* Yesterday, I asked you to vote on which optional Medicaid services you would eliminate. Just one of those optional services received more than 50 percent “support”: Group Psychotherapy for Nursing Home Residents. But eliminating that program saves only $13 million out of a total of $1.8 billion in cuts I presented to you.
Not so easy, is it? That won’t even make a dent in Gov. Pat Quinn’s demand for $2.7 billion in Medicaid reductions.
* Today, let’s look at possible cuts to Medicaid eligibility. Rep. Greg Harris posted the Department of Healthcare and Family Services’ 14 ways to cut eligibility which totaled about $196 million. I can only put 10 at a time on my polling app, so I took most of the top ten.
What we have here is the program name, followed by the number of human beings that will be cut off the rolls and then the total savings. “FPL” means federal poverty level. You can vote for as many cuts as you can stomach. Have at it, but make sure to explain your cuts in comments, please…
Potential conflicts of interest and other flaws created “serious deficiencies” in the state’s decision last year to award $7 billion in contracts for state employee health insurance, according to an audit released Wednesday. […]
The audit also questions the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services’ estimate that the contracts would save the state about $100 million a year.
“It is difficult to know how Mercer calculations show the state saves money …,” the audit states. “No one from the department validated the figures Mercer provided.”
* The Department of Healthcare and Family Services, which oversaw the process, came in for some harsh criticism…
• Failed to include all relevant information, including scoring evaluation criteria, in the RFPs.
• Utilized a consulting firm to have a major participation role in the procurements even though the firm had business relationships with all the firms that proposed on the two State procurement opportunities.
• Failed to ensure that all members of the evaluation team had all needed materials to score the proposals.
• Failed to comply with policy by not having the evaluation teams meet during the evaluation process.
• Allowed 10 of 12 evaluators to violate the evaluation procedures by not providing appropriate comments.
• Failed to address major differences in scoring by evaluators, a violation of evaluation procedures.
• Within the period of one month, March 7, 2011 to April 6, 2011, had developed and the Director had signed two different recommendations to award the State healthcare contracts. • The Department awarded [Blue Cross Blue Shield] 20 counties it did not even bid on. Also, network documentation showed that BCBS had zero primary care physicians in 24 counties that it was awarded. [Emphasis added.]
The Department took the first recommendation to a meeting with officials from the Governor’s Office and the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget in late March 2011. Sometime after that meeting and the date the awards were announced on April 6, 2011, the recommendation was changed. While the Department indicated that the Chief Procurement Officer (Matt Brown) could not support the initial recommendation, documentation did not support that position.
Given the serious deficiencies in the procurement activities, including the disregard for following evaluation procedures and lack of documentation to support how the recommendation to award changed, we are unable to conclude whether the State’s best interests were achieved by the Department for the awards for the State health insurance procurements. Additionally, oversight of these procurements by the Commission lacked adequate review prior to approving the award of the contracts. These are serious problems given that this involved over 400,000 enrollees and eligible dependents and $7 billion in taxpayer monies.
“The technical issues identified in the audit did not affect the outcome of the procurement process, and the Department continues to believe that the overall procurement was executed in a fair and competitive manner,” said department spokesman Mike Claffey. “This was both a complex procurement and the first use of the state’s new procurement law for the group health insurance program. We will take into consideration the (auditor general’s) input in future Department procurements, including finalizing long-term health insurance options for state employees and retirees.”
The contracts resulted in one losing bidder, Urbana-based Health Alliance, filing a lawsuit in Sangamon County Circuit Court that cited many of the same deficiencies documented in the audit.
HFS has decided to settle the lawsuit by allowing companies such as Health Alliance and Humana to bid on a supplemental long-term contract for managed-care coverage that could begin July 1.
* We have two new congressional TV ads to rate today. First up, Jesse Jackson, Jr…
Among other things, the spot features a woman doing all the talking, probably because of the congressman’s problems in that regard. It also showcases a photo of President Obama and claims Debbie Halvorson “sat on the sidelines” during the healthcare debate.
The first time I heard the ad, it almost sounded like Kinzinger had something in his past he was trying to dismiss. Not sure it’s the greatest line, although it does make sense in the context of Don Manzullo’s long congressional tenure
* Ward Room interviewed House Speaker Michael Madigan’s Democratic primary opponent Michele Piszczor…
Ward Room: How would you vote on the conceal carry bill?
