* I asked Rep. Jeanne Ives’ campaign spokesperson today if her candidate and Gov. Rauner have spoken since the primary election. “They have not,” she replied.
The DGA has been persistently trolling Rauner about this while I was on break. From March 26th…
6 Days of Silence: Rauner and Ives Won’t Talk… But Maybe They Text?
It’s been six days since Governor Bruce Rauner was thoroughly embarrassed by state Representative Jeanne Ives, who earned 48% of the Republican primary vote. Despite Rauner’s obvious need to patch things up with his primary opponent, the two have not spoken since the election. In fact, Ives spent most of last week trashing the wounded governor even more.
Rauner said he has not spoken with Ives, but maybe he tried to reach her via text. It probably went something like this:
“Bruce Rauner’s lies and betrayals divided the Republican Party so badly that his primary opponent refuses to speak with him,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “Rauner’s failed leadership turned away Democrats and Independents, and now 48% of Republican voters. With no accomplishments and no supporters, Rauner truly is the most vulnerable incumbent in the nation.”
* March 27th…
Day 7: Rauner’s Latest Failure - Reuniting His Party
GOP Members Keeping Their Distance from Rauner, Local Activists Talking Third Party
One week ago, over 48% of Republican primary voters rejected Governor Bruce Rauner and voted to replace him on the ballot. Rauner’s embarrassing “win” showed just how extraordinarily weak and vulnerable the incumbent governor is, and how far he has to go to reunite the Republican Party.
One week later, Rauner’s reunion tour is not going well. State Representative Jeanne Ives still will neither endorse nor speak with the Governor, and many Ives’ supporters are not falling in line:
State Rep. Allen Skillicorn: “State Rep. Allen Skillicorn said he wouldn’t support Rauner. ‘Absolutely not,’ he said. ‘His campaign was dishonest and dishonorable.’”
State Rep. Steve Reick: “He should be humbled – he should’ve lost. Honor? Calling Jeanne Ives ‘Madigan’s favorite Republican’ may have swayed enough people to put him over the top, but the smell it leaves behind is the smell of mendacity, and it will carry through to November.”
State Rep. David McSweeney: “The question at this point is whether Bruce Rauner wants conservative support. That really is a question. Obviously, he did a number of things, including the tax hike, the SB31 – the immigration bill, sanctuary state bill. And also, the taxpayer funding for abortion, HB40, that angered conservatives. And it’s really unclear at this point if he wants conservative support. He’s going to have to ask for conservative support. He’s going to have to acknowledge some mistakes and just focus on going forward.”
Saline County precinct committeeman Sandra Smith: “For Smith, this fall will almost be a moment of protest. ‘I choose to stand up for those conservative values,’ she said, adding that she may have to find alternatives for her vote … ‘I don’t see reconciliation in any form or fashion (for the party) because this is the breaking point … I personally don’t know that I will vote for Rauner,’ Smith said.”
Patti Howard, president of the Williamson County Republican Women of Southern Illinois: “‘It’s going to be harder to bring everyone back together’ … Howard said Republicans this fall will be faced with a series of questions. ‘Am I going to go with the party even if I don’t agree with the man, or am I going to sit out and not vote or am I going to go with a third party?’ she said.”
“After Bruce Rauner lied to and betrayed Republicans, it’s no surprise that they are unwilling to embrace him again,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “Republicans made clear that Rauner failed them, and his refusal to reach out to Jeanne Ives and her supporters is just making a bad situation worse.”
* March 29th…
Day 9 - #TBT: Four Years Ago, Rauner Had Unity Luncheon the Day After Primary Election
Today, Rauner Still Has Not Spoken with Ives, Even Though She Received 48% of the Primary Vote
It’s now been 9 days since Governor Bruce Rauner was nearly rejected by Republican primary voters, but he still has not spoken with his primary opponent, state Representative Jeanne Ives. Republican State Representative David McSweeney lamented yesterday that “Democrats have already had a unity breakfast” and he did not know “where things stand on the Governor reaching out to conservatives and asking for support.”
Four years ago, it was a different story. The Illinois Republican Party held a unity luncheon the day after Rauner’s 2014 primary win where he focused on an “economic agenda and soft-pedaling social issues such as abortion.” Today, Rauner is still trying to unite the party by downplaying social issues, except this time Republicans aren’t buying it.
“It’s been nine days since the election, and Bruce Rauner has still not held a unity rally or reached out to the 48% of Republicans that voted to oust him,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “Rauner’s campaign is in real trouble – with rock-bottom approval ratings and a fractured party behind him, his decision to ignore Jeanne Ives and her supporters is perplexing. Is Rauner just worried no one will come if he throws a party?”
* March 30th…
Day 10: If Sox and Cubs Fans Can Get Along, Why Can’t Rauner And Ives?
