Colorado’s top federal prosecutor said his office won’t alter its approach to enforcing marijuana crimes after U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions withdrew a policy Thursday that allowed pot markets to emerge in states that legalized the drug.
The statement by U.S. Attorney Bob Troyer came amid bipartisan outrage over Sessions’ decision to end the so-called Cole memorandum, which sharply limited what charges prosecutors could pursue in legal pot states. He will allow federal prosecutors to decide how aggressively to enforce longstanding federal law banning pot.
Troyer said his office will continue to focus on “identifying and prosecuting those who create the greatest safety threats to our communities around the state.” That approach is consistent with Sessions’ guidance, he said.
“Today the Attorney General rescinded the Cole Memo on marijuana prosecutions, and directed that federal marijuana prosecution decisions be governed by the same principles that have long governed all of our prosecution decisions,” Troyer said.
I asked spokespersons for US Attorney John Lausch in Chicago and US Attorney John Childress in central Illinois earlier today what their bosses plan to do and haven’t yet heard back. I’ll let you know if they respond.
*** UPDATE *** US Attorney John Childress…
“For citizens of central Illinois, the Justice Department memo issued today on marijuana enforcement does not change long-established prosecutorial principles to enforce federal law,” stated U.S. Attorney John Childress. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work together with our law enforcement partners, to promote the safety and interests of our local communities.”
* From Nancy Rotering’s attorney general campaign…
Following U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ rescindment of former President Obama Administration’s directives discouraging enforcement of federal marijuana laws in states that had legalized the substance, Illinois Attorney General Candidate Mayor Nancy Rotering released the following statement:
“Jeff Sessions and Donald Trump think they’re still fighting the Drug Wars of the 1980s. Instead of working to address the opioid crisis ravaging our country, Sessions and Trump are attacking Americans seeking medical care in the form of clinically-approved cannabis. Illinois, along with 28 other states, passed legislation creating a medical cannabis program permitting patients with debilitating medical conditions to register with the state in order to access marijuana for medical use. As Illinois’ Attorney General, I would defend the state against any federal intrusion, and work to ensure that patients with medical conditions - including people with cancer, those who live with seizures, or veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - can continue to access the care they need.”
* Pritzker campaign…
Today, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the planned repeal of a commonsense reform that discourages prosecutors from bringing cases involving marijuana in states that legalized the use and sale of it. In response, JB Pritzker released the following statement:
“Marijuana should be legalized in a safe way, and it’s time we do that in Illinois,” said JB Pritzker. “Legalizing marijuana is a key component of reforming our criminal justice system and ending the era of mass incarceration. Instead of modernizing our approach to sentencing and moving our country forward, today’s announcement by the Trump administration directly attacks the black and brown communities most disparately affected by our broken system. As governor, I will stand up to Donald Trump’s attacks on Illinois communities, legalize marijuana, and modernize sentencing guidelines to create a criminal justice system that gives all Illinoisans a chance to reach their full potential.”
…Adding… Biss…
Hey Jeff Sessions, stop trying to drag us back into the 1980's—the War on Drugs was a failed and backwards policy. It's time to stop clinging to antiquated thinking and allow states to legalize marijuana: https://t.co/CbvdNrTUVr
Our major city, Chicago, is using a strategy of selective containment where we’re allowing violence to continue as long as it only continues in certain neighborhoods. We have an ‘80-8 Rule,’ where 80 percent of the violence occurs in just 8 percent of our city… We’re cutting off resources to push people of color out of our city and perhaps out of the way of economic development.
We’ve closed 18 public schools in Bronzeville alone. That neighborhood just south of the Loop, there along the beaches of Lake Michigan, is the next great development play in Chicago. It will be a development play, but not for the residents who have lived there for years and years, and who are being pushed out. But instead, for a new wave of gentrification that defines a city which, as it gets smaller, is becoming whiter.
That describes a very deliberate, thought-out strategic plan for monetary gain which even supposedly has a name.
SC: The headlines are blaring, ‘Forced Gentrification by the Mayor.’ And if people don’t read the full story, the headlines make it sound like you’re calling the mayor a racist who’s kicking black folks out of the city. So, let’s start there. I want to give you a chance to clarify those remarks — if they need clarifying.
CK: Well, I’d say this: I don’t know what’s in the mayor’s heart. I don’t know what he’s thinking on this issue. What I do know are the results.
The results are Chicago is becoming smaller and as it becomes smaller, it’s becoming whiter. In neighborhoods predominately lived in by African-Americans, we’re closing schools, we’re closing mental health clinics. We’re forcing people to live in food deserts, forcing them to live in pharmacy deserts, allowing crime to skyrocket. And, the combination of those forces would push anybody out of the city.
Whether it’s an act of omission or an act of commission, it doesn’t really matter. There is only one mayor and he sets the tone at the top. This is occurring under his watch so, one way or another, he needs to be held responsible.
…Adding… I still think he sounded like he was backing away, but the Kennedy folks just called to hotly dispute this notion. He fully and completely stands by what he said yesterday, I was told.
* Meanwhile, Cochran also asked Kennedy today why he thought JB Pritzker wasn’t saying much about the controversy surrounding Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios, who is also the county party chairman…
Well, I think it would be a little hypocritical to do that given the notion that he [Pritzker] used Joe Berrios’ offices at the Cook County Democratic Party to make so many of his campaign phone calls. He operated out of that office. Joe’s office.
* From the Berrios campaign…
Isn’t this the same guy who stated that JB gave to Scott Walker?
Kennedy’s claim is completely false.
* The Pritzker campaign also said the claim was false and then added…
Chris Kennedy’s commitment to telling the truth is starting to resemble Bruce Rauner’s willingness to take responsibility for his failed leadership.
The Kennedy campaign claims it has a good source on the story and stands by the candidate’s remarks.
For the first time in its 45-year history, Mujeres Latinas en Accion — a Pilsen-based nonprofit that specializes in providing support for Latina victims of domestic violence and sexual assault — has no dedicated youth program. […]
“This space was very essential for [student] healing and development,” said Gabriela Fuentes, former advocate for the program. “If it’s no longer available to them and their families, I think that really poses a concern for the community.” […]
According to Fuentes, the majority of students – approximately 80 percent – are either witnesses to or victims of domestic violence. […]
The ensuing state budget crisis, which dragged on for more than two years, exacerbated the problem, not only because more necessary state grants were eliminated but also because staffers were suddenly charged with a new consuming task, according to Tortolero.
“When the state budget crisis happened, you were seeing a lot of time spent on advocacy and education. It’s unfortunate that this happened,” she said, adding that it took time away from finding new funding sources.
Facing a deficit of $75,000, the board voted in October to shut down PJ Youth by the end of the year, according to Tortolero. Now, for the first time in 45 years, Mujeres no longer offers a comprehensive youth program, though it still offers some child therapy.
Kennedy cited as an example of the “strategic gentrification plan” a move by CPS to close four South Side high schools for a year before a new school opens in 2019.
“I don’t know what you can say when the strategic plan for Chicago Public Schools suggest that the entire community of Englewood can go an entire year without access to a high school,” he said.
“What are you saying to the people there? No one’s going to move there who’s got a high school kid. And anybody with a high school kid has to think about what they’re going to do. It’s just a device to empty out the community,” he said. […]
Federal census figures show that in 2010, a year before Emanuel was first elected mayor, Chicago’s African-American population totaled 895,294, or 33.2 percent. Census data released last year showed the number of black residents declining to 793,852, representing about 29.3 percent of the city’s population.
