Veto Message for HB 3194
To the Honorable Members of
The Illinois House of Representatives,
99th General Assembly:
Today I return House Bill 3194 with specific recommendations for change.
Over the last several years, the State has awarded weatherization grants under the Urban Weatherization Initiative Act and the Energy Assistance Act, supported by federal funds. Because of the federal funding, federal prevailing wage rates applied.
The federal program ended on June 30, 2015, at which point federal prevailing wage requirements no longer apply. The proponents of the bill are concerned that Illinois prevailing wage rates will apply going forward, leading to a marked increase in wage rates, which will significantly reduce the value of the program. Among other changes, House Bill 3194 would require that employees performing weatherization work continue to be paid in accordance with (lower) federal prevailing wage rates rather than (higher) Illinois prevailing wage rates, regardless of whether the State receives federal funding.
This bill demonstrates the problems with the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act. There is no classification under the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act for “weatherization worker.” Instead, contractors are required to use general classifications – in particular, carpenters – which results in inflated wage rates. When the U.S. Department of Labor conducted a survey of weatherization wage rates in Illinois in 2009-2010, it found that the prevailing wage for weatherization workers was a fraction of the wage rates applicable to carpenters.
We have an obligation to taxpayers and the beneficiaries of government services to maximize public resources. Every public program can go farther when it is not compelled to subsidize artificially-inflated wages. For that reason, we need broader reform to the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act.
I am returning House Bill 3194 to clarify the applicability of federal law. While I agree with the sponsors that Illinois prevailing wage rates should not be required, we should require payment of federal prevailing wage rates only if and when required by federal law – something that can be left to federal law itself and not repeated in Illinois statute.
Therefore, pursuant to Section 9(e) of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return House Bill 3194, entitled “AN ACT concerning finance”, with the following specific recommendations for change:
On page 2, by replacing lines 13 through 16 with the following: “subdivision thereof. Works financed or funded in whole or in part with grants awarded under this Article shall not be considered public works for purposes of the Prevailing Wage Act.”; and
On page 8, by replacing lines 2 through 8 with the following: “the weatherization program. Works financed or funded in whole or in part with grants awarded under this Article shall not be considered public works for purposes of the Prevailing Wage Act.”.
With these changes, House Bill 3194 will have my approval. I respectfully request your concurrence.
Sincerely,
Bruce Rauner
GOVERNOR
* And…
Veto Message for HB 3507
To the Honorable Members of
The Illinois House of Representatives
99th General Assembly:
Today I veto House Bill 3507 from the 99th General Assembly, which mandates that cases within the Department of Children and Family Services remain open until the ward reaches 21 years of age. This unfunded mandate places a significant financial burden on the Department, particularly because the Department would not be eligible for matching federal funds for all these services.
The Department currently provides numerous services for 18- to 21-year-old persons, including finding safe living arrangements, job placement, and scholarship funding. The federal funding match for these programs is only available for services to persons over the age of 18 if the person is in a work or educational setting or unable to be because of a disability. House Bill 3507 does not satisfy this requirement.
The Department suggested legislative provisions that would address the concerns raised by youth advocates while still maintaining federal funding. The Department’s suggestion would have incentivized youth to develop job and educational skills necessary for independence and self-sufficiency and would have maximized federal funding. Unfortunately those ideas were rejected.
Therefore, pursuant to Section 9(b) of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return House 3507, “AN ACT concerning State government”, with the foregoing objections, vetoed in its entirety.
Sincerely,
Bruce Rauner
GOVERNOR
* And…
Veto Message for HB 488
To the Honorable Members of
The Illinois House of Representatives
99th General Assembly:
Today I veto House Bill 488 from the 99th General Assembly in order to protect Illinois from new legal claims that will clog the court system and drive up litigation costs.
House Bill 488 would shift attorney’s fees to parties that prevail in obtaining an injunction under the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004. Illinois and federal law generally disfavor shifting attorney’s fees; fees should only be awarded to successful plaintiffs in rare and special cases, usually where attorneys identify and advance important legal rights. Attorney’s fees are not appropriate in most cases, and they are not appropriate in this case: fee shifting would not advance public safety.
Public safety and enforcement are properly the responsibility of the State. This bill would effectively shift that responsibility from the State to trial lawyers, who would pursue new and costly litigation for greater potential reward. This will burden the court system and delay other proceedings.
Therefore, pursuant to Section 9(b) of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return House Bill 488, entitled “AN ACT concerning regulation,” with the foregoing objections, vetoed in its entirety.
Sincerely,
Bruce Rauner
GOVERNOR
* And…
Veto Message for HB 4113
To the Honorable Members of
The Illinois House of Representatives,
99th General Assembly:
Today I return House Bill 4113 with specific recommendations for change.
First, House Bill 4113 exempts printing contracts for the student newspaper at Southern Illinois University’s Carbondale campus from the Illinois Procurement Code for one year, during which time the bill requires those contracts be publicly awarded through an alternative process. Student newspapers are a vital part of vibrant and engaged student populations at all universities. The changes made by this bill – which provide more flexibility to the student newspapers while ensuring a public procurement process – should apply to all public universities and colleges during the one-year trial period.
Second, the bill increases the voting representation of students on the Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees. Current law provides the student bodies of both campuses with representation on the Board of Trustees; one of those representatives is a voting member, and the other is a non-voting member. The bill would permit both representatives to be voting members.
Student representatives are valuable additions to the Board of Trustees. But on a board of just nine or ten voting trustees (depending on whether one or both student representatives are voting members), having two student voting members is not necessary or advisable. The Board of Trustees must consider difficult budgetary issues, academic requirements, and student conduct and disciplinary issues. The long-term views of professionals must be given appropriate weight. The current make-up allows for the students’ perspective to be heard without diluting the insight gained from the other trustees’ years of professional experience. As such, I recommend that no change be made to the composition of the Board of Trustees.
Therefore, pursuant to Section 9(e) of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return House Bill 4113 with the following changes:
On page 1, line 7, by deleting “Southern Illinois”; and
On page 1, by replacing line 11 with “at any public institution of higher education as defined in the Board of Higher Education Act.”; and
On page 1, by replacing lines 12 and 13 with “Notice of each contract entered into by a public institution of higher education that is related to the procurement of printing”; and
On page 1, line 17, by replacing “Southern Illinois University” with “The public institution of higher education”; and
On page 2, by deleting lines 10 through 24; and
By deleting pages 3 through 5; and
On page 6, by deleting lines 1 through 7.
