* From a press release…
Today, the Illinois Tobacco Quitline ended its operations following Gov. Bruce Rauner’s executive order that suspended $26 million in social services and public health grants, including the $3.1 million allocated to the Quitline. In response, Heather Eagleton, Illinois government relations director for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, released the following statement:
“Today, Illinois became the only state in the country without a tobacco quitline. As an organization dedicated to tobacco prevention and cessation, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network is alarmed and deeply concerned about Governor Rauner’s decision to eliminate all funding for this life-saving resource. We believe this decision is short-sighted and will ultimately cost, rather than save the state money.
“The Illinois Tobacco Quitline answered more than 90,000 calls in just the last year, leading 43 percent of its callers to successfully stop smoking. Most cessation tools have around a 20 percent success rate.
“What’s more, the Quitline is funded not through taxpayer dollars, but rather through money from the Tobacco Master Settlement, which gave Illinois $265 million this fiscal year to support programs like the Quitline. Taxpayers do, however, pay nearly $1 billion a year in tobacco-related Medicaid costs – costs that could dramatically increase with the elimination of the Quitline’s free and valuable cessation service.
“Ending Quitline operations means cutting a valuable lifeline that smokers have to a healthier future. It means eliminating a tool hospitals and physicians use every day to get their patients on the right track, and it means putting at risk thousands of lives that could otherwise be spared the health effects of smoking.
“ACS CAN strongly urges Governor Rauner to reconsider his decision and commit to restoring the Quitline and helping tobacco users and kick their addiction.”
What’s also weird about this cut is that the governor has proposed funding the Quitline next fiscal year. So, either they’ll just kill it off altogether, or they’ll have to rehire all those state employees who lost their jobs today.
*** UPDATE *** Governor’s office response…
Smoking is a serious health issue facing Illinoisans, but the fact remains that Pat Quinn enacted a phony budget with a $1.6 billion hole. The bipartisan legislation passed by the General Assembly was not a complete solution, and reviewing grants and agency spending is part of a comprehensive approach to close the deficit without raising taxes and without borrowing.
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Tier II roundup
Wednesday, Apr 15, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Illinois Radio Network…
A couple of state lawmakers who are leaders on pension restructuring are cautioning against doing anything further without considering the consequences. “The road to pension hell is paved with rash actions. It’s paved with hast actions. It’s paved with actions that aren’t thought out carefully,” State Sen. Daniel Biss (D-Evanston) said at a news conference today (Tuesday) at ther state Capitol.
* Illinois Public Radio…
Rauner, who took office in January, wants to freeze benefits accrued by state workers starting July 1. After that date, the workers would be moved into a less generous, tier 2 pension plan in place for new workers hired since Jan. 1, 2011, or would have the option to buy out their pensions and move into a retirement plan similar to the popular 401(k) plan in the private sector. […]
“Illinois’ current pension system is unaffordable and choking the state’s budget, and the governor’s plan enacts true pension reform for the financial future of Illinois,” Rauner’s office said in a statement, adding there was enough time to review and pass the proposal.
If they plan to run it through actuaries as every previous pension plan has done, then that takes time.
* From the Illinois Policy Institute’s news network…
In short, they say Rauner needs to get his specifics into a bill and before legislators. They say a realistic proposal will need:
Detailed analysis by professional actuaries retained by the state’s major pension systems.
A ruling from the Internal Revenue Service on whether it complies with federal law.
Discussion and consideration by legislators and give and take with the governor’s office.
All of that takes time, the lawmakers said, and there are about seven weeks left in the scheduled legislative session.
“This is a very, very complicated and difficult arena to move through and if we are to do something quickly … this is something that should have been started two months ago,” Nekritz said.
Exactly.
* More on that point from the AP…
Nekritz said analyzing pension-plan change requires as long as three weeks for investment agencies such as the Teachers Retirement System to determine monetary impact. Rauner, a first-time office holder, needs to understand that “there’s a long lead time to actually getting the data and the information you need.”
Yep. And every time you tweak the thing, it takes that much more time all over again.
* On to a very good analysis by the Tribune…
Central to questions about Tier 2 is a federal tax provision sometimes referred to as the Safe Harbor rule. In short, it requires public pension plans to offer retirement benefits at least as good as the minimum workers would get if they were covered by Social Security.
Failing that, federal law requires public workers to join Social Security and pay a 6.2 percent tax to the national retirement system. Their employers would also have to kick in another 6.2 percent, costing taxpayers more money. Most public employees and employers in Illinois currently do not pay Social Security taxes.
Teacher retirement system experts say Tier 2 benefits currently meet the Safe Harbor test but will begin to fall out of compliance by 2027. The reason, they say, is that Tier 2 includes both a limit on benefits and inflation adjustments much tighter than those adopted by Social Security — leaving retirement benefits for some workers at risk of falling below what they could qualify for under the federal system.
A fix for the problem would be to increase cost-of-living adjustments for Tier 2 workers to keep them in line with what Social Security offers. That, however, would cut into the cost savings counted on by Rauner and state leaders who approved the 2010 law.
Larry Langer, a principle at Buck Consultants which conducted the actuarial analysis for TRS, predicted only higher-paid employees would initially bump up against the Safe Harbor threshold. If Tier 2 were confined to newer hires — who tend to earn less — Langer predicted the ranks of affected workers would be modest for many years beyond 2027.
That dynamic would change, however, if tens of thousands of additional workers are put into the Tier 2 retirement system as Rauner proposes, Langer said. “These are people who are higher paid just because of where they are at in their career and higher pay is a potential driver of non-compliance,” Langer explained.
Not to mention the dubious constitutionality of moving current workers from one system to another and thereby diminishing their benefits.
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Exelon Is Against Subsidies… Unless They’re For Exelon
Wednesday, Apr 15, 2015 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
2015
“Exelon has long believed that there is no need to promote subsidies for proven technologies at any cost, nor for electricity consumers or taxpayers to pay more than required for a clean electricity supply.” EXELON WEBSITE
2014
“We’re saying we don’t want to be subsidized and no one should be subsidized in the competitive markets, so there are a few that may not make it.” Chris Crane, Exelon CEO, May 13, 2014 - E&E News
2013
“ComEd has long believed that competitive markets will work in the best interests of our customers. So we are concerned about the negative impact on our customers from a requirement that would force utilities to buy subsidized generation at above-market prices” Crain’s, February 28,
2011
So the key questions, Mr. Rowe says, boil down to how open markets are from region to region and, among utilities, “who’s pro-market and who really the mercantilists are.” then EXELON Chairman John Rowe, Wall Street Journal, October 22, 2011.
Stop the Exelon hypocrisy. Just say no to the Exelon bailout.
BEST Coalition is a 501C4 nonprofit group of dozens of business, consumer and government groups, as well as large and small businesses. Visit www.noexelonbailout.com.
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Stand down…
Wednesday, Apr 15, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Last night, somebody forwarded me this e-mail entitled “Quinn for Illinois Get-Together”…
Hello Team Quinn!
With 2015 well on its way, Governor Quinn is hosting a get-together for loyal friends and supporters like you.
The party will be on Thursday, April 30, from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm — at Connie’s! Food and non-alcoholic beverages will be served, and a cash bar will also be available.
Please click HERE to RSVP by April 27, 2015.
Connie’s address is 2373 S. Archer Ave., Chicago, Illinois 60616.
Best Wishes,
Billy Morgan
P.S. Feel free to email me with any questions. Thanks!
* The person who forwarded it wondered if Quinn was having some thoughts about running for office, so I checked with a former Quinn spokesperson. She texted back…
You think this is a campaign brainstorm? No. lol. It’s a belated pizza / thank you party for Quinnsters - pretty straight forward
I’ve since received the e-mail several times, so I thought I’d post it.
But, man is that ever “belated.”
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Apr 15, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From unsuccessful 2014 Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tio Hardiman…
Dear Members of the Media,
After speaking with several supporters and securing over 125,500 votes in the March 2014 Democratic Primary. Tio Hardiman has decided to run for Congress against Congressman Bobby Rush in the 1st Congressional District. Tio Hardiman’s platform will include:
· More benefits and tax breaks for seniors
· Reducing violence
· Ending police brutality and excessive force
· More programs for the youth
· Jobs and economic development
· Open primaries
· Combating illegal gun trafficking
Tio Hardiman initially announced a run for United States Senate against Mark Kirk but decided against another statewide race after consulting with his political advisors and supporters. […]
Thank you,
Tio Hardiman, MA
* The Question: Your pick for Tio Hardiman’s campaign slogan(s)?
