“From storefront shops that anchor Main Street to the high tech startups that keep American on the cutting edge, small businesses are the backbone of our economy and the cornerstone or our nation’s promise”
Governor Bruce Rauner served as the keynote speaker at the sixth annual DuPage County Regional Business Outlook event held Tuesday at the Drury Lane Conference Center, providing his framework for driving growth and economic development in DuPage County and statewide.
Governor Rauner shared his insight with a gathering of nearly 1,000 of the region’s business and civic leaders, welcoming them as “the backbone of the Illinois economy,” before sharing his vision for the future of the state.
* From the Sun-Times interview of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bob Daiber…
As for Illinois House Speaker and Democratic Party of Illinois Chairman Michael Madigan — the state Republican Party’s primo target — Daiber said the speaker was his second call when he decided to run. Daiber said the speaker “heard the rumor” and asked if he was serious. Daiber said Madigan told him to “move forward.”
“He’s not a bad guy. I’m probably the only guy who says that,” Daiber said of Madigan. “I have respect for him.”
* The Question: Suggested Daiber campaign slogans?
* From Biss for Illinois campaign manager, Abby Witt, regarding today’s labor union endorsements of JB Pritzker today…
“The fact that these endorsements were given out to a candidate who is only weeks into his public life, who has no voting record on union issues, but does have a family business with a history of anti-union behavior — and without so much as an endorsement questionnaire or interview — tells you all you need to know about these announcements. While this is the way business is done in Springfield, the working men and women of Illinois deserve better.
“Daniel Biss is never going to be the choice of the billionaires or Mike Madigan because our campaign is building a movement of ordinary people ready to take their state back from money and the machine.”
Like I said earlier today, the gloves are coming off.
*** UPDATE *** From Sam Hobert of the Pawar campaign…
Ameya Pawar will always be a steadfast supporter of organized labor and collective bargaining rights and his partnership with labor to pass paid sick leave, raise the minimum wage, and combat wage theft are a reflection of his commitment to labor and working people–endorsements or non-endorsements won’t change that.
Wednesday, May 3, 2017 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
SB 1502 is a highly complex privacy and transparency regulation that punishes small businesses, companies and organizations alike that have websites or online newsletters to hire lawyers to set up new IT and compliance systems—even in cases where these businesses already offer significant protections and privacy controls.
It encourages frivolous lawsuits that hurt Illinois businesses by incentivizing cases that recover fees through class action lawsuits over minor technical violations, putting small businesses and start-ups in the crosshairs of unfair litigation.
The Illinois State Fair filled the last open spot in its Grandstand concert on Wednesday by announcing the addition of Sublime with Rome and Blues Traveler.
The show will be Tuesday, Aug. 15.
Sublime with Rome consists of members of the band Sublime, perhaps best known for its 1990s hit “What I Got,” and singer/guitarist Rome Ramirez. The rock band, which has heavy influences from both hip and reggae, is promoting their latest album “Sirens,” which includes “Wherever You Go” and the title track.
Blues Traveler has been performing since 1987 and covers a variety of genres, including blues, psychedelic, folk and Southern rock. Their hits include “Run-Around” and “Hook.”
The concert joins the rest of the Grandstand lineup headlined by Brad Paisely, John Mellencamp, Pentatonix and more.
So, we get those guys, Foghat, Peter Noone from Herman’s Hermits and Alabama.
Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza wants Gov. Bruce Rauner to hit the pause button on revamping the Medicaid managed care program.
In a state without a budget for two years, rebidding a program that could potentially award up to $9 billion a year over four years in contracts should have more scrutiny, Mendoza, a Democrat, said in a letter today to the Republican governor. She said the procurement could be the largest in the state’s history.
“We are effectively seeking to restructure the state’s largest budget item without a budget,” Mendoza wrote. “Why are we making this monumental change during this period of unprecedented upheaval?”
Rauner in February announced that he would overhaul the managed care program, a key Medicaid initiative that intends to rein in costs, but one that the governor says hasn’t saved enough money. It’s an unpopular program with doctors and hospitals alike. They complain about its heavy administrative burden.
In a letter sent to Gov. Bruce Rauner Tuesday – and also released publicly – Mendoza said the proposal calls for a 25 percent increase in Medicaid recipients using managed care while also greatly reducing the number of managed care providers.
“Similar initiatives in other states, advanced without appropriate questions being raised, have been met with unforeseen challenges, including reduced access to service and increased administrative costs,” Mendoza said.
The Democratic comptroller asked Rauner, a Republican with whom she has often been at odds, to delay implementation of the contract to give lawmakers and others more time to review the proposal. She is also asking legislative leaders to set up a forum for further discussion of the plan. […]
“The managed care reboot will improve healthcare delivery through a transparent process that was designed with significant stakeholder input to ensure integrity, competition and sustainable program costs for Illinois,” DHFS spokesman John Hoffman said in a statement.
The board chairman of one of the largest private Medicaid health plans in Illinois fears the Rauner administration is locking the nonprofit out of a lucrative state contract.
If so, the health plan, Chicago-based Family Health Network, likely will dissolve, forcing its more than 200,000 members to find health insurance and doctors alike elsewhere, said Jose Sanchez. He’s board chairman of the plan, known as FHN, and CEO of Norwegian American Hospital, one of five hospitals that founded the plan 22 years ago.
A group of state lawmakers is taking it one step further, suggesting in a letter to Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner that the hospitals would close without revenue generated from the health plan. Many of the facilities are anchors of impoverished neighborhoods.
“The healthcare delivery infrastructure for Latino and African-American communities are in grave danger of collapse,” the lawmakers wrote in the March 28 letter to Rauner.
The reason those hospitals could close is that they depend on the revenues from their stake in FHN to remain viable.
In anticipation of today’s event with working families at the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 399 in Chicago, the Pritzker campaign released the following video to share why members of the labor movement are standing with JB.
Illinois ranks eighth in the nation in the number of cases of human trafficking, which includes many child victims. Yet, an overwhelming majority of Illinois citizens are uninformed about this important human rights issue, according to the results of the latest poll from Southern Illinois University Carbondale’s Paul Simon Public Policy Institute.
The poll provided voters the definition of human trafficking from the Trafficking Victims Protection Act as the act of recruiting, harboring, moving or obtaining a person, by force, fraud or coercion, for the purposes of involuntary servitude, debt bondage or sexual exploitation. This definition was provided to inform voters on the issue and remove potential bias.
The poll was taken March 4 to March 11. The sample included 1,000 randomly selected registered voters and the margin for error was plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. Sixty percent of the interviews were with respondents on cell phones.
More than half, 51 percent, of voters surveyed disagree or strongly disagree that sex trafficking affects their area, with 28 percent reporting that it does. One in five voters, 21 percent, did not know or refused to answer.
The full poll, along with some crosstabs can be read by clicking here.
An organization representing homebuilding contractors said Tuesday that a proposal in the Illinois Senate’s “grand bargain” that would apply the sales tax to home repairs, among other services, would cost the state hundreds of jobs.
The sponsor of the legislation, however, said extension of the tax to certain services is necessary to get the state out of its financial hole.
The bill would apply a 6.25 percent sales tax to home repairs, landscaping, dry cleaning and the use of storage units.
According to the Home Builders Association of Illinois, imposition of the tax would discourage home owners from having work done, causing a $47 million decline in home repair and maintenance work, 521 fewer Illinois jobs and nearly $8 million less in local and state tax revenue.
