History can be a cruel exercise in pessimism if you narrow your gaze. But if you widen your vision just a little bit, you will see that the recurring reports from the past have been occasionally dotted with unapologetic optimists who focused on tackling old problems with new ideas and new vigor, reducing the burden for each generation along the way.
One of those unapologetic optimists was Governor Henry Horner, who took office in 1933. It puts the current day in honest perspective to think about the challenges Horner faced.
The Great Depression had just begun…Nearly half of Illinois’ work force was unemployed…Hungry workers were marching on Springfield…Teachers had not received a paycheck in nearly a year…Labor disputes were ending in bloodshed…Banks were shuttering… And to add to it all, floods were sweeping across wide swaths of the state.
Nevertheless, with the daunting nature of the state’s condition, Horner approached his job with optimism, with wit and with a dogged work ethic. In a speech soon after he took office, he said:
“We have got to hurdle a few more obstacles before we are on the broad highway of return to normal conditions. However, the road is clearly in sight.”
Today, that is where we find ourselves again. […]
I mentioned at the beginning of this speech that Henry Horner took office in 1933 at the start of the worst decade of economic decline in US history.
Horner was good friends with Carl Sandburg. They shared a love of all things related to President Lincoln. In the later years of his life, Sandburg granted an interview about his friend Governor Horner, in which he said, “Horner was the real goods…he got to high places without selling his soul.”
Indeed, despite all the economic struggles the state faced during the Great Depression, Horner still managed to increase school funding, institute unemployment insurance and pensions for older Illinoisans, create building programs for state institutions and improve public health services.
He understood that prosperity doesn’t trickle down…it trickles up. When we lift up those who have the least, our boats all rise together.
Horner was a fundamentally optimistic man. He approached his job as governor with a hopeful heart, and he never let that hope diminish under the uncommon burdens of being head of state.
He knew what I know…that the state of our state has always been strong because of the values of our people…not the value of our coffers.
Horner once said: “The only way to carry out any great purpose is not on your shoulders, but in your heart. Carry it on your backs and it may wear you down. Carry it in your hearts and it will lift you up. Thus, the heart strengthens the purpose, and the purpose gives poise and inspiration to the will.”
Like you, I carry the burdens of this state in my heart – and despite the heavy load it lifts me up every day. I share my purpose with you so that it may give poise and inspiration to our collective will – because I know the road ahead is hard, but I think it’s about time we all walk it together.
A probate judge in Cook County for many years, Horner was a Democrat like Pritzker. Horner became Illinois’ first Jewish governor when he was elected in 1932. His grandfather had been one of the first four Jews to settle in Chicago, 91 years before.
In his speech Wednesday, Pritzker repeated his call for a graduated income tax that will weigh more heavily on the wealthy. Horner also took on a tax issue, successfully pushing in 1933 for a state sales tax, a 3 percent levy that was roundly denounced by business interests. […]
An opponent of patronage and corruption, Horner sparred with powerful Chicago Mayor Edward Kelly. In 1936, Chicago’s Democratic machine sought to defeat Horner, but with strong Downstate support he won re-election. Two years later, a state ticket he supported in the face of machine opposition “triumphed,” the Tribune reported.
But, according to the Tribune, “the successful effort he then made to overcome the bosses cost him his health.” Horner suffered a stroke in 1938, and died while still in office in 1940. He was 61.
This message is coming from interested members of the Illinois Legislative Correspondents Association. As you know, it’s that time of year when we’re working to provide our readers, listeners, and viewers with thorough coverage of the governor’s budget proposal. To that end, we are requesting that the budget briefing be fully on the record (meaning anything said would be quotable with attribution).
Some of our members cannot attend with any restrictions.
This is in keeping with longstanding practices of past administrations, Republican and Democratic. (Until recently, they were embargoed until noon the day of the budget address, but they were still on the record. Even that limitation was dispensed with in recent years.)
Please do not hesitate to get in touch for further discussion.
Regards,
Members of the ILCA
— John O’Connor, The Associated Press
— Rick Pearson, Chicago Tribune
— Dan Petrella, Chicago Tribune
— Tina Sfondeles, Chicago Sun-Times
— Doug Finke, The State Journal-Register — Joseph Bustos, Belleville News Democrat — Shia Kapos, Politico — Hannah Meisel, The Daily Line — Rebecca Anzel, Capitol News Illinois — Peter Hancock, Capitol News Illinois — Jerry Nowicki, Capitol News Illinois — Jeff Rogers, Capitol News Illinois — Dan McCaleb, Illinois News Network — Daisy Contreras, NPR Illinois — Jaclyn Driscoll, NPR Illinois — Mary Hansen, NPR Illinois — Brian Mackey, NPR Illinois — Dusty Rhodes, NPR Illinois — Dave Dahl, WTAX — Mark Maxwell, WCIA, WMBD, WTVO, WHBF — Rachel Droze, WICS/WRSP — Doug Wolfe, WAND-TV — Tony J. Yuscius, Blueroom Stream
I am not on the list because I submitted my name too late.
* Response…
Brian - thank you so much for reaching out. Please let your members know that we strongly encourage them to attend, as we certainly want them and the public to understand what’s in this budget proposal. I hope you forward this email to all of them.
At the briefing, we’ll be running through the budget at a more granular level of detail than the speech itself, as well as giving them an opportunity to get their questions answered. All of this information can and should be reported. We encourage your members to use the information that they receive in that briefing to share with the public through all their reporting platforms, whether that’s print, broadcast or digital.
They are welcome to describe the budget briefing in detail, including that Deputy Gov. Hynes and Budget Director Sturm led the briefing and provided the facts. An example of attribution that we are comfortable with is below.
EXAMPLE OF ATTRIBUTION: According to Hynes and/or Sturm, this budget includes the first increase in funding for CTE programs in a decade.
We are asking that they not use direct quotes from either Dan or Alexis, so that today, the Governor has the opportunity to communicate his budget priorities himself, in his own voice.
For members who don’t attend, we’ll be happy to provide them with answers to their questions, and they should feel free to reach out to me or Jordan.
I’m told that at least three Statehouse reporters refused to attend.
After four years of unprecedented crisis, we are still uncovering the extent of the damage to our state’s budget. Bruce Rauner’s budget crisis has left us with billions of dollars in unpaid bills, frayed our social service infrastructure, and squandered $1 billion on late payment penalties instead of funding our schools, health care and critical human services. Without the efforts of House Democrats and some rank-and-file Republicans who worked together to make tough decisions and end Rauner’s crisis, the damage would have been even worse.
Amid the challenges we heard spelled out today, we also heard that we now have a governor who recognizes the magnitude of these challenges and will work with us to address them. House Democrats stand ready to work with Governor Pritzker and our Republican colleagues, bring all options to the table for honest negotiation, make the tough decisions, continue to stand strong and protect critical human services and quality schools, and move Illinois forward.
* House appropriation committee chairs Luis Arroyo, Kelly Cassidy, La Shawn K. Ford, Robyn Gabel, Rita Mayfield and Robert ‘Bob’ Rita…
“Governor Pritzker’s budget address was a sobering reflection of the real challenges facing our state after four years of Bruce Rauner’s neglect and mismanagement. The Rauner crisis has left us with a $3.2 billion structural deficit, and $14 billion in unpaid bills. Eight credit downgrades in just four years leave us on the verge of junk bond status. And the consequences are falling on those who can least afford it, from seniors, to children in need, to elderly veterans.
“House Democrats will continue to prioritize funding for essential services, and ensure that our most vulnerable residents receive the resources they need. This is the first of many steps as we work to restore Illinois’ fiscal house over several years, and with that will come many tough but necessary decisions. We will continue reaching across the aisle and working with our Republican colleagues to craft bipartisan budgets that set Illinois on a path to financial stability.
“Governor Pritzker’s straightforward assessment of the challenges Illinois faces is a welcome departure from Rauner’s years of neglect. While a lot of negotiation remains to be done, the governor’s proposal shares our commitment to funding our most critical services and lifting up our local communities by creating good-paying jobs and rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure. This is a starting point in a discussion of how we invest in education, repair our human services network, and ultimately create a better Illinois.
“As we begin the process of making a new budget and addressing these challenges, we come to the table prepared to work with the governor and legislators on both sides of the aisle with the goal of passing a responsible, balanced budget on time.”
* Senate Appropriations I Committee Chair Heather Steans…
“Having the governor propose a balanced budget is a positive step toward restoring stability to our state and ensuring long-term functionality within our government. Illinois continues to face structural budget challenges and I am encouraged that Governor Pritzker is addressing them head on.
