The Associated Press has posted a document containing the executive summary of a state-commissioned report on how many prisoners the Illinois Department of Corrections is expected to have to house by 2016 and the cost of accommodating them. […]
How to get to the document:
1. Go to this Web site: http://onlinenews.ap.org/state–ftp. (We recommend both bookmarking and printing this page so you have the directions handy).
2. Once at the ftp://ftp.ap.org site, you will be asked for a username and password. Contact the supervisor in the Chicago bureau (312-781-0500) for those details.
2a. If you have trouble with Internet Explorer, try using Windows Explorer (right click on My Computer and choose ‘explore,’ then type in the ftp://ftp.ap.org site)
3. As noted in the directions, scroll down to StateLevel and open it.
4. Scroll down again and open the IL link (for Illinois).
5. You should see choices for documents, audio and video. In this case, choose documents and look for the NATION’S BRIDGES-ILLINOIS folder. The XLS file is there.
* If any news editors are having trouble following those AP instructions, just click here instead.
In a lengthy report that was kept under wraps by the Blagojevich administration for over a year, consultants say the state will need more than 54,000 beds for inmates within the next eight years. Currently, there are 51,300 available beds within Illinois Department of Corrections facilities.
“IDOC would need another 2,735 beds by end-of-2016 to meet projected population demand,” the taxpayer-funded report notes.
Corrections spokesman Derek Schnapp said the agency disagrees with the findings. He says internal growth projections don’t show a need for additional bed space. […]
The $411,000 study, which was completed in September 2007, was released at the request of lawmakers as part of Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s push to close the 1,600-bed Pontiac Correctional Center, which officials say will save about $8 million over two years.
The department had previously ignored numerous requests to make the study public. […]
The report, conducted by Peoria-based engineering firm PSA Dewberry, found that even if Thomson is opened, the sprawling prison system will have a shortage of beds in the coming years.
* Also, just in case you’re looking around for it, the Commission on Government Forecasting & Accountability report on the Pontiac prison closure is at this link.
“One of the most interesting findings from the commission,” [Pontiac Mayor Scott McCoy said], “was the economic loss to the state of Illinois. In order to save $3.6 million annually by closing the Pontiac facility and opening Thomson, it was found that the state of Illinois would lose between $6.9 to $17.2 million in overall economic activity to Iowa. Even on the short end, it’s still a net loss for Illinois.”
“It can’t get any better than this,” McCoy said about COGFA’s procedures. “The COGFA process worked and the truth is here in black and white. Now, I hope the Governor will give this commission and this report the respect it deserves.”
* St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Pat Gauen takes a look at a section of the recent SP-D poll which asked people to choose their single most important issue facing Illinois. At the top (22 percent) was education funding, followed by expanding health care (21 percent), balancing the budget (15 percent) and rebuilding roads and infrastructure (12 percent).
I’d have guessed this was the top priority of a lot more than 9 percent, especially since our leaders in Springfield act as if it’s the mandate of 100 percent. Lack of revenue has impacted each of the “most important issues” that rank higher on this list. But barely a soul in the statehouse dares whisper the idea of increasing income or state sales taxes.
Then again, maybe legislators can eventually overcome their fear of an unpopular governor’s threatened veto.
LOWERING GAS PRICES, 6 PERCENT
The state can’t do much about that, short of decreasing its motor fuel tax. As much as lawmakers don’t want to raise taxes, they don’t want to give any back, either.
Um, Pat, lowering the sales tax on gas would result in a big hit to the budget, which could result in more service cuts or pressures to increase other taxes. Lowering the motor fuel tax would further erode the state’s Road Fund.
POLITICAL/CAMPAIGN ETHICS REFORM, 5 PERCENT
A brand new law takes effect Jan. 1 to keep business people from contributing directly to office holders who give them contracts. It’s the biggest campaign finance reform in many years. But this being Illinois, pay particular attention to the word “directly.”
No mention that in a state as supposedly corrupt as Illinois with voters pulling out their teeth in rage that this issue comes in dead last? Actually, maybe that’s why the SP-D poll found Blagojevich’s job approval ratings to be almost three times as high as other polls.
* Bernie Schoenburg takes a look at 18th Congressional District Democratic underdog Colleen Callahan’s new TV ad. Callahan is up against Republican Aaron Schock. Here’s the text of the ad…
“I’m running for Congress after 30 years as a farm reporter, mom and a businesswoman. My opponent is 27, but that isn’t the problem. He wants to sell nuclear weapons to Taiwan. He’s taken thousands in contributions from Big Oil, voted against money for families of soldiers killed in Iraq, and then voted himself a pay raise. At 27, that’s a pretty bad record. I want to go to Congress to fight for you.”
The “pay raise” vote, the Callahan campaign says, is a reference to House Bill 3866, which included money to fund a 3.5 percent increase in pay for constitutional officers and legislators in a near $60 billion state budget a year ago.