With these changes, House Bill 4113 will have my approval. I respectfully request your concurrence.
Sincerely,
Bruce Rauner
GOVERNOR
* And…
Veto Message for SB 661
To the Honorable Members of
The Illinois Senate,
99th General Assembly:
Today I veto Senate Bill 661 from the 99th General Assembly in order to shield Illinois from significant spending mandates and to protect our State’s health care providers from unnecessary civil liability.
Senate Bill 661 creates the Hepatitis C Screening Act, which stems from the hard work of the Illinois Hepatitis C Task Force. This bill requires health care practitioners, regardless of setting, to offer a hepatitis C screening test to individuals born between 1945 and 1965, unless the health care practitioner reasonably believes that certain conditions are present. The bill also requires all insurers, public and private, to provide coverage for hepatitis C screening and confirmatory testing consistent with reasonable medical standards.
I support the General Assembly’s determination to combat hepatitis C. I further applaud the members of the Illinois Hepatitis C Task Force for their efforts to raise awareness of this very serious problem.
Senate Bill 661, however, imposes significant short-term financial obligations upon the State Medicaid agency and the State health insurance plan at a time when Illinois is facing a fiscal crisis. The bill would help identify Illinoisans afflicted with hepatitis C, but it does not address the important question of how to pay for the expensive treatment necessary to defeat the disease. It is an untenable position to diagnose a disease but not account for funding for the treatment.
The bill further mandates that doctors adhere to the “Testing Recommendations for Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection.” By dictating a specific standard of care to doctors, the bill sets an ill-advised precedent with respect to the State’s health care industry. This bill replaces doctors’ ability to provide patient-centered care with government-mandated medical care. This could expose our doctors to new and costly litigation, which will further increase medical costs.
Therefore, pursuant to Section 9(b) of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return Senate Bill 661, entitled “AN ACT concerning public health”, with the foregoing objections, vetoed in its entirety.
Sincerely,
Bruce Rauner
GOVERNOR
* And…
Veto Message for SB 1271
To the Honorable Members of
The Illinois Senate,
99th General Assembly:
Today I veto Senate Bill 1271 from the 99th General Assembly, which would reduce competitive bidding for park, forest, and conservation district contracts.
Given Illinois’s history of corruption and insider dealing, government transparency is paramount. Competitive bidding ensures that units of local government are getting the best price for services and that taxpayer funds are being used effectively. Consequently, increasing the threshold for competitive bidding from $20,000 to $25,000 is a step in the wrong direction for government transparency and conserving taxpayer dollars.
Therefore, pursuant to Section 9(b) of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return Senate Bill 1271, “AN ACT concerning local government”, with the foregoing objections, vetoed in its entirety.
Sincerely,
Bruce Rauner
GOVERNOR
* This was a big bill and was opposed by some huge social media companies…
Veto Message for SB 1833
To the Honorable Members of
The Illinois Senate,
99th General Assembly:
Today I return Senate Bill 1833, which amends the Personal Information Protection Act, with specific recommendations for change.
The Personal Information Protection Act was enacted in 2005 to protect consumers from the damaging consequences of a data breach. Illinois businesses and non-profit organizations must take their obligations seriously.
Senate Bill 1833 makes significant changes to the Personal Information Protection Act, many of which are intended to protect consumers and update the Act. But unfortunately, the bill goes too far, imposing duplicative and burdensome requirements that are out-of-step with other states. These unnecessary requirements will hurt our economic competitiveness without providing commensurate benefit to Illinois consumers and residents whom the bill is intending to protect.
In particular, the bill would add “consumer marketing information” and “geolocation information” to the types of protected personal information. This is significant departure from the data protection laws of other states. Compared to other types of personal information, the unauthorized release of consumer marketing and geolocation information does not pose the same risk of identity theft that justifies the extraordinary and costly security and notice requirements imposed by the Personal Information Protection Act.
The bill requires that notices be given to the Attorney General within 30 business days after the breach is discovered. While many states do not impose a specific requirement of this type, those that do more often require notice within 45 calendar days (which is approximately the same as 30 business days). To ease the burden of compliance across multiple states, I recommend that the notice be required within 45 calendar days instead of 30 business days.
The bill would also require the operator of any website to post a privacy policy. Because California law already requires this, most large businesses already comply with this requirement. Layering on an Illinois-specific requirement will only increase the cost of compliance without adding value to consumers. Moreover, for those small businesses that are not required to comply with the California law, this is a burdensome and costly mandate, particularly because no other state has imposed a similar requirement.
The changes recommended below would address these and related concerns. While I commend the sponsors for their efforts to protect consumers, Illinois does not need regulation that makes it even more difficult to do business. Illinois is suffering from the consequences of over-regulation. We need to break the cycle of taxation and regulation that has created a hostile economic environment in order to grow our economy, create new jobs, and generate more tax revenue through economic expansion.
Therefore, pursuant to Section 9(e) of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return Senate Bill 1833, entitled “AN ACT concerning business”, with the following specific recommendations for change:
On page 2, by deleting lines 2 through 17; and
On page 2, line 21, by replacing “information” with “medical information”; and
On page 3, line 1, by replacing “health” with “such”; and
On page 3, by replacing line 23 with “characteristics used by the owner or licensee to authenticate an”; and
On page 4, by deleting lines 1 through 7; and
On page 4, by replacing lines 23 and 24 with “information concerning an Illinois resident shall”; and
On page 5, by replacing lines 11 and 12 with “information”:”; and
On page 9, line 2, by replacing “30 business days” with “45 days”; and
On page 9, by replacing lines 16 through 26 with “(2) (Blank).”; and
On page 10, by deleting lines 1 through 24; and
On page 11, by replacing lines 3 and 4 with “(a) Any State agency that collects personal information”; and
On page 14, line 19, by replacing “30 business days” with “45 days”; and
On page 16, by replacing lines 10 through 25 with the following:
“(815 ILCS 530/50 new)
Sec. 50. (Blank).”; and
By deleting pages 17 and 18; and
On page 19, by deleting lines 1 through 20.
With these changes, Senate Bill 1833 will have my approval. I respectfully request your concurrence.
