* After saying earlier today: “I look forward to having Lisa Madigan as attorney general when I’m the governor,” GOP gubernatorial candidate Kirk Dillard is now trying to walk back an obvious blunder on his first official day on the campaign trail…
Earlier today, I was asked about the attorney general and what my reaction is to her allegedly running for re-election. While I have a great deal of respect for her, we haven’t heard anything official about her status. Right now we’re focusing on the leadership of Illinois and returning pride to the people of this great state. And I will be backing the entire GOP ticket to accomplish that.
* And announced GOP attorney general candidate Joe Birkett has a new blog post entitled “Welcome to the race, Lisa“…
Lisa Madigan’s announcement does not change my plans. I look forward to offering Illinois voters new leadership in a state that desperately needs it.
* Democratic state Rep. Julie Hamos was planning to run for attorney general. She just put out this statement…
Following the news of Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s decision to run for reelection, State Representative Julie Hamos released this statement:
“Lisa Madigan has been a strong Attorney General and an excellent leader for the state of Illinois. I was pleased to learn that she will continue to provide excellent leadership to our state in these difficult times.
“Over the past few months I have met with Democratic and community leaders and heard the concerns of voters across Illinois. In the coming days I plan to revisit those supporters and ask for their best ideas on how I can work for the people of Illinois. I look forward to hearing their ideas and input as I discuss my next steps with my family.”
Still waiting on one from Rep. Jack Franks, another Dem looking at AG. I’ll post it here if and/or when it arrives.
I’ve talked about my job in some detail today because I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately. Over the past few months, I’ve thought about how I can best continue to serve the people of Illinois.
The progress we have made and the work that can still be done have been foremost on my mind.
I’ve also talked with my husband about what’s best for our daughters.
As I have done so, I have been truly privileged to have the advice and generous support of many people around this state.
What it comes down to – and I hope you can hear in my voice – is that I am still passionate about my work.
So today, I am announcing that I will seek a 3rd term as Illinois Attorney General.
I understand that some people may be surprised by my decision, because there has been speculation about whether I might run for Governor or for the U.S. Senate. I can’t express how honored I am that others would consider me for either of these positions.
But I know that for now, the best way for me to continue serving the people of Illinois is to continue doing the job that I love … and there is plenty to do.
I promise those of you looking for leaders who will restore honesty and integrity to Illinois government, I will continue to fight for you.
“Comptroller Hynes believes that today’s decision by Lisa Madigan is a clear reflection of the passion she holds for her job as Attorney General and her unwavering commitment to the state. Like the Attorney General, Comptroller Hynes plans on continuing his service of leadership on ethics reform and fiscal matters to the people of Illinois. He will discuss his options with his family and make a decision within the next few weeks.”
What do you think Hynes will do now?
…Adding… Hynes told me weeks ago that there was no way on God’s Green Earth that he would run for a record-breaking fourth term as comptroller. We’ll see.
* By the way, I called Gov. Quinn’s campaign office about a half an hour ago. They weren’t issuing a statement, but said they might later today. I’ll let you know.
My own prediction is that Quinn’s statement will read something like: “Put it on the booooaaarrrrd!!! Yes!!!!”
…Adding… Here’s a visual aide re: Quinn…
Just sayin…
*** UPDATE *** From Alexi Giannoulias…
“In my experiences working with Lisa Madigan and the Attorney General’s office, I know her to be a talented, dedicated, and principled public servant who has always put the interests of the state first. Her decision to seek re-election ensures that the people of Illinois will have a strong advocate on their side. Our offices have worked very well together in the past and I look forward to continuing that relationship as we both focus on helping Illinois families get through these extremely difficult economic times.”
* State Sen. Kirk Dillard is on a scheduled fly-around today to announce his bid for the GOP gubernatorial nomination. The Tribune quoted Dillard this morning as all but endorsing Lisa Madigan for reelection…
“She’s been a good attorney general and if she wants to stay there, that’s fine,” Dillard said. “With Lisa Madigan out of the race, it clearly makes this at least an even, if not a Republican-tilting field. Personally, I’m glad she’s not going to be my opponent in the general election. I believe my chances are better with Pat Quinn or someone else than Lisa Madigan. I look forward to having Lisa Madigan as attorney general when I’m the governor.”
Announced GOP candidate Dan Proft had this to say via press release…
I wonder what DuPage County State’s Attorney and recently announced GOP Attorney General candidate Joe Birkett thinks of Sen. Dillard’s endorsement of Lisa Madigan’s re-election.