That continued a long-term decline in African-American population, as Chicago also lost 177,404 black residents between 2000 and 2010, census figures showed.
* The Englewood issue and gentrification are big CTU issues. Retweeted today by the Chicago Teachers Union…
When a Kennedy calls out @RahmEmanuel for "strategic gentrification" aimed at the removal of black families in the city, suddenly what @CTULocal1 & @gemalliancechi have been saying for years is finally becoming common knowledge.
Attorneys with the Thomas More Society have filed a Civil Rights Discrimination Complaint today with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights. The complaint is over an Illinois law that forces doctors and pregnancy centers to make referrals for abortion, even if they have sincerely held religious convictions against doing so.
The complaint is lodged against the State of Illinois, for its enactment of Illinois Public Act 99-690. The filing charges that the law, previously known as Senate Bill 1564, amends the 1977 Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act, “in ways that gut its protection of state and federal conscience rights.”
The Thomas More Society is acting on behalf of Dr. Jim Gallant, M.D., and Hope Life Center, a pregnancy help center in Sterling, Illinois. The Office of Civil Rights is being asked to investigate this claim of religious discrimination and to take appropriate action to prevent Illinois’ application of this law to Gallant, Hope Life Center, and similarly situated health care providers in Illinois, who cannot comply with the amendment because of their sincerely held religious beliefs.
Gallant and Hope Life Center provide pro-bono assistance to women, including pregnancy tests, ultrasounds, and consultations. P.A. 99-690 mandates that they must present abortion as an option, discuss its “benefits,” and provide referrals to abortion facilities. This directive is completely contrary to their reason for existence, which is to provide life affirming alternatives to abortion. The Civil Rights Discrimination Complaint requests enforcement of multiple federal laws that prohibit states from passing laws which seek to force health care providers to violate their religious convictions.
Thomas Olp, Vice President and Senior Counsel for the Thomas More Society, noted that both federal and state courts have issued injunctions temporarily preventing Illinois from enforcing this law while litigation is pending. He added that the complaint filed with the Office of Civil Rights is a strategic step in the ongoing battle against P.A. 99-690, and that it complements the pending federal and state litigation. He explained, “We believe that P.A. 99-690 violates several federal laws that protect the conscience rights of physicians and other healthcare providers. But some courts have held that only the federal government, not individual citizens, can enforce these laws. Our administrative action is designed to trigger enforcement action by the federal government. We are hopeful the Trump administration will act on the pro-active pro-life principles it has articulated since the President took office.”
Debbie Case, Executive Director of Hope Life Center, anticipates tragic consequences if P.A. 99-690 is not revoked. “Since 1986, we have been serving women in our community with free, no-strings-attached education and medical services. We provide these services from a sincere compassion and concern for women facing unexpected pregnancy,” Case explained. “Our ability to care for these women is threatened by this overreaching law. It would be a tragedy for women to lose access to our services because of discriminatory sanctions imposed upon us in violation of our civil rights.”
It should not surprise anyone that Peter Breen and his Thomas More Society will stop at nothing in lying to women about pregnancy and abortion in order to prevent women from making the reproductive health care choices they believe are best for them and their families. Peter Breen is afraid to admit publicly that his real goal with this action, his lawsuits and attempts to repeal HB 40 are just part of his ultimate goal to make abortion and the most commonly used forms of birth control illegal in Illinois. The media needs to start doing its job in holding Breen and all the other right-wingers accountable as to their real objectives. The voters deserve to know the truth.
(1) The health care facility, physician, or health care personnel shall inform a patient of the patient’s condition, prognosis, legal treatment options, and risks and benefits of the treatment options in a timely manner, consistent with current standards of medical practice or care.
(2) When a health care facility, physician, or health care personnel is unable to permit, perform, or participate in a health care service that is a diagnostic or treatment option requested by a patient because the health care service is contrary to the conscience of the health care facility, physician, or health care personnel, then the patient shall either be provided the requested health care service by others in the facility or be notified that the health care will not be provided and be referred, transferred, or given information in accordance with paragraph (3).
(3) If requested by the patient or the legal representative of the patient, the health care facility, physician, or health care personnel shall: (i) refer the patient to, or (ii) transfer the patient to, or (iii) provide in writing information to the patient about other health care providers who they reasonably believe may offer the health care service the health care facility, physician, or health personnel refuses to permit, perform, or participate in because of a conscience-based objection.
(4) If requested by the patient or the legal representative of the patient, the health care facility, physician, or health care personnel shall provide copies of medical records to the patient or to another health care professional or health care facility designated by the patient in accordance with Illinois law, without undue delay.
Paragraph 3, proponents have said, could simply be a page out of the Yellow Pages.
In an ever-evolving Illinois economy, the popular new currency Bitcoin creates exciting possibilities. A new Illinois House committee is aimed at making sure Illinois embraces those innovative opportunities while providing the proper oversight to protect consumers.
State Rep. Jaime Andrade, chairman of the Illinois House Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, and IT Committee, announces the creation of a new subcommittee on cryptocurrencies and distributed ledgers. Andrade, D-Chicago, leads the full Cybersecurity Committee to review critical questions over how Illinois oversees the challenges that come with technological innovation, such as how online companies keep personal data shared on their platforms private and secure.
The cryptocurrency subcommittee will be chaired by state Rep. Mike Zalewski, D- Riverside, who already has been working on legislative oversight of Bitcoin and the blockchain to ensure the innovative economic tools can be fully and securely implemented in Illinois. Zalewski also leads on critical financial issues as chairman of the Illinois House Revenue and Finance Committee.
Bitcoin is a new digital currency held electronically, with no physical backing, that has taken the world financial sectors by storm. Bitcoin transactions work on a decentralized network of computers around the world, instead of through traditional paper and electronic payment transactions. Bitcoin’s value has been volatile in recent months, facing infrastructure challenges and high transaction fees.
The lawmakers said the subcommittee will be the perfect vehicle for policymakers to better understand Bitcoin technology.
“Technology can quickly outpace our state’s laws, and create unforeseen problems,” Andrade said. “I am confident Rep. Zalewski and this subcommittee will consider Bitcoin’s future carefully and allow us to support both innovation and consumer safety.”
Rep. Mike Zalewski
“In my work on other technological advances such as fantasy sports and ride-sharing services, we have found ourselves trying to catch up to popular services,” Zalewski said. “As lawmakers, we all want government to run more efficiently and transparently. Distributed ledger technology has the promise to do just that — replace old antiquated systems with a modern approach to serving citizens’ needs. My hope is we can understand whether Bitcoin is the right investment or a risky gamble, and create policy that puts consumers first.”
The value of the digital currency Bitcoin has been volatile during its existence so far, but its blockchain backbone could have other uses for the state. Blockchains are encrypted ledgers of transactions that can be shared. […]
“Regardless of how much Bitcoin is selling for, we can really use the technology that Bitcoin has provided to make government more efficient,” Zalewski said.
Zalewski said that could include sharing real estate and healthcare information more easily and securely.
“It would be great if people could control their own health records and not having to worry about documents going from Point A to Point B,” he said. “If everyone just had access, you could give clearance to who looked at your health records online in a very safe and secure way.”
Rep. Mike Zalewski, D-Riverside, who will chair the new subcommittee, said the group will focus on the software behind bitcoin, called blockchain. Zalewski said that technology could help state government run more efficiently.
