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Campaign notebook
Monday, Apr 11, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Richard Irvin campaign…
A significant list of pressing issues facing the State of Illinois was left largely unaddressed by JB Pritzker and Springfield Democrats as they closed out the legislative session early Saturday morning, showing just how skewed their priorities are: one-time election year gimmicks rule all.
Richard Irvin, Mayor of Aurora and candidate for governor, commented on the outstanding issues JB Pritzker refused to address:
“Instead of committing to real solutions to combat crime and deliver permanent tax cuts, J.B. Pritzker pushed election year gimmicks that don’t reverse his anti-police, pro-criminal policies but do set up his campaign to permanently raise taxes after the election. The people of Illinois are paying a steep price for a governor who will do anything to win re-election, even if it means mailing checks to voters right before hitting them with the largest income tax hike in state history. It’s time to take back our state.”
That’s pretty darned bold to predict that this budget sets up “the largest income tax hike in state history.” I’d love to see the numbers. In fact, I asked for them. I didn’t get anything specific except for a comment that Pritzker is growing spending while revenues will decrease next fiscal year. But revised projected spending for this fiscal year (including tax cuts and debt paydown) is $49.119 billion; and projected spending for next fiscal year is $46.541 billion. Discretionary spending will rise $2.6 billion over the originally budgeted amount, but revenues are rising $2.2 billion over the originally budgeted amount. So, again, even if money will be tight, I do not see how this budget is setting the stage for “the largest income tax hike in state history.”
But, hey, this is the same campaign which is claiming that Darren Bailey, of all people, is a Trump-hating liberal…
Yeah. So, please tell me more about a candidate who is willing to “do anything” to win a race.
* Meanwhile, I’m kinda curious how much of this cash is from our own governor as the DGA ramps up its anti-Irvin and pro-Bailey spending…
* Not a campaign release, but it might as well be since she’s running for Congress…
On the heels of State Senator Jacqueline Y. Collins (D-Chicago) passing a plan to ban the production and distribution of ghost guns, President Joe Biden is set to unveil national policy to address the issue.
“Although I’m proud to see this threatening issue be taken to the national stage, Illinois must act quickly to enact my legislation to ban the production and distribution of ghost guns.” Collins said. “We cannot allow fatal gun violence to continue to run rampant in our communities. HB 4383 tackles these issues at their source.”
With the alarming rise of gun violence in a number of Illinois communities, the existence of untraceable firearms has become a pressing public safety concern. Ghost guns are firearms that lack serial identification, and they are growing in popularity because of their ease of accessibility. Not only can they be ordered online, but they can also be purchased absent a background check or a FOID card, which is required to carry either a firearm or ammunition in Illinois.
House Bill 4383, an initiative introduced by Senator Collins, would require all firearms –including 3D printed guns –to be serialized, effectively prohibiting the creation and sale of these weapons. Unserialized guns prevent law enforcement from thoroughly conducting their criminal investigations, which hinders their efforts to address the violence in our state. Illinois law enforcement has seen a 400% increase in these types of weapons in just the last five years.
The federal rule, however, is expected to only regulate gun companies and not individuals who possess an existing stock of ghost guns. Collins’ legislation will require individuals who currently possess ghost guns to go get them serialized as well.
“Enacting a nation-wide policy that protects our most vulnerable populations is a positive first step,” Collins said. “Although I would like to see a national policy that addresses individuals who possess ghost guns as well as dealers, I am pleased we are moving in the right direction.”
HB 4383 passed the General Assembly Friday and goes to the governor for final approval.
* More stories…
* Illinois’ newest Latino congressional district brings heavy competition, divided Democratic visions: Both the Ramirez and Villegas campaigns said they expect more than 70% of the votes in the Democratic primary will come from Chicagoans. That’s despite the fact that the 3rd District stretches about 30 miles from the city’s Avondale neighborhood on the east to West Chicago on the western edge of DuPage County.
* IL-11 UPDATED: Mark Carroll Invites Viewers for Monday Night Interview while Taking Shot at Opponents on Campaign Web Page: “Sure, a pretty face is great but it does not write legislation. Being unapologetic has its place but skillful negotiation and work ethic are key to garnering support for what is right!”
* ‘I love the job’: Morrison cites family as reason for not seeking reelection to state House: “So, that’s the crux of it,” Morrison said. “I love the job, I love the people of our area, I love the issues, but the capital is 200 miles away.”
