This just in… New DNR director
Thursday, Feb 5, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller
* 3:14 pm - Gov. Quinn apparently had somebody in mind to take over DNR when he booted Kurt Granberg yesterday. Marc Miller worked for Quinn at the Lt. Gov’s office. From a press release…
Governor Pat Quinn announced the appointment of natural resources professional and conservationist Marc Miller as director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Miller had been senior policy adviser and liaison to the Illinois River Coordinating Council for the Office of Lieutenant Governor.
“Marc Miller is an expert in managing and protecting our state’s precious natural resources and will run a very professional agency,” said Governor Quinn. “In addition, Marc is an avid outdoorsman dedicated to promoting the public’s safe use and greater understanding of our state’s parks, waterways and other natural resources.”
Miller, 39, joined then Lt. Governor Quinn’s staff in June 2004. During that time, he was instrumental in development and implementation of many environmental programs. They include: The Dam Safety Initiative and the Mud-to-Parks program, which promoted the beneficial reuse of river settlement. […]
“I am honored Governor Quinn has named me to lead this important state agency,” said Miller. “I will dedicate myself to managing, protecting and sustaining Illinois’ natural resources.
And in case you’re wondering, he’s no relation to me. Lots of Miller’s in this state.
* 3:23 pm - OK, first it was “yesterday’s tomatoes” and now this…
Quinn wants more bird watchers to come to Illinois. Says “We’ve got more birds than you can shake a stick at.”
The Yogi Berra of Illinois politics?
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Illinois sheriffs back concealed carry
Thursday, Feb 5, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller
* A new and interesting twist…
Support for allowing concealed carry of firearms in Illinois — one of just two states that still outlaw it — is coming from what seems like an unlikely direction: the Illinois Sheriffs’ Association. The group, for the first time in its history, is taking a qualified stand in favor of the controversial practice.
State Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion, proposed a bill (HB245) last week that would allow residents to obtain concealed firearm permits. It would require background checks and training in handgun use, safety and marksmanship. Similar bills have been introduced in the past, and died with little support.
“I believe to be successful the key to concealed carry is training,” said St. Clair County Sheriff Mearl Justus, voicing his support Wednesday. “If we allow concealed carry, we must make sure only the right people have the guns. This is best done by requiring training, proper identification, and a thorough background check — including a mental evaluation. […]
Gun control groups warn of the dangers of putting more weapons into circulation, and say few people will ever use firearms to defend themselves — and normally don’t use the same level of consideration as law enforcement regardless of training.
* More about Rep. Bradley’s bill…
Under the proposed bill, which is similar to bills that have been proposed and failed to pass the Illinois legislature in the past, a person would be eligible to carry a concealed firearm if he or she is:
• At least 21 years old;
• a resident of Illinois for the past six months and a permanent U.S. resident;
• has not been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year;
• does not demonstrate a lack of mental capacity according to Illinois State Police records;
• and does not have a problem with substance abuse.
In addition, those seeking a concealed carry permit must complete firearms and deadly use of force training.
Under the proposal, concealed firearms will not be allowed inside police stations, prisons, government offices, courthouses, bars, airports, schools, riverboats, amusement parks, arenas, stadiums and churches, similar to concealed carry laws in other states.
The legislation is here.
Thoughts?
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* January 30th…
U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson says the economic stimulus bill the House passed this week was flawed.
The Urbana Republican on Thursday said he voted against the bill because it was too pricey and had “little or nothing to do” with job creation or improving the American economy.
Same day…
[Rep. Johnson said] “The bedrock of any stimulus must be tax relief. I support measures that reduce the tax burden on our families, that give small businesses incentives to create jobs and retain employees, that give people incentives to buy homes and energy-efficient products and that make permanent the AMT patch, among other things. These ideas have been presented to the House leadership and resoundingly rejected.”
As noted above, Johnson voted “No” on the stimulus plan in the House.
