It’s just a bill
Wednesday, Jan 22, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Cabello is a police officer…
State Rep. John Cabello, R-Machesney Park, has filed a bill to require all elected officials in the state to wear a body camera while conducting public business.
“Let’s look at some of the headlines throughout the last few months,” Cabello said. “All we hear about is corruption with certain lawmakers. And tell me, if they had a body camera on, do you think this would have happened?”
Cabello said he was inspired by another recent public policy push under discussion in Springfield.
“It came about with the uproar of law enforcement must have a body cam,” Cabello said, “the folks that want law enforcement to wear a body cam from the time they start work until the time they end work. You know what, if it’s good enough for law enforcement, then it’s good enough for elected officials as well.” […]
“I’d be more likely to win the lottery than have these bills see the light of day, but we’re still going to try,” Cabello said.
* Another bill that probably ain’t gonna pass…
A bill filed in Springfield could allow local libraries to get a cut of the taxes on recreational cannabis sales, but it would come at the potential expense of county-level taxes.
House Bill 4135 would allow the state’s more than 600 libraries to impose a 1 percent tax on recreational cannabis sales in their jurisdictions.
State Rep. Dan Didech, D-Buffalo Grove, said the idea for his legislation came from a conversation with a local library official. […]
In exchange for the 1 percent tax, the county that the library is in would be limited to taxing cannabis sales in the library district at up to 2 percent. Under existing law, counties can tax local recreational cannabis sales up to 3 percent. Didech’s bill would essentially redirect 1 percent of that to libraries.
* If I was your king, I’d consider doing this, but I’m not and it’s not happening…
Saying they have years, and, in some cases, decades of experience selling marijuana, a group of black citizens say they cannot wait on delayed government bureaucracy to establish policy for them to land jobs in the lucrative new legalized cannabis industry. They need and want jobs now.
The men and women, some ex-felons, have turned to Tio “Mr. Ceasefire” Hardiman, executive director of Violence Interrupters, to assist them in their quest to secure permits, just like food vendors, to distribute and sell marijuana legally in their neighborhoods. For those who have felonies from illegal drug sales, they are requesting that Governor J.B. Pritzker clears the road for amnesty as soon as possible.
Hardiman and those seeking permits and amnesty will hold a rally and press conference outside The Herbal Care Center, 1301 S. Western Ave., on Wednesday, January 22, 2020, at 10:30 AM, calling on Governor Pritzker and Mayor Lori Lightfoot to assist them in getting permits.
* This one, though, is a pretty good bet…
Within the Capitol Complex are reserved parking spaces for electric vehicles and disabled drivers, but Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, wants to add reserved spots for women expecting birth and parents with a newborn child.
Parents would not need a permit to hang from their interior mirror. Rather, Stuart assumes that people, “in the good nature of human beings wouldn’t take advantage of something like this.”
“A lot of these exist outside grocery stores and doctors’ offices and other buildings where people who, for whatever reason in their pregnancy, maybe need to park a little closer to access the buildings,” Stuart said. “A lot of times it’s a safety consideration, making sure that if something happens inside the building, they can get to their own vehicle quickly enough.” […]
“It’s a concept that we think is a very good idea,” said Dave Druker, a spokesman for White’s office. “It’s something we would like very much to work with Rep. Stuart on and some of the other governmental agencies involved.”
- Perrid - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 11:40 am:
“Rather, Stuart assumes that people, ‘in the good nature of human beings wouldn’t take advantage of something like this.’”
Oh, my sweet summer child.
- Wylie Coyote - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 11:48 am:
An open, unmarked parking spot in the Capitol complex? Vultures are already circling…..
- Perrid - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 11:48 am:
For the body cam thing, my first question is “What counts “conducting public business”? He punts that question to the State Board of Elections. I mean, the shady stuff isn’t happening while they are in committee.
“The State Board of Elections shall prescribe when a public official needs to wear a body camera to be in compliance with this Act.”
- Cool Papa Bell - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 11:58 am:
Our local library is looking for a tax increase because they can’t pay all the part time help they have the coming increases in minimum wage. I’d be for a pot tax more than a property tax increase to get them a few extra dollars.
Might also be a way to get more cannabis stores in areas where local’s have said no thanks.
