A group of Democratic ward committeemen set aside questions of nepotism, residency and turf Friday to choose Ald. Walter Burnett’s son as the newest state representative on the city’s West Side.
Jawaharial “Omar” Williams, 44, a laborer in the city’s Department of Water Management, was selected over seven other candidates vying to occupy the Illinois House 10th District.
The vacancy was created by the election of Rep. Melissa Conyears-Ervin to the post of city treasurer.
Conyears-Ervin is married to Ald. Jason Ervin, the 28th Ward alderman and Democratic committeeman, who objected to Williams’ selection and tried to advance a “placeholder” candidate who would not run for re-election next year.
…Adding… A follow-up story that focuses on the nepotism of Chicago politics and Williams’ appointment ends this way…
Among the other candidates who presented their credentials Friday, probably the most prominent was WVON radio host Maze Jackson, best known for his catchphrase: “What’s in it for the black people?”
Jackson, a veteran political strategist and lobbyist who like Burnett got his start in White’s organization, said he plans to be a candidate for the seat next year, and if elected, intends to continue hosting his radio show.
That would be different.
Jackson, by the way, is married to Metropolitan Water Reclamation Commissioner President Kari Steele. She is the daughter of former 6th Ward alderman and state appellate court justice John Steele.
Friday, May 17, 2019 - Posted by Advertising Department
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* I’m told the Senate Transportation Committee Chairman was invited to every capital bill working group session, but chose not to attend until today’s unveiling…
State Senator Martin A. Sandoval issued the following statement in response to the Pritzker administration’s early draft of a construction program.
“We’ve been eagerly awaiting a framework from the Pritzker administration. As the Senate has gone around the state and led this bipartisan effort, there have been many changes, and I expect many more to come. What you have here is an early draft of what a framework could look like. Going forward, I hope the governor’s as committed as I’ve been to an open, bipartisan process.”
* Chamber…
“We appreciate that the Governor’s Office has begun their capital conversation in earnest with a specific revenue and spending package, some of which the business community supports,” said Illinois Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Todd Maisch. “We are encouraged to see some of the ideas the Illinois Chamber has promoted included in their plan. However, most of the revenue in the governor’s proposal is not new revenue for additional maintenance and new projects, but rather existing state, federal, and local sources that were already planned. We look forward to learning more about all proposals and working towards a bipartisan solution.”
“One particular concern in the governor’s plan, is the reliance on a new media streaming tax for non-transportation construction. The Chamber believes this will be an unreliable foundation for funding because it will be complex, unpopular and possibly unconstitutional.”
The streaming and satellite taxes are gonna be a big lift.
Steve Brown, spokesman for Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan, called the proposal “another good step.”
“House caucuses will continue to work with [the] Governor to put out a plan that creates jobs and reverses neglect,” Brown said in a statement.
Others weren’t so happy with the nearly $1.78 billion in proposed new or higher taxes.
“I oppose this plan because it includes massive tax hikes, including a gas tax increase, streaming tax and real estate transfer tax,” State Rep. David McSweeney, R-Barrington Hills said. “We need a capital bill, but it should be funded by issuing bonds supported by a stream of future cash flows from sports gambling revenues and potentially the prudent expansion of some other existing kinds of gambling.”
The biggest income producer in that list is the ride-hailing tax, which would generate a projected $214 million a year, followed by the cable/satellite tax at $150 million and a new gallonage tax on liquor that would pull in $120 million. The booze levy would raise current levies by up to 50 percent, with the tax on wine, for instance, going up 66 cents on top of the current $1.39 a gallon.
Lobbyists for the affected industries already are objecting, and the plan almost certainly will change if it passes at all. But it’s been a decade since the state adopted a capital plan, and there’s a huge thirst for one in Springfield.
* Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady…
Members of my caucus, who were part of the capital working group, received a briefing on the governor’s proposal this afternoon. We look forward to these discussions continuing as we work toward a plan that addresses our state’s critical infrastructure needs and creates jobs.
* Build UP Illinois…
The Build UP Illinois coalition applauds Governor Pritzker for putting forth a construction plan that balances the need for maintenance and repair to our roads, bridges, schools and state facilities with new investment for campuses, hospitals and emerging technologies. A plan of this size will create thousands of new jobs, support hundreds of thousands of existing jobs and provide a major economic boost to our local economies. While not a finished product, coalition members will continue our efforts to assist lawmakers and the governor in seeing a capital plan to the finish line.
* IMA…
The Illinois Manufacturers’ Association (IMA) released the following statement today in response to Gov. JB Pritzker’s preliminary capital infrastructure proposal:
“Illinois’ infrastructure is crumbling, and we applaud Gov. JB Pritzker for his desire to invest in our roads and bridges, strengthen career and vocational education opportunities and further develop our rail, air and waterways,” said Mark Denzler, president and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association. “Manufacturers share the goal of creating modern, updated infrastructure to better move people and products around the world. However, this must be achieved through responsible funding solutions. We look forward to working with the governor and lawmakers to help craft a balanced capital bill.”
Sen. Andy Manar, D-Bunker Hill, who’s been involved in negotiating the capital plan, said the proposal “clearly lays out a path forward,” but said there is still work to be done on the revenue ideas.
“There’s no such thing as an easy revenue vote, so they’re all challenging,” Manar said. “I don’t interpret the plan the governor laid out today as the final plan, nor was it described as such.”
A bill that would ban for-profit immigrant detention centers in Illinois is on its way to Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
The Illinois Senate voted 34-14 on Thursday to pass House Bill 2020. It passed the House on April 10 by an 85-26 vote.
The bill would prohibit the state or any local unit of government from entering into any agreement to detain people in privately-owned facilities. It also prohibits them from spending any money to subsidize or defray the costs of developing or operating one. […]
The bill was introduced in response to a proposal to build a private federal detention center in the village of Dwight, about 80 miles southwest of Chicago.
Last year, a school nurse in East Moline faced a moral dilemma when a diabetic student lost consciousness in her office. Now she’s trying to make sure no other school nurse has to face the same tough choice.
Low blood sugar can usually be cured with orange juice and a granola bar. But those snacks and glucose tabs weren’t helping the 7th grader sitting in Jennifer Jacobs’ office.
Only SNAP benefit recipients who are disabled, elderly or homeless would qualify for the program.
The photo at the top of the story shows healthy-looking, non-elderly, likely not homeless black people having drinks with their food at a nice restaurant…
* The governor’s preliminary draft of the capital plan pitched to lawmakers today includes numerous proposed tax and fee increases and some brand new taxes. Some of these ideas are more likely than others to pass.
