Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY: Session updates
Thursday, May 31, 2012
- Posted by Rich Miller
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If you’re looking for constantly updated end-of-session coverage…
Thursday, May 31, 2012 * It’s at this link. We’ll have updates throughout the day and late into the evening. Check for videos of press conferences and press releases, plus live reports from numerous reporters on the ground. Don’t miss it!
- Posted by Rich Miller
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Question of the day
Thursday, May 31, 2012 * By now, you’ve seen Rep. Mike Bost’s rant on the House floor the other day. Profanity alert… * From the Southern Illinoisan…
As I mentioned the other day, Bost voted for pretty much all of the rules that he complained about. * Aaron Blake at the Washington Post…
* The Question: Was Rep. Bost’s outburst justified? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
- Posted by Rich Miller
76 Comments |
Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY: New Senate district term list
Thursday, May 31, 2012
- Posted by Rich Miller
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More on the House’s budget
Thursday, May 31, 2012 * As mentioned below, the House Republicans pulled out of budget negotiations after Speaker Madigan refused to bend on pension reform. That caused a chain reaction. Some GOP projects were cut because Republicans weren’t voting for the budget, but state facilities in Republican districts that had been targeted for closure were left intact. The Democrats also added $50 million to the General State Aid budget for schools. Republicans were furious…
The House Democrats say that even with the school money, which came from refinancing state debt, the budget will still be $4 million below the spending cap the chamber agreed to earlier this year. * More…
- Posted by Rich Miller
17 Comments |
Today’s quote
Thursday, May 31, 2012 * Congressman Joe Walsh…
* Video…
- Posted by Rich Miller
45 Comments |
Bill to strip workers of union membership goes to Senate floor
Thursday, May 31, 2012 * I was shocked into reality when I found out a couple years back that legislative liaisons were being allowed to join a union. I know many of these people. Many of those are my friends or at least friendly acquaintances. But if anyone ought to be “at will” employees, it should be liaisons. Their jobs are based on politics and on who the governor is. But anyone who joined the union in 2010 would still have a job today if Sen. Bill Brady had defeated Gov. Pat Quinn. That’s not right. Look, I fully understand why management and political types chose to join the union. They were getting the shaft by the Blagojevich administration and then by Quinn himself. They haven’t gotten pay raises in years. They’re often not treated well on the job and have too little job security. But we have a situation now where, according to the administration, there is only one non-union employee at the Jacksonville Developmental Center. That means two out of three shifts have no non-union management on the job. That’s a bit crazy, man. The House passed a bill last year that stripped up to 1,900 employees of their union membership. The Senate Democrats have been trying to work out a deal ever since. Those negotiations failed and the Senate Executive Committee passed the bill to the floor last night, where it awaits final action…
- Posted by Rich Miller
45 Comments |
11th Hour tax hikes proposed
Thursday, May 31, 2012 * Subscribers know a bit more about this fight…
The Democrats said the TV tax proposal would raise $75 million. The satellite TV guys say that number will be far lower. Discuss.
- Posted by Rich Miller
23 Comments |
Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY: End of session party details
Thursday, May 31, 2012
- Posted by Rich Miller
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*** UPDATED x1 - “All funding for research” removed *** Did Madigan kill diabetes research funding out of revenge?
