New industry, new jobs, but buyer beware
Tuesday, Aug 20, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* A buddy of mine told me the other day that he’s leaving politics and going to work for a medical marijuana-related company. A childhood friend, a family farmer, asked me recently about opportunities for him in the med-mar business.
I told my buddy to be very careful and told my childhood friend that this would be big business with huge startup costs and possible federal prison risks, so he might wanna think again.
* Even so, a new industry is being created here in Illinois, and the National Cannabis Industry Association is holding a big conference in Chicago billed as “the first comprehensive marijuana business symposium ever conducted in the Midwest.”
* This is serious stuff…
This day-long educational program will be a unique opportunity to glean information from cannabusiness professionals and experts in the fields of regulatory models, operations, and ancillary businesses.
* One of the speakers…
Hilary Bricken
Partner, Canna Law Group
Seattle, WA
Regarded as one of Washington State’s premier cannabis business attorneys, Hilary helps cannabis companies of all sizes with everything from corporate structure and intellectual property protection to branding, licensing, and medical cannabis law. Hilary’s primary focus is helping cannabis businesses navigate the increasingly confusing and murky legal climate surrounding Washington State medical and recreational cannabis laws. She has represented clients struggling with a host of common problems in the industry, from business license denials, revocations, and injunctions to land-use disputes and moratoria on cannabis businesses.
Industries need lawyers and lobbyists, and CPAs…
Bridge West, CPAs is currently the pre-eminent accounting firm serving the cannabis industry in the United States, and internationally.
Founded by two CPAs in California and Colorado with decades of experience in this field, Bridge West intends to create affiliated offices in every major city and state which has legalized cannabis use.
* But this is not a good thing…
Chicago’s first medical marijuana clinic, Good Intentions LLC, opened its doors to a string of new patients Wednesday in Wicker Park.
The clinic, strategically opened near the Kennedy Expressway and adjacent to two other medical facilities on Ashland Avenue, accepted its first patients at 10 a.m.; by mid-morning, DNAinfo Chicago reported more than 30 patients had already visited.
“We’ll be informing people about the Illinois medical marijuana program,” Good Intentions owner and registered nurse Tammy Jacobi told Fox Chicago. “We’re going to be establishing relationships with our doctor. We’re encouraging patients to contact primary doctors first but we want people to know that we’re here, they can talk to us, find out if medical marijuana may be right for them.”
The new law requires that patients have an “existing relationship” with a doctor before they can get medical marijuana, so this looks like a way to establish that relationship.
* Some folks weren’t all that happy with what the clinic was offering…
On Wednesday, the clinic charged some people a $99 fee for an individual care plan that would later be formulated. […]
Stuart Bander, 50, who said he’s been suffering from multiple sclerosis for 20 years, was disappointed with the staff’s answers to his questions about the law.
“I know more than they do,” he said. “They’re doing nothing.”
A $99 fee up front to establish a care plan that isn’t yet formulated?
What?
* The state is apparently looking into it…
Just before the clinic closed for the day Wednesday, two men who said they were from the state medical board showed up and met privately with Murray.
When asked about the meeting, a spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Susan Hofer, said she could not confirm that anyone from the department had been to the office.
Hofer said that because rules for the “prior relationship” with the doctor who helps a patient qualify to receive medical marijuana haven’t been established yet, nobody can say whether what’s going on at this clinic would qualify as a prior relationship when the law goes into effect.
I called Ms. Hofer today. By law, she could neither confirm nor deny that there is any sort of investigation.
But, Hofer said, “The law is very explicit that your personal physician… would be the one who certifies that you’re eligible,” adding, “The people who are eligible for medical marijuana are already under the treatment of a doctor.”
No rules have been written yet, Hofer stressed, but “from the perspective of our Department, a doctor-patient relationship would have already been developed because the patient already had the disease that would have qualified him or her for medical marijuana. If you had that, why would you need to go to another clinic?”
Exactly.
It’s probably best to shy away from such places. Save your money.