The packet distributed to members today claims the proposal will include a “combination of bonding and consistent, annual pay-as-you-go funding.”
…Adding… Total bonding over six years will be $17.807 billion. Total pay as you go will be $7.035 billion over six years. Total federal money is banked at $10.032 billion. Local/private share is listed as $6.642 billion for a grand total of $41.515 billion over six years.
A proposed motor fuel tax increase of 19 cents per gallon for gas and diesel, double what it is now. The increase is lower than both the Local 150 plan and the Illinois Chamber plan (both were 25 cents). $560 million a year.
The current $101 a year vehicle registration fee would go to $199 for vehicles 3 years old or newer, $169 for vehicles 4-6 years of age, $139 for vehicles aged 7-11 years, and $109 for vehicles 12 years and older. Kind of a progressive tax without using auto values. $490 million a year.
The registration fee for electric vehicles is now $34 per vehicle and would rise to $250 per year. $4 million a year.
The Real Estate Transfer Tax (for non-residential transactions) would rise from 50 cents per $500 in market value to $1. The fee hasn’t been changed since 1989. $34 million a year.
Current liquor gallonage taxes are 23.1 cents on beer and cider, $1.39 on wine, and $8.55 on distilled liquor. The new proposal would increase the rate per gallon by 4.6 cents, 66 cents, and $4.05, respectively. $120 million a year.
Currently, traded-in property provides a sales tax exemption on the purchase of property up to the value of the property traded-in. This proposal would introduce a $10,000 cap per trade-in transaction. $60 million a year.
The video gaming terminal tax is currently 30 percent of net. According to the draft: “The structure for this proposal is to be determined, but a portion of the revenues from the current discussions to restructure this industry can be allocated to the capital budget, on top of operating budget needs.” $90 million a year.
A new state tax on ridesharing of $1 per ride. $214 million a year.
A new 7 percent tax on cable, satellite and streaming services (an almost perennial proposal that has never passed). $150 million a year.
A new parking garage tax of 6 percent tax on daily and hourly garage parking and a 9 percent tax on monthly and annual garage parking. $60 million a year.
Total: $1.782 billion a year.
Your thoughts?
…Adding… Many of these ideas were not generated by Pritzker or his staff, but came from the working groups, some of which were bipartisan.
* I’ll get to how they hope to pay for this in a moment, so let’s look at the spending now. The brand name is “Rebuild Illinois.” I’m told that everything is open for negotiation. These projects do not include reappropriations (appropriated in earlier years, but the money wasn’t spent)…
Transportation: $28.6 billion
• Nearly $11 billion in Multi-Year Plan roads and bridges
• Over $12 billion in new roads in bridges
• $3.4 billion in mass transit
• $442 million for the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency Program (CREATE)
• $769 million in rail
• $478 million in aeronautics
• $607 million for miscellaneous transportation
Education: $5.9 billion
• $2.4 billion in higher education, including deferred maintenance and new projects at public universities and community colleges
• $3 billion for school construction
• $111 million for early childhood education
• $400 million for school maintenance
State Facilities: $4.4 billion
• $4.4 billion in statewide deferred maintenance and state facility projects
Environment/Conservation: $1 billion
• $140 million for renewable energy projects, including solar and energy efficiency upgrades at state facilities and transportation electrification in low-income communities
• $873 million for environmental, conservation, and recreation projects, including:
o $100 million for unsewered communities
o $75 million for park and recreational facility construction
o $31 million for flood mitigation
o $22 million for dam and waterway projects
o $20 million for conservation reserve enhancement
o $29 million for Illinois green infrastructure grants
o $290 million for hazardous waste
o $92 million for ecosystem restoration
o $25 million for land acquisition
o $150 million for water revolving fund
o $39 million for well plugging
Broadband Deployment: $420 million
• $400 million for statewide broadband expansion
• $20 million for Illinois Century Network
Healthcare and Human Services: $440 million
• $175 million for affordable housing
• $50 million for community health centers
• $200 million for hospital and healthcare transformation
• $15 million for human services grant program
Economic and Community Development: $711 million
• $145 million for public infrastructure
• $240 million for community development
• $101 million for economic development
• $50 million for prime sites
• $35 million for ports
• $25 million for education and scientific facilities
• $50 million for economically depressed areas
• $50 million for emerging technology enterprises
• $15 million for Minority Owned Business Program
* More highlights…
Northern Illinois
I-80: $1.01 billion for Interstate 80 from Ridge Road to US 30 (Lincoln Highway) in Will County for reconstruction of 16 miles, construction of auxiliary lanes, and replacement of the Des Plaines River bridges, including pre-construction items. Interstate 80 is included in the primary freight network and carries 23 percent of truck traffic on this corridor.
IL 47 in McHenry County: $57 million for IL 47 in McHenry County from north of IL 120 (McHenry Ave) to US 14 for construction and improvements. Widening IL 47 is key to creating economic growth by enhancing mobility, fixing infrastructure, and improving safety in Woodstock and McHenry County. This section of IL 47 from US 14 to IL 120 has the highest existing traffic along the entire corridor and some of the highest crash rates.
Transit: $2.87 billion for the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA), which is one of the largest transit systems in the nation and includes the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra, and Pace.
Rail: $225 million for the Chicago to Quad Cities Intercity Passenger Rail project, which aims to restore service in the Quad Cities and improve connectivity between major Midwest cities. The project consists of reintroducing twice-daily round-trip service between Chicago and Moline, with a new intermediate stop in Geneseo, after a 30-year absence of service on this corridor. Other stations served will include Princeton, Mendota, Plano, Naperville, LaGrange, and Chicago Union Station.
Central Illinois
I 55/I 72 in Sangamon County: $135.4 million for Interstate 55/Interstate 72 in Sangamon County. The reconstruction of this interchange will reduce congestion where the two interstates meet.
Downstate transit: Transit districts outside of the RTA will share in $319 million to maintain and improve their systems.
New projects at universities: New science buildings at Western Illinois University and Eastern Illinois University, deferred maintenance and programmatic funding for University of Illinois, Champaign, Milner Library rehabilitation at Illinois State University, Library Learning Student Success Center at University of Illinois Springfield, and a math, statistics, and data science collaborative facility at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. […]
Veterans’ Home Campus Reconstruction. The Quincy Veterans’ Home is the oldest and largest veterans’ home in Illinois, consisting of approximately 37 buildings constructed between 1886 and 2002. It is home to more than 380 veterans and seniors and employs more than 500 direct care and support staff. The scope of work for construction of a new nursing home and domiciliary on the Quincy Veterans’ Home campus provides for additional beds.