Sen. Dillard is also incorrect on substance when it comes to AG Madigan. When AG Madigan ran in 2002 she vilified former AG Jim Ryan for not doing enough to root out public corruption under Gov. George Ryan. The same standard she applied to Jim Ryan should now be applied to her. So I will ask a question Sen. Dillard clearly did not and would not ask: Which corrupt public officials has Lisa Madigan brought to justice over the last six years while Gov. Rod Blagojevich was taking pay-to-play politics in Illinois to new lows?
It is a sorry state of affairs when someone seeking to be the Republican Party’s standard bearer for Governor is disinterested in holding Lisa Madigan and the rest of the Chicago Democrats accountable for what has occurred on their watch. This is the kind of go-along-to-get-along politics that has debilitated the Republican Party in Illinois.
And, as nice a guy as he is, Sen. Dillard goes down this road over and over again—on taxes, on spending, on debt, and on the future of the Republican Party in Illinois.
Let me differentiate myself again from Sen. Dillard: I will be endorsing and supporting the Republican nominee for Attorney General come the general election.
Strange that Proft didn’t mention Dillard’s Obama TV ad, which fits the pattern that Proft lays out here.
* No surprise. Former Rod Blagojevich chief of staff John Harris has pled guilty to a single count. Read the plea by clicking here.
This is what he pled to…
Count Four charges defendant with participating in a scheme to commit wire fraud, including through the deprivation of honest services, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1343 and 1346. […]
It was part of the scheme that beginning in or about October 2008, and continuing until on or about December 9, 2008, Rod Blagojevich (“Blagojevich”), with the assistance of Defendant and others, sought to obtain financial benefits for Blagojevich and his wife, in return for the exercise of his duty under Illinois law to appoint a United States Senator to fill the vacancy created by the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States.
At times Defendant assisted Blagojevich’s efforts to carry out the scheme by suggesting means by which Blagojevich could secure personal benefits for himself in exchange for appointing a United States Senator, conducting factual research relating to the scheme at Blagojevich’s direction, and counseling Blagojevich on carrying out the scheme.
At other times, Defendant expressed opposition to Blagojevich’s efforts to enrich himself through his appointment of a United States Senator, and/or did not follow instructions from Blagojevich to assist in those efforts.
More…
Defendant understood that Blagojevich’s personal financial circumstances and security were a significant consideration for Blagojevich in his analysis of whom he should name to the Senate seat.
There’s not much new on the alleged third party offer to raise $1.5 million for Blagojevich’s campaign funds to secure the appointment of Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. to Obama’s vacant US Senate seat…
Although Blagojevich was previously not willing to consider Senate Candidate A, Defendant believed that Blagojevich was now seriously considering Senate Candidate A because of the offer of campaign funds.
* The G believes Harris when he says he never relayed a specific threat to the Tribune…
Further, in November and December 2008, in response to Chicago Tribune editorials that had been critical of Blagojevich, Blagojevich directed Defendant to tell Tribune Financial Advisor that Blagojevich was going to withhold state financial support that would benefit the Tribune Company, unless the Tribune Owner fired people on the editorial board.
In order to appease Blagojevich, Defendant told Blagojevich that he would and did relay this threat to Tribune Financial Advisor. Although Defendant did have a conversation with Tribune Financial Advisor about the negative editorials regarding Blagojevich, Defendant did not relay the threats as directed by Blagojevich.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Natasha Korecki at the Sun-Times quotes Harris’ attorney as saying his client will have a “significant impact” in the feds’ case against Blagojevich…
“Working for Gov. Blagojevich for the most honest people, was an extraordinarily difficult thing to do,” Ekl said after his client pleaded guilty to one wire fraud count today. “I think John Harris ties a lot of incidents together. He will come across before a jury as absolutely 100 percent honest, because he is. I think his testimony will have a significant impact in the government’s case against the former governor.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** From the Harris plea, this person seems fairly familiar…
…Blagojevich also pressed Defendant to have an “off campus” discussion with Senate Candidate D. Defendant knew that this was a reference to Blagojevich’s prior directive to Defendant to ask Senate Candidate D for Senate Candidate D’s remaining campaign funds in exchange for appointing Senate Candidate D to the U.S. Senate Seat.
Sometime in the summer of 2008, Blagojevich told Defendant that if he appointed Senate Candidate D to the vacant Senate seat, he would want and expect Senate Candidate D to give Blagojevich some or all of Senate Candidate D’s campaign funds. Blagojevich raised this topic, which was often referred to as “the off-campus discussion” with Senate Candidate D, in several phone calls with Defendant. Defendant believed that Blagojevich was again raising this issue because Blagojevich believed that a deal with representatives of President-elect Obama involving Senate Candidate B was no longer a possibility.
