Rauner dumps Quinn “staff assistants”
Thursday, Sep 1, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Monique with the scoop…
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration has issued layoff notices to 29 workers at the Illinois Department of Transportation, a move the governor’s office says is aimed at ridding the agency of patronage hires that flourished under his Democratic predecessors.
Rauner spokeswoman Catherine Kelly confirmed the layoff notices went out Thursday to employees classified as “staff assistants,” a special position created to hire hundreds of people without having to go through strict personnel procedures designed to keep politics out of most state hiring.
The patronage hires were the subject of a scathing report the state’s top ethics investigator issued in 2014. The probe found the lax rules had been in place since before ex-Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich took office in 2003, but determined that such hiring escalated during former Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn’s administration.
“The duration and pervasiveness of IDOT’s improper acts have undoubtedly denied countless qualified candidates the opportunity to lawfully obtain state employment on the basis of merit,” the report stated.
…Adding… Press release…
Governor Bruce Rauner today announced the state has reached a conclusion in the IDOT patronage hiring scandal that began under previous administrations. IDOT gave the remaining staff assistants layoff notices today.
“Our administration has put an end to the illegal patronage hiring that started under Blagojevich and continued under Quinn,” Governor Rauner said. “Since taking office, we have worked for taxpayers to ensure proper hiring at all of our state agencies. This is an additional step to restore citizens’ faith in state government so it works for them and not the political insiders.”
IDOT notified the remaining 29 staff assistants connected to the illegal patronage hiring scandal their last day with the agency will be September 15th. In 2014, an Executive Inspector General report found staff assistants at IDOT were illegally hired and then either transferred into protected government positions or allowed to perform job duties that had little or no relation to their actual job description. The previous administration attempted to lay off these employees, but the union representing the staff assistants sued the state to stop those proceedings. As a result of the settlement of the lawsuit, the 29 employees were notified today their services are no longer needed by the State of Illinois.
During the first month of his administration, Governor Rauner signed an Executive Order to publish all Rutan-exempt employees on the Illinois Transparency and Accountability Portal website in a direct response to the IDOT hiring scandal. In addition, he signed an Executive Order that removed the requirement that the Governor’s Office review and approve the hiring and promotion decisions of Rutan-covered positions. This Executive Order removed a level of bureaucracy in hiring civil-service positions and further protected the process from unlawful political influence.
41 Comments  
|
* So, the Sports Facility Authority gets a piece of the sponsorship action, finally. Good…
The new naming rights deal for the publicly owned stadium where the White Sox play baseball is worth $25.1 million but will deliver no additional money to the team, documents associated with the agreement show.
The White Sox will receive only the remaining value of the original contract entered into with U.S. Cellular in 2003, which amounts to $20.4 million. The remaining $4.7 million will go to the state agency that serves as landlord of the ballpark, the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority.
The contract that will change the facility’s name to Guaranteed Rate Field runs through 2029. If the agreement is extended for a year, the authority would receive $6.4 million in all. The agency can use that money in any way it sees fit, according to general counsel Anthony J. O’Neill, who suggested it may be used to help retire debt.
The White Sox, Guaranteed Rate and U.S. Cellular have declined to discuss other financial details of the new contract, which requires U.S. Cellular to pay an undisclosed portion of the $20.4 million owed on the company’s 2003 agreement.
This stands in stark contrast to the goofy Bacardi at the Park deal that cost the taxpayers a small fortune.
8 Comments
|
Kinda like Dippin’ Dots
Thursday, Sep 1, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Way too many people are pointing to “fully autonomous cars of the future” to argue against mass transit projects. It’s a silly argument for a lot of reasons, including the fact that mass transit prevents city streets from being flooded with even more automobiles. And then there’s this, from MIT Technology Review…
BMW, Ford, and Uber have all recently said they plan to have “fully autonomous” cars ready to drive themselves on the road in 2021 (see “2021 May Be the Year of the Fully Autonomous Car”). Ford says its fleet of vehicles will lack steering wheels and offer a robotic taxi service.
