Anybody want to buy a giant slide?
Monday, Feb 4, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* WICS…
The giant slide on the Illinois State Fairgrounds is now up for sale.
According to Amy Raftis with Prairie State Bank & Trust, the bank now owns the slide. The bank is not interested in owning the slide and hopes to sell it as soon as possible.
Anyone interested can purchase the Pittroff Giant Slide for $135,000. […]
The slide is privately owned, but it does operate as a vendor of the Department of Agriculture during the fair. This means it is under lease with the Illinois Department of Agriculture which calls for a single lease payment plus a percentage of income to the fair.
Click here to buy it. Click here for some background on the former owner. He tried to sell it for $175K and now the bank has it.
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Question of the day
Monday, Feb 4, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From Amanda Vinicky’s “13 Revelations from House Speaker Michael Madigan’s Deposition”…
Anyone seeking Madigan’s help getting a job needs to pass a test.
“You can understand that many people come to me asking for recommendations for employment, and I render recommendations for employment in both the private and the public sector, I do it in both. But there’s a test that people have to meet. They have to be, to my knowledge, they have to be honest hard-working people with integrity. And if they are, I’ll recommend to a potential employer the best of my knowledge and my experience with this person, this would be a good worker for your office, a good worker for your business whatever it may be,” Madigan said.
Peraica followed up to ask whether it’s a function Madigan enjoys.
“No,” Madigan said. […]
Peraica asked directly, “Does that test ever involve doing political work for you or any of your political committee?”
“The answer is no,” Madigan said.
Peraica followed up. “Do you condition job recommendations upon doing political work for you or your political committees?”
Again, Madigan was direct with his response.
“The answer is no,” he said.
* The Question: Do you believe Madigan’s last assertion? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
web polls
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* So, how did the Sun-Times obtain the explosive 2016 FBI affidavit that was used to obtain a federal search warrant on Chicago Ald. Danny Solis? Greg Hinz has the deets…
But somehow, the [affidavit] was openly posted on the court’s document website, known as Pacer. In other words, the entire document was inadvertently made public for the world to read. And either because of smart reporting or a tip from someone—or both—the Sun-Times quickly downloaded the search warrant, and proceeded to go to town on what would become one of the best stories in Chicago media in years.
None of that sat well with Magistrate Judge Young B. Kim, who court records indicate has been presiding over the Solis matter.
According to my sources, Kim re-closed the affidavit, and ordered the Sun-Times not to print what was in it, presumably on grounds that premature publicity could undermine what appears to be an extremely wide-ranging federal probe into City Hall that has been underway for four years or longer.
Knowledgeable sources also say that Kim’s order came despite sentiment within the U.S. attorney’s office here that a ban on publication, known as prior restraint, would be on shaky legal ground and likely inconsistent with past U.S. Supreme Court decisions in the famed Pentagon Papers and other cases.
But the Sun-Times went ahead. Whether Kim will take further action is not known.
Nobody is responding to requests for comment. I asked a couple of top people at the Sun-Times about this last week and they either didn’t respond or said they weren’t aware of the issue.
Either way, good for the Sun-Times to not let a federal judge push it around.
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The limits of oppo
Monday, Feb 4, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Lots of people have wondered aloud why opposition researchers never found Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s racist yearbook photos. Chicago-based Democratic opposition researcher Will Caskey offers some insights in Campaigns & Elections. His conclusion…
The price most (Democratic) statewide campaigns will pay for an opposition research report comes to about $10,000-$12,000 (less for down-ballot statewides). At that rate, an opposition researcher can spend about five weeks per report. The more time we spend on one report, the less time we have for new clients and more money. Firms who hire staff don’t have it much better, and in some cases, they have it worse: they have to pay for staff regardless of whether their clients are paying their bills.
The reality is that it takes a lot more time than five weeks to look at more obscure records like yearbooks, student newspapers, multiple courthouses, and microfilm.
In case you think my clients would be shocked to see this: no, they love it. Most of my clients actually ask me to look at fewer things in exchange for a lower fee. And they may be right: just because I look at more things doesn’t mean I’ll find better attacks. Either way, as media budgets rise, research budgets fall, and as research budgets fall, total information gathered falls as well.
So if you’re a candidate looking to avoid becoming the next Ralph Northam, don’t ask what your opposition researcher has found. Ask yourself if you’ve paid your researcher enough to find everything you need.
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UIUC facing racial harassment lawsuit
Monday, Feb 4, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Coming a little late to this, but here’s WILL…
A lawsuit filed Monday in federal court includes numerous allegations of racial harassment of black employees at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
The plaintiffs allege in court documents racial harassment is U of I’s “standard operating procedure.”
Black employees at the U of I were “exposed to threats of racial violence, such as nooses, swastikas, KKK garb, racist graffiti, and confederate flags,” according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit also alleges staff members used racial slurs and other racially charged language against black workers:
“UIUC supervisors and other employees frequently use racial slurs and offensive stereotypes, calling black employees ‘n*ggers,’ ‘boy,’ ‘monkey,’ ‘lazy,’ ‘angry,’ ‘rowdy,’ and ‘Aunt Jemima,’ and using other offensive racial language.”
Attorney Joshua Friedman, who represents the plaintiffs, said the U of I’s non-discrimination policy allows this kind of harassment because the campus considers these incidents not severe or pervasive enough to violate the policy.
The lawsuit also claims the U of I’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Access (now known as the Office For Access and Equity or OAE) — the department in charge of investigating discrimination claims — is itself “rife with internal racial harassment.”
* WBBM…
“It’s like stepping into a wormhole, to a time before the Civil Rights Act,” said attorney Joshua Friedman, who represents the black plaintiffs suing U of I. “We’re talking about racial slurs, including the N-word, racial symbols, symbols of the Confederacy – nooses, which are violent threats to kill African Americans because of the color of their skin. KKK garb. Swastikas.”
Friedman said his firm sees harassment cases, but this is different.
“We’re usually talking about shipyards or industrial employers. I’ve never seen anything on this scope before at a university.”
It was three years ago when a noose and swastikas were found at U of I. A groundskeeper was fired, but some African American employees like Atiba Flemons said employees are still harassed because of their race. And he said the university lets it happen.
The full lawsuit is here.
* Related…
* U of Illinois still in search of new chief diversity officer: The (Champaign) News-Gazette reports that Chancellor Robert Jones told search committee members last month that the goal is to make a decision by the end of the academic year in May. Jones originally hoped to hire someone for the job early this semester.
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Oppo dump!
Monday, Feb 4, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Chicago Tribune on Chicago mayoral candidate Amara Enyia’s personal finances…
Enyia did not report to the IRS $21,000 paid to her by Chris Kennedy’s governor campaign, where she worked as a consultant for several months. […]
Enyia acknowledged she has underpaid her taxes in the past. In March 2017, the IRS placed a $9,668 lien against her for unpaid taxes between 2011 and 2015, according to public records. The tax lien filed with the Cook County recorder of deeds lists unpaid tax balances associated with Enyia’s Form 1040 tax return filings for four years — $3,311 in 2011, $1,288 in 2012, $350 in 2013 and $4,718 in 2015. […]
Also in August 2017, one of Enyia’s student lenders filed a lawsuit against her in Cook County Circuit Court for $17,800 in what it said were unpaid loans from the 2005 school year, when she was an undergraduate at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. […]
The fines from her first mayoral campaign were not Enyia’s only financial difficulty from 2015. She also faced an eviction lawsuit from the landlord of her Garfield Park apartment in 2015, alleging she had failed to pay her rent. The landlord later dropped the legal action and now says filing the suit was “his error.” […]
Enyia also lists Blue1647 on her resume, stating she has been a “senior advisor” to the organization since 2013, and served as its president in 2017.
