* This story about Gov. Pat Quinn’s capital plan announcement yesterday is so ludicrous that it’s downright hilarious…
The governor said “politics have been removed” from the funding of state road projects. In this Intelligence Report: There are some well-connected winners in Gov. Quinn’s road funding plan.
Ooooo. Intrigue. Tell me more. Who are these dastardly “well-connected” types who won big road projects?
I swear, you’re gonna laugh…
Their list reveals the top-funded districts are represented by legislators who serve on government transportation committees: The 49th State Senate District in Carlinville slated to receive $459 million, the most of any Senate district in the state. The senator from there, Sam McCann, is a member of the transportation committee that helps set transportation policy and determine funding.
OK, first of all, the Senate Transportation Committee does not “determine funding.” That’s done by the two appropriations committees, and Sen. McCann is not on either one of them. Transportation is about policy, not money. There is some overlap, but the cash is doled out by the approp committees. So, that claim is bogus. Also, McCann is a freshman Republican, and a Tier One target at that. If he really was “well connected,” he’d be a Democrat or at least a Republican whom Democrats like. He’s neither. They want him gone and don’t particularly care for him, either. And since he’s a freshman, he has no connections. This is Deanna Demuzio’s old Senate district, half of which was represented by Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig when he was in the House. If anything, there’s your explanation.
Next up…
Next is the 111th State House District in Alton, set to receive $261 million, among the five richest road project districts statewide. The state rep there, Daniel Beiser, chairman of the house transportation committee that oversees roads and bridges
Once again, the House Transportation Committee is about policy, not cash. Beiser does sit on one approp committee, but it’s for higher education.
And then…
Finally, the 37th State Senate District, Peoria, is authorized for 117 highway projects, the highest number in the state. The new senator for that district is the son of Ray LaHood, secretary of the US transportation department, an Obama appointee and a former Illinois congressman.
Senator Darin LaHood says: “I literally just got sworn in four weeks ago.” He wasn’t familiar with what happened in the roll out Thursday and doesn’t think father’s position with feds has anything to do with Quinn road funding.
LaHood is on Transportation, but not on an approp. Also, most of these projects have been in the works for years. LaHood has been in the Senate for like ten minutes.
* Meanwhile, I checked out Drudge this morning and saw this headline…
Oh, for Pete’s sake. Emanuel is a Cub fan. All Cub fans are heckled at Sox Park. Heck, even Sox fan politicians are heckled at Sox Park. The same goes for Cub Field. It’s a Chicago tradition, and it isn’t just confined to sporting events. Years ago, I took my brother to the Blues Festival and Harold Washington was loudly booed for what seemed like a few minutes. My brother, who lives in California, couldn’t believe it. I just laughed, as did everyone else around me.
* Anyway, the Drudge headline links to this…
It might be a bit premature to say the honeymoon is over, but the past 24 hours haven’t been great for Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel.
First he was spurned by the candidate he thought he had locked in as Chicago’s next police superintendent. Then he found out Thursday that not even wearing a White Sox jacket next to Mayor Richard M. Daley is enough to protect a Cubs fan from jeers at U.S. Cellular Field.
Rahm deserved the heckling. Don’t wear a Sox jacket if you’re a Cub fan. Bad idea. But he’d still be heckled even if he wasn’t wearing that jacket.
The only politician I’ve never seen heckled at Sox Park is Jesse White. People love the guy, even though he’s a former Cub player.
* This may or may not be an overreach. I’m just not sure that this is going to be a repeat of 2004 because AFSCME has yet to weigh in…
A plan to force thousands of state employees and retirees to switch health insurance providers is proving just as controversial as it was when a similar proposal was floated in 2004.
A day after the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services announced it will eliminate Health Alliance and Humana as part of the state’s group health insurance program, state workers, some lawmakers and officials at Health Alliance were raising questions about the move.
Health Alliance, which covers nearly 100,000 government and university workers, retirees and their dependents, said Thursday it would protest the bidding process.
“Health Alliance was surprised by the news that the state of Illinois has chosen to force employees and their families to choose between finding a new doctor or paying extraordinarily high rates,” the company said in a statement. “We are very concerned about the lack of choices available to state employees who prefer HMO coverage but cannot afford the state’s new scheme.”
If AFSCME goes all-out against this proposal, then Gov. Quinn will have himself a real problem. We may know more Monday, when an AFSCME official will testify at the Statehouse.
- Bill White - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 9:23 am:
I recall going to a Sox game at the old Cominskey Park after it was well publicized that Mayor Washington would be in attendance.
We were greatly amused when Baines (#3) came to bat and the fans started chanting, “Har-old, Har-old, Har-old!”
- 47th Ward - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 9:24 am:
Speaking of media hilarity, did anyone catch Dane Placko’s expose of IDOT Minutemen last night on Fox 32? Placko and IFI’s John Tillman are absolutely outraged that long-time state employees earn overtime, in some cases totaling annual salaries of $140,000.