* But now Johnson is outraged that a project in his district is under fire by Senate Republicans…
U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson, R-Urbana, said on Wednesday he was “outraged” that the FutureGen clean coal plant was included in a “pork” list compiled by his GOP colleagues of projects in the federal stimulus package, even though neither the House nor Senate bills specifically made reference to FutureGen. […]
“If there is anything in this stimulus package that truly provides a stimulus, it is FutureGen,” Johnson said.
* Let us review, shall we? Johnson knocked the stimulus bill for having “little or nothing to do” with actual stimulus, and said that the “bedrock” of any stimulus bill should be tax relief. He voted “No.”
Then, when his $2 billion project is opposed, he cries that FutureGen was the only real stimulus proposal in the package.
Um, Tim, maybe you should’ve voted “Yes,” or at least kept your mouth shut.
I despise DC politics.
*** UPDATE 1 *** As Progress Illinois notes, the New York Times reports today that “centrists” in the US Senate are working to strip big chunks out of the stimulus bill. One of the areas on the chopping block?
$850 million for Amtrak
PI adds that the original draft “only allocates $1.1 billion for Amtrak to begin with.” So cutting $850 million out of the stimulus bill would make a big difference.
Johnson’s district includes the University of Illinois. UIUC students are heavily dependent upon Amtrak. Nice going, congressman.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Things are not looking good for Illinois’ budget problem….
Meetings intensified Thursday among a bipartisan bloc of senators seeking to trim close to $90 billion from a massive economic recovery bill nearing final action in the chamber. […]
State fiscal aid and education funding will be among the most sensitive proposed cuts, and if $90 billion is the goal, it would represent an estimated 25% cut.
*** UPDATE 3 *** TPM has more draft cuts to the states, which will likely grow today and tomorrow…
$24.786 Billion on “State Stabilization Money” [100% cut]
$15 Billion for “State Incentive Grants” [100% cut]
$6.75 Billion for “IDEA”, proposed cut 50%
Seem them all here.
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Question of the day
Thursday, Feb 5, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I was pleased with many of your answers to yesterday’s Question of the Day - until I stopped moderating comments and many people decided not to directly answer the question and went off on tangents.
Today’s question builds on yesterday’s.
Yesterday, most of you identified which of the big budget items would receive a $1 billion cut. Those items were…
* Medicaid reimbursements to private and not-for-profit providers
* Medicaid benefits to participants
* K-12 education (state portion of state/federal/local funding mix)
* Required state payments to the pension funds
* State employee payroll
* As you know, Comptroller Hynes has said the state faces up to a $9 billion deficit next fiscal year. If the federal stimulus plan passes as is, the deficit could be reduced to $6 billion.
So, you came up with $1 billion in cuts yesterday. I’m going to assume the stimulus bill passes and throw in another $2 billion in reductions, just to be nice - via various pet projects y’all have for streamlinging or cutting other government programs and services and headcount, skims of and charges to special funds and various other budgetary gimmicks and “magic.”
* The Question: Identify which of those big budget items listed above should be whacked for a total of another $3 billion in cuts.
This is not about revenues. I’m talking about cuts. Don’t wimp out and suggest your pet projects. Those are already included in the $2 billion I’ve given you.
* In comments, please tell us first which item you identified for the intial billion dollars in cuts. Then choose from the list of the other identified spending programs which you would cut for a total of $3 billion.
Stick to the topic, because I’m gonna be brutal in comments today since session is over.
And make sure to explain to us why you cut this way.
…Adding… Anders Lindall makes this important point in comments…
Also remember that TOTAL STATE EMPLOYEE PAYROLL for FY08 was $3.5 billion. So if yesterday you chose to cut $1 billion from payroll (throwing 20,000 people out of work), you don’t have $3 billion left to cut from payroll today.
And even if you cut elsewhere yesterday, understand that cutting $3 billion from payroll means nearly zeroing out state government. In other words, it’s impossible.
So, if you cut payroll yesterday, you can’t cut payroll again today.