Southern Illinois
US 40/Illinois 33/Fayette Avenue: $61.2 million for US 40/Illinois 33/Fayette Avenue in Effingham County. This segment of roadway in Effingham carries 14,000 vehicles daily with nearly 9 percent being truck traffic.
Delhi Bypass: $24.4 million a new 4-lane roadway that will re-route US 67 to the east of Delhi. Existing US 67 is a rural 2-lane road built in the 1940’s with an Average Daily Traffic (ADT) of 11,000 vehicles per day including 1,000 heavy vehicles. The Bypass will extend the 4-lane section, tying in to recently completed 4-lane sections of US 67 to the south. […]
New projects at universities: Deferred maintenance and programmatic funding for Southern Illinois University, communications building at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, and a health sciences building at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.
Chicago
CREATE: $350 million in new funding for the Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency (CREATE) Program to complete the 75th Street Corridor Improvement Project and adjacent corridors to prevent costly delays in rail travel. Chicago is the nation’s busiest rail freight gateway and the world’s third largest intermodal port. One-quarter of our nation’s rail-shipped goods and products move to, from, or through Chicago.
New projects at universities: Simulated hospital/nursing Lab at Chicago State University, extension of an academic building at Governors State University, renovation, remodeling, and expansion of the Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies and the performing arts building at Northeastern Illinois University, deferred maintenance and programmatic funding for University of Illinois, Chicago, and a computer design research and learning center at University of Illinois, Chicago. […]
Cook County Public Health Laboratory: $126 million for the Illinois Department of Public Health for a new Cook County Public Health Laboratory. The IDPH laboratories are the backbone of many public health functions and provide unique and essential testing and surveillance. The Chicago facility is the state’s largest, but has deteriorated over the past four decades, jeopardizing the state’s ability to respond to public health issues. Funding will allow CDB to construct a new, state-of-the-art facility.
Lots of projects for community colleges, but there were so many I decided to leave them out of this already long post.
…Adding… The claim is 540,000 jobs, but that includes “direct, indirect and induced.”
…Adding… IDOT goofed, but the sentiment still stands…
Will County eastbound Interstate 80 travelers: We got it wrong the first time. The two blocked lanes are at Illinois 53 and not the Des Plaines bridge as posted earlier.
* Illinois is the crossroads of America. We’re a top Internet hub connecting east and west. Our massive rail network and our largest airport are vital to the nation’s economic strength. And our highway network has long been a boon to interstate commerce.
So, this sort of thing must not be allowed to happen…
Joliet: A hole in the eastbound Interstate 80 Des Plaines River bridge deck has closed two of three lanes. #ILtraffic
Interstate 80 motorists last week started seeing billboard warnings about the Des Plaines River bridge, courtesy of a construction workers union.
The electronic billboard messages come after news last week of inspection reports that rated bridge conditions as critical and intolerable. […]
One says, “Cross bridge at your own risk.”
The other says, “Bridge ahead in critical condition.”
The I-80 bridge in Joliet is “among the worst in Illinois. It’s certainly in the top 10,” said Edward Maher, communications director for Countryside-based Local 150 of the International Union of Operating Engineers.
I’m hearing lawmakers are being briefed on the governor’s capital bill proposal today. You’ll know more when I know more, but from what I’m hearing it’s pretty big.
Gov. JB Pritzker’s office was the catalyst behind labor group AFL-CIO Illinois putting together a coalition to push for “vertical projects” — that is schools, public buildings and hospitals — to be included in a final capital bill, sources said.
Three sources confirmed to The Daily Line this week that Pritzker’s office set in motion the formation of Build Up Illinois, a coalition of 45 universities, health, housing and education associations and unions from around the state with vested interests in a “vertical” component to the first capital bill in a decade.
It’s unclear what Build Up Illinois’ members’ final request will be for capital funding. In deferred maintenance needs alone, the coalition points to a combined $23.9 billion for just public universities, elementary, middle and high schools and state facilities. But the coalition is also vying for money for private universities, affordable housing, hospitals and veterans’ homes, which would include brand new construction.
With only two weeks remaining in the 2019 regular session, Democrats in the Illinois House say they are close to securing the 71 votes needed to pass one of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s top priorities, a constitutional amendment to overhaul the state’s income tax system.
“I think we are rapidly closing in on 71, and I’m confident the governor will, with the personal meetings he’s having with members, get us over the hump,” said state Rep. Robert Martwick, a Chicago Democrat and the lead sponsor of the measure in the House. […]
State Rep. Michael Zalewski, a Riverside Democrat who chairs the Revenue and Finance Committee, also said he’s hopeful Pritzker can secure the votes needed in the House.
“I think the governor has had some productive conversations with members in the last week,” he said.
Zalewski’s committee is scheduled to meet Monday, May 20, and some observers believe the amendment could come up for a vote then, sending it to the full House.
The Senate’s rate bill, sponsored in the House by Rep. Zalewski, is also posted for that Monday hearing, but there’s no guarantee that both will receive roll calls.
* In other budget-related news…
Illinois House Republicans called a news conference Thursday to unveil a “fiscal year 2020 balanced budget proposal” in the form of a one-page document detailing $2.6 billion more in revenue than House working groups had previously planned for.
“The important part here is we’re not presenting a plan and saying ‘take it or leave it,’” Deputy Minority Leader Tom Demmer, R-Dixon, said. “We’re saying there are new dollars that are on the table, that individual members have not yet been given the chance to weigh out. We believe their priorities should be heard.”
Demmer said House working groups have been negotiating a balanced budget without new revenue that would be achieved by cuts of 6 percent to 10 percent from fiscal year 2019 expenditures across agencies.
But many of those cuts will not be needed, he said, because of increased fiscal year 2020 revenue estimates by the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability and the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget, as well as a handful of other new revenue streams Republicans stand ready to support.
As subscribers know, that $2.6 billion number is being disputed by the governor’s office.
* From the administration…
One good month does not mean that Illinois can walk away from our financial obligations, or start spending money twice. That’s the short-sighted thinking that got us here in the first place. In fact, Illinois’ dire finances mean that the state was on track to end the 2019 fiscal year with a $1.6 billion gap, to say nothing of our multi-billion dollar backlog of unpaid bills and $134 billion unfunded pension liabilities. The responsible choice, and the governor’s path, is to use the additional dollars to close our 2019 budget gap and to make our full 2020 pension payment. The Governor’s door is open for working with Republicans who want to join him in approaching our finances responsibly.
Abudayyeh said Pritzker has had nearly two dozen individual meetings with leaders not counting eight cocktail parties he’s hosted at the Governor’s Mansion.
