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Americans for Prosperity Illinois launching direct mail, online campaign to stop income tax hike

Tuesday, May 6, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From a press release…

Today Americans for Prosperity - Illinois is launching the first phase of a campaign calling on legislators to honor their promise to taxpayers by keeping the 67% income tax hike temporary. The effort consists of a massive direct mail effort, along with a website, KeepItTemporary.com, and grassroots efforts to oppose Governor Quinn and Speaker Madigan’s push to permanently hike the income tax. The efforts will seek to hold 17 state legislators accountable by highlighting their prior stated support for letting the income tax hike expire as scheduled.

“Illinoisans want to know: will those legislators who said they supported letting the income tax expire while campaigning stand up for taxpayers now? Or will they join Gov. Quinn and Speaker Madigan in breaking trust with their constituents and again hike taxes on all Illinoisans further damaging the state’s dismal economy?” asked David From, Illinois State Director of Americans for Prosperity. “Many of these legislators at one point recognized that permanently increasing the income tax will harm Illinois’s hardworking families and slow economic recovery. They need to honor their commitment to their constituents and allow the tax hike to expire as promised to taxpayers when the measure was passed.”

The legislators being held accountable are: Reprentatives Fred Crespo (44th District), Emily McAsey (85th District), Katherine Cloonen (79th District), Deborah Conroy (46th District), Laura Fine (17th District), Stephanie Kifowit (84th District), Natalie Manley (98th District), Michelle Mussman (55th District), Brandon Phelps (118th District), Marty Moylan (55th District), Sam Yingling (62nd), Jerry Costello II (116th), Mike Smiddy (71st) and Senators Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (49th District), Julie Morrison (29th District), Melinda Bush (31st District), and Michael Hastings (19th District).

Today’s direct mail and online efforts build on AFP’s on-going grassroots opposition to the income tax hike, which includes regular door knocking and phoning to educate and mobilize Illinoisans against the tax hike.

* A sample mailer…

51 Comments

OK, we can’t pass this up

Tuesday, May 6, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Former Illinois Congressman Ken Gray wrote a letter to Caroline Kennedy and then talked to the Daily American about his relationship to Caroline’s father John F. Kennedy…

“Your dad asked me to run for president after his two terms would have expired,” writes Gray.” The Constitution only allows two terms for a president and he was not fond of Lyndon Johnson and wanted me to succeed him.”

Why this revelation had never seen the light of day has more to do with Gray’s safety than it did his privacy. He says he was concerned for his own life which would have paralleled his dear friend in politics, issues and programs.

“He wanted me to be a candidate because he knew we shared the same ideology,” said Gray. […]

Gray says he was more interested in hunting down a killer than becoming president which could have been fatal. […]

He says from that time on he knew that his life was at risk should he continue in the footsteps of Kennedy.

“I feel there is still some danger, but I’m at an age now that it wouldn’t be so harmful,” said Gray who spoke with authority and total clarity throughout the interview.

“I could have been killed if they knew of the friendship,” he continued.

Um, OK.

* The accompanying photo…

No, that’s not Phil Spector.

Caption?

76 Comments

Question of the day

Tuesday, May 6, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Gov. Pat Quinn stressed to reporters again today that the problems with his anti-violence initiative are at the grant recipient level, not at his level. The top people in his administration who were closely associated with the grant program are mostly no longer in government, so throwing them off the train ain’t gonna work. Throwing them under the bus probably won’t work either because he praised them both when they resigned. He’s tried to highlight real, substantive reforms he’s hoping to put in place, but was mostly ignored by reporters. He’s even getting blamed for the fact that Dorothy Brown’s husband was hired by one of the oldest and most respected anti-poverty, anti-violence groups in the nation, and that nobody knew the guy had an out of state felony conviction for writing a bad check.

As a commenter put it today…

here’s the recurring problem for Quinn, he can’t stay on a single message.

Message #1: i found the corruption and put an end to it. False-Senate R’s found it first.

Message #2: it’s all politics. False-Bipartisan group of legislators just called for investigation.

stay tuned for message #3

And I’m pretty sure whatever message he decides on next will be outdated or proved false as soon as he delivers it.

* The Question: What should Gov. Quinn do now to deal with this mess?