We need every, single job we can get in this state and I don’t want to seem harsh or dismissive, but the lack of a fully funded state budget has cost Illinois a whole lot more than 521 jobs - if, indeed, those home repair jobs will actually disappear. That’s a pretty darned precise estimate.
Again, when you lose your own job the unemployment rate is 100 percent. I’ve been there. I don’t wish that desperation on anybody. But something has got to give here and it would be helpful if the Home Builders Association could come up with their own ideas.
* The Tribune reports that DCFS Director George Sheldon may be leaving for a job in Florida…
The change of leadership would be another blow to DCFS, which had seven directors or acting directors in the three years before Gov. Bruce Rauner appointed Sheldon in February 2015.
The Tribune has also learned that in recent months that Sheldon fell under a cloud of ethics probes by DCFS Inspector General Denise Kane and Illinois Executive Inspector General Margaret Hickey. Kane’s office has investigated allegations of favoritism in contracts and hiring, as well as abuse of authority by a top aide, according to government documents and interviews.
Separately, Sheldon faced pushback from veteran agency investigators who say they are pressured to quickly close abuse and neglect cases even when children face serious harm.
The agency last week was roiled by the death of 16-month-old Semaj Crosby in Joliet. DCFS opened and closed four investigations into alleged abuse in her home and had visited just hours before she was reported missing. She was later found dead under a couch in the home.
The revelation that veteran investigators are complaining about pressure to quickly close abuse cases couldn’t come at a worse time, as the Tribune notes.
Semaj’s family told police she’d been playing with other children in the front yard Tuesday afternoon when she disappeared and they spent an hour looking for her before calling police. Semaj’s mother, Sheri Gordon, was questioned twice by investigators and consulted with a lawyer before allowing police to search the house late Wednesday. […]
A representative of the Department of Children and Family Services was at the house about an hour before Semaj went missing. The agency opened two investigations of Gordon for allegations of neglect last month. DCFS spokeswoman Veronica Resa stated in an email that DCFS personnel had been at the home about 3:20 p.m. Tuesday “and had seen all three of the mother’s children, including Semaj. There were no obvious hazards or safety concerns at that time.”
But sheriff’s police described the house’s condition as “deplorable,” with garbage strewn throughout. The residence was tagged Thursday as unfit for occupancy.
Including Gordon, her two sons and Semaj, five to 15 people were regularly living in the house as “squatters,” according to sheriff’s police.
An Illinois judge is demanding to know what did state child care workers do to help the family of a 1-year-old girl who was found dead in their home.
Will County Circuit Judge Paula Gomora made the request Tuesday during a hearing to determine where to place the deceased girl’s three older brothers. […]
During the hearing, Gomora said Department of Children and Family Services caseworkers missed obvious signs of trouble in previous visits to the home.
DCFS contracted with the private child welfare agency Children’s Home and Aid to provide services to the family. Both DCFS and Children’s Home and Aid declined to comment Tuesday.
Officials released photos on Monday giving a glimpse inside the now-condemned home in far southwest suburban Joliet Township where 16-month-old Semaj Crosby was found dead last week. […]
As police conduct a “suspicious death” investigation, the newly released photos and reports provided by the Will County Land Use Department in response to a Freedom of Information Act request by the Chicago Sun-Times appear to back up the “deplorable” conditions inside the home that authorities described last week. […]
“The entire structure appeared unsanitary because of the heavily soiled carpets, walls, garbage and [it] contains a serious degree of filth,” an inspector noted in her report.
Will County Sheriff’s deputies encountered little Semaj Crosby on Easter Sunday when they did a well-being check.
The department said on its Facebook page that three deputies went to a Joliet Township residence April 16 after someone made an “abandoned” call to 9-1-1.
“When they arrived at the home they came across some kids outside playing with sticks,” the Facebook post said. “They went inside and spoke to the mom and grandmother and found that everything was fine.”
* But Director Sheldon told a Senate committee this morning that he has reviewed the case and didn’t find anything wrong…
"We do not bring children into care because of a dirty house,” DCFS director says. Reviewed records and did not warrant removal, he says. https://t.co/bHcWZzIICI
“There are two things that make this a particularly difficult job right now,” [ACLU of Illinois legal director Ben Wolf] added. “The agency’s problems are very profound … and the budget impasse and political paralysis that caused it are putting enormous pressure on the child welfare system and all of the other human services in Illinois.”
SCOOPLET — As we first reported Monday, J.B. Pritzker today will hold a news conference touting an endorsement from a series of trade unions. POLITICO has the first glimpse of a full list of the 14 groups backing him early in the game. Here they are: Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters, The Chicago District Council of Laborers’, Local 881 UFCW, Boilermakers Local 1, Bricklayers District Council, International Union of Elevator Constructors Local 2, Heat and Frost Insulators Local 17, Ironworkers Chicago District Council & Vicinity, Operating Engineers Local 150, Operating Engineers Local 399, Plasterers and Cement Masons Local 502, UA Plumbers Local 130, Roofers and Waterproofers Local 11, Sheet Metal Workers Local 73.
That’s no scooplet. As I told subscribers this morning, Local 150 of the Operating Engineers is a huge get for Pritzker. That local is the de facto leader of this state’s construction trade unions. It is heavily involved in Illinois politics and has plenty of money to play with.
And Kennedy’s helming of the Wolf Point construction project, done in conjunction with organized labor, should’ve given him a much better foothold with all those trade unions that are now backing Pritzker.
Big win for Pritzker, big loss for Kennedy.
* Meanwhile, Sen. Daniel Biss responded to JB Pritzker’s new TV ad last night at 7:41…
“His tag line should be ‘I can write big checks.’ Bragging about how you threw money at problems is not thinking big; it’s thinking like a billionaire. And it’s not a case for being a good governor. We already learned our lesson on this front with failed experiment Bruce Rauner.
“While JB Pritzker and Chris Kennedy are copying plays from the Bruce Rauner billionaire’s playbook, Daniel Biss is fighting for legislation today that would change the way campaigns are financed in this state — because, the fundamental problem in Springfield is that our government has been answering to the very rich, under both parties.
“The answer to Illinois’s problems isn’t going to come from billionaires or machine politicians. They’re the people at the root of our problems. It’s going to come from a movement of people ready to take their state back from money and the machine.”
Daiber says “people in Springfield” know he “knows the game.” He calls himself the “poor guy in the room.”
“I’m the guy that most people wish would go away, but it’s not going to happen,” Daiber said.
Daiber might lack the popularity and Camelot mystique of Kennedy, but he’s banking on his name recognition in Downstate Illinois to help him in the race — despite having a bit more than $37,000 on hand at the end of March. Daiber knows he’s up against millions in the race, but he says he’s making plans for the next few months and focusing on the issues. Among his plans is a June meeting with the AFL-CIO to try to gain its endorsement. He also plans to unveil detailed tax structure plans — in January.
“I stay focused on the issues. I look at the support that comes. The money will follow me,” Daiber said. “And that’s how I plan to stay in the race.”
I doubt if he’s known Downstate anywhere beyond Madison County. And considering the trade unions’ endorsement of Pritzker, he probably shouldn’t count on the Illinois AFL-CIO unless Pritzker stumbles really badly. And I do mean badly.
Q: Rauner has waged war on Democrats, saying they’re just interested in raising taxes and he’s guarding against it.
A: I think $1 billion of unpaid bills is pretty much evidence his plan isn’t working very well. His deficit has almost tripled since he’s been in office … The average person is saying: look, if you got to raise taxes, raise taxes. Let’s just get on with it and get a budget … Saying you’re a tax and spend Democrat? How about a tax and stabilize Democrat? Just to bring stability to the state. Let’s look at a progressive income tax system.”