Today marks the 10th day since the Republican primary election, and in that time, Governor Bruce Rauner and state Representative Jeanne Ives still have not spoken. Ives’ running-mate even agreed there was “no love lost” between the two camps, and Rauner has failed to reach out to Ives or the 48% of Republicans that voted against him.
Maybe they should take a lesson from Sox and Cubs fans, who are united in celebrating their Opening Day victories. While both sides play up their storied rivalry, many Sox fans openly cheered on the Cubs during the 2016 World Series, including Chance, Common, and President Obama. Some Cubs fans even crossed partisan lines to cheer on the Sox during their historic 2005 World Series win (though not exactly with the same enthusiasm).
“If Sox and Cubs fans can get along sometimes, why can’t Bruce Rauner and Jeanne Ives?” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “It’s clear that Rauner’s failures and lies turned off Ives fans, but if he ever wants Republicans to cheer him on again, he’ll stop ignoring the 48% of primary voters who opposed him.”
Frankly, they’re acting more like Cubs and Cardinals fans than anything else.
I would hotly dispute the notion that Sox and Cub fans are united, however.
* Today…
Day 13: Rauner and Ives Feud Moves into Second Month
It’s no April Fool’s joke – Governor Bruce Rauner’s and state Representative Jeanne Ives’ GOP feud is moving into its second month. Thirteen days ago, Ives nearly knocked off the incumbent Rauner by running a primary campaign on his dishonesty and management failures.
Now, the calendar turns to April and Rauner has still not spoken with Ives or earned the trust of her supporters. Last week, Ives demanded Rauner run ads apologizing for his dishonesty before she would endorse him. And Ives’ supporters do not sound like they are happy with Rauner’s minimal efforts of reconciliation.
“The longer Bruce Rauner lets his feud with Jeanne Ives fester, the harder it will be to bring his divided party back together,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “With his rock-bottom approval ratings, Rauner’s already damaging his failing re-election campaign by allowing this battle to enter its second month.”
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* March 30th…
The Illinois Department of Public Health is reporting a large concentration of severe bleeding caused by synthetic cannabinoid products in Central Illinois.
Of 32 cases reported statewide, 10 cases were in Tazewell County, six in Peoria County and one in McLean County. The rest of the cases stem from the Chicago area.
IDPH updated its numbers today. There are now 56 cases statewide with two deaths. Of those, 26 cases were in the Peoria area, with 14 in Peoria County and 12 in Tazewell County, which is right next door. By comparison, there were 17 cases in all of Chicago.
* From IDPH…
All cases have required hospitalization for symptoms such as coughing up blood, blood in the urine, severe bloody nose, and/or bleeding gums. Nine of these cases have tested positive for brodifacoum, a lethal anticoagulant often used as a rodenticide, or rat poison.
“We continue to see the number of cases rise,” said IDPH Director Nirav D. Shah, M.D., J.D. “IDPH is continuing to work with local health departments and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with other partners, to try to identify common products. Without more information, IDPH does not know how much contaminated product is circulating or where. We strongly urge everyone not to use synthetic cannabinoids.”
Synthetic cannabinoids are human-made, mind-altering chemicals that are sprayed on to dried plant material. They can be smoked or sold as liquids to be vaporized in e-cigarettes and other devices. These chemicals are called cannabinoids because they are similar to chemicals found in the marijuana plant. The health effects from using synthetic cannabinoids can be unpredictable, harmful, and deadly.
IDPH continues to investigate to try to identify any common products and determine where they were obtained. Synthetic cannabinoids are found across Illinois and the U.S. in convenience stores, gas stations, drug paraphernalia shops, novelty stores, and online.
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Question of the day
Monday, Apr 2, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From JB Pritzker’s Twitter page…
The photo was taken over a week ago at the Democratic post-election unity event. Pritzker, Chris Kennedy and Sen. Daniel Biss were all there.
* The Question: Caption?
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Lip service
Monday, Apr 2, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Three years ago today…
State funding cuts are threatening services for people living with autism, as families who receive help through a program called the Autism Project say they will be devastated by its elimination.
The Autism Project says Gov. Bruce Rauner confirmed the decision to cut funding for the remainder of the 2015 fiscal year Thursday - on World Autism Day.
* Politifact…
• Collins’ claim: Governor Rauner’s FY17 budget proposal called for the same types of freezes and cuts from his FY16 budget proposal.
• Our finding: Rauner’s budget did call for these freezes and cuts. The Project for Autism, DHS’ Homelessness Prevention program and After School Matter wouldn’t have received funding. […]
• Collins’ claim: Rauner, again, introduced a budget [for Fiscal Year 2018] without funding the above-mentioned programs [including The Project for Autism].
• Our finding: Rauner’s proposed FY18 budget shows this claim is correct.