65 Comments

Chamber jumps in early for Dold

Tuesday, May 6, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* I don’t have the ad yet, but the US Chamber just dumped a bunch of cable money into CD 10 supporting Republican Bob Dold…

US Chamber of Commerce
Targeting US Congressional D10/ supporting GOP candidate
Agency: Smart Media, DC
Order total: $367,700
Flight dates: 5 /7/14 - 5/28/14
Networks: AEN, DISC, ESPN, FOOD, HIST, TBS, TNT, TWC
Dayparts: 9A-4P, 7P-midnight
Syscodes / Zones / $ by syscode
1277 /Barrington / $37,800
5126 / Highland Park / $53,600
1863 / Libertyville / $32,750
5553 / Gurnee / $54,920
1283 / Glenview Evanston / $37,720
1794 / Mt Prospect / $45,520
6221 / Rolling Meadows / $59,300
0573 /McHenry / $46,090
Total All zones: $367,700

…Adding… I’m told it’s a positive spot about Dold and doesn’t mention his opponent.

17 Comments

Fun with numbers

Tuesday, May 6, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* From the Illinois Policy Institute…

According to the governor’s own estimates, when the tax hike sunsets next year, the state’s General Fund Revenue will drop to about $35 billion. That’s more than the state spent just two years ago during the 2012 fiscal year – not quite the doomsday scenario Quinn is trying to sell.

* If you click here and take a look at a document published by the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, you’ll see that the Policy Institute is right about their simple comparison between FY 2012 and FY 2015. Total operating and transfers out spending in FY12 was $34.1 billion, while the same number in the governor’s not recommended (no tax hike) proposal is $34.6 billion.

But, dig down a little for the real story.

* For instance, FY12’s pension fund contributions totaled $4.13 billion, while pension contributions next fiscal year in the governor’s “not recommended” budget are projected to be $6.24 billion - a $2.11 billion jump.

Plus, the state had a $477 million operating deficit in FY 2012, which was down from the $3.8 billion operating deficit the year before, but still pretty darned high. The not recommended budget’s operating surplus for next fiscal year is $357 million - an $834 million swing from FY12.

Compared to FY12, mandated transfers out (debt service, etc.) are about $316 million higher by next fiscal year.

Also, in inflation-adjusted terms, FY12’s $34.1 billion in total spending equals $35.1 billion in today’s dollars. That’s a half billion dollars more than the state is projected to actually spend in the coming fiscal year with the not recommended budget.

* So, increased pension payments, wiping out the operating deficit and creating a small surplus, higher mandated transfers out, plus inflation adds up to $3.76 billion in net budget pressures that didn’t exist in FY 2012. At least by my math.

And they still have to somehow fund the government on net appropriations that are projected in the not recommended budget to be $1.9 billion lower next fiscal year than in FY12, not counting inflation ($25.07 billion in FY12 vs. $23.12 billion in FY15). The difference is $730 million higher when you factor for inflation.

Yes, it’s a real problem.

33 Comments

Rate Bruce Rauner’s new web video

Tuesday, May 6, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* “Déjà Vu”…

Oof.

88 Comments

*** UPDATED x2 - Subpoenas approved - Live audio *** Barickman wants subpoena power

Tuesday, May 6, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

*** UPDATE 2 *** Subpoenas were approved on a vote of 10-1, with Rep. Mautino as the lone “No” vote.

*** UPDATE 1 *** Click here to listen to live audio of the Legislative Audit Commission hearing.

[ *** End Of Updates *** ]

* Sun-Times…

A co-chairman of a legislative audit panel on Tuesday plans to seek authority to issue subpoenas for records and witnesses in a probe of the troubled Neighborhood Recovery Initiative in what could become a lingering — and potentially more of a public — headache for Gov. Pat Quinn.

State Sen. Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington, on Monday first told the Sun-Times political portal Early & Often that he will move to formally ask for the authority to subpoena records and witnesses from the anti-violence program that the state’s auditor slammed as riddled with mismanagement. […]

Barickman is a co-chairman of the Legislative Audit Commission, which is made up of six Republicans and six Democrats. He plans a morning news conference following the commission meeting.

I wrote about this issue in today’s subscriber edition. House Speaker Michael Madigan’s spokesman e-mailed this to me after reading what I wrote…

I think the Senator [Barickman] is about to learn the Auditor General already has subpoena power

* Meanwhile, it’s the gift that keeps on giving. Sun-Times again…

Cook County Circuit Clerk Dorothy Brown had a direct managerial role in a not-for-profit group that got an anti-violence grant from Gov. Pat Quinn’s now-disbanded Neighborhood Recovery Initiative, state records obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times show.

The group, Dream Catchers Community Development Corp., was founded by Brown’s husband, Benton Cook III. It was asked to return unexpended grant money after having its contract terminated in 2011 by Chicago Area Project, a larger not-for-profit that had been overseeing organizations that had received money through the Quinn anti-violence initiative.

Dream Catchers was supposed to be paid as much as $10,000 by Chicago Area Project to distribute anti-violence literature between February 2011 and November 2011.