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* Rep. Elaine Nekritz talked with WBBM about the pension reform negotiations…
“What I think you’re seeing is some frustration that the conference committee – the bipartisan bicameral conference committee – is not making as rapid process as I think that many would like, and I would agree with that,” Nekritz said. “But the fact is we are making progress, and everybody at that table – and by everybody, I mean all four caucuses – remain very committed to getting something significant done.” […]
For the first time, all four caucuses are agreeing on some pension reform measures.
“We are all coming together in good faith, and negotiating, and these negotiations are very delicate,” she said. “But this is the first time that all four caucuses have been at the table, agreeing on anything with regard to the pension situation.”
* She said pretty much the same thing to Illinois Public Radio…
* Sen. Bill Brady, a member of the conference committee, expressed some frustrations, but also some optimism…
State Sen. Bill Brady (R-Bloomington) said the committee that’s trying to find a solution to the state’s pension crisis takes two steps forward and one step back.
Gov. Pat Quinn used his veto power to suspend state lawmakers’ pay because of their inaction on Illinois’ pension crisis. He halted lawmaker pay after a committee he commissioned failed to come up with a pension solution by a July deadline.
Brady said he thinks the Democrats are frustrated with Quinn.
“Clearly the pushback from the Democrats is, they don’t want to give him a win on this, and it has not helped the environment at all,” Brady said. […]
“I’m afraid the Democrats may want to see a judge call the governor’s actions unconstitutional before they really move seriously on this. That may be a reality, we’ll see,” Brady said. […]
Brady said, though, he’s is hoping the committee can get something to the legislature before Labor Day.
* Raw audio of Brady’s interview…
* But Sen. Daniel Biss said the governor’s veto is being ignored by the committee…
“There’s a huge amount of atmospherics outside,” says Biss, “and, so far, I think, we’ve done, internally, a good job of ignoring it and trying to work on the actual goal at hand and let other people worry about all the other considerations.” Those “atmospherics” would include speculation that the governor’s tactics have steeled lawmakers – particularly his fellow Democrats – against him. […]
Biss insists the governor’s decision last month to veto lawmakers’ pay is not a distraction: “A lot of people in America don’t have a paycheck right now,” he said.
* Rep. Nekritz agrees…
“I’ve talked with a number of my House colleagues over the last two weeks. Nobody has said to me, (a) we are not willing to vote on it, and (b) we want you to do something different on the conference committee because of” wanting to embarrass the governor.
Do you believe them?
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13th District roundup
Tuesday, Aug 20, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Champaign/Urbana liberals who think George Gollin is too moderate are in luck…
A third Democrat is jumping into the 13th Congressional District race, joining former Madison County Judge Ann Callis and University of Illinois Professor George Gollin.
David Green, 63, of Champaign promises an “insurgent campaign” that will “appeal to leftists in the Democratic Party, those who identify with other leftists parties, including the Green Party and anti-war libertarianism.” […]
“First of all, I’m anti-war, anti-military-industrial complex, anti-intervention in other counties, anti-military bases in other countries,” he said. “I’m anti-Wall Street and anti-big bank and the financialization of the economy. And I’m anti-business-as-usual in Washington in terms of the leaders in Washington not being accountable to the voters as much as to the corporate lobbyists and so forth. […]
He also favors “free education for all from preschool through graduate school.”
Obviously, the favorite here is the DCCC’s candidate Ann Callis.
* Meanwhile, on the other side of the district’s aisle…
U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis reiterated Thursday that while he believes in climate change, he does not support a cap-and-trade law to limit carbon emissions or any other measure that he said would increase energy costs on industry and consumers.
The League of Conservation Voters has begun running television ads in the Champaign and St. Louis markets, attacking the Taylorville Republican for his position on cap-and-trade proposals. It accuses him of opposing “President Obama’s common sense climate change plan” that “would significantly cut carbon pollution from power plants, which are the single largest source of carbon pollution.”