But don’t expect to toss out your driver’s license in 2021. Five years isn’t long enough to create vehicles good enough at driving to roam extensively without human input, say researchers working on autonomous cars. They predict that Ford and others will meet their targets by creating small fleets of vehicles limited to small, controlled areas.
“Probably what Ford would do to meet their 2021 milestone is have something that provides low-speed taxi service limited to certain roads—and don’t expect it to come in the rain,” says Steven Shladover of the University of California, Berkeley, who has worked on automated driving for more than 20 years.
Shladover says many media outlets and members of the public are overinterpreting statements from Ford and other companies that are less specific than they appear. The dream of being able to have a car drive you wherever you want to go in the city, country, or continent remains distant, he says. “It ain’t going to be five years,” says Shladover. “The hype has gotten totally out of sync with reality.”
Alain Kornhauser, a Princeton professor and director of the university’s transportation program, also expects 2021’s vehicles to be very restricted. “By then we may be able to define [a] ‘fenced’ region of space where we can in fact let cars out there without a driver,” he says. “The challenge will be making that fenced-in area large enough so that it provides a valuable service.”
The other “challenge” for policymakers here and elsewhere will be fending off what are sure to be huge lobbying armadas for Google, Uber and the automakers which are going to demand that existing public transit and/or road funding be diverted or increased to construct those “fenced-in areas.”
[Hat tip: Duncan Black]
20 Comments
|
* Press release…
The Illinois Education Association (IEA) today endorsed Bob Dold for re-election due to his strong record on education that is directly impacting Illinois’ 10th District schools and students.
“We need more leaders in Congress like Bob Dold. Congressman Dold consistently reaches across the aisle and stands up for our schools and our students. Bob Dold fought for long-term funding for North Chicago Schools and he worked in a bi-partisan manner to pass the Every Student Succeeds Act, which will help local schools educate the children in their own communities. Bob has our strong recommendation,” said Kathi Griffin, IEA Vice-President.
“Education is the greatest source of opportunity to help get Americans back to work and equip generations to lead. As a father of three, I understand the importance of giving our children the tools they need to succeed,” said Rep. Dold. “The Illinois Education Association is a strong advocate for public education and works to increase opportunities for children in our communities. I am honored to receive their endorsement.”
The IEA endorsed the incumbent Dold in 2012 (when he lost his seat to Democrat Brad Schneider in a presidential year), and backed the incumbent Schneider in 2014 (when Schneider lost his seat to Dold in an off-year).
So, the union is back to endorsing an incumbent who’s facing an election year with strong national headwinds.
17 Comments
|
Question of the day
Thursday, Sep 1, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
Rep. Welter Seeking Input from District
MORRIS—State Representative David Welter (R-Morris) is seeking members for his new legislative advisory committees.
Welter will be hosting regular meetings that will allow these advisory boards to provide input he can use when presenting and voting on legislation in Springfield.
“Advisory boards are key to representing our district well,” said Welter. “This provides opportunity for members of the community to not only bring in ideas, which I always welcome, but it allows for a sounding board when discussing legislation that is presented by other parts of the state. I want to know how this will impact our community so I can represent our district well.”
The first round of advisory communities will include Education, Agriculture, First Responders and Disability Advocates.
Welter (R-Morris) was recently appointed to replace GOP Rep. John Anthony.
* The Question: Your advice to the new legislator?
31 Comments
|
Unclear on the concept
Thursday, Sep 1, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
The Illinois Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) State Lodge and Labor Council salute all working men and women in the state of Illinois this Labor Day, particularly the law enforcement officers, emergency telecommunicators and corrections officers who will be on duty to help make the holiday safe and enjoyable for everyone.
“These law enforcement officers take no holidays so others can enjoy theirs,” said FOP State Lodge President Chris Southwood. “This Labor Day, take a moment to appreciate the work that law enforcement officers do that maintains and protects our society, where people of all backgrounds are free to advocate for higher wages, better benefits, safe workplaces, and fair treatment on the job.”
“Remember the courage and dedication of those who put on the badge every day in one of the nation’s most dangerous and demanding jobs,” said FOP Labor Council Executive Director David Wickster. “Let’s honor their service by celebrating the workers who built this great nation and keep it running, and make sure everyone’s right to fair compensation for an honest day’s work is never diminished.”