* October 18, 2017…
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration has outlined more than $200 million in cuts officials say are necessary to help balance the budget lawmakers put in place over his veto, including reductions in areas he’s historically supported such as manufacturing, tourism and agriculture. […]
Among the cuts is $89 million that was set aside to pay for dozens of social service programs, such as homelessness prevention, addiction treatment and autism therapy
* Today…
…Adding… Pritzker campaign…
In his first year in office, Bruce Rauner cut autism funding on World Autism Day and has continued decimating critical services every year since. In 2015, Rauner suspended a $1 million grant for autism programs, and he froze or completely eliminated autism funding in each of his budget proposals. JB Pritzker released the following statement on World Autism Day:
“Today and every day, let’s celebrate the unique talents of those with autism and work together to create a more understanding and accepting society,” said JB Pritzker. “While the world comes together to recognize the accomplishments of people with autism, Bruce Rauner cut autism funding on World Autism Day and continues to undermine critical programs that help Illinoisans build better lives. Bruce Rauner is a failed governor devoid of a moral compass, and when I’m governor, I will stand with our families and ensure autism programs are funded so all Illinoisans can succeed.”
…Adding… Comptroller Mendoza…
Illinois Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza visited the Willowglen Academy Monday to mark World Autism Day and to see the amazing work the non-profit does with children and adults with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities. Comptroller Mendoza cheered a music and dance performance by the academy’s students and listened to the administrators’ concerns about state funding.
Monday marks three years since Governor Bruce Rauner cut funding for state autism programs on World Autism Day. The Governor has routinely proposed cuts in funding for autism and other state programs every year up to and including the budget he proposed in February for Fiscal Year 2019.
“The dedicated efforts of staff like those here at Willowglen to help Illinois residents with special needs lead fulfilling lives and receive dignified care deserve our enthusiastic support and should not be the first line of attack to solve state budget problems,” Comptroller Mendoza said. “My office will continue to prioritize state payments to the most vulnerable in Illinois.”
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Election reform ideas abound
Monday, Apr 2, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
About 70 percent of eligible Chicago voters skipped the March primary — but what if those who stayed away could have voted via an app on their smartphones?
That’s the bold vision of the future being pushed by former Illinois Deputy Gov. Bradley Tusk. He’s backing blockchain technology getting a trial run among members of the military eligible to vote in West Virginia’s May election; they’ll be able to cast their vote using Apple or Android devices.
Tusk — who both served under and gave testimony that helped convict former Gov. Rod Blagojevich — told Inc. that “hopefully, eventually everybody will be able to vote this way.”
By boosting turnout, smartphone voting could change the dynamic of primaries so that candidates no longer have to play to the highly partisan voters who are most likely to trek to a traditional polling place.
A staff member from Tusk Montgomery Philanthropies, which is helping fund the technology, has met with officials from Cook County Clerk David Orr’s office — which handles suburban elections — to pitch a trial locally, he said. But Orr spokesman Nick Shields said Orr has “no plans” to try out the technology.
* Dispatch-Argus…
The Better Government Association’s Andy Shaw recently shared a wish-list to help give Illinois voters the elections they deserve, not the ones they have been forced to take. Many items on the list are worth considering, including:
— Setting up a system to create truly independent maps not partisan ones that are drawn to keep the party in power in power.
— Holding elections on weekends, instead of a Tuesday, and moving primaries to a warmer month to increase turnout.
— Requiring more donor transparency.
— Creating a public financing system that would match modest donor contributions with pubic dollars to increase their impact on elections.
* WCIA…
State lawmakers are trying to make changes to voting before the 2019 election. They’ve introduced a bill to get rid of precincts and create voting centers. Right now, area voters have specific locations where they go to vote. It’s on the voter registration card. If a voting center bill became law, and if the county opted in, voters could pick one of about 20 centralized locations instead of going to assigned precincts.
* More…
Drew Penrose, law and policy director of the non-partisan group Fair Vote, said primaries where everyday voters participate in elections were meant to battle corrupt political parties selecting candidates and office holders without voter input.
Some states have closed primaries where voters register for a party before voting. Penrose said Illinoisans on primary day do things differently.
“It’s the only state that I’m aware of where you go, you declare a political party affiliation and then the person who is handing you a primary ballot has to announce in a voice loud enough for people to hear in the polling place which party affiliation you are affiliating yourself with,” Penrose said.
* Another one…
In the House, Rep. Ryan Spain, R-Peoria, has introduced a proposal to amend the Illinois Constitution. Spain would take redistricting away from self-interested lawmakers and give it to a bi-partisan commission of non-elected Dems, GOPers and Independents appointed by state Supreme Court justices.
In the other chamber, Sens. Julie Morrison, D-Deerfield, and Heather Steans, D-Chicago, have introduced the same proposal. (Both Spain and Morrison are former students of mine: Ryan at the U. of I. and Julie at Knox College.)
Democratic Speaker of the House Mike Madigan will fight these proposals tooth and nail. Above all else, Madigan craves political control. If a Democrat is elected governor in November, that party would control the redistricting process after the 2020 Census.