Both Davis and his Republican primary opponent, Urbana attorney Erika Harold, said Thursday they oppose cap-and-trade laws and more environmental regulation of coal-fired power plants.
“Their agenda is clearly a cap-and-trade system which is a tax on carbon that will kill American jobs and raise our utility rates. The question you need to ask them is how much do you want citizens in Springfield, Illinois, and Champaign, Illinois, to pay to flip on their light switches?” Davis said during Republican Day festivities at the state fair and elsewhere in Springfield. “How much do you want people to actually grow the unemployment rolls, because they don’t have jobs because you have shut down our energy plants, some of the best job-providers in this country.
* Here’s the ad…
* Bernie…
The League of Conservation Voters announced this week it is running TV ads in Champaign-Springfield and St. Louis markets, saying that U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, R-Taylorville, “denies climate-change science. […]
An announcer in the ad says that 97 percent of scientists agree climate change is happening, NASA says it’s worsening extreme weather, and Davis suggested that “global warming has stopped 16 years ago.” […]
[Davis spokesman Andrew Flach] points out that the quote lifted from an Illinois Public Media interview in October doesn’t include Davis’ almost-immediate expansion on the issue, saying he would “love to see more stats. …”
“But climate change is real,” he said then. “The debate is over whether or not it’s man-made or natural.” He also said at the time that it needs to be determined how “we ensure that we continue to reduce emissions in this country at levels that we have compared to other nations, while still not putting America and the American economy and American job creation at a disadvantage.”
Sounds like he’s trying to have it both ways.
Climate change, I’m told by some Democratic strategists, is becoming a real issue for female voters. It’s a “filter” they’re beginning to use to judge candidates overall, the way gay rights used to be. If the candidates are climate change deniers, then they’re more likely to be unacceptable to those voters. So that may be one reason why Democratic treasurer candidate Mike Frerichs has been all over the climate change issue lately.
* More Bernie…
ERIKA HAROLD of Urbana, a lawyer who happens to have been the 2003 Miss America, looks as if she’ll be getting some more national publicity as she runs for the U.S. House in the 13th Congressional District, which includes part of Springfield.
At the GOP lunch at the state fair on Republican Day last week, a contract video crew for ABC News was on hand.
Harold said they wanted to record her “interacting with voters for a special” that is planned for September. She said the program is about “several people in different states, and they reached out to me,” but she didn’t want to reveal more about the show because “I think it’s a surprise.”
She’s unique, so that’s national news. But she still needs to start raising real money.
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Yep, we still suck
Tuesday, Aug 20, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This almost glowing IDES press release obscures some really bad news, which I highlighted for you…
Private Sector Adds 7,100 Jobs in July
Summer Unemployment Trend Continues
CHICAGO – Illinois added 7,100 private sector jobs in July and the unemployment rate was 9.2 percent, according to preliminary data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES). Illinois added 62,100 private sector jobs compared to July 2012. The data is seasonally adjusted.
“Three consecutive months of positive job numbers underscores the deliberate pace of our economic growth,” IDES Director Jay Rowell said. “Three consecutive summers with an uptick in the unemployment rate here and elsewhere suggests a trend unrelated to job growth and merits watching.”
Employers posted more than 195,000 help-wanted ads in Illinois in July, the Conference Board stated. Nearly 80 percent were full-time positions. The data is seasonally adjusted.
Illinois has added +244,300 private sector jobs since January 2010 when job growth returned following nearly two years of consecutive monthly declines. Leading growth sectors are Professional and Business Services (+110,100); Education and Health Services (+57,100); and Trade, Transportation and Utilities (+46,000). Government has lost the most jobs since January 2010, down -33,200.
Volatility has been the hallmark of this economic cycle. When compared to the previous month, Illinois recorded job growth in 31 months and job loss in 12. Unemployment fell in 24 months, increased in nine and was unchanged in 10. Sustained consumer confidence could reduce volatility.
