Tonight’s assignments
Tuesday, Mar 4, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* There’s a debate at 6 o’clock…
The 2014 Illinois Republican gubernatorial candidates will participate in a forum on Tuesday, March 4, co-sponsored by NBC 5 Chicago and the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics and Harris School of Public Policy, at 6:00 p.m.
All four candidates in the Republican primary —Bill Brady, Kirk Dillard, Bruce Rauner and Dan Rutherford — will participate in this first-ever partnership between UChicago and NBC 5.
The 60-minute forum will be broadcast live on NBC 5 (WMAQ-TV) from the David and Reva Logan Center for the Arts’ Performance Hall. The event will also be webcast live and will include an additional 30-minute question-and-answer session with the audience at the end.
There’s no link on NBC’s website yet, but help out in comments if you can.
* Also tonight…
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* From the Decatur Herald & Review…
Calling the city’s pensions “dangerously underfunded,” the Illinois Policy Institute released a report intended to highlight a statewide problem stemming from the rising costs of pensions for police, firefighters and local government workers. […]
“Despite more money being thrown into pension systems, the relative health of those pensions systems aren’t that much better, or they’re worse. They’re worse in most cities,” [Ted Dabrowski, vice president of policy for the Illinois Policy Institute] said. “You’ve got a lose-lose situation where taxpayers are throwing in more money and yet they’re not getting any benefit from that.”
In a news release issued Thursday, the institute said “every penny” of property tax revenue in Decatur goes to pay for local government pensions.
But…
In fact, about $7.6 million of the city’s $11.7 million property tax levy is designated for pensions. The remaining money is pledged to the Decatur Public Library, municipal band and general obligation bond debt. […]
The fire and police pension funds have a cash balance of about $130 million. They are now 62 percent and 69 percent funded, respectively, [Decatur City Manager Ryan McCrady] said.
“If we stop putting a penny into those pension funds today, employees that would not get a pension are probably in high school,” he said.
* SJ-R editorial…
The Illinois Policy Institute, a Chicago-based think tank and lobbying organization that makes no secret of its advocacy for 401(k)-style public pension plans, injected itself into the local pension conversation this week by offering Springfield aldermen an embarrassingly flawed assessment of the city’s pension picture.
Aldermen politely sent packing the institute’s representative, Ted Dabrowski, who appeared at Tuesday night’s council meeting to present its study of Springfield’s pension system.
For the study, the Illinois Policy Institute used publicly available data from Springfield and 113 other Illinois cities to score and rank how much of an effect pensions are having on taxpayers, property taxes and municipal budgets. Springfield, the study declares, has the worst-funded municipal pension system of the state’s 20 largest cities and spends 100 percent of its general fund property taxes to pay for police, fire and city pensions.
Not so fast.
Among other flaws, the study accounted for all city pension payments, including those for enterprise funds, such as City Water, Light and Power. It did not, however, account for revenue from those enterprise funds, which skewed the institute’s conclusions. […]
The report also asserts Springfield’s property taxes have “skyrocketed” because of unwieldy pension payments. In fact, property tax rates in Springfield haven’t increased since 1984, but revenue meanwhile has increased because of property appreciation and development.
* Good journalism from the two Downstate papers. Not so much from WGN TV…
It’s not just the state of Illinois as a whole that’s dealing with a huge, pension problem.
Municipal pension systems are also in rough shape. A new audit by a conservative think-tank says pensions are wreaking havoc with municipal budgets. […]
If you wonder why you’re having more potholes than ever, it’s not just the weather,” says John Tillman of the Illinois Policy Institute. “It’s the pension crisis in your own community.”
Tillman says a new audit of 114 Illinois cities and towns reveals an alarming problem. ”It doesn’t matter if you’re a low income community or a high end community,” he says. “All these towns are having trouble keeping up with their pension obligations because the amount of the obligation is growing way too fast.”
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Caption contest!
Tuesday, Mar 4, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a press release…
The Associated Beer Distributors of Illinois (ABDI) announced that the Board of Directors has unanimously elected Robert L. Myers Jr. as President effective January 2, 2014. Myers succeeds ABDI’s President Bill Olson who retired January 1, 2014, after twenty-nine (29) years of service to ABDI.