* We have literally billions of dollars worth of very small state programs and grants that were mostly enacted into law with unanimous votes. One recent example…
Legislation requiring the Illinois Department of Public Health to provide all newborns with screening tests for the presence of adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) under a new law sponsored by State Sen. Dale Righter (R-Mattoon) was signed Wednesday by Gov. Bruce Rauner.
“Screening for ALD at such an early stage will help save lives,” Righter said. “All too often, those with ALD are diagnosed too late for treatment to work. It’s a terrible disease, but this law helps us get out in front of it and save our children.”
According to the Stop ALD Foundation, ALD is a deadly genetic disease that affects one in 18,000 people. It most severely affects boys and men. This brain disorder destroys myelin, the protective sheath that surrounds the brain’s neurons — the nerve cells that allow us to think and to control our muscles. It knows no racial, ethnic or geographic barriers.
* And most of our unfunded local mandates were also passed unanimously…
A bill recently signed by Gov. Bruce Rauner to assist disabled veterans may have had the best of intentions, but the trickle-down effects will add pressure to local governments.
La Salle County could lose tens of thousands of dollars due to the new property tax breaks granted by the state.
New breaks for veterans with a service-connected disability could cost the county at least $68,000, according to La Salle County chief assessment officer Stephanie Kennedy.
The breaks will apply to more than 200 parcels of land countywide, but that number is sure to climb with the increase of eligible veterans.
The bill uses the Department of Veterans Affairs disability schedule to determine who is eligible for which benefits. The VA assigns service-connected disabilities a rating based on the severity of the disability and the impairment it causes. Using the VA ratings, the new Illinois law will expand both the pool of eligible veterans and increase existing benefits.
As a federal grand jury continues its probe of former U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock, a prosecutor in Springfield is pressing for further hearings on whether the Peoria Republican should be held in contempt of court for failing to produce documents.
In a 25-page filing Thursday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Bass asked U.S. District Judge Sue Myerscough to allow oral arguments on the issue of whether Schock is entitled to declare some documents private and out of government reach.
Bass wrote in the filing that a public official “cannot seal his official records and withhold them from the prosecuting authorities on a plea of constitutional privilege against self-incrimination.
“No court has recognized that a public official … has a constitutional right under the Fifth Amendment to avoid the compelled production of publicly-funded, non-private, public or official records within his official … office,” the filing reads.
In a filing Thursday, prosecutors alleged that Schock, and the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group of the United States Congress argue that every other current and future member of congress have a right against production of public documents which will, among other things, reflect how they spend public funds.
“The government respectfully submits that this argument is repugnant to the fundamental principal that no man is above the law,” they wrote. “And therefore it should be rejected.”
“Its absurdity is self-evident,” they said. “And the House has no right to confer a constitutional privilege where none exists.”
The Justice Department is trying to force Schock to turn over “non-private, non-personal, official Congressional and campaign records created as part of Schock’s official duties and reflecting the expenditure of public and campaign funds,” it wrote in the Thursday filing. […]
The matter could come to a head as soon as Aug. 28, when the court is scheduled to hold a status hearing in Springfield, Illinois at which the two sides will discuss the production of Schock’s office congressional records. The two sides have been battling for months over the documents. Schock has turned over some records, and the government raided his campaign office several months ago.
The former Peoria congressman has ignored two grand jury subpoenas for records and is fighting a third, according to federal prosecutors.
Authorities say that Schock is taking a page from former president Richard Nixon’s playbook more than 40 years ago, when Nixon claimed executive privilege
The especially biting request for immediate contempt charges in court papers filed late Thursday and obtained by the I-Team accuse Schock of “obvious grandstanding and inartful rhetoric.” The government claims that Schock is making arguments no different than when President Nixon unsuccessfully tried to claim “an absolute privilege of confidentiality for all Presidential communications” that the Supreme Court rejected four decades ago.
Prosecutors state that Schock’s “representations to this Court to the contrary are simply a continuation of his deceptive defiance and callous disregard of this Court’s and the Supreme Court’s authority that he has displayed for months and from the outset of this litigation.”
Though social conservatives were calling on Governor Rauner to protect religious rights and reject a bill that bans counselors from discussing certain topics with minors confused about their sexuality, the governor signed HB 217 into law Thursday.
The Conversion Therapy Prohibition Act, HB 217, makes it illegal for mental health care specialists to perform conversion therapies on patients under the age of 18.
The LGBT community in Illinois is delighted with the new law. It was reported that when Rauner met with the LGBT community shortly after his election, they urged him to support the effort. […]
For the most part, the bill was supported by Democrats and rejected by Republican lawmakers, except GOP senators Leader Christine Radogno and Chris Nybo and GOP House members Leader Jim Durkin, David Leitch, Mike McAulliffe, Bob Pritchard and Ed Sullivan.
“These so-called ‘therapies’ treat homosexuality as a disease,” Evanston Democratic Sen. Daniel Biss said in a statement after Rauner signed the bill Biss sponsored with state Rep. Kelly Cassidy, a Chicago Democrat. “They’re out of date and can be deeply destructive to youth. Outlawing these practices is a small step in our pursuit for LGBT rights, but it’s an extremely important step in protecting young people in Illinois.” […]
After announcing the bill’s signing, spokeswoman Catherine Kelly said Rauner has no social agenda and believes the measure protects the children’s interests.
“The administration carefully reviewed this legislation to ensure it would not prohibit or otherwise interfere with religious freedom or family access to religious counseling,” Kelly said in a statement.
Illinois joins California, New Jersey, and Oregon on the list of states with such laws; the District of Columbia also has one. “Our version of this legislation is the most comprehensive bill in the nation, barring health providers from engaging in this practice and affording survivors access to consumer fraud action against the perpetrators of this abuse,” [sponsoring Rep. Kelly Cassidy] said. It is the first one to include consumer fraud language, she explained.
“Every major scientific organization has dismissed conversion therapy as harmful,” she continued. “The Illinois Psychological Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Association for Social Workers, and so many more have not only disproven its utility, but they have decried its effects. Children who are highly rejected by their communities based on sexual orientation are six times more likely to suffer from depression and eight times more likely to attempt suicide.
Jim Bennett, Midwest regional director for the LGBT rights group Lambda Legal, applauded the governor’s signing of the measure, telling The Huffington Post the law “puts the best interest of our young people first.”