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Calm down, please
Wednesday, Apr 15, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Adam Goodheart in National Geographic Magazine…
During the weeks after Lincoln’s death, as his funeral train made a circuitous journey from Washington, D.C., back to his hometown of Springfield, Illinois, perhaps a million Americans filed past the open coffin to glimpse their fallen leader’s face. Millions more—as much as one-third of the North’s population—watched the procession pass.
* Goodheart retraced the entire funeral train journey. It’s a great read…
From Freeland to New Freedom, the old train tracks rise gently out of Maryland toward the Pennsylvania hills. One of these auspiciously named hamlets sits just south of the Mason-Dixon Line separating the two states, the other just north. Until Maryland enacted emancipation just five months before Lincoln’s death, this line was like an electrified fence standing between four million people and liberty.
Today the old right-of-way on which Lincoln’s train passed, closed to rail traffic in the 1980s, has become a hiking trail. Rusted rails emerge here and there from its grassy margins, then sink again into the sod. A wooden post, a bench, and a couple of picnic tables are all that mark the Mason-Dixon Line itself. I sit down on the bench, with the left half of me in the South and the right half in the North, marveling at the border’s utter invisibility. I watch a pale green inchworm as it traverses my shirtfront from Pennsylvania into Maryland, then doubles back and crosses the Mason-Dixon Line again. […]
In 1860s America the railroad was more than just a new technology—it was a kind of national cult. A few months before the end of the Civil War, the abolitionist leader William Lloyd Garrison waxed mystical about the revolution that trains had brought, fostering not just economic prosperity but also human connection on a vast scale: “So may the modes of communication and the ties of life continue to multiply, until all nations shall feel a common sympathy and worship of a common shrine!”
Little remains of the Civil War–era railroad network traveled by the funeral train between Columbus, Ohio, and Chicago, Illinois. But as I get accustomed to the landscape, I find I can sense the railroad like a vanished limb: a downtown street that’s wider than it needs to be, a vacant lot beside a grain elevator, a long straight groove through the middle of a farmer’s soybean field. I’ll pull over, find a telltale scatter of old gravel and broken glass, and tell myself, Lincoln passed here too.
Sometimes at these places I find signs warning of buried fiber-optic lines. Data companies often use the old railroad rights-of-way to run their cables—just as, in the late 1850s, telegraph companies ran their wires here. The multiplication that Garrison prophesied continues apace.
* And then this…
The tomb, I find, is a disappointment. Twice reconstructed since 1865—most recently, in the 1930s, in incongruous Art Deco style—its current incarnation has all the historic character of an office lobby. (The coffin was moved no fewer than 14 times in the decades after its original burial, as if no one could figure out quite what to do with it.) Lengthy inscriptions on the wall, relics of their time, recount nearly every biographical detail except the Emancipation Proclamation. The body, a guide tells the crowd of tourists, lies under ten feet of concrete. It’s strange to think that there is a place where Lincoln still physically exists in the world, let alone that it’s a place like this.
* The AP manufactured some timely controversy…
Caretakers of Abraham Lincoln’s tomb are on the defensive over an unflattering critique in National Geographic magazine and looming budget cuts that could threaten management of the historic site, even as they commemorate the 150th anniversary of the U.S. Civil War president’s assassination.
For the state that calls itself the “Land of Lincoln,” the timing of a ceremony Wednesday in Springfield to mark his death is awkward because Illinois faces a financial crisis and Gov. Bruce Rauner has proposed eliminating the state Historic Preservation Agency that manages sites including the tomb as it currently exists. He would roll the agency into another department.
What’s more, the popular tourist site was pilloried in this month’s issue of National Geographic magazine as having “all the historical character of an office lobby.”
OK, first of all, even if IHPA is abolished, the state will continue to take care of Lincoln’s tomb. There have been budget cuts and hours have been reduced, but another agency can still handle the job.
Secondly, the article’s author went on what can probably be best described as a transcendent journey. He likely would’ve been disappointed at the end of that trip no matter what the tomb looked like.
I’ve been there many times. It’s a great space. Everyone I’ve taken to the tomb has been awed by the experience. I’ve never heard one complaint. And the AP even checked with a random tomb visitor…
William Sparks, a visitor to the outside of the tomb Tuesday who took an Amtrak train from Green Bay, Wisconsin, said he had a copy of the National Geographic story with him at his Springfield hotel, but disagreed with its conclusion.
“It’s absolutely gorgeous,” he said of the site, even though he didn’t get to see the interior of the tomb. “I don’t get (the author’s take) at all. This is very impressive.”
Carry on.
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Today’s chutzpah award
Wednesday, Apr 15, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* If you thought the Tribune editorial board was stacked with Raunerite boot-lickers, get a load of Steve Forbes…
Roaring into this massive morass as Illinois’ new chief executive is a former venture capitalist turned radical reformer, Bruce Rauner. That a Republican could win the governorship in Barack Obama’s deep blue state is testament to the state’s distress. Democrats may still hold supermajorities in both houses of the legislature, but, with the force of a Paul Bunyan, Rauner is acting as if the opposite were true. He is vigorously and unapologetically pushing forward with changes on every front. […]
The governor appeared at the Forbes Reinventing America Summit in March. No one came away from that interview doubting his resolve or sincerity. When I asked him about criticism that he’s taking on too much, especially in fighting unions that have immense influence with Democratic state legislators, he responded: “Structural reforms and fighting the unions are inseparable. If all we do is get a balanced budget and modernize our tax code without changing the structure, the next governor after me–and believe me, we’re gonna get some other Blagojeviches [Rod Blagojevich is a former governor serving a 14-year sentence in federal prison for corruption] because Illinois is good at bringin’ those kinda people–our budget will be blown out again. It’ll be back in massive deficit again.”
The financial outlook for beleaguered Chicago? He replied that it will go bankrupt. The unions won’t allow needed changes.
Can Rauner cut down the opposition as Paul Bunyan chopped down trees? He may well get a lot of what he wants. As a fig leaf for legislators to approve hefty parts of his package, the governor could, for instance, allow a small increase in the state’s 3.75% income tax to, say, 4%. (It’s already down from 5%.)
So, Illinois’ Paul Bunyan is gonna entice Democrats to agree to local “right to work” zones, elimination of prevailing wage, massive workers’ comp reforms, radical pension reforms, property tax freezes and municipal bankruptcy in exchange for… a quarter point increase in the state income tax?
Did Steve Forbes move to Colorado?
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Cuts have consequences
Wednesday, Apr 15, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* WREX…
A week and a half after The Autism Program in Rockford found out it would no longer be receiving state funding, 13 News has learned that it will be closing this Friday.
TAP is one of more than 25 grant-funded organizations that got letters earlier this month from the Department of Human Services and Department of Public Health notifying them they would have to stop spending any further grant money.
A number of local organizations were impacted, including the Teen Reach Program and the Epilepsy Foundation.
* And more cuts are on the way…
A top aide for Gov. Bruce Rauner said grant freezes could continue for the rest of the current fiscal year as the administration tries to balance the budget.
Tim Nuding, Rauner’s budget director, said at a Tuesday hearing of the Senate Appropriations Committee that grant suspensions like the $26 million announced last week for the Department of Human Services would likely continue until the new fiscal year begins in July. The recent freeze has adversely affected several programs, including funding for The Autism Program. […]
Several Democrats said they felt the Rauner administration misled them. Sen. Dan Kotowski of Park Ridge said he gave his vote for the budget fix thinking autism care would be funded.
“You know I felt pretty good that we were moving forward,” he said. “Then for all these agencies to get a letter on April 3 — Good Friday and Passover — was a real kick in the gut.”
Nuding and Bassi said they were completely forthcoming in their discussions with lawmakers.
* More from the AP…
The budget chief said reviews of the state’s major agencies already have been completed. He said funding limits set by lawmakers in the deal would determine where places in the state budget would run out of money and face more grant
He also rejected suggestions he didn’t make lawmakers aware of the possibility of potential changes to the funding for grants and said that the budget deal legislation was always meant to be part of the fix on top of an ongoing examination of state expenses following Rauner’s executive order in January to freeze nonessential spending.