* But the Chicago FOP has a different holiday idea…
As Chicago police battle surging violence, the union representing rank-and-file officers continues to urge officers not to work overtime shifts over Labor Day weekend.
The request from the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police comes as the city is reeling from 86 homicides in August, the deadliest month in 20 years.
The FOP has been calling for the boycott since late July, and the latest memo sent Wednesday to its 10,000 rank-and-file officers declared Friday through Monday as “FOP Unity Days” and urged officers to spend time with their families. […]
In a brief telephone interview Wednesday, police Superintendent Eddie Johnson told the Tribune he was confident staffing levels for the Labor Day weekend would be adequate. He didn’t take issue with the union’s message but called on officers to stay united. […]
If the department falls short on the number of officers needed to work overtime this weekend, Johnson said, he’d cancel days off for some officers, a common move by officials over holiday weekends during the summer.
* The Second City Cop blog reported the other day that some days off have already been canceled…
Days off Cancelled for All District Tact Teams, Area Saturation Teams, Gun Teams, Gang Enforcement Teams and Summer Mobile for the Labor Day weekend
* Meanwhile, as I was watching Charlie Rose the other night, film director Spike Lee told the host that he wanted to see the US Army brought in to Chicago to quell the violence, pointing to the success of Gen. Russel Honoré after Hurricane Katrina. But reports of violence in New Orleans were hugely overblown and Lee should know that, since he did two documentaries on the topic.
I just don’t see how armed troops in the streets will solve this problem. So, I’m in agreement with the governor here…
The Republican governor said he had discussed the concept with community leaders, police officers and the National Guard, but that “no thoughtful leader thinks that’s a good idea or would really provide a solution.” […]
“If that means bringing in the National Guard — some people have said, ‘Bring in the National Guard.’ We’ve discussed that. We’ve analyzed it,” Rauner said. “In fact, it may exacerbate the other problems. So, nobody thinks that’s a good idea.”
Calling up the National Guard is an idea that has repeatedly surfaced during the last decade amid Chicago’s persistent gun violence. A change.org petition pushing the idea has accumulated more than 10,000 signatures. On Wednesday, a reporter suggested to Rauner that residents on the South and West sides want the troops brought in.
“Well, see, sometimes, when you get emotional and you say, ‘Well, we’ve got to do something,’ …the reality is, sometimes, something is — actually makes it worse, or something creates other problems,” Rauner said. “You’ve got to think these things through and the implications. And the National Guard right now wouldn’t make sense.”
* And Father Pfleger wants a state of emergency declared…
And although Chicago has a lower homicide rate than many other U.S. cities that are smaller in population, the city this year has had more homicides and shooting victims than New York City and Los Angeles combined. The two cities are larger than Chicago’s population of roughly 2.7 million. […]
Earlier Wednesday, Gov. Bruce Rauner ruled out the idea of deploying the National Guard to help combat street violence in the city, saying that to do so would be an “emotional” reaction that “wouldn’t make sense.” At his demonstration, Pfleger demanded the governor instead call for a state of emergency in order to tap federal resources to help deal with Chicago violence.
“When there are fires, we call a state of emergency. When there are hurricanes, a state of emergency. When there’s floods, a state of emergency,” he said. “Well, we have the fire of violence and gunfire. We have the floods of blood in our streets. And we have communities that look like third world countries, that look like it must have had a tornado hit it, or a hurricane.”
What federal money? Illinois couldn’t even get FEMA to help with the devastating tornado damage in Washington.
Nice rhetoric, but I’m just not seeing it unless the President himself gets involved. And then what? Troops? To do what?
56 Comments
|
* Kerry Lester…
More than a week past their deadline, parties in the workplace harassment suit against U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth of Hoffman Estates still haven’t reached an agreement. What’s the holdup?
Sources involved with the case tell me plaintiffs Christine Butler and Denise Goins, workers in the downstate Anna Veterans’ Home, have two sticking points.
