Following is a statement from Sherri Garrett following the news that her sexual harasser, Speaker Michael J. Madigan’s Chief of Staff Tim Mapes, has resigned:
“I am relieved that Mr. Mapes has resigned. I know victims of harassment throughout our state government and political sphere share that relief. I am hopeful that more individuals will now feel safe coming forward, knowing that their words can make a difference and force change.
“While Mr. Mapes resignation is an important symbolic and substantive change, however, the conditions that led to my harassment and the mistreatment of so many others have not changed. I remain steadfast that we need effective and independent mechanisms to ensure accountability to fix the culture of sexism and abuse that I have endured.”
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Speaker Michael J. Madigan released the following statement Wednesday:
“At my direction, Tim Mapes has resigned as my Chief of Staff and Clerk of the Illinois House of Representatives. Jessica Basham has been named Chief of Staff for the Office of the Speaker effective immediately. Further, Mr. Mapes has resigned as the Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Illinois and all other roles with my political committees.
“Regarding Ms. Garrett’s concerns shared earlier today, neither I or the House Democratic Ethics Officer had been made aware of Ms. Garrett’s complaints against Tim Mapes. My office was aware of the comments made by then Representative Dunkin and took action to handle the matter. That issue had been disclosed publicly earlier this year by my office along with all other known allegations of harassment. It is clear that the culture needs to change and we need to ensure all issues are dealt with quickly and appropriately.
“I have stated my commitment to eliminating harassment of any kind in the Capitol, as well as all political committees, and my desire to ensure we create a culture where individuals feel secure in making a complaint. I intend to appoint an individual with extensive experience conducting investigations to review all operations of the House of Representatives, including but not limited to the Clerk’s Office where Ms. Garrett works.”
Jessica will be a breath of fresh air over there.
…Adding… Comptroller Susana Mendoza…
The resignation of Tim Mapes was the right thing to do and frankly the only option. If we truly want to change the behavior and culture in government and politics, we have to hold everyone to the highest standards, especially those in positions of leadership.
June 6, 2018
SENT VIA EMAIL
The Honorable Bill Brady
Illinois State Senate Minority Leader 309G Capitol Building
Springfield, Illinois 62706
Dear Leader Brady:
The purpose of this letter is to inform you that I have decided to not seek re-election this fall and will instead be pursuing other opportunities. Rest assured that as long as I remain a State Senator I will be doing my utmost to represent the taxpayers of the 33rd District and the State of Illinois—including continuing the work we’ve started in reforming this state’s ethics regulations.
Sincerely,
Karen McConnaughay
Sen. McConnaughay (R-St. Charles) was first elected in 2012. She is a member of the Legislative Ethics Commission and has fought this year to improve the General Assembly’s sexual harassment policies. She also unsuccessfully sought the minority leadership job after Christine Radogno announced she was resigning last summer.
Karen is good people. I’ll miss her.
*** UPDATE *** Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady…
Throughout her tenure in the Illinois Senate, Karen McConnaughay has been an outspoken advocate for the families of Illinois. Her leadership in helping raise awareness about the dangers of human trafficking, her support for our transportation infrastructure and her dedication to protecting the taxpayers of Illinois will leave a lasting legacy.
Most importantly, the work and leadership she demonstrated this past spring to bring about needed ethics’s reform will never be forgotten.
I have valued Karen’s insight as a member of Senate Republican Leadership and I have no doubt that she will be successful as she writes the next chapter in what’s already been an inspiring and successful career.
* Sen. Jason Barickman…
Karen is a great legislator who will be missed in our caucus and in the Illinois General Assembly. She’s played an important role on the Legislative Ethics Commission and by being a vocal proponent of much-needed sexual harassment and ethics reforms in our state. I’m glad that she will continue that work in her time left in the State Senate. She’s also been a leader on transportation issues since her first day in the legislature. On any given issue, Karen was effective because of her ability to build bridges with colleagues across the aisle. I wish her well.
* From Sherri Garrett’s press release about Tim Mapes…
In Spring 2013, former State Rep. Ken Dunkin approached the House Well and said to Ms. Garrett and another woman–“I want to take both of you home and see which one will be the naughtiest.” Ms. Garrett reported the incident. Ms. Garrett later heard that when Mr. Mapes was told about the incident, his response was that it would blow over. While the incident was appropriately addressed by other members of Ms. Garrett’s team ultimately, it later became clear to Ms. Garrett that Mr. Mapes did not take appropriate action to address Rep. Dunkin’s comment, and if it had been left up to Mr. Mapes, the entire incident would have been swept under the rug.
* Rauner administration press release…
For too long, a culture of abuse has been permitted within state government – we must not tolerate it. Our Administration has acted decisively to change it in the executive branch through administrative action and Executive Order. We have also called on Ken Dunkin to resign from the MWRD.
In recent months, women have stepped forward to share their stories involving the legislature – we applaud their bravery. To the women who haven’t stepped forward, who have their own stories to tell, know that we plan to act swiftly to ensure an independent process is in place to investigate future allegations and the culture Speaker Madigan has created.
Rachel Bold
Press Secretary
Office of Governor Bruce Rauner
* Sun-Times: Woman says top Madigan aide harassed her: ‘Speaker’s office is a locker room’: “Over the course of the last several years, I have endured and have personally witnessed bullying and repeated harassment that was often sexual and sexist in nature In my workplace,” she said, noting Mapes had made “repeated inappropriate comments to me, both in the office and on the House floor.” Her voice faltering at times, Garrett described how difficult it has been to come forward. “I’m loyal to (Madigan). This is very hard for me, but I’ve just suffered one disappointment after another with how things are handled,” she said.
* Tribune: Aide accuses Madigan’s chief of staff of making sexually inappropriate comments: Garrett said in September 2015, a colleague complained of being sexually harassed by a member of the House Democratic caucus. Garrett said she raised the issue with Mapes, who responded, “Are you reporting this situation because you are upset the representative isn’t paying attention to you?” Garrett said she and the other person who heard the comment were “totally taken aback,” and that she told Mapes it was his responsibility to look into the issue. She cited an example from December 2014, as staff was in the midst of planning inauguration logistics. Mapes said “completely out of nowhere that I needed to make sure that I was not showing my pink bra,” because, “girls on the second floor like to leave little to the imagination,” Garrett said.
* NBC 5: Statehouse Employee Accuses Madigan’s Chief of Staff of Harassment: Beginning in spring 2013, Garrett said she reported former state Rep. Ken Dunkin for making inappropriate comments after he told her and another woman, “I want to take both of you home and see which one will be the naughtiest.” After reporting the incident, Garrett said she heard that Mapes’ response was that it would “blow over,” leading her to believe he would not take appropriate action.
* AP: House Speaker’s top aide accused of mishandling harassment: Sherri Garrett is a $42,000-a-year account technician for the House. She said Wednesday that Madigan chief of staff Timothy Mapes was dismissive of harassment complaints on two occasions and made untoward comments to her and others in incidents from 2013 to just a few weeks ago.
