Hospitals back removal of income tax sunsets
Thursday, Apr 24, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
Posted by Barton Lorimor (@bartonlorimor)
* As you may recall from a story posted here earlier this week, Speaker Madigan says he does not yet have the votes to pass the income tax hike. The renewed attention the Governor has received as of late for the Flider, Gordon, and Smith hirings from four years ago certainly does not help.
Here come the hospitals to mend the situation…
Wurth said additional cuts to Medicaid would result in reductions or eliminations of services at hospitals, including trauma, obstetrics and mental health. Patients also could see longer waiting times at emergency rooms.
“We recognize this is a difficult vote,” Wurth said. “But we need lawmakers to make tough decisions for these tough times. The future of our state depends on it.”
Among special interest groups in Illinois, the hospital association was in the top 15 in terms of giving money to politicians in the 2012 election cycle.
In 2013, the organization contributed more than $420,000 to politicians, including significant sums to party leaders on both sides of the aisle in the General Assembly.
* If you don’t like the conversation, then change the subject is what I was told once. Apparently so was the Tribune editorial board…
Democrats and Republicans should change the conversation. They should assume the law as written remains law, with income tax rates receding Jan. 1, and with no new Democratic tax hikes to replace that lost revenue. Changing the conversation would make politicians of both parties face an ultimatum: Tell us how Illinois should budget for that distinct possibility.
…
If your accusations are true, Republicans, prove them in a way all of us can see: Put a big table and some chairs on a shady patch of statehouse lawn. Politely invite agency heads and Quinn’s budgeteers to answer questions. Explain that this is just a conversation. You aren’t taking sworn testimony, you aren’t conducting inquisitions, you aren’t forming a shadow government. It’s a fact-gathering session, on a nice spring day, to help the people of Illinois see what the rollback will mean and how Springfield can, or can’t possibly, cut spending to absorb it.
…
But with or without fresh information from the Democrats, Rauner and GOP leaders ought to propose specific revenue and spending plans. They have to assure voters now hearing the Democrats’ doom and gloom that the tax rollback won’t send state government off a cliff.
This part made me chuckle a bit…
You, too, Mr. Rauner. Itching to, say, ask Julie Hamos, head of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, about further scrubbing ineligible recipients from the Medicaid rolls? Big potential savings there, as we’ve all seen. Talk it through with her. Serve iced tea. The media coverage would, we suspect, be lavish.
Subscribers and the Tribune board knows exactly why such a conversation would be so interesting to more than just the parties involved.
Related budget round-up…
* Journal Star: Help for those who need it, for a change?: It’s a wonder anyone can be found to work in a group home for adults who are profoundly disabled. They do jobs the vast majority of us don’t want, lifting fully grown people who often are wheelchair dependent, feeding them, bathing them, learning to communicate with the nonverbal, dealing with behavioral challenges that may include biting and hitting and other forms of frustration, sometimes becoming unrelated family — all so they can earn, on average, $9.35 an hour in Illinois. And so legislation has been introduced to improve that situation. It would gradually increase the minimum pay to $13 an hour for these direct support workers by 2016, starting with a $1-an-hour wage hike on Jan. 1. Gov. Pat Quinn is on board, putting aside some $30 million in his proposed 2015 budget. We trust most would agree these workers should earn more money, though you always have some who haven’t walked in those shoes and believe taxpayers should bear no responsibility for the struggles of others, to which we would say: You’re asking the impossible of many of these families, and “there but for the grace of God go I.”
* Burial of indigent brings ‘closure’
* Quinn touts MAP grant expansion
* Quinn announces huge investment for new WIU facility
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The other strategy
Thursday, Apr 24, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
Posted by Barton Lorimor (@bartonlorimor)
* Mark Brown…
As Rauner campaigned for governor during the Republican primary, he was often asked how he could win in November when so many of his party’s recent nominees had stumbled against the state’s Democratic tide rising from Cook County.
Their doubts were understandable, having watched Democrat Pat Quinn prevail in 2010 despite carrying just three of Illinois’ 102 counties.
Rauner’s answer: he would defeat Quinn by cutting into the Democrats’ usual Cook County advantage, even predicting he would receive 25 percent of the Chicago vote because of his business and civic ties here.
…
By asking city voters to call his campaign office if they want to help stop the property tax increase, Rauner seems to be trolling for disillusioned city Democrats to add to his database of potential anti-Quinn voters. They will join the names of the folks who signed Rauner’s term limits petitions for more personal attention later down the road.