Democrats attempted to pick apart the methods and thinking used by officials in the budget office, the Department of Public Health and Department of Human Services. Nonprofit organizations across the state received letters on Good Friday notifying them of an immediate and indefinite suspension of funding for the current fiscal year.
Sen. Dan Kotowski said he believed lawmakers were assured that certain programs and services would not be touched by cuts as part of the budget deal.
If lawmakers knew the $26 million in grant suspensions would have been a part of budget deal, “I would not have voted for the bill,” Kotowksi said.
* And…
While Tuesday’s political sniping was focused on the current year’s budget, the hearing offered a glimpse into the tough negotiations ahead for the next fiscal year’s spending plan. Republican Rauner has proposed a blueprint that would cut spending on universities, Medicaid, Amtrak and a host of other programs.
Republicans contend Democrats caused the problem when they approved a budget last spring that was based on the temporary income tax increase not expiring Jan. 1. Once that happened, however, it left Rauner, who took over for Democrat Pat Quinn on Jan. 12, with no choice but to look for ways to balance spending.
“I’m struggling to understand what the point of this meeting is,” said state Sen. Matt Murphy, R-Palatine “This experience right now is like watching an arsonist criticize the fireman for the manner in which he put out the arsonist’s fire. This is ludicrous.”
* Meanwhile…
* Roe Conn hosted an interesting discussion about yesterday’s hearing, with a prime focus on autism funding…
* Roe’s guest was Patti Vasquez, who describes herself as a “Comic, WGN Radio Show Host, Special Needs Mom.” She led a group of similarly situated moms to Springfield this week…
WGN Radio has just been all over this issue lately.
* Related…
* Rauner’s planned cuts to mental health care could raise costs, critics say
* Stop cuts, Black Caucus says
* Evanston residents, NU students discuss budget cuts at sixth annual Lobby Day
* UI professor pay near top in Big Ten
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Rauner, wife donate $100,000 for tornado relief
Wednesday, Apr 15, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* WIFR…
Last week’s storm was the first crisis for Governor Bruce Rauner’s administration. Today he talked about what he saw when he toured the area on Friday.
“Rochelle was devastated and the Town of Fairdale was…it was horrible what happened. We went there to offer our emotional support, our financial support, and to thank those first responders, our firefighters, our police officers and our Red Cross volunteers,” Rauner said.
Because of Illinois’ inability to get federal aid for Washington, Illinois after the November 2013 tornado, Rauner believes there’s little hope Fairdale and Rochelle will receive any aid from Washington. His plan is to rebuild those towns with private donations.
The Governor and his wife Diana have already anted up $100,000.
“My wife and I are trying to lead a major fundraising effort with the Red Cross. The Red Cross is doing extraordinary work to provide meals, provide shelter and provide transportation to those families and we’re doing everything we can to bring private resources to help,” the Governor said.
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* CBS 2…
Rauner invited members of the media to Springfield for one-on-one interviews. He wanted to talk about, among other things, the enormous challenge facing Chicago’s budget and what happens if the city’s pension liabilities become too much to bear. […]
CBS 2’s Rob Johnson pressed Rauner on whether bankruptcy is a viable option, if public pension costs cannot be tamed through legislation. Rauner’s proposals include making the option legal for Illinois communities.
“Many other states have allowed local governments to decide whether they need to declare bankruptcy,” Rauner tells Johnson. “Bankruptcy law exists for a reason. It’s allowed in business so that businesses can get back on their feet and prosper again by restructuring their debts.” […]
Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s office issued a statement that said balancing the state budget on the backs of the local governments is itself a “bankrupt” idea. Rauner has proposed sweeping cuts in state assistance that have angered local officials.
* And he drove that point home again yesterday when talking about the Chicago Public Schools…
“The state has a crisis, the city has a crisis. I’m concerned that [CPS] is going to have to go bankrupt,” he said during a moderated discussion at a Chicago Public Education Fund luncheon. “Bankruptcy code exists to help the organization get out of financial trouble. There’s a reason for the bankruptcy code.”
Then he told the sympathetic audience – which minutes later gave him a standing ovation – that unions are partly to blame for why municipalities and school districts in Illinois can’t file for bankruptcy in order to renegotiate debt.
“Insiders in our system currently have made bankruptcy in government units illegal because some people never want to restructure contracts – contracts brought into place through insider deals,” said Rauner, who also advocated for right-to-work zones.
* React…
“The municipal bankruptcy bill is not currently moving in Springfield,” [Mayoral spokeswoman Libby Langsdorf ] said. “The governor’s suggestion is not part of our plan. Instead of proposing to solve the state’s fiscal crisis on the back of local governments, he should be working to ensure that Chicago, the biggest economic driver in the state, gets back on sound footing.” […]
Chicago Board of Education member Carlos Azcoitia said the district meanwhile is “taking measures to be able to prevent [bankruptcy] and be able to get our house in order,” adding that the district and Rauner agree that pensions should be reformed. “But I don’t see bankruptcy as any solution, and it’s not going to happen,” Azcoitia said.
Afterward by telephone, Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis denounced Rauner’s bankruptcy suggestion, saying “to throw the entire system into chaos, financial chaos is irresponsible.”
Calling the governor “basically a robber baron,” engaged in “union busting,” Lewis wondered “how much respect does Bruce Rauner have for people who walk away from their debts, for regular, ordinary people who walk away from their debts?”
“I’m sure he has special names for them: deadbeats.”
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* The AP reports that we have some new special election dates to replace Aaron Schock…
A federal judge in Chicago signed a consent decree Tuesday scheduling a July 7 primary and a Sept. 10 general election. […]
Candidates may begin filing nominating papers for the office Wednesday.
GOP state Sen. Darin LaHood, the son of former Congressman and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, is considered the front-runner in the heavily Republican district.
* Meanwhile, innocent people often receive subpoenas to talk about what they know about not so innocent people. So, let’s hope this is the case here. AP…
Congress said Tuesday it has been told at least four staffers who worked for former Illinois Rep. Aaron Schock have been subpoenaed to testify before a federal grand jury as part of an ongoing probe into the congressman’s expenses.
The Justice Department issued its subpoenas in recent weeks to current and former Schock staffers as it examines expense accounts, his re-election campaign spending and his relationships with political donors. A Springfield, Illinois, grand jury began hearing testimony about the matter earlier this month.
The House clerk reported Tuesday the subpoenas were issued to Schock chief of staff Mark Roman, Peoria district office manager Bryan Rudolph, district chief of staff Dayne LaHood and executive assistant Sarah Rogers.
Dayne LaHood is Ray LaHood’s cousin.
* And…
A former donor to disgraced ex-Representative Aaron Schock will file a class action lawsuit against him Wednesday morning, in hopes of preventing the Illinois Republican from using campaign funds for his legal defense.
Howard Foster, a Chicago lawyer and former donor to the congressman, will be the lead—and so far, only—plaintiff in the case against Schock, two sources familiar with the matter tell The Daily Beast. He has retained Steve Berman, a Seattle lawyer famous for launching high-profile class action lawsuits against the likes of Exxon Mobil and Enron, to file the case Wednesday in Chicago Federal Court. […]
“We thought he was honest and had a bright future. We would not have supported him had we known he regularly violated House rules,” Foster wrote in a blog post last month. (Neither Foster nor Berman would speak on the record about the pending case.) Previewing the argument he will likely be making in the legal brief, Foster then wrote, “In light of the situation, he should not convert his campaign funds to any other purpose, such as his legal defense. For that he should have to pay out of his own pocket. Donors should get their money back on some sort of percentage basis, such as in a bankruptcy proceeding.” […]
According to Federal Election Commission records, Foster only made a single $500 donation to Schock’s congressional campaign fund. He and Berman hope to convince a federal judge to certify the case as a class action suit, which would then result in a letter being sent to every single one of Schock’s many donors across the country, informing them that they have the opportunity to become parties to the lawsuit.
Such a legal campaign—typically used against companies that make defective products—is unprecedented in the annals of American politics. As such, the plaintiffs will have to overcome a high legal burden and need to prove that Schock deliberately made false assertions to donors and raised their money for purposes other than the furtherance of his political career.