* Mayor Lori Lightfoot is ramping up her expected re-election campaign with three new political hires: Eric Adelstein is media consultant. He’s founder of Chicago-based political media firms AL Media Strategy and Adelstein & Associates. He was 27 when he served as Illinois state director for the 1992 Clinton/Gore campaign, consulted for President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign and has advised the Democratic National Committee, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, and the Democratic Governors Association. He and his firm also have advised Georgia Democrats, including Stacey Abrams and Raphael Warnock. Deborah Cosey-Lane is political coordinator. She recently served as the financial secretary/ treasurer of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 308. She has been a member of her union for 31 years. Last year, Cosey-Lane was elected as the first woman president of ATU Illinois Joint Council. She also is advising Jonathan Jackson in his bid for the 1st Congressional District. Valerie Martin is general consultant. Martin co-founded Silversmith Strategies, a national political consulting and media firm that creates TV and digital advertising and develops campaign plans. She previously helped elect Congressman Brad Schneider and Congresswoman Robin Kelly, as well as managed out-of-state U.S. Senate races and fundraising for Claire McCaskill’s 2006 upset victory in Missouri.
* Willie Wilson joins 2023 race for Chicago mayor
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Feds whack a mole
Monday, Apr 11, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Jon Seidel…
Three years after his secret cooperation with federal investigators became public knowledge, turning him into “Alderman A,” federal prosecutors have finally filed a criminal charge against former longtime Chicago Ald. Danny Solis (25th).
The bribery count leveled against Solis in a one-page, lightly detailed document at least confirms that Solis will face public charges. A lengthy investigation into his own alleged misdeeds prompted him to turn on some of the state’s most powerful politicians.
Federal prosecutors have used evidence gathered by Solis, 72, to secure racketeering indictments against Ald. Edward M. Burke (14th) and, more recently, former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. […]
The charge against Solis alleges he agreed to accept campaign contributions between July and September 2015 in exchange for amendments to a zoning ordinance sought by an unnamed developer.
A litany of alleged misconduct by Solis was revealed in a bombshell FBI affidavit first obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times in January 2019. The document, filed in federal court in May 2016, alleged that Solis, once the Council’s powerful zoning chair, “received a flow of private benefits” from people in exchange for official action.
* WTTW…
In an August 2020 court filing, lawyers for Burke revealed Solis had entered into a deferred prosecution agreement that will likely mean Solis will not spend even one day in jail — and keep his city pension — in return for his extraordinary role in the prosecution of both Burke and Madigan.
That agreement has not been confirmed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Solis flipped and agreed to help investigators after he was accused by federal agents of accepting sex acts, Viagra, free weekend use of an Indiana farm once owned by Oprah Winfrey and a steady stream of campaign contributions in return for City Council actions, as first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.
Ald. Byron Sigcho Lopez (25th Ward), who replaced Solis, said his predecessor should have been held accountable years ago.
* Tribune…
The deferred prosecution agreement means Solis will not only escape any jail time — he’s likely not going to be prosecuted for the crime at all. What’s more, the deal could allow the 72-year-old Solis to keep collecting his nearly $100,000 annual city pension, which could easily bring in a sizable sum from the taxpayer-funded system over the remainder of his lifetime.
Last, year, the Tribune interviewed nearly a dozen longtime members of the city’s legal community, including several who worked on public corruption cases for the U.S. attorney’s office, and none could remember such an arrangement being made for a public official caught abusing their office.
Solis’ work as an FBI mole began in mid-2016, when he was confronted by investigators who had secretly listened in on hundreds of his phone calls over the course of nearly a year, including conversations where the alderman solicited everything from campaign donations to sexual services at a massage parlor, court records show.
[Hat tip to @ChicagoBars for the headline idea]
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Little-noticed budget-related items
Monday, Apr 11, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Jewish Caucus…
Illinois Legislative Jewish Caucus Helps Pass Balanced Budget, Secures Funding to Protect Houses of Worship from Terrorism
Springfield, IL – As part of their efforts to pass a fiscally-responsible state budget that prioritizes providing resources to public safety initiatives, the Illinois Legislative Jewish Caucus (ILJC) secured $20 million in new funds for the Non-Profit Security Grant Program (NSPG), which provides resources to non-profits that are at high risk of terrorist attacks.