The group initially was awarded $3,333 of the $10,000. But Chicago Area Project ended the deal after only a few months, in May 2011, saying it learned of the potential conflict of interest posed by Cook also being paid tens of thousands of dollars by Chicago Area Project to oversee other Neighborhood Recovery Initiative programs.

60 Comments

Today’s history lesson

Tuesday, May 6, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* WBEZ’s Lauren Chooljian traces the origins of Illinois’ Sunday car sales ban…

The state’s Sunday auto sales ban is one of many state-level blue laws, which — as a category — prohibit certain secular activities on Sundays. The ban first made its way through the Illinois legislature in 1951. Dealers wanted to allow a day off, but any single dealership couldn’t close its doors while competitors stayed open. Legislators agreed to a mandatory day off and passed a bill to make it happen, but the story got complicated as soon as the bill hit Governor Adlai Stevenson’s desk.

Stevenson’s Attorney General, Ivan A. Elliott, encouraged the governor to veto the bill, saying it likely violated the Illinois Constitution “as an interference with the right of an individual to pursue any trade or occupation which is not injurious to the public or a menace to the safety or welfare of society.”

Stevenson heeded the AG’s word, and vetoed Senate Bill 504.

“If such a restriction on Sunday trade is sound for automobiles, why should it not be extended to newspapers, groceries, ice cream cones and other harmless commercial transactions?” Stevenson wrote in a veto message. “Carried to its logical extreme, any business group with sufficient influence in the legislature can dictate the hours of business of its competitors. And if hours, why not prices?”

Go read the whole thing. I learned quite a lot from this piece.

34 Comments

An early adjournment?

Tuesday, May 6, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Even with all the big issues still on the table? Senate President John Cullerton thinks it’s possible…

Cullerton said there’s a chance that both the budget and tax increase could get wrapped up early this year.

“We finish up on a Saturday, which this time (of) year in May, you have people who have graduations and that sort of thing,” he said. “I think it would be better to finish the major issues like the tax extension and the budget sooner than the last day.”

He’s got a good point. If your kid is graduating from college, you don’t want to be in Springfield that day. Then again, early adjournment is never easy.

20 Comments

*** LIVE SESSION COVERAGE ***

Tuesday, May 6, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Should be an interesting day…

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Prescribing Psychologists: Still Unsafe for Patients

Tuesday, May 6, 2014 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

We knew it would happen this way: A last-minute amendment hurried out in the hope no one would read it too carefully. But despite some new window dressing, HFA #2 to SB 2187 – which would allow psychologists to prescribe – still fails to protect patients.

Among the dangers in the new bill:

Inadequate Training & Education

A Woefully Insufficient “Conditional License”

Does Not Improve Access

To date, four Illinois newspapers have editorialized against SB 2187: the Chicago Tribune, the Chicago Sun-Times, the Rockford Register Star and the Lake County News-Sun. This bill was written to benefit psychologists – not patients. Tell your representative to vote NO, and visit http://coalitionforpatientsafety.com.

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Illinois Hospital Community Supports State Budget that Maintains Current Tax Rates

Tuesday, May 6, 2014 - Posted by Advertising Department

[The following is a paid advertisement.]

We all agree that Illinois has serious financial challenges. The immediate issue in the final month of the General Assembly session is deciding what we are willing to do to avert a catastrophe from devastating cuts if current tax rates are not maintained.

This issue is not just about hospitals and health systems. It’s also about roads, schools and public safety, and yes, health care. Without the continuation of current tax revenues, these areas will be subject to severe cuts in funding.

We have all witnessed first-hand the needed improvements in Illinois roads, health care, public safety, and education. We have much work to do to improve the lives of all Illinoisans, which requires stable and predictable state funding.

Deciding to support a continuation of current tax rates is not easy. But taking the easy way out today will only make tomorrow’s problems worse. We must collectively find the courage to do the right thing now. We need to keep our promises to Illinoisans to keep our state safe, well-educated and healthy.

No silver bullet can solve these issues. It takes tough decisions and sacrifice for the greater good of the state. That’s why the Illinois Hospital Association and the hospital community support taking this difficult action.

Now is the time for political courage and statesmanship – and for legislators to make tough decisions for these tough times. We ask state lawmakers to vote “Yes” to enact an FY2015 state budget that maintains current tax rates and avoids harmful cuts. Our future depends on it.

For more information, see our fact sheet.

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Supplement to today’s edition

Tuesday, May 6, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Protected: SUBSCRIBERS ONLY - Today’s edition of Capitol Fax (use all CAPS in password)

Tuesday, May 6, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller

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