The Callahan campaign itself shows how its selective use of votes means the opponent can’t escape the venom of this ad. While it says he voted against “money for families of soldiers killed in Iraq,” the written explanation I received from Callahan campaign manager Terry Towery said the bill was Senate Bill 241, a supplemental budget bill with money for the military families. But that explanation also says Schock “voted against the bill because of the 9.6 percent salary increase for state lawmakers.”
So they slam him for approving billions for a state budget — which obviously included good things to help lots of people — because of some money for legislators. Then they slam him for a much smaller bill that rejected much more money for legislators. Quite questionable.
Aaron Schock says demanding repayment of an estimated $38,000 in city costs for President George W. Bush’s visit is just politics.
“The stunt that’s being pulled right now could have been done weeks ago,” the Republican candidate for the 18th Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives told the Journal Star editorial board Wednesday. “It’s obviously a political move.” […]
At a news conference at City Hall, Democratic challenger Colleen Callahan called on Schock to pay the entire amount back to taxpayers. She said since the event was “exclusive” and for the purposes of Schock’s campaign, it wasn’t fair for taxpayers to foot the bill.
“Do the right thing,” she said. “Be fair and pay back the money.”
Regardless of whether they support state Rep. Aaron Schock’s bid for Congress, Peoria taxpayers should not be required to donate to Schock’s campaign. […]
There was no public component to the president’s visit; the public should not have to pay, period. The city should bill the candidate for services rendered.
A Republican campaign group stormed into a hotly contested Northwest suburban congressional race today with a “substantial” ad buy to help U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk.
Freedom’s Watch, which has connections to former top advisers to President George Bush, launched a cable ad accusing challenger Dan Seals of wanting to raise taxes.
The ad urges viewers to call Seals and tell him, “High taxes cost us too much.” […]
Former White House spokesman Ari Fleischer and other key Bush aides have had a controlling role in the organization, which does not have to report donors under federal campaign laws.
A right-wing, privately funded swift-boat style group called Freedom’s Watch made a $430,000+ cable advertising buy attacking Dan. You may have even seen their latest attack ad that was put on the air today throughout the 10th District of Illinois. Unlike 527 groups, Freedom’s Watch is a 501(c)(4) organization, allowing it to conceal financial contributors.
Freedom’s Watch is bankrolled by Sheldon Adelson, a billionaire Las Vegas Republican, and the group has been described as the successor of the “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth” group that attacked John Kerry’s military record in 2004.
* The GOP Team America blog has set up an anti Seals site which lays out the case that Seals favors higher taxes. Seals has his own anti Kirk site.
* Here’s the ad…
I don’t think it’s very good, but they sure are pushing a lot of ratings points.
* Related…
* Ozinga, Wallace back out of candidate forum: “We’re not sure exactly why he (Ozinga) decided to do this and make these accusations. It really was our intention and Governors State’s intention to provide an educational forum for the voters. People were looking forward to hearing what a fellow businessman (Ozinga) had in mind in serving in Congress.”
A source tells CBS 2 News Wednesday night that a team of federal agents believes it has the evidence needed to indict Governor Rod Blagojevich. Investigators believe they’ve established solid evidence of fraud and conspiracy.
However, they are not the ones who make the decision to prosecute. It’s up to U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald and the Justice Department in Washington.
Others have told CBS 2 that an indictment of Blagojevich is not imminent. No comment from the Justice Department.
Last week, CBS 2 reported that the IRS assigned three teams of investigators to the Blagojevich case. But the governor says he’s confident he has not broken any laws or rules. He says he’s been careful to file accurate tax returns.
I think I’d better make some late night calls.
I have been hearing for a while that an indictment is not imminent, so I’m not sure where this is coming from.
* Here’s that previous CBS2 report, which ran Saturday and was buried in the middle of their “Gov: Obama Will Regret Supporting Ethics Reform” piece…
Sources tell CBS 2 that at least three teams of IRS agents are now investigating Blagojevich. It’s a large commitment of federal resources. Among other things, they’re sifting through documents related to allegations of criminal wrongdoing by the governor.
* Will Governor Blagojevich mess with the supplemental appropriation and special funds sweep bills passed by the Senate this week and previously approved by the House?
The governor’s budget office [on Wednesday] found problems with $50.7 million of the sweeps, including $11 million it contends is not surplus, but already among general funds and budgeted for other purposes.
There’s $14.5 million officials say can’t be touched because of court action or because it’s for federal programs, $8 million that would be “borrowed” and further delay medical care payments; and $17 million from funds they say won’t be left with sufficient balances to pay for their intended purposes.
* Remember, Blagojevich’s adminstration also issued an unusually gloomy report the same day the Senate and the House cut a deal on about $230 million in spending restorations for things like CTA discount programs, state parks and historic sites, alcohol and substance abuse programs, etc.
And has been reported before, the Senate Democratic budgeteer claimed that the governor tried and failed to insert $45 million in addtional spending into the final plan.
…there’s nothing that would prevent the governor from adding spending for pet programs through an amendatory veto. That could force the Legislature back to Springfield to accept or override it.
[CLARIFICATION: I kinda breezed through that AP graf, but as noted by a commenter, the governor cannot add new spending to an appropriations bill. He can only reduce or remove.]