“We are under tremendous pressure in this state to make government more efficient,” he said. “This technology has the opportunity to help remake government. That’s what we’re interested in.”
But lawmakers, who first began discussing digital currency and its application this fall, also want a more focused way to examine bitcoin’s use by consumers, Zalewski said, though he doesn’t expect there will be a rush to regulate or restrict bitcoin’s use.
“The goal of this is not to regulate it in a way that’s going to make people uncomfortable to use it in the future,” he said.
* Either way, I hope Rep. Zalewski has updated his Bitcoin thinking from mid-December…
“I’m skeptical there’s a bubble and I’m skeptical it’s going to burst,” Zalewski said. “Anything’s possible. Just based on the testimony we’ve received, the agency input, I’m very skeptical this is going to go away anytime soon.”
* Estonia, the Digital Republic: Its government is virtual, borderless, blockchained, and secure. Has this tiny post-Soviet nation found the way of the future?
* 4 Blockchain Bills Introduced in New York State Assembly: Horrified by reports that the Russians might have hacked voting machines and the fact that one county lost a high number of voter records in 2016, New York Assemblyman Clyde Vanel introduced four bills this past week to prevent this from ever happening in the state. “In 2016, Kings County lost 120,000 voter records,” Vanel said. “I felt we needed to secure and safeguard our election system. I wondered if blockchain (technology) was the solution.”
The following is a statement from Just Democracy Illinois, a nonpartisan voting rights coalition, on President Trump’s decision to disband the Presidential Advisory Commission on Voter Integrity:
“Just Democracy Illinois is pleased to see this presidentially-sanctioned witch hunt come to an end. This commission was flawed from the start. It was premised on a baseless claim that ‘millions’ of people illegally voted in the November 2016 election. It sought to obtain sensitive personal information about Illinois voters and threatened to expose that data to numerous privacy and security risks. Just Democracy will remain vigilant as federal officials and advisors continue to threaten the rights of our communities, including immigrant citizens, and other eligible voters.
“When the Commission issued overly broad demands for personal data of voters in 2017, Just Democracy Illinois immediately urged the Illinois State Board of Elections to deny the intrusive requests and debunk harmful myths of widespread voter fraud. After evaluating the requests and analyzing the facts, the bipartisan State Board denied the Commission’s requests and concluded the following about voter fraud: ‘The suspected instances we found equate to a fraud level of a couple thousandths of a single percent of the votes cast in the state.’
“As a nation, we still have a lot of work to do to protect our democracy and secure access to the ballot box. Across the country, states are passing laws that create unnecessary barriers to the ballot, which have negatively impacted turnout and intimidated voters from exercising their constitutional rights. Some of these policies intentionally disenfranchise communities through acts like purging eligible citizens from the voter rolls, while other states are stubbornly maintaining outdated registration systems that must be modernized.
“Just Democracy Illinois is proud that Illinois is taking the opposite approach and improving fairness of our elections. In recent years, the Land of Lincoln has passed laws to expand early voting, and to allow voters to register online or even at the polls. In August, Illinois unanimously passed a bipartisan Automatic Voter Registration law, which, once implemented, could add more than one million eligible Illinoisans to the voter rolls.
“To keep our election systems secure, prevent potential fraud and mis-registration, and reduce the barriers that decrease voter turnout, Just Democracy Illinois encourages states to instead follow Illinois’ bipartisan leadership on voting rights by passing legislation like Automatic Voter Registration.”
Just Democracy Illinois is led by a steering committee that includes Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago, CHANGE Illinois, Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, Chicago Votes, Common Cause Illinois, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, and Illinois PIRG.
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
IL Attorney General Candidate Sen. Kwame Raoul issued the following statement regarding President Trump’s order to disband his voter fraud commission:
Now that Donald Trump has decided to stop wasting taxpayer dollars on his Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, Bruce Rauner and his handpicked appointees need to stop wasting Illinois taxpayer dollars on Crosscheck.
Illinois has some of the strongest voter protections in the country thanks to the work of Sen. Raoul. Raoul was a leader in the passage of the Illinois Voting Rights Act as well as a constitutional amendment to protect the rights of all voters from having their voice and their rights taken away by discriminatory requirements.
Raoul has introduced legislation (Senate Bill 2273) to end the state’s use of Crosscheck, which was pioneered by Trump Appointee and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach. Senator Raoul has made his opposition to the flawed system clear while citing data security issues and potential racial bias.
A suburban Chicago resident who was offering up “slumber parties” in his basement for homeless people in his neighborhood during dangerously cold weather says city officials have given him an ultimatum.
Stop the “slumber parties” or the house will be condemned.
Greg Schiller, of Elgin, said he began letting a group of homeless people sleep in his unfinished basement last month during brutally cold nights, offering them food, warm beverages and a cot to sleep on while watching movies.
“I would stay up all night with them and give them coffee and stuff and feed them,” he said, adding that no drugs or alcohol were allowed inside his residence during the evening events. […]
“While we appreciate those who volunteer to provide additional resources in the community, Mr. Schiller’s house does not comply with codes and regulations that guard against potential dangers such as carbon monoxide poisoning, inadequate light and ventilation, and insufficient exits in the event of a fire,” city spokesperson Molly Center said in a statement. […]
Schiller said he hosted his “slumber parties” when wind chill values were 15 degrees or less, but would not offer up the basement if the emergency shelter was open.
“It’s cold enough to freeze to death,” he said.
Matthew 25:40 did not immediately respond to NBC Chicago’s request for comment Tuesday.
* More from Gov. Rauner’s interview with the Joliet Herald-News editorial board…
Herald-News: We wanted to ask you about something in the news recently about the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak at the Quincy Veterans’ Home. Your opponents were coming down on you not taking responsibility in their eyes. Do you want to respond to that?
Rauner: It’s so false. First of all, it’s heartbreaking. I take care for our residents, all our residents, especially our veterans very seriously. We go above and beyond to take care of our veterans. We had an outbreak of Legionella at that facility. Our team took immediate, strong action. We brought in national experts, brought in the CDC, spent $6.5 million on a new filtration system, changed the protocols, did everything possible to improve the situation and keep people safe there. We got rave reviews and appropriate support from the national experts.
Since then we’ve had a few incidences of Legionella infection and we’ve checked and made sure we’re doing all the protocols, etc. The reality is, and this is what’s not getting into the reports, the Legionella bacteria is in most water systems in Illinois. There were just two infections of Legionnaires at Northwestern Hospital, which is not even an old facility and I think is regarded as a really well-run facility. These things happen.
With our veterans, many of them are in their late 80s and 90s (and are) vulnerable to getting sick. They don’t have a strong immune system. So the reality is that there’s some risk but in all facilities there’s risk. We’re getting criticized. We went the extra step. Normally for years, these issues have been going on in Illinois. We actually wanted to find out what was causing it.
* Pritzker campaign…
Bruce Rauner once again refused to take responsibility for his fatal mismanagement of the Legionnaires crisis in Quincy, boasting of the “rave reviews” his response got, despite the fact that 13 lives were lost on his watch.
While Rauner claims he took “immediate, strong action,” WBEZ reported that his administration waited 6 days to alert the public that the outbreak looked like the “beginning of an epidemic.” Explaining the recent outbreaks in 2016 and 2017 — the latter killing a Korean War Veteran — Rauner deflected, saying, “these things happen.”
“Thirteen Illinoisans lost their lives to the Legionnaires crisis and Bruce Rauner is bragging about his response from one side of his mouth and deflecting responsibility from the other,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “‘These things happen’ when a governor entirely fails to take charge of the state he is supposed to lead and leaves the most vulnerable to pay the ultimate price.”
