He’d have to call a special session to do this
Tuesday, Jul 18, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the road builders…
The Illinois Road & Transportation Builders Association (IRTBA) is pleased and honored that Governor Bruce Rauner gave the keynote presentation at today’s Planning & Design Conference. […]
Governor Rauner addressed this year’s conference theme, “Project Delivery Innovations,” along with a panel of presenters who explored a variety of project delivery methods and included profiles of national, state, and local projects that showcased project delivery alternatives and private investment opportunities.
“There’s going to be a lot of transportation related technology - autonomous vehicles and drones. Given where we are in the country, the ability to do innovative partnerships with tech companies, and doing these transportation related innovations, bring them here […] I think there’s a big opportunity,” Governor Rauner said in his speech.
Rauner concluded his presentation to the transportation industry stating, “The next few months are going to be critical. I really think we can get a capital bill done without having to drag 18 months. We’ve got the road fund money. We’ve stopped the diversions that have been going on throughout the state. Let’s use the money to get it into infrastructure and get these projects moving.”
A capital bill in the next few months? Has anyone shown him the legislative calendar lately? Not to mention that he just vetoed a budget which had some capital projects.
…Adding… Very good point from the Bond Buyer’s reporter…
* The governor also said told the road builders this today…
And we just need to get our friends and get our neighbors and our allies to stand up together and message on this issue. Workers’ comp, the I-55 lane — everything we’re fighting for is a win for the people of Illinois, and we’ve got to message that together.
As an acquaintance asked me today, who talks like that?
Well, Rauner, for one.
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* Umm…
* I checked in with Dan Kovats at the Illinois Democratic County Chairmen’s Association. Here’s his response…
Representative Drury has only contacted the IDCCA once since he announced his candidacy for Governor and that was to ask to speak at our event. IDCCA President Doug House did speak with him last night and President House attempted to contact him again this morning. Representative Drury has not returned President House’s call. If he had returned his call he would have already found out that we will offer him a slot to speak at our Chairmen’s Brunch.
Now Representative Drury puts out a press release calling the IDCCA a machine. That couldn’t be further from the truth and if Representative Drury had been in touch with the IDCCA he would know his statement is ridiculous.
I followed up with Kovats and he explained that the first time Drury called the group was to ask about the event last night. The IDCCA had already set its program, so he was turned down. But then House decided to change his mind this morning and Drury hasn’t called him back.
The annual brunch is traditionally held the morning of the Illinois State Fair’s Democrat Day.
…Adding… Here is Drury’s press release from earlier today…
Illinois Democratic Party bosses are refusing to allow Democratic Candidate for Governor Scott Drury to speak at a major gathering of Democrats in August, prompting Drury to refer to the primary process as “rigged.” “The decision to ban a Democrat from speaking to Democrats is a symptom of an out-of-touch Democratic Party more interested in preserving its leaders’ power than building the party of the future,” said Drury. “If we are to beat Bruce Rauner, the Democratic Party must embrace fresh ideas, not suppress them.”
Drury is a three-time elected Democratic State Representative, and the only Democrat in thirty years who did not vote for Michael J. Madigan to be the Speaker of the House. According to Drury’s campaign, Drury was informed yesterday that he has been barred from speaking at the Illinois Democratic County Chairmen’s Association’s Annual Chairmen’s Brunch, which takes place the morning of Democrat Day at the Illinois State Fair. Drury was not provided any explanation for the decision and was told the decision is not appealable.
“To the extent there was any doubt that party bosses only want candidates who have kissed their rings and professed loyalty to them, our exclusion from this event puts that to rest,” said Drury. “Any candidate who appears at this event should wear a big sign stating ‘Approved by the Machine,’” said Drury.
Drury’s campaign is pleased that the strength and grassroots appeal of his message is so strong that entrenched politicians are scrambling to try to stop it. “Our message of honest change and returning ownership of Illinois government to the public has clearly scared those whose existence is dependent on the status quo,” said Tony Coppola, Drury’s campaign manager. “Scott is the only candidate in the race with a record of successfully taking on the machine to solve Illinois’ biggest problems and with a plan to restore Illinois to fiscal health so we can return hope and opportunity to every community in the state. Scott’s message will not be impeded by decisions made in a smoke-filled backroom.”