- Michelle Flaherty - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 12:03 pm:
I like Cabello’s idea. But that’s a lot to roll out at once.
How about a pilot program.
In his district.
- efudd - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 12:11 pm:
Because being an elected official is the same thing as a law enforcement official who is carrying deadly weapons on them as a course of their job.
Dude, you give pandering a bad name.
- Maryjane - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 12:15 pm:
““I’d be more likely to win the lottery than have these bills see the light of day, but we’re still going to try,” Cabello said.”
First we have the aldermen attempting at the very last minute and with jobs at stake, attempting to stop legal Cannabis sales in Chicago, just because. Now this mind numbing utter nonsense. I’ll freely admit I dislike politics, politicians and suits, but this sort of bovine manure advances my simple and well-founded dislike to complete and utter contempt.
- cdog - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 12:18 pm:
I hope people understand basic cash protocols for the budding weed industry.
Never have the same person collect, post, and deposit the cash. Any lack of that is an embezzler’s dream job.
Sincere good luck to all the wannabe weed entrepreneurs.
- Just Observing - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 12:19 pm:
From the library pot tax article:
“Didech said his bill could potentially help reduce property taxes because it would only tax on Illinois-sold recreational cannabis that would toward a line on local residents’ property tax bills. “Our state has a significant property tax crisis,” he said. Library districts are typically a smaller portion of local property tax bills. Public schools take in the largest share of local property taxes.”
Ha… I’m a local library trustee… if passed, most libraries aren’t gonna offset their property tax levy by an equivalent amount generated by a pot tax, they will simply spend the extra money.
- Payback - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 12:25 pm:
“It came about with the uproar of law enforcement must have a body cam,” Cabello said…
(Then senator) Kwame Raoul’s body cam bill is a farce. There are no criminal penalties for police who delete recordings from body cams. Raoul bargained it down to a “departmental charge” with the police unions who opposed the body cam bill.
If every Chicago cop at the scene of the Laquan McDonald shooting deleted the footage, Jason Van Dyke could not have been prosecuted, much less convicted. Don’t look to cops for suggestions about civil rights.
- Just Observing - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 1:11 pm:
=== (Then senator) Kwame Raoul’s body cam bill is a farce. There are no criminal penalties for police who delete recordings from body cams. Raoul bargained it down to a “departmental charge” with the police unions who opposed the body cam bill. ===
I really know nothing about Kwame’s bill, but perhaps it’s a Local Records Act violation?
- Candy Dogood - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 1:21 pm:
===all elected officials in the state to wear a body camera while conducting public business.===
A lot of push back from police officers who are upset about the demonstrated and apparent need for body camera evidence in order to substantiate or dismiss their claims.
One would hope that officers of the law would appreciate having a device that captures accurate factual information to substantiate and support their appropriate actions taken in the people’s interest.
Drafting a bill like this might make him popular with the boys, but it really demonstrates an apparent lack of understanding that the police have to wear body cams because they have a nasty habit of murdering people or otherwise lying about the circumstances of why they did what they did, or lying about the extent to which they violated the rights of others.
If a legislator commits a felony at work most of those felonies don’t result in the state having to pay out a significant sum of money do their illegal conduct.
- Demoralized - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 1:23 pm:
I don’t understand what Cabello’s issue is with body cameras. If I were a police office I would want to wear one to cover my own rear end.
- low level - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 1:40 pm:
The body cameras for police officers came about due to decades of mistreatment of minorities while being stopped. They also can clear a law enforcement officer of wrong doing as mentioned above.
So glad to see Cabello thinks the situation he describes is a serious. In other words, he thinks the mistreatment that occurs is a joke. Wonderful.
- RC1222 - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 1:49 pm:
Cabellos idea of public servants wearing body cameras was in the book “The Circle” by Dave Eggers. I think it was made into a movie as well.
- Bruce (no not him) - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 1:54 pm:
“in the good nature of human beings wouldn’t take advantage of something like this.”
Oh, i wish i was still this innocent.
- Streamwood Retiree - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 1:56 pm:
==If a legislator commits a felony at work most of those felonies don’t result in the state having to pay out a significant sum of money do their illegal conduct. ==
How much does it cost taxpayers when legislators sell their votes to utility companies? Isn’t it a significant sum of money? How about road contracts?