* DGA…
“Illinois veterans died under state supervision and all Bruce Rauner can muster are excuses why his administration should not be blamed,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “Rauner’s consistent knee-jerk rejection of responsibility for any of his failures shows exactly where his priorities lie. Rauner seems more interested in washing away this scandal than actually addressing any of the outstanding questions surrounding his administration’s botched response to the Quincy Veterans’ Home.”
Gov. Bruce Rauner on Wednesday night checked himself into the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy — and plans to stay there for several nights as a show of support for the home whose management came under fire amid outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease.
“I believe he arrived around 9:3o p.m or 10 p.m.,” State Sen. Jil Tracy, R-Quincy, said on Thursday morning, noting his plan is to spend several nights there.
“Obviously the word is getting out with the residents and staff,” Tracy said.
The governor, she said, “wanted to show his support for the veteran’s home and for the safety of the residents.”
The governor’s office did not immediately respond to comment on the stay. Rauner has not had a public event since Dec. 20.
Thoughts?
*** UPDATE 2 *** From the governor’s office…
Hi Rich,
The Governor is in Quincy staying at the Illinois Veterans Home. He plans to spend several days there with the residents and staff. He wants to gain a more thorough understanding of the clinical, water-treatment, and residential operations of the home.
Rachel Bold
Press Secretary
Office of Governor Bruce Rauner
Rauner’s stay comes as the Illinois House and Senate veterans affairs committees are scheduled to hold an investigatory hearing on Tuesday in Chicago. In preparation, several lawmakers toured the home on Wednesday, including Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, a Democrat from Oswego.
The Marine Corps veteran described the visit as an “introductory tour” in which lawmakers visited one residential facility, met with some survivors who contracted the disease, and learned about the new water treatment facility.
Kifowit said officials must provide more answers about why outbreaks continued after a new water treatment system was installed and provide more details about procedures and protocols for checking on patients. She said the facility’s ventilation system should also be looked at, questioning if it’s possible that Legionella bacteria was being transmitted through the air on warm, humid days.
“He should have been visiting the home constantly in 2015 and 2016 to make sure the veterans were safe and taken care of,” Kifowit said, calling the Rauner stay “symbolic.” “He’s a day late and a dollar short.”
*** UPDATE 4 *** Another one piles on…
"I grew up on the farm & ya learn pretty early, if it looks like a duck & walks like a duck & talks like a duck, it's a duck. This looks like a damage control publicity stunt." - @JeanneIves running-mate Rich Morthland on @GovRauner in #Quincy@wlsam890pic.twitter.com/VZvK1JrdRJ
Last night, instead of showing up with solutions, Bruce Rauner visited the Quincy Veterans’ home for a political stunt. Rauner’s last visit was a year and a half ago.
With the Legionnaires crisis in its third year, Rauner has suddenly found an urgent need to “gain a more thorough understanding of the clinical, water-treatment and residential operations of the home.” The visit conveniently coincides with a General Assembly investigatory hearing on Bruce Rauner’s gross mismanagement of the Legionnaires crisis set for next week.
“Three years into a devastating crisis that took the lives of thirteen veterans and spouses and Bruce Rauner is conducting a political stunt complete with no solutions and a firm commitment to evading responsibility,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “Families who lost loved ones and heroes who are still at risk don’t need a photo op with their failed governor, they need someone willing to take charge of this state.”
*** UPDATE 6 *** DGA…
Last night, Governor Bruce Rauner checked into the Quincy Veterans’ Home in an attempt to quiet growing questions about his administration’s botched response to Legionnaires’ outbreaks there. In three years, 13 veterans’ home residents have died from the disease and two WBEZ reports have called into question how Rauner’s administration responded to the first outbreak in 2015.
While Rauner stays in Quincy, perhaps he can answer these questions:
Why did the Rauner administration wait six days before telling the public or families of residents about the outbreak, which one infectious disease expert called “mind-boggling”?
When did Governor Rauner learn of the outbreak? What did he talk about with IDVA Director Erica Jeffries when they attended an event together during the middle of the outbreak?
Why were some sick residents, who later died, not getting tested or treated for Legionnaires’ disease even though your administration confirmed the outbreak to the CDC?
Why did Rauner say in 2016 that his administration was “really on top of the situation” if he is just now getting a “more thorough understanding” of the problem?
At least one family claims that Rauner’s administration never tried contacting them after the death of their father. Why has Rauner not reached out to the families of the deceased?
Has anyone in the administration been held accountable for the outbreak response?
In an editorial board meeting yesterday, Rauner deflected blame for the 13 deaths by pointing out the veterans’ home residents had weak immune systems, claiming “rave reviews” for his response, and arguing that “these things happen.”
“Bruce Rauner’s stunt does not hide the fact that he has not addressed hard questions about his administration’s botched response to the Legionnaires’ outbreak,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “Thirteen families lost loved ones and deserve to know what happened. They need more than what Governor Rauner is offering.”
*** UPDATE 7 *** Governor’s office…
Hey Rich,
I wanted to make sure you were aware that Governor Rauner has made several visits to the Quincy Veterans Home throughout his time in office. The Governor visited on October 14, 2015, July 27, 2016, and recently as December 8, 2017.
Rachel Bold
Press Secretary
Office of Governor Bruce Rauner
* Gov. Rauner was asked yesterday for his thoughts on the new federal tax changes, particularly the limitation on deductibility for state and local taxes…
That’s gonna hurt a lot of middle class families and higher income families. That’s gonna push more employers out of the state. That’s gonna hurt job creation. That’s gonna increase the cost of living for the people. So, it’s punishing in that regard.
The governor was asked repeatedly over the past few months to weigh in on the tax bill and refused to take any real public stance. If he truly believes the SALT provisions are “punishing,” maybe he should’ve said something earlier?
The governor also repeated his belief that the state and local tax deduction limit could give a boost to his call for freezing property taxes and rolling back a state income tax hike.
“It’s punishing in that regard,” Rauner said of the tax limitation. “That’s why it’s so critical that we get the reforms done that I’ve been advocating.”
Rauner said in the interview that he was in Joliet on Wednesday, but the governor’s office listed no events on his public schedule. He has not been out in public since the week before Christmas.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Response…
Seriously? His polling on the #GOPTaxScam must have just come back, because the rest of us knew months ago this bill was a big giveaway to billionaires. @BruceRauner is out of touch, missing in action, and fails to lead on the most important federal issues impacting our state. https://t.co/HMrlmZQh6r
You know what they say: even a broken clock is right twice a day.
Yesterday, in a radio interview, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner said what vulnerable House Republicans Reps. Peter Roskam, Randy Hultgren, Mike Bost, and Rodney Davis have been unable to admit: the GOP tax scam is going to hike taxes on middle class families and homeowners across Illinois.
Let’s go to the transcript […]
But it’s not like Rauner broke news. Over the holidays Illinois families across the state were scrambling to prepay their property taxes to avoid getting slammed when the GOP tax bill goes into effect next year.
The GOP Tax Scam guts the deduction for State and Local Taxes, which nearly a third of Illinoisans take advantage of for an average deduction of over $12,000.
Bruce Rauner finally got something right: the GOP tax scam is going to hammer middle class families and homeowners in Illinois. The only thing he left out: this November, voters are going to take it out on Reps. Peter Roskam, Randy Hultgren, Mike Bost, and Rodney Davis.