“After a thorough and deliberate selection process, the Board of Directors is delighted that Bob will serve as chief staff officer of ABDI,” said Gene McEnery, Chair of the Board of Directors. “Bob has a thorough understanding of the needs of our distributor members and his legislative contacts will be invaluable. I have no doubt that he is the right person to lead ABDI as ABDI enters its 76th year.”
Myers has worked for ABDI for 20 years, most recently as Vice President of Government Relations, where he oversaw all aspects of ABDI’s legislative initiatives.
“I am honored that the Board of Directors chose me to follow in the footsteps of Bill Olson,” said Bob Myers. “I am also thrilled that I will have the ability to rely on Bill’s counsel over the coming year as he is an exceptional executive, leader, role model and friend.”
* The photo…
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Question of the day
Tuesday, Mar 4, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Some of you have been wondering in comments today why a rich guy like Bruce Rauner would spend so much of his own money to win public office. A few have opined about where they’d escape to if they had Rauner’s cash. Some have pointed to the fact that the governor’s salary is so much less than Rauner is currently spending.
But take a look at this December, 2003 interview of Rauner by former Sun-Times columnist Dave Lundy. No link because it’s behind their archives wall…
Lundy: What are your goals over the next few years?
Rauner: I plan on continuing to work in our industry for a number of years. I love our business and would do it as a hobby. But it’s very important for me to have this social service element. And I want to continue to be more involved with my time as well as my money.
I know this will sound corny again, but I remember my grandfather saying, “Bruce, when you die, just make sure the world is a better place because you were here.” That’s just a huge issue for me. I don’t want to die and have people say, “Boy, he was a pretty good equity investor.” That’s nice, but it’s not what I want written on my tombstone.
He wasn’t totally consumed with making money. Yeah, he spent a whole lot of time doing it, but he also clearly wanted to do other stuff, even as far back as 2003.
Also, Rauner has said he will refuse to accept a salary if he’s elected governor. He doesn’t need the cash. He doesn’t want a state pension.
But, because it was a fun little diversion in comments, let’s go with this one today…
* The Question: If you were worth hundreds of millions or even billions of dollars and made $53 million in reported income last year, what would you do with your life?
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* The Macon County State’s Attorney has refused to give permission to County Clerk Steve Bean to issue marriage licenses for gay couples in the wake of a federal judge ordering Cook County to grant the licenses.
Last week, Macon’s Clerk Bean wrote Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan for guidance. You can read that letter and the correspondence between Bean and his state’s attorney by clicking here.
* From the Decatur paper [Fixed link]…
Bean said he was informed [a week ago] Friday by Macon County State’s Attorney’s Office not to issue licenses, as the judge’s order only applied to the Cook County clerk.
“Unless and until ordered to do so by a court of competent jurisdiction, you … may not violate the standing law of the State of Illinois by issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples at this time,” the office’s statement said.
After receiving his first call Wednesday afternoon from a resident inquiring about getting a license, Bean again asked Macon County State’s Attorney Jay Scott to reconsider his opinion or to ask Attorney General Lisa Madigan to provide equal protection to all citizens of Illinois.
Scott said late Wednesday evening that his office’s position had not changed on the matter, reiterating it is a legal interpretation of the ruling devoid of any personal position. In a letter sent to the Bean on Wednesday evening, his office shared legal concerns about same-sex marriage licenses issued before June 1 that could later be challenged in a probate or divorce setting.
“There is a possibility that any same sex marriages occurring before the effective date … could be found invalid after the fact,” the letter states. “A declaration of invalidity of a same sex marriage in a probate or divorce proceeding could have far reaching ramifications.”
However, the letter states the attorney’s office can only advise the clerk, and it is ultimately Bean’s decision whether to proceed immediately with the issuing of licenses.
* McLean County is also issuing licenses…
Despite the lack of guidance from state officials, McLean County will be the third county to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
McLean County Clerk Kathy Michael told BuzzFeed that she plans to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples as soon as late next week — a decision that comes just a day after Champaign County Clerk Gordy Hulten announced he would, under the court ruling, begin issuing such licenses.
Michael said her county will follow Hulten’s reasoning.
“I got ahold of our state’s attorney over the weekend and spent some time discussing this,” Hulten said. “They agreed with the Champaign state’s attorney’s opinion. But why wait go through [litigation] at the expense of the taxpayers? This will save a lot of people a lot of time and money.”