“I look forward to working with the administration and my colleagues in the Senate over the next few months to develop a budget that significantly moves Illinois toward a solution that achieves financial certainty and builds trust that Illinois is back on the right track.”
* IFT President Dan Montgomery…
“After four years of divisiveness and destruction under Bruce Rauner, it was inspiring today to hear Governor Pritzker call for unity and collaboration to help Illinois get back on track.
“The problems we’re facing have taken decades to develop, and Rauner made them exponentially worse during his manufactured budget crisis. As a result, the new administration has inherited a $3.2 billion budget deficit and nearly $15 billion in unpaid bills.
“Despite these fiscal challenges, we are excited to see that Governor Pritzker is keeping his promise to prioritize public education and plans to dramatically increase funding at every level. It’s clear that he understands the importance of great public schools and higher education and is committed to fulfilling the state’s responsibility to invest in them.
“We are also interested to learn more about the pension ideas proposed today and glad they did not include any unconstitutional cuts to workers’ hard-earned retirements. We welcome the opportunity to work together to address the debt, and that’s why I’ve been proud to serve on the transition committee and advise on pension issues, to help ensure this is done responsibly and fairly.
“In the end though, none of our state’s economic problems can be solved without more revenue. We agree with the Governor – and 72 percent of Illinoisans – that our state’s wealthiest citizens should pay their fair share, while lower and middle-class families get a break. We are fully committed to helping pass a fair tax.
“We are heartened to have a governor who respects the vital work of public servants and our unions and look forward to tackling the challenges ahead – together.”
* IEA President Kathi Griffin…
Today marks a new day and a new focus for education in Illinois. It’s refreshing to have a governor not only focused on what is best for students and Illinois’ future, but who is willing to work collaboratively to get the best results.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker has proposed an additional $25 million toward K-12 education in Illinois, above and beyond the $350 million new dollars added last year through the new evidence-based funding law. There is also an additional $21 million in funding set aside for special education grants, $5 million for much-needed career and technical education programs for high school students and $2 million to help low-income students pay for Advanced Placement testing.
Gov. Pritzker also is proposing an additional boost over last year’s funding for higher education. While this is an amount still below what higher ed needs, it is a step toward fuller funding for higher education and, importantly, a move away from the financial starvation strategy we saw in recent years. It includes a 5 percent increase for community colleges and public universities and $50 million for MAP grants.
And, in what is a huge leap forward toward education equity in Illinois, Gov. Pritzker has proposed a boost of more than $100 million in birth to age five education funding. We have seen study after study that shows early education helps level the playing field for students over their entire learning careers and sets students on a path toward successful lives.
We applaud Gov. Pritzker for looking at various funding sources because funding has to play a role in the future he’s building for Illinois. A starving state cannot grow.
And, we find the Governor’s pension proposal an interesting start to the conversation. We understand this is a huge issue for Illinois and we also understand that any solution should be fiscally responsible, fair and constitutionally sound. We look forward to getting all stakeholders in the room to discuss viable solutions to find a healthy pathway forward.
* Illinois AFL-CIO President Michael T. Carrigan…
“Gov. Pritzker has signaled that he is taking on the state’s financial challenges in an open, fair, and productive manner. By enacting a minimum wage increase yesterday and putting forth plans for a state infrastructure improvement program along with a Fair Tax proposal, Pritzker is following through on his promise of investing in the working people of Illinois as a path to solid financial footing and economic security for our state. We welcome the opportunity to work with the governor and General Assembly on solutions that create an economy that works for all.”
* Illinois Working Together Executive Director Jake Lewis…
“Gov. JB Pritzker’s address today makes clear the hard choices facing Illinois as it begins to heal after four devastating years under Bruce Rauner. It will not be easy, but we commend the governor for taking a bold stand in tackling the challenges facing the state. We especially applaud Gov. Pritzker for recognizing that key to our future prosperity are a Fair Tax that asks the wealthiest to pay their fair share and a Capital Bill that invests in high quality infrastructure to keep our citizens safe.
“We welcome Gov. Pritzker’s commitment to move Illinois forward with high-road solutions that promote economic justice for all.”
* Chicago Federation of Labor President Bob Reiter…
“After four years of destruction and turmoil at the hands of Bruce Rauner, it is time for all of us to have the open and honest conversations that will get Illinois back on track to prosperity for all. Without mincing words, Governor Pritzker laid out the issues plaguing the state and his ideas to solve them, including a fair income tax. We are encouraged by Governor Pritzker’s message to Illinoisans and his refocusing our priorities on education, health and human services, and public safety. He laid out a thoughtful budget aimed at growing the economy and expanding the middle class. We stand ready to work with Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Legislature to find solutions that promote upward economic mobility among all working families.”
* Comptroller Mendoza…
Today, Governor Pritzker took a welcome departure from the past. His budget address shows he grasps the problems Illinois faces and is embracing serious solutions to attack them. As he said, it has taken decades to get Illinois into this mess, and Governor Pritzker knows it will take years for us to dig ourselves out.
Governor Pritzker’s proposed support for early childhood, elementary and higher education; crime prevention; veterans; mental health, child care and aging programs is both welcome and necessary.
Today is just the first step in the budgeting process, but it appears to be a good step. Now it’s time for Governor Pritzker and the legislature to get to work. My office will continue to serve as a resource for up-to-date fiscal information and transparency for taxpayers.
…Adding… Senate President Cullerton…
I give the governor credit for offering specifics. His plan is filled with ideas — real, doable, constitutional ideas. Now, whether or not they happen remains to be seen. That’s what the legislative process is for. But I commend Governor Pritzker for stepping forward today and presenting specifics. It’s a heck of a lot better than an empty “$4.6 billion by working together” line we saw in past years.
This is a budget that’s about restoring stability and functionality to state government. That’s what we need to build for the future.
Does it solve all of our problems? No. But it’s a vital step in the right direction.
There’s increased school funding. That means more resources for local public schools everywhere in Illinois, and that means more opportunities for our children.
There’s additional support for working families. You see it with the increased funding for child care assistance. Under this plan, a family of four making $50,000 would qualify for help with child care costs.
There’s more financial aid for college students.
The Chicago Veterans Home – a modern care facility for our veterans – would finally open.
I give the governor credit for being creative, aggressive and specific in his budget, and I look forward to working with him to bring it to reality.
…Adding… Jennifer Walling, Executive Director of The Illinois Environmental Council…
Governor Pritzker’s budget prioritizes moving Illinois to 100% clean energy and environmental justice communities by fully funding the nation-leading Illinois Solar for All program, as well as a new program designed to bring the benefits of energy efficiency to environmental justice communities. The proposed budget would also increase headcounts at both IEPA and IDNR, which will lead to better enforcement of environmental laws, and reverses the trend of leaving money on the table by fully appropriating federal funds.
* I’ve received several press releases supporting the governor’s proposed budget. Here are some in opposition. First up, Jessica Collingsworth, Lead Midwest Energy Policy Analyst, Union of Concerned Scientists…
In his State of the State address today, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker did not reiterate a campaign pledge that he will work to ensure all the state’s energy needs are met with solar, wind, and other carbon-free energy sources by 2050.
Below is a statement by Jessica Collingsworth, lead Midwest energy policy analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists’ Midwest office.
“While Governor Pritzker neglected to lay out his plan to wean the state off fossil fuels by 2050, I’m hopeful he still plans to honor his campaign promises. He took a laudable first step in joining the U.S. Climate Alliance, becoming the 18th governor to uphold the environmental protections outlined in the Paris Climate Agreement. But he can do much more to make Illinois a climate leader.
“As the climate changes, so will the circumstances of many Illinoisans. We’ll likely experience more intense floods as well as droughts. More frequent and intense heat waves also will increase public health risks and energy demand.
“In addition, Illinois has several frontline communities battling pollution from the energy sector. The science is clear, we must invest in renewable energy and help communities, especially those hardest hit, withstand climate impacts. Illinois deserves a healthy economy and environment where everyone can thrive.”