I sure hope that $1 billion thing is a typo. It’s a whole lot more than that.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel acknowledged Tuesday he was blocking the sale of the Thompson Center in the heart of the Loop until he’s certain that Chicago taxpayers won’t get “stuck with the tab” for rebuilding the massive CTA station underneath the state building.
“I’m not going to stick that tab on Chicago taxpayers,” Emanuel said at an unrelated event to tout park and library improvements in Bronzeville. “Why would I do that to Chicago taxpayers?”
The sale of the center is contingent on the City Council changing the rules that will dictate the size of the building that will eventually replace the the three-decade-old state office building at 100 W. Randolph St.
Eleni Demertzis, a spokeswoman for Gov. Bruce Rauner, responded by saying said Emanuel was “trying to distract from the real issue — which is the city being greedy and trying to extort the state taxpayers for more money than what the property is worth.”
“I am not going to let the state have a short term, book a couple hundred million and then stick the Chicago taxpayers with [a bill for] $100 million. How about paying the teachers’ pensions?” Emanuel asked.
Call me crazy, but I kinda think that if Gov. Rauner wasn’t holding up progress on appropriating $215 million for Chicago teacher pensions and hadn’t vetoed another city pension bill that this sale might be going more smoothly.
And for the governor’s office to complain when somebody else holds something hostage that Rauner wants is a bit rich.
But, man, it’s like everybody is in the room throwing roundhouse punches at each other these days.
The mayor noted the Thompson Center station is “one of the busiest stations in the entire network of 140-plus L stations.” That begs the question: “If you sell it and it has to come down, who builds it and who takes the cost?”
“I’m not gonna stick that on Chicago taxpayers. The developer or the state has to do it,” the mayor said.
“I’m not gonna have a short-term gain [and a long-term loss] when you have one of the most important stations and the reason that property is so valuable [being demolished]. Yes, the state gets to book the money when they sell. But, who’s gonna build or rebuild that station? I’m responsible to make sure that tab is not on the Chicago taxpayers.”
A significant part of the value of the Thompson Center site is that incredibly busy station underneath. You gotta figure the new owners would want to keep that station intact.
* Not to mention that the city would get a bunch of money from the sale…
“If we maximize the development in the way that we’ve conceived of at 3 million square feet, it could be over $40 million a year in additional property tax revenue for the city,” Hoffman added.
Again, this is likely a lot more about CPS funding than it is about the CTA.
Chicago police were questioning three people and were searching for others after two plainclothes officers were wounded Tuesday night in the Back of the Yards when gunmen began firing “indiscriminately” at them, authorities said.
Both Deering District officers were shot by a “high-powered weapon,” police said. One officer was hit in the arm and hip, the other in the back.
They were taken to Stroger Hospital, where they were in serious condition but stable. Officials said their injuries were not life-threatening.
The officers were sitting in an unmarked car in the 4300 block of South Ashland Avenue around 9 p.m., following up an earlier investigation, when they saw someone in a silver van shooting at another vehicle, according to preliminary information from police.
“The occupants began firing shots indiscriminately in the direction of the officers,” the Police Department said in a statement. “The officers returned fire.” It is not believed they hit anyone.
Multiple security cameras are in place around the intersection where the shooting occurred, near 43rd Street and Ashland Avenue. […]
Multiple weapons were recovered in the area, as well as a vehicle possibly used in the shooting, Johnson said. […]
The vehicle the officers were in was “riddled with bullets” from what police believe was a high powered rifle, he added. […]
Hundreds of officers from across the city had swarmed the area in the hours after the shooting. Dozens more congregated at the hospital. Mayor Rahm Emanuel visited the officers and their families before leaving about 10:35 p.m.
*** UPDATE *** The CPD dispatch audio is horrifying…
Hotel Scion Pritzker Using Inherited Wealth on Inherited Agenda
Pritzker’s Advertising Follows Gov. Rauner’s Action
Today, J.B. Pritzker launched an ad campaign that aims to mirror Bruce Rauner’s actions as Governor.
He’s using his inherited wealth to push for an inherited agenda.
Pritzker’s ad claims he helped 55,000 kids get school breakfasts and touts his support for early childhood education.
What J.B. won’t tell you is that Gov. Rauner signed a bill providing 175,000 children with school breakfasts last year.
As Governor, Bruce Rauner increased education funding by $700 million since taking office, including a $100 million increase for early childhood education.
If J.B. Pritzker wants to take real, impactful steps to fix our state, he should use his fortune to encourage Mike Madigan to come to the table and pass reforms.
* The Question: How would you rate the phrase “using inherited wealth on an inherited agenda”? Don’t forget to explain your answer.
*** UPDATE *** From Pritzker campaign manager Anne Caprara responding to the above release…
“Yesterday it was reported that early childhood education programs were at risk of getting cut because of Bruce Rauner’s failed leadership.
“This is laughable. The only person Rauner’s convinced that he’s making a difference when it comes to these issues is unfortunately himself.”
Downstate transit is funded in part through city and county sales taxes. But before that money can be spent, it passes through state government. That means transit agencies have to wait in a long line to get paid — Illinois’ so-called backlog of bills stands at more than $11 billion.
State Rep. Katie Stuart, a Democrat from Edwardsville, is sponsoring legislation that would essentially pull downstate transit out of line, sending them tax money directly.
“We have transit districts downstate that are under threat of closing, and we have people that can’t get to school, and jobs, and medical appointments,” Stuart says.
In a fiscal note on the legislation, the Illinois comptroller warns that this would remove her discretion to say whether some other claim on state money should take priority over transit — like schools, drug treatment centers, or even state employee paychecks. But spokeswoman Jamey Dunn says the office is not taking a position for or against the bill.
Dunn says the comptroller’s office released $19.3 million for the transit agencies Monday, but still owes $70 million.
The legislation was approved in the Illinois House last week on a bipartisan vote of 102-12, and goes next to the state Senate.
Provisions of HB 2453 would require the deposit of transit funds derived from sales taxes directly into the Downstate Public Transportation Fund that would amount to an estimated $205 million annually. Currently, the Office of the Comptroller makes transfers from the General Revenue Fund into the Downstate Public Transportation Fund as available balances in the GRF allows throughout the fiscal year while facing a general funds backlog of bills at $12.6 billion. This legislation would essentially remove the Comptroller’s discretion for making such payments for downstate transit districts from cash management criteria used by the Comptroller in balancing payments for all the other pending obligations such as for education, medical programs, certain human service programs, debt service and State payrolls. As of March 24, 2017 the pending backlog for the Downstate transit programs was estimated at $70 million.
So, wait a second.
When money is piling up in special accounts for higher education and social services, legislators shouldn’t remove the “pressure” by releasing those funds? But when money for transit agencies is caught in the impasse morass, it’s OK to appropriate the money?
“The fact that we have gone now without a budget for over two years has put this state in the worst condition I can ever remember. Even during the Blagojevich years it wasn’t this bad.”
“All our universities are great assets. I think that they are one of the most important elements in our economic progress. And the damage that’s been done now, it’s gonna take years to undo that. If people are worried about the economy, that alone ought to underscore why we need to get a budget.”
* Related…
* Greg Hinz: State gets new reminder of slipping finances
* Bob Reed: Illinois’ medical debt spiral injures people, economy
Today, the JB Pritzker for Governor campaign released its first TV ad, a 60-second spot called “Think Big.” The ad will air in markets across the state.