“A more accurate name for conversion therapy is child abuse,” Bennett said. “Our LGBT young people deserve to be embraced for who they are.” […]
[Transgender Ohio teen Leelah Alcorn], 17, walked in front of a truck in December after leaving a note in which she described how her conservative Christian parents forced her to undergo conversion therapy in order to change both her sexual orientation and gender identity. In a note posted to Tumblr, Alcorn wrote:
“The only way I will rest in peace is if one day transgender people aren’t treated the way I was, they’re treated like humans, with valid feelings and human rights.”
Taradiddler Diana Rauner and Her LGBTQ-Allied Activist Hubby
Governor Bruce Rauner lied—or perhaps more precisely his wife, helpmeet, and mouthpiece, Diana Rauner, lied for him.
In a campaign ad, Mrs. Rauner stated with a Cheshire grin and a long nose that “Bruce doesn’t have a social agenda.”
Oh really…
Just this afternoon following the day during which we had to hear more about Planned Parenthood’s bloody baby-breaking business—which Ms. Rauner heartily supports—Governor “No-Social-Agenda” signed into law the anti-autonomy “Youth Mental Health Act,” deceitfully called the “conversion therapy ban” by radical LGBTQQIP activists. HB 217 will now become law.
Now minors who experience same-sex attraction as a result of sexual molestation will be prohibited from receiving counseling that may help them reject an unwanted, unchosen “gay identity.”
And minors who experience gender dysphoria will be prohibited from receiving counseling to help them accept as good their physical embodiment and to affirm a “gender identity” consonant with their objective, immutable biological sex. Even liberal sexuality and gender scientists Dr. Eric Vilain and Dr. J. Michael Bailey expressed their opposition to bans on so-called “conversion therapies” for gender dysphoric minors. I guess the powerful Wizard of Springfield knows something these experts don’t.
If you’re wondering what a “taradiddler” is, you’re not alone. I had to Google it.
Friday, Aug 21, 2015 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Over the past decade, our nation’s power generation system has changed dramatically. Previously, our grid was almost entirely powered on plants like nuclear and coal, which have fuel on site and and generate energy 24/7.
Unfortunately, a shift in power sources has led us to a system that is no longer sufficiently reliable. This is especially true during extreme weather, like the polar vortex of 2014, when PJM, which operates the electric grid in portions of 13 states from northern Illinois to the mid-Atlantic, lost 22 percent of the electric power generation in its region and came dangerously close to a large-scale blackout.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) wants to ensure that our grid has enough electricity always available to power up our homes, businesses and our communities regardless of circumstances, which is why they approved critical reforms to strengthen the region’s power supply and reward our always-on energy sources like nuclear energy. These reforms will increase reliability by paying only those power plants that deliver power when promised—especially in the hottest or coldest weather—and imposing financial penalties on those that don’t. PJM has begun to hold capacity auctions under the new reforms to ensure that our region has enough electricity to power customers’ needs in the years to come and incentivize generators to invest hundreds of millions of dollars to harden their power plants against extreme weather. Two additional auctions will occur over the next few weeks.
Now is the time to ensure our grid’s reliability, which is why we need to preserve our current fleet of nuclear energy facilities – the most reliable source of energy we have. Even though these highly efficient plants have decades of useful life left, power prices have dropped substantially over the past several years and continue to decline, challenging three at-risk facilities. If Illinois fails to act and these plants retire early because of outdated energy policies, it faces:
• Up to $500 million in energy cost increases statewide, each year, according to PJM;
• Up to $1.8 billion annually in lost economic activity and nearly 8,000 jobs lost; and,
• Hundreds of millions of dollars in higher energy costs to construct new transmission lines.
The Low Carbon Portfolio Standard will ensure that low carbon sources of energy, like nuclear energy, are preserved to ensure our electric grid remains reliable.
Learn more at www.NuclearPowersIllinois.com or find us on Facebook at facebook.com/NuclearPowersIL and Twitter at @NuclearPowersIL.
Before the end of the day, Cook County Recorder of Deeds Karen Yarbrough expressed her intention to run. “I absolutely do have plans to [run],” Yarbrough told Aldertrack last night. “I’m excited about the possibilities of running and hope that I can put together a team that can help me get there.”
Yarbrough, who is also the Proviso Township Democratic Committeeman and African-American, is likely banking on following White’s path to Secretary of State. In 1998, he was Recorder of Deeds and the 27th Ward Democratic Committeeman. […]
A broad array of other Democrats have privately expressed interest in White’s seat over the years, including State Reps. John Bradley and Brandon Phelps, two of the few elected Democrats from south of I-70. In Chicago, sources say Hyde Park State Sen. Kwame Raoul, as well as Northwest Siders State Reps. Luis Arroyo and John D’Amico have expressed interest. Park Ridge State Sen. Dan Kotowski, a profligate fundraiser, is also a potential candidate. […]
Then there’s also the possibility that Chicago City Clerk Susana Mendoza, or Evanston’s State Sen. Daniel Biss, both already eyeing runs for Illinois Comptroller in 2016, could just pivot now or after losing the statewide election and toss their hats into the ring in 2018.
In my opinion, SOS is the best political job in the state because there’s plenty of patronage without all the headaches of being governor.
So, I can think of probably a half-dozen more Dems just off the top of my head, and even more Republicans. Bruce Rauner’s money means that spot will be ripe for pickup in 2018, particularly if Hillary Clinton or another Democrat wins the presidency next year.
I also expect there to be pressure exerted by some top Dems on Sec. White to run again. We’ll see.
It wouldn’t be easy to threaten his hold, and I expect his jesters and media biscuit eaters to cry foul and unleash their trolls.
It would also cost some $10 million, well within the reach of Rauner’s political funds for 2016. If done correctly, Madigan’s resources could be stretched thin.
First, a Democratic candidate in Madigan’s increasingly Hispanic Southwest Side district must be found to challenge his re-election.
Ideally, the candidate would be a woman, a Latina; best if she were a mom, a cop, Roman Catholic with a college degree.
If such a candidate were well-funded, the Khan would be forced to keep his troops close. He’d have to spend power to keep it.
