For instance, she promised to repeal what’s left of incumbent Todd Stroger’s penny-on-the-dollar sales-tax hike — a half-cent repeal is pending — within four years.
I pledge to take down the remaining half percent as quickly as I can in my four-year term … But when you are reducing income, you also have to think about how you are reducing expenses. You have to look carefully through the budget and look at where there is waste, duplication, where you can save money by consolidating or bringing things in house that were previously outsourced… We have to be very thoughtful and careful about what we’re doing, and look at income and expenses over time, and not just stumble from one budget year to the next.
Q: The first half of Todd Stroger’s one percent sales tax increase has been eliminated. When would you take the other half-percent off?
A: I’ve committed that I’d do that over the four years, but not when I walk in the door, because I’ve got to figure out what the heck is going on. Given what you’ve read in the newspapers, it looks more complicated than I expected.
Shoppers will have to wait until 2012 at the earliest for repeal of the remaining half-penny increase in the Cook County sales tax because of a shortfall that could approach $500 million, the Democratic nominee for County Board president said Wednesday.
Ald. Toni Preckwinkle (4th) campaigned on a promise to repeal the remaining half-penny over time.
“After months of misleading voters, Alderman Toni Preckwinkle has finally acknowledged she has no intention of immediately repealing the Cook County sales tax increase and will not cut wasteful spending to east the tax burden.”
* Toni Preckwinkle, May 20th…
Since announcing my campaign for Cook County Board President in December of 2008, I have been committed to repealing the sales tax increase. From Day 1, my focus will be on working to make that a reality. I have already pledged to immediately take a 10% pay cut and call for a comprehensive personnel audit, beginning with the Office of the President.
Since Feb. 2nd, we have put a lot of energy into trying to figure out what we are heading into. At this point, it has been suggested that we could be looking at a huge deficit next year. It would be irresponsible to cut resources without knowing more about the state of the County’s financial condition. I am committed to filling any budget gaps without burdening the people of Cook County.
As Cook County Board President, my focus from Day 1 will be implementing responsible spending practices, eliminating waste and inefficiencies, and looking for non-tax resources so that we can repeal the remainder of the sales tax.
Repealing the sales tax, while cleaning up corruption and providing services more effectively will feel like we’re fixing the plane while we’re flying it, but I am confident we will meet these challenges.
It looks to me, at least, that she’s been pretty clear for months about how she probably wouldn’t eliminate the half-penny sales tax right away. It’s been a four-year phase-out plan since November.
The House will reconvene Session on Monday, May 24 at 4 p.m.
In addition Members should plan on Session for Tuesday, May 25 and Wednesday, May 26.
Some House Committees will be posted for Monday, May 24 at 3 p.m., just prior to Session convening that day.
*** 2:11 pm *** Senate President John Cullerton has told his members that their chamber will return on Wednesday, May 26th at 4 o’clock pm…
Members should make appropriate preparations for Session through Friday, May 28th. I would anticipate not spending Memorial Day weekend in Session, though it may be necessary depending on actions taken in the House of Representatives.
* Local governments, colleges and universities have lobbied forever. Most of them used to just lobby through their associations, like the Illinois Municipal League or the Illinois Community College Trustees Association, or whatever.
But over the past few decades, government lobbying has picked up and it’s now at least a $6.4 million a year business. That ain’t much in the overall scheme of things, but it is significant and, to some, newsworthy…
The Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, a good government group that produced a report tallying the money spent on lobbying efforts, believes the public is ill-informed about the relationship between government entities and lobbying firms.
“There’s a void in what we know about the State Capitol, and we should call on legislators to fill that void, to make this information public,” said David Morrison, associate director of the advocacy group.
Although the biggest spender in the study was the Chicago Transit Authority at $385,000 on six lobbying firms, some of the largest spenders came from the smallest areas.
Three Chicago suburbs managed to outspend the city of 3 million residents. The village of Bellwood, population 20,500, sent more than $138,000 to four separate lobbying firms; Crestwood spent more than 10 times its 11,000-person population; and Countryside’s 5,000 residents paid lobbyists $90,000.