In response to Blagojevich’s directives to him, on November 12, 2008, Defendant met with Senate Candidate D in his Springfield office. During the meeting, Defendant had a discussion with Senate Candidate D about his plans for his campaign funds that could not be converted to personal use. Defendant did not directly tell Senate Candidate D that Blagojevich was going to ask Senate Candidate D for his campaign funds.
Based on what Defendant did say, however, Defendant believed that Senate Candidate D was on notice that, in relation to the Senate seat, Blagojevich was going to talk with Senate Candidate D about Senate Candidate D’s campaign funds.
Hat tip to a commenter. Senate Candidate D has not yet been positively identified, so let’s keep the speculation to a minimum, please.
* I’ve spent the past hour or so calling around to Chicago TV and radio stations to see if anyone was going to broadcast Lisa Madigan’s speech live. ABC7 may have the speech on its website. Check it at 2 o’clock. CLTV plans to put the raw video on its site shortly after the announcement. Madigan’s campaign will release her full text shortly after her speech ends, which I’ll post here. They also plan to upload video late this afternoon.
Just hours after Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan took herself out of the running for the seat held by Sen. Roland Burris (D), Rep. Mark Kirk (R) has begun telling influential folks in Washington that he will make the race.
Kirk is widely regarded as the strongest candidate Republicans can field given his proven ability to win votes in a Democratic leaning district and his fundraising prowess. ]…]
National Republicans seem likely to line up behind Kirk although Illinois Republican Party Chairman Andy McKenna is in Washington today meeting with people about a possible candidacy, according to a D.C. source familiar with the visit.
* 1:01 pm - Confirmed that he’s calling around and telling people he’s in.
*** UPDATE - 1:55 pm *** Remember this from yesterday? I wonder how McKenna’s DC meeting went today? Probably not well…
The head of the Illinois Republican Party is making a move to run for the U.S. Senate.
Andy McKenna Jr. is due in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to meet with the National Republican Senatorial Committee and with GOP members of the state’s congressional delegation. Key among the latter is North Shore Congressman Mark Kirk, who so far has not heeded pleas by party leaders to run, creating a political vacuum.
Poor timing on McKenna’s part. But several top Republicans were convinced as of yesterday that LMadigan was running for Senate, which would’ve kept Kirk out.
Meanwhile, the National Republican Senatorial Committee has sent out a blast e-mail that includes highly favorable snippets from today’s Kirk coverage. Many are taking that as a message to McKenna to get the heck out.
DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett plans to run for Illinois attorney general in 2010 - even if incumbent Lisa Madigan seeks a third term…. Birkett… said the attorney general position is his best fit, regardless of whom he faces on Election Day.
* The Question: Now that Madigan has decided to run for reelection, do you think Birkett drops out of the race or stays in? If he drops out, what does he run for? And how does he explain himself?
10:45 am - Lisa Madigan to announce she will run for re-electionrun for re-election as Attorney General, rather than seek the Governorship or a Senate seat.
Madigan has a 2 p.m. political news conference scheduled at a Chicago hotel.
Madigan’s decision stunned Illinois politicians, who saw her being groomed by her father, powerful Democrat Michael Madigan, for top statewide office in a state where he has been the longest-running speaker of the House.
Democrats in Washington, including her former state Senate seatmate, President Barack Obama, courted her for a U.S. Senate bid for the seat he once held.
“She loves her job as attorney general, that’s the first reason,” said Mary Morrissey, Madigan’s political director told me. “Every day she can make a difference.” […]
The immediate political questions:
*Does Chris Kennedy, the Merchandise Mart mogul and Kennedy clan member move ahead with his planned Senate bid?
*Does Comptroller Dan Hynes run for another term or challenge Quinn?
*Over on the GOP side, everyone is waiting for Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) to announce his plans–for senate, governor or another term in the House.
I picked a heckuva day to take the morning off. Oops. Back on the case now. Many thanks to Wonkish.com for picking up the ball and running with it.
* The Democratic leader reviews are in, and they’re brutal…
“Last week, the governor criticized the General Assembly for not spending enough money,” said Rikeesha Phelon, spokeswoman for Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago. “This week, he is criticizing us for spending too much money.”
Phelon said the spending in the bill Quinn vetoed was what the governor wanted when he laid out his proposed budget in March.
“He was for it before he was against it,” Phelon said in a statement.
You can almost taste the hostility.
Speaker Madigan’s spokesman Steve Brown also had a stock response for reporters, calling the governor’s veto “his biggest flip-flop yet”…
“Whatever happened to the tax increase? That appears to be gone,” Brown said of Quinn’s failure to continue his push for a tax hike Tuesday. “This (budget bill) is based on his numbers. It can’t possibly be out of balance.”