He then offers up a legislative target list (none of whom are at all surprising, and several of whom won during the big Republican wave of 2014) and pushes a ward committeeman candidate against Joe Berrios, which is Madigan’s true weak spot. Go read it all.
On Aug. 14, Gov. Bruce Rauner signed House Bill 169, which was sponsored by Rep. Ken Dunkin, D-Chicago. The new law will help ensure that innocent people have their names cleared of erroneous arrest records.
The law facilitates the deletion of arrest records for people who were arrested based on mistaken identity. The destruction of these records would be required upon request by the proper authority such as the chief of police, county sheriff or state’s attorney.
People who have done nothing wrong and were arrested due to errors by law enforcement should not have arrest records attached to their names and should not have to explain wrongful arrests to potential employers.
Dunkin commented on the bill: “All police districts are not the same. This creates a process for that department to be proactive immediately after they acknowledge they made a simple mistake.”
* Wednesday’s statement from Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s office…
“Tonight the state legislature has taken an important step forward for Chicago and for Illinois. I want to thank Senate President Cullerton and the members of the State Senate for joining the State House in passing Senate Bill 2042. This bill ensures that the operations at Navy Pier and McCormick Place, which are two engines of our economy, are funded. It also ensures that we leave no federal dollars on the table which can support our residents.”
* On Thursday, the governor signed the federal funds bill into law…
Governor Bruce Rauner signed SB 2042 today, which appropriates money for the pass through of federal dollars without adding to the state’s budget deficit. The clean bill allows the state to provide some services to the state’s most vulnerable citizens.
“Governor Rauner supported and signed this clean pass through bill because it will help those in need without adding to the state’s budget deficit,” Director of Communications Lance Trover said. “While the Governor continues to work on passing a balanced budget with structural reforms to maximize how much we can invest in our schools and important social services, some of the state’s most vulnerable citizens will be able receive additional support.”
Madigan: Governor Failed Women, Children and Elderly While Helping Chicago’s McCormick Place
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - House Speaker Michael J. Madigan issued the following statement Thursday after the governor signed legislation authorizing the use of state funds for McCormick Place while opposing funding for women, children and the elderly:
“Governor Rauner’s piecemeal approach to federally funded programs creates more hardship and confusing disruptions. A few weeks ago, he vetoed all federally funded program spending. Now he cherry picks and says ‘no’ to state funding for critically needed services like breast and cervical cancer screenings, assistance for children with development disabilities and meals for the elderly. He also reversed course with the decision to support spending state money to pay Chicago’s McCormick Place bankers.
“The governor’s office called the inclusion of funding for these programs a ‘poison pill,’ and more than one House Republican made similar comments on the House floor, even going so far as to say these programs were ‘extra nonsense’ that ‘got in the way’ while they insisted on spending additional state money to ensure McCormick Place’s bankers get paid. I take great exception to those disparaging comments, as do the women, children and elderly who would have benefitted from the state dollars House Democrats supported.”
He has a point, but that federal funding/McPier bill really needed to pass.
* OK, now let’s move on to some context from Yvette Shields…
The legislation permits MPEA to draw from the account that holds pledged tax revenues to cover monthly payments to the bond trustee and also to make its December debt service payment. The agency requires an appropriation to do both and without a state budget in place it could not make the $20.8 monthly payment due to the trustee July 20.
The failed transfer triggered a technical default and prompted Standard & Poor’s to strip the agency’s $3 billion of debt of its AAA rating and Fitch Ratings to lower its AA-minus rating. […]
“Met Pier has been held hostage by the Illinois legislature, which should have unconditionally appropriated money to cover debt service,” [Cumberland Advisors] wrote in a recent commentary authored by Michael Coomes and John Mousseau.
“The political paralysis in Illinois does not make Met Pier a bad credit,” they wrote. “It is a good credit held hostage by the vagaries of the municipal market’s retail buyer base and headline risk. At Cumberland, we have sold our uninsured Met Pier debt because of these heightened political risks. We believe that Met Pier bonds will not be prudent investments until Illinois’ political issues are resolved.”
* But my beef is, what exactly happened here?
It’ll now cost more money to finance McPier bonds because somebody in the Rauner administration didn’t anticipate a very real debt service issue, or didn’t communicate that upcoming problem to the governor’s office or the General Assembly leadership, or they did and the warnings were ignored.
And are there any other preventable time bombs out there that we should know about?
The House’s State Government Administration Committee and/or the Senate’s State Government & Veterans Affairs Committee ought to get to the bottom of these questions. Pronto.
“The message that Illinois voters sent last November was loud and clear: Thirty-plus years under the reign of Mike Madigan is enough. Today’s dismal turnout at Democrat Day - Mike Madigan Day - is a sign that even Democrats reject the failed status quo under their leader Mike Madigan. All Illinoisans are ready to turnaround this state, and Governor Bruce Rauner is ready to lead that turnaround.”
- Nick Klitzing, Executive Director of the Illinois Republican Party
…Adding… Like I said yesterday, though, the crowd was sparse…
It marked a day of jabs at Rauner for attacks on the middle class, the minimum wage, labor rights and working families. But Thursday afternoon at the traditional, old-style state fair rally, few answered the trumpet to arms. Many dignitaries hit the gates before the speeches ended. Chicago City Clerk Susana Mendoza, a candidate for state comptroller, told about 50 stalwarts, “Thanks for sticking around.”
There weren’t a whole lot more than 50 to begin with. When you don’t have the governor’s office, you don’t get the crowds, especially in an off year.
You’d think, though, that organized labor would send some folks. Didn’t really happen.
And those who did show up weren’t exactly enthusiastic, in stark contrast to the Governor’s Day crowd, which was a fired up bunch.
It was tough for anybody to get fired up, though, considering the ability of some of the speakers, one of whom went on and on and on so long that I might’ve considered heckling her if I’d had any beers in me. There wasn’t much there there. The Sun-Times had to resort to writing about yet another announcement by Secretary of State Jesse White that he isn’t running again.
But, hey, it was good to see some old pals, even if I was among those who split early. But I was under doctor’s orders not to stay longer than 90 minutes. I don’t think many others had that excuse.
* A friend snapped this pic of me at Governor’s Day yesterday…
I kinda wanted a beer and a corn dog, but I obeyed my doctor’s orders and didn’t even get out of the golf cart. It sure was good to get out of the house and see some friends, though.