Piszczor: I don’t know. I’m out there canvassing. Ultimately, it’s not my ideas. It’s the people of my district’s. That’s why I’m out there canvassing, talking to the people of my district, hearing how they want me to vote in Springfield. Politicians too quickly put their own two cents in it, get paid by contributions that they get from people like Michael Madigan to vote certain ways. I’m out here for the people. However they wish for me to vote on these issues, that’s how I’m going to vote?
Ward Room: Has that come up yet?
Piszczor: It hasn’t. Their issue right now is the DREAM Act, which I am in favor of. The income tax increase, from 3 to 5 percent has been a big issue. […]
Ward Room: What does the state have to do to balance its budget, if not a tax increase?
Piszczor: If we have corporations to come back into Illinois and invest and want to do investment, then that gets people to get hired. When they get hired, they get taxed, federally and state, and then they turn around and buy homes, which you then purchase a mortgage, which you get taxed on, and those people purchase products in this state, which they get taxed on.
Ward Room: So what would you to bring jobs to Illinois?
Piszczor: The taxes are incredible, overcharging these people. The environment is not conducive for corporation investment in Illinois, is the best way I can put it. I’m talking to business owners, and they’re saying, ‘The taxes are killing us. At this point, it’s better for us to just close our doors.’
* The margin of error on this poll is so high that anybody who reports these numbers as fact should be put under heavy sedation in order to keep them away from a computer…
Republican primary voters in Southern Illinois favor former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney 29 percent to 21 percent, according to a new poll conducted by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
The survey, conducted last week, also shows former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich as the choice of 11 percent of GOP primary voters, while Texas Congressman Ron Paul drew 6 percent.
The “front-runner” among area voters is “undecided.” A plurality of Southern Illinois Republicans — 30 percent — said they were undecided, and 4 percent chose “other.”
Yes, 400 registered voters were surveyed. But 17 percent of them said they probably weren’t voting and another 17 percent said they weren’t sure if they were voting. Also, just 32 percent of those 400 registered voters are taking Republican ballots, meaning that a mere 128 people were polled on the presidential primary. That gives us a MoE of 8.66 percent. So, Santorum’s 29-21 lead over Romney is actually within the margin of error.
If you live in Chicago and you don’t know where your precinct polling place is, the Board of Elections says there’s now an easy new way to find out.
What you have to do is text the board at (312) 361-8846. In the message space, put the simple version of your home registration address, e.g., 1000 W. Washington — no ZIP code, unit number or city. The board’s computer then will text you back with the address of your polling place for the March 20 primary.
Board Chairman Langdon Neal says “Where do I vote?” is the top question every Election Day. If enough people use the new system — and it works — it will be fully in place for the busier November general election, Mr. Neal adds.
* 8th Congressional District: Competing democrats focus on ousting Walsh - Democrats Duckworth, Krishnamoorthi avoid attacking each other in run up to primary
* Illinois GOP primary seen as increasingly relevant in presidential race
Rod Blagojevich plans to make a public statement in person before he reports to federal prison for his 14-year sentence on corruption charges, his spokesman said Wednesday.
The 55-year-old impeached governor won’t slip out of Chicago and will speak before cameras here days before he reports to a federal prison March 15, Glenn Selig told the Associated Press. He declined to offer details, including what Blagojevich might say or on what day.
Since his December sentencing for corruption, Blagojevich hasn’t granted interviews. His lawyers have said he wants to enter prison in a dignified way, without any media frenzy. That’s fueled speculation he could try to leave Chicago days in advance without comment. But Selig says Blagojevich never intended to do that.
“The governor has always taken things head on and never tried to circumvent anything,” he said.
* The Illinois Policy Institute will unveil its annual budget proposals today. I watched their preview video early this morning and noticed that the group’s plan includes pushing $800 million in state payments to the Teachers Retirement System off on local school districts. Chicago has its own teachers retirement system, but the state picks up the tab for suburban and downstate employers’ costs in TRS.
The idea of moving the costs down the governmental food chain was proposed last year by Senate President John Cullerton. Gov. Pat Quinn has since said it was an idea worth considering, as has House Speaker Michael Madigan. However, the proposal has run into a buzzsaw of opposition from suburban and downstate legislators, teachers unions, media and local pols.