The three-month moving average unemployment rate, which smoothes monthly volatility, was unchanged at 9.2 percent in July. In July 2013, the number of unemployed individuals increased slightly for the second time since March, up +4,200 (+0.7 percent) to 604,700. Total unemployed has fallen -147,500 (-19.6 percent) since early 2010 when the state unemployment rate peaked at 11.3 percent for the months of January and February.
The unemployment rate identifies those who are out of work and seeking employment. A person who exhausts benefits, or is ineligible, still will be reflected in the unemployment rate if they actively seek work. Historically, the national unemployment rate is lower than the state rate. The state rate has been lower than the national rate only six times since January 2000.
Ugh.
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It ain’t just Chicago
Tuesday, Aug 20, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* John Tillman of the Illinois Policy Institute writes…
When a GOP candidate hits 20 percent of the vote in Chicago, the math is such that they will almost always win so long as they don’t massively underperform elsewhere.
Tillman uses this stat to show that Bill Brady could’ve won in 2010 had he done better in Chicago.
* But a look at the numbers shows it’s just not that simple. Bill Brady won 17.41 percent of the city vote in 2010. But Republican Mark Kirk took 19.47 percent of Chicago’s total.
However, the difference in the two totals was just 13,971 votes (134,081 minus 120,110). Brady lost to Quinn by 31,834 votes statewide. Kirk beat Alexi Giannoulias by 59,220 votes statewide. Winning 20 percent of the city’s vote wouldn’t have made up for Brady’s other problems.
* The difference? Partly in Kirk’s congressional district, where he was much better known. Kirk outpolled Brady by 27,773 votes in suburban Cook County. Kirk did better than Brady in Lake County by 12,296 votes.
But Kirk did better than Brady in every suburban county. If you include suburban Cook, Kirk outpolled Brady by 56,184 suburban votes. Exclude Cook, and Kirk received 28,411 more suburban votes than Brady. There’s your election.
The bottom line here is that the Republicans had better field a candidate who can perform well in the suburbs. And that’s where ideology comes into play.
…Adding… From Tillman…
Hi, Rich,
Read your post and I actually don’t disagree with your points but I do disagree with how you characterize my point.
You pull this line I wrote:
“When a GOP candidate hits 20 percent of the vote in Chicago, the math is such that they will almost always win so long as they don’t massively under perform elsewhere.
And then you wrote:
“Tillman uses this stat to show that Bill Brady could’ve won in 2010 had he done better in Chicago.”
I did not say that. My point was clear: That a GOP nominee cannot “massively underperform elsewhere” but hitting at least 20% is a starting point. Brady did under perform relative to Kirk, as you rightly point out, in the suburbs (in terms of percent of the vote) and downstate (in terms of generating turnout).
John
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Confusion over new speed limit law
Tuesday, Aug 20, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the new speed limit law, which Gov. Pat Quinn signed yesterday…
(d-1) Unless some other speed restriction is established under this Chapter, the maximum speed limit outside an urban district for any vehicle is
(1) 70 miles per hour on any interstate highway as defined by Section 1-133.1 of this Code;
(2) 65 miles per hour for all or part of highways that are designated by the Department, have at least 4 lanes of traffic, and have a separation between the roadways moving in opposite directions; and
(3) 55 miles per hour for all other highways, roads, and streets. The counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, Madison, McHenry, St. Clair, and Will may adopt ordinances setting a maximum speed limit on highways, roads, and streets that is lower than the limits established by this Section. […]
1.5. 70 miles per hour upon any interstate highway as defined by Section 1-133.1 of this Code outside the counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will;
* From Gov. Quinn’s press release…
Governor Pat Quinn today signed a new law to increase the speed limit from 65 to 70 miles-per-hour (mph) on rural four-lane highways, and to lower the limit by five mph for excessive speeding. The law will bring Illinois’ speed limit in line with 36 other states that have speed limits of 70 mph or higher on some portion of their roadways, including other large states such as California, Florida, Texas and Ohio, and neighboring states such as Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Iowa and Michigan. The bill passed with significant bipartisan support in both chambers.