The Tribune asked Cambry if Enyia has had a role or title with his organization. “No,” he said.
*** UPDATE *** Response…
At a time when the next mayor of Chicago will face a $1 billion spike in pension payments, those personal financial troubles might seem disqualifying.
But Enyia argued otherwise. She wears those struggles as a badge of honor — not because getting through it was easy, but because her “lived experience informs the values” of equity and justice she brings to a campaign that aims to change the direction of a City Hall she claims is “disconnected from the lived reality” of everyday Chicagoans.
“I’m standing here as a candidate for mayor — not because I’m well off or have lived a perfect life. I’m standing here as a real person who understands financial hardship because I have lived through it myself. I’ve gone to bed having to make decisions about paying a bill or getting a vehicle or paying a ticket or putting food on the table,” she said, surrounded by cheering and finger-snapping supporters.
“When I talk about policies that create generational wealth, it’s because I don’t want generations of Chicagoans to have to experience what I experienced trying to make their way in this city. When I talk about punitive fines and fees and banning the boot, it’s because I know how an unjust government punishes people because they are poor.”
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Unclear on the concept
Monday, Feb 4, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Illinois News Network…
Assistant Majority Leader Don Harmon has filed legislation to ask voters to change the state’s constitution to allow for a progressive tax system, but the bill provides no details about what that structure would look like.
Harmon’s bill would allow for the state to impose higher income tax rates on those who earn more, but is devoid of detail. It “provides that the income tax may be a fair tax where lower rates apply to lower income levels and higher rates apply to higher income levels,” according to a synopsis of the legislation.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker has pledged to change the state’s flat income tax to a graduated one, but he has avoided talking about specifics such as tax rates. He’s said that the rates would be negotiated with the legislature.
Harmon’s proposal is actually a constitutional amendment. I don’t know very many people who want to lock tax rates into the Constitution.
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It’s just a bill
Monday, Feb 4, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Senators in both parties who demand budget cuts now have a clear way of expressing themselves…
While the rules for the Illinois House’s 101st General Assembly were contested then approved on partisan lines, things went more smoothly in the Senate on Thursday, Jan. 31.
The upper chamber added a provision in its rules to allow any senator to file a committee amendment to a bill that provides appropriations for state spending. Previously, only the bill’s sponsor or a member of the committee considering the bill could file such an amendment.
State Sen. Dale Righter, a Mattoon Republican, said he was thankful for the amendment, which he said should make things “interesting.”
Senate President John Cullerton, a Chicago Democrat, said he wanted to “highlight the fact that we handle things differently in the Senate” than in the House.
Aside from the merits of the proposal itself, I wonder how long the fledgling Capitol News Illinois service will refer to the Senate as the “upper chamber.”
* Maybe legislators should take this class, too…
As other states look at upping financial literacy requirements, should Illinois high schools require students to learn basic budgeting before getting a diploma?
Just this month, lawmakers in Florida introduced a bill that would require all students to take a class on basic skills, like how to save money and apply for loans. A new bill in South Carolina would make passing a financial literacy test a graduation requirement.
Starting in 2017, Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs’ office has partnered with Econ Illinois, a nonprofit affiliated with Northern Illinois University, to create the first ever standards-based financial literacy curriculum for grades 1-8 in Illinois. According to spokesman Greg Rivara, grades 1-3 currently are online at the treasury’s website. Grades 4-8 will be available shortly.
The state does not require standardized testing on the topic.
* Other stuff…
* Illinois not doing enough to cut down tobacco, e-cigarette use: American Lung Association: The association gave Illinois failing grades in funding for smoking cessation and prevention programs, tobacco taxation and access to existing quit-smoking services.
* Schimpf talks gun laws and minimum wage: “It’s difficult for people who are in different part of the state, particularly those who are in a more urban area, to understand the complexity of a rural area when you have to protect yourself,” Bryant said.
* State Senator pushes back as gun control measures gain traction in Springfield: “There are an awful lot of bills filed by Second Amendment advocates that aren’t going to move either,” Harmon said. “So everyone should just calm down.”
* Should boat sizes be limited on the Chain, Fox? Owners, waterway agency disagree with state senator’s plan for a cap
* With first full term ahead, Bristow looks to get comfortable in House seat
* Rep. Weber optimistic about changes with new Illinois Legislature
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* From Illinois’ six Catholic bishops…
Legislation that would legalize marijuana for recreational use will be considered in the Illinois General Assembly. The Catholic bishops of Illinois are committed to the common good, and therefore advise against legalization.
Data collected by government agencies and public-interest groups document that drug use is rampant in modern society. Just a few years ago, we heard too many stories of children turned into orphans after their parents overdosed on heroin. Today, we hear of the opioid crisis and the lives it claims. If marijuana is legalized, it will only add to the problem.
Proponents of legalization say marijuana is not addictive, yet peer-reviewed research concludes that it is. Proponents also say that most people who use marijuana will not move on to harder drugs, yet other studies note that most people who are addicted to other drugs started with alcohol and marijuana.
Advocates of legalization rightly point to the racial disparity of our jail and prison populations, noting that marijuana infractions often lead to lives trapped in the criminal justice system. We recognize the truth of that premise, while observing that recent sentencing reforms should soon reverse that trend, since possession of less than 10 grams of marijuana now results in a ticket of up to $200 and no jail time.
Medical marijuana dispensaries already exist across Illinois, ready to be converted into retail stores for customers 21 and older, leading proponents to predict that legalization will eradicate the black market. Will that actually happen, or will the black market simply sell marijuana at a lower price and to those under age?
As lawmakers consider this issue, it is important to remember they are not only debating legalization of marijuana, but also commercialization of a drug into an industry the state will profit from. In seeking the common good, the state should protect its citizens.
We ask lawmakers to say “no” to legalization of marijuana, as Pope Francis explained in 2014 when speaking about marijuana and other recreational drugs: “… To say this ‘no,’ one has to say ‘yes’ to life, ‘yes’ to love, ‘yes’ to others, ‘yes’ to education, ‘yes’ to greater job opportunities. If we say ‘yes’ to all these things, there will be no room for illicit drugs, for alcohol abuse, for other forms of addiction.”
This whole argument of “Keep it decriminalized” just blows my mind. Status quo proponents never seem to understand that their stance directly and materially benefits often violent crime syndicates.
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“How about anything, Danny?”
Monday, Feb 4, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Fran Spielman…
Ald. Danny Solis wanted lawyer and political power broker Victor Reyes to help raise money for him, but Reyes had a complaint, according to a transcript of an August 2015 cellphone call between the men secretly recorded by the FBI.
Reyes said four other aldermen — George Cardenas (12th), Roberto Maldonado (26th), Proco Joe Moreno (1st) and Rick Munoz (22nd) — had referred him business. But Reyes griped that Solis, then the powerful chairman of the City Council’s Zoning Committee, had given him nothing.
“How about anything? How about anything, Danny?” Reyes is quoted as saying in the transcript in the explosive federal affidavit obtained by the Sun-Times. “How about anything. Not just the big one. How ’bout one f—ing thing … Maldonado sends me business. Moreno sends me business.”
“I will. I will,” Solis said.
“Rick Munoz sends me business,” Reyes continued.
“I will send you business this month,” Solis said.
“You haven’t sent me any. I don’t know why,” Reyes said.
Go read the whole thing.
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* My Crain’s Chicago Business column…
What can we expect out of freshman Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s first legislative session? Let’s look at a few issues.