House Majority Leader Greg Harris of Chicago said the House Democrats were merely being cautious in crafting a spending plan.
“I think it’s really important to have waited this long to make sure we have the numbers right,” he said. “The one thing we don’t want to do as we move forward in closing out FY 19 and moving into FY 20 is use one-time revenues as a basis for ongoing budgeting.”
...Adding… I forgot to post Comptroller Mendoza’s react to the HGOP proposal…
April has historically been the state’s best month for revenues because that’s when people pay their state income taxes. Revenues for April came in about $1.5 billion higher than April 2018, so our office was able to pay down an extra $1.5 billion worth of bills on our backlog of bills, which now stands at $6.5 billion as of today. No one should confuse a $6.5 billion backlog of bills with a “surplus.”
There have been several budget frameworks this spring. Gov. J.B. Pritzker kicked off budget season in February with calls for more spending and increased taxes, while Democrats in the House began from a much more austere place, assuming none of the governor’s revenue ideas would come to pass.
Then came the April surprise — an unexpected $1.5 billion in tax collections. That has Republicans urging a middle ground.
While they say they’d support some new spending with that extra money, Rep. Grant Wehrli, a Republican from Naperville, says higher taxes should be out of the question.
“Income, cigarettes, bags, video-streaming, vaping — all those should be off the table until we do the hard work and come up with a balanced budget.”
Income tax revenue isn’t available for two years, video-streaming would likely be used for capital (if it can even pass and that’s doubtful) and they appear to be counting cigarette and e-cig tax money in their MCO assessment savings.
[Rep. Thaddeus Jones, D-Calumet City] called Senate President John Cullerton’s proposal to raise Illinois’ usage tax on tobacco products “too unreasonable” at a time when the General Assembly is considering a slew of other tax hikes.
Cullerton announced last week he wants to increase the state’s tax on a pack of cigarettes by $1, to $2.98. That is about triple the 32 cents Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker introduced in his budget proposal. […]
“I appreciate President Cullerton for his advocacy, but this is the wrong way to go. We’ve gone through several phases of taxing cigarettes that now is driving businesses and driving people away from Illinois and driving them to border states, and we’ve got to stop it,” Jones said. “It’s not having the effect that the president wants. It’s not stopping people from smoking. What it’s doing is making people in my community who can least afford it, who are on a fixed income, choose to go to Indiana to make sure they get cigarettes.” […]
“[Polling shows that Illinoisans] support it because research shows it encourages people to quit smoking or, even better, never start, which would save taxpayers millions of dollars in reduced health care costs,” [John Patterson, a spokesman for the Senate president] said in an emailed statement. “That has always been the Senate president’s motivation, and it appears that’s why the public supports it, too.” […]
“That’s not what the governor introduced, so I don’t think there’s support to increase it to $1,” [Rep. Jones] said. “I think there’s support to look at a sensible way to do it — maybe 32 cents, like what the governor was proposing.”
* This looks like two baseball seasons’ worth of spending. NBC 5…
From April 1, 2018, through March 31, 2019, Friends of Michael J. Madigan - the speaker’s political committee - made five purchases of Cubs tickets totaling $184,392, according to state campaign finance records.
During the same period, records show Madigan’s political campaign spent over $118,700 combined for White Sox tickets and Bulls tickets.
That puts his grand total spent on sports tickets, according to expenditures filed with the Illinois Board of Elections, at $303,125. […]
A spokesperson for Madigan said the tickets are used for supporters and volunteers, and that if the speaker - or his family - uses them, they pay for them.
A Cullerton political aide added that most tickets are given to charitable groups and used less for political purposes. […]
“It’s perfectly legal but I would also say it’s borderline, it’s right on the fringe,” [former state Sen. Susan Garrett, now the chair and co-founder of the Center for Illinois Politics] said. “If you look at other states, and we have looked, we don’t see any other states that allow for this type of practice.”
“It’s not how our government should work but it is in fact how our government works,” [Jay Young, executive director of Common Cause Illinois] added.
Thoughts?
…Adding… Hmm…
Madigan & Cullerton campaign committees paid $50,400 in combined City & County Amusement Tax out of that $420k too. https://t.co/fH8nEOMykj
Sheriff Bruce Kettelkamp and the Sheriff’s Association along with the Chiefs of Police are very concerned over the pending legalization of marijuana put forward in the State of Illinois and Sheriff Kettelkamp is urging citizens to contact Senator Andy Manar and let him know that the proposal for the legalization of marijuana is a very bad idea and that it is creating a public risk and putting at jeopardy the safety of the citizens of Christian County and the state.
Sheriff Kettelkamp is also concerned with the home grown part of the law which would allow citizens to grow up to five plants in their yard. Kettelkamp says that he’s worried about the drug cartel coming in and buying up the houses and selling on the black market cheaper than at the commercial places.
Sheriff Kettelkamp says that while Representative Avery Bourne is against the bill, he doesn’t believe Senator Andy Manar is, and he hopes that everyone contacts Senator Manar to tell him to vote against it.
Last I checked, Sheriff Kettelkamp himself hadn’t yet called Sen. Manar about the bill. Manar told Bernie this week he’s still on the fence…
State Sen. ANDY MANAR, D-Bunker Hill, said he thinks there is “zero” chance of the session going into June — though he is also skeptical about quick passage of recreational marijuana legislation. Such a big change in policy “usually doesn’t happen in a matter of months,” he said, and he is not yet in the “yes” column for the change.
And as far as home grow goes, I have a tough time believing that a Chinese or Jamaican drug cartel could descend upon Christian County, which is 96.6 percent white, and remain unnoticed for very long.
* Possessing five or fewer pot plants is currently a Class A Misdemeanor in Illinois. According to the Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Council, 42 people were arrested in Illinois for that particular violation in Fiscal Year 2018. That’s way down from the 125 busted in FY 2010. A SPAC chart provided to lawmakers…
It’s been a little more than a year since California legalized marijuana — the largest such experiment in the United States — but law enforcement officials say the unlicensed, illegal market is still thriving and in some areas has even expanded. […]
California gives cities wide latitude to regulate cannabis, resulting in a confusing patchwork of regulation. Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose and San Diego have laws allowing cannabis businesses, but most smaller cities and towns in the state do not — 80 percent of California’s nearly 500 municipalities do not allow retail marijuana businesses. The ballot measure legalizing recreational marijuana passed in 2016 with 57 percent approval, but that relatively broad support has not translated to the local level. Cities like Compton or Laguna Beach decisively rejected allowing pot shops.