A source familiar with Schock’s operation told The Daily Beast that as to “the substantive claim that he defrauded donors for the purpose of living high, nobody can be able to prove that.” Calling the case “frivolous,” the source explained that Schock resigned over his misuse of public money, not campaign funds, the latter of which candidates have wide legal latitude in spending. “It’s classic trial lawyer bullshit and it’ll go nowhere.”
…Adding… The complaint is here.
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NRSC blasts Duckworth on tax day
Wednesday, Apr 15, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a press release…
Duckworth’s Double Dipping Past Haunts Her On Tax Day
WASHINGTON – With today being tax day, the NRSC is reminding voters that for four years Tammy Duckworth improperly claimed a homestead exemption on her properties in Cook and DeKalb Counties.
“With millions of people filing their taxes today, it’s worth noting that Tammy Duckworth was fined for improperly claiming tax exemptions,” said NRSC spokeswoman Andrea Bozek. “It’s ironic that in Congress Tammy Duckworth has no problem pushing higher taxes on Illinois families but when it comes to paying her own, she cheats the system.”
BACKGROUND …
From 2007-2010, Duckworth Improperly Claimed The Homestead Exemption On Properties She Owned In Cook And DeKalb Counties. “A suburban congressional candidate improperly claimed two homeowner exemptions at once over a period of several years, a Daily Herald investigation has found… County records show Duckworth claimed homestead exemptions in both DeKalb and Cook counties from 2007 to 2010.” (Kerry Lester, “Duckworth Claimed Two Homeowner Exemptions,” Daily Herald, 8/23/12)
Duckworth Unaware She Has A “Tax Problem.” “A spokeswoman says Duckworth was unaware that she’d been claiming the exemptions simultaneously.” (“Duckworth Double Dipped On Tax Exemption,” NBC, 8/23/2012)
Duckworth Paid Back The $1,928 In Taxes She Saved And Another $612 In Late Fees. “John Sullivan, an attorney who specializes in property tax appeals, said Duckworth contacted him weeks ago about the issue, and he computed how much she owed to DeKalb County. The four years of claiming the benefit in DeKalb County saved Duckworth $1,928, Brunschon said. Duckworth has sent a check to DeKalb County to cover what she would have paid without the exemption, plus an added $612 in late fees, Sullivan said. As of Tuesday afternoon, Brunschon had not yet received the check.” (Kerry Lester, “Duckworth Claimed Two Homeowner Exemptions,” Daily Herald, 8/23/12)
Duckworth Filed The First Homestead Exemption On The DeKalb Property After Purchasing The Property In 1997. “The DeKalb exemption was filed first, after Duckworth and her husband Bryan Bowlsbey purchased the property in 1997. In DeKalb County, Chief County Assessment Officer Robin Brunschon said, exemptions are automatically renewed each year unless residents notify the assessor’s office that they have changed their primary address.” (Kerry Lester, “Duckworth Claimed Two Homeowner Exemptions,” Daily Herald, 8/23/12)
Kinda weak. For starters, it’s not property tax day, it’s income tax day. And tons of people have found themselves in the same situation as Duckworth. Plus, it’s pretty old news.
But, whatevs. It does show how much the NRSC wants to thwack Duckworth early and often.
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* Phil Kadner…
Gov. Bruce Rauner’s turnaround agenda suffered a setback Monday night when Crete Mayor Michael Einhorn decided not to call for a vote supporting the governor’s effort after an outpouring of union opposition at a village board meeting.
“I didn’t call for a vote because it would have failed,” Einhorn told me. “I’m not ruling out another vote in the future, but it’s unlikely. I agreed to sit down with the union people and talk about our problems and see if there’s some way we can agree on a way to solve them.”
Einhorn is the only Southland mayor I’m aware of who responded so far to the governor’s plea to mayors throughout the state to endorse his turnaround agenda for Illinois by having their town’s aldermen or trustees pass local resolutions endorsing his plan. Among its components are right-to-work zones, lower wages for government workers and contractors, workers’ compensation reform and tort reform. […]
Only a few municipalities throughout Illinois have passed Rauner’s turnaround resolution, despite what several mayors told me was unprecedented lobbying by the governor and his staff.
* The Illinois Federation of Teachers is attempting to track the municipal votes on its website…
The following municipalities/counties will consider the Rauner “right-to-work” (RTW) resolution this week, April 13-17.
Adams County
Wednesday, April 15, 7 p.m.
Council Chambers, Quincy
Livingston County Board (Pontiac)
Thursday, April 16 at 6 p.m.
112 W. Madison St., Pontiac […]
These areas have already considered the Rauner proposal, with the following outcomes (2013 population figure listed in parentheses):
East Dundee (Kane) - (3,198) - passed
Oswego (Kendall) - (32,174) - tabled
Iroquois County (29,982) - held in committee
Pingree Grove (Kane) - (4,532) - unanimously defeated
Mount Zion (Macon) - (5,914) - tabled
Woodstock (McHenry) - (25,146) - defeated 4-3, tabled
Litchfield (Montgomery) - (6,816) - passed 5-3
Shelby County (22,119) - not called
Moultrie County (14,876) - on hold until May
Clinton (De Witt) - (7,150) - passed
Cambridge (Henry) - (2,131) - passed
Makanda (Jackson) - (552) - passed
Charleston (Coles) - (21,961) - passed
Milledgeville (Carroll) - (997) - passed
Shannon (Carroll) - (731) - passed
Heyworth (McLean) - (2,915) - passed
Martinsville (Clark) - (1,155) - passed
Mundelein (Lake)- (31,395) - tabled
Crete (Will) - (8,230) - tabled
Winnebago County (290,666) - defeated [resolution actually passed, but without labor items]
Lexington (McLean) - (2,080) - tabled
McHenry County - (307,409) - passed
Libertyville (Lake) - (20,431) - defeated
Aurora Township (Kane) - (199,962) - defeated
The Libertyville and Aurora Township votes were reportedly held last night. I couldn’t find any news coverage online, but that’s big news if it went down in Libertyville. [UPDATE: The governor’s office claims there was no vote in Libertyville. See below.]
* The Mundelein debate didn’t go too well for the governor, either…
Gov. Bruce Rauner’s controversial plan to improve Illinois’ poor financial outlook by attacking labor unions has failed to gain initial support in Mundelein.
Rather than voting to support what the new Republican governor has dubbed his turnaround agenda, trustees on Monday opted to delay a decision for at least two weeks. Additionally, officials said they may rework the resolution that was presented Monday. […]
Eventually, the board voted 4-1 to remove the resolution from the agenda. Trustee Holly Kim cast the lone “no” vote, while Trustee Ray Semple was absent.
In an interview Tuesday, Mayor Steve Lentz sounded uneasy with Rauner’s plan.
“I agree with the bottom line resolution to support reforms that give us more local control and reduce the costs to local government,” Lentz said. “Some of the clauses, however, are very polarizing.”
* Meanwhile, from an EIU newspaper editorial entitled “City Council miscommunicates union proposal”…
The Charleston City Council passed a resolution April 7 that incorporated some proposals by Gov. Bruce Rauner regarding the creation of “empowerment zones.” […]
The Journal Gazette & Times-Courier reported that the language of the resolution was discussed via email among Mayor Larry Rennels and the other council members.
The resolution was part of the consent agenda, with members of the public not being able to voice their opinion. The resolution was also not placed on file for public inspection.
The language of the resolution also does not spell out why exactly the city needs this to be enacted. What are written are words from the governor’s office.
* Back to Kadner…
In order to accomplish any of his agenda, Rauner is going to have to go beyond his Republican base for support, and so far he’s failing in dramatic fashion.
On the other hand, in addition to uniting unions in opposition to his agenda, his proposed budget cuts have brought almost every social service agency into the debate — all arguing for funds to help the mentally ill, developmentally disabled, elderly and single parents. […]
I believe the governor remains popular with the people of this state who generally want to see taxes cut, state spending reduced and political reforms to restore integrity in Springfield.
But his ability to lead toward a solution seems lacking. Maybe the problems are just too big. Maybe he hasn’t had enough time. Maybe he’s still learning. I hope that’s the case.
Because this state and many of its municipalities need a leader who can unite opposing forces, not drive a wedge between them that widens the gulf.
*** UPDATE 1 *** From the governor’s office…
Hi, Rich –
Add Fairfield to the list that have passed the resolution. I’ll send you the pdf when I have it.
ck
Population 5,421 .