Before running for office, Drury was a federal prosecutor who fought on the front lines of Illinois’ battle against public corruption and gun violence. As a State Representative, Drury has been committed to rebuilding Illinois’ economy through responsible fiscal and ethical reforms. Drury has also led the charge to reform Illinois’ broken criminal justice system and worked successfully to keep our communities safe by defeating the NRA’s attempt to allow assault weapons in every community throughout the state.
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Today’s video
Tuesday, Jul 18, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Illinois Review…
Someone’s got a sense of humor about Republicans helping to override Governor Rauner’s budget veto last week. An anonymous person has set up a Facebook page identifying himself as the “Angry Illinoisan.”
One of Angry Illinoisan’s creations is an adaptation of a “Back to the Future” clip. It features Governor Rauner, some of the ten Republicans that betrayed the governor with State Rep. Steve Andersson at the wheel, and several Republican onlookers that chose to stay firm and reject Mike Madigan’s budget.
* The video…
Well, at least we got to see Skillicorn in a dress.
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Promoting fantasies
Tuesday, Jul 18, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Bernie wrote the other day about Gov. Rauner’s sometimes misleading property tax freeze push…
One example is a Rauner campaign video, complete with sad piano music and distributed on social media last week, that featured CARLA BLANCHARD, a CPA of Lindenhurst. She spoke of how property taxes are “going up every year” and, “A lot of people are actually moving out of the area instead of sticking around here just to get away from the high property taxes.”
Lake County records show that the tax bill for the Blanchard home, valued at $362,838 in 2016, did go from $15,694 in 2015 to $16,423 in 2016. That is a 4.6 percent increase. But the tax rate actually dropped from 14.67 percent in 2015 to 14.28 percent in 2016. The assessed value of the home was increased from $112,960 to $120,946 over that year. […]
Another campaign video shows BILL LANDWEHR of Grayslake, who says he moved from Northbrook but may put his house on the market. […]
As in the other Lake County example, the tax rate from 2015 to 2016 actually went down, in Landwehr’s case to 14.53 from 15.63. His tax bill increased 6 percent, from $12,078 to $12,803. But that’s because his assessment went up nearly 9.5 percent, from $88,245 to $96,593. Landwehr also couldn’t be reached.
There’s more, so click here.
* The property tax issue is very difficult. People, up to and including myself, just don’t understand the system, which is part of the problem with the system we have. But I’ve actually heard people claim that Rauner’s freeze would put Speaker Madigan’s law firm out of business because nobody’s assessed valuations would rise. Um, no.
It’s one thing for John Q. Public to believe in a fantasy, but it’s quite another for the governor to use his office to promote those very same fantasies as fact.
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* Press release…
Democratic candidate for Illinois governor Daniel Biss released his second quarter fundraising results today, reporting more than $1.015 million in receipts and more than $2.3 million cash on hand.
The total represents more in funds raised and cash on hand than the entire Democratic field of candidates who are raising money for their campaigns combined.
In response, Biss Campaign Manager Abby Witt released the following statement:
“Some may be surprised that we’re competitive with established brand name candidates, but our fundraising totals confirm what we already know: People looking for an alternative to J.B. Pritzker—and wary of a strategy that tries to out-Rauner Bruce Rauner—are looking to Daniel Biss.
“With each new small-dollar donation and each volunteer hour, we’re showing that people are building a movement powerful enough to take on the billionaires and the political machine.”
* “Small-dollar” donations and a “movement”? Hmm. Let’s look at the report.
About half of Biss’ money, $501K, came from contributions of $10,000 or higher. And $350K of that was from contributions of $50K or more, about 35 percent of his total.
Another $291K came from contributions of between $1,000 and $9,999. Another $56K came from contris of $500 to $999.
That all comes to about $847K, which is about 84 percent of his total reported.
But, are “small-dollar: contributions defined as under $500? To some, yes. To others, $500 or even $100 is a lot of money. So, add in the $100-499 contributions and you get another $74K.
By the way, Biss’ report also shows that he raised almost $307K from political action committees, about 30 percent of his total.
Biss listed $88K in unitemized receipts and 161 contributions ranging from $1.50 to $99 that came to just under $5K in contributions. That totals $93K, or about 9 percent of the total he reported raising.
Count $100 contributions and less as small donors (about $16K from 271 contributions), add in unitemized receipts and you come up with $104K, or about 10 percent of the total raised.