“Think Big” highlights JB’s progressive record of getting things done, including his work to bring new, good paying jobs to Illinois by helping build 1871, a non-profit technology small business incubator, by working with non-profits like Share Our Strength and Greater Chicago Food Depository to provide school breakfast to 55,000 Illinois kids, and JB’s work as a national leader in early childhood education.
“Today, I’m excited to release our campaign’s first TV ad and continue introducing myself to people across Illinois,” said JB Pritzker. “As I’ve traveled across the state, I’ve visited organizations and met with Illinoisans who are paying the price for Governor Rauner’s failure every day. It’s time we fight for what’s right and get our state back on track. By working together, I know that we can get real results for Illinois families and our communities.”
In the spot, Pritzker takes only a passing shot at incumbent Gov. Bruce Rauner, saying that, under him, “things have only gotten worse” in Illinois. And he completely ignores other rivals for the Democratic nomination.
Instead, under the theme of thinking “big,” Pritzker talks about how he founded a successful tech incubator and worked to arrange funding for early-childhood education and nutrition programs. “Small ideas won’t help Illinois’ future,” he concludes.
But the “big” line is used to self-deprecating purpose, too. I’m not sure if he’s ever been skinny, and the spot depicts him walking down a street, stomach bumping above his belt, hammering on the “big” line.
Kinda cute, I thought. But look for yourself. At least we’re starting what likely will be a bitter campaign on a humorous note.
* We’ve already talked about JB Pritzker’s 2012 remark on a cable TV show how he hadn’t yet made up his mind whether he would support the Republican presidential nominee or President Obama’s reelection. At the time, the Republican candidates remaining in the race were Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum.
If you watch the video, however, you’ll see Pritzker first say “Look, I’m a Democrat and I tend to lean toward voting for the President,” and then he went on to say…
But I think this is gonna be a long campaign, we’re gonna learn a lot during this campaign. And ultimately, as in every election, it’s gonna be a choice between two people and two parties that you’re not a hundred percent behind either one. You just have to pick sort of the, the best of a mediocre set of choices.
The Pritzker camp is shrugging off the attack. “J.B. looks forward to working with grassroots, Democratic and other organizations across Illinois to fight back against the failed leadership of Bruce Rauner and Donald Trump,” said his communications director, Galia Slayen. “And, unlike the current governor, J.B. doesn’t tear things down. He has a proven record of bringing people together.” […]
The Kennedy folks think they’re on to something here and intend to continue this line of attack. “We’ve seen what happens when someone like Gov. Rauner doesn’t need to reach out,” spokesman Mark Bergman said. “It’s resulted in gridlock” as GOP lawmakers who need Rauner’s financial help in their campaigns have refused to back a bipartisan deal, perhaps fearing that Rauner allies will oppose them in primaries as occurred in some instances this spring. Or, as the mailer put it: Big money “silences us. It says . . . that if you fight our fight for us, we’ll make you our king.”
Of course, Kennedy does not exactly reside in the poorhouse, having donated $250,100 to his own campaign. But that’s peanuts compared to the $7 million Pritzker donated to himself just in the campaign’s early days, Bergman said. “There’s a difference (between them). Chris has to raise money from people across Illinois,” Bergman said. “J.B. doesn’t.”
All of this will thoroughly delight GOP leaders. “Do the Democrats listen to any voice except Mike Madigan?” asked former state GOP Chairman Pat Brady.
There’s also some word going around that Pritzker may be going up on TV very soon. Stay tuned.
Planned Parenthood on Tuesday released a poll and TV ad aimed at putting pressure on Rep. Peter Roskam — who is already being targeted by Democrats as a vulnerable Republican in a district that favored Hillary Clinton for president.
“Extreme politicians are trying to defund Planned Parenthood which would have a devastating impact on the more than 60,000 people who rely on Planned Parenthood in Illinois,” the ad says, while urging constituents to call Roskam to ask him “to protect women’s health.” The ad is paid for by the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. The ads will run for at least one week in the Chicago area media market. […]
The Planned Parenthood poll conducted by Public Policy Polling found — out of 566 voters in the Sixth Congressional District — 57 percent opposed changes to health care that would “defund” Planned Parenthood. Of those polled 49 percent said they supported the Affordable Care Act, with 39 percent opposing and 11 percent unsure. […]
The poll also sought to learn whether Trump’s proposed actions to defund Planned Parenthood made them more likely to participate in grassroots activity: 51 percent said they were more likely; 26 percent said they were less likely; 22 percent said it didn’t make a difference and 1 percent said they were not sure.
* Democrat and former Naperville school board member Suzyn Price has been hitting the incumbent hard in recent days on this general topic…
“If you have cancer, diabetes or if you’re pregnant, insurance companies will be able to deny you care or vastly increase the cost of it under the new Roskam-Ryan-Trump plan,” she said in a statement. “We need a representative in the 6th district that listens to what people want and stands up against this radical agenda.”
Alex Paterakis is arguably the longest shot of all of them. He is the youngest candidate in the race at 29 years old. The graduate of Purdue University is a civil engineer by trade who’s worked on highway construction projects in Illinois.
He has never run for political office before.
He has an economic agenda that sounds a bit like the current governor. Paterakis calls for spending reform to limit the taxes on manufacturing companies, tax reform that includes a property tax freeze, removing sales taxes on manufacturing and he supports term limits.
Then he has ideas that align more with Democrats: providing more money for primary education, reforming the financing system for college like being able to refinance student loans and cutting interest rates. He calls for increasing the minimum wage to $12 an hour. All of this seems hard to do while holding the line on taxes.
CT: Many people may agree with you in terms of not liking how money can dominate politics but, nevertheless, the system as it is certainly favors people who can buy lots of political advertising and get their message out more easily. How are you planning on overcoming that disadvantage?
AP: Through my social media presence. To take advantage of the volunteers that have advocated for me and who are going to be working for me. Money does not always buy… it gets you to the table. Trust me it gets you to the table. Some of these guys running throw millions and millions of dollars – Bruce Rauner for example threw millions of millions of dollars (at his campaign) and it got him to the table, he’s self-funding the Republican Party, but I see it as I’m going to reject the system and reject that you have to spend $40 to $50 million on advertising agencies and am going to use social media platforms via live videos, via Facebook, via Instagram, via Twitter, via Snapchat – all those things to get my message out there rather than the traditional form of media which is going through advertising on TV and things like that. I’ll have to do some of that there’s no doubt about that but that’s how I’m going about things. And also visiting as many people as I can both in the north suburbs of Chicago, in Chicago and also the people that have been forgotten in southern Illinois.
Give the guy some credit. He’s working the social media angle hard. His Facebook page has 37,984 “likes.” That’s more than every other Democratic candidate, but shy of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s 52,570.
Rauner and Pritzker have far more Twitter followers. But Paterakis has more Twitter loyalists than Kennedy, Biss and Pawar.
But, to give you a little perspective, I have more Twitter followers than all the candidates and the Sun-Times’ Lynn Sweet has almost twice as many Twitter followers as Rauner.
Paterakis has just $5,000 cash on hand. He’ll need more than that for gas money to get to southern Illinois from Vernon Hills.
Koshko: How would you balance the budget if you were governor right now?
Kennedy: Well, the first thing I would do is I would abandon the need to adopt his Turnaround Agenda first. This isn’t a stalemate, this isn’t a logjam, this is a hostage-taking. Gov. Rauner is holding the state budget hostage for ideas that only he thinks are more important than what the rest of the state believes in. If he gave up on those ideas, there would be a balanced budget passed in Springfield within ten days.