Imagine, being a 20 year employee, working 50 hours per week helping stranded motorists, and having the gall to collect overtime pay. Who do these IDOT people think they are? Middle class?
Hardworking employees earning a dedcent living is NOT a scandal. That was one of the worst pieces of tee-vee reporting ever.
- wordslinger - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 9:28 am:
What a scoop by Goudie. Who knew that Downstate Republicans like McCann and LaHood — freshmen at that — were the Big Heat in Springfield.
Those Chicago Dem boys — Madigan, Cullerton and Quinn — are powerless to stop them, they can only hope to contain them.
That’s a strange perspective from a veteran, alleged Big Hitter investigative reporter.
- Cheryl44 - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 9:29 am:
Hell yeah, I’d heckle Emanuel just for wearing a Sox jacket. Daley should have joined in.
- CircularFiringSquad - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 9:31 am:
Goudie’s “reporting” gotta make you wish for Hugh Hill and Fahey Flynn to get bck on the beat!
Could it be time to revive the now retired “Dick Kay Dumber Than I Look” award
- Fed up - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 9:33 am:
47th ward
Didn’t see the story but have to admit 140k for a mechanic seems a bit much. I just hope it was someone who actually is on the road helping motorists and not someone in an office. Drudge is reaching every politician gets booed or heckled at sporting events. When it comes to Quinn what afscme wants afscme gets.
- amalia - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 9:36 am:
report from the 500 level…..guy walks up steep stairs and two whole sections are up booing, loudly, people yelling. guy wore a Cubs hoodie to the game. you wear it, you hear it. Go ‘Sox.
- Kasich Walker, Jr. - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 9:40 am:
To Rich, 47th Ward, & others criticizing our local news teams —
How dare you!
Especially when the coverage is presented with valuable commercial information concerning over the counter & prescription medicines that I may discuss with my doctor in hopes of treating the symptoms I may have that are caused by diseases that I didn’t even know existed.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 9:41 am:
Fed up,
The “story” was about Minutemen drivers with salaries of $70,000 who are earning overtime. If they’re working 50 hours or more, why should we begreduge them fair pay? In Chicago, $140,000 isn’t Rockefeller money. Plus, they are working overtime because the state isn’t hiring new Minutemen and someone needs to be out on the roads helping motorists.
Placko got his white board out and tallied up the math. His analysis found that IDOT could hire 11 new Minutemen for the same cost as paying overime.
Of course he forgot that new employees come with new pension and healthcare costs. I’m sure he’ll run a clarification on tonight’s broadcast. Between Larry Yellon, Placko and some others there, it looks like the local Foxsters are auditioning for Network jobs.
- wordslinger - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 9:45 am:
47, yeah, those Expressway Minutemen have real cushy jobs. Nothing like the physical challenges and danger faced by working stiff Fox TV reporters.
Heck, I’d do the Minuteman job for nothing — you can listen to the radio in-between responding to distressed motorists and accidents, at all hours, in all weather, while hundreds of cars and semis roar by at 75 mph. Like working in a rocking chair.
- PaGo - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 9:45 am:
When I see “governor” and “intelligence report” in the same paragraph…I chuckle.
- Plutocrat03 - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 9:48 am:
140K? I thought that was the evil rich…..
I think it is ridiculous that the state is in the car repair business. Make it like the towing concessions. Let private companies do the work. Leave the state to a communications/coordination role.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 9:49 am:
===140K? I thought that was the evil rich===
No. 250K.
lol
- Kasich Walker, Jr. - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 9:51 am:
Hold it: $459 million for roads in Carlinville? I’m confused. Is that I-55 work; a new bridge across the Mississippi?
You could hire a lot of modern dancers with that kind of money.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 9:54 am:
Roads and bridges are quite expensive.
- Anonymous - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 9:54 am:
Rich, who is the “Sen. McCarter” you mentioned in the paragraph when referring to McCann?
- 47th Ward - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 9:54 am:
Pluto, if you don’t know what you’re talking about, it’s best to say nothing.
The primary mission of Minutemen is NOT to repair cars. It is to remove disabled vehicles to keep the roadways open. You can’t privatize it so easily.
It’s obvious from your comment that you don’t spend much time on the expressways near Chicago. A flat tire in the center lane at rush hour can shut down traffic for miles.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 9:58 am:
===Rich, who is the “Sen. McCarter” you mentioned in the paragraph when referring to McCann? ===
Oops. Fixed. I’d say they all look alike, but they don’t. I had a short piece about McCann in the Fax today, so my brain apparently got crosswired.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 9:59 am:
===A flat tire in the center lane at rush hour can shut down traffic for miles. ===
Not to mention kill somebody.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 10:01 am:
And can we get off this topic, please? The Illinois Policy Institute is about the most disreputable organization in Illinois right now. Move along.