* What Biss is doing is putting together a relatively strong campaign finance operation with a pretty good but still not quite there yet small-dollar component. So, this idea that he’s got a “movement” going on doesn’t really hold up because his report would look a whole lot different if he did.
Now, building a “movement” can take time, so maybe this will change. Right now, it’s mainly spin.
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The coming veto and override attempt of SB 1
Tuesday, Jul 18, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Yesterday…
With Rauner’s [school funding reform] amendment, Rockford would receive $4.5 million more than it would under SB 1, he said during his Galapagos visit. He rattled off several other dollar figures as well — $1.1 million more for Rock Island, $900,000 more for Moline, $4.3 million more for Waukegan, $3 million more for Cicero and $1.8 million more for Round Lake.
* But…
The governor says the Democrats’ plan gives too much to Chicago at the expense of other districts. His office posted a comparison chart online, but the numbers don’t match official spreadsheets published by the state board of education.
Rauner’s comparison chart is here. The ISBE spreadsheets are here. It’s unclear at this point how Rauner arrived at his conclusions about what his proposal would do for local communities. Usually, the State Board of Education does this work, but his plan isn’t on the ISBE site.
* Also, go to the bottom of the governor’s own proposal and you’ll see this footnote…
The SB 1 number accounts for CPS’ tier funding and FY18 new pension pick-up, and the Governor’s plan number accounts for CPS’ tier funding, FY18 new pension pick-up, and net result of Chicago Block Grant elimination.
Notice that the pension pick-up is in his plan and the block grant is being eliminated. But this is what the governor said yesterday…
“Unfortunately, Democrats want to turn this historic opportunity into a bailout for the CPS pension system. The point of this school reform bill is to help low income students across the state, including those in Chicago, get the education they deserve – not to bailout CPS’s mismanaged teacher pension system.”
* More…
At issue is the way the bill factors CPS’ finances into what would become the new statewide funding formula. SB 1 eliminates the Chicago block grant, which automatically appropriates specific funding to CPS each year, but takes that $203 million into account – plus the district’s $221 million in employer pension contributions – when calculating the district’s baseline funding minimum.
That, plus the $505.8 million reduction in the bill’s assessment of Chicago’s local fundraising capabilities based on its unfunded pension liability, is what Rauner said led to his decision to issue an amendatory veto.
* Back to CPS…
Meanwhile in budgets it’ll present to principals later this week, CPS is assuming that the funding contained in SB1 will come through. It’s the third year in a row the broke district is banking on money not yet in hand, but officials said the alternative was to send devastating budgets to schools without the extra $300 million.
* But will there be enough votes to override? Rep. David Harris was one of the Republicans who voted to override the governor’s budget vetoes. He was on Chicago Tonight yesterday and it sounded like he wasn’t yet on board to override the governor this time around…
There are still other possible HGOP “Yes” votes out there, however. Stay tuned.
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* Tribune…
With questions swirling around his record as Cook County assessor, Joseph Berrios will take the unprecedented step Tuesday of defending his office before the Cook County Board after a Chicago Tribune investigation exposed widespread inequities in the county’s property tax system.
Published in June, “The Tax Divide” showed the assessor’s office overvalued low-priced homes while undervaluing high-priced ones. These disparities in assessments — known as regressivity — led to inequities in property tax bills, giving the wealthy unsanctioned tax breaks while penalizing low-income residents.
In the weeks since, mounting pressure has put the assessor on the defensive. The county’s independent inspector general opened an investigation; lawmakers at the state and local levels proposed legislation to limit the assessor’s ability to raise campaign contributions from tax attorneys; and a bill has been introduced in the General Assembly that would require greater transparency.
Among the questions Berrios is likely to face at Tuesday’s hearing: Why did his office tout and then quietly abandon a new residential valuation model funded by the MacArthur Foundation designed to reduce regressivity?
Go read the whole thing. Whew.
* From a letter sent to the Cook County Board by County Clerk David Orr…
I am very concerned that the problems with the assessment process have not been corrected. In 2015, Assessor Berrios, while announcing a new assessment model, stated that the assessment system was regressive. Regressivity hurts low and middle income residents the most—putting them on the hook for a larger property tax bill than they should be paying. We have now learned that the new model, which was created to address regressivity, was never—or only partially—implemented.
The Cook County Clerk’s Office is an integral part of the property tax system and we rely on accurate and fair assessments from the County Assessor’s Office to determine property tax rates.