* And…
The Smoke Free Alternatives Coalition of Illinois released the following statement in response to the governor’s budget proposal that includes a 36 percent wholesale tax on vapor products:
“The governor’s proposed tax would do nothing more than create another hurdle for adults who are trying to quit smoking. Studies have shown that vaping products are among the most useful tools to help adult smokers quit traditional cigarettes. In fact, they have even been shown to be twice as effective as other nicotine replacement products such as patches and gum. With vaping products proven to be 95% less harmful than traditional cigarettes, it seems unethical to tax a person for making better, healthier choices. The long term savings to our state is in improving the health of its citizens by moving them from deadly cigarettes to something that is far less harmful and we look forward to working with the Governor and the legislature to achieve this end,” said Victoria Vasconcellos, president of the Smoke Free Alternatives Coalition of Illinois.
* ILGOP…
“Skipping pension payments, borrowing new debt, raising taxes, increasing spending - it’s clear that J.B. Pritzker is the new Rod Blagojevich. Pritzker’s unbalanced budget proposal is more of the same, failed policies that got our state into the mess it’s currently in. Illinois taxpayers cannot afford to return to the budget deficits and failed policies of the Blagojevich era. Pritzker pledged to deliver a balanced budget, and he failed.” - Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider
Today, Governor J.B. Pritzker gave his first budget address where he outlined his first, and probably not last, unbalanced budget proposal. In his speech, Pritzker advocated for a return to the same, failed budgeting that got our state in the mess it’s in:
Skip pension payments, $800 million a year for the next seven years
Madigan and Blagojevich supported a plan to skip pension payments
Issue $2 billion in new pension obligation bonds to make up for skipping pension payments
Madigan and Blagojevich supported a plan to issue pension obligation bonds
Increase spending by hundreds of millions of dollars
Levy new taxes
Theoretical graduated income tax, could not be enacted unless voters approve referendum in fall 2020, and Pritzker still refuses to release rates or revenue projections, yet Pritzker promises it will pay for everything - from pensions, to property and income tax cuts
Enact statewide plastic bag tax
Legalize recreational marijuana use, tax sales
Legalize sports betting, tax winnings
Increase video gaming taxes
Phase out the bipartisan Invest In Kids tuition tax credit scholarship program for low-income schoolchildren
Shorting the pension system $800 million a year might be the most irresponsible proposal from Governor Pritzker’s FY2020 budget. Pritzker’s decision to skip pension payments will cost billions of dollars more down the road. This is the exact opposite of what Pritzker pledged he would do during his campaign for governor. Last year, Pritzker told the Crain’s Editorial Board that the state should increase, not decrease, yearly contributions to the state pension systems.
Furthermore, Governor Pritzker’s spending plan relies on tax revenue the state has not yet received. It will take years to enact a theoretical graduated income tax, yet Pritzker is already committing that revenue to new projects. Pritzker’s budgeting is reckless and fiscally irresponsible.
It’s clear - J.B. Pritzker is the new Rod Blagojevich. Illinois taxpayers cannot afford to return to the budget deficits and failed policies of the Blagojevich era. Pritzker pledged to deliver a balanced budget, and he failed.
* Senate GOP Leader Bill Brady…
The Governor’s proposed budget represents a starting point for further negotiations.
We heard a lot in his speech about more spending, more tax increases and concepts tried in the past. And while we as legislators now begin digging into the details, I have grave concerns about the pension plan and I remain opposed to a graduated income tax.
The people of Illinois are demanding their elected officials address the fiscal crisis facing our state. If we are going to put Illinois on a path forward; then we need to learn from history, not repeat it.
* Illinois Manufacturers’ Association…
“In order to grow and provide more middle-class jobs, Illinois manufacturers need financial stability from state government, including a budget that doesn’t spend more than taxpayers can afford or rely on gimmicks that will only cost more in the long run. While we applaud the focus on education and workforce development, this budget has a structural deficit of $3.2 billion and continues to kick the can down the road on pensions,” said IMA President and CEO Mark Denzler. “It’s past time for lawmakers and the administration to make some tough decisions in order for Illinois to become a more attractive place for businesses to locate and expand. We stand ready to work collaboratively toward that goal.”
…Adding… Kelly Welsh, President of the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago…
Our plan called Restore Illinois is a comprehensive roadmap to put Illinois on the path to fiscal solvency. Unfortunately, the proposed budget does not go far enough to address Illinois’ fiscal problems. Delaying an aggressive approach will worsen our state’s financial outlook, and continue to slow our economic and jobs growth. We urge the General Assembly and the Governor to work together to develop a plan that changes the trajectory of Illinois’ finances now, before they get worse.
* House GOP Leader Jim Durkin…
The Governor’s budget today shows the true need for bipartisan solutions to fix Illinois’ many fiscal challenges. We cannot tax, borrow and spend our way out of this deficit as the governor has proposed. Illinois families deserve a focus on reform, including our out-of-control pension costs and sky high property taxes, and not a penny more in new taxes or fees. My caucus is prepared to work with the Governor on crafting a balanced budget that reflects our priorities and moves Illinois forward.
…Adding… Ideas Illinois Chairman Greg Baise…
“Today we got a Blagojevich style budget, spending we can’t afford and the biggest jobs tax in Illinois history. We think the state needs to get its own fiscal house in order before it punishes families with another round of massive tax increases.”
Illinois will continue to face structural deficits, including an estimated deficit of $3.2 billion in FY2020
Um, what?
How can a budget be balanced and have an estimated $3.2 billion deficit?
Checking with the administration.
…Adding… The administration claims it closed the $3.2 billion hole. So, apparently what that above passage means is they projected a budget hole and then closed it.
Wednesday, Feb 20, 2019 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Gov. J.B. Pritzker will stare down Illinois’ dismal state finances in his inaugural budget address today. According to the state’s own numbers, Illinois hasn’t balanced a budget in nearly two decades.
But why?
One simple reason: State spending has grown far faster than Illinoisans’ ability to pay for it.
From 2007 to 2017, Illinois state spending grew nearly 50 percent faster than personal incomes on a per capita basis. This rapid growth in spending has led to irresponsible budgeting, tax hikes and borrowing.
But there is an alternative.
The Illinois Policy Institute’s Budget Solutions 2020 plan provides a bipartisan path to a balanced budget without tax hikes, while responsibly paying down the state’s pension debt and bill backlog. Thankfully, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have already introduced many of the tools Pritzker needs to balance the state budget in the current General Assembly, including a smart spending cap, school district efficiency and constitutional pension reform.
It is a civil rights violation to ask a candidate for election to public office in this State about: his or her parental status; his or her plans for childcare; his or her religion; his or her sexual orientation; or any other question that may result in unlawful discrimination.
Um, anybody remember that thing called the 1st Amendment?
* The gigantic loophole in this bill is that the cam footage wouldn’t be subjected to FOIA laws. I mean, why have all those body cams if the public can’t get access? Also, the bill (click here) would apply to all public officials, not just elected officials. Public officials are defined as “any person who is elected or appointed to public office,” so we’re talking about maybe tens of thousands of people here…
All elected officials in Illinois would be required to wear body cameras while conducting public business if a bill sponsored by state Rep. John Cabello, R-Machesney Park, becomes law.
The intent of the bill is to reduce corruption at the state and local levels, but Cabello acknowledges his idea has virtually no chance of winning approval.
“We see the dealings going on in Chicago with some of the wiretaps and some of the corruption that’s been going on for decades,” Cabello said. “We hear of the state lawmakers that get themselves into trouble with bribes and so on and so forth. So, I just thought that since the state was looking at making all police officers wear body cameras, I figured this might be a good way to have records of what lawmakers are doing.”
I’m betting he also figured it was a good way to get a few press pops.
But perhaps Rep. Cabello could wear a cam himself for a while and see how it goes before asking to impose this on everyone else.
* On a much more serious note, I didn’t realize Illinois still had this law on its books…
Recently released inmates people would no longer need to reimburse the Illinois Department of Corrections for the cost of their incarceration under a measure sponsored by State Senator Robert Peters (D – Chicago) which passed out of a Senate committee today.
“It’s ridiculous that a provision like this even exists in the first place,” Peters said. “These people already have a major burden placed on them by the criminal justice system. It’s unconscionable that there’s an additional financial burden placed on them once they’re finally released, and only makes a return to a life of crime more likely.”
Under current law, recently released persons are required to reimburse the DOC for any expenses incurred as a result of their incarceration. The measure, Senate Bill 1158, strikes this requirement from the statute.
The bill passed through the Senate Committee on Criminal law and will now proceed to the full Senate for consideration.
While the full scope of Pritzker’s spending plan remains unclear, an administration document shows the governor will propose spending an additional $630 million on education, from preschool through college.
A new statewide formula for funding elementary and secondary education already calls for an increase of $350 million for public schools compared with the current year, but Pritzker wants to add another $25 million.