Thursday, Aug 20, 2015 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Exelon has been dropping not so subtle hints lately that it’s about to close its Quad Cities plant unless it gets a bailout. They’re complaining the plant is losing money. They’re complaining the energy market is getting worse.
But here’s what they’re not telling you:
•Exelon Profitability Grows: In the last six months alone, Exelon, the company that claims it needs a bailout has reported more than $1.3 BILLION in PROFITS.
•PJM Capacity Auction Revenues Substantial: The PJM grid operator that includes the ComEd service territory is conducting three auctions for “capacity”. These auctions will pay winning power companies hundreds of millions of dollars in additional revenue starting in June 2016.
•Carbon Regulations Likely To Boost Revenues: The US EPA finalized its rule restricting carbon emissions which will likely close some Illinois coal plants, resulting in higher prices for electricity and more revenue for Exelon.
EVEN IF EXELON ANNOUNCES IT’S CLOSING QUAD CITIES, IT’S NOT THAT SIMPLE
•No Closure Possible Before June 2017: because Exelon has already sold its Quad Cities power through that period.
•PJM Reliability Study Before Closure: If Exelon notifies PJM it is planning to close a plant, PJM will launch a study to determine if that plant is needed for grid reliability.
•Must Run Contract to Ensure Reliability: If PJM determines Quad Cities is needed for reliability, Exelon will receive a “must-run” contract which will keep the plant open and pay Exelon its costs plus a guaranteed profit for a number of years.
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.
[Gov. Bruce Rauner] went on to blame Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan for Illinois’ troubles.
“He doesn’t care about central Illinois, he doesn’t care about agriculture. He’s about the Chicago machine,” Rauner said to reporters.
On stage, he raised the rhetoric, saying “I love Illinois. This is home and boy, I’m a feisty guy. You mess with my home, Speaker Madigan, you have picked a fight with the wrong guy! You have picked a fight with the wrong guy!”
* The Question: How much is House Speaker Michael Madigan to blame for Illinois’ economic and fiscal woes? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
* US Sen. Dick Durbin reiterated his support today for US Rep. Tammy Duckworth’s Senate bid. But others are touting one of her opponents…
U.S. Senate candidate Andrea Zopp is more qualified for the post now than President Barack Obama was when he ran for the Senate in 2004, one state senator said Thursday.
“If you look at President Obama’s experience at the time he was running for U.S. Senate, yes, [Zopp is] better than President Obama,” Sen. Kwame Raoul, D-Chicago, told reporters. “President Obama did not have the experience of being in the U.S. Attorney’s office, running the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. President Obama didn’t have the experience of being the senior vice president and general counsel of three major corporations. President Obama, you know, he was a community organizer but he did not run the Chicago Urban League.”
“I don’t think we’ve had a candidate like this,” said Raoul, who replaced Obama in the Illinois Senate.
* Sen. Raoul left out part of her work history, however. Zopp sat on the CPS board when it closed all those schools. And one of the other African-American Senate hopefuls brings that topic up everywhere he goes, including today…
Cook Cmsn Boykin goes after Zopp's CPS tenure. "Close a school, open a prison," says Boykin in Dem US Sen exploratory bid.
* Duckworth spent a good part of her speech today talking about her upbringing. Her middle class family went broke after her middle-aged father was deemed “over qualified” for his job, she said. They wound up in a one-room apartment and had real trouble making the rent payments.
She also told some jokes…
Tammy Duckworth on Mark Kirk's absence at fair: "I don't blame him, I wouldn't want to be seen with Gov. Rauner either."
To: Interested Parties
From: John Hagner, Clarity Campaign Labs
Date: August 14, 2015
Subject: IL-10 Voters Show Strong Support for Federal LGBT Non-Discrimination Protections
A new poll conducted by Clarity Campaign Labs on behalf of the Human Rights Campaign shows strong support for a new federal LGBT non-discrimination bill (The Equality Act) in the district of Congressman Bob Dold. The same survey shows Dold starts with a narrow lead over former Congressman Brad Schneider and is well under 50%.
Support for the new Equality Act was widespread. Voters in IL-10 support it by a 21 point margin, with 49% saying Congress should pass it and 28% saying they should not. Democrats support it by wide margins – 70% to 10%, but equally important is the strong support from Independents: 59% to 21%. There is substantial Republican support as well, with 22% of Republicans saying Congress should pass the bill.
We described the law neutrally, reading voters this summary: “The Equality Act is a bill that would extend existing non-discrimination laws to protect gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people in housing, services and public spaces, credit, and employment.”
Voters who are undecided on this new non-discrimination bill appear highly persuadable. 71 percent of those undecided on the Equality Act are either Democratic or Independent voters. Importantly, Congressman Dold’s willingness to oppose the Equality Act could have significant implications for his re-election.
If he opposes the Equality Act, 18% of his current supporters say they would be less likely to vote for him next November, and 29% of people who are currently undecided say they’d be less likely to support him. Only 18% of undecided voters say they’d be more likely to support him.
We find that in the race for Congress in 2016, the incumbent Republican Dold starts out with a narrow lead, within the poll’s margin of error. Including leaners, 44% of voters are supporting Dold, with 40% supporting former Congressman Brad Schneider.
The voters of the district have divided opinions on Dold, with 43% having a favorable view and 33% an unfavorable one.
Methodology: A poll of registered voters in Illinois’s Tenth Congressional District. We surveyed 530 voters with an IVR survey and we matched the sample to the voter file and weighted it to reflect the electorate in this district. The margin of error is +/- 5.16% at a 95% confidence interval.
So, in other words, supporting the bill might erode some of Dold’s conservative GOP support. Then again, where else are they gonna go unless a strong third party candidate emerges?
* Some charts…
* Meanwhile, there’s been a bit of chatter recently from gay rights groups about ginning up a Democratic primary against Congressman Lipinski. So…
To: Interested Parties
From: John Hagner, Clarity Campaign Labs
Date: August 14, 2015
Subject: IL-3 Voters Show Strong Support for Federal LGBT Non-Discrimination Protections
A new poll conducted by Clarity Campaign Labs on behalf of the Human Rights Campaign shows strong support for a new federal LGBT non-discrimination bill (The Equality Act) in the district of Congressman Dan Lipinski. The same survey shows Lipinski leading in his re-election campaign, but that more than a third of his supporters would be less likely to support him if he didn’t support the Act.