…because a legislative appropriation doesn’t require a governor to spend, he could sign the bill and hold some money back. He could refuse to open parks or historic sites in districts governed by legislative enemies.
* I just don’t get the logic here. The Sun-Times slams Mayor Daley for warning Wrigleyville taverns and clubs to cut off serving booze after the 7th inning during the upcoming playoffs….
Our nanny-state mayor is at it again, this time calling on every bar and restaurant in Wrigleyville to stop serving booze during the late innings of big Cubs games.
The very next graf shows, however, that the Sun-Times certainly understands the ugly situation outside of that decrepit park…
As if an hour or so of Prohibition-light will discourage the staggerers, the brawlers, the bawlers, the brayers, the upchuckers and the public urinaters. And that’s just the fair-weather fans.
* Yet, on the same editorial page, they endorse Sen. James Meeks’ plan to have Chicago Public School students hold hands in a ring around Cub Park during a playoff game. And here’s the kicker line…
(S)tudents will arrive at Wrigley after school and leave early enough to avoid the crowds leaving the park and rest up for school the next day.
Um, OK. But what about all the “staggerers, the brawlers, the bawlers, the brayers, the upchuckers and the public urinaters” outside the park at the taverns and in the streets while this childrens’ protest is taking place?
* Whenever your heart starts palpitating after reading a lede like this….
A $100,000 state grant for a botanic garden in Englewood that then-state Sen. Barack Obama awarded in 2001 to a group headed by a onetime campaign volunteer is now under investigation by the Illinois attorney general amid new questions, prompted by Chicago Sun-Times reports, about whether the money might have been misspent.
You should take a deep breath and always scroll down for the buried nugget…
Madigan’s office has notified Obama’s presidential campaign of the probe, which was launched this week. But Obama’s actions in awarding the money are not a focus of the investigation, Smith said.
After helping Cicero’s town president win a close election, political strategist Dan Proft received no-bid contracts worth $578,000 a year to serve as the mouthpiece for the town and two local school districts.
Not only is Proft’s firm receiving $180,000 a year to boost Cicero Town President Larry Dominick’s agenda, but the town—in a highly unusual move—also agreed to pay the company another $308,000 a year to promote the new Municipal Complex.
Proft argues that if ever a town needed positive public relations, it’s Cicero.
Scroll way down to almost the very bottom and you’ll see this…
Proft said the town will spend less than 1 percent of the project’s $60 million budget on public relations. The contract will expire next month when the municipal complex is complete.
The money Urquhart collects is not pure profit, he said, noting it is distributed to subcontractors and a staff of three in addition to paying for the expertise of Proft and his partner, Jeff Davis.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s administration said Wednesday that it has taken the first formal steps toward recovering a $1 million grant given to a politically connected private school that has yet to open its doors.
The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity wrote to officials at the Loop Lab School and told them they were in violation of their grant agreement.
Scrolling downwards…
But school officials have said Blagojevich himself promised the money to them, and have publicly thanked the governor for his kindness.
The school used the money to buy the second floor in a downtown office building near the Sears Tower and renovate the space for classrooms.
Aside from the general cover-up in this thing, how is the state gonna get its money if it’s already been spent? Are we as taxpayers going to own that second floor now?
*** UPDATE 2 *** A funny example from the New York Times…
CHICAGO — In this state with a history of corruption at the highest levels of government and little history of meaningful reform, lawmakers and the governor have embarked on a sudden, surprising scurry to enact ethics legislation this week.
Scroll down…
Further, some said they were certain that it would die in the House, where the leader, John A. Fritchey, chief sponsor of the original bill, is openly disdainful of the governor.
Fritchey is the leader of the House, eh? Anybody tell Madigan yet?
After reviewing regulations the state health department proposed to process smoking cases, however, Hollerich said it appeared that local law enforcement agencies only had the authority to report the results of compliance checks to the state, not to bring charges in circuit courts.
Illinois State Toll Highway Authority chief Brian McPartlin is expected to announce his resignation today after running the state’s tollway for just under two years, sources told the Daily Herald.
“I am not breaking any laws or any ethics rules,” Alvarez said during a joint meeting with Peraica before the Tribune’s editorial board. “Maybe it’s not good enough, but I think the real issues that are affecting the county today are not whether or not my friend for 20 years gave me $50. It’s about guns and gangs and drugs and the violence that’s permeating this city.”
FITZGERALD: The biggest threat to community relations is having people dominated by a gang, who can’t go to school and work and do what they want to do. And if there’s gangs in neighborhoods, we’re going after them. If the gang’s in Little Village, we’ll go after there them. If the gangs move to Evanston, we’ll do them in Evanston. If they move to the Gold Coast or if they move to Wilmette, we’ll go after gangs where they are.
“This decision puts the interests of utilities ahead of consumers at a time when Illinois families can least afford it,” Madigan said in a statement. “Unfortunately, this decision is yet another example of the Illinois Commerce Commission approving higher rates for utilities and giving consumers the short end of the stick.”