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Quinn’s first really big day at work
Thursday, Feb 5, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gov. Quinn started yesterday with a warning that the state budget deficit could reach $9 billion next fiscal year…
Newly installed Illinois Gov. Patrick Quinn met with the state’s chief fiscal officer this morning and got a sobering welcome: Illinois will be looking at a $9 billion deficit by mid-year if nothing changes.
“The bottom has dropped out,” state Comtroller Dan Hynes told reporters in the Statehouse today, restating what he’d earlier told Quinn during their meeting.
Hynes said the latest calculations show Illinois’ current budget deficit is between $4 and $5 billion, and will hit a record $9 billion during the next fiscal year if nothing is done. As much as $3 billion of that could be recouped through the pending federal stimulus package, but even at that, the state will be paying its bills late or not at all without either drastically reduced spending or increased revenue.
* Met with the legislative leaders…
Quinn rejected the often confrontational attitude of his predecessor, Rod Blagojevich, who was removed from office last week amid allegations of corruption and unconstitutional abuse of power. Blagojevich denies any wrongdoing.
“This is a partnership between the executive branch and the legislative branch,” Quinn said.
* Was cheered by Republicans…
Gov. Pat Quinn was hailed by House Republicans for meeting with them Wednesday, but that could change if the Democratic governor decides to back a tax hike.
“We haven’t had a governor come to our caucus since George Ryan,” said state Rep. Shane Cultra, R-Onarga. “Having Quinn there certainly proves he is interested in bipartisanship and getting the problems of the state solved.”
* Later, Quinn signed a supplemental appropriations bill…
Quinn signed legislation Wednesday that will spend additional state money and protect federal wildlife money coming into the state.
Quinn signed legislation directing about $18 million to the offices of attorney general, secretary of state and treasurer. All three offices had their budgets cut last fall and have resorted to furlough days, layoffs, hiring freezes and other techniques to make up the money.
The bill also puts about $9 million back into restricted state accounts that pay for wildlife and conservation programs. Money from the accounts was used to pay other state expenses. However, federal authorities said those accounts contained federal money and threatened Illinois with a $17 million penalty if the money weren’t restored.
* His first signed bill was about the smoking ban…
Gov. Pat Quinn used his first bill signing Wednesday to try to clear the haze surrounding enforcement of Illinois’ year-old statewide smoking ban.
Quinn signed Senate Bill 2757 into law as he met with the four legislative leaders at his Statehouse office. The measure, which takes effect immediately, spells out how violations and violators of the smoking ban in public places should be handled.
Local enforcement efforts have been stymied by confusion over such details, but smoking-ban proponents hope the new measure will change that.
“It seems like the state’s attorneys in the larger counties enforced the law, but the ones in the smaller counties didn’t feel comfortable with enforcement without the rules really spelled out,” said Kathy Drea, public policy director for the American Lung Association of Illinois.
* Quinn continued the task of de-Blagojeviching the state…
Nearly a week after he was removed from office, the process of erasing former Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s name from state signs, brochures, Web sites and letterhead is progressing.
On Wednesday, road crews were dispatched to cover up signs featuring Blagojevich’s name on various highways across the state.
That came after the Illinois Toll Highway Authority had already spent about $15,000 covering up Blagojevich’s moniker on toll road signs.
An estimate of how much it will take to erase evidence of Blagojevich’s tenure was not available Wednesday, but a spokesman for new Gov. Pat Quinn said the aim is not to rack up a lot of bills.
“He has told everyone to do it in the most effective and affordable way,” spokesman Bob Reed said.
* Along those lines, he fired Kurt Granberg…
llinois Gov. Pat Quinn dumped the state’s conservation chief Wednesday, just weeks after he started work.
Former state Rep. Kurt Granberg took over the Department of Natural Resources Jan. 22 after former Gov. Rod Blagojevich appointed him a week earlier. His ouster could mean he starts collecting a pension of $113,000 a year — $40,000 more than before he started at DNR.
Quinn earlier told The Associated Press that the beleaguered agency should not be headed by a professional in the field, not another in a “parade of political appointments.”
He withdrew Blagojevich’s nomination of Granberg for the post Wednesday, spokesman Bob Reed said. His appointment was subject to confirmation by the Senate, which had not acted.