* The group also wants to eliminate the Personal Property Replacement Tax, which would wipe out the Local Government Distributive Fund. The Illinois Policy Institute claims killing off the LGDF would “save” the state $1.6 billion, but it won’t really save the state any money at all. This is basically just a pass-through account. Brain freeze. Nevermind.
The group also favors cutting state employee paychecks by 10 percent, saying it would save $500 million.
* In other budget-related news, Attorney General Lisa Madigan is objecting to the governor’s proposed 9.4 percent cut to her appropriation. Madigan claims her office generated $908 million last year, 30 times its taxpayer funding. She’s also saying that it’s tough to retain lawyers on her payroll as it is…
“We’re bringing in revenue for the state. We want to continue bringing in revenue,” Madigan said. “I can’t do that if I don’t have lawyers.”
The office gets less money today from taxpayers than it did in 1998, she said. Her lawyers haven’t had raises since 2006. One-third of them have retired or left for better jobs, often with other state agencies, in just the past two years.
“Morale is terribly low in the office, and people are voting with their feet,” said Madigan, a Chicago Democrat. […]
Sen. Pamela Althoff, the top Republican on one of the Senate’s appropriations committees, pointed out that the attorney general’s budget was cut deeply several years ago and has never recovered. “She’s not even coming from a level playing field,” said Althoff, of McHenry.
The starting salary for an attorney in Madigan’s office is just $50,500. That’s really pathetic. Most of her folks work there because they want to do public service. But that emotion only lasts so long for most people. Eventually, you gotta pay your bills and feed your family.
* Secretary of State Jesse White issued his own warning yesterday…
Illinois’ license plate czar said he may have to close as many as five driver’s license facilities because of Gov. Pat Quinn’s call for deep spending cuts.
Secretary of State Jesse White told a House panel Wednesday that he may be able to avoid layoffs and closures under his budget plan, which calls for an overall 2 percent reduction in spending from the current fiscal year.
But, Gov. Pat Quinn has called on the state’s agency chiefs and constitutional officers to trim 9.4 percent in the budget that begins July 1. White said such a cut would be “devastating.”
“It would be tough to do business,” White said.
* Indeed, just one statewide officer proposed a 9.4 percent cut in line with the governor’s wishes, Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon. The rest argued for less…
Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka also outlined her budget plan to the committee, a proposal that calls for a 2 percent reduction from the current year.
“We’ve been cutting right along since day one,” Topinka said. “We’re down to what the office was in 1998.”
Topinka said headcount in her office will remain at 257, down from more than 300 10 years ago. The office will be negotiating new contracts with its unions, but Topinka warned employees not to get their hopes up.
“One of the things we will continue to put forward at this point is no raises,” Topinka said. “If we’re not taking in more than we’re spending, we have to stop it. Nobody is above it, which includes our managerial staff, our union staff, me. We’re all going to cut.”
Treasurer Dan Rutherford said his budget continues a 2 percent reduction that he requested in his current spending plan.
* Related…
* Press Release: Lawmakers vote to cut their own pay
* Budget battle begins between IL gov, lawmakers: Radogno warned that the $33.7 billion is not a spending cap. She urged the General Assembly to spend less than the projected revenue to start remedying the state’s longtime cash flow conundrum, something not even a 67 percent individual income tax increase has fixed.
* Lawmakers decide how much Illinois will have for budget
* The House convenes at 2 this afternoon and the Senate convenes at noon. BlackBerry users click here. Everybody else can just kick back and watch today’s events unfold…
Madigan’s a brilliant political strategist and an iron-fisted leader, but it’s hard to admire any of that considering the state of the state. We think — we hope — he’s finally ready to put that muscle behind some painful but necessary fixes.
Democrats often put up phantom opponents to dilute any anti-Madigan vote. This time he has a real opponent: 25-year-old Michele Piszczor, who speaks bluntly about corruption in Illinois.
We’re tempted … she has a lot of gumption … but we don’t think she’s ready yet for the job. So we offer no endorsement.
Wednesday, Mar 7, 2012 - Posted by Advertising Department
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* Rep. Greg Harris posted a list of just about every possible Medicaid cut on his Facebook page the other day. What I’ve done here is taken the most expensive “optional” Medicaid program and am asking which of these you would eliminate.
Remember, Medicaid must be trimmed by $2.7 billion. Optional services total about $2 billion. The items below total about $1.8 billion. Keep in mind these are services offered to real live human beings that we’re talking about here. Also, after you make your cuts (as many as you want), explain your reasoning in comments. The option to send nursing home residents to supported living facilities is a savings, not a cut, obviously. But keep that in mind when voting on the supported living facilities line. Thanks.