The CTA began testing the cars Sept. 12 on the Brown Line. The transit agency pulled 12 to 14 seats out of the cars to accommodate an extra 20 standing riders during rush hour.
Unified support also represents a positive sign in state politics, said Dan Reitz, D-Steeleville.
“It seems to be the one bright spot in the last year and a half or so,” he said, adding support for coal has united downstate Democrats and Republicans in the General Assembly, as well as top administration.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich has named former Deputy Governor Sheila Nix to the Chicago Transit Authority Board.
The 46-year-old Oak Park resident left the Blagojevich administration in June, saying she wanted to spend more time with her family.
Nix served as deputy governor from December 2006 to June 2008. […]
The governor appoints three of the seven Chicago Transit Board members. The appointees are subject to the approval of Mayor Daley and the State Senate.
The governor said recently he plans to shake up the CTA board.
Nix, who left her $135,000-a-year post with the administration in June, will replace Nicholas Zagotta, who was appointed by Blagojevich in 2004 to complete a term that ended in 2007. The board consists of seven members, with three appointed by the governor, and four by the mayor.
* 1:18 pm - Mayor Daley will abandon plan to extend TIF district’s life…
Facing apparent opposition from Gov. Rod Blagojevich, the Daley administration is abandoning efforts to extend the legal life of the massive Central Loop tax increment financing district, which covers a wide swath of Chicago’s commercial heart.
The decision means the district automatically will sunset on Dec. 31 — and it means that the more than $111 million it has been throwing off each year for development projects instead will return to the regular property tax pool. […]
As recently as late spring, the city was talking to legislators in Springfield about passing a bill to give the district another 12 years of life, an action that potentially could have helped the mayor raise cash needed to host the 2016 Olympics.
But, says Mr. Arnold, “the environment in Springfield is not conducive. So we made a decision to let the Central Loop TIF expire.”
Translation: Getting needed support from Mr. Blagojevich would have come with a political price tag, which Mr. Daley wasn’t willing to pay.
I’ll bet.
* 1:36 pm - Ameren customers need to brace themselves…
The Illinois Commerce Commission today approved a rate hike for most customers of the Ameren Illinois utilities by a 5-0 vote.
ICC officials were still working on the details of exactly how much the increase would be, but it is believed to be similar to a staff proposal that called for an overall $163.6 million delivery rate increase.
* AARP response…
“For older adults and working families already struggling with the soaring costs of basic necessities – this new rate increase adds on to their piling financial concerns,” said Bob Gallo, AARP Illinois State Director. “Ameren’s CEO makes $2 million a year. That’s not a company that is struggling and certainly they do not need to increase their rates on the backs of older residents and families.” […]
“AARP is very disappointed in the ICC’s decision to put the interests of Ameren above the needs of consumers,” added Gallo. “Once more, the ICC has ignored the people of Illinois.”
Sporting an Obama or McCain button? Driving a car with one of the campaigns’ bumper stickers? You might need to be careful on University of Illinois campuses.
The university system’s ethics office sent a notice to all employees, including faculty members, telling them that they could not wear political buttons on campus or feature bumper stickers on cars parked in campus lots unless the messages on those buttons and stickers were strictly nonpartisan. In addition, professors were told that they could not attend political rallies on campuses if those rallies express support for a candidate or political party. […]
Nelson and other professors are circulating a draft statement outlining their objections to the ethics rules. “Although these rules are not at present being enforced, the AAUP deplores their chilling effect on speech, their interference with the educational process, and their implicit castigation of normal practice during political campaigns,” the draft says. […]
Lillich, the system spokesman, said he knew of no controversies over inappropriate political activity that might have prompted the rules.
[Police Chief Steve Settingsgaard] said even though it was no secret Bush was in Peoria for a political stop on behalf of Schock, it is still his department’s duty to protect the president.
[At-large Councilman Gary Sandberg] then cited a portion of city ordinance defining “prohibited political activity” as anything “preparing for, organizing or participating in any political meeting,” rally, demonstration or other political event.
“If we do not abide by our ordinance and bill the person who this fundraiser was for, we are violating the ordinance in that we allowed compensated employees to partake in a political event,” Sandberg said. […]
But Sandberg said since the federal government is being reimbursed by the Schock campaign for the use of Air Force One on its trip to Peoria, then the city should be reimbursed as well.
Schock’s campaign manager last week said the federal government will be reimbursed for the use of Air Force One according to a governmental formula that has been in place since the 1980s. The manager also said that no campaign has ever had to pay for local police protection requested by the Secret Service whenever the president visits.
* The question: Should political candidates reimburse local governments for expenses in situations like this? Explain fully, please.
* It’s intensely amusing to me to watch this debate play out over John McCain’s TV ad that claims Barack Obama was born of the Chicago Machine…
ANNCR: Barack Obama. Born of the corrupt Chicago political machine.
BARACK OBAMA: In terms of my toughness, look, first of all, I come from Chicago.
ANNCR: His economic adviser, William Daley. Lobbyist. Mayor’s brother.