Garrett says she doesn’t know if her case was one of those in the list that Madigan released, but says it had a “chilling” effect on everyone, as if tacitly warning them to stay quiet https://t.co/Qcc8q9L1sU
JB Pritzker and Juliana Stratton are calling on Tim Mapes to be suspended without pay from all roles within the Democratic Party of Illinois and the Speaker’s Office as an immediate and thorough independent investigation takes place.
Upon completion of the investigation, JB and Juliana believe Tim Mapes should be fired from the Speaker’s Office and step down from any roles within the Democratic Party. It’s clear our state government needs to take concrete steps to make women feel safe when coming forward with stories of sexual harassment and without fear of retaliation.
…Adding… I received an early, texted version of the campaign statement ahead of everyone else. The formal statement has been revised to say this…
Upon completion of the investigation, if the allegations are proven true, JB and Juliana believe Tim Mapes should be fired from the Speaker’s Office and step down from any roles within the Democratic Party.
That makes more sense.
* Also…
Representative Sam Yingling (D-Grayslake) issued the following statement:
“I am calling on Tim Mapes to step down while an independent investigation takes place. I believe Sherri Garrett and have great respect for the courage it took for her to come forward to report the harassment and bullying she has experienced.”
…Adding… This was mentioned in comments earlier. Since Pritzker is a big contributor, he will therefore have a lot of say in this matter…
Pritzker just gave Madigan’s Democratic Majority fund $1M a few days ago. Mapes is the Treasurer of that committee. https://t.co/VOF7hMz8ax
REPRESENTATIVE SCOTT DRURY’S STATEMENT REGARDING SHERRI GARRETT’S ALLEGATIONS
I commend Ms. Garrett for having the courage to come forward with her detailed allegations against Mr. Mapes. While repeated calls for a truly independent investigation into the steady-flow of sexual harassment/abuse allegations continue to be made, they are met with relative silence. On November 8, 2017, I filed legislation (HB 4156) that provides for an independent – Bob Mueller-type – special counsel to conduct a thorough investigation into these allegations. Speaker Madigan killed the legislation. Had Speaker Madigan allowed the legislation to move forward - and had an investigation begun in 2017 - instead of learning of new allegations on a weekly basis, we already could be addressing them and implementing real ways change the culture of harassment and abuse long-condoned in Springfield. If Speaker Madigan will not allow HB 4156 or similar legislation proposed by others to move forward, I call on him to step down so we can elect a House Speaker who shows through actions that he or she truly values all people within our State.
Today, State Representative Jeanne Ives called for House Speaker Michael J. Madigan’s Chief of Staff Tim Mapes to step down over allegations of sexual harassment. Ives additionally advocates for a transparent reporting process in Springfield.
“The office of House Speaker is powerful and carries with it a great deal of responsibility. Tim Mapes, like Kevin Quinn, abused that power,” said Ives.
“And it is because of Speaker Madigan’s failure to carry out the responsibility of his leadership position that we’re at this point. He failed to do his job and ensure that a Legislative Inspector General was in place and that complaints were handled in a timely manner.”
…Adding… Illinois Say No More…
First and foremost, we want to acknowledge Ms. Garrett’s bravery in coming forward. Her experience further underscores the deep pervasiveness of sexual harassment throughout our collective political systems. There is no arguing that we are long overdue for systemic change so that women can do their job in safe and supportive environments.
Eight months ago more than 300 women and allies signed the Illinois Say No More letter in a show of solidarity to shine a bright light on sexual harassment in Illinois politics. And while some progress has been made since then, much, much more needs to be done. Culture and behavior cannot change unless the masses rise up and demand better from everyone in the system. That means more women having a seat at the table. And it means that these kinds of behaviors can no longer be tolerated.
To all the women who have spoken up publicly or have endured these experiences in silence, we hear you, we see you and we stand with you.
* Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) just called me after I asked her if she had any comments on Sherri Garrett’s press conference accusing Speaker Madigan’s chief of staff Tim Mapes of harassment and bullying.
Rep. Cassidy was at Garrett’s event today because Garrett had come to her about what was going on weeks ago. “I told her to get legal counsel and make her decision,” Cassidy said. “And with each thing that happened over the weeks that followed, she just grew more resolved.”
What sort of things? “Responses she saw and things continuing to happen. She just became more resolved,” Cassidy said. Garrett finally came to the conclusion that “the only way to make change was to act on it.”
So, what should happen now?
“This sends a solid signal that folks should feel safer coming forward and demanding the change in our culture that will allow us to work without fear,” Cassidy said. “This is a woman that we work with every single day and I suspect that most people don’t even know her name, and she has put up with this for several years, quietly making sure that our lives run smoothly. And that’s sickening.”
But what about Tim Mapes? What should happen to him?
“I’m not Mapes’ employer, the Speaker is. He needs to act like it.”
Madigan staff member comes forward about harassment by Chief of Staff Tim Mapes
Long-time State House employee cites repeated incidents of bullying, harassment in Springfield
CHICAGO (June 6, 2018)–A long-time member of Illinois House Speaker Michael J. Madigan’s Office came forward on Wednesday to detail multiple instances of bullying and harassment in the workplace by Madigan’s Chief of Staff, Tim Mapes.
Sherri Garrett, who is an Account Technician and Minutes Clerk for the Speaker’s Office, said she decided to speak out after many years of harassment and bullying.
“I have decided to come forward because we have a serious and pervasive problem in our state government, and I could no longer remain silent about my own mistreatment,” said Garrett, who resides in Springfield. “My hope is that by coming forward, I can help to create space for others to do the same.”
“I want to make sure that the workplace environment is better in the future for our daughters, and our sons,” she said. “We need to force fundamental change–not just lip service, not a quick hit solution, but real cultural transformation.”
Garrett detailed several incidents:
In Spring 2013, former State Rep. Ken Dunkin approached the House Well and said to Ms. Garrett and another woman–“I want to take both of you home and see which one will be the naughtiest.” Ms. Garrett reported the incident. Ms. Garrett later heard that when Mr. Mapes was told about the incident, his response was that it would blow over. While the incident was appropriately addressed by other members of Ms. Garrett’s team ultimately, it later became clear to Ms. Garrett that Mr. Mapes did not take appropriate action to address Rep. Dunkin’s comment, and if it had been left up to Mr. Mapes, the entire incident would have been swept under the rug.
In December 2014, Ms. Garrett was participating in a conversation with several of her colleagues in the Speaker’s Office, planning inauguration logistics. They were discussing the proper drop-off location for a judge at inauguration. In the middle of the conversation, Tim Mapes said that Ms. Garrett needed to make sure she was not showing her “pink bra” to the judge on Inauguration Day, because he “knows how us girls on the second floor like to leave little to the imagination,” Ms. Garrett said. Ms. Garrett said there was no context for this comment, which she found entirely inappropriate. “As anyone can tell you, I never dress provocatively. But even if I did, this would have been a completely inappropriate comment,” said Ms. Garrett.