* And…
Fair Vote, a nonpartisan election reform group, advocates for a move to ranked-choice voting. Under the system, voters have the ability to rank as many candidates as they want in order of preference.
Geoffrey Cubbage, secretary of the Illinois Green Party, says an election reform like this already is a part of his party’s platform. He said ranked-choice could improve the system by eliminating the so-called “spoiler effect.”
“It gives everybody the ability to vote for their first choice,” Cubbage said, “even if that is a candidate from a party with less institutional support, with less overall membership, who, perhaps, has less of a shot of winning.”
If no candidate secures a majority of first-choice votes, the lowest performing one is eliminated and second-choice votes then are added to the tally. Drew Spencer Penrose, law and policy director at Fair Vote, said one benefit to the system is more civil campaigns.
* But…
Since record keeping began in 1994, the March 20 General Primary Election saw the most ballots — about 447,000 — cast in suburban Cook County in a gubernatorial primary election. A record number of registered voters — 1.5 million — and record-high numbers of early voters — more than 110,000 — cast nearly a quarter of ballots.
There are earlier records, of course, but they’re on paper. Even so, you get the idea.
* In other campaign news…
* Related…
* Hearings planned ahead of automatic voter registration: Public hearings will begin next month throughout Illinois regarding the state’s automatic voter registration system. Under the new system, people will be automatically registered to vote when they apply for or renew a driver’s license. Even though the new system will be more convenient, Adams County Clerk Chuck Venvertloh says it could hurt voter turnout.
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It’s just a bill
Monday, Apr 2, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Illinois Review…
Several suburban Republican senators are calling for legislative action on a bill that would put stricter consequences on those who are behind the bothersome robo-calls and scam calls, which seem to keep cell phones ringing non-stop.
Senate Bill 2573 was announced last week, aiming to address the growing problem of robo-calls throughout the state. Several suburban lawmakers came together to co-sponsor the legislation, noting that these types of fraudulent calls are an ongoing form of harassment for many throughout the state.
The legislation strengthens the Illinois Automated Dialers Act by making the act of “spoofing,” where callers disguise their real number by showing up as a different number from the recipient’s caller ID system, a separate violation. The bill also requires prior written consent before callers can use an auto-dialer to initiate a telemarketing call. Both of these changes would align Illinois law with federal law, and would also make the unlawful practices subject to enforcement by the Attorney General. […]
“Now, more than ever, callers are able to easily afford these mass phone calls, and the low cost of auto-dialers is allowing them to makes thousands of calls daily, putting so many people at risk of falling for their deceitful tactics,” said State Sen. Michael Connelly (R-Naperville). “This is good legislation that protects Illinois’ most vulnerable citizens.”
* Not mentioned in the glowing account is that the amendment actually deletes existing statutory language allowing consumers to sue…
(c) Enforcement by customer. Any customer injured by a violation of this Act may bring an action for the recovery of damages. Judgment may be entered for 3 times the amount at which the actual damages are assessed, plus costs and reasonable attorney fees.
(c-5) In addition to the damages authorized under subsection (c), a consumer may obtain statutory damages in the amount of $500 per violation.
* Other stuff…
* Illinois eye doctors at odds over who can perform procedures: Patients’ health would be put at risk if optometrists in Illinois are successful in their quest for state approval to remove benign nodules and lesions, drain cysts and take tissue samples on the eyes and eyelids, according to physicians who are fighting the proposal. “These procedures are clearly surgery and will clearly jeopardize patient safety if done by someone who hasn’t attended medical school and a residency,” said Dr. Chris Albanis, an ophthalmologist in the Chicago area and a past president of the Illinois Society of Eye Physicians & Surgeons. But Effingham optometrist Dr. Matthew Jones said statements by Albanis and other ophthalmologists are “a gross hyperbole of the truth.” Jones, a trustee of the Illinois Optometric Association, said ophthalmologists — medical doctors specializing in eye care — are overreacting.
* Reduced court fees could ease debt: One stops the state from suspending a driver’s license when someone stops paying a ticket. Another allows someone to have records sealed or expunged even if they still owe court fees. The third would reduce some costs overall. At least one traffic attorney says he’s happy to hear the state making the changes. All three bills are the result of a 2013 task force. It was created to find solutions for excessive court fees and fines.
* Illinois officials to address lack of sexual-assault nurses: The Illinois Attorney General’s Office is working with state lawmakers to draft legislation that would require hospitals to have a specially trained medical provider available to examine a sexual-assault victim. Of the more than 196,000 registered nurses in Illinois, only 32 are certified by the International Association of Forensic Nurses to work with adult sexual-assault patients, the Chicago Tribune reported. A dozen of the sexual-assault nurse examiners are certified to treat children. The draft legislation would require hospitals to have a trained medical professional available within 90 minutes of a patient’s arrival. Hospitals would be required to implement the change by 2023.