His money man, Tony Rezko. Client. Patron. Convicted Felon.
His “political godfather.” Emil Jones. Under ethical cloud.
His governor, Rod Blagojevich. A legacy of federal and state investigations.
With friends like that, Obama is not ready to lead.
* This argument goes way back in Illinois. Does endorsement by and work with Machine leaders mean a candidate can’t be taken seriously as a reformer? As “Objective Dem” noted in comments yesterday…
This issue reminds me of when then Lt. Gov. Paul Simon obtained Mayor Daley’s endorsement for Governor. People thought it was awful and he must not be a true reformer. So they voted for Dan Walker, the true “reformer”
I figure if Paul Simon can work with Richard J. Daley in 1972, it doesn’t bother me that Barack is working with Richard M. Daley now.
In the 1972 primary, to their surprise and regret, meddling Republicans provided the margin by which Walker scored his big victory over Mayor Richard J. Daley. The United States Supreme Court had legalized crossover voting and countless Republicans, wanting to reduce the margin by which they were certain that Paul Simon, Daley’s candidate, would be nominated, went into the Democratic primary.
Always ambitious, the young Simon twice sought party endorsement for the U. S. Senate but settled instead, in 1968, for slating as Lieutenant Governor and won his race though Republican Richard Ogilvie took the governorship. From that often inert post Simon energetically functioned as an ombudsman and helped defuse racial tensions in downstate Cairo. Derailed by a narrow loss in the 1972 primary for governor when the resolutely independent Simon could not fend off criticism for accepting Mayor Richard J. Daley’s blessing that year, he rebounded to win election to the U. S. House of Representatives from southern Illinois in 1974. A decade later, Simon beat his party’s endorsed candidate in the Senate primary and then upset three-term Republican incumbent Charles Percy, a national figure, in the Reagan landslide.
Explaining Simon’s success as a reformer in a machine-politics state and as an unabashed liberal in a mostly conservative era draws attention to his principled defense of controversial stands, his “can-do” pragmatism, his moral earnestness leavened with gentle humor, and his generosity to opponents. Simon is, in a phrase he often uses to describe others, “a class act,” able to rally such bitter foes as Chicago Alderman Edward Vrdolyak and Mayor Harold Washington when he needed both to unseat Charles Percy in 1984. Although he has kind words here for many, including Senator Jesse Helms, columnist Robert Novak, and the first (though not the second) Mayor Daley, Simon can be quite critical and is willing to name names, as he famously did in a 1964 Harper’s article, “The Illinois Legislature: A Study in Corruption.” Simon regrets allowing himself to believe that Illinois Secretary of State Paul Powell had left his bribe-taking days behind, observes that Richard J. Daley only dealt with those who had something to offer him, records U. S. Rep. William Lipinski’s double-cross after endorsing Simon in the 1984 primary, deplores Democratic Senate leader Tom Daschle’s position– changing deference to Robert Byrd over the Balanced Budget Amendment, and laments that Judiciary Committee chair Orrin Hatch is dominated by his staff.
* There are more recent examples, of course. Judy Baar Topinka was one of the most honest, decent politicians I’ve ever met, yet she was made to look like a horrid George Ryan clone in the 2006 governor’s race. Guilt by association.
* Obama did not start out as a Machine guy. He ran for US Senate against Dan Hynes, the organization’s guy, and Blair Hull, the governor’s guy.
The real question is whether Obama has sold his soul over being endorsed by the organization, and endorsing some Machine candidates. To many people, as with Paul Simon in 1972 and JBT in 2006, that’s a deal-breaker. But it completely ignores Illinois political realities. Everybody has to swim in the same tank with the sharks here. The object is to avoid being eaten alive while maintaining their own principles. That ain’t easy. Simon did it. Topinka, I believe, did it. Both paid a heavy price, however.
Whether Obama maintained his principles should be the subject of the debate, not this extraneous stuff like who endorsed whom. It tells us nothing. Is there any doubt whatsoever that Paul Simon would’ve been a much better governor than Dan Walker?
* As you already know, the Senate approved the House-passed funds sweep bill and a supplemental appropriations bill yesterday…
Illinois lawmakers voted to restore hundreds of millions of dollars to the state budget Tuesday, aiming to save more than 300 state jobs and keep open state parks and historic sites.
Most of the $231 million the Senate approved would come from “surpluses” in special state funds. The money would prevent the layoffs of human services caseworkers and the closure of places associated with Abraham Lincoln on the eve of the 16th president’s 200th birthday.
Almost immediately, though, the governor’s office signaled that the Senate action may not save all of the parks, sites and jobs. Blagojevich must act on the budget restorations for them to take effect.
“We still have to look at particulars of the bill and the language before deciding what to do,” said Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero in an e-mailed statement. “We will spend what we can afford to spend in the areas of the greatest need.”
Guerrero cited a report issued by the administration Tuesday that state revenues may fall $200 million short of projections by June 30, 2009, the end of the fiscal year. The budget bill approved by the Senate contained $220 million in spending.