* We talked the other day about a bill to require physicians to offer ultrasound tests to women who are seeking abortions.
Well, the legislation has attracted some hostile, mocking amendments. For instance, Amendment 1, which has since been tabled, would’ve changed the title from the “Ultrasound Opportunity Act” to the “Ultrasound and Erectile Dysfunction Information Opportunity Act“…
Consent to a prescription for medications for erectile dysfunction is voluntary and informed if and only if prior to prescribing medications for erectile dysfunction the physician who is to prescribe medications for erectile dysfunction has, in person, orally and in writing informed the man of all of the following:
(1) The particular medical risks, if any, associated with the condition of erectile dysfunction.
(2) The medical risks associated with the particular medication that would be prescribed, including, but not limited to, the medical risks of heart problems, stroke, hearing loss, vision loss, and priapism.
(3) That erectile dysfunction medication may be dangerous if the man has:
(A) heart problems, including heart pain (angina), heart failure, abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias), or a recent heart attack;
(B) high or low blood pressure (hypertension or hypotension) that isn’t controlled;
(C) a history of stroke;
(D) eye problems such as retinitis pigmentosa or blood relatives with certain eye problems; or
(E) sickle cell anemia, leukemia, or a health problem that can cause priaprism.
(4) The details of the medical or surgical method that would be used to treat priapism, stroke, cardiac arrest, vision loss, and hearing loss, including the offer to view a medically accurate video depicting treatment of priapism.
* Amendment 3, introduced by Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, substitues “person” for the original language’s “woman” and “medical procedure” for “abortion” and considerably broadens the scope…
Section 15. Offer of ultrasound required.
(a) At any facility where medical procedures are performed, the physician who is to perform the medical procedure, the referring physician, or another qualified person working in conjunction with either physician shall offer any person seeking medical care, including, but not limited to, cardiac, renal, liver, gallbladder, vascular, abdominal, obstetric, gynecological, muscle, ligament, tendon, eye, testicle, salivary gland, lymph node, breast, liver, kidney, and joint diagnosis or treatment, an opportunity to receive and view an ultrasound by someone qualified to perform ultrasounds at the facility, or at a facility listed in a listing of local ultrasound providers provided by the facility, at least one hour prior to the person having any part of a medical procedure performed, and prior to the administration of any anesthesia or medication in preparation for the medical procedure.
A group or individual policy of accident and health insurance or managed care plan amended, delivered, issued, or renewed after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly that does not provide coverage for contraception may not provide coverage for erectile dysfunction medication.
This isn’t the first time that an ultrasound bill has picked up hostile amendments, but I’m pretty sure there are more of them this year.
* Senate panel advances proposed strip club tax: A proposal to start charging an entrance tax on Illinois strip clubs limped out of a Senate committee Tuesday. Although the measure is now positioned for a vote in the full Senate, senators raised concerns that it unfairly relies on downstate strip club patrons to generate revenue for rape crisis centers in Chicago.
* Vote delayed on RN staffing levels for nursing homes
* Yellow lights a second longer?: State Sen. Dan Duffy’s longtime crusade against red light cameras took a baby step forward this evening when a Senate committee advanced his plan to extend the duration of a yellow light by one second at any intersection with a red-light camera. What’s an extra second get you? Duffy said studies from other states show that a longer yellow light means fewer accidents at an intersection. And it might mean fewer tickets for drivers, giving them a little extra time to get through an intersection. Even though the Senate committee voted to send it to the full Senate, Duffy’s plan has to change before it moves forward. Because of various concerns from lawmakers on the panel, they asked the Lake Barrington Republican to agree not to proceed further until he hears out their ideas and considers changes.
* House committee OKs fees for state parks: House Bill 5789, sponsored by Rep. JoAnn Osmond, R-Antioch, leaves it up to DNR to decide what the fees should be. The department supported the legislation, noting that it faces a 13.5 percent budget cut under Gov. Pat Quinn’s proposed fiscal year 2013 budget.