Cullerton spokeswoman Rikeesha Phelon said the governor’s veto came as a surprise and was not mentioned during a meeting between Quinn and the Senate president earlier in the day. Phelon questioned why Quinn didn’t instead use his amendatory veto powers to alter the budget bill instead of rejecting it outright, and said the decision will add further tension to negotiations.
“If we just had to deal with the budget gap in these meetings, that would be one thing.Now we have to maneuver around his credibility gap,” Phelon said.
“It appears that he’s bent on causing some chaos, when this legislation was designed to avoid even the threat of any kind of a government service disruption.”
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn is now laying out his proposed billion dollars in cuts to state government, but isn’t actually cutting anything.
The Governor has instead vetoed another piece of the state budget, and is telling lawmakers they have to chose what will get cut… his veto simply sends the budget proposal back to Springfield for what’s expected to be a quick override vote in the Illinois House.
“The governor entirely avoided discussing the human costs of the proposed cuts,” said AFSCME spokesman Anders Lindall. “I heard no acknowledgment from Pat Quinn that 1,000 layoffs in the Department of Corrections will make prisons less safe.”
The union, human services workers and others affected by the proposed budget cuts have been among Quinn’s top allies in his quest for a state income tax hike to address a projected $9 billion deficit.
As Gov. Pat Quinn ponders releasing prison inmates as a budget-cutting move, he’s taking a huge political gamble that has the potential to sink any chance of him being elected back to the governor’s office. […]
Suburban lawmakers expressed concern with the idea saying it could exacerbate crime and overburden already overwhelmed parole agents.
“It’s a huge mistake,” said state Rep. Dennis Reboletti, an Elmhurst Republican and former prosecutor in Will County.
One of the programs targeted for budget cuts is Illinois Cares Rx, which serves low-income senior citizens and people with disabilities. Gov. Pat Quinn has proposed cutting the program by $40 million, or 25 percent.
* Next year isn’t looking so hot, either, by the way…
…Rep. Franco Coladipietro, a Blooomingdale Republican, said the governor and the General Assembly need to address initiatives that affect not just this year’s budget, but budgets several years down the road. He cited job growth, as well as more significant ethics and public employee pension reforms. “Passing a tax increase right now with making no changes to the structural budget process in Illinois only puts us in a position where we’ll be in the same exact position three years from now,” he said. “And it doesn’t change anything.”
* If the administration is planning to release minor drug offenders, I have no problem with that at all. I’m opposed to locking them up in the first place, so an early release would be a rare bright side of the budget crisis. They should pardon them while they’re at it and get those people out of the parole system as well.
But if they’re gonna put convicted home burglars or the like back out on the street before they finish serving their time, then I would not be cool with that whatsoever. “Nonviolent” does not always mean “no threat”…
Gov. Pat Quinn’s plan to slice $125 million from the Department of Corrections’ budget by laying off more than 1,000 employees and “downsizing” institutions likely will mean fewer inmates.
Derek Schnapp, Corrections spokesman, confirmed today that the department is drawing up lists of low-level offenders with less than a year on their sentences who could be released early and put on parole.
Furthermore, Schnapp said, more than 500 employees will be laid off from prisons in East Moline, Lincoln, Logan, Decatur, Vandalia and Vienna effective Sept. 30. Another round of layoffs that will result in 500 more employees losing their jobs will be announced in the future, Schnapp said, but he couldn’t say when.
Either way, this governor flip-flops so much that nobody really knows what could be next. He just vetoed an appropriations bill after soundly thwhacking the GA for sending him legislation that included his introduced spending levels for crying out loud.
…Adding… If you missed the governor’s presser, or you want to hear it again, IIS has a couple of links…
The governor just said he would “veto a bill that the General Assembly sent to me last week.” It’s another budget bill. Dealing with “a lot of parts of state government.”
Quinn said he would veto the bill and send it back with instructions for “how they can save money.”
Bill didn’t follow principles of sacrifice. Some agencies got the same amount of money as last fiscal year, for instance, Quinn said.
$185 million cut from state operations. 2,600 layoffs. Notices “have begun to go out already.”
Furlough days.
Remember, none of these announced cuts are new, except for this new veto.
Most telling line so far, Quinn says lawmakers wanted cuts so he’s giving them what they want.
* The appropriations bill Quinn is vetoing is reportedly HB 2145.
This is a full veto.
* Question: How will you get the unions to go along with furloughs? Answer: I support unions, etc., etc., etc. but no real answer except to say furloughs will limit layoffs and he hopes to convince the unions of that.