“Over the past few years, we have seen an alarming rise in the number of crimes targeting minority communities in their houses of worship,” Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Highwood, said. “No one, regardless of their background, should be made to feel unsafe, and investing in the Non-Profit Security Grant Program is an important step toward that goal.”
In response to the rise in attacks targeting religious, ethnic, and racial minorities in communities across the state, the ILJC worked to include $20 million in funding for the NSPG in the state’s budget. The NSPG provides grants to non-profit organizations, including houses of worship, to keep them protected by purchasing equipment such as bulletproof glass and reinforced doors, offering safety training and planning for staff, and even hiring security professionals.
“Today’s action brings needed investment to communities looking to protect themselves,” said Sen. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago. “This funding is the result of vulnerable communities across our state joining together and keeping each other safe. Not only will this help to save the lives of Jews who have faced devastating attacks in recent years, but of people of all different backgrounds across our state.”
“With many Illinoisans facing increased threats of violence due to bigotry, we must do everything in our power to provide the necessary tools to keep everyone safe,” said Sen. Ram Villivalam. “We cannot allow those who are blinded by their hate to intimidate residents and make them live in fear. I look forward to continuing to work with my fellow ILJC members to stamp out hatred and keep Illinois a welcoming home for all people.”
* Press release…
Illinois House and Senate overwhelmingly passed the Mychal Moultry Jr. Funeral and Burial Assistance Act. The State of Illinois will now pay funeral and burial service providers up to $10,000 for respectable funerals and burials of children under the age of 17 who are murdered by gun violence if their family’s income is within 150% of the federal poverty level ($40,000 for a family of 4 in 2021).
Recent statistics:
• 45 children were murdered by gun violence under the age of 17 in Chicago, IL (2021). 14 already in 2022, on pace for 60 in 2022, a 33% increase than 2021
• 5 children were murdered by gun violence under the age of 17 in Peoria, IL (2021)
• 7 children were murdered by gun violence under the age of 17 in East St. Louis, IL (2021)
• The average cost for a funeral with burial in 2021=$9,420
(Source: National Association of Funeral Directors)
All direct payments to funeral and burial service providers are intended to alleviate some of the pain of families who are experiencing trauma and financial hardship following the loss of their child due to gun violence. Illinois currently reimburses families of murder victims for up to $10,000 in burial expenses. While helpful, many families have to take on tremendous debt or raise funds in a short time period to bury their children. Families may wait months or years for reimbursement. Now, families no longer are forced to take on debt or raise funds in a short period of time to bury their murdered child.
* Press release…
State Rep. Anna Moeller has championed new legislation to expand the amounts of savings and income spouses of nursing home residents can keep to care for themselves and their families.
For the past 10 years, federal guidelines have increased what community spouses of nursing home residents can keep of their own money. But Illinois has kept that level flat, with no increases to account for inflation.
Rep. Moeller’s legislation will increase the amount community spouses can keep each year for the next 10 years, until Illinois has reached the federal rates.
“It is critically important that we recognize the needs of our seniors in our community when their spouses need nursing home care,” said Moeller, D-Elgin. “In this time of rampant inflation, our seniors need help. By allowing them to keep more of their own hard-earned income and assets, without jeopardizing the standard of care of their spouses in nursing homes, we are showing them the respect that our seniors and their loved ones deserve.”
The measure has the strong support of AARP Illinois, the Illinois State Bar Association and the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys.
* Center Square…
During debate, Sims noted there is no language in the budget implementation bill that blocks the cost of living increase for state lawmakers, something that is estimated to cost taxpayers $485,400. That would be about $2,742 extra for lawmakers, if split evenly, though senators get higher pay than representatives. […]
The grocery tax of 1% will be zeroed out for a year and retailers must note that on receipts “to the extent feasible.”
The message on receipts from grocery stores must say “From July 1, 2022 through July 1, 2023, the State of Illinois sales tax on groceries is 0%.” The legislation says “if it is not feasible for the retailer to include the statement on any cash register tape, receipt, invoice, or sales ticket issued to customers, then the retailer shall post the statement on a sign that is clearly visible to customers. The sign shall be no smaller than 4 inches by 8 inches.”
* Politico…
Page 281 of the budget says the state will fund costs of a feasibility study of “projects under the Public-Private Partnership for Civic and Transit Infrastructure Project Act.” That may include one of the casino projects being considered in Chicago.
It’s a half-million dollar approp.
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“Bad stench of racism”?