* Kadner: Riley opposes shifting pension costs to schools
* Mitchell would reduce taxes for ‘S’ corporations
* Lawmakers across US file “Caylee’s Law” legislation: In Illinois, Senator Ira Silverstein filed Senate Bill 2537 in November; it was assigned to the Criminal Law Committee in January. Silverstein’s legislation creates three Class 3 felony offenses in cases where a parent or guardian fails to notify law enforcement of a child’s disappearance in a timely manner, learns of but does not report a minor child’s death or refuses to provide medical information or disturbs evidence related to the death, or provides false or misleading information to authorities during an investigation of a missing child.
* As subscribers were told several weeks ago, Mayor Rahm Emanuel wants to use his handgun registration bill in the negotiations over concealed carry legislation. A bill passed a House committee recently which imposed a $20 per handgun registration fee (the originally proposed $65 fee was lowered by an amendment). But it doesn’t sound like southern Illinois Democrats are in any mood to negotiate. From a Senate Democratic press release…
“I’m spitting mad,” [Sen. Gary Forby] said. “These Chicago politicians are trying to take our guns out of our hands. They’re trying to take money from Southern Illinois to pay for their own programs. It is our Constitutional right to own guns. The mayor of Chicago and his cronies may not respect the Constitution of the United States, but we do.”
“Registering guns and charging excessive fees is just another step toward taking all of our guns away,” [Rep. John Bradley] said. “Taking guns away from law-abiding Southern Illinois hunters isn’t going to solve Chicago’s violence problems. They’re not the ones murdering people on the mayor’s streets.”
“I can’t believe these Chicago politicians think we’re just going to roll over and let them push their ridiculous laws on Southern Illinois,” [Rep. Brandon Phelps] said. “It’s time for them to face the facts and realize that guns don’t kill people. People kill people, and criminals are not the ones who are going to register their weapons. Only law-abiding citizens like the people in Southern Illinois will end up paying these Chicago gun taxes.”
All three Southern Illinois Democrats are strong advocates of allowing Illinoisans to carry concealed weapons.
“I think the time has come for conceal carry in Illinois,” Bradley added.
“Maybe the Chicago mayor thinks his bills are a starting point for negotiations,” Forby said. “They’re not. We’re not negotiating. We’re killing these bills.”
“I don’t know what these Chicago politicians are thinking,” Phelps said. “The governor wants to close prisons and cut parole officers, and the mayor wants to take our guns. Do they think that will make anyone safer?” [Emphasis added.]
* On the complete opposite side of the issue is Rep. Kelly Cassidy, a Chicago Democrat…
Originally from Florida, Cassidy said she grew up in a setting where guns were a way of life, and she empathizes with hunters and others who shoot for sport.
“But I’ve spent 15 years in the criminal justice system seeing what guns are doing to my community,” Cassidy said. “I absolutely see no legitimate purpose for handguns. I just don’t.”
It’s rhetoric like that which is driving Downstate Democrats up a wall. As I’ve told you before, Cassidy is in a hot primary fight, but she also needs to remember that life will go on after this primary and she’ll have to work with those Downstaters if she wins. They’re not gonna be too eager to do that.
In May — the most recent time the Illinois House voted on concealed carry — 30 of the 32 lawmakers who voted against concealed carry were from Cook County.
“Concealed carry is a geographic issue in Illinois,” [Rep Kelly Burke, D-Chicago] said. “And since the geography is not going to change, we need to work on our differences and not just jam legislation through the House.”
Former state Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville, said concealed carry is one of a handful of issues that splits the General Assembly by location, not by political party.
“You get a downstate-suburban versus Chicago regionalism,” Black said. “And it’s only getting worse.”
State Rep. Don Moffitt, R-Galesburg, said concealed-carry supporters need to focus on the big picture this year, and not push for legislation that cannot pass the House or the Illinois Senate.
“This is just from a guy who has been around the track a few times. The objective here is to move toward concealed carry, and I support that, “Moffitt said. “Keep in mind, the goal is to pass permit to carry.”
The Rifle Association refused to allow any sort of compromise last year which would’ve allow Chicago to opt out of concealed carry. Until that happens, the proposal may not go anywhere, although Rep. Phelps says he’s very close…
It will take 71 votes — not a simple majority of 60 — for the House to approve concealed carry. Lawmakers decided long ago that a statewide concealed-carry law would pre-empt local laws. […]
Phelps said he has 70 votes. Last May, 65 state representatives voted for concealed carry. A vote on HB5745 is not scheduled in the House and, Phelps said, he may change the legislation before the final deadline in late May.