Quinn also wants to talk to the union about killing off the scheduled raises.
* Quinn: No furloughs will mean another 2,500 layoffs.
* Quinn won’t confirm a report earlier today that he might implement early release for some inmates. He would only say the Dept. of Corrections would have to change the way it operates.
* Quinn: “They are cuts in [Fiscal Year] ‘09 spending.”
* “They want me to do it,” Quinn said about the GA’s desire for him to make cuts.
* The governor is blaming the GA again, but he won’t admit that he could use the item reduction and line item vetoes on his own. Instead, he wants to get together with the GA to work out the cuts.
* It sounds like he just took a question at his press conference from a non-reporter. That would be very Blagojevichian.
* QUINN: “We’re going to keep vetoing it and vetoing it until we get spending in line.”
* Quinn: At least $25 million in savings from constitutional officers. Hello, Lisa?
* The governor’s press release is now out…
July 7, 2009. Governor Pat Quinn today vetoed House Bill 2145 saying the General Assembly’s bill fails to make any significant cuts in state operations. Instead, the Governor proposed passing a responsible “Tough Choices” budget, which calls for cutting an additional $1 billion in state costs.
“I am vetoing this bill in its entirety because it favors preserving the government status quo and fails to make the necessary cuts and reductions in state government operations,” said Governor Quinn. “It does not reflect the spirit of shared sacrifice that must prevail throughout our state government, particularly during these harsh economic times.”
HB 2145 appropriates $3.8 billion to fund state operations. However, HB 2145 fails to adequately cut the cost of state operations, including the budget of the General Assembly and other Constitutional Officers, including the Attorney General, Treasurer, Comptroller and Secretary of State.
Governor Quinn said the General Assembly and all statewide officers should cut their budgets by at least 10 percent, a cost-cutting move that includes an option of ordering up to 12 furlough days for all employees.
“I presented my budget to the General Assembly on March 18 with a clear message: When it comes to making cuts, we have to make tough choices, not bad choices. It was true then and it’s true today,” said Governor Quinn. “My goal has always been to pass a fair and comprehensive state budget that serves the fundamental needs of the people of Illinois.”
The Governor’s “Tough Choices” budget proposes cutting $1 billion from the state budget including:
· $185 million from state operations, including approximately 2,600 layoffs and 12 furlough days for state employees
· $140 million from Medicaid and health insurance
· $250 million in targeted reductions in grant programs
· $125 million from the Department of Corrections
· $175 million cut from proposed increases for K-12 education
· $25 million from other state offices, departments and agencies not under the Governor
· $100 million in additional reserves
* Quinn said the budget bill is “so flawed” from “beginning to end” that he couldn’t just do reduction or line item vetoes. Instead, he believes they must “start from scratch” and begin again.
Quinn: legislative leaders to meet Monday, lawmakers could have “busy Tuesday”
* Quinn is again complaining (valid complaint, by the way) about how this approp bill unconstitutionally bars him from letting professional and artistic contracts.
* “We vetoed your first effort, now let’s get serious,” Quinn said, talking to the GA.
* Quinn said he would sign another approp bill dealing with Medicaid reimbursement.
* The governor also said he “just got” the capital bill and that’s why he hasn’t moved on it yet. That’s such a bogus claim. He could’ve looked at the capital bill online for weeks.
A day after he said he’d take responsibility for $1 billion in budget cuts, Gov. Pat Quinn today instead threw the issue back into the laps of lawmakers.
Refusing to wear the collar alone for painful choices, Gov. Pat Quinn today said he’s rejecting a budget bill approved by lawmakers and directing them to cut $1 billion from state operations.
*** The governor’s veto message can be read by clicking here *** [Fixed link]
* If you look at the veto message linked above, you’ll see the governor never outright claims that the budget is out of balance. Instead, he relies on other constitutional issues within this one bill - issues that, while mentioned at today’s presser, were not the governor’s prime focus at all.
* Does this mean we can now assume Mark Kirk is out of the US Senate race?
The head of the Illinois Republican Party is making a move to run for the U.S. Senate. Andy McKenna Jr. is due in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to meet with the National Republican Senatorial Committee and with GOP members of the state’s congressional delegation. Key among the latter is North Shore Congressman Mark Kirk, who so far has not heeded pleas by party leaders to run, creating a political vacuum.
Mr. McKenna already has spoken with NRSC Chairman Sen. John Cornyn of Texas and has been encouraged to proceed, according to a source familiar with their conversation.
I’ve been hearing about this for weeks, but was loathe to post it here since McKenna’s name draws so many hateful comments. Please, try to contain yourselves today, OK? Thanks.