His budget plan also will call for spending increases of $55.2 million for public universities, $13.9 million for community colleges and $50 million for tuition grants to low-income college students.
He also will call for $100 million in additional spending on early childhood education.
And since he’ll use this address as an opportunity to kick off his two-year campaign to implement a graduated income tax, expect a lot of talk today about how this budget is merely a “bridge” to the future…
“Tomorrow (Wednesday) I will deliver a budget that begins to stabilize our state finances while starting to rebuild our human services, our universities and P-12 education, and our public safety, along with the funding needed to make this minimum wage a reality,” Pritzker said.
Ideas Illinois has launched a digital ad campaign just hours before Gov. J.B. Pritzker makes his first budget address. The ad, obtained by POLITICO, highlights what chairman Greg Baise calls a “lack of new ideas” to solve Illinois’ serious financial problems.
“Even though Illinois has a new governor, all we hear are the same failed solutions to our state’s budgetary problems—higher taxes, shorting our pension funds and massive amounts of new spending,” said Baise. Ideas Illinois is a 501C4 not-for-profit that’s pro-business and anti-progressive income tax (which it refers to as a jobs tax). It’s the counter to Pritzker’s Think Big Illinois group.
The ad claims “Illinois leads in all the wrong categories” and it ticks off as examples “high property taxes, billions in unpaid pension obligations, never-ending tax increases and population that has declined for five years in a row.”
It’s all a shot at Pritzker, whose party controls both houses of the legislature—leaving Republicans wafting in the wind.
Incoming Gov. J.B. Pritzker will include revenue from Illinois sports betting when delivering his budget proposal to the state legislature Wednesday, according to an advance briefing to lawmakers Tuesday.
As the new Democratic governor who upended a Republican incumbent, Pritzker holds a lot of sway with his party members. Democrats dominate in each chamber of the Illinois General Assembly.
Illinois Rep. Mike Zalewski, who soon plans to introduce a sports betting bill, tells Legal Sports Report that Pritzker backing IL sports betting will be “a huge help” to his efforts.
“He’s trying to rectify a budget situation that’s four years in the making, and he sees sports betting as part of that solution,” Zalewski said. “He’s an incoming Democratic governor who won by a wide amount. Those in our caucus want to give him what he asks for to lead us.
“To have him ask for sports betting, I think we’ll be supportive of it.”
That’s a pretty good article, by the way. So click here and read the rest if you’re interested in the topic.
During his campaign for governor, Pritzker frequently attacked his predecessor’s handling of multiple Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks at a state-run veterans’ home in downstate Quincy, Ill. The families of 12 residents are suing the state for neglect over their loved ones’ deaths. Legislators overrode a veto from Rauner to raise the limit of what those families could win in their lawsuits, from $100,000 to $2 million.
Chicago attorney Steven Jambois, who represents one of those 12 families, told WBEZ Tuesday that those settlement negotiations have just begun. Jambois said he’s demanding the full $2 million for his client, the family of Valdemar Dehn, a Korean War veteran who died in 2017 — two years after the first Legionnaires’ outbreak at the Quincy home.
“How does one evaluate the value for that? Particularly on our case, he was one of the last persons to die and clearly in our mind the most preventable of all the deaths, since they clearly had sufficient notice,” Jambois said.
In addition, Pritzker vowed during the campaign to continue Rauner’s plan to rebuild the Quincy veterans’ home. Last year, lawmakers put $53 million as a down payment toward construction. Rauner estimated the total spending on a new veterans’ home in Quincy could cost about $245 million.
Recent pension proposals from Illinois’ new governor are an important first step in addressing the state’s significant fiscal challenges, according to Fitch Ratings. But whether or not they are implemented, Fitch anticipates Illinois’ long-term liability burden will remain elevated and amongst the highest for U.S. states for the foreseeable future. Fitch also anticipates annual employee retirement costs will continue to pressure the state’s expenditure flexibility. Fitch’s focus in the near term, reflecting the key rating sensitivity in resolving our Negative Outlook, remains Illinois’ ability to achieve progress in addressing its immediate structural budgetary challenges. The pension proposals offer a mix of potential revenue increases, cash and asset infusions, indirect benefit changes and an actuarial adjustment, to address the liability and budgetary demands of the states’ pension systems. Several elements will take months or even years before full implementation. […]
The pension plan outlined by Illinois’ Deputy Governor for Budget and Economy includes five closely related proposals. The first is to dedicate $200 million of new revenue from a proposed graduated income tax as an annual supplemental pension contribution. While this would be in addition to the statutory pension requirement, Fitch notes this statutory requirement only targets 90% funding of pension liabilities. In fiscal 2018, the gap between the state’s 90% statutory funding requirement and the actuarially determined contribution was over $1 billion dollars, more than five times the amount of the proposed supplementary funding. The graduated income tax requires a state constitutional amendment that must be approved by legislative super-majorities (which Democrats have in both chambers) and then by voters, also by a super-majority. Fitch estimates the earliest it could be approved would be in the November 2020 general election.
A second proposal to repurpose or sell state-owned assets to support the pension systems is also uncertain. The administration recently created a taskforce to evaluate state assets for this purpose but has not yet indicated a specific target amount or a timeline. Fitch cautions that financial engineering transactions that use a government-owned asset to strengthen a pension plan’s funded condition and slow the burden of rising contributions are not a substitute for more fundamental reforms that correct an underlying sustainability problem.
The third proposal is for issuance of $2 billion in pension obligation bonds (POBs) to reduce the pension liability rather than as budgetary relief for annual contributions - this reflects about 1% of the most recent estimate of the Illinois’ Fitch-adjusted net pension liabilities of more than $162 billion. Fitch generally considers POBs a neutral to negative credit factor. If POB proceeds are deposited with a pension trust, while full actuarial contributions continue to flow uninterrupted from annual budgetary resources, the issuance of POBs offsets the unfunded liability and has little immediate effect on the issuer’s overall long-term liability burden. In announcing the plan, the Deputy Governor said the state would only pursue the bonds if interest rates are lower than the discount rate on pension obligations at the time of issuance. Fitch notes that the POBs could be multi-decade obligations and present inherent investment and timing risks.
Fourth, the administration proposes extending the buyout programs enacted with the state’s current year budget, perhaps permanently. Several of the buyout programs have accepted applications but no payouts have been made to date. Fitch previously indicated uncertainty in the savings budgeted in fiscal 2019 from these buyouts. Extending them indefinitely could add to current year budget pressure by eliminating the incentive for eligible pension system members to sign up for a buyout this year, thereby reducing the immediate savings to the state. Over the long-term, Fitch considers the proposed open-ended buyouts as indirect pension benefit changes that could gradually reduce the long-term pension liability, but would require an ongoing funding source. Illinois’ fiscal 2019 budget anticipated issuance of up to $1 billion in GO bonds to fund pension buyouts. Absent a constitutional amendment, Illinois’ ability to more directly reduce already-accrued retiree benefits appears sharply limited.
The fifth proposal is arguably the clearest and most achievable change, but one that comes with considerable risk. To reduce the annual budgetary burden, the governor proposes extending the current closed 26-year amortization by seven years to 2052, while maintaining the comparatively weak 90% funding target. Re-amortization has been used by other state and local governments when addressing pension challenges, but is typically in the context of a commitment to achieving full prefunding, making actuarially determined contributions, and sometimes, benefit changes for current or future employees and retirees. Illinois’ re-amortization would maintain an inadequate funding target and be combined with uncertain revenue commitments, and limited indirect benefit changes.
The pension proposals in aggregate attempt to reduce immediate budgetary demands and longterm net pension liabilities, but on their own are unlikely to affect Fitch’s rating trajectory for Illinois’ IDR in the near term. Resolution of our Negative Outlook hinges on the state’s ability to address structural budgetary issues in the current year and fiscal 2020, and demonstrate progress toward more sustainable fiscal management. Fitch has previously identified more than $2 billion in risks and one-time items in Illinois’ nearly $40 billion fiscal 2019 general funds budget. The administration recently estimated the structural deficit for fiscal 2020 at $3.2 billion. The governor’s pension plan and his upcoming executive budget proposal will begin the process of determining how Illinois will meet these pressing fiscal challenges. [Emphasis added.]
Daley was hand-picked by Bruce Rauner to co-chair his transition team, laying the framework for Rauner’s reckless policies.
And as Rauner drove Illinois billions into debt, Daley stood by and did nothing.