Actually, Phelps said he was at “almost 70″ votes. Here’s some video of Rep. Phelps’ comments…
Wednesday, Mar 7, 2012 - Posted by Advertising Department
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* Mick Dumke at the Chicago Reader takes a look today at Illinois’ innumerable prison problems, including these…
(T)he state’s prison population has been inching upward for years. In fact, while diversion programs and drug law reforms have helped shrink the inmate totals in most large states, Illinois has been a national leader in prison population growth, including the biggest increase anywhere in 2010, according to a recent federal report.
Although corrections officials previously predicted a drop in the inmate population, it’s grown from 44,669 in 2005 to 47,504 in 2010 to 48,380 last week. That’s an increase of about 8 percent in seven years. Over the same period, the state corrections budget has grown about 20 percent, to $1.2 billion.
We’re not just talking about violent criminals, either. Since 2005, the portion of prisoners in for nonviolent offenses has remained constant—about 49 percent. That means more people have been incarcerated for offenses like DUIs, thefts, and residential burglaries.
On the upside, fewer prisoners are in on drug charges. On the downside, drug offenses still account for 20 percent of the inmates in Illinois prisons. Nearly 800 of these prisoners are there for marijuana-related offenses.
One reason the state saw the prison population skyrocket so much in 2010 was because of the badly botched early release “push” program that set free violent offenders. The “push” program was abolished, but so was the rest of the early release program and Corrections employees claimed during the year that parole officers were scrambling to put people back into prison so that the governor didn’t have a campaign problem if one of those guys killed somebody.
Gov. Pat Quinn’s chief of staff Jack Lavin claimed the other day that the prison census was declining. But he was using very short-term numbers to justify this claim. Overall, the population has obviously grown a lot. Maybe we should start talking about at least freeing those marijuana convicts.
* Progress Illinois takes a look at the governor’s proposal to close Tamms…
Edgar’s Task Force, for instance, made clear that prisoners were only supposed to be housed in Tamms temporarily: “The Super‐Max…is a management tool for addressing specific security problems… To serve its purpose, inmates must move in and out based on some objective classification and standards.”
The primary purpose mentioned above was to rehabilitate those causing trouble in other prisons. Thus, the Task Force’s report argued, prisoners must be allowed to earn their way out of Tamms based on good behavior: “Inmates would be required to earn their way to progressively less restrictive levels [of confinement], and eventually back into the general prison population… Reviews of inmate behavior would be made every 30 days.” […]
As advocacy group Tamms Year Ten has pointed out, these regulations were either never put in place or never followed. (The group’s flier on the subject, from which the above quotes were culled, is available here.)
Prisoners have been housed at the Tamms facility indefinitely — they have been moved “in” but not “out.” A third of the current inmates have been incarcerated at the supermax prison since 1998, according to Tamms Year Ten. Some of these prisoners have long since reached the highest good behavior “level” described by the Task Force; and yet they have not been returned to the general prison population. Instead, they remain imprisoned in exactly the sort of “long-term isolation” the Task Force warned against.
* Related…
* Some see Pat Quinn’s budget as attack on downstate Illinois: Quinn budget spokeswoman Kelly Kraft argued last week that the 14 proposed major facility closings are evenly divided by region, with seven in the upper half of the state, including places such as Rockford, Joliet and Aurora. However, Illinois is a state where “downstate” is commonly defined as anything outside Chicago — and just two of the 14 facilities are in the city. By that measure, some argue, Quinn’s proposed cuts show a clear geographic pattern. “There’s no doubt in my mind that he is Cook County-centered,” said Rep. Jim Watson, R-Jacksonville, who is fighting the proposed closing of the Jacksonville Developmental Center and other facilities in his area. “(Cook County) is his power base, that’s where his voting base is, that’s where his loyalties are.”
* AFSCME launches “No Quinn Cuts” Campaign to protect public services and jobs
* Hundreds rally to stop closure of Dwight Correctional Center
* The House convenes at 12:30 this afternoon and the Senate convenes at 11:45 this morning. BlackBerry users click here. Everybody else can just sit back and watch today’s events unfold…
So real it’s unreal. Like, where are the overturned cars and alcohol-poisoned bodies stacking up at the morgue?
Exactly.
* This is a 2012 Major League Baseball open thread. Spring training has begun and I’m starting to get that anticipatory feeling. I’m not sure why because the White Sox have been disappointing me all winter. But, hey, it’s baseball. I love baseball and it’s the preferred sport of this website. So, talk away.
