Tempest in a teapot
Monday, Jun 6, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Mike Smith was chairman of the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee before his defeat last year. So, he knows the issues inside and out. Smith sponsored a constitutional amendment to institute a graduated income tax, so he’s no Johnny Come Lately to a tax hike. The media may try to make something out of this, but they’re barking up the wrong tree…
Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has appointed another former Democratic legislator to a high-paying board.
Former Rep. Michael Smith of Canton was tapped for a $94,000 post on the Educational Labor Relations Board.
Smith lost election to a ninth term in November. He was chairman of the House’s Elementary and Secondary Education Committee and the education appropriations panel.
Smith told The Associated Press he believes he has the background necessary and still believes he can contribute to public service.
* Again, this is no Careen Gordon redux, no matter how hard some are trying to make it look that way. And I have no idea which “appearance of impropriety” this is supposed to be violating…
“It just doesn’t pass the smell test,” said [Sen. Tim Bivins, R-Dixon], a former Lee County sheriff. “Maybe this appointment doesn’t violate any laws. Maybe this appointment doesn’t violate any ethics rules, but it certainly creates an appearance of impropriety, and I think as elected officials, we have a duty to avoid that appearance.”
Bivins compared the Smith appointment to Quinn’s appointment of Gordon and of Terry Cosgrove, who heads an abortion rights group called Personal PAC, which contributed heavily to the governor’s fall campaign. Cosgrove was appointed to the Human Rights Commission.
Even so, Sen. John Millner, a former Elmhurst police chief now living in Carol Stream, spoke favorably of Smith, saying, “Mike is a good man. He was a hard-working state representative.”
Smith was upfront with voters about where he stood on the tax issue, Millner said.
“From my estimation, he has the appropriate background as he was chair of the Elementary and Secondary Education Committee and on the education appropriations committee as well,” Millner said. “He has the necessary background.”
Millner is absolutely right here. Back off.
- Demoralized - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 1:05 pm:
Rep. Smith is a good man and is well qualified for this position. He was always a yes vote on the tax hike. The Republicans just look like fools if they try to make hay out of this issue. The bottom line is that Governor’s get to appoint whomever they choose and obviously they are going to appoint allies sometimes. However, there is nothing sinister about the appointment.
- anon - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 1:09 pm:
I commend Sen. Millner for being the bigger man and standing up for Smith regardless of his political party.
Hats off to you Senator Millner
- downstate hack - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 1:42 pm:
Perhaps the bigger question here is with the State’s economic malaise, it $94,000 the right salary. I bet you could find any qualified candidates at $65,000. The numerous boards and commissions in this State need to be drastically reduced.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 1:43 pm:
dh, I wouldn’t put up much of an argument about the salary, but that’s not the issue here.
- anon - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 1:45 pm:
From a public employer who is tired of the completely lopsided pro-union decisions constantly being issued by the blagojevich appointed labor board-um basically bought by AFL-CIO PAC $$ I say thank god for Mike Smith.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 1:49 pm:
@dh -
For the record, board members, unlike lawmakers, are prohibited from holding outside employment.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 1:55 pm:
Also for the record, while Smith has a MUCH longer record of supporting tax increases, Gordon was very clear that she recognized the need for new revenue before her election loss.
Gordon has a long record of standing up for the things she believes in, even when that meant standing up to Mike Madigan.
Its no surprise to anyone that she voted for the tax increase, which she undoubtedly would have done if she’d won as well.
If anything, fiscal conservatives should be glad she pushed for spending restrictions as part of her vote…those will far outlast the tax hike.
- JayKing - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 2:24 pm:
Mike Smith is a bright, thoughtful guy who would be qualified for a lot of jobs outside of State government. While in the GA, he had that rare quality of being so smart that he was respected by both sides of the aisle. The GA’s loss is the Administration’s gain and the State is lucky to be able to keep someone like Mike in public service. I’m sure that he had other choices.
- Erwin - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 2:33 pm:
Mike was a thoughtful state rep and I miss working with him at the Statehouse. I am confident that he will be an asset to the IELRB.
- reformer - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 3:07 pm:
YDD
Though I respect your opinion, I’m not as sure as you are that had Gordon (and Flider) won last fall, she still would’ve flipped on her campaign position against raising the income tax. It’s easier to change one’s mind knowing she or he will never have to face voters again, don’t you think?
- Seriously??? - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 3:34 pm:
Kudos to Senator Millner.
- Facetious - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 3:50 pm:
Let’s see… Let’s estimate for the sake of argument that the total salaries and benefits of various board members and legislators carry’s a price tag of approximately 20 million dollars a year….. X 50 years = 1 billion dollars of unfunded liability (get this…their part time). Let’s now cut all salaries in half… Sen Schoenberg this saves the taxpayers 1/2 billion dollars in unfunded liabilities… right! All this and you didn’t have to pay a few hundred thousand dollars for a study.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 4:01 pm:
@Reformer:
Pre-election quote from Rep. Gordon, hat tip to Cal Skinner:
“At this point now, I can’t ask the people who live in my district for more money until the state of Illinois shows that they are good at money management. I haven’t voted for a tax increase and I have showed I won’t vote for a tax increase until we show that.”