In his announcement, Hulten said he and his state’s attorneys concluded the Cook County ruling, which found the state’s statutory ban on marriage for same-sex couples violates the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, should apply to Champaign County.
* Others are considering it…
In DeWitt, Smith said Thursday she hadn’t yet spoken with her county’s state’s attorney, who is handling a trial. But if he has no legal problem with it, she plans to issue licenses early.
“I will not do it until I discuss it with him,” Smith said. “If he has no problem with it, then I have no problem with it.”
Vermilion Clerk Lynn Foster said she consulted with State’s Attorney Randy Brinegar, who does not believe the county has the authority to change the date, because it’s not a “home rule county” like Cook. However, Foster said she wouldn’t be surprised if the state removes the date restriction, so her office has started making necessary changes in software and printing new marriage licenses if that happens.
“And I don’t have any reason to want to wait,” Foster said. “This legislation has passed, so I don’t see that there’s any reason why we should hold out.”
Foster said her office received a few calls Wednesday and Thursday inquiring whether Vermilion would be issuing licenses immediately.
* I called the attorney general’s office last week and asked about the matter. I was told there could be an announcement by Friday. Then I was told that some sort of announcement could happen Monday.
* It’s now Tuesday and Clerk Bean has sent another e-mail…
Last week Macon County Clerk Steve Bean wrote the Attorney General Madigan asking her office to guidance to downstate county clerks on the recent Federal Court decision on same sex marriages. Attorney General Madigan called me Friday afternoon about the letter. We are awaiting her guidance in how to procedure with same sex marriages. Like the Champaign and Mc Lean County Clerks I believe that all Illinois should have marriage equality fo all Illinois and not a single county.
I hope that the Attorney General will soon provide guidance to rest of the county clerks concerning marriage equality.
Aside from the spelling errors, he does have a point.
* I called the AG’s office again today and was told to expect something late this afternoon. So stay tuned.
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Today’s numbers are a bummer
Tuesday, Mar 4, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* AP…
Poor sales of the new Dodge Dart have pushed Chrysler to temporarily lay off 325 employees at the Belvidere assembly plant that produces the compact sedans in northern Illinois.
Chrysler Group LLC confirmed the layoffs Monday, hours after releasing February sales figures showing a 37 percent decline for the Dart, the Rockford Register Star reported. The layoffs will last through the rest of the week and affect employees on all of the plant’s three shifts.
Overall sales for the company rose 11 percent last month from February of last year, but the Dart has failed to keep up with long-established competitors in the compact sedan market since its debut in 2012.
In a written statement, Chrysler said the layoffs were necessary to “to balance vehicle supply with current sales demand.”
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Meh
Tuesday, Mar 4, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Cable TV advertising is very effective, but it takes a lot longer to burn in a message on cable than it does on broadcast TV. And running ads on a “handful of cable channels” ain’t the way to do it, either…
With two weeks left before voters head to the polls, state Sen. Kirk Dillard, R-Hinsdale, is scheduled to begin airing a biographical television ad beginning Tuesday, said campaign spokesman Wes Bleed. […]
Propelled by new money from the state’s two teachers’ unions, Dillard is planning to run his ads on a handful of cable channels statewide.
Bleed said Monday he didn’t know how long Dillard’s will run. “We’re going to keep them going as long as we can,” he said.
Bill Brady also claims he’s going to run some TV ads, but he has about 11 cents in his campaign account. OK, that’s an exaggeration. It’s more like $11.
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This warrants a closer look
Tuesday, Mar 4, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sun-Times…
State Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno, R-Lemont, on Monday called for a federal inquiry into Gov. Pat Quinn’s $54 million neighborhood crime program that was slammed by the state’s auditor general last week and likened to a “political slush fund,” by one Republican. […]
“Those comments are ridiculous and irresponsible,” said Quinn spokeswoman Brooke Anderson. “As we’ve made clear repeatedly, these issues were resolved more than a year ago.”