*** UPDATE 2 *** From the governor’s office…
FYI, Libertyville did NOT defeat the resolution last night, it was discussed and never came to a vote.
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[The following is a paid advertisement.]
As not-for-profit financial cooperatives, credit unions exist to help people, not make a profit. With a goal to serve all members well - including those of modest means - every member counts. The movement’s “People Helping People” philosophy causes credit unions and their employees to volunteer in community charitable activities and worthwhile causes.
For example, Rock Valley Credit Union in Rockford rises to the occasion when it becomes aware of new needs in the community and will also involve their members in area outreach. The credit union’s devotion and extraordinary effort to the community in the past year has included donating backpacks to the HOPE Domestic Violence Shelter, hosting food drives to support a local food pantry that lost nearly its entire supply of food for the previous holiday season, and creating the “Gifts of Love” project to fulfill gift requests for the Walter Lawson Children’s Home, a local residence for severely handicapped children.
Rock Valley chooses to give back to the community because that is what credit unions are all about. And their members love that they are part of something different. People before profits – the one principle that remains constant for credit unions – and highly valued by their members throughout Illinois.
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Stop the satellite TV tax
Tuesday, Apr 14, 2015 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
The cable industry is asking lawmakers to place a NEW 5% tax on satellite TV service. The satellite tax is not about fairness, equity or parity – it’s a tax increase on the 1.3 million Illinois families and businesses who subscribe to satellite TV.
Satellite Tax Will Hurt Illinois Families and Small Businesses
• Satellite TV subscribers will see their monthly bills go up 5%.
• This tax will impact every bar, restaurant and hotel that subscribes to satellite TV service, which will translate into higher prices, decreased revenues, and fewer jobs.
• Rural Illinois has no choice: In many parts of Illinois, cable refuses to provide TV service to rural communities. Satellite TV is their only option.
Satellite Tax Is Not About Parity or Fairness
• Cable’s claim that this discriminatory tax is justified because satellite TV doesn’t pay local franchise fees could not be further from the truth. Cable pays those fees to local towns and cities in exchange for the right to bury cables in the public rights of way—a right that cable companies value in the tens of billions of dollars in their SEC filings.
• Satellite companies don’t pay franchise fees for one simple reason: We use satellites—unlike cable, we don’t need to dig up streets and sidewalks to deliver our TV service.
• Making satellite subscribers pay franchise fees—or, in this case, an equivalent amount in taxes—would be like taxing the air. It’s no different than making airline passengers pay a fee for laying railroad tracks. They don’t use; they shouldn’t have to pay for it.
Tell Your Lawmakers to Stop The Satellite TV Tax
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Question of the day
Tuesday, Apr 14, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* WUIS…
A proposal in the Illinois House that would require all state vehicles to be manufactured in North America sounds patriotic, but some groups say it would hurt Illinois businesses.
The Department of Transportation and the Illinois’ Manufacturers Association are among those who oppose House Bill 3438. Randy Nehrt of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce says this could actually hurt Illinois businesses, especially those that supply parts to car manufacturers in Mexico.
“The bill actually has the real potential to harm Illinois businesses,” he said. “It also strains relationships with Illinois’ trading partner in Mexico.”
The proposal says Illinois would only be allowed to purchase or lease North American-made vehicles, but doesn’t include Mexico.
* Alton Telegraph…
The idea behind the bill is nothing new — it has been brought up in various forms in the Illinois Legislature several times in the past. This time, it has been approved by the House Labor Committee and lawmakers will consider the proposal after returning next week from spring recess.
The immediate problem is that many of these fleet vehicles are chosen based on important specific criteria and performance. For example, the Caprice is a long-standing favorite of law enforcement agencies and is the only full-size police cruiser on the market. But it is substantially built in Australia by General Motors’ subsidiary Holden. It’s a similar situation with the workhorse Silverado, which would be off the market under the legislation.
* But…
The bill is supported by labor, including the AFL-CIO, but opposed by the Illinois Manufacturers Association and the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. […]
Smiddy points to a General Motors police car made in Australia. Wouldn’t requiring North American final assembly give GM an incentive to build that police car in the U.S., Smiddy asks, noting Ford builds its own police car offering in Chicago.
Smiddy said he knows there’s no guarantee assembly jobs would necessarily land at UAW-represented plants in North America or newly opened ones in the U.S, but he thinks the state should add incentive for automakers to assemble in the U.S.
When domestic or foreign-owned makers open plants in the U.S. he said, American communities benefit.
“We’re trying to help out the American economy, not the Australian economy or Mexican economy,” Smiddy said.
* The Question: Should the state of Illinois be required to only purchase or lease North American-made vehicles? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
survey software
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Today’s must-read
Tuesday, Apr 14, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From an Associated Press story published 150 years ago today…
President Lincoln and wife visited Ford’s Theatre this evening for the purpose of witnessing the performance of ‘The American Cousin.’ It was announced in the papers that Gen. Grant would also be present, but that gentleman took the late train of cars for New Jersey.
The theatre was densely crowded, and everybody seemed delighted with the scene before them. During the third act and while there was a temporary pause for one of the actors to enter, a sharp report of a pistol was heard, which merely attracted attention, but suggested nothing serious until a man rushed to the front of the President’s box, waving a long dagger in his right hand, exclaiming, ‘Sic semper tyrannis,’ and immediately leaped from the box, which was in the second tier, to the stage beneath, and ran across to the opposite side, made his escape amid the bewilderment of the audience from the rear of the theatre, and mounted a horse and fled.
The groans of Mrs. Lincoln first disclosed the fact that the President had been shot, when all present rose to their feet rushing towards the stage, many exclaiming, ‘Hang him, hang him!’ The excitement was of the wildest possible description…
There was a rush towards the President’s box, when cries were heard — ‘Stand back and give him air!’ ‘Has anyone stimulants?’ On a hasty examination it was found that the President had been shot through the head above and back of the temporal bone, and that some of his brain was oozing out. He was removed to a private house opposite the theatre, and the Surgeon General of the Army and other surgeons were sent for to attend to his condition.
On an examination of the private box, blood was discovered on the back of the cushioned rocking chair on which the President had been sitting; also on the partition and on the floor. A common single-barrelled pocket pistol was found on the carpet.
A military guard was placed in front of the private residence to which the President had been conveyed. An immense crowd was in front of it, all deeply anxious to learn the condition of the President.
Go read the whole thing.
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A new one on me
Tuesday, Apr 14, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* TPM…
The 73-year-old reserve sheriff’s deputy who fatally shot an unarmed man during an undercover operation earlier this month in Oklahoma was a close friend of the sheriff’s and a major donor to his agency and campaign.
Even before prosecutors announced Monday that Tulsa County Reserve Deputy Roberts Bates, a white insurance executive, was charged with second-degree manslaughter in the death of Eric Harris, who was black, those details raised questions about whether Bates had been paying to play cop.
Tulsa County Sheriff’s Maj. Shannon Clark told the Tulsa World newspaper that there are “lots of wealthy people” among the agency’s 130 reserve deputies.
“Many of them make donations of items,” he told the newspaper. “That’s not unusual at all.”
While the sheriff’s office did not have an itemized list of Bates’ contributions, the insurance executive had donated multiple vehicles, firearms and stun guns to the agency, according to The Tulsa World report.
* How is this germane to Illinois? Well, read on…
While it’s difficult to nail down just how prevalent it is for big money donors to serve as reserve officers with local law enforcement agencies, there is some anecdotal evidence. […]
Howard Buffett, the son and heir apparent of Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett, is a volunteer sheriff’s deputy in no less than three counties: two in central Illinois and another in Arizona.
* From the Wall St. Journal…
Howard Buffett’s cellphone rang one recent afternoon to the tune of a Rolling Stones hit. “Start me up,” he answered. The sheriff of Macon County, Ill., was on the line.
Hours later, the eldest son of investor Warren Buffett was patrolling the streets here in his hometown in a bulletproof vest with a Glock 22 .40-caliber pistol strapped to his hip, fulfilling his duties as an auxiliary deputy sheriff. Already this year, he has logged more than 225 hours as an unpaid volunteer deputy in two counties in central Illinois and one in Arizona.