- Kankakee Daily Journal
That ain’t a “Read my lips” quote. Its a lawmaker telling you that she’ll support a tax hike when the state shows that they’ve straightened out their spending problems.
She’s very clearly saying that there are conditions under which she would support a tax hike to anyone who isn’t deaf.
Typical of lazy reporters, they’ve confused correlation and causation.
Moreover, nearly everyone in Springfield, including most reporters and most Republicans, believed that more revenue was needed to address Illinois structural budget deficit.
Frankly, it would have been shocking if any lame duck Democrats HADN’T voted for the tax increase.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 4:08 pm:
YDD, not to rehash this whole Gordon thing, but she never voted for a tax hike in her entire career. She was the female Jack Franks. The same cannot be said about Smith.
- Pat Robertson - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 4:09 pm:
Maybe the Trib is trying to garner the support of all the merit comp employees who have not yet joined the union and get apoplectic whenever they hear about the Governor giving big salaries to his friends. I think their number is still in the high two-digit range, so the Trib would see them as a large potential audience.
- southern illinoisan - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 4:41 pm:
What are Mr. Smith’s qualifications to be a member of the ELRB besides chairing a education related committee’s in the GA? Was he a teacher, principal or education professional? I am familiar with the “normal” qualifications to sit on the ELRB. Professional experience in the field is required.
- Come on man! - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 4:47 pm:
The trib is just using a simple formula. Quinn gives (name)-d (town) a job, they did x-favor therefore Quinn is a crook.
All of this is just sour grapes on the Republican side and the tribune. The one year you had to run the table you didn’t. Never bet against MJM.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 4:53 pm:
===I am familiar with the “normal” qualifications to sit on the ELRB. Professional experience in the field is required. ===
You may not be that familiar. For instance…
Michael H. Prueter…
As a mortgage banker, Mr. Prueter has several years of business experience in the banking and financial services industry. Mr. Prueter has previously worked as a staff member in the Illinois House and Illinois Senate. He was elected in his township as Township trustee and served the public in this capacity for 10 years. Mr. Prueter received his Masters in Business Administration from Columbia State University.
- southern illinoisan - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 6:14 pm:
Ok Rich, how about the qualifications of the other sitting members? How many of those people have some sort of training or experience in a education related field?
I believe Mr. Prueter was appointed by Gov Ryan, a convicted felon. Not the best example…
I ask again — what are Mr. Smith’s qualifications?
- Rich Miller - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 6:23 pm:
The guy was the go-to guy on education-related issues in the House. If that doesn’t suit you, whatever. You made a blanket statement about the board, which was refuted. Then, you attempt to weasel out by citing Ryan. Well, some of those people who meet your criteria were put on the board by Blagojevich. I could just as easily use that fact to undermine your own position yet again. But I won’t, because doing so would be as silly as your point.
- southern illinoisan - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 8:17 pm:
Here is my point: many of these boards are nothing but havens of political patronage which are abused by the party in power. This does nothing but to enhance the perception of corruption in the state of Illinois. This situation is a classic example that does not need any barking up a tree to see the truth. Defend it if you like, but it still stinks…
- JayKing - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 8:28 pm:
@So. Ill’an: Political patronage is usually reserved for people who can’t/won’t do anything else. I don’t think that Mike Smith would have had trouble finding a job elsewhere. Also, who is more qualified for the job than the guy who worked on many of the laws under the jurisdiction of the agency?
- 1776 - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 8:36 pm:
The fact of the matter is that elections matter. If Brady was Governor, I would be willing to bet my salary (or Rich’s!!!) that there would be a number of lawmakers in these jobs.
- southern illinoisan - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 9:24 pm:
This say’s a lot about the ELRB:
http://directorblue.blogspot.com/2011/05/crony-filled-illinois-educational-labor.html
- truthteller - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 9:25 pm:
Forget everything else. The law requires five years of experience in labor relations. What is Smith’s experience in that field? Doesn’t matter that he was the chair of the Ed Committee. Where is his labor relations experience? He isn’t going to be determining the curriculum or the best teaching methods.
- G. Willickers - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 10:52 pm:
@ conseravtive muckrakers -
So Dan Seals got that state job because he voted for the increase?
Oh, wait. He wasn’t in the legislator.
So Mark Walker got that state job because he voted for the increase?
Oh, wait. No state job for Walker.
…GOPs will have a leg to stand on when they elect a governor and appoint all Democrats instead of Republicans to these types of positions.
And the Trib will have a leg to stand on when it stops contradicting itself.
PS @ southern illinoisan -
Not that it impacts you all that much but freshman President of the Cook County Board Toni Preckwinkle has eliminated or downsized several of these types of boards in her first few months in office.
And she’s a Dem. In Chicago.
- Liandro - Monday, Jun 6, 11 @ 11:05 pm:
Why do we need all these boards again? Isn’t there a more efficient way to do all this?
- Facetious - Tuesday, Jun 7, 11 @ 9:24 am:
- southern illinoisan -
I went to your link. It doesn’t list all of the board members. Can someone name them?