In September 2015, Ms. Garrett had been approached by a young woman who had previously worked with her in the Clerk’s office. The woman was being sexually harassed by a member of the House Democratic Caucus and had come to talk to Ms. Garrett because she was afraid. Ms. Garrett spoke to Mr. Mapes about the details of the situation, told him she was concerned and asked him to talk to the Representative and tell him to stop. Mr. Mapes then said to Ms. Garrett: “Are you reporting the situation because you are upset the Representative isn’t paying attention to you?” Ms. Garrett was astounded at the comment, and continued to advocate for the young women’s safety. Another colleague was present, and that person was also taken aback by the comment.
A fourth incident took place just a few weeks ago. Ms. Garrett was in the House Well preparing for the start of session. Mr. Mapes approached her and another colleague and started a conversation about another individual. He discussed how the individual “wouldn’t do something because the person was married.” Without full context, Ms. Garrett did not understand what Mr. Mapes was saying. He then looked at Ms. Garrett and said “We know that doesn’t matter around here, does it, Sherri?” Ms. Garrett said something to the effect of, “Yes, this place does have a reputation.” Mr. Mapes then said, “Now, I am not implying that you are running around on Jim [Ms. Garrett’s husband].” Ms. Garrett was again stunned, confused and uncomfortable. Ms. Garrett’s colleague, standing next to her, said something to try to defuse the conversation. Mr. Mapes said to Ms. Garrett’s colleague, “So you’re implying that Sherri is running around on Jim?” Ms. Garrett’s colleague was also stunned. He said no. Later, Ms. Garrett turned to her colleague and said, “Why did that conversation take place?” Ms. Garrett’s colleague said he found the conversation “very awkward and uncomfortable, but not unusual.” Ms. Garrett’s colleague also noted that he did not understand why Mr. Mapes continued to stare at her throughout the interaction.
In April of this year, Mr. Mapes came on the floor. Ms. Garrett heard him say to a colleague: “Are you going to sex training today?,” jokingly referring to sexual harassment training. The Chief of Staff was apparently making light of the training, even in this moment, in which this training is so critical.
On the day of the State of the State Address, many people in Springfield were wearing black in solidarity with the #TimesUp movement. Mr. Mapes wore navy blue. Ms. Garrett noted Mr. Mapes stated: “I’m wearing blue today because there’s not a woman on the House floor that would want me to tell them what to wear.” It was clear that he viewed this as a way for him to thumb his nose at the entire #TimesUp movement.
Mr. Mapes is the Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the House. He is also the Clerk of the House and the Executive Director of the Democratic Party of Illinois.
“[Mapes] has an inordinate amount of power in this state,” said Ms. Garrett. “And the Speaker’s Office, which he helms, is charged with leading the effort to reform the system to address concerns like mine. They should be held to the highest standard.”
Ms. Garrett plans to file a complaint detailing her harassment with the Legislative Inspector General following the press conference.
*** UPDATE 1 *** A few quotes from Ms. Garrett’s press conference today…
I’m loyal to him. This is very hard for me. But I’ve just suffered one disappointment after another with how things were handled. I feel it’s time to do better. I feel it’s time for him to pay attention to us.
There are all kinds of people who are behind me right now that you can’t see because they’re too afraid to come forward.
Please step up for the victims. In reality, we are Democrats. We’re supposed to protect the people who can’t protect themselves.
I would just ask him to help the victims, to believe that we really are victims.
It’s just time for this to stop. I would just challenge him to come forward and take a different path than he’s taken for the last six or seven months.
He has the power to do something for us and make it better for us.
*** UPDATE 2 *** From Ms. Garrett’s written statement at the beginning of her presser…
I have not felt that I have had a safe path to report my experiences. I’m speaking out because victims of harassment like me, men and women alike, just want to go to work, just want to do our jobs with dignity and we want to go home at the end of our day. But, instead, we have a culture of sexism, harassment and bullying that creates an incredibly difficult work environment.
I feel strongly that if we had a human resources office that represents the interests of employees and not the people in power. I wish I would’ve had someone that I could have trusted and to whom I could’ve said, ‘Hey. This happened to me. Is this supposed to happen?’
If there had been a true professional human resources team, they could have said ‘No’ and perhaps we could have nipped it in the bud right then and there.
Mr. Mapes is the chief of staff for the Speaker of the House. He is also the Clerk of the House and the executive director of the Democratic Party of Illinois. He has an inordinate amount of power in the state. And the Speaker’s office which he helms is charged with leading the effort to reform the system to address allegations like mine. They should be held to the highest standard.
Instead they behave like they’re above reproach and like the Speaker’s office is a locker room.
It is scary to come forward and speak out about his behavior. But I feel strongly that employees do not have any protection.
The legislative reforms that have been passed thus far are a good step forward, but they don’t go nearly far enough. And until we see a meaningful commitment to culture change in our state from those at the very top, I fear nothing will improve.
Today, the JB Pritzker campaign launched “Sham Ribbon Cutting Alerts” to highlight Bruce Rauner’s election year stunts after spending years failing to invest in Illinois’ crumbling infrastructure.
In 2014, Rauner criticized election year ribbon cutting and promises saying, “what I won’t do… is fail to invest in our infrastructure for years and run around at the last-minute making promises.” Now, with a record lacking any accomplishments and a reelection campaign in shambles, Rauner is doing just that — running around at the last-minute and making promises.
In today’s sham ribbon cutting, the failed governor “unveiled” a train project started in 2012 using money from a Department of Transportation Rauner decimated during his budget crisis, stalling $3.3 billion worth of projects and laying off 20,000 workers.
“As our failed governor runs around making last-minute promises and taking credit for other people’s accomplishments, Illinois’ infrastructure crumbles,” said Pritzker campaign spokesman Jason Rubin. “Bruce Rauner stood by as our state’s roads, rails, and waterways fell into disrepair, and a sham election year ribbon cutting tour won’t change that fact.”
RAUNER: “Right now he’s running around the state right now committing hundreds of millions of dollars to projects to buy votes with taxpayer money. He’s going to, I think it’s Southern Illinois. Just promised a project down there cause he’s going for an endorsement in a local paper. Went to Quincy, promised money for a project there cause he wants the endorsement of the paper. He’s running around making promises with taxpayer money to try to buy votes and influence folks. That’s what he does, that’s what these politicians do, use taxpayer money to buy votes.”
REPORTER: “So you’re not gonna have any projects to announce when you’re governor? You’re not gonna do an infrastructure plan? Every governor does in infrastructure plan.”
RAUNER: “I will have a detailed infrastructure plan, it will grow our infrastructure. What I won’t do with Pat Quinn, like Pat Quinn is, is fail to invest in our infrastructure for years and run around at the last minute making promises where he doesn’t have the money to keep them.”
Quinn did that because it usually works. Same for Rauner. Rauner criticized Quinn four years ago, and now he’s getting it in return. Standard campaign operating procedure.