It’s pretty smart politics really and probably more cost-effective than Rauner’s other strategy of just spreading his money around town to see how many people he can buy, which is standard Republican operating procedure except for Rauner having LOTS more money.
The whole column is really well done.
That “other strategy” is what Neil Steinberg was referring to last week in a now-somewhat infamous column.
You will recall Steinberg elaborated on a Sneedling that “Hermene Hartman, publisher of an obscure Chicago African-American periodical, N’DIGO, who pocketed $51,000 of Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner’s bottomless pail of money and then decided, my God, he’s the man to back, the billionaire with a heart of gold that beats in time to the hopes of the black community.” But it was the lead-in paragraph to that that is causing a stir now…
Let me be clear: As a general rule, individuals will sell out the interests of their groups in return for personal benefit. It isn’t just a black thing. Jews collaborated with the Nazis during World War II, helping them to round up their own people in the hopes they’d be the last to go. The Republican Party will deny global warming until the ocean laps at Pittsburgh simply because doing something about it crosses the immediate profit of the coal burners and oil companies and carbon spouters who write the checks. No tobacco company has any trouble finding people who, at a hefty salary, stare into the camera and say no, all that lung cancer stuff is just fiction.
Then there was apparently a Tweet by the Quinn campaign that was deleted. And a Retweet, as well.
All of that leads us to this snippet from a Conservative-backed “news outlet”…
Some in the Chicago Jewish community say that they were outraged by Quinn’s support of the Nazi rhetoric, which was disseminated over Passover, the holiday marking the ancient Jewish people’s release from slavery.
“Coming during Passover just a few days after the [anti-Semitic] shootings in Kansas, this kind of rhetoric was beyond outrageous,” said one local Jewish community insider. “Community leaders immediately contacted the governor’s office and urged retraction.”
Sources say that the heads of several major Jewish organizations personally registered their outrage with Quinn.
Can we all just agree right here and now that Henry Gibson and the Blues Brothers are the last to make an Illinois Nazi reference? All other analogies just seem to end so well…
Related…
* Rand Paul to Chicago African Americans: The GOP wants you
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Posted by Barton Lorimor (@bartonlorimor)
* The latest proposal from legislative GOP leadership caps the number of terms an executive branch office holder may serve at two…
“I’ve been slow to embrace term limits because voters do have the power to reject candidates and oust incumbents. However, given the condition of Illinois, I think the time has come to give voters a choice on limiting terms of office for its constitutional officers,” said Radogno. “Coupled with an effort to have voters decide on legislators’ term limits, this could lead to a meaningful change in Illinois government.”
Durkin agreed. “The power of incumbency is particularly strong for those holding top executive positions like the Governor. Term limits will bring fresh perspectives to these offices and will make elections for these offices more competitive,” said Durkin.
Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 69 (SJRCA 69) would not only limit Executive Branch officers to two terms in office, it also addresses circumstances where an individual is appointed to replace a Governor or Constitutional Officer, whether due to a death or another reason. In that situation, if the acting Governor or appointee serves for more than two years of their predecessor’s term, then they will be limited to one additional term in office; in this way, no Constitutional Officer will ever serve more than ten years in that capacity.
While this proposal, had it been enacted years ago, would have kept Pat Quinn from running this year, it also would have prevented a third gubernatorial term for Jim Thompson, and another go-around for Judy Baar Topinka, who was in her third term as state Treasurer when she represented her party in the 2006 campaign against RRB.
Nevertheless, Bruce Rauner is running with leadership on this one…
“I strongly support this term limits proposal. It is the perfect complement to our initiative for legislative term limits, and as governor, I’ll limit myself to two terms no matter what.
Despite his current opposition to both term limits efforts, I urge Pat Quinn to take on his Party’s legislative leaders and side with the people of Illinois who support term limits across the board.”
The ballot is filling up fast for this cycle, but here’s Cullerton on the proposal…
The Quinn campaign did not immediately respond to questions about the governor’s posture toward the Radogno-Durkin plan, but a top aide to Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, expressed little interest in the Republican legislation.
“Voters have the opportunity to deny terms in every election,” Cullerton spokeswoman Rikeesha Phelon told the Chicago Sun-Times.
*** 12:52 p.m. - The Governor issued today this statement…
“I led the charge to establish term limits for legislators through constitutional amendment in 1994; I successfully established recall for the office of governor through constitutional amendment in 2010; and I spearheaded the successful effort to reduce the size of the House by constitutional amendment in 1980,” the governor said.