* There are a lot of reasons a local government, school, university, etc. would hire a particular Statehouse lobbyist. They may want something that the Municipal League, for instance, can’t or won’t handle. A private industry example would be WalMart, which belongs to the Retail Merchants Association and other statewide lobbying groups but still has its own contract lobsters. Sometimes, members of those groups want something that is not in the best interest of other members, so the associations won’t get involved. Those well-connected, experienced contract lobbyists can do things that few others can…
But monitoring Springfield has grown increasingly difficult, and many officials believe it’s best to have a professional watching out for the local governments’ best interests, Tinley Park Mayor Ed Zabrocki said. Tinley Park spent $6,000 on an outside lobbyist, but Zabrocki, a former state representative, noted that he and other village officials do some lobbying as well. […]
“Things have gotten so complicated down in Springfield that we need someone down there full time,” Zabrocki said
* The ways lobbyists are chosen are almost as varied. Some choose individual lobbyists for at least partly political reasons. The mayor or college president may have a previous or even current campaign relationship with a lobster, for example. One of SIU’s lobbyists worked on Glenn Poshard’s 1998 campaign. Aurora’s lobbyist was also a mayoral campaign honcho.
Some lobbyists are picked because they have special connections. Former Blagojevich insider John Wyma surely wasn’t hired by the DuPage County Board of Health for his mastery of their issues. Some former legislators now represent towns or counties in their old districts. Some lobbyists have expertise at obtaining grants…
Chicago Heights School District 170 Supt. Tom Amadio said he’s satisfied with the results of the $22,500 his district spent on outside lobbying. Having someone based in Springfield is useful when seeking funding for programs or projects, Amadio said.
Brian Oaks, general manager of the center, said the PCCC pays into the Civic Center Coalition, which hires a lobbyist to keep track of legislation pertinent to 11 civic centers and arenas around the state.
Most notably, Oaks said, Zack Stamp Ltd. helped secure $25 million in appropriations for the center via the state’s capital construction plan that was approved last year.
The Chicago Transit Authority racked up the highest tab at $385,345 among transit agencies and all 119 government bodies surveyed for lobbyist expenses. Metra spent $264,504, the Regional Transportation Authority, $171,635; and suburban bus service PACE, $132,000.
RTA Chairman Jim Reilly said his agency is spending less than in prior years but is still working on far-reaching legislative issues, including seeking state money for public works projects and securing overdue state payments.
Metra spokeswoman Judy Pardonnet said the contract lobbyists are the agency’s “eyes and ears” in Springfield, working with lawmakers, testifying on legislation and monitoring proposals that might have a financial impact.
CTA spokeswoman Noelle Gaffney said that unlike other government bodies, the transit agency does not have taxing authority and relies primarily on fares and public funding. The CTA “needs to be in the mix” in Springfield and needs skilled representation to work on the agency’s behalf, particularly in the tight financial times, Gaffney said.
Cynthia Canary, director of the Chicago-based watchdog group, noted that the concept of one unit of government hiring private lobbyists to communicate with another unit of government often looks “absolutely crazy” to taxpayers. “In essence, we’re spending money to talk to ourselves,” she said.
But she added that, with the state’s budget crisis, local units of government are competing for every state dollar they can get. “While I think it is crazy, I understand it” in that context, she said.
The object of releasing this report is to demand that the state require everyone who hires a lobbyist to disclose how much they’re spending. You can read the ICPR’s full report by clicking here.
Canary’s ICPR belongs to a few organizations that lobby the General Assembly, has in-house people who do lobbying, but the group has also retained contract lobsters (Mike Kreloff and James Bray this year).
* As I told subscribers this morning, Jason Plummer pledged during the primary not to accept a salary if he’s elected lt. governor. See it for yourself…
So, how will he be paying his expenses for four years? We won’t know unless he releases his income tax returns. We’re just supposed to thank him for not taking a state check without knowing who is paying his bills.
(V)oters can fairly wonder if Plummer has decided it is better to risk the criticism he’ll receive for not releasing his returns than the stream of news stories if he does.
Plummer’s running mate, gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady, was in a similar situation last month after saying he wouldn’t release his returns. After criticism from several quarters, including Gov. Quinn, Brady relented. The result was the revelation that Brady, who is wealthy, did not owe federal income taxes for the past two years because of business losses.
Plummer, who also is wealthy, might well wish to keep the details of his family’s extensive businesses private. But this is Illinois, where three of the last seven men elected governor have gone to prison and a fourth is scheduled to go on trial next month.
If Plummer doesn’t change his mind, he shouldn’t be surprised if voters turn out to be a bit skeptical.
Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor Sheila Simon on Wednesday took her Republican opponent Jason Plummer to task for declining to release his tax returns. […]
“I think it’s a pretty reasonable request on the part of the voters to want to know about a candidate,” Simon said. “In the course of the campaign there are probably some unreasonable requests for information, some things that are too personal. I don’t think this is one of those.”
Simon said Plummer’s decision made the Democratic ticket more transparent.
“The other side has a less than stellar record in that department,” Simon said.