Our recent analysis of CDC cause of death data shows that Illinois’s overall child death rate masks disparities across groups and across the state. Our state’s overall child death rate puts us at about the national average, but we have among the highest Black-White gaps in the entire country. Additionally, the county-level rates span a large range. For example, the child death rate is four times higher in Marion County than in DuPage County. Child death rates are highest in Illinois’s large central metro counties and rural counties and are lowest in the suburban counties.
Causes of Death Vary by Age and Race/Ethnicity. Across age groups, the top causes of death differ. Infants are most likely to die from disorders related to short gestation and low birth weight, children are most likely to die from diseases, and teens are most likely to die from accidents (including motor vehicle accidents). There are also large racial disparities in certain causes of death:
* Black infants are over three times more likely than White infants to die from disorders related to short gestation and low birth weight.
* Black children are over three times more likely than White and Hispanic/Latino children to die from diseases.
* The homicide death rate for Black teen boys is more than six times the suicide rate of White teen boys, which is a leading cause of death for that group.
Trends. From 2000 to 2015, the overall death rate for children ages 19 and under in Illinois decreased from 74.5 to 52.2 per 100,000 children, so we have made significant progress as a state. But that progress has been uneven. Encouragingly, from 2005 to 2015, the infant mortality rate decreased for all groups, and the Black-White infant mortality rate gap narrowed. In that same time period, the overall teen death rate decreased, as did the rate for White and Hispanic/Latino teens. Alarmingly, though, the rate increased for Black teens.
One man has started a petition to have the state of Illinois secede from the city of Chicago, allowing every county eligibility to join except for Cook County.
Collin Cliburn proposed this because he said he feels those who are in more rural areas of the state are being given higher taxes they can’t afford and are unequally represented. […]
“Myself, I’m a White Sox fan and I hate giving up that territory. But when it comes down to it, this state is a sinking ship,” Cliburn said.
Yep. Just an ordinary citizen concerned about his beloved state. More…
“We don’t want $578 sticker for our car and we don’t want a new progressive income tax and we don’t want a recommended one percent property tax,” Cliburn said. […]
While he has an attorney, Cliburn said all he needs is for one county to vote this into effect with a majority on their Illinois county ballot before he would take it to the federal level.
The far-right is screaming online about this mythical “one percent property tax.” You’d think they could find something real to hate. It’s Illinois, after all.
For far too long has the Illinois government disgraced our citizens land and its now time to demand change. Let the people of southern Illinois enjoy their constitutional liberties without the northern liberal oppression we must deal with. Any law to regulate guns is treason and our officers should protect us from this tyrannical government. Let us stand together and make change. Ask your representives to split the state. Its the only hope for southern Illinois to escape the inevitable collapse of our once great state. What politician should be able to make laws against the people they have governed right into the dirt.
We the people of ———— County ask the board of commissioners to provide a referendum to lobby US congress to allow Menard county to leave and form a new state with other county’s that wish to follow federal law. Chicago and it’s politicians have total control over Illinois law while not following their own laws in our Illinois Constitution. Gun control laws have been implemented since the 1970s that infringe American rights in Illinois. More and more bills are being passed to guard Illegal aliens along with take care of them better than the average citizen. With new Chicago ID card available for voting privledges we will never have a chance to provide an opinion again. Our 4th amendment has been violated in multiple ways with support from both isles. This petition for a referendum granting departure from Illinois is still only a statement, if we win we will wait for the federal government to acknowledge it. We the people of Illinois and ———- county seek legal departure as we are law abiding concerned citizens.
That Chicago ID card is also a big topic among the far right, including Ives. They’re convinced the city is going to register kabillions of undocumented immigrants to vote and (white) people on the right will be drowned out.
It’s time to draw the line with Chicago area politics. Sign this petition and demand the separation of Illinois from Cook, Lake, Dupage, and North Will counties.
For quite some time our Illinois Government has been bossed around by a tiny piece of land far far away from most of Illinois in miles and ideas. I cannot stand for our bill of rights to be trampled any more. The city of Chicago takes better care of those here illegally than their own citizens. When so many districts are packed up there it’s hard for the rest of Illinois to voice their opinion. When researching the separations in the past both West Virginia and Maine are nearly alike with the reasons of the 98 counties with less districts than the 4 mentioned. With the current gun control including the foid program I deem it mutiny against the federal government and ask to be separated from this treacherous city and area that rules over us like lords. An Illinois without this super city can make better decisions that are likable by the people living here.
* More coverage…
* ABC 7: Group pushes for state of Illinois to secede from Chicago
* KTVZ Odd News: Man wants Illinois to secede from Chicago
Rauner Campaign Launches Updated Pritzker-Blagojevich Ad: “That’s The One I Would Want”
Today, the Rauner Campaign is launching the latest in the Pritzker-Blagojevich wiretap series: “That’s The One I Would Want.”
This new version of an earlier Pritzker-Blagojevich ad focuses on Pritzker’s prior donations to Blagojevich before asking for an appointment to the State Treasurer’s position. This wiretap clearly shows the corrupt relationship that Pritzker had developed with the now imprisoned, ex-Governor Rod Blagojevich.
This ad will join the one released yesterday, “Hilarious,” in a television rotation airing across the state.
WEDS, 11AM: State House employee to come forward about repeated sexual harassment in Springfield
WHO: State House of Representatives employee who has repeatedly experienced sexual harassment and bullying at work
WHAT: Press conference in which State House employee will detail her experience with sexual harassment in the workplace, and will call for changes to improve accountability and change the culture of sexism in Springfield
WHERE: 50 E Washington St., 5th Floor, Chicago, IL 60602
WHEN: Wednesday, June 6, 2018, 11AM
As always, speculation will not be tolerated in comments. Don’t get yourself banned for life.
* Related…
* Madigan asks for dismissal of sexual harassment lawsuit: In Tuesday’s filing, Madigan’s legal team contended Hampton fails to establish an “employment relationship existed” between her and the party during the “relevant time period.”
At issue, in a mistake that I think Casten is making worse by refusing to talk about it, is a blog post he wrote almost six years ago provocatively titled, “Thoughts on Economic Growth and Energy Slaves.” I was pointed to the post by a political operative working for an independent group that supports Roskam’s re-election. It’s buried if you do a broad search, but pops up on Google (and Bing) if you put in the right search terms.
In the post on Grist, Casten makes the argument that American prosperity and living standards have grown dramatically as we’ve boosted our use of fuels as opposed to “coercive labor.” I don’t disagree with his point. But the way he expresses it is tone-deaf, to put it mildly.
“How much energy was available to the (free) population of the antebellum South? In 1860, the U.S. had just 4 million slaves, working for about 8.5 million free residents of the South and border states,” Casten writes. “Adding 3.4 million horses, mules and oxen in the South as of 1860,” and assuming that the average pack animal can do the work of about seven people, “an average slaveholder had . . . 4.2 energy slave equivalents per free person,” and the South, as a whole, 3.27 “energy slaves” apiece.