Koshko: Revenue, cuts or both?
Kennedy: I think the legislature would figure that out in these next ten days. If you’re talking about what happens two years from now, I think we need to know what damage Gov. Rauner does. Enormous pile of unpaid bills that he has created under his own management, it leaves the state really at risk and I don’t know how bad it will get.
Koshko: With some Democrats saying, look, it’s Rauner’s job to propose the budget, it would be reasonable for them to say it’ll be your job to propose the budget. So what would you do, how would you propose the budget?
Kennedy: I don’t know what the size of the unpaid bills is. How can I answer that? Could you have predicted that he’d go with $12-14 billion in unpaid bills? Can you tell me what it will be like, you know, two years from now? I’m sorry, I can’t do that. We have one governor at a time. It’s his job. He ought to get it done.
* The House, in its infinite wisdom, is on break this week (the first time I can remember that happening in May). The Senate convenes at noon with an approp committee meeting this morning at 9. Follow everything in real time right here with ScribbleLive…
“It’s a horrible situation,” Lisa Madigan said. “It’s unconscionable that there hasn’t been a budget in place because people who rely on state services are suffering.”
Is it something she and her father talk about during family gatherings? Nope.
When there are grandchildren about, her father is focused only on them, she said. Indeed, Madigan’s mom, Shirley Madigan, attended the luncheon with pictures of Lisa’s two daughters hanging on a lanyard around her neck.
“She’s everyone’s favorite Madigan,” Lisa Madigan said of her mom, prompting laughter and applause.
That last part is certainly true. Nobody doesn’t like Shirley Madigan.
Gov. Bruce Rauner started a multi-city tour of small businesses in Springfield Monday, saying long-term changes in the state’s business and political climate are needed.
Asked at Custom Cup, a coffee shop in the capital city, about what businesses should do in the short term if the nearly two-year state budget impasse is causing them cash-flow problems, Rauner reiterated his themes about needed structural changes.
“I say to them the exact same thing they say to me: stay strong, stay persistent,” Rauner said. “We’re in difficult times, but we’re in difficult times to get to a better day and a better future.”
He said the changes he’s recommended including worker’s compensation reform, regulatory relief, a property tax freeze and government consolidation will “make businesses have more confidence in our state.”
“Term limits and fair maps also restore confidence,” he said.
[Gov. Rauner] said “structural changes” also are needed — including term limits and “fair map” redistricting reforms — to restore investor confidence in the state.
With their business literally rooted in McLean County, there is little danger of Funks Grove Pure Maple Sirup of the Funks leaving the state.
Mike Funk said they have carved out a niche and existing regulations have not been a burden to their business.
After Rauner left, Debby Funk said, “We hope the governor will compromise and pass the budget.”
It would’ve been nice if they hadn’t waited until after he’d left to say that, but they’re just civilians and he’s the governor - and a customer (he bought two jugs of syrup).
Early childhood education services in Williamson County’s five school districts may not be available next year unless the state releases all or most of the funds owed to the program in short order, according to Sheila James, program coordinator for the Williamson County Early Childhood Cooperative.
If the state has not released funds owed to the cooperative by Aug. 1, Pre-K will not begin in the fall, James said.
Upon being informed of the concerns of the Williamson County early education cooperative, Rauner’s administration slammed Comptroller Susana Mendoza for failing to release the funds, even though there was no indication that Mendoza was holding the funds hostage.
“Unfortunately, the comptroller is putting high-quality programs at risk for closure by refusing to release these funds,” said Education Secretary Beth Purvis, in a statement provided via email. “We urge Comptroller Mendoza to prioritize the needs of young children and their families so that every child, regardless of community wealth, is given the opportunity to thrive.”
[Abdon Pallasch, spokesman for Comptroller Susana Mendoza] said that in the two years Rauner has been in office, the state’s backlog of bills has doubled to more than $13 billion as he has failed “to fulfill his constitutional duty to propose a balanced budget.” As a result, payments to schools all over Illinois have been delayed despite of the full year funding increase agreed to by the General Assembly and governor. There’s simply not enough money to make all the payments on time, he said.
“Our office just released $1.2 million for Williamson school districts last week, including $270,000 for pre-K programs,” Pallasch said, noting the remainder of funds were for special education and other services. “In response to a hardship plea the cooperative sent our office, we were able to advance them a $115,000 grant last week ahead of schedule, but delays will only get worse as Gov. Rauner holds up a budget deal for his pet projects, using Illinois’ school children as political pawns.”
Honored to be a part of the annual @boyscouts Abraham Lincoln pilgrimage. Shared my fav Lincoln characteristic w them. His persistence. pic.twitter.com/vjCATFB8sN
Also toying with throwing his hat into the ring [for governor] is Lake County lawmaker Scott Drury of Highwood. If the 58th District representative takes the gubernatorial plunge, he can expect Madigan to ignore him about like the Trump administration ignores climate change. […]
It was also a lesson to the former U.S. attorney and his fellow lawmakers to find out what happens when a Democrat crosses cold-hearted Madigan’s iron rule in the House: Drury is now what only can be considered akin to an exiled member of the old Soviet Politburo. Instead of being sent to Siberia, he has to toil in Springfield with little serious committee assignments.
At one time, the third-term House member — who represents portions of Highland Park, Deerfield, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Lincolnshire and North Chicago — was vice-chairman of a House Judiciary Criminal committee, sat on the House Personnel and Pensions committee and a third education panel. No more. He was bounced from all three posts by Madigan.
Ironically, it was master-redistricting mapmaker Madigan who drew the boundaries to a friendly Democratic leaning district which led to Drury’s election. On that count, Drury, if he runs for re-election to the House instead of for governor, can expect a challenger scoured up by Madigan.
That ain’t horrible considering he didn’t vote for either Madigan or Madigan’s rules.
Also, I doubt that Madigan will have any fingerprints on any primary challenger Drury might face if he runs for reelection. Madigan won’t want to make a martyr out of the guy. If Drury does get a challenger, it’ll probably be an independent-minded soccer mom type with no immediately discernible ties to the House Speaker.
And despite announcing a few weeks ago that he was exploring a bid for governor, he hasn’t filed any paperwork with the State Board of Elections to create a committee or alter his current committee. And he’s only reported one contribution for a grand since that announcement.
* But Drury did talk about property taxes and school funding at a local event…
During Drury’s presentation he said the state has a constitutional mandate to fund public education but provides only 25 percent, with 10 percent coming from the federal government and the rest from local property taxes. The national average is 43 percent. He said distribution is also inequitable between wealthier and poorer school districts.
“The districts with the greatest amount of poverty get the least amount of money,” Drury said. “On average, the state’s school districts with the greatest number of low-income students receive 20 percent less funding than wealthier districts. That’s really crazy.” […]
Though Drury did not comment on the suggestion of litigation, he said the funding issue can be solved if legislators will talk to each other to find common ground and forget about party labels. He said there is agreement on the value of education.
“If you educate a kid you give them opportunities to succeed,” Drury said. “The (General) Assembly is a diverse group but they have all benefited from education. They come from all walks of life. There is no need to argue about that. We need to find the funding to educate our kids.”
Drury said the problem comes when they start talking about other programs that must be cut to fund education or raising revenue through taxes or fees. He said the cost of not funding education is real too.
* Chris Kennedy was asked over the weekend about marijuana while speaking to a group of college Democrats in Bloomington. If it was legalized, the student asked, what would his plan be for using the tax money?