“I hope voters have the chance to consider this constitutional amendment on the ballot,” Quinn said.
Cullerton has not budged.
End of update.
Related Round-up…
* Illinois republicans split on Rauner term limit proposal: An aide to Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno - who opposed lawmaker term limits a few weeks ago - confirms that Radogno now supports them.
* Proposed amendment would limit governor to two terms
* RAUNER DITCHES GOP DINNER, FEARS LINK TO PASTOR’S CONSERVATIVE VIEWS: Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner has pulled out of Thursday’s Rock Island County Republican Party Lincoln Day Dinner citing fear of being linked to what his campaign calls “inflammatory” views of a local, African-American pastor. Rev. Don Johnson was initially scheduled to speak at the event but was dis-invited by Rock Island County GOP Chairman Bill Bloom in an effort to assuage Rauner’s concerns. However, the change failed to appease the campaign, which announced that Rauner would no longer keynote the event.
* Sen. Kirk Pushes To Give Tax Break To Small Breweries
* Senator wants to give small breweries a tax break
* DuPage board candidate arrested in Wisconsin
* Bernard Schoenburg: Barr borrowed late in sheriff campaign to keep ads flowing: Though first-quarter campaign reports were due April 15, Campbell’s report had not yet been filed as of early this week. That means the campaign could be assessed a fine, but State Board of Elections rules basically say such a civil penalty will be put on hold until there is a second offense. Campbell said the report was being prepared.
* DESPITE THE SPIN, STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE ELECTIONS FAIL TO VINDICATE PAT BRADY: Citing Pat Brady and AP’s Kerry Lester, the WaPo and other legacy media, concluded that the six members were “ousted” because of their opposition to gay marriage. But the facts don’t line up with the conjecture. Only two signatories of the letter - Angel Garcia and Jerry Clarke - were not re-elected last week. Two others - Mark Shaw and Bob Winchester - remain on the committee. And signers Bobbie Peterson, Gene Dawson and Jim Oberweis (who is running for U.S. Senate) did not pursue re-election. And in at least one case an incumbent SCC member may have lost re-election because of her support of Pat Brady’s actions with regards to gay marriage.
* Bennett re-elected chairman of Ford County Republican Central Committee
* Shepherd says he’ll run for 115th seat
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Because Illinois is a real battleground state
Thursday, Apr 24, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
Posted by Barton Lorimor (@bartonlorimor)
* There are a lot of big names on the Yes to Independent Maps’ list of donors. Former U.S. District Attorneys Patrick Collins and Patrick Fitzgerald, former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the Illinois Manufacturers Association, the McCormick Foundation, Sam Zell, the Pritzkers, Tom Ricketts, Robin Steans of Advance Illinois, former Lt. Gov. Corine Wood, just to name a few.
But the one that jumps off the page at me: Ken and Anne Griffin, who have contributed at least $300,000 to the movement thus far.
Certainly that’s something to consider at the very least when you read this back and forth…
House Speaker Mike Madigan said a popular effort to change how the state’s legislative maps are drawn is being driven only by politics.
The campaign, aimed at turning the state’s legislative redistricting process over to an independent body, is the result of Republican anger, the Chicago Democrat said Tuesday.
“The redistricting constitutional amendment is just pure Republican party politics,” Madigan said.
More…
“There would be an adverse effect upon minorities,” Madigan said. “Put the Republicans in charge of something, and there’s going to be an adverse effect on minorities. Look at what happened on the immigration question. Look at what happened to the support for the Obama library in Chicago.”
* And the response…
Michael Kolenc, campaign manager for Yes for Independent Maps, called comments by House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, questioning the political motives of the effort “absurd.”
“It is no surprise that the status quo is upset that a bipartisan campaign has successfully worked over the last 2 ½ years to put in place an independent, transparent and fair redistricting system,” Kolenc said in a statement. “Speaker Madigan’s claim that we are just ‘Republican Party politics’ is absurd and has no basis in reality.”
…
Kolenc, who has worked on Democratic campaigns, said Madigan “insults Democrats, Republicans and Independents across the state with his campaign rhetoric and tries to distract from the problem of our broken redistricting system.”
Discuss in comments below.
* Recent national political conventions have been held in key battleground states, such as North Carolina, Florida, and Colorado. If that principle is followed, this may be nothing more than a light snack for the beast…
Mayor Rahm Emanuel opened the door on Tuesday for the city to bid for the 2016 Democratic convention, a switch from February, when City Hall was not interested.
“We will evaluate the opportunity this could provide and proceed accordingly,” Emanuel spokesman Sarah Hamilton told me.