- Six Degrees of Separation - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 10:10 am:
A good way to corroborate or refute the “influence” list regarding the IDOT road program would be to go project-by-project and see how many years they were in the program (which is published info). Any project that has been in for more than 1 year would obviously not have jumped the line b/c of some freshman’s election. And Mr. Walker’s observation is very astute…if it’s a big project’s turn to bat, that legislator’s district is going to show a lot of $ in the per legislator list. Unless you’re in underpopulated southeastern IL or a similar rural area with no interstates, your turn will come up sooner or later.
- CircularFiringSquad - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 10:10 am:
Speaking of hilarious can anyone tell us why the Treasurer needs any cars…he dumps six, keep six
Huh….are they out picking up checks, making deposits?
O.k let’s give them 2 one to cart the boss around in Chicago and one to do campaign stops in downstate.
Now that would be true transparent reform!
- Cindy Lou - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 10:10 am:
I realize roads seem to be the topic here this morning, but I am concerned with the available healthcare options coming up in a few weeks. This is an awful lot of people to toss into this transition with a very short tie frame. I so far (without more info) can’t see how this is going to be a problem free smooth move for the insured.
The one company is established in my area (limited, but with presence), I’m concerned with rush towards what little providers are lined up and what little time patients would have to make a care routine switch smoothly without possible serious delay (ongoing treatments, meds, ect).
- jerry 101 - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 10:28 am:
If Rahm had any pride, he’d go to a Sox game wearing a Cubs jacket. Of course he was going to get boo’ed (b/c he’s a politician AND a Cubs fan).
But at least he wouldn’t have looked like such a big fool. Of course the guy probably isn’t even much of a “Cubs” fan - I doubt he cares too terribly much about them one way or the other, but he had to pick that side to win his first race for Congress, so there you have it.
He should have gone to the game sans team affiliated jacket or wearing a Cubs jacket. People would respect him a bit more for sticking with his team instead of looking like a wishy washy panderer.
- gg - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 10:31 am:
Afscme is trading health care costs for employee head count. Retirees and dependants do not pay dues. The employee contract is going to be a issue in the 2012 elections.
- Plutocrat03 - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 11:02 am:
Another drive by from 47. Not only I do most of my driving in the 6 county metro area, but I have investigated more than 1K accidents over the years. I can guarantee my knowledge is superior to yours on this area.
Of course it is dangerous to be disabled on a highway. First of all a flat tire does not mean you stop in the middle of the road. You drive to a shoulder and get as far off the road as possible.
I’ll bet a private operator can get to a disabled car faster than a Minuteman can. It is simply a matter of how many resources you have. There are a ton of guys with tow trucks who could use the work vs how many Minutemen are on duty at a given time.
Of course
- Responsa - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 11:07 am:
I thought it was classy for Rahm to recognize that Sox opening day is a revered tradition and a serious event in Chicago, and to show up for a Chicago team. (It’s kind of the same subtle humor and good will shown by Black pols in green showing up to march in the traditional St. Patrick’s day parade event which is always fun to see.)
- Bob - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 11:31 am:
AFSCME will fall right in line with the state. AFSCME is not losing anything so they don’t care. They are too worried about the losing dues in other states. Its all about the money !
- 10th Voter - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 11:47 am:
Jerry 101 -
I agree with you completely that Rahm should wear his Cubs gear and deal with the boos, but I remember many a Sox fan being very upset for Blago for not wearing a Sox hat after 2005…as a Cubs fan I “don’t recall” what the Sox did in 2005, but I do remember the backlash…
- Because I say so - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 12:03 pm:
They showed Mayor Daley on the jumbotron yesterday at the game. It seemed like everyone in the place cheered. He tipped his Sox cap and smiled. I thought it wa pretty cool.
- Palatine - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 12:08 pm:
It might be a bit premature to say the honeymoon is over, but the past 24 hours haven’t been great for Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel.
No it hasn’t and it’s diffently over even before it started.
- CircularFiringSquad - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 12:25 pm:
Speaking of Media Hilarity II that imbecile Elliott Davis who still gets a check from KTVI in St. Louis is about four days late on his story about cutting legislative pay. They bill pased Tuesday but ED was on last nite still ranting
ED also mis i.d. at least one lawmaker in his riveting account. Maybe ED and Goudie could team up
- Rayne of Terror - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 12:35 pm:
My twitter buddies are mostly CU state & university employees and they are absolutely panicked and freaking out about Health Alliance. It’s all anyone wants to talk about since the news came out.
- mokenavince - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 1:10 pm:
As a life long Sox fan I welcome Mayor Rham to Sox Park. I know he will alway love the Cubbies more so what . Maybe his children will see the light and really be Sox Fans. Who knows, us Soxsiders may need a favor. I hope he visits our park more often. Everyboys loves a Winner.
- Secret Square - Friday, Apr 8, 11 @ 2:27 pm:
FYI: Quinn has issued an executive order that gives BACK to CMS, DHS, DOC, and a couple of other agencies, the authority over healthcare purchasing that Blago took away from them in 2005 and gave to HFS. It will be effective July 1. I don’t know, however, if this is directly connected to the Health Alliance/BCBS issue or not.