“I think you have high hopes,” Kennedy quipped to laughter and applause, and then said…
“I don’t know whether it’ll get legalized, I don’t know if it’ll get taxed. I mean, I think betting our future that all of that occurs and that somehow that’s gonna cure our budget problem. I think we need thoughtful, real, concrete that operate without … without relying on something that has, you know, tenuous, um possibilities. Sorry. I’ll tell you the truth.”
The students were dead silent when he finished, so Kennedy decided to take one more question because, he said, “I can’t go out on that one.”
* One never knows at the beginning of a spring session which bills will jump out and get a lot of media attention. Cursive lessons is one of those bills this year…
Cursive handwriting lessons — which in recent years have become almost as obsolete as chalkboards — might be headed for a comeback in Illinois schools as a result of one suburban lawmaker’s quest.
State Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch, a Westchester Democrat, tells me his legislation that would require Illinois schools to teach cursive handwriting came out of a dinner-table conversation with his wife, Shawnte.
“You know, schools don’t require cursive to be taught anymore,” he recalls her telling him. Welch said he was startled to learn only a dozen or so states have cursive requirements. The change is due, in part, to the nationally recognized Common Core Standards, which no longer require handwriting instruction.
Illinois has never required cursive as a statewide learning standard, and the State Board of Education is neutral on the bill.
Rep. Emanuel “Chris” Welch, the Hillside Democrat pushing the state requirement, said schools would not have to create a separate cursive class. Instead, they could incorporate it into existing courses. […]
And advocates including the American Handwriting Analysis Foundation say cursive improves students’ reading, spelling and retention skills, as well as making them more focused. “It really benefits them in a lot of ways,” said Sheila Lowe, the foundation’s president.
Not everyone is convinced. Some opponents say that the state shouldn’t make the decision for local schools and that a one-size-fits-all approach won’t work well. […]
When the plan was called for a vote in the Illinois House this week, it did win the support of some Republicans and advanced to the Senate by a 67-48 vote. After all, one lawmaker contended, the state already requires the teaching of all kinds of things.
“Yes, it is an issue of local control, but if you look at the school code, outside of the core studies, we have mandated a course of instruction on Bird and Arbor Day, on ‘Just Say No’ day, on Irish famine study,” said Rep. David Harris, R-Arlington Heights. “Really? Irish famine study? I think cursive could be just as important as Irish famine study.”
* Opposition can be summed up in two words, but this was the best example I could find…
Right now the House is debating HB2977, which is another one of these… I'm voting no. pic.twitter.com/WE4ct6NzD8
* The Question: Should schools be required by the state to at least incorporate cursive instructions into their lesson plans? Click here to take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
That was the message I received from Hanover Park Mayor Rodney Craig, who was among local mayors who traveled to the state capitol in Springfield last week to push for an end to a two-year standoff blocking a state budget. There’s “no sense of optimism with anyone we speak with on either side of the aisle,” Craig said, adding “it’s pretty clear we won’t see a budget” before the 2018 gubernatorial election.
Statehouse politicians are exploring potential options to place an immediate freeze on controversial lease payments to the owners of a 60,000 square foot warehouse used to store paper records in Springfield.
The Procurement Policy Board held its first public meeting since our reporting uncovered the close ties between Chairman Frank Vala and ex-convict Bill Cellini and his son-in-law Raffi Vartanian. Vartanian is listed as one of the three owners who benefited from the above market lease deal with the state.
An upstart company registered under the name Climate Controlled Holdings purchased the old Barney’s Furniture warehouse for $575,000 before promptly leasing it to the state of Illinois in a guaranteed 5-year, $2.4 million deal. Climate Controlled Holdings registered with Illinois as a new business just two days before the state’s bid deadline was set to expire in February of 2016.
Eventually, three owners would claim an equal share of the company, splitting it up into three equal parts. Mary Hurwitz launched Kidstone, LLC, in September of 2016 on the same exact date Mary Pruitt opened SGA, LLC. Neither Hurwitz nor Pruitt have returned our phone calls or emails inquiring about the nature of their new companies or whether they are open for business to anyone other than the state of Illinois. A lawyer who registered Pruitt’s LLC responded to our requests for comment issuing a stark warning not to “disparage” his client’s company.
Vala holds the tie-breaking vote on the Procurement Policy Board and yet he abstained from holding a vote or making a motion to review or object to this above market lease. When the Procurement Board opts not to vote, lease deals are automatically allowed to pass. His abstention was de facto approval.
On Friday, Vala went silent when asked about his ties to Vartanian and Cellini or if he knew of Vartanian’s whereabouts. It remains unclear if Vartanian maintains a residence in Chicago or if he still lives in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Pritzker, a Chicago entrepreneur and investor, spoke of restorative justice for Illinois inmates, how to lessen dependency on fossil fuels and the need for increased funding for education.
“We’re so vastly underfunded in our school systems that schools are fighting for scraps,” said Pritzker. “The state only gives 26 percent of funds to schools and the rest is funded by taxpayers. The state has shirked its responsibility for too long and needs to step up and pay those bills.”
“The state” is funded by “taxpayers,” too. But I digress.
Kennedy said he is opposed to funding kindergarten through high school public schools through property taxes.
“We need to get rid of that system. It’s a terrible system,” he said. “Every other state in the United States has figured that out. They pay for their schools at the state level and not through local property taxes and they have much better outcomes.”
In the U.S., school funding comes from a combination of three sources. The balance varies from state to state but, on average, looks like this: 45 percent local money, 45 percent from the state and 10 percent federal.
* Illinois Education Secretary Purvis weighs in on the future of rural schools: Purvis went on to suggest a history buff could go back to the 1970 Illinois Constitutional Convention and take the headlines from that time about our school funding formula and put it in any current newspaper in the state and they would be relevant today. “So are we fairly funding the schools? No. But that begs the question why aren’t we doing so?” she said.
Monique: Governor, why do you keep saying that the grand bargain in the Senate is close? Last week, Senate President John Cullerton said that that’s not true.
Rauner: (Laughs.) Um. We need to focus. We need to focus, we need to get a balanced budget. Um, the negotiations…
Monique: Have you talked to the Senate President about the budget?
Rauner: I… on uh… Several times. Quite a bit. The, the conversations are continuing.
* So, I asked Senate President Cullerton’s office for comment…
He has talked to the governor within the past week.
I asked whether the talk(s) was fruitful and I’ll let you know the reply.
But that was a pretty measured response from Cullerton.
*** UPDATE *** Here’s the reply to my question about whether the talk was fruitful…
House Bill 109, which has been called the ‘lifeline’ bill, allocates a total of $817 million. Of that amount, $559 million is appropriated for higher education, with more than half for Monetary Award Program (MAP) tuition grants for low-income college students. The remaining $258 million goes to human services. […]
(M)oney for the lifeline plan comes only from two State accounts designated specifically for higher education and human services under State law. Without appropriations by the General Assembly, money accumulating in the two funds may not be spent. […]
Without the lifeline bill, higher education has received average annual funding over the last two years of 41.8% of the level in FY2015, the State’s last year with a full budget. Even if the lifeline plan is enacted, higher education would still receive average annual funding of only 56.2%. Spending on higher education totaled $1.9 billion in FY2015, compared with total funding with the lifeline appropriations of $2.2 billion for FY2016 and FY2017 together. The funding shortfall, based on the FY2015 annual amount, is $1.7 billion. […]
With the lifeline bill, funding for MAP grants would reach an annual average of 83.5% of the FY2015 level. Without the lifeline appropriations, MAP funding for FY2016 and FY2017 has provided for less than one full year of grants. The additional funding will cover the first semester of the 2016-2017 school year and part of the second. […]
The human services funding shortfall is harder to measure than the gap for higher education because most of the historical funding for the area has been provided through court orders and consent decrees. Without any appropriations, the State spent $4.68 billion on human services in FY2016, compared with $5.43 billion in FY2015. Programs not covered by court orders or consent decrees include home care for seniors who are not eligible for Medicaid, community mental health services and addiction treatment programs.