I am aware that Assessor Berrios and President Preckwinkle are looking for experts to bring solutions and transparency to the assessment process. Still, two question must be asked: (1) why is the Assessor’s Office not using the model that, in 2015, they publicly touted would significantly alleviate this problem and, (2) what assessment model is the office currently using?
Three substantive studies have already been conducted: a 2011 study by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy; a University of Chicago analysis commissioned by the Assessor in 2014 and funded by the MacArthur Foundation; and the Chicago Tribune investigation. Clearly, there is a crisis to solve and we must begin—as you are today—by speaking with the experts that have already spent countless hours studying the assessment process and developing stronger models.
If the choice is to move forward with an expert to offer solutions to the assessment system, then the selection process cannot be conducted behind closed doors. My office, and the other Cook County offices that administer the property tax system, must be involved. We need all hands on deck to assure the public that the property tax system is fair and transparent. Finally, any study of the crisis we face must be conducted with all deliberate speed.
The assessment process is complex. However, there has been a lack of transparency from the Assessor’s Office. The public cannot afford any delay in implementing real solutions.
*** UPDATE *** Chris Kennedy…
Joe Berrios today tried to defend the rigged property tax system in Illinois. All today’s testimony speaks to is the need to overhaul a property tax system that discriminates, preys on our most vulnerable communities and leads to inequities in access to education.
While reputable academic institutions are laying out concrete evidence about the broken system, elected officials are keeping quiet about the need to implement policy changes for fear of not getting political insider support for their next election. I have laid out real reforms that need to be adopted, including banning elected officials from serving as property tax attorneys and ending campaign contributions from property tax lawyers to the assessors’ office.
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* “Radical Candor,” which appears to be run by former Rauner staffers, was the first to expose the tweets of the governor’s new “body man” yesterday. It’s also been a sharp critic of the rest of the new Rauner staff…
* But this has only just begun. Here’s Wordslinger in comments earlier today…
The way this mass purge is going down is shockingly stupid.
It’s bound to create vengeful enemies out of trusted loyalists — who have stories to tell.
Yep. Lots of bodies were quietly buried over the past two and a half years and I expect maps to those corpses will be distributed soon. Actually, between us, that’s already happening.
* So, Natasha is right…
That means the drip, drip, drip of tidbits, tips and dirt, involving Rauner will be amped up just as he heads into reelection mode.
And possibly for months to come.
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Bill Black endorses candidate for Hays seat
Tuesday, Jul 18, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* After Rep. Chad Hays announced his retirement, former Rep. Bill Black said he might run for the seat. Instead, he’s endorsing a different candidate in the race. From a press release…
Vermilion County Board Chairman Mike Marron announced his intent to run for State Representative in the 104th District as the Republican nominee. Marron was introduced by former State Representative Bill Black who will serve as the Campaign Committee Chairman. “I will give my full support to a young, energetic, and creative man, Mike Marron. He will bring new ideas and new eyes to the General Assembly” said Black, who represented the 104th District from 1986 to 2011. In his announcement, Mike Marron stressed a focus on righting the State’s fiscal ship, business climate, agriculture and transportation issues, and education. The 104th District covers parts of Champaign and Vermilion County.
Mike Marron has served as the Vermilion County Board Chairman for the past two terms. He is responsible for managing and administering the daily operations of Vermilion County and overseeing the $40 million dollar budget. Prior to that, Marron served as Vice-Chairman of the Vermilion County Board.
Marron is a strong advocate for the agriculture industy. For the past 17 years, he has helped manage and operate Marron Family Farms with his father. He also served on the IL Dept.of Agriculture Transition Committee. Marron has worked extensively with the Illinois Soybean Association serving as the Vice-Chairman from 2013-2015. He has been instrumental in coordinating and attending trade missions to Ghana, Haiti, Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, and China.
Mike Marron completed his degree from Murray State University with a BA in Agriculture Economics 1999. Marron is a fifth-generation Fithian native. He and his wife – Brandy, a genetic researcher specialist at the University of Illinois – have one daughter.
Maybe Bill can train this guy to properly throw a rules book. Then again, they probably don’t have rules in book form these days and throwing a legislative laptop can get expensive.