Regulators cite this tepid embrace by California municipalities as one of many reasons for the state’s persistent and pervasive illegal market. Only 620 cannabis shops have been licensed in California so far. Colorado, with a population one-sixth the size of California, has 562 licensed recreational marijuana stores.
* Related…
* Hundreds rally in Springfield to demand pot tax revenue go to communities hard hit by low-level drug crime: Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton told the crowd at Thursday’s rally in Springfield the “best kind of policy-making is done when we hear directly from the people from our communities.” … “There’s another part of justice, and that is making sure that communities that have been harmed through decades of disinvestment also know that in order to restore our communities, we must also invest in our communities,” Stratton said. “And this means we have to make sure that as investments are made and we look at budgetary considerations, communities are not left out.”
* Secretary White’s 85th birthday is next month, so this is an excellent early present for him…
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White will be honored with the Distinguished Member of the Regiment by the 187th Infantry Division and the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army this evening, May 17. The ceremony will take place at The Bruce Conference Center in Hopkinsville, KY near Fort Campbell.
White is being recognized for his contribution to society as an elected official, an educator, the founder and coach of the Jesse White Tumbling Team and for his charitable efforts. White served as a paratrooper in the highly regarded 101st Airborne Division based at Fort Campbell, and again as a member of the Illinois National Guard and Reserve.
“I have the greatest respect for those who serve our country in uniform and the commitment they have made,” said White. “I am humbled to be selected for this meaningful honor.”
White noted his experiences at Fort Campbell remain integral to him to this day. Serving in the U.S. Army taught him the importance of teamwork, respect, commitment to duty and helping others in need.
“I believe when you are successful in life, you should do everything you can to give back and make a positive difference to society. This remains my goal in life.”
The policy also allows adults 21 years and older to grow up to five plants in their home, as long as they are in a locked room and not in plain sight. This has been a contentious issue in negotiations and Deputy Gov. Christian Mitchell said he anticipates substantial changes.
State Sen. Dale Righter (R-Mattoon) is one of many legislators that have questions about the home grow component. Righter said he is concerned that people choosing to grow plants at home will not be regulated on the potency of their plants, and could go beyond what the law allows.
Steans said this is not a real concern: “There’s only so much potency you can get in your plant,” she said. “The higher potency can come when you infuse and make other products. It can only go to about 35 percent in a plant. The plant just can’t get more potent than that.”
Mitchell Davis, police chief of Hazel Crest and second vice president of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, said marijuana-related driving arrests present challenges for officers, as does the allowance of five home grown plants.
“It’s impossible for us to regulate that,” he said. “Home grows take away any controls that you are putting in place for the legal purchase of cannabis.”
Davis said this “opens the door for cartels” and makes it more accessible to minors, even with the specified safety measures in the bill.
Nevertheless, Steans said she plans to file an amendment to the measure next week to address other concerns, specifically over expungements and home grow.
Currently, the proposed legislation would allow for five plants within a household. Steans’ legislation may change those provisions to apply to just medical marijuana, amid opponents’ concerns over whether those homegrown plants would wind up for sale on the illegal black market.
Before we begin, just a warning that if I see evidence of a coordinated social media campaign to freep this poll I will delete it.
Also, to clarify, this question only applies to your personal preference, not what you would be willing to accept in order to pass a bill.
* The Question: Should home grow be allowed for everyone, limited to medical users or banned altogether? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
Senator Patricia Van Pelt, a Chicago Democrat, has been removed as a co-sponsor of the bill to legalize recreational cannabis after a report revealed she was selling tickets to her get-rich-quick seminars where she offered investment tips on hot cannabis stocks.
Van Pelt is also listed as the President and co-founder of Wakanna, a company that currently sells essential oils but that has plans to sell cannabis products once the product is legal in Illinois. Van Pelt’s company is selling ownership stake to investors and offering them assurances that their license will be approved, although that licensing process has not yet been established, let alone completed.
Lawmakers addressed Van Pelt’s scheme during a debate in the Senate Executive Committee on Wednesday.
Senator Dale Righter, a Mattoon Republican, asked, “Is there anything in the bill that would give the public security that okay we don’t have insiders maneuvering this and that’s who’s winding up with the licenses?”
“I think you know that I’m committed to ethical safeguards as much as anyone here in the room,” Senator Heather Steans, a Chicago Democrat and lead sponsor of the plan to legalize cannabis answered. “To the extent that we don’t have this in here right now in the way we should, I very much look forward to working with you on the best ways of accomplishing that.” […]
“The public is watching us,” [Senator Righter] said. “The public has to have confidence in the people here, in the process here. When you see one of the members of the chamber clearly looking to cash in on a policy that she believes is going to happen, and then she is an insider in that policy, that is completely inappropriate.” […]
[Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford] also cautioned against Van Pelt’s decision to sell tickets for admission to private events where she offers investment advice about an industry where lawmakers are sifting through sensitive, private information.
“I don’t think that’s a wise decision,” Lightford said, distancing herself from Van Pelt. “I don’t know that I support any of that, and I will look forward to having a conversation with her and learning about what it is that’s going on because I really don’t know. So I don’t have an opinion personally about her, I just think none of us should be engaged with any type of conversations such as that. We are here as lawmakers to pass the best law that we can that can have the best impact on our community, on our budget, and everything moving forward.
“We’re just trying to do our jobs. If there is a bad apple in the bunch, then that would be addressed.”
According to state records, youth-on-staff assaults within the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice increased from 34 in 2015 to 92 in 2018. The assaults, which include punching, stabbing and spitting, are going up even as the number of locked-up teens goes down.
The state currently houses about 260 youth in its IDJJ facilities and there are 580 youth in communities. The state appropriated approximately $120 million to the IDJJ for fiscal year 2019.
“It’s an unsafe environment every day not just for staff and administration, but also for youth,” said former IDJJ teacher Maria Johnston-Becker.
Johnston-Becker said she was sexually assaulted by a youth in 2017 and six months later she was knocked unconscious by another youth in the hall outside of her classroom.
Juvenile Justice Staff employees told NBC 5 Investigates some youth routinely hurl urine, feces, and other bodily fluids toward them.
* AFSCME recently prevailed in a class action grievance about the same basic issue…
AFSCME members in the Department of Corrections and the Department of Juvenile Justice successfully used their union contract to enforce health and safety standards.
To address the growing incidence of assaults on employees in DOC and DJJ facilities, AFSCME Council 31 filed a class-action grievance against both departments that detailed the scope and extent of assaults on employees. The union argued that the employers’ responses have been inadequate according to both the union contract and state OSHA law.