By today, the nation’s “energy use amounts to 100 energy slaves per capita,” he concludes. “That is the extraordinary legacy of industrialization and fossil fuel extraction. We get 30 times the energy access of an 1860s plantation owner . . . and human rights, too.”
* Check out the Rauner campaign’s new Facebook ads…
According to Facebook, the ads (I counted six slightly different versions) started running today.
Blagojevich, you will recall, made the exact same demand to release all the tapes during and after his trials.
The tapes were ordered sealed by a federal judge. I can’t see how an online petition will do much of anything besides gather names for a campaign database.
* Gov. Rauner did another softball interview with WGN’s Steve Cochran and was asked about his new TV ads…
The truth about Pritzker has got to be known by the people of Illinois. Pritzker is a corrupt insider. He’s been part of the problem in Springfield for many, many years. He was tight with Blagojevich, he’s tight with Madigan. He funded each of them in their political shenanigans. And Pritzker, unfortunately is a tax dodger, to use a nice term for it. Inherited billions, hides the money in the Bahamas so he doesn’t pay his proper income taxes. Has used Madigan’s law firm to cheat his property taxes in Chicago. Ripped the toilets out of his mansion so he doesn’t pay the proper property taxes on his homes in Chicago. He’s a corrupt, self-dealing insider. He’s part of the problem and we’ve got to get the truth about him known.
REPORTER: “You just signed a budget that spends the money from the tax increase that you opposed. Over the summer we’re moving into a campaign season. Are you going to out there on the campaign trail and tell people that you object to this tax increase that you’re approving the spending on?”
RAUNER: “Absolutely.”
REPORTER: “Isn’t that disingenuous?”
RAUNER: “Not at all. If we introduced – if we passed a budget that I introduced, the spending plan that I introduced we could begin to rollback that tax hike and we would be running a $1.5 billion surplus in this coming year and we could – “
REPORTER: [INAUDIBLE]
RAUNER: “This is bipartisan compromise, this is a compromise. It’s not perfect, none of us got everything that we were looking for. This budget does not pay down bills so I was very frustrated. It did not pass the comprehensive pension reform that the Senate Democrats passed last year, we need to do that. It did not get regulatory relief for businesses, and workers comp and other regulations so we can grow more jobs. And most importantly, or I should say maybe very importantly it did not get the mandate relief on our schools, our schools need mandate relief and we need mandate relief on our local government so we can consolidate governments more effectively and efficiently and bring down our tax burden. These are the changes we will continue to strive to make, but this budget for the first time in many years even prior to me being Governor is balanced, through some hard work and some great efforts we will have it balanced and it stops some excessive spending that would have otherwise happened. And it’s a good step in the right direction.”
I’ll add one other point that I think is salient, if we had passed the budget that I had introduced in February – that I had proposed in February – and then just used the rest of the assumptions and programs that are in this budget we would be running about a $1.5 billion surplus in the coming fiscal year. We could use that for a tax reduction, we could use that to invest more in infrastructure, and we could use that to pay down bills.
OK, now that’s disingenuous. He talks like $1.5 billion is a huge amount of money that can easily be divvied up for a tax cut, infrastructure and paying off bills. The bill backlog alone will be more than $7 billion at the end of the fiscal year.
A $1.5 billion tax cut would reduce the income rate by 0.375 percentage points. So, instead of a 4.95 personal rate, we’d have a 4.575 rate. Great news! The exodus will surely end! But since much of what they used to “balance” the budget are one-time revenue sources, including borrowing $800 million from special funds for two years and selling the Thompson Center, we’d be in an even worse hole.
Divide it up three ways and you’d trim the backlog by a mere $500 million, reduce the income tax rate by 0.125 points to 4.825 and have a half a bil left over for capital - and you’d still have a $6.6 billion backlog with even less state money to address it.
The incumbent Republican, who is running for re-election in November, calls the $38.5 billion spending plan a true bipartisan compromise and a “good day for the people of Illinois.” But one thing noticeably left off the negotiation table this year was his “turn around agenda,” a list of business and economic reforms he once campaigned on.
When asked why he dropped his prior demands for lower property taxes, worker compensation rates and pension reforms at Monday’s budget signing, he echoed lawmakers saying, “Not everyone got what they wanted.” […]
Illinois Chamber of Commerce President Todd Maisch says he’s disappointed Governor Rauner let business reforms fall to the wayside but understands why he did.
“Unfortunately, this is a short-term solution that addresses no new revenues this year, somewhat spending restraint, but only compared to General Assemblies in the past,” Maisch said. “I think he made the right political choice to go ahead and say, ‘Let’s get as close to a balanced budget this year as we can and take those others issues to the people.’ Voters are going to go to the polls in November and voters will decide where they want to go.”
Agreed. If Rauner is reelected, he’ll have a true mandate. Everybody now clearly knows what he wants to accomplish.
Yesterday, Politico reported that the Pritzker campaign will spend double whatever the Rauner campaign spends. They quote a Pritzker source saying, “For every dollar he spends, we’re ready to spend two.”
Who says that?
The Pritzker campaign is claiming that their budget won’t be built around what’s most effective. Instead, they just want to arrogantly brag about their wealth.
“Based off his conversations with Blagojevich, Pritzker has already shown a willingness to try to buy political office.” -Will Allison, Rauner campaign spokesman
The Pritzker campaign’s messaging machine is usually tight as a drum, but that one somehow got through. It’s not a good look. I assume someone was just doing some tough-guy, hyperbolic bragging.
Partisans may cheer it on (and since his new ad leaves much to be desired, he could use that), but as Will alludes to, the vow is impractical. I mean, if Rauner puts 10,000 points on Chicago TV then Pritzker is gonna push 20,000 just because he’s got the dough? Ridiculous. Not to mention that such selfish spending could drown out or even potentially crowd out other Democratic candidates - particularly must-win Democratic congressional candidates.
But, hey, if this means that if Rauner spends $4 million on Erika Harold then Pritzker will spend $8 million on Kwame Raoul, I’m sure there won’t be any loud objections from the Raoul campaign.
Also, it is a bit rich that the Rauner campaign is upset about somebody else trying to buy an election.
* I asked Galia Slayen at the Pritzker campaign for a response and this is what she sent…
Our campaign is focused on doing what is necessary to communicate that JB will bring real change to Illinois, beat Bruce Rauner and end his failed time as governor, while also helping turn out Democrats up and down the ballot. If this failed governor wants to ask “who says that,” we suggest taking a look at these:
• On his role as governor: “I’m not in charge, I’m trying to get to be in charge.”
• On his leadership style: “Crisis creates opportunity. Crisis creates leverage to change.”
• On if he voted for Donald Trump: “We need to focus. Focus, Amanda, is a good thing.”
• On Quincy: “Our team did exactly what they should have done, exactly when they should have done it” and “these things happen.”
• “Not every job should be in America.”
• On the budget crisis he created: “Well one of the challenges is for our human services and it’s intolerable that they have been hurt, it’s not right.”
