* Tribune…

Gov. Rauner’s campaign website contains a section called an “action center” that contains pre-written petitions which also can be used to provide the campaign with a list of potential volunteers.

But the two predominant issues seeking a call to action appear dated. The site’s “top priority” is a petition against imposing a sweetened beverage tax in Kane County similar to one that is being repealed in Cook County.

The petition drive says “tax-and-spend politicians have already imposed an illegal tax on soda purchases in Cook County, taking residents’ hard-earned money so the politicians can tax their way out of the mess they’ve created.”

Regardless of the statement, the tax was found to be legal. But it was also highly unpopular, and the Cook County Board to voted to end it.

A similar petition exists for DuPage County even though there’s no evidence that anyone there is floating a beverage tax.

That may come as a surprise to the people who run Kane and DuPage counties, but I suppose it can’t hurt.

…Adding… The governor was also advertising this crusade on Facebook in September. So, he’s a purveyor of fake news now?…

A Facebook post by a Gov. Bruce Rauner political organization is asking citizens to sign a petition to stop the Cook County soda tax from “spilling over to Kane County.”

The only problem is, Kane County isn’t considering a soda tax, County Board member Kurt Kojzarek said today (Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017).

“Needless to say, I was more than a little shocked to see this petition from the governor pop up on my Facebook news feed,” he said. “The claim is completely false. Kane County has zero interest in adding to the tax burden. We support our local retailers, and prefer not to place burdens or obstacles on them or the consumers.”

* My personal favorite…

As children across Illinois prepare to return to school in the fall, lawmakers are putting politics before students by holding up the school funding reform bill.

Instead of holding up school funding, legislators should pass a simple and fair amendment that the current bill needs: put funding towards students in the classrooms, not towards paying off Chicago’s pension debt.

Let’s put the politics aside and do the right thing to ensure equitable education funding regardless of zip-code. Support education to set our students up for success.

A little outdated, perhaps? Also, CPS wound up getting pretty much everything it wanted on pensions.

* Meanwhile, from the governor’s campaign…

ICYMI: Gov. Rauner touts Security Cooperation on Official Trip to Israel
While on an official visit, Governor Rauner met with top Israeli officials to discuss mutual security interests

Governor Rauner is on his first official visit to Israel this week, meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top Israeli officials. The governor is leading a delegation of administrators from the University of Illinois, promoting interconnectedness between U of I and Israel’s top engineering universities, with an ultimate goal of making the Illinois Innovation Network a global endeavor.

Take a look at some of the coverage from The Jerusalem Post:

A day after a terrorist attack hit New York, visiting Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner hinted at intelligence cooperation between his state’s law enforcement officials and Israel during an interview on Wednesday with The Jerusalem Post. The Republican governor, who arrived on Monday and will be leaving Friday, said that he had a “detailed discussion” with Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan during his visit.

“We will be exchanging information, will have mutual visits from some of our security people, and leaders from Israel who will come to Illinois,” he said. “We have a very strong, effective anti-terrorist center and task force commission within the Illinois state police based in Springfield. We are constantly monitoring and sharing information both with the federal government, leaders of other states, and we look forward to have a close working relationship with leaders in Israel.”

…Rauner met Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this week, and said that 80-90% of that conversation dealt with economic issues, though security issues were also discussed, especially cybersecurity.

“We talked about the software and the mathematics and the engineering behind cybersecurity,” Rauner said. “The prime minister is very focused and knowledgeable about that.”

…“I have always been very clear about my strong support for Israel, the Jewish community in Illinois and around America,” he said. “And frankly I believe very strongly in a very powerful, positive relationship between the people of Israel and the people of Illinois, to our mutual benefit.”

…Rauner speaks proudly of the fact that as governor he “sponsored and signed the first anti- BDS legislation that was signed by any state in America.”

…Rauner said Illinois took the measures one stop further, not only barring investing the state’s pension funds in any company that participates in BDS, but also “not contracting or allowing the state government to do any business whatsoever with a company that participates in BDS activities and discrimination – and other states are now following suit.”