Minimum wage: Pritzker campaigned on raising the state’s minimum wage from $8.25 an hour to $15 an hour over a period of years. But getting to $15 an hour for the entire state on the same time schedule could prove politically difficult. The downstate cost of living is much lower than in Chicago or the suburbs, after all.
Pritzker sincerely wants to honor his campaign promise, but he is under pressure to extend the time period for downstate areas to reach his goal. He’s also promised to lessen the sting on small businesses with tax credits, but the credits currently being discussed may not be adequate.
Pritzker has decided to make this his first big test as governor, so I think we will learn a lot about the future from how he performs now. Does he alienate people he will need down the road by ramming something through, or does he listen to the other side and make some compromises to show he can be reasonable?
Click here to read the rest before commenting, please. Thanks.
* Related…
* Finke: The bill’s pretty much going to have to pass the Senate this coming week if it is going to get to Pritzker on time. The Senate is taking off the following week and then will be in session one more day before Pritzker does the budget address. Supporters may say the bill isn’t being rushed through, but that’s a pretty quick turnaround for lawmakers this early in the session.
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Patience, please
Monday, Feb 4, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
We’ve known for weeks now that the FBI recorded Chicago Ald. Ed Burke’s mobile phone conversations over a period of eight months, listening in on 9,475 calls. And then we discovered that the feds had wired up Chicago Ald. Danny Solis during his own conversations with Burke.
Ald. Burke has a rather, um, “earthy” way of talking when he’s among friends and close allies. Race, ethnicity, religion, national origin, sexuality, whatever. You name it, if there’s a socially unacceptable word to describe it, his pals say, he’s probably used it.
I’m not saying for sure that the feds have him on tape saying stuff like that, but if they do, there’s no way in heck that Burke wants a Chicago-area jury hearing it. Those words could destroy a defendant. And, of course, few on the other end of any of those conversations want that stuff to come out, either. People might bend over backwards to be helpful if the feds play them those tapes.
The feds, in other words, might very well possess some embarrassing leverage on Burke aside from the alleged illegalities. And the feds love leverage.
They most certainly used leverage against Ald. Solis. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that the feds recorded almost twice as many of Solis’ calls as Burke’s — 18,000 in all. Some of those calls centered around asking a political operative to set up trips to massage parlors, allegedly in exchange for official government acts. Ald. Solis agreed to flip on Burke when confronted with the evidence in 2016.
Being caught on an FBI wiretap doesn’t automatically mean somebody did something wrong. Back in 2017 and then again in 2018, the mere presence of J.B. Pritzker on old FBI wiretaps of Gov. Rod Blagojevich was enough to rattle his gubernatorial campaign to the very bone, even though there was no evidence then or since that he was ever under any sort of investigation.
Pritzker simply called the wrong guy at the wrong time and said some stupid things that wound up being memorialized on a government recording device. But lots of folks jumped to an immediate conclusion that the hint of federal smoke somehow meant the existence of a raging corruption fire. Nothing like that has ever emerged.
We don’t yet know for sure, but the same might be said of what’s being treated by the media as an explosive revelation that an FBI mole recorded a 2014 meeting with Ald. Solis, a Chinatown real estate developer and House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Madigan didn’t say anything illegal on the recording. He was at his law firm’s office and Ald. Solis had brought the developer in to talk about perhaps retaining Madigan’s property tax assessment firm for a hotel the businessman was trying to build. The developer never hired Madigan’s firm and never built the hotel. And all this happened almost five years ago and we haven’t heard anything else since then.
The story does give us an inside peek into how things work in Chicago, however. Madigan’s law office can apparently be an important stop on the path toward getting things done. And while Madigan himself can avoid doing anything overt to help his law firm’s clients outside of property tax appeals, just meeting with Madigan could help those clients check a very important box with other important people like Solis.
Madigan himself could be completely ignorant of why a potential client is in his office. Indeed, it’s almost 100 percent certain he wants it that way. You’d have to be insanely greedy to risk prison over a $3,000 annual property tax retainer.
But Madigan is so powerful that people like Solis want to do whatever they can to get into and remain in his good graces. So, it’s not at all inconceivable that part of an alderman’s process of approving a development could include a meeting at Madigan’s firm to show fealty and offer tribute.
The big question: If Solis wired up on Burke, did he also wire up on Madigan? The House Speaker issued a statement through his attorney admitting he “recalls attending several meetings with Ald. Solis over the past five years, including meetings with individuals in need of legal representation.”
Despite the frothing at the mouth from the usual Madigan haters, we simply have no way of knowing if the feds have any leverage on the guy. Be patient. If they’ve got him, they’ve got him. If they don’t, well, it wouldn’t surprise me.
* Related…
* Madigan under the microscope: Did cautious speaker finally slip on trip wire?: “If people believe this is how powerful he is, people will steer business his way just in the belief that he’ll help them. He doesn’t have to help them there. No quid pro,” Gaines said. “That probably doesn’t really hurt him. That doesn’t really alter his legacy. That’s sort of already common wisdom about him.”
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Question of the day
Friday, Feb 1, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* First, click here and read Jason Gonzales’ deposition, which is part of his federal lawsuit against House Speaker Michael Madigan and Madigan’s organization.
I’m still reading through it, but I did come upon this nugget…
Q. Why do you believe the Hispanic voters would have voted for you?
A. Because I was bringing a new voice to the district and a voice that resonated with them, and that’s the reason why I ran because the 22nd District needed a new voice. It needed someone who was going to represent the interests, the hopes, and ·the issues of the Hispanic community in my district, which is now 81 percent. […]
It has a lot to do with the fact that I’m Hispanic, and I can understand them. I can understand their culture. I’m Hispanic, Mexican-American. I speak fluent Spanish.
From March of 2016…
[ABC7’s Charles Thomas has] a very interesting take on Madigan’s opponent Jason Gonzales after hanging out with him much of Friday. Thomas claims Gonzales has real trouble “connecting” with Latino voters in the district, partly because he grew up in the suburbs and partly because he doesn’t speak very fluent Spanish.
* And this is just odd…
Q. Do you think you would have done better if Joe Barboza had had a platform and raised money and gone door to door?
A. Maybe.
Q. How would you have done better?
A. Well, I would have had to campaign against him.
Q. How would that have made things better for you?
A. I would have gotten my message out to more people in the district.
Q. How would Barboza running have gotten your message out to more people in the district?
A. Well, because I would have had to run more ads to counter some of the things he said.
MR. PERAICA: Who is “he”?
THE WITNESS: Joe Barboza.
BY MR. VAUGHT: Q. So you would have raised more money if Barboza had ran?
A. Not necessarily.
* More…
Q. So you think the Hispanic vote was all yours?
A. I would say most of it was, yeah.
Q. Why?
A. Because I was the right candidate for the right time, and I had secured, I believe, a good amount of the Hispanics in my district to vote for me, and I had a campaign, and I got my message out, but it was drownded by Speaker Madigan’s negativity.
Q. So is it the negativity that caused you to lose, or was it Barboza or Rodriguez?
A. I believe I would have won the election had these two sham candidates not been on the ballot.
Q. So I want to go back when I asked you do you believe the Hispanic vote was yours?
A. Yes.
Q. Why do you say that?
A. One, because I’m Hispanic, and they’re looking for a new leader and they want a new voice.
Q. Is Chuy Garcia Hispanic?
A. Chuy Garcia wasn’t running in the 22nd District.
Q. But he endorsed Michael Madigan; isn’t that correct?
A. Yes.
Q. Would that sway Hispanic voters?
A. Possibly.
* They really twisted him up in knots…
Q. Well, you said that the Hispanic vote was yours, and you based it on the fact your name is Gonzales, which you said is a common Hispanic name, and many people would know somebody named Gonzales?