On March 25, Arbitrator Terry Bethel issued a ruling granting the union’s grievance and affirming the gravity of the situation.
In his decision, Arbitrator Bethel indicated that both DOC and DJJ have failed in meeting the state’s responsibility to “provide a safe environment in its corrections facilities and youth centers.” He said his finding was based on “the evidence and testimony presented at the hearing, including the large number of assaults, the lack of thorough training, the failure to address certain conditions, and the testimony of the employees who were assaulted.”
“My decision,” he said, “is simply that the departments have not acted to the extent feasible to prevent injury to their security staffs.”
The arbitrator remanded the case to the parties to shape a remedy within the next 120 days that improves safety in DOC and DJJ facilities, and he retained jurisdiction over the case to ensure that a satisfactory plan of action is developed.
Thursday, May 16, 2019 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
More than 800 solar energy projects are on hold because Illinois’ renewable energy program isn’t adequately funded to meet either current demand or the statutory renewable portfolio standard requirement of 25% by 2025.
The waitlisted, shovel-ready projects could create thousands of jobs, lower consumer electric bills and generate $220 million in property tax revenue for local governments. Funding for new commercial and community solar projects and wind farms will be depleted after 2019.
As lawmakers consider another plan to bring casinos to Chicago and other communities, Mayor RAHM EMANUEL told Playbook he has a suggestion: “Tread carefully.”
The mayor reflected on past attempts to bring a casino to Chicago. In 2011, a newly elected Emanuel was aggressive in supporting casino legislation —only to see it held back when Gov. Pat Quinn indicated he wouldn’t sign it because it didn’t offer enough regulation to protect taxpayers.
In 2013, lawmakers hoping to generate revenue agreed on a new bill with more robust regulations. But Emanuel remembers Quinn calling and asking if Chicago wanted to be part of the legislation. Emanuel said no and Quinn ultimately vetoed the bill.
Why Emanuel pulled back: He says other programs in the city “were starting to work,” he said in a one-on-one interview. Tourism numbers and conventions were on the rise. The economy was growing and the city was having success in attracting digital businesses. “So we walked away from the table,” Emanuel said. “We had it right there and we walked away.”
Now that a Chicago casino has popped up again, Emanuel hopes lawmakers put thought into where it might be located. “If we could put it miles from Indiana,” so people could stop there before heading to an Indiana casino, “I can see value in that,” Emanuel said. “But people [in previous years] were talking about the Loop and Michael Reese Hospital. Those locations have social implications.”
Oh, for crying out loud. Emanuel was asking for a city-owned casino in 2015…
Mayor Rahm Emanuel is trying to solve his police and fire pension problem by paying less upfront, taking longer to pay off the debt and getting some of the money to cover what the city owes from a Chicago casino.
* Since Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot will actually be in office when a gaming bill either passes or flames out, I asked her spokesperson for a response…
As Mayor-elect Lightfoot has stated in the past, in thinking about a Chicago casino, it is imperative that the construction of a new casino be used as an economic development tool.
* And this is what Lightfoot told the Sun-Times in January…
For more than two decades Chicagoans have routinely traveled to neighboring cities like Rosemont, Elgin, Joliet, Gary and Hammond to gamble. If people in Chicago want to gamble, then they should be able to gamble in Chicago at a city-owned, land-based casino. Casino gambling has now been a reality in Illinois for decades. I know from my work as a lawyer that the Illinois Gaming Board has created a robust regulatory system to combat many of the problems that could arise from casino gambling.
In thinking about a Chicago casino, it is imperative that the construction of a new casino be used as an economic development tool to benefit people and neighborhoods that have been neglected by city government for far too long, including minority and women owned businesses and individuals on the west and south sides. As mayor, I will ensure these groups are involved at every stage of the process, from the design, planning and construction of the casino to its daily operations. Moreover, I will insist that the casino work with Chicago businesses to create a localized supply-chain for goods and services.
Tim Miller appeared in what arguably was Democrat JB Pritzker’s single, most-devastating commercial last year from his campaign to unseat Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.
Just a month before the November election, Miller got emotional in the political ad as he chided Rauner for his mishandling of a deadly Legionnaires’ disease outbreak at a state-run veterans’ home. The outbreak killed Miller’s Army veteran father.
But now, Miller is calling out the Democratic governor he helped get elected.
The topic: the state’s lack of movement toward resolving lawsuits from Miller and 11 other families of Legionnaires’ victims who died in repeated outbreaks at Illinois’ largest state-run veterans’ home between 2015 and 2017.
“He’s been governor for five months now,” Miller said. “Certainly, as time goes on, that is going to become more and more of a question. It kind of becomes a question for us. Was this really about the stories, and the loss and the heroes? Or was this about an election campaign?” […]
But almost half way into Pritzker’s first year in office, the families’ lawsuits appear no closer to being settled than they were under Rauner. And now Miller and some of the other victims’ families are beginning to wonder whether they were no more than political props in a bareknuckle campaign.
“Was his promise to settle these lawsuits — his admittance that there were mistakes made — was that out of genuine concern for the families to get justice and closure?” Miller said of Pritzker during an interview with WBEZ. […]
If the state ultimately settles all 12 of the pending Quincy Legionnaires’ cases for the maximum allowable award, taxpayers will be on the hook for as much as $24 million. Because there have not been specific settlements, the governor did not include any funds to resolve the lawsuits in his proposed 2020 state budget, and there are no signs it’s part of ongoing budget talks between the governor and state lawmakers.
* From the governor’s office…
Governor Pritzker has been very clear that he believes that these cases should be settled, and that the state’s mishandling of the Legionnaire’s outbreak at the Quincy Veterans Home failed these families. The governor is confident that Attorney General Raoul and the families who suffered as a result of the Legionnaire’s outbreak at Quincy will reach a fair resolution in these cases.
1) The governor has no formal role in negotiating Court of Claims settlements. That’s up to the attorney general as the state’s chief legal officer. I suspected last year that the plaintiffs didn’t want to negotiate a settlement with the state until after a bill was passed and enacted in November (over Gov. Rauner’s eventual veto) to increase the payout limit from $100,000 to $2 million.
2) Once all parties agree to a settlement, the payout then has to be appropriated by the General Assembly and signed into law. I suppose they could put a ballpark placeholder figure into an approp bill, but I don’t think that’s ever been done before and I also don’t think they should ever attempt it. Bad precedent.
I know emotions are probably still raw, but there’s a process here and it should be followed. The governor shouldn’t try to interfere with a duly elected AG and if the plaintiffs have a beef, it’s with Raoul.