* Here’s one of the reasons the Senate ended up going with the House’s original proposal…
The list of budget restorations almost got bigger, with money added for cooperative extension programs, community colleges, mental health programs and grants to local health departments. Beaubien and Hannig, who were negotiating the budget bill, both said an agreement was tentatively reached for a more extensive restoration when Senate Democrats abruptly pulled the plug.
[Sen. Donne Trotter], representing Senate Democrats in negotiations, said the budget bill started ballooning.
* Everybody apparently wanted to get their pet projects into the bill, including Gov. Blagojevich…
[Blagojevich spokesman Lucio Guerrero] said he knew nothing of Trotter’s claim that Blagojevich asked lawmakers Tuesday to add $45 million to the bill for expanded health care.
OK. Stick with that one.
* As I said above, nobody knows what, exactly the governor will do…
It was not clear Tuesday evening whether the governor will go along with the legislative effort to block the cuts, which, in addition to threatening parks and historic sites, have forced dozens of not-for-profit social service agencies to cut back on services to disabled people and others dealing with mental health problems and drug addiction.
Blagojevich spokesman Brian Williamsen suggested there may be technical problems with the legislation, which could scuttle the legislative bailout.
“Of course we’ll be taking a look at the particulars,” Williamsen said.
Trotter predicted the governor would sign the bill but said there are no assurances he would embrace the funding priorities.
* The lopsided Senate vote in favor of the two bills does send a strong message, however…
“It was overwhelmingly passed by the Senate and the house so hopefully the governor will take that as an indication that this is how the people of the state of Illinois want their taxes spent.” [said State Rep. Careen Gordon, D-Morris]
State Sen. Gary Dahl, R-Granville, wishes the Senate could have had more say in how the money was restored.
“In the end, I supported this move as a one-time way to reverse the governor’s harmful cuts to our parks and frontline services,” Dahl said in a press release. “But there were better ways to do it; unfortunately the Senate leadership refused to let us vote on them. We must keep pressure on Senate President Emil Jones and his leadership team to come up with more responsible ways to fund our state’s important priorities in the future.”
Tax hike? What?
* And the fight to make sure that state parks stay open continues…
Morris resident Rachel Pfaff, who spearheaded the online petition that gathered more than 31,000 signatures, received the news Tuesday. She said she still plans to hold the Save the Parks rally Oct. 4 at Gebhard Woods in Morris. People are asked to meet at 9 a.m. at William G. Stratton Park in Morris to walk the I&M Canal path to Gebhard Woods.
* Remember last week when I told you that Republican Marty Ozinga’s campaign was whining about the Southland Chamber’s choice of moderators for this Thursday’s candidate debate?
It would be hard to imagine a presidential debate moderated by MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann. Similarly, we cannot imagine a congressional debate moderated by Kristen McQueary.
Well, Ozinga has now pulled out of that debate. Here’s his press release…
“Both of our campaigns [including Green Party candidate Jason Wallace] have notified the Southland Chamber that we will not be participating in their candidate forum Thursday morning. Although we regret having to miss an opportunity to come before voters and discuss the issues important to Illinois’ working families, it became clear that Debbie Halvorson used her family ties to slant in her favor what was pitched as a fair forum by a purportedly non-partisan organization.
“Senator Halvorson’s husband was the Chairman of this chamber in 2004, and still serves on the board. The forum was to be held at her alma matter, where the senator herself serves on the board. The chamber employee who was responsible for the planning of the forum is an avowed partisan who worked for Democratic U.S. Senator Dick Durbin from 1996-2004. Unlike all other candidate forums to which we’ve been invited, a member of the general public wishing to be present at the forum was required to register with the chamber first. The chamber initially tried to exclude Green Party candidate Jason Wallace - again, something that no other sponsoring organization has attempted to do thus far in this race. Lastly, the chamber chose an opinion columnist as the moderator, rather than an objective news reporter.
“With all these ‘coincidences’ piled on top of one another, we had become convinced that this forum was intended as nothing more than a pep rally for Senator Halvorson, masquerading as a fair and informative candidate forum. We are disappointed in Senator Halvorson for trying to pull the wool over voters’ eyes. This is what Illinois voters are tired of - the same old brand of Blagojevich-style politics coming from Rod Blagojevich’s favorite Springfield politician. This is isn’t change - it’s just more of the same. We are confident that voters will reject Senator Halvorson’s shameful tactics, but we look forward to participating in several already-scheduled candidate forums with her as the campaign progresses.” [Emphasis added.]
OK, let’s parse, shall we?
The Southland Chamber is probably the most influential and important organization in the entire region. Its board of directors and executive committee have prominent members in both major political parties, community leaders and quite a few of the more powerful local business owners. Its membership list is huge.
The Southland Chamber vehemently denies - and has told Ozinga’s campaign - that Halvorson’s husband played any role whatsoever in setting up this debate.
The “Chamber employee who was responsible for the planning of the forum” identified in the press release was not the same person who actually did all the work. So, that’s a bogus claim as well.
As I wrote before, Kristen McQueary is a solid local columnist and the campaign’s attack on her was way over the top. The SouthtownStar is arguably the region’s most important newspaper.