The Governor’s FY2018 budget book shows a remaining funding shortfall of $571 million for human services in FY2016. GOMB officials estimate the gap for FY2017 at $381 million, bringing the total two-year amount needed to $952 million. Lifeline appropriations of $258 million would cover 27.1% of the shortfall.
The Illinois House of Representatives today passed HB 2622, a bill creating a not-for-profit workers’ compensation insurance company that would compete with other insurers to provide workers’ comp coverage to Illinois employers.
Proven to be successful in the 17 other states where they operate, including neighboring Missouri and Kentucky, these companies typically grow to be the biggest providers of workers’ compensation insurance in their respective states.
HB 2622 was sponsored by Rep. Laura Fine (D-Glenview), and supported by organized labor in Illinois, including the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA).
Sean Stott, Director of Governmental Affairs for LIUNA’s Midwest Region, said that the creation of a not-for-profit insurance alternative will enhance competitiveness in Illinois’ insurance market and force insurers to cut costs for Illinois employers.
“Big business and Governor Rauner want to cut benefits for injured workers and exclude legitimate injuries from coverage,” said Stott. “That has proven not to be an effective way to control employer costs.”
In 2011, Illinois lawmakers passed a series of benefit cuts for workers. Stott said the savings from those cuts have not been passed on to Illinois employers, but instead have substantially increased the profits of insurance companies.
Since Illinois does not strictly regulate workers’ compensation insurance premiums, as others states do, the recommendation of a 29 percent cut in insurance rates since the 2011 law changes has not been honored by the insurance industry.
The portion of workers’ compensation premiums paid by Illinois employers that is used to pay injured workers’ benefits has dropped 28.4% since the 2011 law changes. According to the Illinois Department of Insurance, barely half of premiums collected by insurers (53.5 percent) in 2015 were used to pay workers’ comp claims.
“Where is the rest of Illinois employers’ money going?” Stott asked. “It should come as no surprise that insurance company profits are skyrocketing.”
According to the Department, insurer profits on workers’ comp sales have increased 30 percent since 2011.
HB 2622 offers Illinois employers an alternative to padding the profits of insurance companies. State-chartered workers’ comp insurance companies provide long-term savings and a high level of service to their policy holders because they:
• Emphasize avoiding accidents by improving workplace safety through working with employers to eliminate hazards.
• Have no profit motive: they answers to policyholders, not stockholders.
• Do not sell other types of insurance, so their exclusive focus is providing employers with the highest quality customer service.
* The IMA hates the bill…
Illinois’ workers’ compensation costs rank 8th highest in the nation and remain a primary reason why manufacturing companies and good paying jobs are fleeing the state. Since the end of the 2009 recession, Illinois has lost 1,600 manufacturing jobs while our neighboring states have added tens of thousands of new jobs.
This week, House Democrats passed two bills (HB 2525, HB 2622) under the guise of reform. Nothing could be further from the truth. It’s window dressing and a political sham designed to deflect from the necessary reforms that are needed to make Illinois more attractive for job creation and capital investment. Further, lawmakers are taking $10 million in employer money from the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission to start a new public insurance company that will compete with the private sector at a time when they have not passed a balanced budget with comprehensive budget reforms.
The bill’s chief sponsor publicly acknowledged in committee that he refused to make any changes in the last year despite personally participating in more than 100 hours of meetings with all stakeholders.
These House Democrat-sponsored bills will not reduce costs or reform the system to make Illinois competitive. In fact, this legislation further hinders Illinois’ workers’ compensation by codifying a horrible court ruling into law for the benefit of trial lawyers and labor unions.
The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association continues to call on the Governor and lawmakers to enact real and meaningful reforms to our workers’ compensation system that include these key components:
Create a causal standard
Bring inflated medical costs into line with average states
Reduce the abuse and high cost of drugs and compounds
Strengthen use of American Medical Association standards
It’s time to stop the bogus and contrived political games and start making Illinois work again.
* Steve Schneider, Midwest region vice president for the American Insurance Association, is also no fan…
“AIA is disappointed by the House’s passage of HB 2525 and HB 2622, adverse workers’ compensation legislation.
Illinois is the most competitive state for worker’s compensation insurance. More than 300 insurers compete for the right to earn a customer’s business. Competition is intrinsically good for all Illinois employers who must purchase this mandated, comprehensive coverage. This competition stems from Illinois’ current open competitive rating law that has been in effect for 35 years. HB 2525 would eviscerate that law and its benefits for Illinois employers.
By replacing healthy competition with an extremely vague regulatory standard, HB 2525 could lead to every single workers’ compensation policy and its premiums undergoing formal review by the Department of Insurance every year, or even more frequently. Such bureaucratic interference with open competition will hurt not just workers’ compensation insurers, but all Illinois businesses.
Additionally, HB 2622 not only inappropriately interferes with the private market, but also fails to provide meaningful reform to the Illinois’ workers’ compensation system. No reason exists for Illinois to create its own state-sponsored workers’ compensation insurance company to compete against private sector insurers and jobs when no major crisis is present and massive government intervention is not necessary.
Insurers stand ready to work with policymakers on meaningful reform to provide an effective workers’ compensation system with reduced cost drivers for employers and appropriate benefits and medical care for injured workers with a minimum of delays and disputes. HB 2525 and HB 2622 is not the right approach to achieving meaningful reform.”
The bill passed the House with 67 votes. It’ll be vetoed no matter what the Senate does and then it won’t be overridden.
Pritzker’s campaign last evening confirmed the coming endorsement but would not go much beyond the names of unions that POLITICO already knew of from sources, including: Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 881 United Association of Plumbers Local 130 and a local laborers group.
Trade unions in this state are historically allied with Speaker Madigan. Not saying, just saying. But word has been building on the street that Madigan allies are starting to more than just lean toward Pritzker because of his self-funding potential and his unexpected campaign abilities.
“He’s presenting himself now as a progressive Democrat,” [Sen. Daniel Biss] said. “I’ve never known him to be that in the past. His track record in the past doesn’t show how that would be the case. I think we need to hear from him what he was hoping to support.”
Biss again mocked Pritzker as a moderate pretending to be a progressive.
“Maybe he was hoping a Republican candidate running against President Obama in 2012 would be more progressive than President Obama,” he said dryly. “That’s not what I saw coming out of the Republican primary in 2012 and I’d be really curious to hear a detailed explanation from Mr. Pritzker.”
“I just want J.B. Pritzker to explain who he is. Let us know the story of J.B. Pritzker and all those pieces of history of not being sure if he wanted Barack Obama to be reelected president in 2012 to the support for a series of moderate candidates over the years. That’s nothing to be embarrassed about. He just needs to tell us and give a clear picture and not just try to become somebody else.”
A campaign spokesperson for Chris Kennedy said, “We’ll let the video speak for itself. The voters can be the judge.”
Um, OK. Biss was an early endorser of Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders. He crafted a pension reform plan when he was in the House that was opposed by unions. And he raised a bunch of money from Speaker Madigan types last year for his federal PAC.
Democratic governor candidate Chris Kennedy used a fundraising email over the weekend to compare rival J.B. Pritzker to Illinois’ Republican governor.