- Chicagonk - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 2:05 pm:
Relax Maryjane. What else is a super-minority legislator to do in Springfield?
- BigLou - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 2:16 pm:
So does Tio also propose that these vendors keep detailed records of where they are purchasing their product from and make it available to customers, regulators or anyone? You know, keep a record of the chain of title/pedigree?
- Maryjane - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 2:23 pm:
- Chicagonk:
Wilco. Once my driving tasks are completed I shall dedicate my first inhalation of the day to Mr. Cabellos and his colleagues.
- truthteller - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 3:44 pm:
I would be happy that ALL public employees INCLUDING police and firemen are subject to random drug and alcohol testing, including steroids. First violation is unpaid 2 weeks, 2nd is lost of job and pensions
Reasons why police unions fight such testing
- Commisar Gritty - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 3:53 pm:
Comparing legislators to cosplay cops with punisher stickers on their dodge chargers is a bold strategy, Cotton, let’s see if it pays off for him.
Also, google “40% police”
- Candy Dogood - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 4:18 pm:
===If I were a police office I would want to wear one to cover my own rear end.===
The sign of a sophisticated public servant.
- Candy Dogood - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 4:26 pm:
===How much does it cost taxpayers when legislators sell their votes to utility companies? Isn’t it a significant sum of money? How about road contracts?===
The State has a consistent schedule of General and Primary elections. The ultimate responsibility for bad legislation rests with the voters that elect and re-elect politicians that do not reflect the best interest of the People of Illinois.
Bad legislation isn’t a felony. Just like it’s not a felony to continue to vote for folks that approve budgets that don’t pay for the full cost of state services/operations and just like it’s not a felony to be — shocked — shocked I tell you — that those monies are still owed, only owed with interest.
Illinois has much to pride itself on, but the extent to which the body politic of Illinois continues to play the victim to the legislators that they repeatedly elect because they enacted legislation that the body politic wanted is disconcerting.
Why’s there an unfunded pension liability? I don’t know — probably has to do with that “pension ramp” stunt in the 1990s everyone was excited about.
Having an issue with an appropriation or a bill doesn’t make that a felony.
Paying a state representative cash under the table in order to get a vote on a bill or an appropriation is a felony.
Big difference.
Learn it and take responsibility for the state you’ve made your home.
Nothing more fun than moving here, finding the state in fiscal shambles, and then finding the people that supported getting there in the first place witless as to how their 2% flat income tax wasn’t able to afford to pay for their government, or unconcerned about the billions of dollars it costs us to exclude retirement income from taxation and how half of that expense goes to households earning over 75k.
Grow up. Take some responsibility. Not everything law you dislike happened because of a crime.
- Candy Dogood - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 4:29 pm:
===unions fight such testing===
Another reason — unrelated to police unions — is that there are a lot of false positives and the generalized belief that predicated the foundation of the United States that requires cause to exist before your privacy is violated.
But yep — there are an unsurprising number of police officers and other LEOs addicted to prescription narcotics.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 4:39 pm:
===Why’s there an unfunded pension liability?===
The voting public wanted more services without paying more taxes.
- NorthsideNoMore - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 4:40 pm:
Hey if nothing else the FOIA line for caucus meetings tapes would be fun to stand in !
- Candy Dogood - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 5:02 pm:
===The voting public wanted more services without paying more taxes.====
The heart of Illinois’ fiscal woes.
I’m still confused with Jim Edgar is met with so much praise when he (along with a happy and willing legislative branch) was principle responsible for creating a law which effectively kicked the cost of the pensions for services in the 1990s down the road to the point where people that weren’t even born yet will be picking up most of the cost, plus several decades worth growth.
- Payback - Wednesday, Jan 22, 20 @ 5:48 pm:
low level @ 1:40 pm- “The body cameras for police officers came about due to decades of mistreatment of minorities while being stopped.” When video recording of homicide interrogations was made mandatory by the legislature, in what, 2003(?) every police union in Illinois opposed it. Don’t ask the people who enforce the laws to write the laws, you won’t like the results, if you believe in the Constitution and separation of powers.
Illinois was one of four states with a felony eavesdropping law and criminal charges for citizens recording the police, who they pay. How long did it take for Rep. Elaine Nekritz to get the eavesdropping law repealed? Police cannot police themselves, Cabello proves that.