• On spending the tax increase he opposed: “Isn’t that disingenuous?” Rauner: “Not at all…”
• Before firing his whole staff… again: “So, we’re, we have a lot of folks in the administration, we’re building the Best Team in America to turn the government around.”
• On not denouncing David Duke as a racist: “But you won’t call him racist?” Rauner: “No place.”
• On the right to choose: “I am the strongest supporter of candidates for office who are pro-life. Nobody has worked harder to elect pro-life Republicans than I have.”
• On letting voters know where he stands: “I have no obligation to comment on every possible policy change in Washington, DC. I never have and never will.”
• On gay marriage: “So gay marriage, I have not supported it, I will not advocate for it.”
• On lowering the minimum wage: “I will advocate moving the Illinois minimum wage back to the national minimum wage.”
• On proudly shutting down the government: “I may have to take a strike and shut down the government for a few weeks and kind of regroup with these contracts. That’s a possibility. I don’t know any politicians who’d be willing to do that. I won’t be happy to do that, but I will do it proudly.”
• On calling Ives: Rauner said they spoke “right after the election,” but Ives spokeswoman said that Rauner “is not telling the truth” and “what he is saying happened did not happen.”
• On chocolate milk: “I’ll drink it, I’ll be proud to…it’s really really good, to it. Diversity!”
*** UPDATE *** The latest Comcast cable TV buy report shows Rauner spending $241,380 on ads over 11 days while Pritzker is dropping $177,719 over five days.
Not long ago, Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner said he wouldn’t have done anything differently when it came to the state’s response to deadly Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks at the Quincy veterans’ home.
But since those February comments, the Republican governor has, in fact, adopted a dramatically different approach to the public health crisis that has contributed to the deaths of 13 Illinois Veterans Home residents since 2015. And Rauner now has an entire legislative portfolio about to be delivered to his doorstep aimed at fixing the problem that’s beset his re-election campaign.
Before lawmakers ended their spring session Thursday, eight different measures won final legislative approval, headlined by a $53.1 million appropriation in the state budget to begin rebuilding the state’s largest and oldest veterans’ facility in Quincy. That’s where there have been outbreaks of Legionnaires’ — a form of waterborne pneumonia — in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018.
Lawmakers also voted to require residents and families be notified within one day of an outbreak of Legionnaires’ or other infectious diseases. And they voted to give families who lost loved ones at the home to Legionnaires’ a potential legal windfall, raising the state’s legal liability in those cases from $100,000 to $2 million.
* Pritzker campaign…
“While Bruce Rauner puts press stunts before our Veterans’ wellbeing, lawmakers passed a stack of bills to crack down on his fatal mismanagement,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “Thirteen of our nation’s heroes and their spouses died on Rauner’s watch, and it’s time for this failed governor to do his job and protect our Veterans.”
* Other bills…
* Can medical marijuana help combat Illinois’ opioid crisis?: The plan also eliminates some barriers to access of the state’s restrictive medical marijuana program. It would remove requirements that patients undergo background checks and fingerprint scans, which critics argue disproportionately prevents lower-income and minority communities from obtaining the drug.
* Legislature passes bill to improve insurance coverage for mental health, addiction: Among other things, it would prohibit private insurers from requiring prior authorization for medications to treat addiction, and bar them from requiring patients try less expensive medications for addiction before stepping up to more expensive ones. Those requirements already apply to Medicaid managed care organizations. … The Kennedy Forum Illinois and several other groups released the results of a survey last year showing disparities in coverage in Illinois. According to that report, about 59 percent of hospitals, psychiatrists and other providers surveyed said Medicaid managed care organizations “always” or “often” denied coverage for inpatient treatment for addiction and mental health issues. Medicaid managed care organizations are insurers that administer benefits for Medicaid, a state- and federally funded insurance program for the poor.
* Governor to consider hundreds of bills passed this session: Budget aside, for the first year of the 100th General Assembly, which was the 2017 legislative year, the House passed 380 bills while the Senate passed 235 bills for a combined total of 615 bills. For both 2017 and so far in 2018, 1,226 pieces of legislation passed. All together, the House and Senate combined filed 12,812 bills and resolutions for consideration.
* On the verge of big advances in political ethics in scandal-plagued Springfield: But now, if House Bill 138 is signed into law as it was approved, any findings of questionable behavior by Madigan or the other legislative leaders will bypass them and go to the commission. The leaders can respond only as any other subject of an investigation would. That’s big progress.
* Illinois tamps down ‘pension spiking’ for teachers; educators fear disincentive for hiring: But teachers unions and others say the new system will not only force down pension rates — depriving districts of a big selling point in attracting new teachers who might not be enticed by the modest salaries alone — but also could have an impact on things such as extracurricular activities. For example, they say, districts might be hesitant to let teachers coach school teams or take substantial promotions near the ends of their careers, because it could put the district on the hook for pension penalties if the extra pay equals more than 3 percent of the original salary.
* Lake County waterway dredging, flood mitigation efforts get boost from General Assembly: The latest legislative session in Springfield delivered a few benefits to Lake County, including a new law that will help the Fox Waterway Agency become more independent, while new funding approved this week by the General Assembly includes flood-damage grants for several areas around the county.
* Press Release: Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs today called on Governor Bruce Rauner to sign House Bill 4922 into law to put a stop to companies that issue rebate cards that charge dormancy or inactivity fees and avoid unclaimed property laws. … House Bill 4922 recently passed the Illinois House and Senate with bipartisan support. The legislation amends the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act to prohibit the sale or issuance of a rebate card that charges dormancy fees and almost all other post-issuance fees. The legislation was sponsored by Senator Cristina Castro (D-Elgin) and Representative Theresa Mah (D-Chicago).
* No downgrade by S&P, but no real praise, either…
Timely enactment of a fiscal 2019 budget in Illinois is consistent with the stable outlook S&P Global Ratings currently maintains on the state’s credit rating. At ‘BBB-’, however, the general obligation rating incorporates our view of the state’s longer-term vulnerabilities and remains the lowest possible rating within the investment grade categories. Among the state’s leading credits risks are its fiscal structure, which in our view, remains out of balance, a still-elevated unpaid bill backlog, absence of a budget reserve, and distressed pension funding levels. While the emergence of a more collaborative budget process has potentially constructive credit implications, the substance of the package largely represents an extension of the status quo. […]
Timely passage of a fiscal 2019 budget in Illinois underscores the near-term stability of the state’s credit outlook that emerged in July 2017. Our stable outlook reflected that following its 2017 tax increases, Illinois approached fiscal 2019 with a significantly smaller fiscal gap and much diminished liquidity-related concerns.
The benefits from the tax hike are mentioned several times in the full report.