A. Yes.
Q. So why is it okay to get votes simply because your name is Gonzales, but it’s not okay if your name is Rodriguez or Barboza?
A. Because I was a real candidate. […]
A. I answered it. The difference is they don’t deserve those votes.
Q. Who makes that determination?
A. The voters.
Q. So is it your opinion that you deserve to be the Hispanic candidate?
A. Yes.
Q. And why do you deserve to be the Hispanic candidate over anybody else?
A. Because I’m the right person to lead my community and give Hispanics the voice that they have been wanting for the past 37 years. […]
Q. So you have a constitutional right to have people vote for you?
A. Yes.
Q. Did anybody prohibit somebody from voting for you?
A. No. […]
Q. Is that what this was, a dirty trick?
A. Madigan and Barboza were a dirty trick.
Q. And you got to campaign saying that it was a dirty trick?
A. Could you repeat that? […]
Q. So who do you want to be prohibited from being on the ballot?
A. Anyone that isn’t a legitimate candidate.
Q. Who gets to determine if they’re legitimate?
A. I suppose we’ll let the Court decide that.
Q. So are you asking for an injunction that if you run again, anybody else who would run has to go to the Court to get permission?
A. No. […]
Q. It says, “Upon information and belief, defendants Rodriguez and Barboza received rewards for their action of running as sham candidates for state representative.” Do you have any knowledge of Rodriguez or Barboza receiving rewards?
A. No direct — I have no direct knowledge of that.
Q. Just to be clear, do you have indirect knowledge?
A. I don’t. […]
Q. If you go to the last page of this document, this is an article from Tom Schuba on March 2, 2016, NBC Chicago. It says, “‘Diluting the ballot is the oldest trick in the book,’ Gonzales said, ‘but we don’t believe it’s going to change things very drastically.’” Did you say that?
A. I know I said the first part. I’m not sure that I recall saying the second part.
Q. So do you believe Mr. Schuba gave a false quote?
A. He may have given a typo. I just don’t remember saying that. […]
Q. I’ve handed you what is identified as [Gonzales supporter] BrownMillerGroup’s post-election analysis. Have you seen this before?
A. Yes. […]
Q. It says, “Despite this, final election results were far from satisfactory. Data we received from polling indicated common background shared with a candidate was not of particular importance to the Hispanic voters of this district.” It kind of undercuts your argument that the Hispanics voters were looking just to vote for a Hispanic candidate; is that correct?
A. I don’t agree with it.
* The Question: Any other observations and thoughts?
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Todd Ricketts joins Trump Victory Committee
Friday, Feb 1, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* If this doesn’t drive the final stake into the heart of those Illinois gubernatorial campaign rumors, I don’t know what will…
The Republican National Committee (RNC) and Donald J. Trump for President campaign announced today that Todd Ricketts will join the Trump Victory Committee, a joint fundraising committee between the RNC and the Donald J. Trump for President campaign, as its finance chairman.
Ricketts has served as RNC finance chairman since January 2018, spearheading the committee’s record-breaking fundraising work for the midterm cycle. He played a critical role in fundraising for President Trump ahead of the 2016 election.
“Todd has been a friend and successful advocate for our Party and I look forward to his strong leadership on the Trump Victory Committee over the next two years,” said President Trump.
“The RNC is grateful for Todd’s leadership and thrilled that he will play an important role in President Trump’s re-election in 2020,” said RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel.
“Todd’s contributions play a critical part in advancing the America First agenda,” said Donald J. Trump for President Campaign Manager Brad Parscale. “Todd was a huge help to President Trump in 2016 and we look forward to his finance leadership ahead of 2020.”
“I am honored to continue to support President Trump and the Republican Party through the Trump Victory Committee,” said Ricketts. “As we head toward 2020, I will work to ensure President Trump and his campaign have the resources they need to fight for the American people.”
This should not be taken as a knock on the president, by the way, but the guy lost Illinois by 17 points in 2016 and we all saw what happened here last year.
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* Press release…
The one-year anniversary edition of the Debt Transparency Act (DTA) report, released by Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza’s office today, lays out the fiscal challenges facing Illinois as the Governor and General Assembly begin work on the fiscal year 2020 budget.
“Since my office started publishing Debt Transparency Act reports last year, they’ve provided a crucial, monthly window into the state’s finances. These reports give our new Governor and members of the General Assembly a valuable tool to inform them about the state’s fiscal situation heading into this year’s budgeting process,” Comptroller Mendoza said. “It will take years for our state to recover from the damage caused by the failed budgeting practices of the previous administration. The first step on that path is approving a responsible budget for next fiscal year.”
The report, which is an addendum to the monthly report, highlights the need to use realistic projections for revenues and savings for the fiscal year 2020 budget.
“The current budget was a consensus budget, but it’s important to remember that it did not solve all of our state’s fiscal problems. In fact, it will make the bill backlog worse,” Comptroller Mendoza said. “I urge Governor Pritzker and the General Assembly to use realistic projections when estimating revenues and cost savings and to avoid relying on any concepts they know cannot be realized in fiscal year 2020. Failing to do so essentially amounts to shoveling more bills onto our already unsustainable bill backlog.”
Budgeted revenue shortfalls of the fiscal year 2019 budget are expected to cause a $1.5 billion to $2 billion increase in the bill backlog. The fiscal year 2019 budget counts on revenues from sources, such as selling the James R. Thompson Center in Chicago, that aren’t going to be realized. It also includes savings from proposals, such as a pension buyout plan, that will potentially fall short for the current fiscal year.
The report also calls for direct action to reduce the state’s bill backlog and describes the potential consequences of failing to reduce the backlog, including a negative impact on the state’s credit ratings. Illinois ratings currently remain just above “junk” status.
“The major ratings agencies have cited Illinois’ rising backlog as a reason for previous ratings downgrades,” the report says. “Moody’s Investors Service specifically noted that one way Illinois can improve its near-junk bond rating is to show ‘progress in reducing payment backlog’ and ‘prevent renewed build-up of unpaid bills.’”
Low bond ratings cost taxpayers more when the state borrows for major initiatives, such as repairs to roads and bridges and other infrastructure needs.
“Crafting a responsible budget that meets the needs of our state for the next fiscal year is going to be an incredibly challenging task. I urge policymakers not to forget about Illinois’ bill backlog, which currently stands at $7.5 billion,” Comptroller Mendoza said. “Without direct action, there’s no hope of substantially reducing our stack of unpaid bills. In fact, the backlog is going to grow because the current budget is based on some revenue assumptions, which aren’t going to happen. As long as the backlog is delaying payments, Illinois is being a bad business partner to thousands of small businesses and schools and putting more strain on our already weakened social safety net.”
Key findings of the report include:
The unpaid bill backlog continues to force the Office of the Comptroller into crisis management; impede timely bill processing; cause instability for state programs; and creates unnecessary and costly late payment interest penalties.
Budgeted revenue shortfalls of the fiscal year 2019 budget are expected to cause a $1.5 billion to $2 billion increase in the bill backlog.
Given that the fiscal year 2019 budget also failed to address the current backlog of bills, taking significant steps in fiscal year 2019 to pay down the backlog of unpaid bills – or even keeping it static – is impossible.
Temporary tools to manage the backlog granted under the current budget do not resolve systemic budgetary issues. Dedicated funding is needed to lower the bill backlog.
The full report is here.