* As this post’s headline notes, there was some other news in that piece…
Meanwhile, a criminal investigation into the state’s handling of multiple Legionnaires’ outbreaks — announced during the height of the gubernatorial campaign — remains active, according to the attorney general’s office.
Before he took the oath of office in January, Gov. J.B. Pritzker was paying out of his own pocket for a national search to find the next head of the long-troubled Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.
Pritzker’s transition team signed a $50,000 contract in early January with Massachusetts-based Koya Leadership Partners to conduct a nationwide search for a new leader for the child welfare agency, which has churned through 14 previous directors since 2003. “The governor wanted to get the search for key positions in his Cabinet underway as soon as possible so he covered the cost of the search as part of his transition,” spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said.
The move is another example of the first-term Democrat and billionaire heir to the Hyatt hotel fortune using his vast personal wealth to help fund functions of state government. Pritzker has also boosted salaries of some members of his administration with his own money. Because those payments aren’t coming from state coffers, they’re not subject to open records laws, raising potential transparency issues.
While the transition committee is not subject to the state Freedom of Information Act, the Pritzker administration provided a copy of the search contract to the Tribune. […]
“The blurring of the public and private spheres and public and private funds for government functions is problematic,” [Alisa Kaplan, policy director for Reform for Illinois, formerly the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform] said. “And the extent to which the governor — this governor — can engage in it is raising all kinds of questions policymakers will have to address at some point.”
The election of J.B. Pritzker as governor in November ushered in a sense of euphoria for Democrats after four years of Republican Bruce Rauner, resulting in an ambitious first-year legislative agenda.
But with the first spring session under Pritzker’s watch nearing its scheduled adjournment at the end of May, many rank-and-file Democrats are concerned that the new administration’s big ideas have largely remained just that, rather than passable legislation. Republicans also have noticed the Democratic discontent.
“I can’t say what’s going on in the second floor (governor’s office), but there’s a common theme among the rank-and-file members and people who work in the building, and that is how are we going to land this ship?” said House Republican leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs.
To be certain, Republicans were unlikely to go along with many of the Democratic governor’s proposals, which include changing the state income tax system, legalizing marijuana, instituting sports betting and enacting a host of smaller-bore tax increases on such items as cigarettes, plastic bags and successful video-gaming businesses. There’s also the need for a tax-supported public works plan, which GOP leaders support — but not in its current form.
But it is the consternation among Democrats that is the chief challenge to Pritzker’s agenda. Midterm dissatisfaction with Republican leadership at the state, congressional and national levels resulted in Democratic supermajorities in the Illinois House and Senate that were expected to easily carry the governor’s agenda.
Yet the political lift this spring is proving to be a heavy one, and the outcome could set the tone for Pritzker’s term.
It has sometimes been painful to watch. And a whole lot of work remains to be done in the next 15 days.
I often tell newbies in January that while May 31st seems like a long way away, one day before you know it you’re gonna wake up and it’s May 15th and you’d better be prepared to go into those last two weeks. May 15th was yesterday.
“There’s a lot of conversation that’s going on right now” about the issues, Gov. J.B. PRITZKER told reporters Wednesday when asked about the looming deadline.
“Actually, I feel quite good about our prospects for getting everything passed this month,” Pritzker said. “There’s some negotiation that needs to take place. … My door is open to those folks that want to come in and talk about a particular provision.” […]
State Sen. TERRY LINK, D-Vernon Hills, has been in the Senate for more than two decades, and thinks things are on track to be completed this month.
“I’ve been here long enough to realize that on May 31, we’ve passed things that people didn’t believe we could pass, that they thought were dead,” Link said. “And I learned that nothing dies in Springfield. Things are on life support, but nothing ever dies.
“We’re having a lot of meetings, a lot of discussions,” he said, and he thinks Pritzker’s agenda will get done. He said it’s helpful that for the budget year starting July 1, Pritzker doesn’t want a general tax increase — like on income or sales — and some potential money generators are “sin taxes” on things like gambling or cigarettes. He also said an infrastructure program can be passed, with talks about funding involving “a lot of other things” besides a gas tax increase. He said he’d be surprised if the gas tax increase ends up being as high as 25 cents a gallon.
The clock is running out, but there’s still enough time to pull it all together. I wouldn’t want to be the person responsible for doing all this heavy lifting right now, though.
Thursday, May 16, 2019 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Illinoisans already pay the nation’s 10th-highest gas tax burden. A look at the hidden layers of taxes and fees in the typical Chicago gas tax receipt shows why. Under a proposal to hike the state motor fuel tax to 44 cents per gallon, Chicagoans would pay a whopping $15.30 in total taxes and fees on 15 gallons of gas.
Unfortunately, discussions in Springfield surrounding a new capital bill have centered around making this receipt even uglier for drivers statewide.
The Illinois House and Senate chief sponsors of the Reproductive Health Act (RHA) were joined [yesterday] afternoon by a number of other legislators and advocates to call on the Illinois House to advance critical legislation that protects access to reproductive health care in our state. The RHA – introduced in February – repeals long-blocked abortion laws in Illinois and assures that all reproductive care (including abortion care) is treated as health care. The two chief sponsors will be joined by Handmaids representing characters from Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel. The Handmaids have been standing vigil in the Capitol for weeks to support the legislation.
“As we saw last week in Georgia and this week in Alabama, powerful forces are coordinating around the country in a full-scale attack on women’s health care – especially reproductive health care,” said State Representative Kelly Cassidy, the lead sponsor of the RHA in the Illinois House. “These anti-abortion activists are pushing hard to get a case to the Supreme Court to overturn Roe. We must act in Illinois – with urgency – to pass the RHA and protect women’s access to health care.”
The Reproductive Health Act was introduced in February by Representative Cassidy and Senator Melinda Bush in the Illinois Senate. The measure has been stalled in the House since that time. The legislators expressed concern today that women’s health care is not being prioritized in the legislative session that ends on May 31.
“Women in Illinois cannot wait to see what the Supreme Court does with our basic rights – including the ability to decide when (and if) to become a parent,” added Senator Bush. “Fearing this moment, women came out in large numbers in November 2018 to vote. We need to represent these voices here in Springfield and pass the RHA. I look forward to the debate in the Senate.”
Also addressing the event was State Representative Emanuel “Chris” Welch, chief co-sponsor of the RHA and Chair of the Executive Committee of the House. Representative Welch joined the sponsors in calling for the bill to be moved to the Executive Committee so that it can move to the floor of the House for a final vote.
“The RHA should be in the House Executive Committee where it will get a full hearing and a vote to go to the floor,” said Representative Welch. “With cases headed to the Supreme Court that could reverse Roe, it is time for us to act.”