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Unreliable sources
Monday, Apr 2, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* First up…
* From the bill…
Any school district that reduces its operational property tax levy for the 2019-2020 school year in relation to the district’s operational property tax levy for the 2018-2019 school year is eligible to receive a distribution from the [Education Property Tax Relief Fund].
* Also…
Provides that, beginning on January 1, 2018, the rate of [the state’s sales tax] shall be 5.75% (currently, 6.25%).
However, those income tax rates of his are gonna need to be readjusted.
* Next…
The Tribune focused on three upper middle class families from Naperville, Bolingbrook and Homer Glen.
* More…
As for what’s causing the population loss, [Chicago demographer Rob Paral] says it’s a “complex stew” of factors that includes race, income and immigration.
“One way to explain the population loss is largely due, in part, to African-Americans leaving. We’ve had a dramatic departure of blacks from Illinois to southern states,” he said, adding the trend has been going on for decades. In addition, he said the Latino population is growing more slowly, while whites are growing in the city but declining in the suburbs.
Last year Paral conducted a study that compared the number of whites living in Chicago and elsewhere in Illinois. Historically, whites who lived in the city had lower incomes than others across the state. But now that trend has reversed, according to Paral. “Whites in the city are wealthier than elsewhere in the state,” he said. They’re moving to the city for high-paying jobs that require educated and skilled applicants, he added.
Immigration has also dropped off in recent years. From the ‘80s to the early 2000s, “Illinois had really high immigration numbers, (which) covered up some of the other problems we’re talking about,” Paral said. In 2007, immigration, especially from Mexico, began declining nationally and in Illinois.
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* July 27, 2016…
Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner stopped by the Illinois Veterans’ Home Wednesday morning, a day after the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs announced two veterans had been diagnosed with Legionnaire’s disease.
The governor was there for a tour of the recently-completed water facility. The state completed the extensive $5 million renovation of the water system this year after 12 people died and 54 were sickened last summer as a result of the disease. Dozens of others were sickened. But health officials never found a source for the outbreak.
“We cannot let it happen again,” Rauner said.
* August 12, 2016…
State officials have confirmed a third new case of Legionnaires’ disease at a western Illinois veterans’ home since an outbreak there last year killed 12 people and sickened 54.
* September 20, 2016…
State officials are looking into more than a dozen cases of respiratory illness at a LaSalle Veterans’ Home.
Eleven residents tested positive with pneumonia over the past several months. One of the residents also tested positive for Legionnaires’ disease. A spokesperson for the Department of Veterans’ Affairs says the 97-year-old resident had multiple underlying issues and has since died.
A week and a half later, the IDPH chief of staff took a leave of absence to work campaigns.
* AP…
While the Department of Public Health faced the baffling return of Legionnaires’ disease at a state-run veterans home in 2016, a top administrator left to work on Republican campaigns for the Illinois House, records reviewed by The Associated Press show.
Erik Rayman, the chief of staff to Public Health Director Dr. Nirav Shah, took a leave of absence in October and November 2016, just two months after the return of the deadly disease at the Quincy veterans home that claimed 12 lives the previous summer and another last fall. Four new cases were reported last month. […]
State Sen. Tom Cullerton, a Villa Park Democrat and chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, criticized the move.
“Why is the chief of staff doing campaign work?” Cullerton asked.
“I understand that people come out of different offices and take leaves of absences, but it’s never a chief of staff,” he said. “With everything going on in Public Health, the chief of staff is the most important person in that department.”
* AP follow-up…
Gov. Bruce Rauner is unconcerned that his Public Health Department’s chief of staff took a 2016 leave of absence for political campaigning while the Quincy veterans home battled Legionnaires’ disease.
The Republican told reporters in East Peoria Wednesday that the home recorded no Legionnaires’ cases during Erik Rayman’s absence. The Associated Press reported Tuesday that Rayman took unpaid leave in October and November 2016 to work on Republican House campaigns.
Rauner said that at the time, “There hadn’t been any cases in quite a while.”
* Meanwhile, from the Pritzker campaign…
A day after Bruce Rauner declared “we in Illinois must strive every day to make it Veterans Day,” his Department of Public Health announced late on Friday that two dozen residents and staff at the Quincy Veterans’ Home had fallen ill with what they suspect is norovirus.
The announcement came in the form of a Friday news dump press release, a step above the administration’s “mind-boggling” and “inexcusable” six-day delay in announcing the Legionnaires’ outbreak in 2015. Under Bruce Rauner’s failed leadership, the Quincy Veterans’ Home continues to be plagued with health issues — from recurring fatal outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease to the potential norovirus reported last week.
“With Bruce Rauner still failing to get the Legionnaires’ crisis under control, new health issues are now coming to light at the Quincy Veterans’ Home,” said Pritzker campaign spokesman Jason Rubin. “The lives of our nation’s heroes continue to be jeopardized by staggering incompetence at the highest levels of Bruce Rauner’s administration.”