*** UPDATE 3 *** Ives campaign…
On Wednesday, Governor Rauner called the new federal tax law “punishing,” criticizing a $10,000 cap on deducting state and local taxes. State Representative Jeanne Ives, a Republican Candidate for Governor released the following statement in response:
“The reason Illinois families are ‘punished’ by the $10,000 cap on State and Local Tax Deductions is because the guy who ran on reform in 2014 didn’t do anything about Illinois’ tax burden. He actually made it worse.
“Families in this state pay the highest property taxes in the nation. Governor Rauner did nothing about it. If Illinois put hard cap on property taxes, like Indiana, then more Illinois families would qualify to keep more of their income under House Republicans tax reform plan. Further, more of those same Illinois families could afford more home and expect a real rate of return on their investment. This prospect is virtually eliminated in Illinois where the median property tax rates as a percentage of home value is nearly 2.5 times that of Indiana.
“Governor Rauner is talking about freezing property taxes. Well, again, Illinoisans pay the highest property taxes in the nation. Why would you want to lock that in by freezing them? We need to lower property taxes. I am advocating a property tax cap that will force state government to remove itself “from initiatives it has proven poor at managing, and to properly fund K-12 education.
“According to the left-leaning Tax Policy Center, 80% of American families will see federal tax relief from the GOP tax cuts. Rauner is simply trying to out-#NeverTrump J.B. Pritzker. In substance and in rhetoric, Rauner is once again allied with Rahm, Pelosi and Schumer and against the Illinois GOP congressional delegation and Illinois GOP families. Another betrayal.
“The truth is, Governor Rauner failed to hold the Illinois Republican caucus together, and 15 Republicans voted to inflict a massive income tax hike on the already struggling families and businesses of this state. In Washington D.C., President Trump unified the Congressional Republican caucus to pass tax reform that will provide relief to most Americans. I may not agree with everything President Trump does, but I want to see him succeed. And can recognize it when he does. Bruce Rauner is out trying to sell a success as failure, and failure as success. It is little wonder Illinois Republicans can feel they can no longer trust the man they elected in 2014.”
Bob Daiber, a Democratic candidate for governor, paid $5,437 in state income tax in Tax Year 2016 (filed in 2017), he revealed today (Thursday) as he released his Illinois tax returns for tax years 2012 through 2016.
For 2016, Daiber and his wife Karen declared $158,113 in income on their joint return. They received a tax credit of $166 for paying $3,328 in property tax on their home in Marine, Ill. The result was an income tax obligation of $5,437 for the couple.
“This is a true Illinois 1040 tax return, just like ordinary working families throughout the state file,” Bob Daiber said. “It’s not muddied up with trusts or holding company dividends.”
Other candidates for the Democratic nomination for governor filed more complicated returns. In the case of J.B. Pritzker, $13.2 million of his income came from trusts. Pritzker also paid no state income tax in 2014. State Sen. Daniel Biss (D-Evanston) has released returns showing that in two of the last five years, he did not owe any federal income tax.
Furthermore, the income totals show that while Daiber makes a comfortable living as the regional superintendent of schools in Madison County, he is not as wealthy as his competitors in the race for governor. Pritzker declared a total of $15 million in taxable income, while Christopher Kennedy declared $1.2 million, and Gov. Bruce Rauner declared $91 million in state taxable income.
Daiber is also calling for a progressive state income tax, meaning the tax rate would be higher at higher income levels.
Illinois has the fifth-most regressive state and local tax structure in the nation, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (https://itep.org/whopays/#). In Illinois, the poorest 20 percent pay 13.2 percent of their income in state and local taxes. The middle 60 percent pay 10.9 percent of their income in state and local taxes. The wealthiest 1 percent pay 4.6 of their income in state and local taxes. Illinois does not, in effect, have a flat tax. When you include sales tax, motor fuel taxes, taxes on tobacco and alcohol along with property tax and local taxes, such as the late and not lamented Cook County soda tax, we have a system that heavily taxes the poor, while leaving the wealthy relatively unscathed.
“There’s an old saying: You can’t get blood from a turnip, but that’s what we’re trying to do in Illinois,” Daiber said. “Every time we turn around, the state and local governments are scheming to nick low- and moderate-income residents for another few dollars, while the millions that our investment bankers and private equity managers are piling up are out of reach. For those who say a flat tax is the only fair tax, I say we have to make our state income tax much more progressive in order to reach flat tax status, let alone progressive tax status.”
Daiber proposes the following income tax structure:
* Income from $2,500 to $24,999 – 1 percent
* Income from $25,000 to $44,999 – 2.25 percent
* Income from $45,000 to $149,999 – 3.75 percent
* Income from $150,000 to $999,999 – 4.95 percent
* Income over $1 million – 6 percent
Unfortunately, Article 9 Section 3 of the Illinois Constitution of 1970 requires that when income tax is imposed, it must be at a non-graduated rate. There is no cute way around this; a progressive income tax will require an amendment to the Constitution. An amendment requires a three-fifths vote in both the House and Senate, and then a successful referendum, approved by either three-fifths of the people voting on the question, or a majority of the people voting in the election.
“The process for amending the Constitution is simple, but not easy,” Daiber said. “But that’s what it’s going to take. We’ll never get out of first gear as a state if we don’t do it. I plan to fight for it.”
I’m not sure if those rates would bring in more money or not. But, hey, at least he’s saying what he wants the rates to be. Nobody else has done that yet.
Herald-News: The Grundy County State’s Attorney Jason Helland is running for Secretary of State. Do you have thoughts on him?
Rauner: The one person that I’m really advocating strongly for is Erika Harold to be Attorney General. There are other competitive races where I’m not taking an active position one way or another. Erika Harold is the one where I’m very – and Darlene Senger for comptroller. We’ve got to have a comptroller who is independent of Madigan.
He apparently needs to memorize his new campaign talking points.
Reporter: You ran on a platform of taking on the Speaker and reducing his power. If you have been unable to do that successfully, and are not in charge now, what is the argument for having four more years if the Speaker isn’t going anywhere?
Gov. Rauner: Ah, but the point is I believe he will be going somewhere. Into, uh, into retirement. And that’s what we’re working on. And this is, people around the state want this, and Democrats want this almost as much as Republicans when you talk with people around the state. And what I’m gratified to see is there is a strong movement from Democrats as well as Republicans to not have one person be Speaker for an extended period. […]
Reporter: So, are you saying that you envision a scenario where you get elected to a second term… and the Speaker is not the Speaker any more?
Gov. Rauner: I think there’s a very, very high probability of that and it would be a wonderful step for the state.
Gov. Rauner: The good news is, even if I can’t get Speaker Madigan gone this year in the election - that’d be nice, but I don’t think he’s gonna go anywhere…
Rauner went on to say that if he is reelected this year he’ll be able to “stop the income tax hike that Madigan and his friend Pritzker want to do,” which is presumably some sort of progressive/graduated income tax.
So, I guess that’s it. The biggest difference between Rauner’s first and second terms is that he’ll be able to stop Madigan from raising taxes, even though he couldn’t do that during his first term.
A fresh infusion of hope came with the new year for the Cairo Port project in the form of a sizable donation from the Rauner Family Foundation.