“People say, ‘Oh, Howard Buffett, the billionaire’s son.’ But he’s just one of us,” says Macon County sheriff Tom Schneider, a friend. “He’s got a youthful enthusiasm…He’s the first one digging the ditch.” […]
“I’m mellowing, but still kind of wild,” he says. “Why else are we going out with the sheriff for the afternoon, putting on a bulletproof vest and a gun? People ask, ‘Why are you doing that?’ But for me, it’s a whole new learning experience.”
Umm. OK.
The Cook ‘County Sheriff’s office used to have all sorts of political hacks and others on its auxiliary force before the Sheriff cracked down. I didn’t realize it was so widespread.
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Standing Up For Jobs
Tuesday, Apr 14, 2015 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
The following is excerpted from a Chicago Sun-Times op-ed by Sean McGarvey, president of the North America’s Building Trades Unions:
“There are many times when a state legislature must act to preserve existing industry, maintain solid-middle class jobs, and avoid negative long-term economic consequences. Illinois is at such a decision point about the future of its best-in-the-nation nuclear energy fleet, which directly and indirectly employs 28,000 people.”
“…half of Illinois’ nuclear plants are in danger of closing prematurely. That would mean losing premier employers that pay real middle-class wages, treat their work forces well, pay taxes on time… “
“The recently introduced Illinois Low Carbon Portfolio Standard (LCPS) … would help to preserve these plants, as well as one of Illinois’ leading industries that drives middle-class jobs and economic growth for the state.”
“The LCPS is market-based and will keep family-sustaining wages here in Illinois.”
“At the community level, the presence of a nuclear plant in a town means generation not just of electricity, but of jobs, business in the local restaurants, support for the police force, the fire department, the little league baseball teams – the list goes on.”
“If Illinois’ nuclear power fleet is shuttered, it will not just affect economics, or plant employees, or communities around the plants, or even shareholders of a company – it affects Illinois’ future opportunities for generations to come.”
“It is hugely important that Illinois’ legislators and voters alike understand the deep and broad-ranging value of nuclear energy, as well as the long-term economic ramifications of nuclear plant closures while considering the LCPS.”
Read more here.
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Blaming the state
Tuesday, Apr 14, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the Pontiac Daily Leader…
With warm weather fast approaching, pool season is on the horizon. However, Chenoa sees a major source of summer income in doubt, with its pool liner in a state of disrepair and the time window to fix it closing. The Chenoa City Council talked at length Monday night about how best to go about fixing the pool.
Parks, Public Health, and Safety Commission Gary Dreher intimated his distress with the pool situation, noting how numerous calls out to third parties were rebuffed or otherwise unanswered. […]
A manager of the pool, Stephanie Smithson, expressed doubt that another patching job would tide the pool over this year as it had in years past. Dreher subsequently pushed blame on to Gov. Bruce Rauner’s budget cuts.
“This whole thing with the governor not wanting to give communities money for projects such as this, for getting any money through a grant, has really thrown a monkey wrench into things — not only here in Chenoa, but all through out the state,” Dreher said.
* According to the comptroller’s website, Chenoa, population 1,788, was sitting on $558,172 in general cash reserves at the end of last fiscal year, up almost $28K from the prior year. It had another $317,040 in “special revenue” reserves, up about $3500 from the previous year.
Also, last fiscal year Chenoa received $173,942 from state income tax revenue sharing, $186,009 from its share of the state sales tax, another $31,176 from the state’s personal property replacement tax and $40,396 from its share of the state video gaming tax. It also has a TIF district.
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Keven’s Story: Employer Denied Veteran’s Work Injury
Tuesday, Apr 14, 2015 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
My name is Keven Owens. I am a former Marine who never even had a splinter while serving our country. I worked for a central Illinois- based moving company for over 3 years before I was injured on the job.
I was moving a full sized refrigerator out of a house when the front wheels rolled off the front porch. I ran around to stop the refrigerator from falling, but I could not stop it. The refrigerator fell on my head then landed on top of me.
Afterwards, I had a splitting headache and my neck was throbbing too. The company sent me to their doctor who diagnosed me with a sprained neck and told me to take it easy for awhile.
After about 4 months with no relief from my pain, I decided to get a second opinion. The second doctor ordered an MRI of my neck and it revealed that I had fractured my neck. I had surgery to put 2 titanium plates in my neck. Today, I still suffer from neck pain.
Unfortunately, the company fought my workers’ compensation claim. It took 6 long years for my case to be resolved. While this dragged out, I had bills to pay and two children to support. Financially, it was a very difficult time.
I played by the rules, served my country and worked hard every day. It wasn’t until I was injured on the job that I discovered that the deck was stacked against me. A fair workers’ compensation system is necessary in Illinois to help those hurt on the job, like myself.
For more about Keven, click here.
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Frerichs wants to boost state tech investments
Tuesday, Apr 14, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Illinois Radio Network…
The state has $12 billion to $15 billion to invest at any moment, and since 2005, the law has allowed 1 percent of that to be invested in Illinois-based high-tech companies. In 2011, the limit became 3 percent, but the actual amount has never exceeded 1 percent.
State Treasurer Mike Frerichs says now he’s going to try. “We’ve reached out to the Illinois Venture Capital Association, we’ve reached out to people who serve on advisory boards, and they’re very interested in working with us and we are working on RFP (request for proposals) right now to make sure we’re making those investments here in Illinois that not only get us a good rate of return, but also help grow our tech and biomed sector in this state,” he said.
He says venture capital investors from the coasts often urge startup companies here to move, whereas the state of Illinois would urge them to stay.
The amount of state funds currently invested in the Technology Development Account is $53 million.
That current amount is less than a half a percent. We’d be looking at $450 million if he went to 3 percent of $15 billion.
Thoughts?
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Dogs and cats living together!
Tuesday, Apr 14, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* WUIS…
Current state law prohibits people with felony records from working in a school, or volunteering, or even driving a truck that makes deliveries to a school. But a measure pending before the Illinois House of Representatives could change that.
* This is an interesting bill for a couple of reasons. First…
Floyd Stafford could benefit from Cassidy’s legislation.
“I got a felony for a non-violent drug offense,” he says. “So basically, I purchased some drugs, and you know, I got arrested for that.”
In 2006, he got caught buying cocaine, less than a gram, and served four months in jail. Stafford says the drug treatment he received while incarcerated changed his life. Since his release, he says he has stayed clean and sober; he is currently enrolled in graduate school at the University of Chicago, where he’s set to finish in June with a master’s degree in social work.
“If you’re looking at my resume, I’d put that up — and I say this in all humility — I would line that up with any other prospective applicant, and I think I would come out favorably,” Stafford says.
That seems perfectly reasonable.
* But there’s another reason. The lead sponsor is Rep. Kelly Cassidy, one of the most liberal members of the Illinois General Assembly. The bill, however, is also backed by the Illinois Policy Institute…
“To have someone with that background, who’s maybe made a mistake and turned their life around, holds a lot of credibility with students who may be on the wrong track,” [Illinois Policy Institute criminal justice policy analyst Bryant Jackson-Green] says, “so it would be helpful, especially in a social worker position.” […]
“The sort of bills we support are things that encourage redemption, second chances. I mean, yes, someone might have made a mistake when they were 18, 19 and gotten in trouble,” Jackson-Green says. “But that doesn’t mean they should be barred for the rest of their life from having an employment opportunity with the school.”
* Ah, but that’s not all. Check out this press release…
Breen Sponsors ACLU Bill to Restrict Government Tracking of Citizens
Bill Would Restrict Use of Automatic License Plate Readers By Government
This morning, Rep. Peter Breen (R-Lombard) presented the “Freedom from Automatic License Plate Reader Surveillance Act” to the House Judiciary-Civil Committee, which advanced the measure to the House floor by a unanimous vote of 11-0. The measure is an initiative of the ACLU of Illinois and was vigorously opposed by law enforcement agencies. The Act would limit government use of automatic license plate readers, require that license plate data not be retained for more than 30 days, and prohibit the practice of government agencies selling license plate data to private companies.