* I’m sure former Chicago Ald. Billy Ocasio has good reasons for wanting Rev. Wilfredo De Jesus to replace him on the city council, now that Ocasio has taken a high-level position with Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration. Rev. De Jesus is being slammed by some as being way too insensitive on gay rights, but, again, I’m sure he has his reasons.
Still, why would Ocasio want a replacement who doesn’t even live in his ward? Wasn’t there a qualified candidate who was actually a constituent?
Not that it will probably matter, since Mayor Daley makes the choice, doesn’t particularly care for Ocasio and has a list of four candidates. Presumably, at least one of them lives in Ocasio’s ward.
* Why would Gov. Quinn support an old plan for eleven stops on the proposed high speed rail line between Chicago and St. Louis? Isn’t that a bit much?
Will Cook County Board Commissioner Bill Beavers retire . . . thereby enabling beleaguered Cook County Board President Todd Stroger to run for Beavers’ job — and step aside from the board presidency . . . before the juggernaut of Ald. Toni Preckwinkle, who wants Stroger’s job, runs him down?
* Assume, for the moment, that Attorney General Lisa Madigan runs for US Senate next year. If so, who would be the strongest Democratic candidate for governor? Explain.
* The Sun-Times editorial board gets to the real heart of the matter on this “Clout goes to U of I” Tribune series…
The rich kids, in short, got the break — not the kids who really needed it.
Yesterday’s Tribune published a list of some kids who got bumped ahead of others. Check out their schools…
Highland Park applicant: 24 students above him denied or wait listed
Loyola Academy applicant: 42 students above him denied or wait listed
Benet Academy applicant: 27 students above her denied or wait listed
Highland Park applicant: 23 students above him denied or wait listed
Highland Park applicant: 20 students above him denied or wait listed
Devoted donors to the Fighting Illini are often thanked with prime stadium seats, first crack at tickets to bowl games or a chance to meet some of the school’s marquee players.
But a few patrons of the University of Illinois’ athletic programs also try to use the department’s prestige to give applicants they know an edge in the competitive admissions process, according to newly released campus records.
Why? The Benjamins, baby…
Boosters gave about $12.7 million, or 21 percent, of the $61 million budget last year. That money, which includes endowment funds, provided scholarships for 400 student athletes. The school’s athletic department does not receive state funds, Arner said.
* Higher education budgets were never a priority during the Blagojevich era. Universities had to fight for every additional dollar. Perhaps this is a big reason why the clout list became so important. That’s no excuse.
Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich sent two letters of recommendation on behalf of applicants to Southern Illinois University’s law school, the university said Friday after a search of its admissions records in response to a federal subpoena.
The university, based in Carbondale, said it discovered the 2005 letters but found that neither applicant was admitted to the law school.
Little ol’ SIU could resist but the U of I couldn’t?
[University of Illinois Chancellor Richard Herman] said he didn’t feel he could refuse demands from trustees, particularly from former board chairman Lawrence Eppley, who often presented candidates on behalf of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
“I’m not sure,” Herman said. “I felt my job in danger, but did I feel some need to do what would secure the broader best interests of the institution? Yes.”
* And we might soon find out about even more troubles. The university now as a website listing all FOIAs filed, including this one…
I request a copy of all electronic and paper correspondence with employees of the Chicago Tribune, CLTV, WGN, WGN radio and Tribune Company regarding student admissions.
Heh.
The Sun-Times asked for any Barack Obama correspondence to the university, including recommendations. The university then asked the paper to narrow its search.
* The ongoing investigation surrounding state Rep. Paul Froehlich’s use of property tax appeals to allegedly boost his campaign fundraising and his reelection prospects has turned over a much overlooked rock.
Victor Santana.
As a result of the probe, Fox Chicago reports that Santana, who is about as close as you can get to Cook County Board of Review member and county Democratic Party Chairman Joe Berrios, has been banned from doing any business with the Board of Review.
Part of the problem with Santana is that he’s allegedly been charging people for his interventions with the Board of Review, which would be illegal since he’s not an attorney. He’s reportedly been helping Froehlich with property tax appeals in Froehlich’s district.
But was Froehlich getting help on the inside? Judy McCurdy, who ran Froehlich’s office until she was fired last year, says she was instructed by Froehlich not to follow the standard procedure of mailing the tax appeals to the board.
“The forms were mailed to an individual by the name of Victor Santana, who was the connection for Paul Froehlich.” Said Judy McCurdy
Even though Santana hadn’t worked at the board of review in years, he still had open access to staffers and private areas controlled by commissioner Joseph Berrios. Now, all three commissioners, including Berrios, have banned Santana from their offices…
Placko: “Have you ever taken this kind of action before, banning someone from the board of review?”