They don’t want to agree there was no wrongdoing by Duckworth in the case stemming from her time heading the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and they want more than the reported $26,000 compensation in an earlier agreement. […]
Judge Mark Boie has given both sides several more days to settle before he takes matters into his own hands, records from the Union County clerk’s office show.
* But that court case didn’t impress Larry Sabato, who just moved the Senate race from “Leans Democratic” to “Likely Democratic”…
Let’s tackle these in order of likeliest Democratic pickups, starting from most likely to increasingly less likely.
We’ve long listed first-term Sens. Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Ron Johnson (R-WI) as underdogs in their reelection bids: Both Senate races have been leaning to the Democrats for more than a year in our ratings. Kirk and Johnson were helped by 2010’s optimal Republican conditions, but this year they drew solid challengers in Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D, IL-8) and ex-Sen. Russ Feingold (D), respectively… Illinois has had very little polling, but Republican outside groups appear to have abandoned Kirk, a sure sign that they do not see much of a path to victory for him.
Additionally, Trump does not appear to be targeting either state. Of course, Illinois going Democratic for president is a foregone conclusion unless a Republican is winning a huge national victory. Illinois has voted at least five points more Democratic than the nation as a whole in each of the last six presidential elections… While Johnson has largely if occasionally tepidly embraced Trump, Kirk says he won’t vote for him. They are utilizing different strategies, but neither method seems likely to create the distance they’ll need from Trump to win reelection. (In fact, Johnson is currently running slightly behind Trump, as shown in Table 1 below).
If Johnson or Kirk recover, it will likely be a sign that the national winds have shifted in favor of Trump and the Republicans. As of now, it’s hard to see how either one wins, so we’re moving both races from Leans Democratic to Likely Democratic.
11 Comments
|
Who’s really in charge of new foundation?
Thursday, Sep 1, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From earlier this month…
Frustrated with a lack of legislative progress, a group of agriculture leaders is bypassing the General Assembly to form a private foundation to support the state fairgrounds in Springfield and Du Quoin.
Characterizing it as a completely private initiative, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner applauded the effort, which was announced Tuesday morning during Agriculture Day at the state fair. […]
“The wonderful thing for the people of Illinois is now private citizens – farm families, community leaders, agriculture executives – are stepping forward to take the leadership on this initiative,” Rauner said. “We’re not going to wait. … The General Assembly won’t do it; private citizens are going to do it.”
* From a Rauner press release at the time…
Leaders in the agricultural community established the Illinois Fairgrounds Foundation to promote, support, assist, and sustain the Springfield and Du Quoin State Fairgrounds. The foundation will be led by a volunteer board representing a diverse cross section of the agriculture industry. Board members will engage with private sector business organizations and individuals to develop strategies to raise private funding, coordinate with the Department of Agriculture to plan projects and determine the Fairgrounds’ needs, and serve as ambassadors for the revitalization and improvement of the Fairgrounds and their agricultural heritage.
* Today…
When Gov. Bruce Rauner announced during last month’s Illinois State Fair that a nonprofit foundation had formed to help pay for upkeep of the state fairgrounds in Springfield and Du Quoin, he touted it as an effort of private individuals in agriculture and business.
“This is not going to be a government agency in any regard,” Rauner said in announcing the foundation on Agriculture Day at the fair. “This is all private money, all private management, all private control.”
But emails and other records released to the Springfield bureau of Lee Enterprises newspapers under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act show that officials with the Illinois Department of Agriculture and the Rauner administration were heavily involved in the group’s formation. […]
Records show that state officials have been meeting since at least early June to discuss the foundation and played a role in assembling the organization’s board. State officials also put together a “Facts & FAQs” document detailing how the foundation would function and set the agenda for a conference call with board members five days before the effort was publicly announced.
The governor was most certainly hyperbolic during the unveiling, but somebody had to get this thing off the ground and the original story included this quote from John Slayton, a bank vice president who’s been involved with the fair’s Sale of Champions for years…
“Gov. Rauner really took the lead,” Slayton said, “and he’s the one that gets credit for the formation of this foundation.”
Even so, if they’ve already put together the details about how the foundation would function it’s not really a privately led organization.