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Pritzker signs EO to help end HIV epidemic
Friday, Feb 1, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I’m told by Team Pritzker that this will carry no additional appropriated costs. They’re simply spending money that Gov. Rauner didn’t spend, the administration claims.
…Adding… From the governor’s office..
FYI— There is a $1.2 million appropriation this year, as has been the case in the past. In previous years, the spending fell short of the appropriation. In FY17, it was roughly $967K in spending and FY18 was $662K. In FY16, there was no funding appropriated. Our goal is to make sure that the full appropriation is used this year for this effort.
And the administration points out that the more important point is about data sharing to keep people healthy…
Surrounded by health care providers and HIV prevention advocates at the Winnebago County Health Department, Governor JB Pritzker took executive action strengthening the state’s commitment to ending the HIV epidemic that has affected nearly 40,000 Illinois residents.
“While 1,375 people were newly diagnosed with HIV in 2017 alone and unacceptable health disparities in communities of color continue, over the past few years we’ve seen HIV prevention funding dry up, HIV testing rates go down, and HIV prevention and treatment agencies lay off staff,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Now is not the time to back down from this fight. Now is the time to double down. This executive order defines the state’s commitment to the HIV epidemic and serves as a first step in ensuring the state is good partner in this fight.”
Over the last four years, the State of Illinois failed to partner fully with organizations and advocates that are working to end the HIV epidemic. When there was no state budget, HIV prevention and care agencies across the state laid off staff. This lack of investment came a time when health disparities in HIV are increasing.
With today’s executive order, the state will change course and take advantage of opportunities to improve treatment. With Medicaid providing health insurance for 23,748 Illinoisans living with HIV in FY17, the state-run program is the largest payer for HIV care in the state and a vital partner in ending the HIV epidemic.
Committing to ending the HIV epidemic, Gov. Pritzker signed Executive Order 2019-08, which will:
Invest in Programs and Services to End the Epidemic. Investments will include prevention measures the Rauner administration had discontinued, including funding for increased HIV testing, PrEP, the African American HIV/AIDS Response Act and other public health initiatives. Additionally, people living with HIV along with their healthcare providers will be invested and supported in achieving undetectable viral loads.
Monitor Viral Load Metrics. The Department of Public Health and the Department of Healthcare and Family Services, in conjunction with the contracted Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MMCOs), shall, within 90 days of the effective date of this Executive Order, deliver a report to the Governor containing a plan for the MMCOs to share data with the State in accordance with all laws and regulations governing health privacy, including a viral load metric, so that the State can monitor progress to ensure Illinoisans living with HIV have access to the healthcare they need to keep their viral loads at zero.
“The AIDS Foundation is proud to see the state of Illinois taking critical steps to end the HIV epidemic,” said John Peller, president of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. “With a partner like Gov. Pritzker in the governor’s office, Illinois can eliminate health disparities and improve health outcomes for people living with HIV by holding Medicaid accountable for tracking and reporting viral suppression.”
“We welcome Governor Pritzker to the Winnebago County Health Department and the focus of his administration on both the prevention and treatment of HIV infection,” said Dr. Sandra Martell, administrator of the Winnebago County Health Department. “Through this public and private partnership, we can get to zero in Illinois.”
“With HIV affecting so many communities across the state, I’m glad that Gov. Pritzker is combating this epidemic head-on and ensuring Illinoisans living with HIV have access to the health care they depend on,” said Rep. Maurice West (D-67th). “While the state hasn’t always been a good partner, the governor is turning the page and writing a new future when it comes to ending the HIV epidemic once and for all.”
“I thank Gov. Pritzker for coming to Rockford during his first week in office and commend his commitment to partnering with localities to keep our residents healthy,” said Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara. “Cities and counties across Illinois have experienced a painful stretch of disinvestment from the state, but Gov. Pritzker has already shown he’s a different type of leader that cares about every region of the state.”
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Tell me another fairy tale, grandpa
Friday, Feb 1, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* One reason for Jason Gonzales’ lawsuit against House Speaker Michael Madigan is that Madigan allegedly packed the 2016 spring primary ballot with other Latinos to dilute Gonzales’ vote. But, if you read the deposition, not only does Madigan deny involvement in the scheme, he says the Latino angle never even came up in meetings.
I really find this difficult to believe. It’s how the game has been played forever in Chicago. A black person files against you, then you bring other black people into the primary. A woman files, you bring in more women. And that’s been especially true with Latino challengers over the years.
From Madigan’s deposition…
Q And what decisions, if any, were made regarding the strategy towards these other candidates, if you recall?
A Our basic strategy was to identify the people that are going to vote for me and identify them and get them voted, that was our basic strategy.
Q Well, that’s every campaign strategy.
A Yes.
Q Did you look at the demographic back — breakdown of the population in the 22nd District?
A That was not a consideration in the conduct of the campaign.
Q Were you aware that the District was in excess of 70 percent Hispanic in Primary of March 2016?
A I’ve never heard that it was 70 percent. At the time of drafting, it was about 60 percent.
Q When you say at the time of drafting, you’re referring to redistricting?
A Yes.
Q And that would have been in 2010, six years before, correct?
A Probably 2011.
Q ‘11. And would you agree that the District has progressively trended more and more Hispanic over the years?
A Yes
Q So were you concerned about having a Hispanic opponent Jason Gonzales?
A No.
Q Why not?
A Because I know of my own knowledge that I have widespread support among Hispanic people in the District.
Q So you were not concerned?
A About what?
Q About a Hispanic candidate running against you in the primary?
A I was concerned about Bruce Rauner, that’s what I was concerned with.
Q I’m not asking you about Bruce Rauner. I’m asking you about Jason Gonzales.
A No, you asked me what I was concerned with. I’m telling you. I was concerned with all the money that Bruce Rauner was going to bring into the election, that’s what I was concerned with.
Q So were you concerned that the money that Bruce Rauner was going to bring into the 22nd District election where you were running for re-election would be brought in on behalf of Jason Gonzales?
A Yes.
Q So what were you going to do about that?
A We were going to make sure that the voters in the District knew that Bruce Rauner was on the scene and that he was supporting Jason Gonzales because Bruce Rauner is not a popular person in the 22nd District.
Q As part of your re-election strategy that you developed with these other individuals Marty Quinn, Will Cousineau, Tim Mapes, Steve Brown, yourself, did you discuss bringing in other Hispanic candidates into the 22nd District Primary Race?
A The answer is no.
Q There were two other primary District –22nd District Hispanic candidates in that race other than Jason Gonzales, right?
A The answer is yes.
Q Did you have anything to do with those candidates getting on the ballot?
A We learned about those candidates, again, by word-of-mouth, and we made a judgment that was advantageous to me that there would be multiple candidates in the Democratic Primary. My judgment was at the beginning that not every participant in the Democratic Primary was going to vote for me and the statistic proved that out. So when we learned that there were others that were contemplating candidacies, we thought that would be helpful to my campaign. It would be advantageous to my campaign.
Q So you realized that it would be to your political advantage on election day March of 2016 to have additional Hispanic candidates besides Jason Gonzales on the ballot?
A Not Hispanic, just multiple candidates. And so you study election returns, I study returns, and you know that in my case for certain not every applicant for a ballot in the Democratic Primary is going to vote for me. And, therefore, in a Primary Election it’s advantageous to me to have multiple candidates.
So, those two unknown Latino candidates just happened to be concerned citizens who decided on their own to run against one of the most powerful Democrats in the history of the state at the same time some big outside money was lining up behind a third Latino candidate? How fortuitous for Madigan. Such a charmed life he leads. I never realized before how a guy with a reputation for carefully analyzing every possible angle relied so heavily on pure, dumb luck.