In a news release from Cairo Public Utility on Wednesday, it was announced that Gov. Bruce and wife Diana Rauner’s foundation would be donating $100,000 to the project. Larry Klein, chairman of the Port District and general manager of CPU, said in the release this donation will allow them to drum up interest from shipping companies. […]
He also said that as more companies express interest in the port, which would be built on 160 acres along the Mississippi River-side of the city, it will open up more funding opportunities in 2018 and beyond. […]
However in May, [Sen. Dale Fowler, R-Harrisburg] told the paper there was a need for about $1 million in “soft money” to pay for legal fees, permits and surveys before any real development could start.
On a visit to Cairo in May, Delta Regional Authority Federal Co-Chairman Chris Masingill said the DRA valued the project and could jump in at any point in its development, but said that soft money was needed before they could make any commitments.
Maybe JB Pritzker and Chris Kennedy could open their wallets as well?
Stars, they’re just like us! They’re also finding it difficult to function in Chicago’s unbearable cold.
“Whoa .… Chicago is hella cold. I gotta break off all of my friendships with people who don’t live in my bedroom or kitchen. I’m a house-person now,” actress Gabourey Sidibe tweeted this week. She is back in town filming the rest of Season 4 of the Fox drama “Empire.”
The city’s subfreezing temperatures seemed to vex even celebrities who are from here.
The Chicago rock band Twin Peaks updated the lyrics of its song “Good Lovin’” at Thalia Hall over the weekend to reflect the weather: “It’s (expletive) freezing in Chicago. The snow falls on my window.”
Rapper Vic Mensa, who hails from the South Side and is often in Chicago, tweeted last week: “Chicago I’m sorry I left you for so long but I’m back to freeze to death with you.” He helped celebrate the opening of the new Near North bar/lounge LiqrBox.
* The Question: Any weather-related trouble to report?
Jan. 1 may be the start of the new year, but Jan. 2 marks the start of a controversial new program that adds up to millions in tax breaks for Illinois residents and millions more in scholarships for private-school students.
If Illinois follows the history of other states, taxpayers will be up and online early Tuesday, snapping up a maximum of $75 million in tax credits available for making donations to the Invest in Kids Scholarship Tax Credit Program.
The tax credits, administered by the Illinois Department of Revenue, translate to as much as $100 million in scholarship donations to parochial and private schools throughout the state.
“Many of my clients are very interested in it,” said Neil Kawashima, a tax attorney with McDermott, Will & Emery who counsels wealthy individuals and families. “Obviously [there’s] the philanthropic benefit of helping low-income children obtain scholarships for tuition to private schools and parochial schools, but also there are significant tax benefits as well.”
He expects all the tax credits the state has set aside could be claimed within “days” because there are annual online stampedes for the credits in other states with similar plans.
And if other states are any indication, Illinois will want to brace for some serious interest: In Georgia, one of 17 others with a similar subsidy, all available tax credits have been snapped up by donors on New Year’s Day each year since 2015.
Illinois apparently ain’t Georgia.
* Governor’s office press release…
Illinois’ new Invest in Kids scholarship program — which gives low- to middle-income students opportunities to attend non-public schools that best meet their educational goals — attracted more than $36 million in pledged contributions on Tuesday, Jan. 2, the first day the state began accepting applications, Gov. Bruce Rauner announced today.
Taxpayers can contribute up to $1.3 million to eligible organizations and receive an income tax credit equal to 75 percent of their approved contributions. The state caps total yearly contributions at $100 million.
“When we unleash the power of private-sector investment incentives like Invest in Kids, great things are possible,” Rauner said. “Within its first hour of going live, more than one-third of all Invest in Kids contributions have been allocated for the 2018 tax year. This outpouring of generosity is truly a testament to the many Illinoisans who believe in offering students and their families a choice in their education.”
Taxpayers wishing to contribute to Invest in Kids may apply online through MyTax Illinois, the Illinois Department of Revenue’s free online account management program.
Individuals and businesses must apply to the Illinois Department of Revenue to obtain Contribution Authorization Certificates that permit them to make authorized contributions to one of the approved scholarship granting organizations. Those organizations, in turn, provide scholarships for eligible Illinois students to attend qualified non-public schools in Illinois. The application process ensures equal access to the $75 million in tax credits available each year.
REPORTER: Can you speak specifically to legislation you would support to reinvest in communities and decrease violence in Chicago and across the state?
KENNEDY: Sure, there’s all sorts of programs that have been proven both in Chicago and around the country. We can duplicate ideas that have been successful elsewhere. And we can refund, reinvest in the programs that have worked in Chicago. Chicago pioneered the notion of interrupting the spread of violence once it begins, with programs like Ceasefire. The work that was done here was perfected in other communities like Boston. We could take the best of that thinking and bring it to Chicago and have an incredible impact. We don’t have this problem in other cities. We don’t, and we can solve it here. We just need the will to do so.
REPORTER: But in terms of legislation and education, or um, supporting business. Any ideas there that you would support as Governor?
KENNEDY: Well, I’d say the most important thing is to ban elected officials from having outside jobs that are adverse to the interests of the body they were elected to serve. We need to ban elected officials from being property tax appeals lawyers. Until we do that, until we get the dirty money out of politics, we’ll never get the dirty politicians out of government. They will prevent us from moving to a different system of funding our schools. If we don’t move to a different system of funding our schools we’ll never provide our kids great education. If we don’t provide them great education we’ll never provide them great opportunities. Without great opportunities, they’ll be doomed to spending their lives committing crimes of survival and that is not right, not in America.
I would really like to see the legal and constitutional defense of this ban on doing property tax appeals while serving in the General Assembly.
* I asked Ann Lousin about Kennedy’s idea a while ago. Lousin, as you likely know, is one of our top state constitutional scholars. She didn’t think Kennedy could legally ban that particular outside work, but didn’t totally rule it out without first seeing how he worded it. Even so, she called it the “usual garbage” from a campaign. So, Kennedy’s “most important” issue could turn out to be a fairy tale.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Chris Kennedy on Wednesday accused Mayor Rahm Emanuel of being part of a “strategic gentrification plan being implemented by the city of Chicago to push people of color out” of the city. […]
Asked about minorities moving from the city to the suburbs, Kennedy said: “My belief is they are being pushed out. This is involuntary. We’re cutting off money for schools, cutting off money for police, allowing people to be forced to live in food deserts, closing hospitals, closing access to mental health facilities.”
“What choice do people have but to move, to leave, and I think that’s part of a strategic gentrification plan being implemented by the city of Chicago to push people of color out of the city?
Asked who is behind the alleged plan to push out minorities, Kennedy pointed to Emanuel.
“I believe in the tone at the top,” he said. “I believe the mayor is aware of what’s going on, and I think he is allowing that to occur and in some ways encouraging it.”
* More…
More Chris Kennedy. He says Mayor Emanuel is purposely disinvesting in certain communities to push out black people.
"I believe that black people are being pushed out of Chicago intentionally."
Kennedy cited as an example of the “strategic gentrification plan” a move by CPS to close four South Side high schools for a year before a new school opens in 2019.
“I don’t know what you can say when the strategic plan for Chicago Public Schools suggest that the entire community of Englewood can go an entire year without access to a high school,” he said.
“What are you saying to the people there? No one’s going to move there who’s got a high school kid. And anybody with a high school kid has to think about what they’re going to do. It’s just a device to empty out the community,” he said.
The CTU’s Twitter account seems to be nodding the union’s approval. Check it out.
In response to Kennedy’s comments about city violence, Police Supt. Eddie Johnson released a statement.
