It’s just a bill
Friday, Feb 10, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This concept is picking up steam…
A state representative from Chicago on Friday proposed a radical reform to Illinois’ criminal-justice system, introducing a bill that would do away with cash bail.
Working in concert with Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart, state Rep. Christian Mitchell has filed a bill that would allow people charged with nonviolent offenses to be released on their own recognizance until their court hearings.
“In our current system, whether or not someone is in jail has more to do with wealth than risk. Our jails have become as [Cook County] President [Toni] Preckwinkle has often said, the intersection between racism and poverty in this state and in this country.”
Judges would have the discretion to order detention or electronic monitoring for people accused of harming others, Mitchell said.
Mitchell said about 62 percent of people in Cook County Jail can’t afford to pay their money bond. Many of them are charged with nonviolent crimes.
* Public Radio…
An Illinois senator wants to give the public a stronger voice in Illinois elections.
Senator Dan Biss of Skokie proposed a bill that would create a donor match program for constitutional offices and legislative elections. He says it would allow everyday people to have a greater impact on political races.
“What it says is there’s going to be two way to fund a campaign,” he says. “You can fund a campaign in the old way, with big money, or you can fund a campaign the people’s way, by having ordinary people contribute 25, 50, 100, 150 dollars, and have those contributions matched at a six to one level so that it will be enough resources to allow you to communicate your message.”
Maybe he could tax campaign contributions and transfers of $1,000 and over to pay for it? There were 37,292 of those contributions and transfers totaling $385,121,128.98 in 2016.
* DNAInfo…
The Tri-State Tollway would be renamed for former President Barack Obama under a bill pending in the Illinois General Assembly.
The measure was authored by State Rep. Robert Martwick (D-Jefferson Park).
The tollway connects Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin — all states Obama won in 2008 to reach the White House, Martwick said, crediting Patrick Steffes, a former campaign aide, with coming up with the idea.
That’s a better idea than declaring yet another state holiday.
- P. - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:34 am:
Giving his staffer credit speaks to what a great guy Rep Martwick really is.
- Hamlet's Ghost - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:35 am:
== The Tri-State Tollway would be renamed for former President Barack Obama ==
If this happens, people can curse Obama as they fight traffic. “Bleep, bleep Obama traffic”
Or maybe the “Thanks Obama” Tollway
- Anon - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:36 am:
Wouldn’t taxing campaign contributions be a violation of the First Amendment?
- PJ - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:42 am:
I love the idea of taxing campaign contributions over $1000. I’ve done enough campaign work in Illinois to know that contributions of that size come almost exclusively from PACs and corporations. I really don’t mind the government skimming off the top of that legal-but-mildly-amoral cash flow.
- Arsenal - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:57 am:
I think the “Obama holiday” talk was silly, but I like the idea of the renaming the Tri-State. I can already hear Julie DiCaro saying it…
- A guy - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 11:59 am:
Naming things after living people is a risky proposition.
- Pundent - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 12:18 pm:
I can almost hear the traffic reporters now talking about drama on the Obama.
- JoeMaddon - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 12:22 pm:
**Wouldn’t taxing campaign contributions be a violation of the First Amendment?**
No.
- JoeMaddon - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 12:25 pm:
****Wouldn’t taxing campaign contributions be a violation of the First Amendment?**
No.**
And, actually, it could be, depending how it is designed. But there are ways to do it. I’d rather see taxing television ads or something like that rather than contributions, but there are a variety of ways to do it.
- Skirmisher - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 12:31 pm:
The state’s power to tax is pretty much limitless. I find it hard to believe that taxing political contributions would not be legal. Since there is no proposal to restrict contributions there is no impingement on free speech. I like all of these proposals. The first two bills are clearly in the public interest and deserve support.
- Gone, but not forgotten - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 12:40 pm:
Agree with a guy- naming things after living people is risky. However, if this absolutely must be done in the eyes of Obama worshipers, then rename the Dan Expressway. It was originally named for a Democrat, and this would keep up the tradition. Wisconsin and Indiana did not vote democratic in 2016 and may take offense to the Tri-State being renamed. Isn’t that what it’s all about? Not offending anyone?