Support for the new Equality Act was widespread. Voters in IL-3 support it by a 28-point margin, with 56% saying Congress should pass it and 28% saying they should not. Democrats support it by wide margins – 74% to 10%, but equally important is the strong support from Independents: 49% to 31%. There is substantial Republican support as well, with 27% of Republicans say Congress should pass the bill.
We described the law neutrally, reading voters this summary: “The Equality Act is a bill that would extend existing non-discrimination laws to protect gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people in housing, services and public spaces, credit, and employment.”
Voters who are undecided on this new non-discrimination bill appear highly persuadable. 70 percent of those undecided on the Equality Act are either Democratic or Independent voters. Importantly, Congressman Lipinski’s willingness to oppose the Equality Act could have implications for his re-election. If he opposes the Equality Act, 34% of his current supporters say they would be less likely to vote for him next November.
We find that in the race for Congress in 2016, the incumbent Democrat Lipinski starts out ahead of an unnamed Republican challenger. 51% of voters are supporting Lipinski, with 20% supporting a Republican.
70% of the district’s voters have an opinion on Dan Lipinski, and they’re relatively favorable, with 43% having a favorable view and 27% an unfavorable one. His unfavorable ratings are similar among both Republicans and Democrats – 26% of Democrats have an unfavorable opinion of their Congressman.
Methodology: A poll of registered voters in Illinois’s Third Congressional District. We surveyed 538 voters with an IVR survey and we matched the sample to the voter file and weighted it to reflect the electorate in this district. The margin of error is +/- 5.01% at a 95% confidence interval.
* Charts…
* Questions as asked…
If the November 2016 election were held today and the candidates for Congress were a Republican candidate, or Dan Lipinski, the Democrat, press 1 if you would vote for the Republican, press 2 if you would vote for Lipinski, or press 9 if you’re unsure.
I would like to read you a little bit about some laws being debated in Congress and get your response. The Equality Act is a bill that would extend existing non-discrimination laws to protect gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people in housing, services and public spaces, credit, and employment. Press 1 if you think Congress should pass this law, press 2 if you think Congress should not pass this law, and press 9 if you’re unsure.
If your members of Congress didn’t support this law, would that make you more or less like to vote to re-elect him? Press 1 if you’d be more likely to vote for your member of Congress if they opposed the Equality Act, Press 2 if you’d be more likely to vote against them, and press 9 if it wouldn’t effect your vote.
Democrats vying to be Illinois’ next comptroller criticized Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s handling of the budget and attacks on labor unions during the annual Democratic County Chairman’s Association brunch and Democrat Day festivities at the Illinois State Fair. […]
Biss says Rauner is “focused like a laser on destroying unions, shrinking the middle class and pushing down everybody’s paycheck.”
Mendoza says if elected she won’t be Rauner’s “wingman” on hurtful budgets.
The comment is a reference to Republican Comptroller Leslie Munger, who described herself Wednesday as Rauner’s budgetary “wingman.”
* Monique…
Cullerton: "we are willing to work with Gov. Rauner but we don't work for Gov. Rauner."
The bill would allow up to 130,000 students to continue receiving financial assistance through the program even though the legislature and Gov. Bruce Rauner have been unable to agree on an overall state spending plan. Because of that impasse, students who rely on the awards feared they would be left without financial assistance when colleges and universities start the fall semester.
Sen. Dan Kotowski, D-Park Ridge, said the amount in the bill is consistent with what Rauner requested for the MAP program in his budget proposal earlier this year.
However, Rauner has said he is opposed to a bill that authorizes another piece of the budget without having a full budget proposal in place.
Republican senators criticized the bill for the same reason. Kotowski acknowledged that, including the MAP grants, the state is on pace to spend about $34 billion because of court orders and existing state laws that require the state to continue spending money even without a budget in place. The state is expected to have about $33 billion in tax collections during the current fiscal year, which began July 1.
The sole Republican “Yes” vote was Sen. Sam McCann.
Illinois property taxes are now so high that they are equivalent to a second mortgage, according to a new study from the nonpartisan Tax Foundation, a Washington-based tax-research and -education center.
The report, which shows the effective property-tax rates in each state, ranks Illinois as the second-highest property-tax state in the U.S. The top spot goes to New Jersey, where the effective property-tax rates is 2.38 percent, barely higher than Illinois’ 2.32 percent.
The Tax Foundation’s report is in line with an earlier study by WalletHub that showed the dollar amount for property taxes in each state. WalletHub’s study also ranked New Jersey’s $3,971 as the highest average tax burden, while Illinois’ was just a shade lower at $3,939.
An effective property-tax rate of 2.32 percent means that if a typical Illinois homebuyer purchases a home at age 30 and lives there until the age of 79 (the average American life expectancy), that homeowner will pay more to the government for the privilege of owning a home in Illinois than the home is actually worth. If that homeowner lives in that home a few years beyond age 73, the property taxes paid will have surpassed the home’s value. For example, an Illinoisan who buys a $200,000 house will pay $4,640 in property taxes each year, or $46,400 per decade. Owning an Illinois home for a little more than four decades means that person pays property taxes equal to the entire value of the home to the local government.
* We’ve all seen how the governor and the unions have portrayed the AFSCME “no strike” bill. But here’s a take from a Tier One targeted Senate Democrat that I thought you might be interested in…
Forby: AFSCME contract negotiations shouldn’t be politicized
The fight for employee equality advanced today when the Illinois Senate voted on two critical measures that ensure working families are given fair wages and benefits. The first measure Senate Bill 1229, which was overridden by the governor, aims to bar the American Federation of State, County and Municipal employees from striking or being locked out while a collective bargaining agreement is negotiated.
The union’s collective barging contract expired on July 1st. The Governor’s office and the state largest labor union AFSCME have yet to reach an agreement.
State Senator Gary Forby (D- Benton), who serves as the Senate’s Labor Committee Chairman, thinks the measure takes bureaucracy out of the negotiations, which will create a platform for non-politicized negotiations.
“Since Governor Rauner began his term, he has waged an all-out war against organized labor and working families,” said Forby. “It’s clear the Governor doesn’t want fair negotiations, so if we take the bureaucracy out of the negotiation process, then it gives us a clearer path to reach an agreement.”