Now Daley’s the only candidate funded by Bruce Rauner’s biggest donor.
Daley even said he was “proud” to take 2 million dollars from Rauner’s billionaire Wall Street buddy.
And now we should trust Bill Daley to be different from Bruce Rauner?
Let’s get real.
…Adding… Daley campaign…
The following should be attributed to Jorge Neri, campaign manager:
“This week, the Better Government Association rated the claims made in this new ad as false. Bill Daley served under two Democrat presidents: as Chief of Staff for former President Barack Obama, and U.S. Commerce Secretary for former President Bill Clinton. He also served as campaign chairman for former Democratic Vice President Al Gore’s presidential campaign. Bill is proud to be a longtime Democrat and to suggest otherwise is ridiculous.
“Bill is the only person in the race with the ability and experience to ensure every Chicago neighborhood prospers. Special interest groups aligned with Susana Mendoza are scared and these groups have chosen to hide behind dark money to maintain their grip of perceived political influence.
“This dark money group, with suburban roots, has previously supported Republican candidates over Democrats like Sean Casten and Lauren Underwood. The fact that they want to tell the City of Chicago who to vote for is laughable.
“As mayor, Bill will be accountable to the people of Chicago.”
Building on a strong team of diverse experts in their fields, Governor JB Pritzker announced the following personnel appointments:
ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
Grace Hou will serve as Secretary of the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS).* Hou is currently the president of Woods Fund Chicago, a grant-making foundation that funds organizations that draw on the power of communities to fight the brutality of poverty and structural racism. From 2003 to 2012, she served as the Assistant Secretary at the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) where she was responsible for the oversight of the agency’s six program areas. During that time, she was a key leader in the creation and implementation of the state’s nationally acclaimed Immigrant Integration New American’s Executive Order. Hou previously served as executive director of Chinese Mutual Aid Association (CMAA) and has been a vocal advocate for immigrant rights. She received her Master of Public Administration from the University of Illinois Springfield and her Bachelor of Science in journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Colleen Callahan will serve as Director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR).* Callahan currently manages her own communications consulting firm after spending over seven years as state director for USDA Rural Development in Illinois. During her tenure, she oversaw a 20% reduction in staffing while still being able to generate a $1 billion increase in the Illinois loan portfolio. Prior, Callahan served as the agribusiness director for WMBD in Peoria, a position she held for 30 years. She was the first female president of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting. Callahan received her Bachelor of Science in agricultural communications from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION
Deborah Hagan will serve as Secretary of Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR).* For over 36 years, Hagan has been a strong and exemplary advocate for consumer protection in the Office of the Illinois Attorney General. In her role as leader of the Consumer Protection Division, she advanced and defended the interests of Illinois consumers in critical areas such as mortgage origination and servicing, student loan servicing, debt collection, identity theft and other areas of financial risk. Hagan has played a critical leadership role in many groundbreaking settlements on the state and national level, helping to recover billions of dollars in restitution for victims of consumer fraud and other wrongful conduct. In addition to her current role which she has held since 2004, Hagan has served as bureau chief, deputy bureau chief and assistant attorney general. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Dayton School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts in political science from Miami University.
Mario Treto, Jr. will serve as Director of Real Estate at IDFPR.* Treto currently serves as Deputy City Attorney for the City of Evanston where he provides legal counsel to its elected officials, departments, and staff with compliance, transactional, and corporate matters. Prior to entering the public sector, he worked at a Chicago-based law firm focusing his practice on commercial and residential real estate, corporate law and commercial transactions. Treto is a nationally recognized lawyer by various organizations, including the International Municipal Lawyers Association, the Hispanic National Bar Association, and the National LGBT Bar. He also serves as board chair of Howard Brown Health, a federally qualified health center in the Chicagoland area with ten clinics and a youth center serving 35,000 patients. He received his Juris Doctor from the Indiana University Maurer School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts in biology and psychology from Washington University in St. Louis.
Francisco Menchaca will continue to serve as Director of Financial Institutions at IDFPR.* Menchaca has held the post since his appointment by Gov. Quinn in July 2013 and previously served the department as credit union supervisor. Prior to beginning state service, Menchaca developed an extensive resume managing financial institutions and governmental agencies at the Federal Deposit Insurance Company (FDIC). He has spent over twenty years of his career in the financial industry, notably serving as the First Vice President at Bank One, where he also spearheaded the Latino Employee Network. Menchaca is a proponent of robust public‐private partnerships and community outreach, citing his youth in the Pilsen/Little Village neighborhood as his inspiration in seeking to provide opportunities for educational and economic development. He received his Master of Business Administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago and his Bachelor of Arts from Northwestern University.
Jessica Baer will continue to serve as Director of Professional Regulation at IDFPR.* Baer has held the post since her appointment by Gov. Rauner in September 2016 and previously served the department as general counsel. In that role, she oversaw the entire legal department for the agency, providing input on a number of topics including pending litigation, labor issues, and legislation. Prior to joining IDFPR, Baer spent six years as an associate at K&L Gates focusing on litigation and antitrust law. Her cases involved complex contractual disputes, antitrust litigation and regulatory compliance counseling. Baer is licensed to practice law in Illinois. She earned her Juris Doctor from DePaul University and her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Click here to view the previous appointments to the Pritzker administration.
* Appointment pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate.
He seems to be keeping around quite a few Rauner appointees.
* The Illinois Sierra Club is loving the Callahan appointment, by the way…
We applaud Governor Pritzker’s appointment of Colleen Callahan to be the be the first woman to head the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. We’ve had the pleasure of working with Colleen for years to protect natural resources and bring the benefits of the clean energy economy to central Illinois. She has a big job ahead of her at a Department that has been devastated in recent years by budget problems and neglect, and we look forward to working with her to rebuild Illinois’ commitment to conservation and protecting our natural heritage for today and for future generations.
* This is the second bill that I know of to be tabled this week. Yesterday, Rep. Monica Bristow (D-Alton) tabled a bill that would’ve required a DCFS investigation whenever a home-schooling registration form was submitted after an outcry from parents. And now this…
A bill that would test a mileage tax for vehicles driving on state roads has been tabled, but that doesn’t mean it’s dead.
Chicago Democrat Marcus Evans last week filed House Bill 2864, establishing a pilot program for a 2.1-cent tax on every mile a vehicle is driven on state roads.
But Evans tabled the bill Tuesday, saying he wanted to send the message that he’s not going to bring it back this session. “But if someone else wants to find a creative way to do that, then they can,” Evans said. […]
“This bill needs so much work — why have it out there?” Evans said. “Let’s just talk about the idea, and educate ourselves on what it is first. We can still have conversations, but not for bill purposes.”
The blowback on social media was pretty intense. He got his “conversation,” but it likely wasn’t what he expected.
Rahm Emanuel’s mayoral reign ends in May, but thanks to contracts he’s extended to many key agency heads, whoever replaces Emanuel will be stuck with them for years to come — or pay handsomely for the privilege of making new appointments.
A clean sweep of the heads of the Chicago Park District, City Colleges of Chicago, Chicago Public Schools and Chicago Housing Authority would cost taxpayers at least $820,000 in golden parachute salaries — and more for benefits — in addition to the salaries for the new appointees. That’s according to an analysis of those contracts by the Chicago Sun-Times. […]
• City Colleges Chancellor Juan Salgado would be entitled to a full year’s salary of at least $256,250, plus health insurance for himself and his family for the duration of the contract ending June 30, 2020 — until he finds a new job with similar benefits.
• Also guaranteed a full year’s pay — $291,500 — is Chicago Housing Authority CEO Eugene Jones Jr., who’d also get six months’ health insurance for himself and his family, if he’s fired without cause. Jones’ contract lasts until Dec. 31, 2020.
• Chicago Public Schools CEO Janice Jackson is entitled to six months’ pay on her $260,000-a-year salary if she’s terminated without cause, plus six months of health insurance for herself and her family.
Bill Daley and Susana Mendoza have both slammed the mayor for doing this.
* Meanwhile, Mendoza spent a lot of time early in the campaign going after Toni Preckwinkle. But she was always vying for second place, so that made little sense. Attacking Daley is the much better move, but it’s very late…
Susana Mendoza lit into rival mayoral hopeful Bill Daley on Monday for the city’s leasing of parking meters, accusing him of lying about his role in the unpopular privatization deal.