Quinn will name a replacement “quickly,” Reed said, but he would not elaborate.
* And watched the latest tollway chief resign…
Once again, the Illinois Tollway is without a leader.
The agency’s board will meet Friday to accept the resignation of Acting Executive Director Dawn Catuara and appoint an interim chief. Her departure comes as the agency faces scrutiny over a new construction program tainted by the corruption arrest of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
Catuara stepped in after the newly installed executive director Jeff Dailey quit Dec. 17 following a tenure of a few weeks. She had been the tollway’s chief of staff.
* Related…
* Gov’s out, but state’s budget crisis worsens
* $5 billion worse off and U-N-I-T-Y
* Gov. Pat Quinn could face a $9 billion budget deficit
* State Faces Bigger Budget Crisis Than Realized
* Hynes fears ‘unimaginable consequences’ from $9 billion deficit
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Fritchey tries to defend vote
Thursday, Feb 5, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller
* During a recent 5th Congressional District candidates’ debate, state Rep. John Fritchey said this…
“I’ve long maintained that privatizing of public assets is like selling off your furniture to pay your mortgage.”
Fritchey was responding to a question about whether, after elected, they would support Mayor Daley’s plan to privatize Midway Airport with the Federal Aviation Administration.
Rep. Sara Feigenholtz kinda hedged at first, but when questioned directly about whether she would sign a letter to the FAA in support, she said…
“I don’t think I would. No.”
…Adding… A couple people have claimed that Feigenholtz was responding to a question by the moderator about whether she would sign a letter in “opposition” to the Midway sale. Not according to the tape and the transcript I have…
LYNN SWEET: So, if you were in the House today, would you write the letter to the FAA to say privatize, we urge you to do it…
FEIGENHOLTZ: I don’t think I would. No.
Hope that clears things up.
* Yesterday, Mayor Daley shot back…
[Daley] noted that Fritchey voted for the 2006 bill that set the stage for the Midway and parking garage deals by granting blanket property tax exemptions to private investors who lease those city assets.
And Daley advised Fritchey and his rivals to “go back to business school” to learn the benefits of turning city assets into a cash windfall to keep building while other cities are cutting back.
Feigenholtz also voted for that bill.
* Since Daley singled out Fritchey, the Tribune went to him for comment…
“I am in no way hedging on my comments,” Fritchey said after being told of Mayor Richard Daley’s reaction. “I still think that privatization of assets is not a desirable long-term policy … We’ve gone decades without having to privatize city assets.”
But Fritchey said he agreed with Daley’s comments that the state has forced the city to seek other solutions by failing to fund infrastructure projects.
“There’s no question that the state is lacking in its obligations,” Fritchey said.
Asked to explain his vote for legislation that made the Midway deal possible, Fritchey responded, “I voted to give Chicago officials the authority to do that. As a general rule, I support the concept of local control.”
Thoughts?
…Adding… Both Fritchey and Feigenholtz also voted for a bill to sell the Thompson Center.
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More on Vallas
Thursday, Feb 5, 2009 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Back in November, Paul Vallas said he wouldn’t run for anything in 2010…
Paul Vallas announced Sunday he would not run for governor or any office and has instead signed on for a third year as head of New Orleans’ public schools.
“I would have liked to have run for governor,” Vallas said.
But Vallas said he is staying on as chief of New Orleans’ school district for at least an extra year to “get it done right.”
Vallas signed on for a third year down South last week, meaning his contract won’t expire until June of 2010, too late he said to make a run for office in an election that November.
* Mark Brown tried to find out why Vallas decided to run for county board president as a Republican, and relates the conversation in his column today. Vallas mentioned his past work with Republicans and pointed to the fact that the state’s Democratic establishment “abandoned” him in the 2002 gubernatorial primary, then added…
As far as a philosophical awakening, Vallas said there was none
* Brown also reminded his readers today that two other Chicago Democrats turned Republican, Eddie Vrdolyak and Aurelia Pucinski, “made the switch to outflank an African-American politician, trying to gain some advantage in Chicago’s race-based politics.”