*** UPDATE *** IDPH…
Erik Rayman was on a leave of absence from October 3 - November 30, 2016. During this time, IDPH continued to operate with a director, assistant director, and chief of staff. The previous IDPH assistant director, Michelle Gentry-Wiseman, served as the acting the Chief of Staff. Ms. Gentry-Wiseman was with IDPH from 1990-2003 in various roles, including serving as the first Chief of Staff at IDPH. Ms. Gentry-Wiseman returned to IDPH in March 2015 as the assistant director and served until she retired from public service in June 2016. She was well versed and involved with IDPH’s response to the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Quincy. For a week prior to his leave of absence, Mr. Rayman overlapped with Ms. Gentry-Wiseman to ensure a continuity of operations.
Please remember that IDPH’s role is a technical advisor, working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Adams County Health Department to advise the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the Illinois Veterans’ Home at Quincy on infection control procedures and water remediation efforts the facility should be taking. .
Melaney Arnold
Illinois Department of Public Health
Public Information Officer
* Related…
* Vietnam War veterans honored in Springfield: “How many governors do you know have actually gone to live at a veterans’ home,” [Veterans Affairs’ director Erica Jeffries] said, referring to Rauner’s one-week stay earlier this year at the veterans home in Quincy, which has seen several cases of Legionnaires’ disease. “Why did he go there? Because he wanted to be able to get to know those men and women who served our country. He wanted to get to know our staff who care for those veterans every single day. He does that in his walk as governor, and as a private citizen, every day.”
* Federal budget bill could benefit Illinois Veterans Home: U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth said the omnibus budget bill passed by Congress last week includes more than $500 million for “construction at state-run veteran health facilities” such as the Illinois Veterans Home in Quincy.
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* This one has it all. A Proft paper quotes Proft’s pollster in order to give a pro-Proft GOP legislator a platform to advise Gov. Rauner to move to his right… in Illinois… before the general election…
A post-primary poll shows that re-election prospects for Gov. Bruce Rauner look bleak. An Odgen & Fry survey shows him down 22 points compared with Democratic nominee J.B. Pritzker, and in an almost certain death knell for a politician, Rauner’s unfavorables are nearly double his favorables.
Rep. Allen Skillicorn (R-East Dundee) and other Republican legislators say that for Rauner to have any chance in November he needs to start listening to his base, which includes the conservative and traditional Republicans he angered when he signed a taxpayer-funded abortion bill and a bill that made Illinois a “sanctuary state.”
“One of the things he can do to show he’s listening right off the bat is promise to veto every gun-control bill that comes his way,” Skillicorn told the McHenry Times.
Skillicorn said that Rauner also needs to rethink his budget proposal.
“He talks about rolling back the income tax increases but his budget has every cent of new tax money already accounted for,” he said.
Veto all gun control bills and slash spending. Yup. That’ll work here.
* But let’s turn the weird up a notch, shall we? The JB Pritzker campaign actually linked to that very same Proft poll within a recent press release…
UNDERWATER POLL: Rauner is 30 points underwater in favorability and trails in a general election matchup by 18 points.
* Also, according to the Pritzker campaign, Gov. Rauner may actually be taking Skillicorn’s advice. Press release…
Despite pleas from immigrant rights groups, Bruce Rauner supports Donald Trump’s latest attack on immigrant communities in Illinois and across the country.
The Trump Administration announced it would ask respondents of the 2020 census whether they were U.S. citizens, which experts warn would severely reduce the response rate in immigrant communities and undercount the national population.
“Donald Trump is launching a direct attack on immigrant communities in Illinois with the full support of his local partner Bruce Rauner,” said JB Pritzker. “By using the U.S. Census as a political weapon, this bigoted president wants to keep immigrant families in the shadows. As Trump and Rauner seek to divide and attack, I will make Illinois a welcoming state and protect every resident as governor.”
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* Nice headline for the governor from WICS TV: “Governor Rauner: I support doing a large capital bill.” But there’s a catch…
He said negotiations are currently ongoing between his office and the General Assembly.
“Infrastructure investment is critically important,” Rauner said. “I support doing a large capital bill. I believe if we would truly balance our budget and bring more government efficiency and pension reform, we will have the money to pay interest on bonded debt. And bonding is an appropriate way to pay for infrastructure.”
When asked if he would support a motor fuel tax to cover some of the costs, Rauner said he doesn’t support raising any taxes for Illinoisans to pay for infrastructure improvement projects.
Maybe I’m missing something there, but I thought the money from his pension reform plan was already spent on a $1 billion tax cut that’ll probably never happen? Either way, he’ll probably blame Speaker Madigan for killing a tax cut and making it impossible to do a “large” capital bill without a huge tax hike.
* More…
Without repairs and improvements, roads will get worse, TRIP Executive Director Will Wilkins said.