“Right now, government agencies have deployed license plate readers across Illinois to track the movements of private citizens,” said Breen. “Illinoisans may not realize that, right now, their movements may be tracked without their permission and with no limitation on that tracking. These devices raise grave privacy issues, and I’m glad to work with the ACLU of Illinois to keep the government from infringing the rights of our residents.“
License plate readers are able to read thousands of license plates per hour, tracking the location and owner of all cars that pass by a particular plate reader. These plate readers can be used to identify cars connected to criminal activity or missing persons. However, government agencies can also easily aggregate data from plate readers deployed across a geographic area to keep track of the location and movement of private citizens. While many other states have enacted regulations on license plate readers, the collection and use of plate reader data are totally unregulated in Illinois today.
Breen’s bill would limit the government to six types of uses for automatic readers: electronic toll collection; traffic enforcement; parking enforcement; access to secured areas; criminal investigations; and for identifying vehicles connected to violations of law or missing persons.
The bill would also allow the government to retain data for more than 30 days in limited specified circumstances, relating to active criminal investigations or legal cases. The bill additionally would require law enforcement agencies to develop and post online their automatic license plate reader use policies, along with developing audit procedures and proper training on the use of readers.
Wait a second.
Peter Breen and the ACLU fighting shoulder to shoulder against law enforcement? You mean the Thomas Moore Society’s Peter Breen who recently testified in favor of the disastrous Indiana Religious Freedom Act?
Yep. That Peter Breen.
* Back to the press release…
The bill has broad bipartisan support, including chief cosponsors, Reps. Ann Williams (D-Chicago), Elaine Nekritz (D-Northbrook), Keith Wheeler (R-Oswego), and Ron Sandack (R-Downers Grove).
Go check out the sponsorship list. It’s kinda hilarious. Jeanne Ives and Will Guzzardi are co-sponsors, as are Mary Flowers and Mark Batinick.
Ever think that would happen?
Me neither.
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We have a winner!
Tuesday, Apr 14, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Perhaps the most idiotic newspaper editorial of the entire year…
But a recent report illustrates, one again, that Illinois does not have a revenue problem.
The report by the Pew Charitable Trusts looked at the revenue situation for every state, compared to the period before the Great Recession. Illinois was second in the nation to North Dakota in having the highest increase in state revenue growth since the recession hit.
North Dakota’s growth has been fueled by an oil boom that has brought billions of dollars to that state. Illinois’ growth was fueled by a 2011 income tax increase that hampered job growth.
Despite the massive increase in state revenues, Illinois’ budget situation didn’t significantly improve. More money in the state coffers has not resulted in a significant reduction of the state’s day-to-day debt.
It has not resulted in fiscal strength. In fact, the General Assembly had to approve several fund transfers to allow the state to make it through the current fiscal year.
In simple terms, the additional taxes paid by Illinois residents were not used to improve the state’s financial situation.
Where to begin.
Most of the 2011 TEMPORARY INCOME TAX HIKE revenues went to make pension payments that the state had skipped or skimped on for years.
The day-to-day debt was significantly reduced until THE TEMPORARY INCOME TAX HIKE MOSTLY EXPIRED, and now it’s on the upswing.
The fund transfers were necessary this fiscal year because THE TEMPORARY INCOME TAX HIKE MOSTLY EXPIRED.
The state’s fiscal condition was definitely improving, the required pension payments were being made, Medicaid was reformed, other significant budget cuts were made and then THE TEMPORARY INCOME TAX HIKE MOSTLY EXPIRED.
* And then they admit it…
Of course, the 2011 tax increase has expired and that is the cause of the current budget issues. But many other states, including those surrounding Illinois, are flourishing with decreases or much smaller increases in revenue since the Great Recession.
Illinoisans received the largest income tax cut in state history when THE TEMPORARY INCOME TAX HIKE MOSTLY EXPIRED. We are the only state in the country to have recently reduced income taxes by so much. And yet, pension obligations are still on the rise, as are costs for Medicaid, education, public safety, etc. So, we most certainly do have a revenue problem here because our revenues are obviously not meeting basic spending necessities.
This is not an absolution of the Democrats’ horrible FY 15 budget. That thing was as irresponsible as it gets. The Democrats most definitely should’ve done a much better job of preparing for the possible expiration.
But the reason Gov. Rauner and the legislative leaders used fund transfers to patch most of the 15 hole instead of making massive cuts is because THE TEMPORARY INCOME TAX HIKE MOSTLY EXPIRED and the state needed to find a temporary, one-time revenue fix until the FY 16 budget could be addressed.
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* From the Illinois AFL-CIO’s Facebook page since yesterday…
Discuss.
*** UPDATE *** From the governor’s office…
Hi, Rich –
Round Lake Beach and the Village of Winnebago also passed the resolution.
Attached is Round Lake Beach. I’ll send you Winnebago when it comes through.
Thanks,
ck
Round Lake Beach: Pop. 28,175
Village of Winnebago: Pop. 3,101
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* Gov. Rauner did several TV interviews yesterday. Pension reform was a hot topic…
“The good news is it would save us over two billion dollars per year right from the beginning. So a current worker would get two pension payments when they retire. They would get the benefit they’ve accrued through tier one, and they also get a benefit they’ve accrued into the future through tier two and that’s fair and affordable and I have explained that to many government employees and teachers and they get that, they can support that,” said Governor Rauner.
* More…
Public employee pensions are the biggest single cost item threatening to break the State of Illinois and its taxpayers. But the State Supreme Court has indicated it may rule against a 2013 pension reform bill designed to save a lot of money. If that happens, Gov. Rauner said a statewide referendum would be needed to deal with the issue.
“A constitutional referendum, so we’ll change the language so we’re not in court for years. We’ll make it clear in the constitution what we can and can’t change. And I’m recommending to do something different than in the past. I want to protect existing pensions,” Rauner said.
* But…
Two Illinois lawmakers instrumental in crafting pension overhaul legislation in 2013 are calling for an analysis of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s proposal to reform the state’s underfunded pension system.
Democrats Rep. Elaine Nekritz and Sen. Daniel Biss say they plan to file a resolution asking to put the Republican governor’s plan under “rigorous scrutiny.”
Rauner has suggested moving workers to a less-generous pension plan than lawmakers approved in 2010 for new hires. Workers hired before 2011 could choose to move to a 401(k)-style plan. He says the plan could save more than $2 million a year, but the lawmakers say the plan presents “real questions.”
* From a press release…
Two leading pension experts in the Illinois Legislature are calling for an analysis of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s proposal to move employees into a less-generous pension plan to fully determine its impact on the state and those receiving pensions.
State Rep. Elaine Nekritz and state Sen. Daniel Biss announced they are sponsoring a new resolution asking to put the governor’s pension plan under more rigorous scrutiny. Gov. Rauner has called for ending the current Tier 1 pension plan and moving all employees into Tier 2 to attempt to reduce the state’s massive unfunded pension liability.
Lawmakers created Tier 2 for all new state hires in 2011 to help save an estimated $64 billion in pension obligations. But the austere plan could fall out of compliance with a federal government mandate to provide a benefit that is at least comparable to Social Security.
In the resolution, Nekritz and Biss warn Tier 2’s deficiencies could create “severe unforeseen consequences for taxpayers in the state of Illinois.” They warn it would be irresponsible both to pursue Rauner’s plan without a federal decision that Tier 2 complies with federal law, and for the state of Illinois to “enact such a drastic proposal without studying the financial impact it would have on taxpayers and working families.”
The legislators urge the Teachers Retirement System and State Universities Retirement System to ask for a federal ruling on Tier 2 compliance and provide a detailed analysis of how Rauner’s Tier 2 shift plan would affect employees now in Tier 1 before legislators consider his plan.
“Every time we have considered pension reform proposals in Springfield, we have relied on detailed analysis from the retirement systems on how the changes would affect their retirees to guide our decisions,” said Nekritz, D-Northbrook. “The governor’s plan should be no different. With the very real questions out there about Tier 2’s viability, we must take these steps to prevent decisions that could make our pension problem much worse.”
“We need to make decisions on pension reform based on core principles of mathematics, law, and basic fairness,” said Biss, D-Evanston. “It is unjust to these employees and dangerous for the state to do anything less. We will work with our colleagues to take the proper thoughtful and careful approach to the governor’s Tier 2 plan and ensure we are moving down the right path.”
The resolution is here.
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With friends like these…
Tuesday, Apr 14, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Charles Thomas…
From unions to business reforms, Gov. Bruce Rauner is re-affirming his promise to do what needs to be done to shake up Springfield and fix the state’s budget mess. […]
“It’s all about taking power away from the special interests in Springfield and empowering local voters,” Rauner says. “Voters should decide what gets collectively bargained inside their governments.”