Houlihan: “Well I’ve been here two and a half years and we have not banned anyone since I’ve been here.”
And the mystery gets even deeper. Remember Mike Gray, the owner of the Schaumburg furniture store? He told the board, that’s not his signature on his tax appeal which was notarized by Victor Santana.
Gray says he paid Santana two thousand dollars to handle two appeals. Problem is, Santana is not an attorney.
“The concern with Victor Santana is that he, according to certain individuals, has earned money for his involvement and assistance in handling real estate appeals. And unless he’s an attorney he should not be doing it.” Said Larry Rogers Jr.
Here’s the full Fox report…
* Doing research on Santana is not easy. He doesn’t show up much on campaign reports, for instance. What appears to be his company, QTA [Quick Turn Around] Services, gave money once to a committee he controlled that is now defunct, Citizens in Action. There’s another business named “RFG Consultants” that has the same address that he’s used. That company has given a few bucks. Santana’s apparently listed on one disclosure report as being paid $200 in 2001 for a “baptism.”
And I haven’t yet found anything that looks like an expenditure to him on Rep. Froehlich’s campaign finance report for the last six months of 2008. He did give to Froehlich’s township committee back when Froehlich was a Republican.
*** UPDATE - 10:23 am *** As I figured, all this Chicago media hype about today’s big budget cut announcement is simply a retread of the cuts Quinn outlined last week in Springfield.
[ *** End of Update *** ]
* Gov. Quinn held a meeting yesterday about the state budget with almost 40 suburban lawmakers. By looking at the media coverage, it didn’t really go very well…
Rep. Jack Franks, a Woodstock Democrat who attended today’s meeting, said the governor hasn’t proven to the public that a tax increase is a last resort. Instead of identifying specific spending cuts and negotiating with unions early in the spring, the governor has waited until the new fiscal year this summer to lay the groundwork for a tax hike. “This should have been the very last option on the table. And for him, it was the first and only,” he said. […]
Few legislators had high expectations for next week’s special session. “I think next will be a colossal waste of time,” said Rep. Dennis Reboletti, an Elmhurst Republican. “I don’t think any suburban legislators’ mind was changed by this meeting.”
Part of the problem, of course, was the audience itself. Many of those at the meeting were Republicans who won’t vote for a tax hike no matter what, or Democrats like Jack Franks who also will never, ever vote for a tax increase. And then there are those who are planning a statewide bid (Franks included), who won’t be on board no matter what…
“Again, until there is no more talk of a tax hike, I think we’re going down the wrong road,” [GOP gubernatorial candidate Sen. Matt Murphy (R-Palatine) said.
“We need a Quinn budget that isn’t based on a Blagojevich strategy,” [Rep. Mike Tryon (R-Crystal Lake)] said. “Would you give these guys more money to spend?”
South suburban Democrats emerged from the meeting aligning with Quinn, saying a combination of an income tax increase and cuts to services will solve the budgetary mess.
“There’s no way we’re going to get out of this without cuts and revenue enhancements,” said state Sen. Toi Hutchinson (D-Olympia Fields). “Walking around acting like we can do this without an income tax increase is disingenuous at best.”
State Rep. Al Riley (D-Olympia Fields) said the process now comes down to casting aside worries over what voters might remember when they next pull the ballot box lever.
* As for the cuts, Quinn already laid out a billion dollars in reductions last week, so it’s not clear to me if today’s announcement is for another billion or is just a retread of this. The press coverage indicates it’s a retread, which would mean today’s event is a complete fabrication…
$185 million: state operations
• 12 furlough days
• More than 1,600 layoffs for non-Department of Corrections staff
$140 million: Medicaid and health insurance
• Includes $100 million saved by moving Medicaid patients to managed care
$250 million: grants
• Cuts will be targeted to maximize federal matching funds
$175 million: education
• Maintains funding at fiscal 2009 levels and preserves all federal ARRA (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) funds
$125 million: Department of Corrections
• More than 1,000 layoffs of DOC personnel
$100 million: additional reserves
$25 million: other state offices, departments and agencies not under the governor
* Raw video of the governor’s press availability from yesterday…
* AFSCME spokesman offered up his union’s side to Fox Chicago this morning…
Sources said the $85,068-a-year inspector was working a side job installing a flood-control system in the 3500 block of North Octavia — with no permit and none of the required city licenses — when he inadvertently broke the water pipe leading to the home.
Kendrick dialed 311 to report the break. When investigators arrived on the scene, he identified himself as a city inspector and asked them for city-owned parts — lead packs and copper — to repair the broken pipe, sources said.