Governor’s State University is an often-used spot for these sorts of functions. I was a participant in a set of legislative debates there several years ago. GSU is to the Southland what SIU is to southern Illinois.
So, let’s total up the Ozinga disses: Southland Chamber; Kristen McQueary; SouthtownStar; GSU.
That’s pretty much everybody who is anybody in that region.
Heckuva job, Ozinga.
And, even if he’s absolutely right about everything (and he’s wrong about everything), if Ozinga can’t deal with a supposedly “hostile” environment on his home turf, how’s he gonna cope with the truly hostile environment of a Democratic controlled US House?
*** UPDATE 1 *** Statement from Halvorson’s campaign manager, Brian Doory…
“Whether it is failing to make his views known or even honor his commitments, Martin Ozinga continues to show contempt for local voters by selfishly making up the rules as he goes along.”
“Marty Ozinga is a member of The Southland Chamber of Commerce, and yet he still decided that it wasn’t worth his time to debate his opponents on issues of concern to his fellow chamber members.”
“This disappointing action speaks volumes about Marty Ozinga and his campaign. If he cannot even stand up and address business issues among his fellow chamber members, how can he expect to communicate with regular voters on the issues important to them?”
“Marty is afraid of being held accountable. He is afraid voters will discover he contributed $23,000 to the governor. He is scared voters will learn he supports the EJ&E deal. And most of all he is afraid of being held accountable for not being on the side of voters.”
“Even though Martin Ozinga is on the wrong side of the tracks on the EJ&E Acquisition, and so many other issues important to local voters, it’s deeply troubling that Martin Ozinga lacks the courage to look people in the eye and tell them he’s not on their side.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** No surprise, but the forum is now canceled. From the Southland Chamber…
The Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce is deeply disappointed to announce that this morning, Marty Ozinga, the Republican nominee in Illinois’ 11th Congressional District, withdrew from the Southland Chamber’s 11th Congressional District Candidate Forum. The forum, which was scheduled to take place this Thursday, September 25, 2008 at Governors State University at 8:00 a.m. and would have been moderated by Kristen McQueary, columnist for the Southtown Star newspaper, has been canceled.
The Green Party candidate Jason Wallace, Democratic candidate Debbie Halvorson and Republican candidate Marty Ozinga were invited to participate in the candidate forum. All three candidates responded and accepted the invitation without reservation or condition.
Late on evening of September 18, the Southland Chamber was notified via email of the possible withdrawal of Marty Ozinga, citing “doubts about the fairness of this forum.” The Ozinga Campaign went on to say that the moderator, “Ms. McQueary is not an objective news reporter.” As a condition of participation, the Ozinga campaign requested the removal of Ms. McQueary or the addition of a second moderator. The Ozinga Campaign also questioned the venue, Governors State University, stating “the forum will be held at Halvorson’s alma matter, where she serves as a Director on their Board.”
The Chamber stands by its strong commitment to host a fair, impartial and informative forum for its members and voters of the 11th Congressional District. Furthermore, the Chamber stands by its choice of Kristen McQueary to moderate a fair and impartial forum with questions provided by the Chamber.
The Chamber is deeply disappointed and saddened to learn of Mr. Ozinga’s decision not to participate.
*** UPDATE 3 *** With a hat tip to a commenter, this is what Ozinga’s press release claims…
The forum was to be held at her alma matter, where the senator herself serves on the board.
“As the SouthtownStar’s politics and government columnist, Kristen McQueary has hosted and moderated many candidate forums over the years. We are confident the Southland Chamber forum would have been conducted with the consummate professionalism McQueary has shown every time she¹s been asked to serve as a host.
“In the Southland Chamber format, it was clear McQueary would have been reading questions prepared by Chamber members. The SouthtownStar is pleased to have been associated with the Chamber’s effort to educate voters in the 11th Congressional District by providing them an opportunity to see the three candidates respond to issues of the day.”
* As you already know, the Senate passed a broad ethics bill yesterday that was identical to the governor’s amendatory veto language in another ethics bill.
There’s been little actual analysis of this particular bill, other than the sharp criticisms about it being a product of Gov. Blagojevich’s mind so, therefore, it can’t be much good.
There are actually some decent ideas in this proposal. But some of it is just goofy.
We are supposed to have a citizens assembly in Illinois, not a full-time professional legislature. This bill begins the process of trying to define who can and cannot be a member of the General Assembly. That’s a foolhardy step. Here’s the language…
No member of the General Assembly, during the term for which he has been elected or appointed, may be employed by the State, a municipality, or unit of local government. This prohibition does not extend to employment as an elected official, firefighter, police officer, school counselor, teacher, or university instructor.
As one Senator pointed out earlier this week, the bill’s fine print allows a legislator to teach at a university, but not at a community college. Another noted that a legislator couldn’t be a part-time high school coach. Still others have complained that a doctor or nurse at Cook County Hospital would have to give up their jobs.