Vallas took umbrage at that suggestion…
Vallas was flabbergasted when I drew the comparison Wednesday during a telephone interview from Baton Rouge, where he is in the final year of a job rebuilding New Orleans schools. He said he sees no similarities between his “reform-minded” candidacy and those of the three “career politicians” I named.
“I’m not trying to figure out the political calculation,” Vallas said. “For me, it’s about the mission. The mission is to reform government.” […]
But these pre-election political conversions always rub me the wrong way. They smack of opportunism and expedience, especially when overlaid on the race equation (not that there’s anything wrong with dumping Stroger).
* There are other skeptics…
“He certainly would have to answer questions about why he chose to leave the Democrat Party and join the Republican Party,” said Murphy, who adds he is still “very seriously considering” a run of his own.
* But there is also plenty of GOP excitement…
Vallas’ candidacy has “injected excitement” into the GOP, according to Lee Roupas, the chairman of the Cook County Republican Party and the Palos Township Republican committeeman. […]
Dennis Cook, the head of the Illinois Young Republicans and an Orland Park resident, said Vallas’ decision to switch parties and run for board president is “exciting.”
“It’s very nice to see him come over and run as a Republican,” he said.
Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont) said Vallas brings “stature and tremendous credibility” to the race.
* Keep in mind when reading this figure that the election in question was almost seven years ago. Voters tend to forget politicians…
Vallas won 48 percent of the vote in the suburbs lining Chicago when he ran against Blagojevich, who garnered 29 percent, and Roland Burris, who had 24 percent, in the 2002 Democratic primary for governor.
* Stroger reacts…
Stroger said Wednesday he was unfazed by allegations from Vallas that the county is mismanaged and he took a shot at him for working in far-off New Orleans.
“If they only thing you know about county government is what you read in the papers from New Orleans… that is the impression you’d get,” Stroger said.
* As does Daley…
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley offered a lukewarm response to news that his former schools chief Paul Vallas reportedly plans to run for Cook County Board President in 2010. […]
Vallas made gains as Daley’s schools chief, but the two parted on not-the-best-of terms.
Today, Daley was asked about the news that Vallas was lining up a bid for Cook County Board President.
DALEY: I haven’t heard anything.
The mayor offered a neither-here-nor-there type of response.
DALEY: Listen. Anyone wants to run for public office, you’re excited about. People want to run for public office, you should be excited.
* And Vallas downplayed the certainty of his departure to the New Orleans paper…
While the Chicago media Wednesday morning reported that Vallas had decided to leave New Orleans at the end of 2009 to run for the board, he was less clear-cut in subsequent interviews.
“It’s not definitive that I’m running,” he said. “I have formed an exploratory committee to consider a run.”
Vallas stressed that his attention would remain focused squarely on New Orleans schools for the next year. “Nobody should have to question my attention,” he said. “I’m kind of ADD (attention deficit disorder) anyway.”
If the primary is in February of 2010, he cannot possibly give the school district his undivided attention for a full year. Petitions will go out in August, for crying out loud.
More on that topic…
State Superintendent of Education Paul Pastorek confirmed that Vallas would be with the RSD for at least 16 more months.
He’d better hope he gets a free ride through the primary if he intends to stay in New Orleans.
* And not everybody is happy with his performance…
Though Vallas may be willing to listen, the head of the community group Save Our Schools New Orleans said Vallas is leaving the job undone.
“We’ve given Paul Vallas free reign and an open checkbook, and his free reign has improved some test scores a little bit, but at what cost?” Angela Daliet said. “And it’s not sustainable. In Philadelphia and Chicago, he left huge deficits.”
That last quote might find its way into a campaign ad.
* Something else to consider…
“The bottom line is I think the (Republican) party is going to want a strong candidate and I think hopefully the party will be able to help me raise money,” Vallas said.
The latest campaign disclosure reports filed by the Cook County Republican Party showed it began this year with $7,742.
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