“This limited five miles-per-hour increase will bring Illinois’ rural interstate speed limits in line with our neighbors and the majority of states across America, while preventing an increase in excessive speeding,” Governor Quinn said. “I encourage all motorists to continue to respect our traffic laws, avoid distractions and exercise common sense behind the wheel to protect the safety of themselves and others.”
Sponsored by State Senator Jim Oberweis (R-Sugar Grove) and State Representative Jerry Costello Jr. (D-Smithton), Senate Bill 2356 increases the maximum speed limit from 65 to 70 mph on four-lane divided highways outside of urban areas. The law allows Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, Madison, McHenry, St. Clair and Will Counties to opt-out by adopting an ordinance that sets a lower maximum speed limit, empowering counties to make adjustments based on their own local needs.
* Sen. Jim Oberweis says that’s not so…
“The governor’s press release misstated the facts,” said state Sen. Jim Oberweis (R-Sugar Grove), the bill’s chief Senate sponsor, who insisted it was his intent for the higher speed limit to apply to even clogged arteries in Chicago and suburbia.
“The bill moves the speed limit to 70 mph for all interstates and tollways in Illinois,” Oberweis said, with an aide to Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont) backing up Oberweis’ interpretation.
* OK, despite the somewhat confusing county exemptions, the statute sets the new 70 mph speed limit for “any interstate highway as defined by Section 1-133.1 of this Code.” Here’s Section 1-133.1…
625 ILCS 5/1-133.1) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 1-133.1)
Sec. 1-133.1. Interstate highway. Any highway which is now, or shall hereafter be, a part of the national system of interstate and defense highways within this State.
But then there’s the line about county exemptions from 1-133.1’s definition of what an interstate highway is, so perhaps the governor is correct.
* However…
“Our interpretation is that this law does not impact our county highway system — 55 remains the maximum speed limit along the county’s roadways,” said Johnna Kelly, a spokeswoman for the DuPage County Board.
“The county doesn’t have jurisdiction over the tollway and IDOT roads,” she said.
A top Will County official echoed those sentiments.
“I think there’s a little confusion,” said Anastasia Tuskey, a spokeswoman for Will County Executive Lawrence M. Walsh. “Our county highway director said we can’t regulate any state highway speeds.”
Cleanup bill, perhaps?
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Today’s numbers
Tuesday, Aug 20, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tedd McClelland at NBC5…
In this century, the Republicans have gone 4-for-23 in statewide elections — a .173 winning percentage.
Tedd blames this sad record on the GOP’s conservative bent by looking at the moderates who won those four statewide races…
In the 21st Century, only three Republicans have won a statewide election in Illinois: Judy Baar Topinka, elected treasurer in 2002 and comptroller in 2010; Mark Kirk, elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010; and Dan Rutherford, elected treasurer in 2010.
Thoughts?
* Meanwhile, a conservative Republican is gearing up for a run for state treasurer…
I haven’t sent an email regarding fundraising, volunteering or anything else in a while, but the time has now come to start building the bridge that will lead to my 2014 State of Illinois Treasurer election.
I’m writing to ask if you would be one of the first donors and more importantly, supporter to my election campaign?
If you’re IN — just go to www.michaelscottcarter.com and give whatever is comfortable for you.
Your donation of $50, $100, $250, or even $500 would be very helpful as I prepare to kick-off my campaign.
Your support will send a strong message to the liberal attack machine that Illinois and America want leaders with fiscal discipline as we Bringing Back Mainstreet… One Neighborhood at a Time and generating economic growth to all 110 counties in Illinois
Your support would mean a great deal to me as I prepare to kick-off the petitioning on September 3rd and start working to get Illinois back on track and moving forward in the right direction.
Thank you in advance for believing in me and your ongoing support.
Warmest regards,
Michael Scott Carter
State Treasurer Candidate [Emphasis added.]
I wasn’t aware that Illinois had annexed southern Wisconsin. The “Illinois Dells” somehow just doesn’t have the same resonance, but I suppose I could get used to it.
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