“I’ve never heard from Chris Kennedy. I’ve never even met him. He’s never visited a police station or asked me or my team for any kind of briefing on what we are doing in Chicago to address the gang violence and ongoing infusion of illegal guns on to our streets,” Johnson said in the statement.
“I don’t recall seeing him at our CAPS meetings or in our beat meetings. As far as I can tell he hasn’t spoken to one officer or any of CPD leadership. I’m not a politician but I do take issue when the hard work our men and women are doing to beat back this violence is used to score political points. In terms of violence reductions, no one is spiking the ball, but we must acknowledge and build upon the commitment and progress being made by communities and officers working together to reduce crime.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** Mayor’s office…
“It’s sad to see Chris Kennedy joining President Trump and Governor Rauner in using cynical, politically motivated attacks about Chicago’s communities for his own personal gain. His divisive comments today are a direct assault on one of this city’s great strengths — our diversity — and they ignore the work being done in neighborhoods across the City - and in conjunction with community leaders and residents — to improve the quality of life for everyone who calls Chicago home. The noise of this particular election will come and go, and when it does we’ll still be focusing on boosting neighborhood small businesses, investing in our schools, and improving public safety.” - Matt McGrath, mayoral spokesman
* Related…
* Chris Kennedy Discusses Illinois’ Gun Violence Problem, His Plan For Change: Solidifying his stance as not a regular Democrat, he said leaders of his party are part of an economic system that pushes minorities out of the city. And, he added, Republican Governor Bruce Rauner strangles social programs to help victims of violence and the poor.
California Governor Jerry Brown, one of the most liberal Governors in the nation, has found a political role model in Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner. Brown recently followed Rauner’s lead, allowing a sanctuary state law to take effect in California this week.
In an interview with Fox Business’ Neil Cavuto, Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Thomas Homan called the choice “a political decision. Not a law enforcement decision.” Homan said Brown “knowingly and intentionally put law enforcement at risk. It put American communities at risk.” Homan went on to say, “If [Brown] thinks he is protecting the immigrant community, he is doing quite the opposite. If he thinks ICE is going away, we’re not. As a matter of fact, we’re going to significantly increase our presence… If politicians in California don’t want to protect their communities, ICE will.”
State Representative Jeanne Ives, a Republican Candidate for Governor, released the following statement in response:
“Mr. Homan’s comments could very easily apply to Illinois, which Governor Rauner made a sanctuary state by signing SB31 last year. Sanctuary policies make all of us less safe. Liberal elites, like Jerry Brown and Bruce Rauner, are very cavalier with the lives of other people. They use people as the means to their political ends. Brown and Rauner believe they are above the law. And, therefore, believe they can decide who has to follow it and who does not. I will lead the charge against the pandering political class.
“2017 ended with nearly 3,400 shootings and almost 650 homicides in the city of Chicago alone. As leaders, we should be focused on protecting families, not criminals. Governor Rauner betrayed law-abiding families in favor of political pandering.
“I’m a pro-legal-immigration conservative. America as a beacon of freedom and opportunity for people the world over is a good thing and should be maintained. But we cannot be without the rule of law.
“Sanctuary state protects those who violate the law at the expense of those who follow the law. It pits law enforcement agencies against one another rather than encouraging cooperation in the interests of making communities safer. Governor Rauner’s sanctuary state policy should be repealed. As Gov, I won’t pretend not to be in charge. I will lead this charge to protect our citizens. With Republican colleagues like John Cabello, who has introduced a repeal of the inanely named Trust Act, and downstate Democrats, we will repeal this extreme and dangerous policy.
“I won’t pretend not to be in charge.” Man, that silly statement is gonna haunt him until November.
The acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says politicians who run sanctuary cities should be charged with crimes.
Thomas Homan said in an interview Tuesday with Fox News Channel’s Neil Cavuto that the Department of Justice needs to file charges against municipalities that don’t cooperate with federal immigration authorities and deny them funding.
He also says politicians should be held “personally accountable” for crimes committed by people living in the U.S. illegally.
Homan said, “We’ve got to start charging some of these politicians with crimes.”
* Related…
* Illinois ACLU: Trust Act not a substitute for Bloomington ‘welcoming city’ ordinance
* “David Faris is an associate professor of political science at Roosevelt University and the author of Dissent and Revolution in a Digital Age: Social Media, Blogging and Activism in Egypt”…
The popular belief that Rauner won because he’s rich, and the reality that he has already tossed over $50 million of his own money into his re-election race in the same way that normal people drop pennies into fountains, has led many state Democrats to think that you have to fight billions with billions. Rauner has unlimited cheddar, so goes this line of thinking, and therefore we need someone with unlimited cheddar to beat him. There is no other possible explanation for why political neophyte J.B. Pritzker is (supposedly) leading the Democratic race for the nomination, other than fear of Rauner’s riches and the fact that the Pritzker family name adorns roughly every third building in Chicago.
Here’s the reality: While the state faces some unique structural economic challenges that will be a drag on any Democrat, the party does not need a billionaire to win this year’s gubernatorial election. In fact, they probably just need someone with a pulse who isn’t a criminal or a serial sexual harasser.
Beyond Pritzker and the person regarded as his chief opponent, Chris Kennedy (and yes, he is that kind of Kennedy), there is a candidate who is getting overlooked but who might ultimately be the best choice: state Sen. Daniel Biss. A former University of Chicago math professor, Biss is now the default progressive darling in this race after Chicago Alderman Ameya Pawar dropped out.
While he is somewhat unpolished on the stump, Biss boasts the most progressive platform of the remaining contenders, promising to do things that will put him on a collision course with the hated Democratic legislative machine, like enacting limits on how long one person can serve as the leader of the Illinois House or Senate. He wants to amend the state constitution to allow progressive taxation, eliminate tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy and publicly finance state elections. Biss also supports free community college and expanded investment in the state’s declining public universities, and opposes the kind of corporate tax giveaways embodied in Chicago’s plan to allow Amazon to keep its workers’ state income taxes should the company locate its second headquarters here.
In a year’s time, many people die — about 33,000 in 2016-17. But births more than offset that; Illinois gained nearly 154,000 new little citizens in that same time frame. Plus, the Land of Lincoln welcomed more new residents internationally than it lost — a net increase of 33,700.
The reason Illinois’ population is falling — while that of most states’, including all neighboring ones, are increasing: More people are leaving than arriving. The state’s “net domestic migration” was a minus-114,779. That’s just in a year’s time.
In the seven years since the last census in 2010, Illinois has seen a net loss to other states of nearly 643,000 people. That’s roughly the combined populations of Champaign, McLean, Macon, Vermilion, Iroquois, Douglas, Piatt and Ford counties.
Why is Illinois losing people while other states are gaining?
* OK, so while I was Googling stuff about the governor’s new budget director Hans Zigmund, I came across a study from the past October that Zigmund co-authored entitled “Dynamic Fiscal Analysis: Increasing Minimum Wage in Illinois.” From the report…
Negative effect on employment
Given that increase in wage is not due to increase in productivity, workforce will be reduced to compensate for increase in labor cost.
Negative effect on Gross Domestic Product
Higher labor cost & higher cost of goods and services have a detrimental effect on competitiveness. This leads to decrease in exports and business investment.
Negative effect on prices
Raising labor cost will be translated into higher prices.
Positive effect on Personal (and disposable) income
Raising minimum wage will increase earnings – personal income- of eligible workers (those that remain employed)
Negative effect on Real personal disposable income
Given the increase in prices, there is a negative effect on real personal income.
Positive effect on population growth.