“It was good business for your family, but it was terrible business for Chicagoans,” Mendoza said, criticizing Daley for writing an op-ed defending the deal a year ago. “That’s about as big of a lie as you telling Chicagoans right now that you were not a key advisor to your brother during his key caretaker years as mayor. Of course you were.”
Daley fired back: “I obviously helped my brother get elected, I was his political advisor. … I had my own life, I went off and did a lot of things that had nothing to do with my brother and this administration.”
* Speaking of Daley, AFSCME Illinois Council 31 just dropped $60K on digital ads attacking him. As we’ve discussed, Daley is the lone “pension reform” candidate in the race.
* If you’ve been wondering whatever happened to Chris Kennedy…
Rich –
I am supporting Bill Daley for mayor, and I hope you will, too.
Bill Daley can keep our city safe and fair. Bill Daley will support the things that are working, and he can fix the things that aren’t, and he has the wisdom to know the difference.
He will give all of our children a reason to stay in Chicago and an opportunity to do so.
He knows underfunded schools and violent neighborhoods push people away; he knows that jobs and safety attract people to stay.
He will end the gentrification of our neighborhoods while expanding the growth of our economic engines.
He will end the property tax appeals racket that is overtaxing our neighborhoods and enriching our elected officials and party leaders.
He will go to Washington to make sure Chicago gets our fair share of the federal budget.
We protect what we love, and we love what we understand. Bill understands the neighborhoods, the traditions, and the cultures that make the city great, and he loves them, and he will protect them.
Bill knows that corruption is destroying our reputation, threatening our economy, and killing our most vulnerable. Bill Daley can clean up the corruption, and he knows you can’t bring reform if you’re beholden to the bosses.
He will stand up to the bosses, the bureaucrats, and the bullies.
We need servant leaders, not leaders of servants.
Bill is that servant leader.
– Chris Kennedy
…Adding… Willie Wilson has been using this Kennedy testimonial in his own ads…
* Related…
* Mendoza’s rise built on alliances with old-school Democrats: “At times you have to work with people even if you don’t like them. At times, you end up building strong relationships. At other times, those relationships fall apart,” Mendoza told the Tribune. “You can’t expect to get anything done in politics if you’re not willing to work with people across the aisle or within your own party.”
Provides that, after a home-schooling registration form is submitted, the State Board of Education must request a Child Protective Service Unit of the Department of Children and Family Services to investigate the home in which the home schooling will occur to ensure there is no suspected child abuse or neglect in the home…
As soon as word of HB 3560 hit social media, homeschoolers networked and began efforts to call and email the state rep. Within hours Saturday morning, the Illinois Family Institute posted on their Facebook page that Rep. Bristow agreed to withdraw the proposal.
Achieve predictable, fair and transparent assessments by requiring property owners to submit basic rent and real estate operating income information at the start of the assessment process.
This would require a legislative change: the passing of H.B. 2217, a bill sponsored by House Assistant Majority Leader Will Davis and Senate Revenue Chair Toi Hutchinson, with co-sponsors from leaders in both houses of the General Assembly. H.B. 2217 would give the Cook County Assessor’s Office—and other Illinois counties that choose to opt in—the ability to require owners of income-earning properties to disclose basic rent, real estate income, and expense information. Those who do not comply would be subject to a fine.
Many smaller properties are exempted, including commercial properties with a market value under $400,000; and residential properties with six or fewer units, or with a market value under $1 million.
Currently, income and expense information is required at the point of appeal. The Board of Review takes in this data and uses it to determine a property’s value, one appeal at a time.
The Assessor’s Office is in the business of mass appraisal. If we were equipped to require this data up front, at the start of the assessment process, we would be able to determine market-level rents for every part of the County.
An Illinois advocacy group is pushing legislation it says would bring $50 million in new money to state mental health services over the next four years.
According to the Illinois Coalition for Better Mental Health Care, more than 2.5 million Illinoisans have a mental health condition.
But the state ranks only 38th in the nation for mental health investment, while 82 of its 102 counties are designated as mental health professional shortage areas by the federal government.
Two lawmakers, Rep. Deb Conroy (D-Villa Park) and Sen. Heather Steans (D-Chicago), are sponsoring legislation – House Bill 2486 and Senate Bill 1673 – that would ramp up state mental health funding and change the funding structure to incentivize good results over flat service fees. […]
Without specific funding plans, the bills more or less just lay groundwork for the new funding and changed payment methods.
Tuesday, Feb 19, 2019 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
EarthMover Credit Union has created a unique charity program, EarthGivers, which raises money for local charity recipients. In 2018 they raised a total of $13,460 for all of their charity recipients in the Oswego, Aurora and Yorkville areas. EarthMover’s EarthGivers concern for community is a high priority within the credit union philosophy and sets the tone for how the organizations work together to improve the world around them. For more information on the credit union difference, visit www.ASmarterChoice.org.
Think Big Illinois Executive Director Quentin Fulks released the following statement after Governor JB Pritzker signed SB1, which increases Illinois’ minimum wage, into law:
“More than 40% of our workers just received a well-deserved and long-overdue raise, which is why Think Big Illinois made working to increase the minimum wage our first fight. After years of being left behind, Illinois families can now count on an administration that will work towards bold, progressive policies to help everyone get ahead.
“Think Big Illinois applauds Governor Pritzker’s quick action to help our workers, while supporting small businesses, and making our state the first in the Midwest to pass a $15 minimum wage. We look forward to being a strong ally for our working families in the fights ahead.”
* Business for a Fair Minimum Wage…
Illinois business owners say the new $15 minimum wage, signed into law today by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, will be good for business.
Business owners ranging from restaurant owners to manufacturers support raising the minimum wage because it will help businesses, communities and the economy as workers have more money to spend. What’s more, businesses will benefit from lower employee turnover and increased productivity and customer satisfaction.
The law will raise the minimum wage gradually to $15 by 2025, with the first increase from $8.25 to $9.25 going into effect on Jan. 1, 2020. The minimum wage will increase to $10 on July 1, 2020, followed by $1 increases on January 1 each year until it hits $15 in 2025. Illinois is joining New Jersey, California, New York, Massachusetts and Washington D.C. in phasing in a $15 minimum wage.
“Raising the minimum wage to $15 is pro-business,” said David Borris, Owner of Hel’s Kitchen Catering in Northbrook. “Local small businesses have a deeply personal interest in the financial health of the communities we do business in. The wellbeing of our customer base and our workforce shows in our bottom line. A healthy economy needs money circulating widely in a virtuous cycle of rising wages, consumer demand and job creation.”
Mark Forinash, Owner of Café Moxo and Café Moxo Too in Springfield, said, “We’ve paid more than the projected minimum wage for years now, and we’ve seen firsthand that when employees earn a living wage they value their job and it shows in their work. Customer service is more personal, employees are able to spend more time with family and friends, increasing their quality of life, and we have noticed a decrease in both turnover and training costs. We look forward to talented and motivated people from surrounding states with lower minimum wages coming to work in Illinois which will increase our business vitality.”
Dave Miller, Owner of Baker Miller bakery and café in Chicago, said, “For businesses to thrive, people working full-time have to earn wages they can live on. Too many people have too little purchasing power. Workers and their families need more income and less financial stress. Many small business owners want to pay our workers a higher wage in a way that allows us to stay competitive and sustainable. Gradually raising the minimum wage to $15 is an investment that will strengthen the economy and our communities.”
Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks, CEO of Earth Friendly Products, which has manufactured in Addison for more than 50 years, said, “Having manufactured in Illinois since 1967, we know that raising the minimum wage to $15 will help businesses and employees thrive. Paying a living wage has improved our bottom line. We start employees at $17 and provide great benefits while selling our products at competitive prices. Our voluntary turnover rate is extremely low, our productivity has increased, and our profits continue to grow. Our ECOS brand is sold throughout the world. And our employees are our greatest brand ambassadors.”
Robert Olson, Owner of Olson & Associates in Springfield, Washington and Lombard, said, “By gradually raising the minimum wage to $15 by 2025, low-wage businesses will have the time they need to plan and adjust, while experiencing the benefits of a higher wage floor like increased consumer spending and increased productivity. Raising the minimum wage will also mean a more level playing field for business. It’s not right that some businesses pay wages that are so low their employees need public assistance and private charity just to get by.”
* Patriotic Millionaires…
Today, Governor J.B. Pritzker signed into law a bill that would raise the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025, making Illinois the first midwestern state, and fifth state overall, to bring its minimum wage to $15 an hour. In response, Michael and Joan Pine, Patriotic Millionaires and Illinois residents, issued the following statement:
“Just two years after former Gov. Rauner vetoed similar legislation, Illinois’ working families will finally get the boost they deserve.
