s health care needs of the future.

Joliet officials argue the change would hurt the city and the county economies, citing several examples.

* Opinion: FOID rules are way around safety regulation

* Illinois to get high-tech driver’s licenses

* Chicago Public Radio: Sec. of State unveils new ID cards

* New driver’s licenses to have deliberate errors

* Illinois to issue new licenses

* State unveils new card aimed at combating fraud, ID theft

* State unveils new driver’s license and ID cards

“These changes in Illinois’ driver’s licenses and ID cards represent a very important and positive step on the path to improved card security for everyone,” Secretary of State Jesse White said during a Tuesday news conference. “I am confident that the new driver’s license and ID will work to prevent and detect attempts at fraud, protect ID information.”

Despite safeguards against fraud, counterfeiters have been able to reproduce current licenses and ID cards, White said.

* Child support bill becomes law

* Hospital planning board’s fate depends on task force

* Hospital Board review off to slow start

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s Capitol Fax (Use all caps in password)

Wednesday, Oct 24, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

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