- TominChicago - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 12:44 pm:
The problem with getting rid of cash bonds is that a lot of the economy of the criminal courts depend on them. A lot of defendants get legal representation from private attorneys because the bond serves as a guarantee of payment of fees. Also the Clerk of the Court gets its fees from the bond. If they do away with bonds, the demands on PD’s will rise.
- JoanP - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 12:53 pm:
There was a good article in the NYT recently about New Jersey having pretty much eliminated cash bonds: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/06/nyregion/new-jersey-bail-system.html
Fact is, Illinois law currently says that judges should favor recognizance bonds, but that’s more honored in the breach.
- Angry Chicagoan - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 1:04 pm:
Really? This tollway renaming was so intellectually taxing that it needed somebody else to expend the brain synapse to come up with? And no. Absolutely not. I don’t want Obama’s name indelibly associated with traffic gridlock. While we’re at it, any public infrastructure named after someone who was still alive at the time of the naming should be reviewed for a change in name. Frankly, constitutional emoluments clauses ought to prevent this ridiculous practice, but so far it hasn’t worked out that way.
Nice idea on the cash bail. Hardly any other democracy even still has it. Also a very good suggestion from Biss on campaign finance.
- wordslinger - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 1:06 pm:
The state should assert its ownership privileges of New Cominskey and name the park after the only South Sider Sox fan to serve as president.
Obama never went big time on them, he worse his Sox gear all through his presidency.
It would be a lot better than Payday Loan Park, or whatever it is now.
- OneMan - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 1:09 pm:
Stuck on the Obama…
As long as they get a better drawing than they did for Reagan for 88 sounds like an ok idea to me.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 1:33 pm:
“If you like the lane you’re driving in, you can stay there,” said former President Obama. “And there will be no lifetime limits on the amount of tolls you’ll have to pay.”
ObamaTolls.
- downstate commissioner - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 1:49 pm:
Bail without cash bond
- Gone, but not forgotten - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 1:55 pm:
This would be one thing that his statement “you didn’t build it” would ring true.
- Anonymous - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 2:00 pm:
==South Sider Sox fan to serve as president.==
Then they should rename it what President “Superfan” thought it was called: “Caminsky Field”
- A guy - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 2:02 pm:
The tollway does swipe your money automatically come to think of it.
- downstate commissioner - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 2:03 pm:
Hey-did I get deleted?
- a drop in - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 2:06 pm:
I can see the headline after some woman goes into labor on the renamed tollway:”She became a mama on the Obama”
- Anonymous - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 2:07 pm:
Mitchell’s attempt to do away with cash bail is a good thing. Cook County gets the attention re. bail reform, but high cash bail is routinely used to punish “outsiders” in the hinterlands of the Northern District of Illinois.
For instance, $1,000,000 bail was required for an offender who stole from the Dollar Tree store in Morrison, with no weapon displayed. Morrison is the county seat of Whiteside County, so the local Rotary Club Mafia wanted to send a message to the bad guys. Bail can be used to punish if “you’re not from around here” and lessened if you’re related to someone who works at the courthouse.
Former Whiteside Co. state’s attorney Gary Spencer started out as a deputy, so the “law and order” cop element pretty much controls the courts. Bail reform would help rein in the good old boy element that runs things outside Cook County.
- wordslinger - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 2:10 pm:
==South Sider Sox fan to serve as president.==
Then they should rename it what President “Superfan” thought it was called: “Caminsky Field”–
That’s why I put it out there — to wind guys like you up.
Too easy. Guilty pleasure.
- downstate commissioner - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 2:13 pm:
bail without bond is NOT a good idea-too easy for some convicts to get out and harass others. There is usually a good reason that they can’t get someone to finance the bond.
- PJ - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 2:29 pm:
Downstate commissioner:
Yeah, there’s a really good reason; because they’re poor. And so are their friends and family. It’s ridiculous to hold people hostage to their lack of wealth for nonviolent offenses.
- Amalia - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 3:07 pm:
Much more important, more of the Martwick Makeover!
- FormerParatrooper - Friday, Feb 10, 17 @ 4:57 pm:
47th @ 1:33……. That was funny!