And nobody of consequence in that part of the world ever so much as uttered the idea of splitting up the Latino vote to prevent Gov. Rauner’s allies from making a serious run at Madigan?
Right.
…Adding… Also, just to be clear, Madigan’s operation carried the petitions for those two other Latino candidates from Chicago to Springfield on filing day. Just another coinkydink.
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Mayoral race odd couples
Friday, Feb 1, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush, a powerful voice in the African-American community, has endorsed Chicago mayoral candidate Bill Daley, he said Thursday night.
“The future of this city is dependent on us to get this election right,” Rush, a Chicago Democrat, said by phone. “I believe that Bill Daley has the national and international connections to drive economic development from the central city to the outlying communities and neighborhoods. We are suffering, and have been suffering, from decadeslong disinvestment in our neighborhoods.” […]
They both supported Chris Kennedy for the Democratic nomination in the Illinois governor’s race. Daley worked as Kennedy’s head of finances, and Rush endorsed the candidate. Later it was reported that Rush’s son and brother were on Kennedy’s payroll. […]
“I have for years and years wanted to see another African-American as mayor of the city of Chicago,” [Rush] said. “However, for this election, I think Bill Daley is the wise choice for my community. He’s tuned in to the lack of opportunities that a significant population of this city suffer under.”
*** UPDATE *** Emil Jones, too?…
* NBC 5…
Long-time proven vote-getter Dorothy Brown passed the torch to Amara Enyia on Thursday, endorsing her in the race for Chicago mayor.
Brown was removed from the ballot for not having enough signatures, and at least five other candidates spoke to her about winning her endorsement.
“The woman that I believe will be the next mayor of the city of Chicago, Amara Enyia!” Brown declared to a room full of cheers.
Reports have claimed for years that Brown has been under the microscope of a federal investigation, and though she was never charged, it brings questions to this endorsement.
* ABC 7…
“It’s time for honesty, integrity, to put that back into city government,” Brown said.
It’s a comment that might strike some voters as strange coming from Brown, who has been under investigation by the FBI for an alleged scheme to sell jobs and promotions in her office. Enyia dismissed those concerns.
“Well, I have no say or control over what the FBI does or the nature of these investigations. I think, again, at the end of the day, we just have to make sure that the process plays itself out,” Enyia said.
* Sun-Times…
Another veteran Democratic operative not aligned with any of the mayoral candidates said Brown’s support among older African-American voters carries “only upside” for Enyia.
“It’s not like anyone is running away with this race. Everyone is within single digits of each other. So, even these small things matter,” the operative said.
The operative noted that there are “multiple options for every voter out there,” a “remarkable” development that is likely to produce “two run-off candidates barely scratching at 20 percent.”
“If I were Amara, I’d try to utilize having Chance on her side. Try to generate some energy in a race that lacks energy with no real momentum candidate. I’m not saying she will be that. But, she has just as good a chance to do that as any of the others,” the operative said.
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Read the full Madigan deposition
Friday, Feb 1, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Sun-Times obtained its own copy of Speaker Madigan’s deposition in the Jason Gonzales lawsuit…
A very careful Mike Madigan sat down last year for what the 76-year-old political power broker said was his first deposition ever, answering questions for more than five hours about everything from whether he goes to church to his relationship with Ald. Ed Burke to his own “philosophy” on separating politics from government.
Those are some of the highlights in a copy of the veteran House Speaker’s deposition, released by lawyers for the former political rival suing Madigan in federal court. […]
Madigan answered many questions with versions of “I do not remember,” or “I do not recall,” which is common in depositions.
When asked about being elected chairman of the Democratic Party of Illinois, the speaker said he didn’t remember the exact date.
“I have information that it was in 1998, would that be about right?” Peraica asked.
“Right,” Madigan said.
“So about 20 years now?” Peraica asked.
Madigan replied, “Maybe more than 20 years. It’s one of those situations where you have so much fun you forget things.”
The full deposition is here.
* One of my favorite exchanges…
Q: And what case did he represent you on or in, [Bill Roberts], that is?
A: Those were matters that involved the United States Attorney’s Office.
Q: Were those civil in nature or criminal in nature?
A: They were not civil.
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It’s Time To Put Our Progressive Values Into Action
Friday, Feb 1, 2019 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Illinois progressives ran, organized, voted, and won in 2018. Now it’s time to lead. Our victories this election showed there is strong support across Illinois for a bold, progressive agenda and leaders who can turn that agenda into action. We have the power to make Illinois a state that leads the nation on committing to 100% clean, renewable energy, reducing gun violence to keep our communities safe, expanding abortion access to all no matter where they live, their income or age. Working together, we can move Illinois forward on these issues and more — from workers’ and immigrant rights to criminal justice reform, LGBTQ equality, and affordable healthcare. We are one in the fight to build a state where all people can raise families in healthy, safe communities, with dignity and justice.
Forward Illinois is a coalition of leading progressive organizations representing more than 500,000 member-activists. Our work to mobilize voters around the progressive issues that impact us all didn’t end on Election Day. Now we’re taking our fight from the ballot box to the steps of our state Capitol to demand action. Learn more and join the fight at www.forwardillinois.com.
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[The following is a paid advertisement.]
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Question of the day
Thursday, Jan 31, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Washington Monthly takes a look at why the Minneapolis/St. Paul region does so well. Here’s one big reason: The Fiscal Disparities Act.…
In the 1960s, local districts and towns in the Twin Cities region offered competing tax breaks to lure in new businesses, diminishing their revenues and depleting their social services in an effort to steal jobs from elsewhere within the area. In 1971, the region came up with an ingenious plan that would help halt this race to the bottom, and also address widening inequality. The Minnesota state legislature passed a law requiring all of the region’s local governments—in Minneapolis and St. Paul and throughout their ring of suburbs—to contribute almost half of the growth in their commercial tax revenues to a regional pool, from which the money would be distributed to tax-poor areas. Today, business taxes are used to enrich some of the region’s poorest communities.
No other metro region in the country has ever replicated that strategy, but in 2015 Chicago’s Metropolitan Planning Council wanted to know why Minneapolis was growing at almost five times the rate of their city. They came up with three reasons:
The Fiscal Disparities Act
Education
Quality of life
Notice that both education and quality of life are largely dependent on the funding formula in the Fiscal Disparities Act.
Remember, this is growth in commercial taxes, not residential.
* The Question: What do you think of this idea?
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Madigan, in a nutshell
Thursday, Jan 31, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* More from Speaker Madigan’s deposition in the Jason Gonzales lawsuit…
Early on in the deposition, Peraica asked about Madigan’s political background, including his election as 13th Ward Democratic committeeman in 1969. Madigan described the drudgery of the unpaid political job, from hooking residents up with government services to preparing sample ballots to raising money to pay for such activities.
Peraica asked: “With all the other responsibilities that you have in your various roles, why would you want to continue as a committeeman for 50 years?”
“It’s a good question,” Madigan said.
“Have you figured out the answer? I’m curious,” Peraica said.
“My stock answer is to tell people that I’m rather peculiar,” Madigan replied.
“You’re passionate about that position, right?” Peraica asked.
“You want an answer to that?” Madigan said. “I’m not sure I’m passionate, but I still perform the duties.”
Go read the rest.
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“This guy’s trying to destroy your soul”
Thursday, Jan 31, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Tribune obtained depositions taken during the federal lawsuit filed against Speaker Madigan and his political organization by his 2016 Democratic primary opponent Jason Gonzales. You really need to read the whole thing…
The 76-year-old speaker used the phrases “I don’t recall,” “I don’t remember,” “I don’t know” and “I have no memory” more than 100 times during a five-hour deposition that he said was the first he’d ever given.