Monday, Apr 11, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
The House passed clarifications to provisions that dealt with electronic monitoring of criminal suspects and other measures within the Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity-Today (or SAFE-T) Act that was signed by Pritzker last year with the aim of making the criminal justice system more equitable.
Republicans over the last few months have tried to use the justice package, which includes an end to cash bail in 2023 for nonviolent offenses, as a way to paint Democrats as being weak on crime issues going into the election.
“Safety now? We want safety now. This bill doesn’t give us safety now. Vote ‘no,’” state Rep. Patrick Windhorst, a Republican from Metropolis, said, drawing applause from his fellow GOP members.
State Rep. Justin Slaughter, a Chicago Democrat, offered a loud and impassioned rebuttal to the Republicans, saying there is a “bad stench of racism” from the GOP side of the House.
“In the Black community, it’s been a state of emergency for a really long time now,” Slaughter said. “But as long as crime and violence is contained in the hood, it was OK. As long as my folks terrorize other people of color, it was fine. But now, Chiraq is in your communities. And now, it’s a state of emergency.”
Slaughter’s remarks drew an equally angry response from several GOP members.
“That’s wrong! That’s wrong!” said Durkin, the House GOP leader. “You know that’s wrong!”
* From early Saturday morning…
* I told subscribers about some recent Republican State Leadership Committee mailers on behalf of Leader Durkin. Someone’s tweet reminded me of that effort. Here’s one of the mailers…
The RSLC appears to be spending money in order to bust the campaign contribution caps for Durkin. Leader Durkin has no control over the independent expenditure.
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* Lynn Sweet…
Delicate discussions among top Democrats in Illinois have been taking place since a Jan. 17 meeting about the control and structure of a coordinated campaign for the 2022 ticket.
Accounts of what happened at that meeting vary regarding the views of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s political team on the role of Democratic Party of Illinois Chair Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., on the coordinated campaign. […]
“I think we can be a lot further along. We need more cooperation,” Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., told the Chicago Sun-Times on Friday.“We’re moving in the right direction but too slowly.”
What’s at issue?“There are a lot of personalities tied up in this. We got to put them aside for the duration of the campaign. We got to focus on November and focus on victory and do it together,” Durbin said.
Is this about control? “I don’t know if that is the reason. It could be something else. But whatever it is, it’s unacceptable,” Durbin said.
I dunno. I mean, I do get his point, but Sen. Durbin opposed the governor and seized control of the state party and now he’s publicly whining that the billionaire won’t fund his apparatus, which might not even be constructed to be fully in compliance with federal election laws. That might be seen in some quarters as a bit on the presumptuous side. Just sayin, Dick.
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Pearson’s end of session deep dive
Monday, Apr 11, 2022 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Read the whole thing if you can…
Republican state lawmakers, outnumbered and looking to boost their relevance, had one goal for the election-year legislative session — to paint majority Democrats as soft-on-crime and anti-police.
Democrats, sensing political vulnerability, knew they had to counter by passing some pro-police, anti-crime legislation that didn’t weaken their larger equity-based criminal justice goals.
They also sought to change the subject, pushing election-year tax relief for families amid public concerns over inflation.
Crime and inflation became the watch words as the final hours of the truncated spring legislative session played out early Saturday. Those two themes, brought from the national stage to the local statehouse, are likely to be struck repeatedly in TV ads and campaign literature as the June 28 primary and Nov. 8 general election grow closer.
How do you think the Dems did?
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* Tracy Swartz, Dan Petrella and Karen Ann Cullotta at the Tribune…
The state of Illinois will distribute $87.5 million to hundreds of school districts that were underpaid because of a “coding error” — while seeking repayment from Chicago Public Schools, which mistakenly got the funds.
The appropriation is part of the $46.5 billion spending plan lawmakers passed Saturday. The Illinois State Board of Education said a contractor made a “coding error” in the spring of 2018 during the initial implementation of a new state school funding formula.
As a result, 14 school systems are owed between $1 million and $5 million, while 565 are due up to $100,000 according to ISBE. In total, 762 school systems were underpaid over the past four years.
Meanwhile, the state is trying to recoup the $87 million it mistakenly paid CPS, its largest school district. ISBE said 52 other school systems were overpaid by a total of $3,396 during the affected period, and it will try to recover funds from districts that received at least $10 more than they should have.
$10? It’ll cost more to process those collections.
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