“These conditions are only going to get worse, increasing the additional costs to motorists, if greater investment is not made available at the state and local levels of government,” Wilkins said in a statement. “Without adequate funding, Illinois’ transportation system will become increasingly deteriorated and congested, hampering economic growth, safety and quality of life.” […]
The governor provided few specifics about how to pay for infrastructure improvements, but said he was opposed to raising gas taxes.
“Here’s the bottom line, the people of Illinois are taxed out,” Rauner said. “We should not be discussing any new taxes at all until we change our system and really drive more value for taxpayers. Really we should be reducing the tax burden, not increasing it, and growing our economy to increase our revenues, not increasing our tax rates.”
So, he’s all-in for more spending and dead-set against taxes. Simple to understand.
* A recent Rauner campaign press release…
In January, JB Pritzker told the Daily Herald that a Vehicle Miles Traveled tax is an idea worth exploring, advocating for a tax increase on the millions of Illinoisans who drive to work everyday or utilize a vehicle for their job.
A Vehicle Mileage Tax would place a monitor in registered vehicles in the state of Illinois and track mileage traveled. Fellow Democrats like State Sen. Daniel Biss oppose the measure as “a serious violation of privacy.”
Just another example of how JB Pritzker’s plan for Illinois is more of the same: higher taxes and more corruption.
Check out the coverage below:
WSIL
A VMT may sound familiar. A proposal in the Senate back in 2016 would have given drivers the choice between installing a device to track their mileage or pay a 1.5-cent-per-mile tax on a base 30,000 miles traveled per year. That measure was quickly shot down.
At just over $0.30 per gallon, Illinois state gas tax is already higher than neighboring states like Missouri, Kentucky, and Indiana.
The Daily Herald
Charging gas taxes based on how many miles people drive instead of how much fuel they burn could pump up revenues to help fix Illinois’ roads and bridges, Democratic candidate for governor J.B. Pritzker told the Daily Herald editorial board.
Called a vehicle miles traveled or VMT tax, it’s an idea worth exploring, the billionaire Hyatt hotel heir said in a Thursday interview where he also pushed for a graduated income tax, but gave few specifics.
Voters don’t do nuance. Pritzker opened the door to that one.
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TV ads, not debates are what matter the most
Monday, Apr 2, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* My Crain’s Chicago Business column…
Most reporters and pundits believed that state Rep. Jeanne Ives trounced Gov. Bruce Rauner in the Jan. 29 debate hosted by the Chicago Tribune editorial board. One columnist wrote that Ives “crushed” Rauner. And I wrote about Ives’ “almost complete thumping” of Rauner. We were all correct about the moment, but that debate probably saved Rauner’s behind.
At the time of the debate, Rauner’s own polling showed he was ahead of Ives by 50 percentage points. The governor then made the almost fatal mistake of ignoring his GOP primary opponent. But when she eventually started gaining on him, he let loose with a barrage of ads using video clips from that very debate everybody said he’d badly lost. Rauner’s campaign pulled selective bits from the debate to make the case with voters that Ives was in cahoots with Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan. So, for example, when Ives said during the debate that she’d work “with” Madigan, one of Rauner’s ads claimed that Ives would work “for” Madigan.
It was all horribly dishonest on Rauner’s part. Ives is a staunch Madigan foe. But that’s politics. Rauner didn’t beat Ives by much, but he won, and as people used to say when I was a kid, close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.
Democratic gubernatorial candidate J.B. Pritzker was absolutely pummeled by his primary opponents and the pundits for not agreeing to a televised downstate debate. They all said he was insulting downstate voters by not agreeing to it. But come election day, Pritzker took 53 percent of the downstate vote. That win was bigger than in other regions in the state, even 8 points higher than his Chicago victory. He essentially ran up the score on his opponents outside the Chicago area.
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* My weekly syndicated newspaper column was written the day before I went on vacation…
The oddest political couple in all of Illinois did pretty well in Tuesday’s Democratic primary.
Two years ago, progressive firebrand Cook County Commissioner Chuy Garcia helped lead Bernie Sanders’ Democratic campaign in the Chicagoland area and was eventually named a national Sanders media surrogate.
At the same time, Garcia also endorsed House Speaker Michael Madigan against a well-funded Democratic primary opponent.
“Now more than ever,” Garcia said in a statement back then, “local families need Michael Madigan in the State Capitol fighting for them.”
It was mainly a marriage of convenience. Madigan needed help with his ward’s Latino voters, and Garcia had some plans of his own that Madigan could help him with. Madigan also likely wanted to make sure that Garcia’s future plans didn’t include trying to knock him off his perch.
Garcia, along with his allies in the Bernie Sanders Our Revolution organization, ran the table in Cook County last week.