Anderson said it was an investigation by the governor’s office that unearthed issues when they came to light in 2012. After that, Quinn immediately moved to abolish the Illinois Violence Prevention Authority, which was created before him, Anderson said. The program still exists and Anderson said as far as the political accusations — not one dollar was awarded until after the 2010 election. […]
“I think there are significant questions. We are actually going to be asking the auditor to forward his findings to the inspector general as well as to the federal prosecutors to take a look at it,” Radogno said after speaking to the City Club of Chicago. “I think there is plenty of reason to think there may have been actual crimes committed, but I don’t know that at this point … I think it’s premature to use the I-word. I think that we need to look further into it.”
When asked if she had reason to believe the line was crossed by intermediaries or the governor himself, Radogno responded: “Probably all of the above.”
As subscribers already know, the claims about no money being expended before the election are technically true. However, lots and lots of contracts were signed before the election. Those groups knew a pile of state cash was heading their way well before election day.
And, frankly, it doesn’t matter when the issues were “resolved.” What matters is if anyone associated with this program broke the law. I don’t think a further investigation would hurt.
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Rate Tom Cross’ new cable TV ad
Tuesday, Mar 4, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a Tom Cross campaign e-mail to supporters…
Beginning this morning, our campaign took to the airwaves to share our goals for the office of Treasurer, which include balancing the budget and cracking down on fraud and corruption, and also highlight the policy differences between myself and the Frerichs/Quinn Agenda.
The ad, titled “Clear Choice”, succinctly asks two key questions of voters: Do you want more spending or a balanced budget? Do you want higher taxes or greater reform?
* Cross is taking the Rauner route of ignoring his GOP primary opposition. The ad doesn’t even mention the possible existence of a Bob Grogan and instead boosts his own campaign (I expect overlays of any newspaper endorsements he receives down the road) and attacks Frerichs. Rate it…
* This is a cable buy, so I checked in with Comcast…
$37,860 on the Chicago Interconnect
3/5 - 3/9/14 FXNC only all dayparts
$41,640 on the Chicago Interconnect
3/11 - 3/17/14 FXNC only all dayparts
He also heavied up his FXNC only presence in key Comcast zones having a higher GOP voter audience: $19,960 spread across five Comcast zones: Oakbrook, St.Charles/ Wheaton, Orland Park, Mt. Prospect, Frankfort 3/4 - 3/17/14 FXNC only all dayparts
All Fox News, all the time. If you wanna reach hardcore GOP primary voters, that’s the most reliable way to do it. And attacking Democrats doesn’t hurt at all on that channel.
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About today’s endorsements
Tuesday, Mar 4, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From today’s Tribune endorsements…
Republican state Rep. Sandra Pihos of Glen Ellyn says business costs are too high in Illinois — yet she voted against a work comp bill that has helped to curb those costs. She says public employee pensions have to be fixed — but she voted against the comprehensive pension reform bill that was signed into law. Surprise, surprise, she’s received thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from public employee unions. You can’t count on Pihos to make the tough decisions needed to build a strong Illinois economy. Enough. Attorney Peter Breen of Lombard knows that Republicans have to lead on this. As a Lombard Village Board member, Breen has pushed to keep taxes and spending low. We’re confident he would protect taxpayers in Springfield. We have no confidence in Pihos. Breen is endorsed.
A few points.
First, almost all House Republicans voted as a bloc against the workers’ compensation reform bill.
Second, Bruce Rauner has dismissed that workers’ comp bill as weak and ineffective. Rauner also strongly opposed the pension reform bill. So, keep an eye on the Tribune’s endorsement in the governor’s race to see how those two issues play into the paper’s decision.
* And, third, do you notice anything missing? How about what Peter Breen does for a living? Breen is the former executive director and current Vice President and Senior Counsel for the Thomas More Society. The group is staunchly pro-life and has worked hard to stop gay marriage in Illinois. From his Thomas More Society bio…
Peter Breen has appeared in state and federal courts in Illinois and across the country in defense of life, marriage, and religious liberty. Peter is regularly sought out by the television, radio, and print media as an expert legal analyst and in connection with the Thomas More Society’s lawsuits. Prior to his recent promotion, Peter served as the Society’s Executive Director & Legal Counsel, directing its day-to-day operations. During his five-year tenure as Executive Director, the Society grew substantially, successfully taking on numerous lawsuits of national importance, setting fundraising records, and retiring all of its long-term debt.
You’d think the guy’s day job would be relevant here.