Thursday, May 31, 2012 * Things got pretty tense in the House yesterday, and it escalated a bit when the House Republicans admitted that they were refusing to vote for the budget plan because Speaker Madigan was pushing a pension cost shift proposal they didn’t like…
* And then it got even more intense when the House Republicans accused the Democrats of playing nasty budget games…
Thoughts? *** UPDATE *** I missed this passage in an Illinois Issues Blog post…
- Posted by Rich Miller
40 Comments |
*** UPDATED x1 - IFT Responds *** The next time you blame the state for skipping pension payments, remember this
Thursday, May 31, 2012 * For a while, yesterday’s pension reform debate in the Senate Executive Committee focused on the state’s past failure to make pension payments. But one Senator objected to the claims by unions that this is all the General Assembly’s fault…
* I asked the Senate Republicans for the list of proponents and opponents of the bill which allowed the state to skip pension payments. Here it is…
Topinka was furious about the pension payment holidays back then and, as it turns out, she was right. *** UPDATE *** From the Illinois Federation of Teachers…
- Posted by Rich Miller
26 Comments |
Protected: *** UPDATED x1 - Archived video *** SUBSCRIBERS ONLY: Live video of Senate district drawings
Thursday, May 31, 2012
- Posted by Rich Miller
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Oops
Thursday, May 31, 2012 * As I reminded subscribers this morning, the Chicago Tribune endorsed all but one serious House Republican candidate in the 2010 general election. The Tribune mainly used the pension reform issue as its excuse for going all-in for the GOP. Yesterday, the Tribune came out against the pension reform plan sponsored by House Speaker Michael Madigan, and today it doubled down…
* Trouble is, after that editorial was written House Speaker Michael Madigan announced that he would transfer sponsorship of the pension bill to House Republican Leader Tom Cross…
So, Leader Cross now owns a plan that the Tribune despises. I wonder how that’s gonna go down at the Mothership? *** UPDATE *** The Illinois Review may now regret publishing this headline since Tom Cross is the bill’s current sponsor… ![]() Oops. * Earlier in the day, Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration hedged on the cost-shifting plan…
* Related…
- Posted by Rich Miller
35 Comments |
Morning Shorts
Thursday, May 31, 2012 * Plan could lift campaign caps if super PACs enter fray * House lifts limits on some campaign contributions * Springfield Rolls Back Campaign Donation Caps When Super PACs Are Involved * House votes to outsource workers’ compensation administration * State House passes bill banning new landfills in Cook County * Cook County landfill ban bill heads to governor * In interview, Rezko says he was convicted of the wrong crimes * Tony Rezko says Blagojevich knew about pay-to-play for state posts * Rezko: Blago aware of payments for posts * Editorial: Mickey and the boys learn better manners * Legislation limits special prosecutors * Editorial: Bad bill would erode privacy rights: But current law already allows officers to wear listening devices without prior approval from a judge for this narrow purpose — so that a cop in danger can utter a “safe word” that says to his fellow officers “come and get me.” Where House Bill 4081 goes off the rails is in allowing the information gathered by such recordings, though approved only by a state’s attorney, to be used as evidence at trial. * Quinn allowed to withhold info on Tamms inmates * Online Powerball bill heads to Quinn * Judge: I’ll hold Beavers’ trial by year’s end * Charges dropped against judicial candidate charged with stealing campaign signs * Bernard Schoenburg: Schock’s largess in 16th raises ‘smoke’ * 17th CD polling shows Schilling ahead by 16 points * VIDEO: Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill.discusses problems with the F-22 Raptor * Roskam gives democracy lesson to third-graders * Emanuel presses for cuts in manpower, pay from firefighters * CTA says new savings will avert fare hike, service cuts * Fare hike dodged; CTA closes budget gap * CTA offers naming rights to 11 stations * Commuter agencies fire back at RTA over claims of waste, duplication * Evanston aldermen considering methods for dissolving township * Death, Taxes, & Parking Meters * Two veteran state park chiefs retiring * New private Ill. nature preserve opening * Metro East Police Commission Could Become A Reality * Will Quinn sign off on new legislation to aid metro-east police? * U. of I. president skipping many of his final duties * 31 percent of Q1 Ill. home sales were foreclosures
- Posted by Owen Irwin
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SB: 1849 A Revenue and Jobs Solution
Thursday, May 31, 2012 [The following is a paid advertisement.] Last week the Illinois House of Representatives took a stand for bringing jobs and new revenue to Illinois, and we applaud their vote. Experts predict that SB 1849 will create more than 20,000 jobs and more than $200 million in new annual revenue at a time when our state desperately needs them.” “Getting through the House was the first big step in getting this bill passed,” said Michael Carrigan, president of the Illinois AFL-CIO. “We want to remind Senate leaders about the importance of getting Illinoisans back to work. SB 1849 is a solution that would put tens of thousands of workers back on the job. Now is the time for the Illinois Senate to show the leadership necessary to restore economic stability.” SB 1849 will save 30,000 plus agri-business jobs, while creating more than 20,000 new jobs, including nearly 10,000 construction jobs. The state’s unemployment remains hovering around 9 percent. The time for a solution is now. SB 1849 will put Illinoisans back on the job and will produce millions in revenue for the state of Illinois.
- Posted by Advertising Department
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*** LIVE SESSION COVERAGE ***
Thursday, May 31, 2012 * Blackberry users click here…
- Posted by Rich Miller
55 Comments |
Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Campaign news, supplement to today’s edition and a big Statehouse roundup
Thursday, May 31, 2012
- Posted by Rich Miller
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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)
Thursday, May 31, 2012
- Posted by Rich Miller
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