The governor also has not budged on his demand for pro-business reforms before signing any bill to raise the Illinois minimum wage or taxes to help resolve the state’s budget deficit. […]
Rauner, after 91 days in office, claims to have good relations with Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton:
“We’ve become friends,” says Rauner. “I like them very much.”
* Flannery…
“Our recommended Turnaround Agenda is already in bill form. It’s ready to go,” Rauner said. […]
However, Springfield’s most powerful legislator said the governor won’t give him the specific details either.
“Those bills haven’t been filed. So, you don’t know — I’m not being nasty. But nobody knows what he’s talking about until we see the bills as filed,” said Mike Madigan.
FOX 32: He says he’s already drafted the language.
“But they haven’t been given to us and they haven’t been filed,” Madigan added,
* WGN…
A spokesperson for House Speaker Madigan says, “I wouldn’t characterize the speaker as being on board with this plan. … I’ve seen no specifics, no legislation. When there are actual details, we will see what happens.”
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Hospitals warn of closures
Tuesday, Apr 14, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* WMBD…
The Illinois Catholic Health Association has issued a statement about the $1.5 billion cuts to Medicaid, mental health and other social programs that Governor Rauner proposed. Its 44 Catholic hospitals, 22 nursing facilities, and 26 other Catholic-sponsored services like hospice, assisted living, and senior housing, help out more than 9 million Illinoisans each year. The group points out that its hospitals provided in-patient care to more than 2 million Medicare and 1.3 million Medicaid beneficiaries in 2014.
Here is the rest of the Association’s statement:
“Just estimating for our Catholic hospitals alone, the aggregate Medicaid cuts would total over $200 million. To sustain this shortfall, over 3,000 jobs would be put at risk and the economic activity associated with these lost jobs would be a negative $480 million.
Because our faith and commitment are strong and constant, the state of Catholic health care and Catholic social service ministries in Illinois is strong and will remain strong. However, without the assistance and support of the state of Illinois, many of our neediest citizens, mostly children and the elderly, will bear the brunt of these draconian budget cuts.
Therefore, the ICHA Board of Directors strongly believes that Governor Rauner and the Illinois General Assembly have the economic, budgetary and moral obligation to pass a budget that provides for strong, equitable health care and social services for its citizens who are most vulnerable and in need.”
* Kurt Erickson…
Gov. Bruce Rauner’s plan to slash Medicaid spending could trigger a loss of more than 3,000 jobs at the state’s 44 Catholic-run hospitals and significant cuts to programs serving the poor and elderly, according to a joint statement issued by the hospitals Monday. […]
Patrick Cacchione, executive director of the Illinois Catholic Health Association, said the group issued its statement Monday in order to remind members of the legislature to consider the problems that Rauner’s budget may cause. […]
“This affects real lives. It’s not just an academic exercise on balancing a budget,” Cacchione said.
* WEEK…
The ICHA says to sustain the shortfall, 3,000 jobs would be risk and the economic impact of that would be a loss of $480 million.
The group says the neediest citizens will bear the brunt of these cuts.
According to a spokesperson, Gov. Rauner is not interested in extending the program beyond the end of 2017.
* Sun-Times…
More than 40 percent of the state’s hospitals are operating in the red and still dealing with cuts from the state’s passage of a Medicaid reform bill in 2012, said Maryjane Wurth, president and CEO of the Illinois Hospital Association. […]
State Sen. Kwame Raoul, D-Chicago, said La Rabida Children’s Hospital in his district would likely have to close if negotiations over Rauner’s 2016 budget don’t improve hospital funding.
“That’s literally the circumstances, not a false alarm,” Raoul said. ”They’ve got a population who otherwise wouldn’t be served.”
Dr. John Jay Shannon, CEO of the Cook County Health and Hospitals System, said county hospitals would be indirectly affected by the budget.
“We’re going to see it through things like the jail and through things like the [emergency department], where we’ll start to see more people coming to us because they no longer are able to get those services that were in their community,” Shannon said.
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“America’s Worst Human”?
Tuesday, Apr 14, 2015 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sam Stein pulls a Sen. Mark Kirk quote from a Peoria newspaper interview…
“I want to make sure we have elected people constantly looking at helping the African-American community,” Kirk said. “With this state and all of its resources, we could sponsor a whole new class of potential innovators like George Washington Carver and eventually have a class of African-American billionaires. That would really adjust income differentials and make the diversity and outcome of the state much better so that the black community is not the one we drive faster through.” [emphasis added.]
The notion that people hit the gas when driving through black neighborhoods is a common racial stereotype about urbanization and criminal behavior among African-Americans. The fact that an elected senator from a state with a sizable black population would make such a comment was deemed unfortunate by at least one African-American leader in Illinois.
“I think what he was trying to say is, he was trying to relate that to crime. But boy, it was a poor choice of phraseology,” said George Mitchell, president of the NAACP’s Illinois State Conference. […]
Mitchell did offer a more charitable interpretation of Kirk’s comment — that people drive faster through black communities because they don’t want to see poverty (as opposed to being frightened of crime). But even that interpretation rests on dicey theories about race and wealth. As Mitchell went on to note, Chicago has a number of upper-middle class black neighborhoods, for example. He took umbrage, moreover, with the idea that simply putting a few rich people in poorer neighborhoods would solve poverty in those communities.
The quote “won” the daily somewhat tongue in cheek “America’s Worst Humans” award on the national Eschaton blog.
* We have to decide what we’re going to talk about here. Was it yet another impolitic remark by a politician known for making such statements? Was his argument at all sound, or did he say something false?
Let’s go with the latter argument first, starting with the racial element.
* When I was a kid, my mom would always make us roll up the windows and lock the doors when we drove through the black part of Kankakee. And she was about as liberal as they came back then. I can certainly see Kirk’s angle, as much as I absolutely hate to admit it.
And I was once even kicked out of a black neighborhood by the Chicago police.
Three or four summers ago, I took my brother to Lee’s Unleaded, my favorite South Side blues bar at 74th and South Chicago Ave. One of the waitresses invited us to an after-party. It was a beautiful night, so we put the top down on my convertible and headed over. We got to the address (which was near several recent shooting incidents during that long, hot summer) and saw dozens and dozens of people gleefully partying in an abandoned lot and in a building which also looked abandoned.
We were immediately pulled over by two Chicago cops. They took both of our driver’s licenses and asked what in the holy heck we were doing there. We said we were going to the party. “Oh, no you’re not,” one of the officers said. They ran our licenses, gave them back to us and ordered us out of the neighborhood.
My brother, who lives in California, was a bit taken aback by the command, but I explained that if something bad did happen to us then those cops would be held responsible. Or they thought we were drug dealers. Either way, I told my brother, when a Chicago cop says “Leave,” it’s usually a good idea to vamoose, so we split.
When I told the story to an African-American friend of mine (who first introduced me to that bar), he said I was insane to go to that party in that neighborhood.
* And before anyone freaks out here and I get lumped in with Kirk as American’s Worst Human or something, I’m most definitely not saying that all or even most black neighborhoods are bad, or that all white neighborhoods are good, or that all white people hit the gas when they drive through a black middle class area, or even a poor area, whether that be black, white, Latino, whatever.
I’m just saying that it does happen and all the liberal uproar in the world ain’t gonna change that. It’s nothing at all to be proud of, or to trumpet or to argue favorably on its behalf. But, it does sometimes happen, maybe even more than sometimes.
* Whether Kirk should’ve held his tongue is really what this is about. And the “we drive faster through” stuff is troubling to me. “We” most definitely denotes an “other.”
“We” ought to be a whole lot more positive and inclusive, especially if “we” are a United States Senator. Talking about race in this country is never easy, and it’s made a whole lot more difficult by statements like Kirk’s.
* Also, too, George Mitchell is absolutely right that creating a couple of black billionaires isn’t going to solve the very real problems in Chicago’s poor neighborhoods. It’s just another goofy pie in the sky 0.1 percenter trickle-down argument and is amazingly out of touch with reality. I ain’t against billionaires, I’m just against setting all governmental policy - jobs, crime, drugs, education - around catering to the super-wealthy. What Kirk proposed isn’t a policy agenda, it’s a Randian fantasy.
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