This is what happens when you start drawing lines. Where do you stop? Should farmers be excluded because they receive massive government subsidies and special tax breaks? What about business owners located in TIF districts? What about state government contractors, most of whom are now banned from contributing to the governor’s campaign fund?
Getting rid of double-dippers sounds great, but there are so many exceptions in the bill that it’s sure to be challenge as a violation of the equal protection clause.
I fully agree with that.
* I have no problem at all with extending that contractor campaign contribution ban to state parties. As Senate President Emil Jones rightly notes, it will be just too easy to get around the gubernatorial ban - which also applies to declared candidates - by washing the cash through a state party. Since Attorney General Lisa Madigan is gearing up to run for governor, that seems like a reasonable worry. Same goes for the Republican Party.
(I)t makes no sense to ban political parties and individual legislators from taking contributions from people with state contracts because parties and legislators don’t enter into those contracts. If [Blagojevich] wants to limit parties and lawmakers, he should try to do it with contribution and transfer limits. This approach is a waste of time.
Contribution and transfer limits may or may not be a good idea. The transfer limits might quell the legislative leaders’ stranglehold on campaign money. But the contribution limits have done little to no good in DC politics. I just don’t think this contractor thing is a “waste of time.” Good for the goose, good for the gander.
*** UPDATE *** Here’s a clarification from Canary…
Unlike HB 824, SB 780 would prohibit campaign donations to political
committees that have no connection to the officer who lets the contract. Because that kind of ban treads heavily on contractors’ constitutional rights to free speech and association, the courts likely would rule it to be unconstitutional – but only after a lengthy and expensive court battle.
Example - Under the governor’s proposal, the owner of a company contracting to supply the Office of Treasurer more than $50,000 in computers, copiers, legal services or anything else would be prohibited from making a contribution to any political party, every state legislator, every candidate for the General Assembly, every statewide constitutional officer and every candidate for those offices.
It’s very likely a court would rule that an infringement on free speech.
Because campaign contributions are a protected activity under the 1st Amendment, legislation to regulate contributions must be narrowly tailored to address a compelling government interest. That’s what the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled. A wide-ranging BAN like that would not meet the test of a narrowly tailored restriction on campaign contributions. However, a LIMITATION ON THE AMOUNT of a contribution by individuals - whether an executive with a firm contracting with the
state or not — to ALL political committees would pass any constitutional test.
To sum it up — Because it quite likely would be ruled unconstitutional, it isn’t worth the effort to try to expand the ban on state contractor (the corporation, executives, owners, etc.) campaign contributions. It would be better to spend time on something we know to be constitutional — banning contributions by ALL orporations (whether doing business with the state or not) and by all unions and associations. At the same time, Illinois should limit the amount that any individual person can contribute in an election cycle and limit how much a political committee can transfer to other committees.
Some pieces of this bill are fine. The affirmative pay raise provision [requiring lawmakers to vote for legislative pay raises instead of allowing them to get the raise by not voting against them] is a fine idea. But it should be stripped out and run as a separate bill, not embedded in all this other crap.
I resent the idea that suddenly Blagojevich thinks he gets to set the agenda on what real ethics reform is with this slap-shot proposal. We’ve been working the pay-to-play ban for three years, and how he want to ram this through in 24 hours.
He’s the guv. He can do what he wants. And he does. lol
The senate voted to approve it today, but all the conversation I heard on the floor was how the bill wasn’t really ready, it sure needed more work. It looks to me as thought [the members of the senate] decided to vote for the bill to give themselves the ability to tell their constituents that they voted for ethics reform. It looks like a very cynical vote to me.
Faced with soaring demolition and environmental cleanup costs and a recalcitrant property owner, the Daley administration has broken off talks aimed at moving the $1.1 billion Olympic Village to the campus of Michael Reese Hospital.
Mayor Daley wanted to roll the dice that a depressed real estate market would come roaring back — by borrowing $85 million to finance the hospital purchase and sell it to a private developer.
We hope the four Republicans extracted something special from Stroger’s financial wizards during private huddles with them last week, because this vote could cost them their careers. Lots of potential GOP candidates covet their seats: They see voters fed up with this board—and the cozier these four get with Stroger and Finance Chair John Daley, the greater the opportunity to bounce them out of their baby-blue leather boardroom chairs.
But a proposal under consideration by Chicago Public Schools officials to allow students from the neighborhood to enroll in the new Skinner building set to open next fall has Lora-Stepan and other parents fearing the school’s high standards will be lost. Since at least 2002, the school has scored above the district and state averages on state tests, according to Illinois State Assessment Test (ISAT) program.
“I think every person that goes to a classical school must earn their spot,” Lora-Stepan said. “Why change a program that is excelling?”
“This is not about a lot of fans and a lot of drinking. We don’t want to see any incident outside, because if there is, that whole area will be voted dry tomorrow. Those citizens will get together and say, ‘I’m gonna vote every precinct dry. I’ll even vote Cubs Field dry,” Daley said.
“The biggest change is I now stand in line,” Edgar quipped. “It really hit home for me — and any governor — when you get in the back seat of your car, and it doesn’t move.”