“Gov. Rauner has done some pretty awful things to our state. The worst thing he has done is fail to pass a budget but the second worst thing he has done is silence his own party. No elected official in the Republican Party has spoken out against him. Why would they? He spent millions in the last election cycle to elect his preferred candidates. He has used his money to intimidate them. He has used his finances to bully them,” Kennedy says in the email solicitation.
“We can’t let what’s happening in the Republican Party happen in the Democratic Party,” he said. “We are at a moment when we can strengthen the Democratic Party in Illinois. But we won’t become stronger by nominating someone to represent us who doesn’t need our money, who doesn’t need our ideas, and who isn’t influenced by our opinions. Big money talks, it doesn’t listen.”
I think Sen. Sam McCann would differ with Kennedy on the “No elected official in the Republican Party has spoken out against him” remark, but maybe that’s because Sam’s the exception which proves the rule.
Either way, that’s probably not a bad angle to use.
* Kennedy spoke to the Will and Grundy Counties Trades and Labor Council Dinner on Friday night…
“This is not a stalemate,” Kennedy said. “This is a hostage taking. This governor isn’t interested in negotiating a budget. If he wanted to negotiate a budget he could get it done within a week and there would be Democratic and Republican support. He’s holding that budget hostage for his turnaround agenda.”
That agenda includes measures such as property tax freezes, lawsuit reform and “right to work” zones, which leaves the decision of whether to require workers to join a union up to voters in their own communities. Unions such as the Will and Grundy Counties Trades and Labor Council see right to work zones as an attempt to weaken the influence of unions statewide.
“We’re definitely not supporting Rauner,” said Council President Charlie Hanus. “We’re looking for somebody that can work with people instead of trying to dictate like Rauner.”
Kennedy also spoke about struggling communities across the state. He specifically mentioned communities downstate with fewer resources such as grocery stores and hospitals as readily accessible as they are in the Chicago area. He said those struggling have become angry with the wealthy, the elite and politicians, and that’s why they voted in Republicans like President Donald Trump. He argued Democrats need to start paying attention to those communities.
* Related…
* ADDED:Democrat doubleheader: Kennedy bashes Rauner, Bernal takes on Long: “Gov. Rauner is using it because he wants to run for president of the United States,” Kennedy said, “He’s adopted a phony Southern accent so he can appeal to the right wing of the Republican Party, largely located in the South. His platform is going to be he’s the guy who beat the unions and destroyed the fundamental tenant of our country, which is the rule of law, and he’s broken the pension contract that workers have. That’s what he wants to do. If he’s going to hold our state budget hostage for something that’s more about his personal ambitions than something that’s good for the rest of the state, that needs to end. He wears a Carhartt jacket around like he’s some sort of pipe fitter that’s just walked off a construction job on a 20 degree day in a 30 knot wind, and he’s using that as a disguise to go right after the people he’s screwing that he’s dressing like, and that shouldn’t be allowed. A guy who wears phony clothes and has that phony accent doesn’t deserve our respect and he sure doesn’t deserve to be re-elected in the state of Illinois.”
* ILGOP Press release: Will Democrats Change Tune This Small Business Week? Dem Candidates for Gov. Race Towards Madigan on Tax-and-Spend Agenda
* Rodney Davis main target of barbs at Democrat luncheon: “Did you get the same email I did from Congressman Davis this week?” Bennett asked the audience. “He’s finally getting back to us on issues that he knows you care about, on airline customer service. The disconnect is unbelievable. But it’s hard to know what your constituents want when you won’t meet with them and you won’t hear any conflicting views.”
* A group of labor unions led by Local 150 of the Operating Engineers is using the international May Day holiday to launch a $2 million advertising campaign under the name “Fight Back.” Click here for the website, and here’s a new TV ad running in Illinois and Indiana…
* The Fight Back Fund kicked in $1 million to last year’s lockbox amendment campaign. It’s a tax-exempt political advocacy group that doesn’t have to disclose its contributors. However, the group’s head, Marc Poulos, told the Tribune last year that it is largely funded by union members.
In normal times, a 40-minute, late-April meeting to talk about the budget between a governor and the House speaker would be so routine that it would likely go unnoticed by pretty much everyone under the Statehouse dome.
But these ain’t normal times.
A funded, full-year state budget has not passed during a spring legislative session since 2013, almost exactly four years ago. We’ve had partial-year or “stopgap” budgets ever since.
And House Speaker Michael Madigan hasn’t formally met with the governor since Dec. 6 of last year, about five months ago. Gov. Bruce Rauner announced at the time there would be no more such meetings until the Democrats were prepared to offer up a balanced budget with specific reforms — something that the governor hasn’t done since, either.
So, it was definitely news when Speaker Madigan requested a private, one-on-one sit-down with Gov. Rauner last week and then the two actually met.
Speaker Madigan issued a statement saying that he had urged the governor “to turn his focus to the budget.” Gov. Rauner’s office then claimed that Madigan “hinted that he may be willing to enact a truly balanced budget with changes that will help create jobs, properly fund our schools and lower property taxes.”
Did they really make progress?
Well, we all know that the governor is prone to exaggeration. He said repeatedly during the two-week spring break that the grand bargain negotiations were close to being wrapped up.
He even claimed at one whistle stop that negotiations were going on between the two caucuses as he spoke, with another scheduled for the following day. None of that was true.
The House speaker has his own issues. He doesn’t say much except to repeat what he’s been saying over and over for two years: The governor should focus on passing a budget. Madigan himself, meanwhile, has been completely focused on denying the governor any wins on Rauner’s terms. All wins must instead be on Madigan’s terms.
Madigan’s spokesman reacted to the governor’s statement by pointing to a bill the House passed last week to make workers’ compensation insurance “more affordable.”
That bill (HB 2622), however, sets up a state-run workers’ comp insurance company to compete with existing private insurers. Trial lawyers and unions insist that the hundreds of workers’ comp insurers in Illinois are colluding to keep prices high. Hey, maybe such a thing could work.
But creating a government insurance company is not exactly the sort of reform that our Milton Friedman-worshipping governor will ever accept as a “win.”
Even so, I choose, for the millionth time, to look at the bright side. At least they met. At least there was apparently a mention (no matter how brief) of non-budgetary reforms. At least they didn’t full-on whack each other after their meeting ended.
You gotta crawl before you can walk, so I’ll take it, no matter how pathetically tiny or how temporary that microscopic bit of progress may have been.
It’s been Madigan’s habit over the years to send the Senate a budget and then announce that the House has completed its work. He did it again last year and was ultimately stymied when the Senate refused to pass it.
But Madigan likely can’t even pass another budget bill out of his own chamber this year, mainly because a group of 10 or so independent Democratic women in his caucus are sick and tired of these impasse games. They have enough votes to block him if they stick together.
And if the Senate ever does send Madigan its grand bargain, those 10 House members and several more will demand that he take some action. This impasse is killing them back in their districts, along with the blame that the governor has so successfully pinned on Madigan with tens of millions of dollars. A deal would take an enormous amount of heat off Madigan’s members, and, by extension, him.
Rauner, for his part, is dangerously close to being permanently labeled as a failed governor. Everything he’s tried has failed. Sure, he can point to minor administrative successes, but he wasn’t elected to save a few bucks on data processing.
And constantly awarding himself an “A” grade by pointing to these little administrative successes comes close to making him look dangerously separated from the reality that his state is rapidly going down the drain.
Both men have good reasons to find a way out of this mess. But they’re also the most stubborn men on the planet. Let’s hope they keep talking.