Breen is also being backed to the hilt by Dan Proft’s Liberty Principles PAC.
…Adding… Like Rep. Pihos, Democratic House candidate Will Guzzardi is receiving big bucks from public employee unions. Actually, he’s getting tons more money than she is.
And like Pihos, Guzzardi opposes pension reform.
Yet on the very same page, the Trib endorses Guzzardi over Rep. Toni Berrios, who voted for pension reform…
Will Guzzardi lost the Democratic primary in 2012 to state Rep. Toni Berrios by just 125 votes. Guzzardi is trying again to defeat the daughter of Joe Berrios, the Cook County assessor and Democratic Party chairman who loves to install family members in government jobs. Toni Berrios is a loyal soldier for House Speaker Michael Madigan. Though we disagree with his position on pension reform and some other issues, his election would bring some much-needed independence to the House. “The monolithic structures of power in Springfield aren’t doing any good for anyone,” he says. Voters who are fed up with patronage and cronyism should turn out for Guzzardi. He is endorsed.
* But Mother Tribune is OK with “patronage and cronyism” in another House Democratic primary…
Chicago Ald. Deb Mell held this House seat before she was appointed to succeed her father, former Ald. Dick Mell, in the City Council. The Northwest Side district is now represented by Dick Mell’s former aide Jaime Andrade Jr. We were prepared to work up another lather about insider appointments and such but … it turns out Andrade is pretty gutsy. He took a tough vote in favor of pension reform in December and, for that, the state’s biggest employee union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, wants to punish him. AFSCME is bankrolling Nancy Schiavone, an attorney who ran for alderman in 2011. There are other choices. Aaron Goldstein is a sharp, ambitious attorney who served on Rod Blagojevich’s legal defense team. Wendy Jo Harmston is a consultant who started a dog-sitting business. Mark Pasieka also is on the ballot. But Andrade knows and serves his community and understands this state still faces a financial crisis. Andrade is endorsed.
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We have a new record
Tuesday, Mar 4, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* It’s only gonna go up from here…
Wealthy venture capitalist Bruce Rauner has set a new record for personal funding in a campaign for Illinois governor, his out-of-pocket total hitting $6 million after he put another $1 million into his bid Monday. […]
Rauner, a Winnetka businessman who is perhaps the wealthiest candidate ever to run for public office in Illinois, has now raised $14 million ahead of the March 18 primary election — far and away eclipsing the combined money-raising efforts of Republican rivals state Sens. Bill Brady of Bloomington and Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale and state Treasurer Dan Rutherford of Chenoa.
The previous record for personal money in an Illinois governor race came in 2006, when Chicago businessman Ron Gidwitz and his wife donated $5.3 million only to lose the primary election. Still, Rauner has a ways to go to top the U.S. Senate bids of Blair Hull, who spent $28.6 million of his own money to lose the 2004 Democratic primary to Barack Obama, and Peter Fitzgerald, who spent nearly $12 million from his own pocket to win in 1998.
* If he wins the primary, he’ll easily break Hull’s record. NBC 5 looks at other states…
Self-funded political campaigns have taken off in recent years, with the number of such candidates rising from 78 in 1990 to 223 in 2010 and 193 in 2012, according to an analysis by The Washington Times. The Times also found that of 1,752 self-funded candidates in federal elections since 1990, only 42 have been elected—a success rate of just 2.4 percent.
That was certainly the case for pro wrestling executive Linda McMahon, who suffered two straight defeats in her bid for a Connecticut Senate seat, despite dropping $97 million of her own money.
Jeff Greene, a Florida investor who made billions on credit default swaps, lost a Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in 2010 despite contributing $23 million to his own campaign.
In 2002, Texas banker Tony Sanchez spent $60 million of his own money on his Democratic campaign for governor, while billionaire businessman Thomas Golisano spent more than $50 million from his personal fortune in New York’s gubernatorial race. Neither won.
* Sun-Times…
A Rauner campaign aide said the massive infusion of new money is designed to counter the push by unions and other Democratic interests to knock him out of the primary.
“Liberal special interest groups and government union bosses have spent $4 million attempting to hijack the Republican primary and are trying to stop Bruce from spreading his plan to pass term limits, cut spending, and reverse the Quinn 67 percent tax hike,” Rauner spokesman Mike Schrimpf said.
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