Little did he know that one of the responding investigators was Pat McDonough, who helped blow the whistle on the Hired Truck scandal.
Illinois leads the nation in bank failures this year, though regulators say that is primarily because it has more banks than any other state.
The number doubled to 12 with the shutdown of six banks in two days last week. State and federal regulators said the Campbell Group, a family-operated holding company for all six, invested in the kind of risky mortgage-backed securities that brought down much larger financial institutions.
All the banks, which were spread from central to northern Illinois, were open Monday with new owners.
“They are a family-owned company. Six of their eight banks made some bad investments, while the other two made community loans, and they are doing fine. It’s the same type of loans that shut down AIG,” said Sue Hofer, spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Finance and Professional Regulation.
BELVIDERE — About 1,700 Chrysler workers will report back to work Wednesday for the first time since May 1, when Chrysler LLC shut down production after entering Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
United Auto Workers Local 1268 President John Gedney confirmed Monday night that the company will restart production. The newly formed company that emerged from bankruptcy, Chrysler Group LLC, restarted production at the end of June at plants in Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Mexico and Canada.
United Airlines, the nation’s third-largest airline, said Monday its June traffic fell 7.5 percent, as an improvement in business at its regional affiliates failed to offset steep dropoffs on most domestic and international routes.
Like other airlines, Chicago-based United has been contending with a steep decline in traffic, especially in lucrative first- and business-class tickets, as the recession curbs travel.
UAL Corp.’s United said paying passengers flew a total of 10.57 billion miles last month, compared with 11.43 billion a year earlier. Excluding a 16.9 percent gain from regional carriers that United operates, traffic fell 10 percent.
Underserved by rapid transit, residents there would benefit from a proposed “Gold Line,” an innovative hybrid of both Metra and the CTA, according to Southsiders Organized for Unity and Liberation, or SOUL.
With the city bidding for the 2016 Games, the line also would serve key Olympic venues, say SOUL members, who represent more than 20 churches and community organizations.
SOUL estimates that implementing the Gold Line would cost $159 million. This would pay for adding 26 Electric District Highliner cars for $91 million as well as for new tracks, station upgrades and fare equipment.
City of Springfield workers will rally outside Municipal Center West before Tuesday’s city council meeting, as a deadline looms for talks between the unions and Mayor Tim Davlin’s administration about potentially drastic cuts in city services.
“This is an action by a number of unions calling on the city council and the mayor to come together to try to work cooperatively to try to solve the fiscal situation in a responsible manner,” said Jeff Bigelow, regional director for Council 31 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
A combined union statement issued today called for the city council to “reopen the budget process and pass a reasonable and realistic budget for the remainder of the fiscal year, not one doomed to fail.”
“After this process, if there are sacrifices to be made by the employees of the City, then those sacrifices will be made in an informed manner,” the statement said.
Either way, there likely will be fewer sheriff’s deputies on the roadways of Kane County soon.
The Policeman’s Benevolent Labor Committee-Kane County Sheriff’s Office said in a release that the Kane County Board “is scheduled to permanently jeopardize the Sheriff’s Office’s ability to provide sufficient police services to the citizens of Kane County, especially those living in unincorporated areas, by reducing the number of sworn deputies that provide essential and required police services.”
The press release was issued just days after members of the county board finance committee approved a resolution that would decrease the number of sworn deputies on the force to 87 from 90 through an early retirement program. That resolution is expected to be approved by the board’s executive committee on Wednesday and then be discussed and probably approved by the full board on July 14.
The public should not be concerned about a lack of police enforcement next year even though the Peoria Police Department will enter 2010 with fewer employees than it has now, Chief Steve Settingsgaard said Monday.
“It’s a very good possibility we’ll have a reduction in staff,” Settingsgaard said during the first of five public forums on the 2010 budget. “This council, the city manager and myself will look at a lot of places to save budget money before we give up a position impacting true public safety.”
The Illinois attorney general’s office sued a Burbank furniture salesman Monday for allegedly bilking his customers out of more than $62,000.
Ziyad Suleiman, 5860 W. 75th Place, has had 54 complaints lodged against him and his four furniture businesses across the Southland, Attorney General Lisa Madigan said in the lawsuit.
Suleiman operated District Furniture Inc., in Chicago; US Furniture Inc., in Burbank; Express Furniture Gallery Inc., in Bedford Park and Chicago Ridge; and Export Furniture Inc., in Bedford Park, between 2001 and this year, the lawsuit said.
While running those businesses, the lawsuit alleges, Suleiman failed to deliver furniture, delivered damaged furniture and refused to give refunds to customers.