* Past-due bills are still a problem…
Crucially, proceeds from the state’s November 2017 bond issuance enabled the comptroller to pay delinquent Medicaid bills and, in the process, ameliorate the threat of federal court intervention over the state’s cash management. Apart from the bonding strategy, however, which in our view amounts to financing state operations with long-term debt, policymakers have made little headway against the bill backlog. Additional progress would almost certainly require the politically unpalatable combination of lower spending and more revenue (higher taxes). Even after the backlog borrowing, which leveraged federal Medicaid matching funds, the comptroller reports a current backlog balance of $7.1 billion at the end of fiscal 2018. This, along with the state’s long-term liabilities, precariously balanced operating budget, and lack of budget reserve, continue to weigh on the state’s prospects for a higher rating.
Eventually, those bills will have to be paid.
* The budget holes…
The budget identifies $38.5 billion in general funds resources to support a like amount of corresponding expenditures, ending with a negligible $15 million balance. In our view, however, the budget falls short of achieving structural balance, relying on $800 million in interfund borrowing and $270 million of net proceeds from the sale of the state-owned Thompson Center. The state is also liable for up to $400 million in previously unaccounted-for costs related to prior step increases the courts have ruled are due to state employees. Furthermore, it’s possible, in our view, that strong tax receipt trends, $200 million above the prior forecast in fiscal 2018 and $160 million in 2019, partly reflect a nonrecurring windfall generated by taxpayers accelerating income into 2017 in response to provisions of the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Assuming this begins to dissipate in 2019 and beyond, the state’s fiscal condition is susceptible to erosion. The economy itself is also a risk. According to our forecast, which is in line with the consensus view, GDP growth will peak this year and then begin to decelerate with any such slowdown now potentially accentuated in Illinois by the effects of retaliatory tariffs placed on state exports by U.S. trading partners.
* And not good news for the longer term…
On its present trajectory, the margin by which the state’s fiscal capacity will fall short of accommodating the scheduled increases in payment obligations will continue to widen. State fixed costs—including debt service, pension contributions, and outlays for employee health benefits (e.g., OPEB)—already consume 31% of general fund expenditures, more than twice the median for states. As a share of expenditures funded by state resources (excluding federal aid), Illinois’ fixed cost burden is even higher, at 34% of general funds outlays. Based on projections from the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, we estimate that by fiscal 2025, pension contributions from the state’s general funds will increase by $1.7 billion, or 24%..
* This ProPublica story produced with the Atlantic is a must-read…
Here’s how the system is supposed to work: After children are admitted to a psychiatric hospital, staff psychiatrists assess them and try to stabilize them, develop treatment plans that usually involve managing their medications, and then initiate a course of treatment to be followed with an outside doctor. After that, they’re typically released. Psychiatric hospitals are designed for short-term stays—days or a couple weeks—and staff often start planning for a discharge the day a child arrives.
Any long-term treatment is supposed to occur elsewhere, during appointments with outside doctors or at residential treatment centers, where psychiatrists and therapists have time to develop relationships with the child and address the deeper issues that led to the hospitalization and DCFS’s involvement
I analyzed thousands of pages of confidential records and obtained data from DCFS under the Freedom of Information Act covering all of the nearly 6,000 psychiatric hospitalizations of children in DCFS’s care between 2015 and 2017. In that period, nearly 30 percent of all children in DCFS care who were hospitalized were held beyond medical necessity, for a collective total of more than 27,000 days—that’s nearly 75 years—waiting and watching the outside world from behind the thick panes of hospital safety windows because DCFS has too few beds in other facilities where they could be more appropriately treated. On average, more than one in five days spent in a psychiatric hospital, the records indicated, were not medically necessary.
In the vast majority of those cases, children were held long past when they were cleared for release, not just a day or two beyond. Eighty percent of the more than 800 children whose stays became medically unnecessary between 2015 and 2017 were held for 10 days or more beyond when they should have been released. More than 40 percent were confined for a month or longer; 15 percent had to wait two months or longer.
In 2014, 88 psychiatric hospital admissions went beyond medical necessity, but that figure jumped to 246 the following year—a surge DCFS has struggled to explain, but that officials at the agency suggested could be due to the cases becoming more complex. Since then, the number of those admissions has continued to rise, though more gradually—from 292 in 2016 to 301 last year, according to DCFS statistics.
The result: Every day since July 2015 through the end of December 2017, at least nine children—and sometimes dozens—were unnecessarily held in psychiatric hospitals. There was a girl who spent so much time in one that hospital staff were asked to bring her a winter coat. She had been admitted in the summer.
Trump is considering commuting former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's 14-year prison sentence.
This @ChicagoMag piece reminded us: Blagojevich denied 93 percent of pardon or clemency requests during his six years as governor:https://t.co/ZwFALBuMKl
— ProPublica Illinois (@ProPublicaIL) May 31, 2018
In the past, Blagojevich was accused of having unbridled optimism that at times blinded him to inconvenient truths. That doesn’t seem to have faded. Even though he’s now down to a long-shot appeal to the Supreme Court, he is convinced that he will be vindicated: “I still believe, ultimately, we’ll prevail.”
If that attempt fails, Blagojevich’s only hope would be a presidential pardon or clemency. I point out the irony: In the six years he was governor, Blagojevich denied 93 percent of the 1,024 such requests he considered and let 2,800 pile up without action, causing a massive backlog. (By comparison, Pat Quinn acted on nearly 5,000 and granted more than one-third.) “You’re right,” Blagojevich says. “I didn’t do nearly enough. I regret that very much. I wish I knew what I know now. The sentences are extremely merciless. I’ve learned there’s a lot of oversentencing.”
In my opinion, he denied and ignored those requests because he feared the political consequences. He was a former assistant state’s attorney and wanted to look “tough on crime.” And now he begs for mercy while proclaiming his innocence.
I just can’t with this guy.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Gov. Rauner was asked about possible presidential clemency for Blagojevich today. His response…
Blagojevich’s case and behavior has been reviewed by judges, many judges, including the Supreme Court, by many legal experts, many attorneys.
They’ve all come to the conclusion that Blagojevich is where he belongs and he should stay where he’s at. So, I’ll leave it at that.
Rauner and Democrat J.B. Pritzker may have one thing in common: they don’t believe President Donald Trump should grant imprisoned former Gov. Rod Blagojevich a commutation.
Pritzker’s campaign said he believes “the former governor is where he belongs.” […]
The Pritzker campaign also told the Sun-Times on Tuesday that “JB thinks there’s plenty of other things that Donald Trump should be focusing on,” while acknowledging that it’s up to Trump whether to pardon or commute his sentence.
Imprisoned former Gov. Rod Blagojevich filed official paperwork Tuesday asking President Donald Trump to commute his 14-year prison sentence on sweeping corruption charges.
Every day my dad rolled up his sleeves and went to work. 35 years pouring concrete, driving a snowplow, operating a backhoe. He helped shape who I am and how I serve.
As Macoupin County Board Chairman, I balanced the budget by cutting pay and pensions for elected officials.
In the Senate, I’ve refused a pension; said no budget, no pay; and I’m working to freeze property taxes.