“There is an unusual degree of hyperbole and hypocrisy about this bill,” said Sen. Don Harmon, D-Oak Park. “It does not require arbitration. Both sides can stay at the bargaining table.”
Harmon said similar arbitration has been in place for years for police, firefighters and prison guards, who are not allowed to go on strike. He said AFSCME has never invoked the arbitration provision for prison guards the union represents. […]
Sen. Dave Koehler, D-Peoria, is a former director of the Peoria Area Labor Management Council. He said the arbitration bill will actually bring the two sides closer.
“If your proposal is out of line, it has a chance of being thrown out,” he said. “It forces people to the middle.”
Cullerton said current law gives the governor “a real strong position to just impose a draconian plan” that would leave unions with no choice but to strike.
“If we have a strike, then we have trauma,” Cullerton said. “We’re not suggesting the governor can’t continue to negotiate with them, this just makes sure there is no strike.”
Sen. Matt Murphy, R-Palatine, said union leaders are fighting for pay and benefits, but those employees are making 80 percent more than they did 10 years ago. “Go home any of you and talk to your taxpayers about that,” he said.
“This is wrong to take the people’s one elected person out of the negotiation room and say we’re going to go to this arbitrator,” Murphy said.
“Do not override this veto,” he warned before the Senate voted.
It’s late. Kid 3 broke her collarbone and this is my wife’s first day going back to work as a teacher. There are likely typos but I wanted to get this information to you. I’m ok with you posting as-is if you warn people that it may not be grammatically perfect. I believe this to be very important information that needs to be discussed.
* So, let’s focus on his considerable substance below, not his style. Here it is…
As you may know, I am on the Higher Education Appropriations committee. I believe Eastern Illinois University is important to the state’s future and wanted to provide additional important information for you and your readers. I am of the belief that the state’s “brain drain” is actually its biggest crisis, trumping the pension situation and the FY’16 budget. Solving our significant issues within Higher Education is a big part of stopping the “brain drain.” We need Eastern Illinois.
A big concern of mine has long been the high in-state cost of our public universities. I compared the tuition of U of I and our directional schools to their public conference peers. I used information from US News and World report to be consistent. Our tuitions are 30%-60% more expensive. I can tell from personal experience that the high in-state cost of tuition is driving our youth out-of-state. My daughter received a better deal to go to school at Truman State University in Missouri. My son will likely take his talents out-of-state as well. Both were ranked near the top of their class and will likely pay a lot of taxes — to another state. Studies show that once a student leaves for school, he is much more likely to leave for good. This state cannot afford to lose tomorrow’s high income earners. If you talk to people with children going off to college, you’ll find many of them leaving the state. Many schools offer out-of-state tuition waivers to good or even decent students. They are stealing our talent!
We currently have a net-out migration of over 16,000 students per year! That is like losing 2 Eastern Illinois’ annually. That’s every year. It’s a multiple of that when you consider that kids go to school for many years. Just stemming that tide, would fill Eastern, Western, and Southern quickly. Also, between 2009 and 2014 we have lost 70,689 students going from 397,018 to 326,329. Look, the easiest way to solve our pension crisis is through growth. We are going in the wrong direction fast. I cannot over-emphasize how this demographic shift creates future fiscal challenges for the state. Access the back-up data by clicking here.
Before taking office, I had assumed that the high cost of tuition is due to a lack of state funding. To my great surprise, it is not. According to the State Higher Education Executive Officer’s 2014 Report we actually rank 3rd in Full-Time Equivalent funding. We spend $12,293 while the national average is $6,552. Supporting data is attached. And the entire SHEEO report can be found by clicking here.
Critics will say that the only reason our FTE funding is so high is because we are catching up on our pension payments. But I have also attached a chart that we were given by the board of higher education that shows that after stripping out all pension costs we still rank 9th in the funding of higher education. I know we are making up pension payments, but pulling out all retirement costs is an over-correction. All universities have some retirement costs even if it is merely the matching social security payment. So reality is somewhere between 3rd and 9th in funding. No matter where that is it is well above the national average.
Armed with this data, I asked representatives of various universities in committee, “Why is it so expensive to educate someone in Illinois?” I repeatedly received the same answer. “The cost of doing business is high in Illinois.” Let’s get specific. The University of Illinois actually cited in our data packet the higher cost of Worker’s compensation and liability insurance. Their liability insurance has gone up 1000% in the last 20 years. That’s a wee bit over inflation. Data attached. They also often cited our state’s regulatory climate. When the cost of doing business is high for businesses, it is often high for taxpayers as well.
Another issue raised almost universally was our procurement code. We would hear about having to wait months for approval on items costing administrative time and often price increases. We hear about how the bid process doesn’t work for purchasing specialty items. In fact, U of I has told me that trying to match the state code with federal grant requirements has caused the University to “house” some grants at Purdue. Our federal grants are moving out of state! And last week I heard a new one. Illinois State University spoke at the Lt. Governor’s consolidation committee I am on about a “soy-bean based ink preference.” I’m not sure if this is something for the farmers or for renewable energy. I currently have the LRU looking into how much that requirement is costing the state. Now I’m for renewable energy. And I love farmers. I even own a car that can run on used vegetable oil. But we can’t save the world if we can’t save the state. We have to do things more cost-effectively. Requirements like this have to go. Click here for a link to me trying to get procurement relief for universities.
While procurement and regulatory relief would help, it likely isn’t enough. I believe that the universities need much more autonomy in the way they operate. With all the stories that I have heard, it seems like the state micro-manages them through all sorts of mandates and red tape. But in exchange for autonomy, the state should be measuring a small set of large metrics. We should more concerned about the cost of tuition, amount of in-state students, graduation rates, and in-state job placements than what type of ink a university buys.
Which brings me back to Eastern Illinois University. With a little freedom, Eastern is set to thrive. I have many friends who had children attend recently. I traveled from Champaign to Charleston often during my college years. It is a great campus in a wonderful town. I’ve only heard positive experiences from students. It is very conveniently located close enough to our population center, while far away enough from Mom and Dad. It’s right off I-57. I also would like to mention that according to the May 2013 Auditor General report, Eastern Illinois University has the lowest administrative cost per student. See page vii of this link. Eastern Illinois should be an integral part of Illinois’ renaissance. I expect it to be.
