73 Comments - Loop Lady - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 2:19 pm: and so the dealing begins…is Mike crafting government after he is gone?…. - VanillaMan - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 2:20 pm: Yeah! That’s how you shrink government, right Bruce? Create two new fiefdoms, one for you and one for Eileen. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 2:24 pm: “Dear Mike Schrimpf, I’d let the Speaker, or his Spokesman, set the timetable and how exactly this will all proceed through the Illinois House. Signed, Common Sense” - walker - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 2:34 pm: They’ve got to be kidding on this positioning! This would be trading a salt mine for a salt shaker. This is probably not a “trade” at all. The Speaker is likely as interested in public-private structures for business and economic development as Rauner, and they can reach agreement on that score alone. Have been waiting for Rauner to make this move. I thought he would announce it much earlier, and assign his new DCEO director to prepare for transition. There are a couple of best practice examples in other states, including Indiana. If he sets the right roles, and picks the right people, this is where Rauner’s own expertise can most directly benefit the state. - Stones - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 2:38 pm: Appreciate the handshake but I’d like that in writing please! - walker - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 2:41 pm: One important caveat: This public-private development structure has worked best for the biggest companies in other states, not for the small and medium ones that produce most of the job growth. Those smaller businesses should become DCEO’s primary concern, and their efforts for them should be equally funded. - Wordslinger - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 2:43 pm: What does DCEO have to do with historic preservation? - Demoralized - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 2:45 pm: ==What does DCEO have to do with historic preservation?== I’m assuming they are trying to pigeon hole it in with tourism. - Arsenal - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 2:49 pm: “For instance, the corporation would have the power to negotiate tax incentive deals with companies, subject to final approval by DCEO.” I don’t understand the benefit of this; if DCEO has to approve, why would we want to bifurcate it from the negotiation process? I understand the idea that you needn’t have a DCEO at all, and am sympathetic to it. I just don’t get this permutation. But I really think I may be missing something. Little help? - Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 2:50 pm: Word, Every state has to have a State Historical Preservation Officer for federal environmental protection and funding purposes. States are free to structure this office with whatever fits their needs, as long as the office performs the needed functions. For instance, in IN it is part of their Department of Natural Resources (what’s “natural” about a building?), while up to this point it has been a free standing agency in IL. - Anon - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 2:50 pm: So, Mike Schrimpf and Mike Madigan disagree on the timeline for a bill moving through the House. I wonder who will turn out to be correct? - Wordslinger - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 2:52 pm: What’s the “benefit” of the “private” model? Not subject to FOIA? - Buster - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 2:55 pm: For anyone who values Illinois cultural heritage, this raises multiple red flags. The potential for tourism depends on the care of these cultural resources and that is best done by trained and dedicated historic preservationists. It sounds like much of this proposal moves us away from this priority. - Wordslinger - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 2:56 pm: Anon 2:50, very funny. That Shrimpf’s a live wire, isn’t he? Hilarious to hear a governor’s flack proclaiming “done deal” and setting the House schedule. - Anonymous - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 2:57 pm: Outsourceing begins. - Stella - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 2:58 pm: If your boyfriend is MJM’s landlord, you get your own library and museum. And you can even skip the 10 year anniversary open house. - Captain Illini - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:03 pm: Remember…IHPA was created under Thompson, since it was a Division of the old Dept. of Conservation. Now it’s become the unwanted stepchild soon to be adopted by DCEO. - Sir Reel - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:06 pm: In 1985 the former Department of Conservation’s Division of Historic Sites was combined with the State Historic Library and some other entities to become the Historic Preservation Agency. Many State Historic Sites have natural resources, day use facilities, trails, etc. Many DNR sites have archeological and historic resources. HPA should go back to DNR. DCEO is not the home for HPA. - Precinct Captain - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:06 pm: Will a public-private economic development agency be exempt from open meetings and freedom of information laws? - Honeybear - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:12 pm: Yes a public-private entity would be exempt from foia and open meetings. - Honeybear - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:13 pm: Also free from union employees. - Honeybear - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:16 pm: Take a look. http://gapersblock.com/mechanics/2014/10/31/how-rauners-overlooked-job-creation-plan-caused-problems-in-other-states/ - Nicholas - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:20 pm: Buster — exactly right. In terms of historic preservation, this raises many red flags. I worry that the historic value of any building, location, or other landmark will be determined solely on it’s potential tourism value or potential profitability. That worries me greatly. - downstate - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:22 pm: Honeybear hit it right on the head. The proposed shadowy development corporation would all but assure that new jobs coming to Illinois would be non-union. Biggest loser I see here is SEIU. - Six Degrees of Separation - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:24 pm: HPA should go back to DNR. DCEO is not the home for HPA. I can see the “promotion of tourism” angle for folding into DCEO, but if the primary focus is “preservation”, seems a department where preservation or conservation is the primary focus would be a more natural fit. Strange bedfellows can be made to work, but can also be a recipe for failure. - walker - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:26 pm: The primary benefit of the “private” part of this model, when done correctly, is to turn our biggest companies into representatives and cheerleaders of Illinois in the broader world market. They become part of our sales efforts in other states. That’s what Illinois companies used to do. They would see themselves more as part of the solution, and less as constant critics of whoever is in Springfield. They also could provide more private funding for such efforts as World Chicago, or export initiatives, or start-up activities. It’s bringing them into the tent. Also dangerous if done badly. And just wrong-headed if small and medium businesses are even more ignored than they are today. The devil’s in the details as always. Too idealistic, Word? - Roamin' Numeral - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:28 pm: Unions need to watch this, as Honeybear and others noted. Could be a slippery slope. If this maneuvering is an effective way to eliminate union positions and replace them with non-union positions, look out. - DuPage - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:35 pm: A private corporation empowered to give tax breaks? That is like them giving away public funds in secret. No FOIA, nothing to keep them honest. Also, if they do get caught doing something like kickbacks, they don’t face official misconduct or loss of pension like government employees would. Very bad idea. - Shemp - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:38 pm: DCEO can’t get much worse (at least downstate), so I am okay with the try anything different approach at this point. - Amalia - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:39 pm: great care needs to be taken with the Historic Preservation Agency. It’s not just about save a building, put up a sign. there are actual tax implications for people who have homes within a historic district. It’s valuable for housing purposes. Sunny Fischer is a very smart and honorable person. Her opinion is large within the community that cares about these issues. If they are smart, they will consult with local preservation groups and some Federal authorities about the best place to put this agency. no point in even getting into the Lincoln Museum as they will do what they want there. but the HPA has wider impact than a museum. it affects the entire state of Illinois, many communities, and should not just be tossed around like some leftover scrap of material. - Cassandra - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:42 pm: How many employees work at DCEO. Would they all continue to work there? If so, what would they be doing, if “many of their key functions” are moving elsewhere. - In a Minute - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:42 pm: Perfect. Rauner gets to promote private sector growth and Madigan gets another patronage haven. They each get what they want. - Carl LaFong - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:43 pm: So have Rauner cut deals to lower taxes on big business and let everyone else pay. Sounds like a good deal for those who have the most but not so good for the others. Let’s see, lower business taxes, privatize education (see Supes Academt, Feds, CPS), and right to work for less zones. I’m all in. lol - Anonin' - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:44 pm: Mr/Ms Stella: You might have been snoozin’, but the ALPLM director already announced plans to retire so better find some other excuse to bang your gums about. - Team Sleep - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:46 pm: Time out. Governor Rauner’s proposal is eerily similar to Senator Manar’s proposal that never made it out of the Senate. I’m sure there are differences - and Senator Manar’s legislation was never allowed to reach a natural (i.e. amended) conclusion - but this isn’t the first we’ve heard of this. http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20130318/BLOGS02/130319822/lawmakers-go-after-states-economic-development-unit - Roamin' Numeral - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:47 pm: ==but the ALPLM director already announced plans to retire== Then retire already. - Honeybear - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:50 pm: Sorry, my bad, I didn’t mean non union jobs coming to Illinois. I meant the DCEO jobs would go to non union. The current employees would probably have to re-apply for their own jobs, if I understand how this works. - BlameBruceRauner - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:53 pm: Wow! DuPage is absolutely right. Giving the wolf keys to hen house. Stunned to hear IHPA might be going away under DCEO. This makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. This agency plays and important role for the state. The privatization has just begun. I imagine the state will be 50% privatized by the end of this yahoos rein. - walker - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:54 pm: TeamSleep: Yes. This is related to some of Manar’s DCEO bill, but potentially could go much further. Would love to hear his reaction to this bill when it emerges. - Buster - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:57 pm: Cultural preservation interests have been a small but well-heeled and influential lobby. They need to wake up fast on this one if they don’t want to see a downgrade in Illinois’ historic preservation efforts. - Jack Stephens - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 3:57 pm: If any corporations are going to receive Free Government Entitlements, than any and all employees must consent to drug testing. This type of Welfare should be treated no differently than SNAP benefits. - x ace - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 4:01 pm: Seems Like First Question should be: Is There Authority which allows the State to Delegate this Governmental Power to a Private Entity ? ( What does AG think ? ) - Stella - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 4:02 pm: ALPLM director says she’ll retire after transition in a couple years. She wasn’t retired on Sunday, and she didn’t even attend the 10 year anniversary celebration. - Team Sleep - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 4:03 pm: Manar’s bill would have (at the very least) dissolved DCEO. I remember him saying as much in the presser to introduce the legislation. - Norseman - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 4:03 pm: MJM: Brucie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. - Honeybear - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 4:04 pm: Jack, SNAP folks aren’t drug tested. - Chad - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 4:11 pm: The years of offense given the Speaker are about to be offset. And, the union workforce is about to incrementally and symbolically downsized at a couple of agencies as part of the deal. A splendid result for Rauner as he heads into union contract negotiations. - Qui Tam - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 4:21 pm: Unfortunate to see DCEO being entrusted with anything of value given its “history” of mismanagement and abuse. - Downstate Illinois - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 4:36 pm: IHPA was created by Gov. Thompson in the 1980s and probably hit its high water mark about 1990 before Edgar’s 1991 cutbacks. The agency has been going downhill ever since in terms of staffing and funding for historic sites. The Historic Sites Division right now has about one-third of the staff it had in 2000. The administration structure between ALPLM and IHPA never made sense. No 1 at the library was No. 2 in the agency, but didn’t answer to No. 1 at the agency but her own board. It doesn’t matter who the personalities are, that’s a management crisis waiting to happen. If you read the legislation you’ll see that the regulatory and grand supervision arm of DCEO will remain, so will tourism, the film office and historic sites all under its own umbrella. Some economic development people will move to the new development corporation, but I’m not sure how many of those positions are still even filled. By priviatizing economic development functions much of the paperwork will be shielded from FOIA, but the oversight board still has to follow Open Meetings Act with minutes, agendas, etc. Also, since final approval of any grant or incentive is still subject to DCEO, FOIA still covers the agency. I wish our Congressional delegation would get busy and give the National Archives the authority to take over the presidential library and museum. They already operate/oversee the other modern ones. It will be interesting to see where this one goes. - Honeybear - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 4:43 pm: Thanks Downstate, where could I find that legislation? - Juvenal - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 4:46 pm: FOIA? LOL. Umbrella Corp will not be subject to the Revolving Door Act, nor Rauner’s recent Executive Order. Oh yeah, and no pesky Inspector General either. - RNUG - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 4:47 pm: While partly getting rid of DCEO would be good, trashing IHPA and the museum is too high a price. IHPA should go back under DNR. And while it will never / can’t happen, the way to clean up the museum’s split personality is to get rid of the board and have the entire museum report to to the Director of DNR. - Cheswick - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 5:04 pm: That time Mike Madigan taught Bruce Rauner how it’s really done. - Percival - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 5:19 pm: Seems like a lot of window dressing to me. Is control of the Lincoln sites a pressing state issue? But seeing these two reach any deal at all on anything is progress, I suppose. - Badgergirl - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 5:42 pm: BlameBruceRauner: spot on. Looking North, Walker remodeled the hen house with a new public/private door. Lots of chicken eaten. The farmhands are still trying to identify the foxes and how much the “gate fee” was to enter the pen. Jenni Dye, Research Director at One Wisconsin Now, authored a report about this dated May 29, 2014. Conclusion? Some foxes gorged on lots and lots of chicken. Or maybe they’re coyote down here… http://www.onewisconsinnow.org/files/WisForWEDC.pdf - illinoised - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 5:50 pm: Much ado about nothing. Unless Madigan is losing his faculties, why would he belive BR to keep his word om anything. Dems, if smart, will negotiate no further on anything. But that would require them to be brave. They have not exhibited that trait for a long time. - 1776 - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 6:00 pm: If you read the bill, you’ll see that its all open to FOIA and every agreement/incentive will be PUBLICLY posted. You can go back to watching black helicopters now. - Newsclown - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 6:26 pm: Well, what bothers me is that there is a lot more to Illinois Historic Site Preservation than just Lincoln sites. A LOT more. While many of these sites are tourist draws, from the Dana Thomas House in Springfield to the various Route 66 sites, to obscure and non-obscure Heritage and architecture locations all over Illinois… none of this sounds like it will fare well or last long in the keeping of DCEO hacks and people without training and background in historic preservation. Then again, I expected an IHPA head to actually know something about History and/or architecture at a minimum. What was I thinking. This deal may make Madigan happy about one aspect, the museum, and open a door for Bruce to start dismantling pieces of our state heritage while sticking it to state workers… but does it really help the state in a wider sense? Does it protect and advance our Heritage sites so our kids and grand-kids have something to see that isn’t just an animation on virtual goggles? Did people maintain these sites and artifacts and written and recorded records, monuments, and etc. for as many as a hundred years or more - for nothing? THEY thought it was worth preserving. Many of us believe it still is, whether you can charge enough tickets to make it “pay for itself” or not. Certainly, in a case like this, revenue-generating capacity is NOT the key or only metric. It’s a state treasure, and a cultural asset, something that makes Illinois a “bigger” state, a more meaningful state, on a world-wide basis… and handing these treasures over to so-called “tourism” experts who specialize in handing out fat contracts to advertising agencies just rubs me the wrong way. I think I agree that it makes more sense to fold it into IDNR than DCEO. But it makes even more sense to me, to fix the museum mess but leave the rest of IHPA alone, as-is. - Juvenal - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 6:28 pm: Like I said, 1776: FOIA is not the issue. Revolving Door and the ethics acts are the issue. - Federalist - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 6:52 pm: Worst of both worlds! Expect more of this type of garbage from two megalomaniacs. In both cases political operatives will be in charge - A More Perfect Union - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 7:18 pm: Rauner’s administration claims moving IHPA to DCEO will save taxpayers five million dollars. How is this possible without closing many more state sites? And who is to say that the transfer won’t result in additional costs? Currently the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Musuem and Library (ALPLM) relies on support staff from HPA for payroll, human resources, mail, legal assistance, vehicles, inventory, procurement, etc. Whether the ALPLM hires replacement staff or farms these responsibilities out, it will cost the state. The museum is not the most visited site yet it has more staff than all of the state historic sites combined. (For example, the annual attendance at Lincoln’s New Salem alone surpasses that of the museum yet its staff has decreased each year — approximately 8 full time staff today, down from 22 a decade ago). Cutting historic sites will undoubtedly result in closures. This will certainly have an impact on the tourism and economy of the communities that are home to our state treasures. As an aside, the National Archives will not accept the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Musuem and Library. (Google ALPLM study panel.) The museum was created in hopes that it would not only promote Lincoln’s legacy but that it would act as a springboard to direct visitors to the places that helped shape one of the country’s most beloved presidents. The museum has done great things for our state. The problem is that as funding was reduced each year after it was built, the rest of the agency — including the library — absorbed the majority the cuts. The answer is not to tear the agency apart. Each division of HPA plays an important role in promoting the history, culture, and preservation of our state. With the 150th anniversary of Lincoln’s death and the end of the Civil War, the museum’s 10th anniversary, HPA’s 30th anniversary, the National Historic Preservation Act’s 50th anniversary, and the state’s upcoming bicentennial, the timing for this couldn’t be worse. Lincoln acknowledged, ” A house divided against itself cannot stand.” He kept our country from splitting — let’s honor him by keeping HPA intact. - MyTwoCents - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 7:40 pm: 1) for anyone’s interest it’s HB574 Amendment 1. 