Families here work hard. They deserve someone who rolls up their sleeves and goes to work for them.
Manar is up against Christian County GOP Chairman Seth McMillan. The race is expected to see 7-figure spending by both sides, so getting an early start is probably a good idea. Also, I don’t expect Manar will stay on an exclusively positive track for very long.
Most of the supposed savings come from two completely voluntary “pension buyouts.” First, vested but inactive Tier 1 pensioners – meaning employees hired before 2011 – are given the option of receiving 60 percent of the net present value of their pension annuity in a lump sum payment. Lawmakers claim this will save $41 million.
Second, the largest portion of the expected savings – $381.9 million – comes from an optional cost of living adjustment, or COLA, buyout. This would give Tier 1 members the option to trade their 3 percent compounding increases for a 1.5 percent simple annual increase, in exchange for an immediate payment of 70 percent of the net value of their future increases under the higher formula.
Lawmakers plan to issue up to $1 billion in bonds to pay for those buyouts now, since they don’t have the money on hand. The state previously borrowed $17.2 billion to make pension payments, which will cost $25.8 billion to pay off in the long run.
The problem? Lawmakers are essentially counting on state workers to voluntarily cut their own pensions.
According to state Rep. Mark Batinick, R-Plainfield, the savings are calculated using a 22 percent uptake rate on the pension buyouts, which is the same uptake rate as a similar plan passed in Missouri. Unfortunately, the situation in Missouri is very different from the situation in Illinois. Illinois’ Supreme Court has declared that the pension protection clause protects not only earned benefits, but future increases in those benefits as well. Missouri does not operate under this restriction.
Some pensioners may see the writing on the wall and decide that they want to take their retirement security out of the hands of politicians, in case the pension system goes insolvent. However, many state workers may also be unwilling to give up a constitutionally guaranteed benefit increase for a much smaller guaranteed payment now. That makes the Missouri uptake rate unrealistic for Illinois.
If significantly fewer Illinois workers accept the buyout options than expected, lawmakers will have a hole in the budget that could amount to hundreds of millions of dollars.
* Rep. Mark Batinick responds…
The same IPI that has stated our pension costs are unsustainable, won’t be paid, and has talked about bankruptcy is now arguing that Illinois employees won’t want to take up a buyout at the same rate as Missouri employees? That’s a stretch.
In the 2nd year of the program in Missouri, the take up rate has actually increased to 25%
The bulk of our savings comes from the COLA reduction buyout. That buyout is at 70% compared to Missouri’s 60%. Again, this should increase the take-up rate.
The COLA reduction is a partial buyout, not an all or nothing scenario. Because our benefits are generous the buyouts will be too. A large amount of our employees will be able to keep their base annuity and get a six figure check simply for taking a reduced COLA. It is a “have your cake and eat it too situation.” Plus, because of the nature of the compound COLA retirees currently get their greatest benefits at the very end of their lives when they are less likely to be able to enjoy it. Pulling some of that money forward will make sense to a whole lot of people.
This program essentially takes part of our defined benefit pension liability and turns it into a defined contribution. That is the exact type of program IPI has advocated for four years. I’ve spent almost 3 years running real world examples with real people. Once fully implemented, I expect the take up rate to exceed projections. My biggest concern is simply getting the systems to execute the program quickly and efficiently.
* Gov. Rauner is kicking off the festivities by taking the Blagojevich route, which is mighty interesting since President Trump is considering letting the man out of prison and Rauner’s Blagojevich TV ads during the primary didn’t really hurt Pritzker all that much. I mean, the dude won by 20 points after Rauner spent millions.
Then again, general election audiences are very different than Democratic primary audiences, and it’s well known that the Rauner folks have been polling and focus-grouping the heck out of this topic. And the spot most definitely takes a wicked shot at Pritzker, which his GOP base will appreciate. Press release…
Today, the Rauner campaign is launching the first TV ad of the general election, and latest in a series highlighting JB Pritzker’s conversations with corrupt ex-governor Rod Blagojevich, federal inmate #40892-424, caught on FBI wiretaps.
The ad features Pritzker and Blagojevich talking about potentially appointing Barack Obama’s controversial spiritual leader Reverend Jeremiah Wright to the former president’s open Senate seat.
Pritzker quipped how “hilarious” it would be, followed by both of them rounding out their conversation with a rousing “God D@mn America!”
Not a lot of context there. But the patriotic theme could take hold. Again, this is a sop to the base, which is absolutely fine for this point in the campaign.
* Background text from a GOP operative…
Only 16% of people in the state blame Bruce Rauner solely for our problems. An overwhelming majority blame Mike Madigan — to whom Pritzker has solidly hitched his wagon.
* On to the next one. Press release…
Today, the JB Pritzker campaign released the first in a new series of TV ads that will document how Bruce Rauner has failed Illinoisans across the state as governor.
The first ad in the series, “Brent,” highlights how Bruce Rauner’s failure to pass a budget led to the halt of road construction and 20,000 workers being laid off at the height of construction season. Learn more about the Rauner Failed Me campaign at www.RaunerFailedMe.com.
“Bruce Rauner’s failed leadership has had a real and lasting impact on hardworking people across our state and after three and a half years in office, it’s clear this governor has nothing positive to talk about,” said JB Pritzker. “Working families have been lied to, let down, and failed by Rauner for nearly four years — and it’s time their stories are heard.”
* If you wanted Pritzker to draw serious blood with his first ad, this definitely ain’t it. They’re trying to build a narrative, though, so we’ll see. Actual general election voters may not want this thing to start out as an 11 on a scale of 1-10 and the ad does tell a story about how a real person was hurt by the governor’s choices.
Even so, it looks to my eyes like an overreaction to Hillary Clinton’s unexpected blue-collar losses in the “Rust Belt” states. Illinois isn’t Wisconsin, or Michigan, or Pennsylvania or Ohio, however. Hillary won Illinois by 17 points.
The spot seems like a too-careful-by-half, overpaid consultant’s ad and not what the relatively small number of people who are actually paying attention right now really want (which is what the Rauner ad most definitely is - a vicious assault). Instead of kicking it all off with some nasty red meat for a few days, they’ve taken the safely bland route from the get-go. They may live to regret that choice. If you’re gonna say you’ll “protect” the state from President Trump and Gov. Rauner then you need to show you’re up to the task. This ad most definitely falls short. I’ve been warning for months that Pritzker may not be tough enough to win this thing, and his inaugural ad, in my opinion, only bolsters that prediction. But, hey, they’ve got reams of polling data and endless focus group experience and I don’t.
My name is Brent Williams, and I’m a proud union laborer. I’m one of the guys that works construction out there on the highways you drive by. Last summer, in the middle of our busy season, because of Bruce Rauner not passing a budget, I was told my job was being shut down. We just bought a house. I need to be working. When I’m not working, I’m not making money, and roads and bridges aren’t being fixed. Along with me, there were 20,000 other workers that were laid off. I don’t know that Bruce Rauner does think of me. Why would we do it for four more years?