* For instance…
Peraica then asked Madigan whether he had reached out to any political allies to try to load up the ballot with candidates.
“I don’t remember that,” Madigan said.
“Is it possible that you did?” Peraica asked.
“No,” Madigan responded.
“So you’re certain that you didn’t?” Peraica asked.
“I don’t remember,” Madigan said.
* They really got into Gonzales’ head…
During his deposition, Gonzales said the campaign attacks led him to seek help from a psychiatrist, who prescribed medication.
“This guy’s trying to destroy your soul,” Gonzales said of Madigan. “He just doesn’t want to defeat you. He wants to make sure that you never come back again.”
And not just in campaigns, either. Ask Bruce Rauner if he wants to be governor again.
* More…
On Election Day, Madigan won with 65 percent of the vote, while Gonzales had 27 percent, Rodriguez had nearly 6 percent and Barboza 2 percent. […]
“If those candidates weren’t on the ballot,” Gonzales said under oath, “I believe I would have won this election.”
Again, go read the whole thing.
* Related…
* Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan gave his first-ever deposition. Here’s what he said: Madigan also brushed aside a Peraica question on whether he was concerned in the 2016 primary about Gonzales as a challenger, saying he was “concerned with all of the money that Bruce Rauner was going to bring into the election.” “We were going to make sure that the voters in the district knew that Bruce Rauner was on the scene and that he was supporting Jason Gonzales because Bruce Rauner is not a popular person in the 22nd District,” Madigan said.
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* Agreed…
* And to help prove Mark’s point, here is the Chicago Tribune from February 10, 2015…
25th Ward: Ald. Danny Solis tells you exactly what he thinks. He’s all in on a casino for the city of Chicago. He doesn’t apologize for being an ally of the mayor. He says resolving the city’s pension crisis means that city workers “are not going to get the same deal they have now.” He defends tax increment financing and for good reason: The Pilsen Industrial Corridor TIF has helped bring hundreds of businesses and thousands of jobs to the ward, he says. TIF money has helped pay for an expansion of Benito Juarez High School, for a library and field house in Chinatown, and for sidewalks, streetlights and other improvements — “10 times what I could have done with my menu money,” he says. An impactful community organizer before he joined the council, Solis deserves credit for steady progress. He is endorsed over four opponents.
* And here’s the Sun-Times endorsement from the same year…
25th Ward
Pilsen, Chinatown
Pilsen has grown to become one of Chicago’s most vibrant neighborhoods, still solidly Hispanic, but increasingly home as well to artists and young professions of all backgrounds. Daniel “Danny” Solis, who gets our nod, has been the alderman for 19 years and deserves a share of the credit. Solis’ challenge is keep the comeback going while preserving the neighborhood’s rich Latino cultural core. We appreciate Solis’ honest take on how to tackle the city’s crisis of underfunded pension systems — “Everybody is going to have to give something,” including city employees, and a property tax hike is “probable.”
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Minimum wage hike roundup
Thursday, Jan 31, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I went over this with subscribers today, so we’ll just do a roundup. Here’s the AP…
Business advocates now resigned to the likelihood that Illinois will soon adopt a $15-an-hour minimum wage urged legislators Wednesday to make it a tiered approach based on geography, arguing there are vast cost-of-living differences between Chicago and more rural areas downstate.
While Illinois’ statewide minimum wage has remained at $8.25 an hour since 2010, Chicago has jumped ahead, with the minimum wage there going to $13 this year .
Rob Karr, president and CEO of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, told the Senate Labor Committee that the nation’s third-largest city shouldn’t set the wage floor for everywhere else in the state. […]
New Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker, who campaigned on the issue last fall, wants to sign the proposal into law before he lays out an annual budget to the General Assembly on Feb. 23, Lightford said.
The budget address is actually scheduled for February 20th, less than three weeks from today.
* Prairie State Wire…
“We believe the market should determine wages,” [Todd Maisch, Illinois Chamber president and CEO] said. “For example, $15 an hour in the Chicago market may make sense, while $15 an hour in Cairo, Illinois, does not.”
Other marker factors also should be considered, Maisch said.
“Regional market wages should be considered along with additional options for seasonal, teen and training wages,” he said.
Teen and training wages are in the proposal they’re working on.
* Illinois News Network…
Some legislators want to know if Illinois can mandate different minimums based on geographic boundaries.
“There’s a huge discrepancy regionally about how much money is needed in order to live a higher quality of life,” said state Sen. Linda Holmes, D-Aurora. […]
Assistant Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, will likely sponsor legislation that would increase the state’s minimum wage. She said she was open to the idea of regional minimum wages, but said there could be constitutional issues with that concept.
“It’s challenging because there are some constitutionalities that go along with a flat minimum wage,” she said. “That’s something that I know our lawyers are checking into.”
I don’t think the regional wage is gonna fly.
* Capitol News Illinois…
Lightford said rate increases would be phased in, and the $15 rate would not take effect until at least 2025, although an exact timeframe for the increase is not yet defined.
Business representatives at the committee preferred a longer-term rollout. Lobbyist Mike Noonan, representing the Illinois Restaurant Association, said his industry would be OK with a seven-year rollout — $1 each year for the first six, then 75 cents the final year.
Worker rights advocates, such as Greg Kelly of the Service Employees International Union, preferred a more timely increase. He said 41 percent of all workers in Illinois make less than $15 per hour, and more of those workers are in their 40s, 50s and 60s than are younger than 25.
Kelly added that more women than men make less than $15 per hour, and 48 percent of African Americans and 61 percent of Latinos make less than $15 per hour. He said 52 percent of those making less than $15 per hour work full time, and 15 percent of Illinois working families receive food stamps.
* Finke…
Chris Boyster of the Illinois Collaboration on Youth said more than 12,000 people are employed by the organization’s member agencies. Many of them are working at or near minimum wage, he said.
“These human service organizations will not be able to accommodate an increase in the minimum wage without increased financial support from the state,” he said. “Providers want to pay their workforce better. They just need the means to do so.”
The Illinois Association of Park Districts also said increasing the minimum wage would put pressure on park districts that employ teens as life guards, camp counselors and other jobs that pay the minimum wage. Likewise, the state’s nursing homes that serve large numbers of Medicaid patients would be squeezed between paying higher wages with stagnant Medicaid reimbursements, said Pat Comstock of the Health Care Council of Illinois.
Twenty-six states and the District of Columbia have a higher minimum wage than Illinois.
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Food for thought
Thursday, Jan 31, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This is good advice during any election cycle, but it’s particularly good advice during the current Chicago mayoral campaign. Lots of old friends and allies are on different sides right now and things are really heating up between them…
It’s not personal, it’s business. Or, it should be anyway.
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* Press release…
Building on a strong team of diverse experts in their fields, Governor JB Pritzker announced the following personnel appointments:
STATE AGENCY DIRECTORS
Dr. Ngozi Ezike will serve as Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).* Dr. Ezike is a board-certified internist and pediatrician who comes to IDPH from Cook County Health, where she has served for more than 15 years. She currently serves as medical director at the Juvenile Detention Center, the largest juvenile detention facility in the country. Previously, Dr. Ezike served as medical director for the Austin Health Center where she actively engaged with the community through health initiatives involving obesity, diabetes, and breastfeeding. She also has delivered inpatient care at Stroger Hospital as well as primary and preventive care in community and school-based clinics. Dr. Ezike is a national policy advisor on juvenile correctional health topics who has presented at numerous local and national conferences for medical professionals and youth audiences alike. She received her Doctor in Medicine from University of California at San Diego and her Bachelor of Arts in chemistry from Harvard University. Dr. Ezike also holds a management certificate from Harvard Business School and is an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Rush University.