…Adding… The governor’s office claims that “individuals reached out” to the Department of Agriculture asking to be involved if the bill creating the foundation passed. When the bill failed to move, the governor’s people say they “helped bring those individuals together so they could create a foundation.”
17 Comments
|
Smiddy called a Madigan “lapdog” at event
Thursday, Sep 1, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Years ago, a wise man told me that candidates who constantly speak at or attend civic events were wasting much of their time. The folks who attend these various local events tend to be the same people. So, doing too many of them meant you were talking to or meeting with the same people time after time. It’s much better, he said, to skip many (not all, because some are must-attends) of those events and walk precincts and make fundraising calls.
There is also the real danger that events won’t be well-attended. Like yesterday, for instance, when Rep. Mike Smiddy (D-Hillsdale) spoke at a forum that his Republican opponent wisely skipped…
Sheesh.
* But things got worse…
Frustration with the Illinois financial picture roiled on Wednesday when Don Benson, East Moline, slapped his hand on a table and said to state Rep. Mike Smiddy: “How will you pay for that? Your math doesn’t compute!”
Benson’s eruption came during a discussion on state support for hourly wages of home health care workers.
Smiddy, Hillsdale, is a Democrat representing the state’s 71st District. He and Mike Halpin, Rock Island, the Democratic candidate in the 72nd District race, were the only two candidates to show up at a political forum on Wednesday sponsored by the Quad-City chapter of the Alliance for Retired Americans. […]
Benson said he was disappointed Smiddy wasn’t able to work with Gov. Bruce Rauner, who has been in office less than two years.
“You can’t lay this all on Rauner,” he said. “It’s time for a change.”
* And then it got even worse…
Dick Benson, of East Moline, expressed disappointment in Rep. Smiddy’s service, calling him a “lapdog” for Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Mr. Benson said Democrats needed to stop blaming all of the state’s woes on Gov. Bruce Rauner, a Republican.
All that time and effort spent on an event that only wound up providing embarrassing coverage for the incumbent. Smiddy should’ve spent that time walking precincts.
22 Comments
|
Wheeler’s suggestions on remap reform
Thursday, Sep 1, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* After reading all the opinions on the subject and reading the various analyses, Charlie Wheeler offers up some “broad suggestions” for the next attempt at remap reform via popular referendum…
At a minimum, don’t include anything that could be construed as extraneous. No new duties for the auditor general — an office created by a different article of the constitution.
No limits on future office seeking by those drawing the maps.
Don’t tinker with the Supreme Court’s exclusive jurisdiction on remap cases, nor with the attorney general’s charge to initiate legal action in the people’s name, both issues included in the most recent failed plan.
Keep the independent commission, but find someone else to screen the applicants, somebody not mentioned elsewhere in the Constitution. Perhaps a legislative support body, like the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, or the office of the Legislative Inspector General. Maybe a private entity, like the Illinois State Bar Association, or a group of academics specializing in demographics, GPS tools, information systems or other related fields.
Additions? Subtractions? Etc.?
29 Comments
|
Good luck, Tom!
Thursday, Sep 1, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* He’s a good reporter and, apparently, one heck of a great guy…
They’re close friends who root for different teams.
That worries Tom Costello ahead of Thursday’s surgery in St. Louis, where he is to receive Tom Kacich’s kidney.
“I just hope it doesn’t turn me into a Cubs fan,” said Costello, loyal to the White Sox.
Costello was at MTD and Kacich at The News-Gazette when they first met in ’75. Their friendship bloomed over the years and continues today, the two joining others at Perkins in Urbana on Saturday mornings. Over breakfast in January, Costello informed the gang that his wife, Rose, had been rejected as a kidney donor.
“I’ll try it,” Kacich said with no hesitation. Many tests and weeks later, Kacich and his kidney were cleared to proceed. Their operations will take place 30 minutes apart Thursday morning.
“He gets my left kidney — the inferior one,” Kacich said. “I get to keep the better one.”
10 Comments
|
|
Support CapitolFax.com
Visit our advertisers...
...............
...............
...............
...............
...............
...............
|
   
|
Hosted by MCS
SUBSCRIBE to Capitol Fax
Advertise Here
Mobile Version
Contact Rich Miller
|