One person wasn’t mentioned in all of this: House Speaker Michael Madigan. MJM could move that bill to House Exec because it’s now in Rules after languishing in subcommittee for months.
“Since that day, each week has brought a new horror, a new reason why this is so much more important,” Cassidy said. “I woke up this morning to yet more news of how close we are to losing our right to self-determination, our right to access true reproductive health care.”
She was referencing a law signed Wednesday by Alabama’s governor effectively banning abortion in the state. Other states, including Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi and Ohio, have passed restrictive abortion laws this year.
Some of those states aim to get their laws before the U.S. Supreme Court in hopes of overturning Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 case that legalized abortion nationwide.
Sara Hutchinson Ratcliffe, vice president of Catholics for Choice, called those bills “onerous and cruel.” The group supports the Reproductive Health Act.
Pro-pot legislators are still hoping to pass a bill legalizing recreational marijuana by the end of the month, but they are heading back to the negotiating table in hopes of stubbing out a flurry of objections.
Opponents of the wide-ranging bill had free rein to voice their displeasure at a lengthy Senate committee hearing in Springfield on Wednesday — and they aired concerns about everything from how law enforcement will measure impairment in drivers to which marijuana offenses should be expunged to whether or not weed causes erectile dysfunction.
* Dr. Albert Mensah said more than that about ED. Check out this testimony…
What also isn’t brought up, the American Academy of Family Practice, the actual pamphlet that was brought out last month, showed that individuals have erectile dysfunction, impotency, immotile sperm and a lack of capacity to enjoy sexual intercourse, to achieve orgasm. And these erectile dysfunctions are not reversible with treatments like Viagra or any of these other remedies.
Um, OK. I couldn’t find that pamphlet online. Maybe one of you commenters can continue the search.
* Dr. Mensah told the committee he looks at the “underlying cause” of various ailments and has several patients with schizophrenia. His website says he’s “board certified in integrative pediatrics by the American Association of Integrative Medicine.” That association is listed on QuackWatch.org under “Non-Recognized Accrediting/Credentialing/Licensing Agencies.”
Mensah runs Mensah Medical, a clinic that uses “targeted Advanced Nutrient Therapy, an effective and natural alternative to prescription medication” to treat a variety of things…
They also conveniently sell their products online.
It’s very possible he could be a genius and way ahead of his time. But I can tell you that if smoking weed commonly caused irreversible and untreatable ED, few men would ever so much as touch it.
In a report released today, the Institute for Illinois’ Fiscal Sustainability at the Civic Federation announced its support for Governor Pritzker’s recommended FY2020 budget, because it represents a workable short-term plan to move Illinois forward. The Federation is encouraged by the Governor’s decision to not take a partial pension holiday in FY2020. However, significant concerns persist regarding aggressive revenue assumptions at the core of the proposal and the adequacy of the Governor’s long-term plan to deal with the bill backlog and pension obligations.
The Governor has described his proposed budget as a bridge to financial stability, based on expected implementation of a graduated income tax structure in 2021 and resulting infusion of new revenues. The Civic Federation has continued to express concerns that state and local fiscal conditions are deteriorating at a pace that requires more immediate attention.
“As proposed, the budget represents a relatively rickety financial bridge—though it has been significantly strengthened in recent days,” said Civic Federation President Laurence Msall. “The General Assembly is approaching the deadline to pass several components upon which this budget and the Governor’s long-term plan rely, and revenue projections attached to many of the proposals remain uncertain. Accordingly, we encourage the Governor and General Assembly to develop a comprehensive Plan B that does not involve shorting the State’s pensions or running up the backlog of bills.”
Governor Pritzker presented his first budget, for FY2020, in February 2019. In order to close a projected $3.2 billion deficit, that version relied heavily on a seven-year extension of the State’s statutory pension funding plan. The Civic Federation would have been unable to support that proposal, because it would have further jeopardized the financial condition of Illinois’ severely underfunded retirement systems.
In early May 2019, the Governor announced that his office would no longer pursue the partial pension holiday following a surge in revenues in April 2019 that led to higher revenue projections for the current and upcoming fiscal years. While supporting that decision, the Federation is concerned that April’s strong revenue performance might not be sustainable and therefore continues to recommend a series of steps to further stabilize the State’s operating budget and establish a balanced financial path out of its ongoing fiscal crisis.
The report reinforces many previous Civic Federation recommendations, including limiting net agency spending, consolidating and streamlining units of local government (including pension funds) and restructuring Illinois’ public university system, among others. Further, the Federation cautions against many past bad practices such as relying on accounting gimmicks, reducing or extending the pension funding target and ignoring the financial condition of Illinois’ local governments.
“The State of Illinois is not alone in its financial challenges,” said Msall. “Communities across the State are struggling under the weight of their pension and debt obligations. The Civic Federation calls on the Governor and General Assembly to build on the proposed budget to move more directly and effectively in its assistance to and consolidation of local governments throughout Illinois.”
After accounting for $800 million of unexpected revenue announced in May 2019[2] and the Governor’s cancelation of a plan to extend the pension funding target, the FY2020 budget has an expected surplus of approximately $92 million.
The $39.7 billion revised revenue estimate for FY2020 represents an increase of $858 million, or 2.2%, from $38.8 billion in FY2019.[3] The increase is composed of four factors:
A forecast of strong economic growth leading to a $366 million increase in existing revenues;
Policy changes expected to bring in an additional $350 million from existing sources;
New revenues of $401 million; and
A shift of $259 million in cigarette tax revenues out of the General Funds.
The total one-time revenue included in the FY2020 budget is $525 million. Of this, $350 million derives from sources new to Illinois: legalized sports wagering and recreational cannabis.
Under the revised proposal General Funds expenditures increase by $287 million, or 0.7%, to $39.6 billion from $39.3 billion in FY2019.
Net agency expenditures increase by $211 million, or 0.8% from FY2019, but this increase excludes Medicaid spending that is shifted to a special account outside of General Funds.
The shift of Medicaid spending includes the cigarette taxes, $65 million from new tobacco-related taxes and $390 million from a new assessment on managed care organizations that goes directly to the other fund, relieving pressure on General Funds.
If the portion of shifted expenditures traditionally associated with General Funds is included, net agency expenditures grow by 2.0% over FY2019.
Thursday, May 16, 2019 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Three Georgia legislators send a message of support to Illinois lawmakers urging passage of the Reproductive Health Act to protect access to health care for women in Illinois and across the nation.
Learn more about the Reproductive Health Act here.