It’s not clear what has changed or how serious Emanuel really is about pursuing the Democratic convention, which would come as he ramps up his 2015 re-election bid.
Chicago is on a list with many other major cities across the country…
The cities under consideration are: Atlanta; Chicago; Cleveland; Columbus, Ohio; Detroit; Indianapolis; Las Vegas; Miami; Nashville; New York; Orlando; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Pittsburgh and Salt Lake City.
More…
While the city is Obama’s hometown, the president’s lame-duck status makes a Chicago choice questionable as Democrats pick a nominee to succeed him. At the same time, political parties also factor in the political value of a potential host city — particularly when it might help to locate the event in a potential swing state such as Ohio, Pennsylvania or Florida.
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Quinn dodges Rahm question on “Morning Joe”
Thursday, Apr 24, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
Posted by Barton Lorimor (@bartonlorimor)
* “It’s your job as Governor to get along with people.”
The Mayor has bit his tongue a few times in recent weeks as his pension bill is sitting on the Governor’s desk at the moment.
* The pension bill has sort of been tucked away in the inside pages as of late though. As you remember from yesterday…
A Chicago attorney who has long crusaded against patronage is asking a federal judge to investigate hiring under Gov. Pat Quinn, alleging the Democratic governor has continued to stack the Illinois Department of Transportation with political hires.
Michael Shakman argues that Quinn has violated rules that prevent certain employees from being hired for political reasons.
The attorney points to an investigation by the Better Government Association, a watchdog group that found Quinn has continued practices first put in place by impeached ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich that it says improperly classified non-political positions as ones that could be filled by political appointees.
The Governor’s campaign, according to the Daily Herald, is not commenting on the story, which is leading to the media to rehash Rauner’s attacks. Take a look at this full WGN News segment the Republican hopeful uploaded yesterday…
That’s more than three minutes of free airtime in Chicago, and none of it included remarks from the Quinn people.
Ouch.
From another good government group, and the Governor’s political past…
Meanwhile, good government groups said even allegations of patronage hiring were cause for concern.
“It’s a slippery slope when we see this happen. It makes sense to look into it right now,” said Susan Garrett of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform. “This can’t be a gray area.”
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Morning Shorts
Thursday, Apr 24, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
Posted by Barton Lorimor (@bartonlorimor)
Fair warning: two more work days before the bearded one returns. I’ll let you decide in comments if that is a promise or a threat or a promising threat.
* No charges coming against creator of fake Mayor Ardis Twitter account: A review of state law indicates the account holders of now-shuttered Twitter account @peoriamayor didn’t break the law because the actual crime alleged, “false personation of a public official,” has to be done in person, not over the Internet or other electronic media, said State’s Attorney Jerry Brady…He wouldn’t comment on whether felony marijuana possession charges would remain in place against Jacob Elliott, 36, 1222 N. University St., after police found the drug inside the house last week. A search warrant had been issued for the crime of false personation and given that the Brady believes that section of state law didn’t apply, it could mean any evidence found at the home could be suppressed as there was no legal basis for the warrant. At issue is whether the drugs still can be used against Elliott if the warrant that allowed officers inside the house wasn’t firmly legally grounded. A quick read of the warrant gives no underlying evidence for the seizure of drugs, other than the mention of a tweet regarding a crack pipe.
* Ex-top aide to Stroger gets 6 1/2 years for theft, money laundering: Carla Oglesby, 44, who was convicted last summer of theft and money laundering charges, had nothing to say before Judge James Linn handed down the sentence that was just 6 months above the minimum punishment. Oglesby becomes the second former high-level Stroger aide to be sentenced to prison since last month. Eugene Mullins, Stroger’s friend since boyhood, was sentenced to 4 years and 3 months in prison for steering county contracts to cronies in return for $35,000 in kickbacks.
* Stroger associate sentenced in corruption case
* Prosecutors cleared to use Rep. Smith’s admissions at bribery trial: Smith’s lawyers had tried to block his admissions from his corruption trial scheduled for late next month, arguing the statements were made during plea negotiations and off limits. Prosecutors said Smith spoke freely after waiving his right to remain silent.
* Judge OKs use of lawmaker’s post-arrest statement
* Thomson prison could open in 2016: The full activation of Thomson prison is expected to take two years at a cost of $25 million for upgrades and renovations and $170 million for equipment and staffing.