2) I’m leery of abolishing IHPA. Putting it under another agency just makes it another division jockeying for resources and IHPA is struggling enough as is. You’ll have an agency director with no experience in historic preservation and most likely wanting to focus resources in the areas he/she are most comfortable with. 3) There certainly needs to be some changes to the ALPM governance but I don’t know if making it entirely independent is the best option. It would be best for tourism in Springfield if the museum and the other Lincoln sites worked in close collaboration and putting them under separate agencies only put up obstacles to that. One suggestion I have is to adjust the salary for the director. I don’t know if the director needs to make $150K, more than directors of Ag, CMS, DCEO, IEMA, HFS, IDNR & ISP to name a few. - Pain Capital - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 7:59 pm: From earlier today: “I believe in public-private partnerships. I believe that there can be private capital brought to assist government in turning itself around, think that’s a good thing. […] The [Chicago Public Education Fund] didn’t make many of its own decisions as much as it was a facilitator for the mayor or the schools leaders.” Besides facilitating the governor’s interests rather than those of the mayor of Chicago, how will this be any different? Which of the drafters forgot to include the “no corrupt union bosses” provision? - Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 8:40 pm: Oswego Willy: 1) Check out the 5:45 update from Hinz; 2) Are you BFC? YDD - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 8:47 pm: Checking… - A More Perfect Union - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 8:49 pm: Rauner’s administration claims moving IHPA to DCEO will save taxpayers five million dollars. How is this possible without closing many more state sites? And who is to say that the transfer won’t result in additional costs? Currently the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Musuem and Library (ALPLM) relies on support staff from HPA for payroll, human resources, mail, legal assistance, vehicles, inventory, procurement, etc. Whether the ALPLM hires replacement staff or farms these responsibilities out, it will cost the state. The museum is not the most visited site yet it has more staff than all of the state historic sites combined. (For example, the annual attendance at Lincoln’s New Salem alone surpasses that of the museum yet its staff has decreased each year — approximately 8 full time staff today, down from 22 a decade ago). Cutting historic sites will undoubtedly result in closures. This will certainly have an impact on the tourism and economy of the communities that are home to our state treasures. As an aside, the National Archives will not accept the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Musuem and Library. (Google ALPLM study panel.) The museum was created in hopes that it would not only promote Lincoln’s legacy but that it would act as a springboard to direct visitors to the places that helped shape one of the country’s most beloved presidents. The museum has done great things for our state. The problem is that as funding was reduced each year after it was built, the rest of the agency — including the library — absorbed the majority the cuts. The answer is not to tear the agency apart. Each division of HPA plays an important role in promoting the history, culture, and preservation of our state. With the 150th anniversary of Lincoln’s death and the end of the Civil War, the museum’s 10th anniversary, HPA’s 30th anniversary, the National Historic Preservation Act’s 50th anniversary, and the state’s upcoming bicentennial, the timing for this couldn’t be worse. Lincoln acknowledged, ” A house divided against itself cannot stand.” He kept our country from splitting — let’s honor him by keeping HPA intact. - Oswego Willy - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 8:59 pm: - YDD - Yeah, I trust BFC before Schrimpf. It’s like Rauner and his hired mouthpieces can’t help themselves, can they? Rauner Press Shop, Learn from Steve Brown. ———— Any cooperation is good for governing, but how about hold off on the prognostication. Work it, make it happen, but don’t spevulate on the process… - TheCantrallKid - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 10:40 pm: It’s too bad that the bill seeks to completely eliminate the agency, as many of the reforms such as eliminating the IHPA board and restructuring the board at the ALPLM by adding some qualifications for board members would help solve some of the major issues at the agency without completely discarding it. It’s disheartening to see frontline staff at IHPA and the numerous volunteers undergo the anxiety of if their agency will be divided and partially folded into another agency, along with facing even more proposed budget cuts. These individual have