So long as the federal minimum wage does not keep up with increases in the costs of goods and rising inflation, it will be necessary for states to step in. By Gov. Pritzker making a living wage one of his first priorities, he has shown a commitment to the working class and the businesses that service them. An increase in wages means more money for Illinois families to spend at their local businesses. As a result, our state economy, which relies on consumer spending, will thrive.”
This post will be updated.
…Adding… Toni Preckwinkle…
I am grateful that Governor Pritzker upheld his campaign promise to make a minimum wage increase an early priority in his administration,” said Toni. “We owe it to the state’s workers to increase the minimum wage so everyone can earn a decent living, and I believe this can be accomplished in Chicago even sooner.
* Illinois Republican Party Chairman Tim Schneider…
This is only the beginning of J.B. Pritzker’s war on taxpayers and small business. Nearly doubling the minimum wage will destroy entry-level jobs, raise prices for consumers, and bust budgets at every level of government. Pritzker pledged to govern differently and listen to all parties and stakeholders, but those turned out to meaningless words.
* CFL…
“Raising the minimum wage will help lift up hundreds of thousands of workers, giving families the middle-class lifestyle that all workers deserve,” said Chicago Federation of labor President Bob Reiter. “These are workers in the retail and fast food industries, those who work with mental health, health care, and youth services, among others. They contribute to the greater good, and now they will be compensated for their important contribution.
“All workers deserve to share in the prosperity that their work produces. This new bill will increase the purchasing power of workers, which in turn will create jobs and give our economy a much-needed boost.”
CUPHD said the third case was in quarantine the entire time the disease was infectious, so they don’t believe it was spread to anyone else. But they said it’s possible the person with the fourth case spread it to other individuals at the times and places listed below:
Thursday 2/7, 5:30-8:30pm, Texas Roadhouse, 204 N. Country Fair Dr., Champaign.
Sunday 2/10, 7:00-9:10pm, Save-A-Lot, 220 N. Broadway Ave., Urbana.
Monday 2/11-Thursday 2/14, 1:00-5:30pm, Urbana Early Childhood School, 2202 E. Washington, Urbana
Tuesday 2/12, 5:00-7:30pm, Carle Urbana on Windsor, Convenient Care, 1818 E. Windsor Road, Urbana
An early childhood school. Great. Just great. Let’s just hope there are no kids at that school who are too sick from cancer or whatever to be vaccinated. The very lives of those folks are dependent upon herd immunity.
The Illinois State Police (ISP) received a Firearm Owner’s Identification (FOID) card application from Gary Montez Martin, DOB: 04/28/73, on January 17, 2014. A FOID background check, which consists of a name and date of birth check, was then conducted. The Firearm Owners Identification Act does not allow a FOID card applicant to submit fingerprints as part of the application process. On his application, Martin answered “NO” to the question “Have you ever been convicted of a felony?” The search of records conducted by FOID staff only produced Martin’s Illinois criminal history information, which revealed no prohibiting factors. Martin’s FOID card application was then approved on January 31, 2014.
On March 6, 2014 a firearm transaction for Martin to purchase a handgun was approved after the name and date of birth background check was again cleared. Any purchases of ammunition would have required Martin to show his valid FOID card, however, Illinois law does not require a check of a person’s FOID card to complete the purchase.
The ISP received a Firearm Concealed Carry License (FCCL) application for Martin on March 16, 2014. Unlike the FOID application, FCCL applicants may choose to submit fingerprints as a component of their application. If fingerprints are submitted, statutory processing time is reduced to 90 days from 120 days. Martin submitted fingerprints with his application. A fingerprint background check produced an FBI number.
The FBI number ultimately led FCCL staff to a Mississippi Department of Corrections entry noting a charge of aggravated assault, with incarceration for 5 years. FCCL staff then obtained Mississippi court records, which included a criminal disposition plea of guilty for aggravated assault, showing a sentence of 10 years, and a requirement to undergo psychological screening. Martin was reportedly released from custody on April 18, 1997.
Upon receipt of the court documents, Martin’s FCCL application was denied on March 26, 2014. A letter dated April 15, 2014 was sent to Martin notifying him of his FCCL application denial as well as indicating he was no longer eligible for a FOID card. Martin was notified he was responsible for surrendering his FOID card and any weapons in his possession. FCCL staff notified FOID staff for purposes of revoking Martin’s FOID card. Martin’s FOID card was subsequently revoked on April 17, 2014.
The ISP’s procedure at the time was to notify local law enforcement where the FOID card holder resides by means of the Illinois Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS). The ISP is also currently examining Illinois, Mississippi, and FBI records and systems to determine how Martin’s Mississippi conviction was discovered after his fingerprint response was returned for his FCCL application.
Once an individual’s FOID is revoked, Illinois law requires a revoked FOID card holder to surrender their FOID card and complete a Firearm Disposition Record within 48 hours of receiving notice of the revocation. The Firearm Disposition Record would document the name, address and FOID number of the individual receiving any transferred weapons from the revoked FOID card holder. A revoked FOID card holder can lawfully transfer their weapon to a valid FOID card holder or to the local law enforcement agency in the area in which the revoked FOID card holder resides. The Firearm Disposition Record requires that the revoked FOID card holder must obtain signature from the local law enforcement agency receiving the Firearm Disposition Record. The local law enforcement agency is required to mail the completed form to the Illinois State Police.
The ISP has no record of receiving a Firearm Disposition Record for Martin or Martin’s FOID card at this time, however a review of paper and electronic files continues.
If a revoked FOID Card holder fails to comply with these requirements, the county sheriff or law enforcement agency where the individual resides may petition the court to issue a search warrant for the FOID card and any firearms in their possession; however, Illinois law does not require them to do so.
The Illinois State Police issued 10,818 revocations to FOID card holders in 2018 alone. The Department is reviewing its records to determine how many outstanding Firearm Disposition Records remain for 2018, however, in most instances, the Firearm Disposition Record does not get returned to the Department.
Aurora police Chief Kristen Ziman said a criminal background check would not necessarily detect a 20-year-old conviction. But Martin’s aggravated assault is easily found in public record databases used by the Chicago Tribune and news organizations across the country.
The chief executive of the company that owns the warehouse where an employee gunned down five co-workers says a background check on him when he joined Henry Pratt Co.15 years ago did not turn up a 1995 felony conviction for aggravated assault in Mississippi.
When Martin’s concealed carry permit was denied, the state revoked his FOID card as well.
But Martin — and this is everything — kept his gun.
No one went to his home and took the gun away, despite an Illinois law that empowers the State Police to do so. Sadly, that’s the norm: Law enforcement authorities routinely fail to confiscate guns from people who have had their FOID cards revoked.
This is not a new revelation. We, the Sun-Times Editorial Board, first wrote about this problem in 2015.
Dart, in fact, has been so frustrated by the problem that he put together his own team to seize guns from people whose FOID cards have been revoked. Last year, the team retrieved about 100 weapons. Hundreds more, Dart estimates, are still out there.
In his first budget address, Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker plans to pitch an “austere” spending blueprint with no increase in the state income tax rate, a bump in education funding and new revenue from business licenses he hopes the state will create to sell recreational marijuana.
Pritzker told the Chicago Sun-Times he will also push for taxes on e-cigarettes and vaping, and for the legalization of sports betting to help bring in more money for state government. […]
Pritzker’s first budget plan will recommend pumping $375 million more into the school funding formula, which is a $25 million increase over what the state is required to fund. His budget also proposes $21 million in funding in special education grants; $5 million more for career and technical education programs for high school students and $2 million for assistance to help low-income students pay for Advanced Placement testing.
The plan also includes a $100 million increase in the Early Childhood Block grant, an increase of $7 million for early intervention programs and $3.8 million more for a pre-school to age five grant. And it will include $55.2 million in additional funding for public universities; $13.9 million for community colleges and $50 million for MAP grants.
Pritzker has an estimated $3.2 billion deficit to deal with in a budget address he’s set to deliver Wednesday in front of a joint session of the House and Senate. House Revenue and Finance Committee Chair state Rep. Mike Zalewski, D-Riverside, said he expects two different paths to be laid out.
“‘Here’s what happens if we don’t act with some revenue, here’s what happens if we try to be creative with some revenue,’ so I’ll be interested in those two scenarios,” Zalewski said. […]
Zalewski said while Pritzker and others continue to push for changing the state’s flat income tax to one that taxes you more the more you make, he doesn’t think there will be any change in the income tax rate proposed for the coming budget.