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* Tina Sfondeles in the Sun-Times…
Fear is the operative emotion in the governor’s office, which has essentially been taken over by a conservative think tank, according to remaining staffers. The resignations on the administration’s policy, digital and communications team, were a way to protest the new ideology, sources said. […]
While many are still scratching their heads over the takeover, a source with close knowledge of the governor’s administration said the uproar was sparked by Rauner’s and his wife’s “unhealthy obsession with media and messaging” and discussions the couple had at “North Shore cocktail parties.”
“They had conversations with people at these parties who said ‘I had no idea you were doing this.’ It would blow up the whole week’s plans,” the source said.
Speaking of the state’s first lady, the source said: “I think her footprint on decision making, on his decision making, is larger than most believe.”
The source, too, said the Illinois Policy Institute’s current CEO John Tillman “clearly has the ultimate influence [on the governor] at this point.”
Those last two points are correct.
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* Press release…
Chris Kennedy’s campaign for governor announced today that it continues to gain momentum from supporters throughout Illinois, having received nearly 6,000 contributions totaling about $1.79 million since the campaign launched earlier this year, with more than $700,000 of that coming in the second fundraising quarter.
The announcement comes on the same day that the campaign named Bill Daley as campaign finance chairman. Daley, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce under President Bill Clinton, served more recently as Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama.
“Illinois residents’ votes aren’t for sale. They won’t replace one billionaire for another. That’s why thousands of Illinois residents contributed to Chris Kennedy’s campaign,” Daley said. “Chris is the only candidate ready to bring fundamental change to Springfield and restore the promise of the American Dream to Illinois families. The latest poll numbers, coupled with the fundraising progress to date from across the state, proves that Chris has the support to do just that.”
The poll, released last week, shows that without spending any money on advertisements, Kennedy leads the race by 6 points at 44 percent.
* The campaign filed its report on paper last night because it had some software issues. The filing shows he raised $704K and spent $652K, a very high burn rate. Chris appears to be the only Kennedy family member who has trouble raising money.
He sure knows how to spend it, though. Compare his money raised and money spent to Daniel Biss, for instance…
* And the rest…
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Poll: Rauner disapproval at 49 percent
Tuesday, Jul 18, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I have some questions about Morning Consult’s polling methodology, but their latest round found that Bruce Rauner is the 7th most unpopular governor in the nation…
Bruce Rauner (R-Ill.) and Gina Raimondo (D-R.I.), two governors facing difficult paths to re-election next year, are also among the most unpopular governors… Illinoisans also soured further on Rauner amid his latest budget wrangling with Democratic state lawmakers, and 49 percent of registered voters in the state disapprove of the businessman who ran as a disruptor of the status quo in 2014.
40 percent approved, 11 percent were undecided, according to the poll.
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* It’s a good thing that the governor and his new team are so focused on retooling his messaging program…
* From the story…
Gov. Bruce Rauner’s “body man” — a hand-picked assistant chosen to travel with the governor on a daily basis — was fired Monday on his first day of the job after a series of homophobic and racially insensitive comments were found on his Twitter page.
The exit is one of at least 20 since last week — when Rauner began a rash of firings, with others resigning in protest.
Ben Tracy was chosen by the administration to replace Kyle Haevers as the governor’s “body man.” Haevers on Sunday was told his services were no longer needed but that he could choose to work for another state department.
A “body man” serves as the governor’s assistant — traveling with him, taking pictures, collecting business cards and helping people connect with the governor. In some cases, the role requires work seven days a week, depending on the governor’s schedule.
* More…
We asked the governor’s office additional questions about vetting and to what extent the governor was involved in picking Ben Tracy as his personal aide (as was practice in the past) — the office hasn’t responded.
Tracy did intern with the conservative Illinois Opportunity Project from 2015-2016.
More recently, he was employed by the Senate Republican campaign operation. He also did a stint with the House GOP.
*** UPDATE *** I had been saving this little tidbit for subscribers tomorrow, but I’m sure there will be plenty of other stuff to tell them. Rauner did, indeed, personally interview Tracy according to my own sources…
There’s also a funny and revealing story about the governor to go along with this, but I’ll keep that to myself for today, unless somebody else gets it.
…Adding… Sen. Jil Tracy just called to say that while she has a son named Ben, it’s not the same guy. She’s not related to the jettisoned body man.
* Related…
* Rauner ‘body man’ fired first day on job after racially insensitive, homophobic tweets surface
* Rauner Staffer Fired On 1st Day After Homophobic, Other Offensive Tweets Surface
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