Increased net economic migrants, probably explained by an improved consumption access index in IL and by improved relative real compensation rate in the state.
That last highlighted point is kinda interesting. The study goes on to suggest that some folks would make enough money to get off public assistance programs, lowering state costs.
* The governor made some New Year’s resolutions. Here’s one of the tweets…
Roll back Madigan's tax hike, pass a balanced budget: We will introduce a plan to repeal the Madigan tax hike and require the budget to be truly balanced. No balanced budget = no pay for legislators. They need to earn their paycheck before taking more from yours. #twill#ilgov
OK, first, notice that he didn’t actually say he would introduce a truly balanced budget. He put that off on the General Assembly. But he did say he’d introduce a plan to repeal the tax hike, so I’ll be interested to see what he does since he has yet to introduce a balanced budget himself.
* Meanwhile…
Three state employees are assuming new roles in the Rauner Administration in the new year, the governor announced today.
Gov. Bruce Rauner has named Hans Zigmund the new director of the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget. Zigmund will succeed Scott Harry on Jan. 15, 2018. Harry is taking a position with the Illinois State Board of Education. Andrew Perkins will advance to deputy chief of staff for Legislative Affairs, succeeding former state legislator Darlene Senger, who is pursuing other public service. And Rachel Bold assumes the role of press secretary on the governor’s communications team.
Zigmund joined state government in 2006 as a staff economist in the Illinois Department of Revenue. Since then, he has served in positions of increasing responsibility, including chief economist. He also was associate director of the Office of Management and Budget from 2011 to 2013, and has been director of economic policy in the governor’s office since August.
Rauner said he wishes Harry and Senger well in their new ventures, and is confident that Zigmund will hit the ground running. […]
Perkins, who most recently served as the governor’s Senate liaison, now will lead a team that interacts with members of the General Assembly to advance the governor’s agenda.
“Darlene did a tremendous job in Legislative Affairs,” Rauner said. “We are fortunate to have another dedicated public servant in Andrew.”
Perkins began his career as a policy analyst for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. He spent more than two years as an appropriations analyst for the Illinois Senate Republican staff, and returned to DCEO as deputy director of Legislative Affairs before joining the governor’s office in 2016. […]
Bold, formerly with the Senate Republican staff, joined the governor’s communications team in November. The new press secretary is a Springfield resident. She earned her bachelor of arts in communications and international studies from Monmouth College.
Making it legal to raise industrial hemp has been a topic of discussion in Illinois for years. Wisconsin is the most recent state to allow farmers to grow it. Will Illinois be next?
Back in 2014, the federal farm bill authorized states to grow hemp for research purposes… and effective in 2015, Illinois allowed specific state universities to do so. […]
“For farmers it’s an opportunity to possibly diversify into a new crop. It’s something different than maybe the traditional crops you see grown in Illinois. It would be an opportunity for them to diversify and possibly make some new income off a new crop” [said the Illinois Farm Bureau’s director of external relations Bill Bodine].
He says to expect another try in 2018.
“We’re likely to see legislation introduced that would legalize industrial hemp production in the state. That legislation is something the Illinois Farm Bureau will be supportive of.”
For once, the main obstacle to legalization wasn’t some outdated belief that hemp is somehow evil. It was instead about stepping on a Statehouse interest group’s toes. That’s actually progress in a weird way, but the opposition needs to be overcome this year.
*** UPDATE *** JB Pritzker…
“Legalizing industrial hemp will help diversify and expand our agricultural economy and I am strongly in favor. I stand with Senator Toi Hutchinson, who is leading this fight in the General Assembly, and will work with her and farmers across Illinois to make legalized industrial hemp a reality in our state.”
Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) played a role in the drawn out legal battle between the Village of Broadview and a proposed adult “gentleman’s club,” Chicago Joe’s Tea Room, according to a 2013 deposition of former Broadview Mayor Henry A. Vicenik.
Vicenik, who was no longer mayor at the time of the deposition, said that Durkin called to arrange a meeting between him and David Donahue, one of the principal parties behind Chicago Joe’s.
Donahue is a one-time aide to House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) and former Cicero Town President Betty Loren-Maltese, who spent eight years in federal prison for stealing $12 million in city funds.
In the deposition, Vicenik said he and Donahue discussed how Vicenik, who was named personally in the lawsuit, could get out of the case. An attorney deposing Vicenik noted an earlier statement made by Vicenik that Donahue had threatened to take Broadview board members’ houses away.
In 2007, the board voted to deny Chicago Joe’s a “special use” permit, and the court cases began and are still ongoing.
Vicenik did not return a call from West Cook News for comment.
Durkin’s office responded to an email asking about the relationship between Durkin and Donahue with a letter from Patrick W. Walsh, a Clarendon Hills trial lawyer: The letter in part said, “Representative Durkin does not and did not represent Mr. Donahue.”
U.S. District Court records also show that Durkin attempted to quash a subpoena to testify in a deposition. The judge denied the motion. Durkin, an attorney, represented Broadview in the mid-2000s in between stints as a House member.
* A follow-up story in the Sun-Times never mentions the Proft media piece, but does debunk some of the story, although you gotta first wade through a bunch of tantalizing sizzle like this…
In a sworn deposition in a federal court case, the former mayor of Broadview testified that Illinois House Minority Leader Jim Durkin called and asked him to meet with a strip club consultant who has fought village officials for more than a decade over plans for a new adult-entertainment venue.
But scroll down and you’ll see that Durkin actually prevailed on his motion to squash the subpoena…
Durkin was subpoenaed in the case repeatedly but his lawyers convinced the judge he shouldn’t have to testify.
“I think whatever involvement he had in that one conversation is tangential at best,” the judge said.
In his deposition in the case in March 2014, Donahue denied asking Durkin to contact Vicenik for him, but said he had a conversation with Durkin before Vicenik called him.
“I think I spoke to Jim Durkin about something,” Donahue said. “I told him that I had tried to get ahold of Henry Vicenik, and I had not been able to get ahold of him.”
Donahue said he didn’t know why Vicenik called him after that.
“I assume Durkin may have mentioned it,” Donahue said. “If he ran into [Vicenik], he told him, you know, ‘Donahue was looking for you.’”
In an interview this week, Donahue said, “I did not ask Jim Durkin to set up any meeting. As far as I know, he didn’t.”
Durkin denies intervening in Broadview strip club dispute despite ex-mayor’s testimony
Proft, of course, is backing a GOP primary challenger against Durkin. He’s getting some big help from Local 150 of the Operating Engineers, which is part of the new Sun-Times ownership group.
* The Tribune looks at reported campaign contributions so far in the attorney general’s race…
*Among the eight Democrats running in the March 20 primary, state Sen. Kwame Raoul tops the field in money so far. The longtime lawmaker started with more than $406,000 in the bank at the end of September and has added about $540,000 in donations since.
*In many cases, candidates have written big checks to their campaign funds. That includes Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering, who gave her campaign loans of $178,000 last week, listing a total of about $530,000 in fundraising in the last quarter.
*Chicago Park District President Jesse Ruiz has loaned his campaign $100,000 and contributed a few thousand more, and records show he has raised about $475,000 so far.
*State Rep. Scott Drury recently chipped in $170,000 to his bid and has collected about $364,000 all told.
According to the article, former Gov. Quinn has reported raising about $81K. Sharon Fairley chipped in about $240K to her own campaign. Aaron Goldstein gave himself $185K and raised less than $9K. Renato Mariotti raised about $160,000.