They helped trounce Cook County Assessor Joe Berrios by almost 12 points. They soundly defeated Rep. Dan Burke, the younger brother of one of the most powerful Democrats in Chicago (Ald. Ed Burke, who they are going after next). They cruised through a hotly contested four-way primary to replace retiring Rep. Cynthia Soto, D-Chicago, with Delia Ramirez by 27 points. They buried machine-linked Sen. Martin Sandoval’s (D-Chicago) daughter Angel by 15 points in the race to replace Garcia on the county board despite massive spending by. They won a judicial race. And, of course, Garcia walked away with his own congressional nomination by 45 points.
Speaker Madigan carried Mayor Rahm Emanuel to victory in the 13th Ward in Emanuel’s 2015 race against Garcia, but after Garcia endorsed Madigan in 2016, Madigan allied with Garcia on some of this year’s races, including the defeat of Sandoval.
There was admittedly nothing that Madigan could do to help Berrios outside of the 13th Ward (which Berrios won with 56 percent). Berrios had become so toxic that even several politicians who’d endorsed him wouldn’t put his name on their election-day palm cards for fear of alienating voters they needed for other races.
And Rep. Burke was beyond saving as well. Progressive Latinos are demanding their own representation. But because of Madigan’s relationship with Garcia, it’s a fairly safe bet that Aaron Ortiz, who beat Burke, won’t be a thorn in Madigan’s side when he takes office next year.
Without Madigan and the hundreds of precinct captains he controls, U.S. Rep. Dan Lipinski would be polishing up his thin resume this week. The conservative Democrat Lipinski narrowly defeated a progressive challenger.
And with Assessor Berrios defeated, that’s one less issue that Gov. Bruce Rauner will have against Madigan’s favored gubernatorial candidate JB Pritzker, who won last week by 18 points over two public Madigan haters, Chris Kennedy and Sen. Daniel Biss.
Madigan also won some House races against Democratic candidates who talked openly about opposing him.
Madigan’s 17th House District candidate Jennifer Gong Gershowitz won by almost 600 votes over Candance Chow, who had vowed to vote against Madigan for House Speaker. Madigan’s candidate Lamont Robinson won a four-way primary to replace Lt. Governor nominee Juliana Stratton by 14 points. Madigan’s bitter foe Ken Dunkin came in third in that primary, scoring just 18 percent.
Jill Bernal had pledged to vote against Madigan, but she lost to the pro-Madigan Lance Yednock by 15 points to take on freshman Rep. Jerry Long,R-Streator.
Madigan’s ally Rep. Lisa Hernandez (D-Cicero) fended off her primary opponent by 15 points. The House Speaker’s favored candidate to replace retiring Rep. Carol Sente, D-Vernon Hills, Daniel Didech, prevailed by 21 points. His candidate to take on Rep. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro, Marsha Griffin, sailed through by 26 points.
Rep. Mary Flowers, D-Chicago, triumphed by over 65 points. Rep. Thaddeus Jones, D-Calumet City, dominated with a 29-point victory. Madigan lieutenant Rep. Bob Rita, D-Blue Island, thrashed his opponent by a whopping 53 points despite countless negative news stories about his past.
The one candidate Madigan reportedly didn’t want to win in the crowded primary race to replace retiring House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie, D-Chicago, was Flynn Rush, the son of US Rep. Bobby Rush. The younger Rush lost to Curtis Tarver by 9 points.
As far as I can tell, not a single anti-Madigan candidate won a House Democratic primary last week.
As I write this, nobody has yet compiled Democratic state central committee race results, so we don’t yet know how Madigan fared there. So, stay tuned on that, because Madigan is the state party chairman and several folks were running to topple him.
* And speaking of those central committee races, this is from March 27th…
Peter Janko, a former Bernie Sanders delegate who said he spent just $600 on his campaign, is the only progressive candidate to win a seat on the state central committee from a slate of 13 endorsed by Our Revolution Illinois, the grassroots political organization that grew out of Sanders’ run for president.
Unofficial primary election results suggest Madigan has held the state central committee spots he needs to keep his grip on control of the party — but he’s not leaving anything to chance.
Madigan called Janko Tuesday morning.
“I knocked on 100 doors myself and generally when you’re getting out to the McHenry area it’s almost universal that they want Mike Madigan out. I got elected by telling people that I will vote against him, and I plan to do that,” Janko told the Sun-Times on Tuesday. “I made it clear to Michael Madigan. So I’m supposed to have lunch with him next Tuesday because he wants to convince me to change my mind.”
The northwest suburban Marengo resident said he spoke with Madigan for about 30 minutes: “I told him I want to be a bridge between the Bernie side of the Democratic Party and the old establishment. I’m not here to turn anything upside down. I live in a very red district, 14th, and I’m not going into this as a protest candidate, but I want to rebuild the party.”
Meanwhile, ProPublica has a story about how a 13th Ward precinct polling place is in somebody’s basement and how a poll watcher left the basement in order to stand beyond the 100-foot legal perimeter so she could hand somebody a palm card and how all of this means that Madigan can stay in power forever. Or something.
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