“Advocating for what’s in place now though will require some out-of-the-box thinking, some unconventional sources of revenue, recreational cannabis, recreational sports betting,” Zalewski said. “Those are the two golden oldies I think we’ll hear about.”
Zalewski said lawmakers could move fast enough to capture some revenue from cannabis and gambling expansion for the coming fiscal year that begins July 1, but the estimated revenue in the hundreds of millions from cannabis and gambling isn’t expected to fill the $3.2 billion hole, or a little less than 10 percent of the current $36 billion budget.
Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, said he thinks a successful speech by Pritzker will be the presentation of “a frank and honest budget to the people of the state for consideration by the legislative branch.”
“There’s going to have to be sacrifice across the board, I believe, at the end of the day,” said Manar, whose district includes Decatur. “There is undoubtedly a set of challenges facing this governor that hasn’t been faced by any governor. Are there going to be disappointed individuals? Ask me next Thursday and then ask me on May 31. My guess is there probably will be.”
And, 40 hours before taking the lectern to propose his first budget, Pritzker said the situation inside many state agencies is “tough,” with a “depressed” state government in need of repair.
“We’ve got to make sure that we … truly turn state government into a delivery mechanism for the services you all expect it to deliver,” he said, citing the need to be efficient and effective in that delivery to spend taxpayer money wisely.
* Property tax appeals lawyer and Joe Berrios ally who is supporting Toni Preckwinkle for mayor files legislation to make the Cook County Assessor an appointed office. What could possibly go wrong?…
An ally of Toni Preckwinkle got into a shouting match with Lori Lightfoot on Monday after Lightfoot accused Preckwinkle of being behind a “power grab” aimed at turning the Cook County’s elected assessor into an appointed office.
State Rep. Robert Martwick (D-Chicago) is a property tax appeals attorney and longtime family friend of former Cook County Assessor Berrios who was a campaign surrogate during Berrios’ failed re-election campaign.
Martwick also happens to be the 38th Ward Democratic committeeman who has endorsed Preckwinkle for mayor.
On Friday, Martwick filed a bill in Springfield that would dramatically change the way Cook County assessor is chosen.
Starting in 2022, after newly-elected assessor Fritz Kaegi completes his first term, the assessor would be appointed by the county board president and confirmed by the Cook County board.
Rep. Martwick (D-Chicago) is developing a habit of doing stuff like this. Remember his progressive income tax proposal that would’ve raised state tax rates on people making just $17,500 a year? The right wing had a field day with that one a couple of years ago, and it is still bringing it up to this day.
If Martwick was serious about reforming the system, Lightfoot said, he should have included Kaegi in that discussion rather than filing a bill to take Kaegi off the ballot after one term. “You could have called him at any point. You could have called him during his transition period to have that discussion,” she said. “Instead, what you did is you dropped the bill on a Friday afternoon and you called him afterward. That smacks of cronyism.”
“You’re a Joe Berrios surrogate,” Lightfoot added. “You were a Joe Berrios surrogate through the entire campaign. You filed this bill to profit yourself. Who benefits from a system that’s not changed?” […]
Martwick, himself a tax appeal lawyer, said he introduced the bill simply as a way to “start a conversation” about the way assessments are conducted in Cook County. Martwick noted many Illinois counties appoint their assessors. “Shouldn’t we be having discussions about the best way to move forward and reform those systems?” he said.
“Why are we not having that discussion?” Martwick said.
* The furor was so intense that Preckwinkle had to issue a statement denouncing the bill…
A Joint Statement From Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and @AssessorCook Fritz Kaegi:
The Cook County Assessor is, and should continue to be, an elected position so that it remains directly accountable to the residents of the County.
* Also, here’s a hint: When somebody accuses you of not being credible, don’t admit it…
“You’re not credible,” Lightfoot told him.
“Well, neither are you Lori. If you intend to govern the city of Chicago like this, this is exactly why you’re not prepared to be mayor of the city of Chicago,” Martwick replied.
“This is Rob Martwick, Exhibit A of the broken and corrupt political system,” Lightfoot said as she turned toward cameras and pointed at the state representative standing just feet away from her.
Tuesday, Feb 19, 2019 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
J.B. Pritzker is set to paint a dire portrait of Illinois finances in his Wednesday budget address. And according to the state’s own numbers, Illinois hasn’t balanced a budget in nearly two decades.
But why?
One simple reason: State spending has grown far faster than Illinoisans’ ability to pay for it.
From 2007 to 2017, Illinois state spending grew nearly 50 percent faster than personal incomes on a per capita basis. This rapid growth in spending has led to irresponsible budgeting, tax hikes and borrowing.
But there is an alternative.
The Illinois Policy Institute’s Budget Solutions 2020 plan provides a bipartisan path to a balanced budget without tax hikes, while responsibly paying down the state’s pension debt and bill backlog. Thankfully, lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have already introduced many of the tools Pritzker needs to balance the state budget in the current General Assembly, including a smart spending cap, school district efficiency and constitutional pension reform.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s administration has confirmed that its new public pension plan will slash $800 million from the state’s scheduled pension payment next fiscal year, which begins July 1.
That reduction is a direct result of Pritzker’s proposal unveiled last week by Deputy Gov. Dan Hynes, which would extend the state’s pension payment “ramp” by seven years, from 2045 to 2052.
But the administration won’t yet say how much more money will be “saved” during the coming fiscal years by extending the payment ramp, except to suggest that the near-term cost reductions might be somewhere around $800 million a year.
More importantly, the administration also will not say how many more billions this scheme will wind up costing taxpayers in the long-term.
Hynes recently complained on WTTW’s “Chicago Tonight” program that the people who devised the original pension payment ramp never dreamed that annual state pension payments would eventually consume 20 percent of state revenues.
And, indeed, way back in 1994 the state projected the pension payments this fiscal year would be $4.66 billion. Instead, the governor’s budget office puts that figure at $7.1 billion, rising to almost $8.2 billion next fiscal year and then to $9 billion by Fiscal Year 2022.
Stretching out the payment funding schedule would reduce short-term costs. But one person’s pension funding schedule restructuring is another person’s pension “holiday,” as skimping and skipping the payments were called back in the days before all heck broke loose.
Remember, a dollar saved today by not putting it into the pension fund results in multiple investment dollars lost that will have to be put in by taxpayers years down the road. This is the biggest reason why the state’s pension payments are so high right now. Payments were deferred and, therefore, investments were not made and then debt piled up to mountainous levels and taxpayers are currently being forced to make up the difference.
Almost all the revenue from the 2011 income tax hike had to go to the pension funds because the state had gotten itself so far in over its collective head that it couldn’t make the full annual payment. When the tax hike was allowed to partially roll back in 2015, the state kept making pension payments, but that exploded its unpaid bill backlog and forced cuts to the rest of government.
Pritzker has said over and over again that he opposes any sort of constitutional change to allow for reduced pension benefits going forward. The only remaining option is to pay the piper. The temptation appears intense right now to once again try to shift those payments into the future.
The Pritzker folks say transferring state assets into the pension funds could negate the long-term negative fiscal impact of extending the payment ramp. That could be true if those assets are significant and if the General Assembly agrees to do it.
Pritzker recently announced a task force designed to look into the use of state assets to prop up the pension funds. It will look into selling off state-owned real estate, including the Thompson Center in Chicago.
The most discussed state asset sale is the Tollway. Neither Hynes nor the administration would confirm the widespread speculation that the Tollway will be put on the auction block.
A Tollway sale could generate tens of billions of dollars, but Pritzker likely will have to use every bit of leverage he has to convince legislators to pass it. Former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley’s parking meter privatization scheme has been so universally derided that all government asset sales, even logical ones, are now automatically viewed with the deepest of suspicions. Any sale or lease would likely have to come with far more restrictions than Daley’s parking meter deal, which has sprouted meters all over the city while forcing prices ever higher.
And a 2016 transportation revenue “lockbox” amendment to the Illinois Constitution may make the sale impossible anyway.
I am now covering my seventh governor. And what I’ve discovered about the “future” over all those years is that it always arrives. Freeing up a little budgetary breathing room today can have severe consequences down the road. I’ve seen it happen time and time again.
The best, most responsible solution is to match reliable state revenues with realistic projected expenditures. It’s never easy to do that, but it’s how other states avoid the fiscal trouble Illinois is constantly faced with.