* Bathon co-conspirators begin serving prison terms
* Northwestern football players to vote on union Friday
* Obama Library-Gate: 5 Developments in Debate Over $100 Million Grant Proposal: Illinois Senate President John Cullerton will do whatever it takes — even if that means offering more cash. In an interview with Crain’s, Cullerton says: “I don’t know if they need money. We will work to provide them with whatever incentive they need. It might be less [than $100 million]. It might be more. … We need to make sure they come and they stay here.”
* STATE REP. SULLIVAN SAYS DEMOCRATS INTEND TO USE OBAMA LIBRARY AS WEDGE ISSUE
* Rahm’s brother’s stake in ride-share firm raises uber questions: Back at Chicago’s City Hall, mayoral spokeswoman Sarah Hamilton said there’s no connection between Rahm’s reaction to the company’s arrival here and his brother’s financial ties to Uber. “Chicago is proposing the most comprehensive ride-share regulations in the country,” Hamilton said. “Safety and customer service are the No. 1 priorities and to suggest otherwise is absurd.”
* Bill would get Illinois police cruisers on road
* Rep. Brady: Police and coroner training audit shows shortcomings
* It’s Mayor Rahm’s game, so he makes the rules
* CPS puts $100 million price tag on mayor’s AC-in-schools edict
* Sneed: A/C in schools could help cool summer violence
* 3 city schools handed to private group for ‘turnaround’: AUSL, which runs 29 other schools in the district, will then hire new staff for the schools and train them before reopening in the fall for the same group of students. AUSL is not a charter school, but is similar in that it is given autonomy by CPS over how to run its schools. AUSL schools hire teachers who are members of the Chicago Teachers Union.
* Despite pleas, CPS hands three schools to private operator: Their mantra was the same: If we had the same extra money CPS is about to give to the Academy for Urban School Leadership — an extra $300,000 in startup money plus $420 per student, per year for five years — you’d see results from us too.
* Chicago aldermen back 8 a.m. grocery store liquor sales
* Chicago headed toward partial plastic bag ban
* Chicagoans who register cars in suburbs could face stiffer fines: The proposal would raise the cost of tickets for vehicles kept in Chicago but registered outside the city from between $200 and $500 to between $300 and $1,000. City Clerk Susana Mendoza said the ordinance is used more frequently against businesses that keep fleets of trucks in Chicago while registering them in less expensive nearby municipalities than it is against individual residents. But she said the city also gets plenty of calls from people complaining about neighbors.
* City Council Committee Approves Higher Fines For Residents Using Suburban Parking Stickers
* Aldermen back crackdown on valet parking
* City: Cubs need special permit for remote parking lot
* Free Sunday parking could soon go away in parts of Chicago: The switch is being delivered by Mayor Rahm Emanuel in response to requests from four aldermen who called for the restoration of paid parking in areas where merchants have said free parking on Sundays makes it tougher for customers to find a space when visiting their stores and restaurants.
* Watchdog questions free parking for city workers: Nineteen of the employees get free parking at 366 W. Superior St. in a warehouse the city also uses to store two city vehicles, according to a report by Inspector General Joseph Ferguson. It’s a perk valued at $45,600 a year, based on an estimated cost of $200 a month per space, the report states. But the value of the property “may exceed $1 million, based on a recently sold property . . . one block away,” the report adds.
* Free city employee parking costing Chicago money
* Report Shows City Could Generate Revenue Instead Of Doling Out Free Parking
* City inspector re-evaluating properties after FOX 32 investigation
* Aurora City Council approves outlet mall development deal
* Yorkville OKs increase in water, sewer rates
* Lake Forest votes 5-1 to join consolidated dispatch
* Oak Park Village Board berated for choice of non-green electricity
* Despite cuts, Park Ridge City Council passes budget with $6.1 million deficit
* Report: Growing number of homeless kids in DuPage: Meanwhile, the number of homeless students attending DuPage schools has climbed from 269 in 2006 to 1,287 last year, according to the Illinois State Board of Education.
* (Quincy) Aldermen will have to re-vote on firefighter contract
* Quincy receives ‘Most Progressive City’ award
* (Knox County Board) Member per diems postponed
* (Peoria) City Council saves best for last
* Unit 5 projects $3.5 million budget gap
* Flanagan pleads not guilty to disorderly conduct
* Workshop touts economic development through inland port
* Pana city attorney recommends firm as replacement
* ‘No Child Left Behind’ waiver could mean windfall for some District 186 schools
* Belleville named one of top 5 runner-friendly cities in country
* Survey: Residents generally OK with quality of life
* Herrin asks water customers to conserve
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