continued to deliver quality interpretation and made memorable visits for millions of visitors over the years in the face of severe budget and staffing cuts. The placement of most of IHPA under DCEO seems quite a wild card approach to the issue as it appears only Connecticut has both their State Historic Preservation Office and Historic Sites under their equivalent to DCEO, the Department of Economic and Community Development http://www.ct.gov/cct/cwp/view.asp?a=3948&q=293806 As other have suggested, if you are going to fold IHPA into another division, the Department of Natural Resources seems like the more obvious fit. With the State Museums under its oversight, and the State Historic Sites originally coming out of the predecessor agency of the Department of Conservation, it seems more of a natural fit to switch IHPA and even the ALPLM there, rather than put them under DCEO if you’re bent on killing of the agency. Under DNR and folded back in with the State Parks, the Historic Sites would be able to access the funds generated by increased license plate fees that are currently going to make improvements at the state parks and increase staffing after DNR underwent the same severe budget cuts. Ideally if you moved the Historic Sites under DNR, the license fee would be raised another $1 or 2 so the Historic Sites could get back to full staffing and address the millions of dollars in deferred maintenance they currently have. - Norseman - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 11:13 pm: === The primary benefit … is to turn our biggest companies into representatives and cheerleaders of Illinois… That’s what Illinois companies used to do. === walker, you’re correct that’s what companies used to do. Now they do nothing but trash the state. - Power Play - Tuesday, Apr 21, 15 @ 11:14 pm: http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2014-05-27/news/chi-madigan-makes-power-play-for-lincoln-library-and-museum-20140526_1_stanley-balzekas-power-play-abraham-lincoln-presidential-library May 27, 2014|By Ray Long and Maura Zurick | Clout Street SPRINGFIELD — The latest political power play at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum comes from Speaker Michael Madigan, who is pushing a plan to set up the center as a free-standing state agency despite opponents’ concerns it would become a patronage haven. With the budget still unsettled and less than a week until adjournment, the Democratic speaker used the Memorial Day session to move through a committee a plan that would make the library and museum more independent of Gov. Pat Quinn. The speaker’s bill would remove the library from under the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. The Quinn administration was largely silent on the issue, but estimated the cost for the switch would be $2.4 million at a time when other historic sites are considered for closure because of the state’s budget crunch. Madigan’s proposal could benefit some of his friends. The Springfield presidential museum is run by Eileen Mackevich, a Madigan friend. Madigan confirmed she is a longtime acquaintance of Stanley Balzekas, whose family runs the Balzekas Museum of Lithuanian Culture. Madigan acknowledged his Southwest Side office is at the same 13th Ward address as the museum, and that Balzekas is the landlord. “Yeah. Yeah. Yeah,” said Madigan, who noted Balzekas is an “eminent Lithuanian American.” The speaker said “no” when asked if his friendships with Balzekas and Mackevich played any role in the decision to try to separate the Lincoln library and museum from the Quinn administration, pointing instead to what he said were operational problems with the current set-up - Carhartt Representative - Wednesday, Apr 22, 15 @ 7:45 am: This is lose-lose for the people of Illinois. I expect a lot more of this type of thing with these tow non-statesmen. - Wordslinger - Wednesday, Apr 22, 15 @ 7:50 am: Walker, your idealistic model sounds good, although I’m leery that the first words from the administration describing the proposed new structure involved ” negotiating tax incentives,” aka taxpayer handouts to corporations. It would be swell if Illinois business leaders promoted the state. It would be even better if the governor would stop running it down as some dystopian hellhole for his personal benefit. Back in the day, Rauner was big heat at both World Business Chicago and the Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau, the two biggest business cheerleaders in the state. Apparently, he changed his views somewhere down the line for some reason. - Wordslinger - Wednesday, Apr 22, 15 @ 8:02 am: Newsclown makes some very good points on historic preservation. If you look at the state’s list of historic sites, very few of them are going to be tourism drivers generating ROI, particularly for the international market that IBOT has always been obsessed with. Preservation for future generations of Illinoisans should be the goal in and of itself. If we’re going the private route on DCEO, why not the same for historic preservation? Explore some kind of relationship with the Field Museum. They’re a lot better equipped than IBOT to preserve a site like Cahokia Mounds, Illinois’ only World Heritage site, and one of only 21 in the United States. Cahokia Mounds was the largest pre-Columbian settlement north of the Rio Grande at one point, then by about 1400 it just faded away. I blame Madigan. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.