* Also, as a followup to an earlier post, Bill Brady’s campaign says that Brady will be turning over the management of his businesses to his brothers if he’s elected. He’ll essentially convert his income from “non passive” to “passive.” I plan to ask Plummer’s campaign today what he will do with his own business interests if he’s elected.
* I haven’t commented on the “lessons Illinois can learn” from this week’s primaries in other states because I haven’t really seen all that much to learn from.
But that hasn’t stopped others from tossing in their two cents. Here’s the Southern Illinoisan…
Here’s the bummer for the kings of fence-sitting: The backlash has started. It’s called the Tea Party. It’s called the recent party convention and primary election results.
Ask Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, who won’t be returning to the U.S. Senate. His party bounced him. Ask former Republican and current Democrat Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania. When the next Congress convenes, the longtime fixture won’t be taking his seat in the Senate. His state’s voters have called him home. Ask Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson how much good his pedigree and endorsements did him Tuesday night.
Downstate Illinois legislators: Do you think your constituents like you so much personally they will continue to tolerate the feudal homage you pay to your Chicagoland counterparts and the excuses you bring home?
First off, there are no real contested races in the Southern Illinoisan’s coverage area. So I doubt those incumbents are quaking in their boots.
The Utah GOP has moved way anti-establishment Right, Pennsylvania Democrats weren’t all that turned on by a lifelong Republican who admitted he switched parties to win his election and Kentucky Republicans went with a charismatic, successful, conservative outsider with a well-known name and rejected a slightly more moderate and still popular statewide official. I don’t see how that applies much to the general election non-contests in southern Illinois.
Usually politicians like to publicize their deep experience as something that gives them an edge. But whether we’re talking about Illinois’ U.S. Senate race or several congressional match-ups, there’s worry experience might turn off voters, and that’s something candidates may not have experienced to this level before.
I agree that both candidates for US Senate have experience problems. The word “congressman” is not exactly popular, and “Republican congressman” is even more unpopular. Alexi Giannoulias’ experience as state treasurer included some big problems with a college savings fund. Several congressional races are in flux right now because of the votes taken by incumbent Democrats, not so much generic experience.
Keep in mind that two of the more “experienced” statewide officials in Illinois have zero worries this fall. Secretary of State Jesse White will cruise to reelection, as will Attorney General Lisa Madigan. Polls show AG Madigan is the most popular politician in the state, despite the fact that she’s the daughter of the House Speaker, who is portrayed as all but evil by most media outlets.
[The recent results show] that “experience” and “seniority” might not carry the weight with voters that they once did.
That should be a wakeup call to incumbents in Illinois, too, and a reminder not to take too lightly independent and third-party candidates who are challenging established politicians.
The Pantagraph then goes on to undermine its argument by noting how goofy the two independent hopefuls are, then concludes…
There have to be better qualified people in Illinois capable of running as independent candidates for governor to lift up the debate and focus the campaign on solutions to our many problems — perhaps someone who can stay above the political fray (as much as one can when running for office) and isn’t worried about re-election in four years.
You don’t have to look to Kentucky where ophthalmologist Rand Paul won the Republican U.S. Senate nomination Wednesday after mounting a Tea Party-themed campaign of anger and upheaval.
You don’t have to look anywhere but right here. The movement was born in places such as Fuentes’ wood-paneled insurance office on Oak Park Avenue.
For years, local, state and federal lawmakers have promised to revitalize the Southland economy. They understand the property tax system and its inherent failures. Cook County businesses are taxed double, in many cases, what Will County charges.
Here’s a stark example: The Cracker Barrel restaurant off Harlem Avenue in Tinley Park, in Will County, paid $37,239 in property tax last year. The Cracker Barrel near Interstate 57 in Matteson, in Cook County, paid $168,395 in property tax last year.
I’m pretty sure both places are serving up the same chicken and dumplings.
But lawmakers haven’t fixed the problem. They should be working endlessly to detonate the iceberg that is Cook County’s tax classification system. Instead, our elected officials are standing on the ship deck wagging fingers while their constituents scramble for the lifeboats.
I get why businesses are upset with Cook County’s classificiation system. But what’s not mentioned is that if Cook lowers business taxes, then homeowner taxes will have to radically increase. That would spark a real revolt. Cook essentially subsidizes homeowners by making businesses pay more.
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Bennett lost in part because he was “too reasonable,” meaning he was a get-along guy when voters are looking for somebody who will buck authority. “People want folks who have an edge,” he said, “and will fight.”
Yep. But incumbents can also portray themselves as fighters and even outsiders. Pat Quinn did that in his primary and won. Longtime legislator Bill Brady is doing it in the general.