Jaime E. Martinez will serve as Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs (IDVA).* Martinez currently serves as executive director of Illinois Joining Forces, a nationally-recognized statewide nonprofit and public-private partnership that brings services and support to veterans at the community level. A 26-year Army combat veteran, Lieutenant Colonel (R) Martinez was assigned to operational infantry units throughout his career and deployed to Panama, the Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan (twice), four of these deployments as a paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division. When not serving on the line with troops, he was assigned as a policy advisor in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Office of the Vice President, United States Senate and the Office of the Under Secretary of the Army. After his medical retirement from the Fort Belvoir Wounded Warrior Battalion in 2010, he has served as a staff attorney for veteran legal aid clinics, general counsel to the Illinois Department of Veteran Affairs, senior counsel to Student Veterans of America (National), supervising attorney to the Illinois Armed Forces Legal Aid Network (IL-AFLAN), and as the executive director of the Illinois Joining Forces Foundation. He received his Master of Arts in Law and economics and his Juris Doctorate from the George Mason School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts in political science from Eastern Illinois University. Martinez was also a distinguished graduate of the United States Marine Corps Command and Staff College.
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Kareem Dale will serve on the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.* Dale is currently a director and senior counsel at Discover Financial Services. He previously served as special assistant to the president and associate director of the Office of Public Engagement in the Obama White House and as the national disability director for the Obama-Biden Transition and Obama for America. He founded the Dale Law Group after spending eight years representing Fortune 500 corporations and privately-held companies as a litigation attorney for Winston & Strawn LLP. Dale currently serves on the Chicago Cook Workforce Innovation Board and formerly was a board member of Access Living and board president of the Black Ensemble Theater. He received his Juris Doctor, Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in advertising from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Donald Edwards will serve on the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.* Edwards is the founder and CEO of Flexpoint Ford, LLC, a private equity investment firm with $3 billion under management that focuses on health care and financial services. Prior to founding Flexpoint in 2004, he was a principal at GTCR from 1994 to 2003 and an investment banker at Lazard Ltd. During his career, Edwards has served as a director on the boards of more than 20 publicly- and privately-held companies as well as theChicago Park District, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago and World Business Chicago. He received his Master of Business Administration from the Harvard Business School and his Bachelor of Science in finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Ricardo Estrada will serve on the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.* Estrada is CEO of Metropolitan Family Services, one of Illinois’ largest and best respected human services agencies. Since joining Metropolitan in 2011, Estrada has helped the agency double its growth in revenue and families served. Estrada has nearly three decades of leadership experience in human services, philanthropy and government. Prior to joining Metropolitan, Estrada served as first deputy commissioner of the City of Chicago’s Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS). Before that, he served as executive director of Erie Neighborhood House in Chicago. He received his Master of Business Administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago, his Master of Arts in social service policy and administration from the University of Chicago, and a Bachelor of Science in psychology from Loyola University.
Patricia Brown Holmes will serve on the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.* Holmes is a managing partner at Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila LLP and was formerly a partner at Schiff Hardin LLP from 2005 to 2016. She has practiced law on both sides of the bench in courtrooms at every level, serving as Associate Judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, assistant U.S. attorney, assistant state’s attorney for Cook County, and Chief Assistant Corporation Counsel for Municipal Prosecutions for the city of Chicago. She received her Juris Doctor and Bachelor of Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Naomi Jakobsson will serve on the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.* After teaching at the Urbana School District and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign early in her career, Jakobsson went on to represent UIUC and the 103rd House District from 2002 to 2015. In the legislature, she chaired the House Committee on Higher Education and was a member of the Appropriations-Higher Education Committee. Jakobsson previously served as Champaign County Recorder for 12 years, interim director of a domestic violence shelter and the executive director of the University YWCA. She received her Master of Science in teaching English as a second language and Bachelor of Arts in history from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Ramon Gardenhire will serve as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy in the Office of the Governor. Gardenhire currently serves as the vice president of policy for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, overseeing AFC’s advocacy and policy work at the federal, state and local level. Gardenhire previously served as AFC’s director of government relations from 2011 to 2013 where worked to expanded Medicaid coverage for half a million Illinoisans and helped enact comprehensive sexual health education for Illinois students. Before coming to AFC, Gardenhire worked at the SEIU Healthcare Illinois-Indiana, Federation for Community Schools, Young Democrats of America, National Democratic Committee, The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the American Academy of Physician Assistants, where he worked on state level political and legislative initiatives. He received his Juris Doctorate from Wayne State University Law School and his bachelor’s degree from Slippery Rock University.
Pat Collier will serve as Deputy Chief of Staff for Federal Affairs in the Office of the Governor. Collier previously served as policy director on Governor Pritzker’s campaign. Prior to the campaign, he was the director of government affairs for the Center for American Progress, a progressive Washington think tank. Collier also spent several years as policy counsel to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on the U.S. Senate Democratic Policy Committee. He also served as a regional political director for Obama for America in 2008. He received his Juris Doctor from the Washington University in St. Louis School of Law and his Bachelor of Arts in government from the University of Virginia.
Edwards was originally appointed by Gov. Rauner to the board of trustees.
Other thoughts?
…Adding… From the U of I…
The new board members succeed outgoing trustees Timothy Koritz, James Montgomery and Patrick Fitzgerald, whose terms ended this month, and Sanford Perl. Perl was appointed by Rauner and served since last May, but had not yet been confirmed by the Senate, which allowed Pritzker to withdraw the appointment and select his own nominee.
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It’s just a bill
Thursday, Jan 31, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Illinois News Network…
Illinois lawmakers accidentally left a requirement for a minimum number of hours in the classroom out of last year’s education overhaul and now Democrats and teachers unions are racing to put it back.
Illinois school kids are required to be in school for 176 days. But, because of an oversight in last year’s education reforms, there’s no set number of hours for those days.
Some schools are using the new-found flexibility to let students learn from home on snow days or enroll in an apprenticeship.
Democratic lawmakers and teachers unions, however, want to enforce a minimum of five hours in the classroom.
Sean Denny with the Illinois Education Association told lawmakers Tuesday that allowing local schools to set their own calendars is making it hard for the union.
“All we’re asking for is to even out the playing board again,” Denny said. “So we can hit the reset button, and actually talk about these flexibilities in the light where there is an entire group of people who have all of the cards. And we have nothing.”
But some Republicans, like state Sen. Chuck Weaver, R-Peoria, and local school districts like the flexibility of not having a required number of hours.
* Capitol News Illinois…
Introduced by State Rep. Margo McDermed of Mokena, House Bill 879 would ban lawmakers from registering as a lobbyist, or receiving or making payments as a lobbyist, for one year or the remainder of their term — whichever is longer.
“The people who spend time [in Springfield] tend to stay here,” McDermed said. “Is one year enough to break the relationships? Maybe. It’s certainly better than one minute.”
Alisa Kaplan, policy director for Chicago-based Reform for Illinois, agreed with McDermed that any amount of time is better than none. Kaplan also outlined the main concern that comes with lawmakers quickly becoming lobbyists.
“The risk is that the legislator will pay more attention to a potential employer [a lobbying firm] than they will to their constituents,” Kaplan said. “You don’t want representatives to be supporting legislation that they think might get them the cushiest job when they leave.”
I’d settle for a ban on legislators negotiating for a lobbying job while in office.
* Finke…
Rep. DAVID McSWEENEY, R-Barrington Hills, who definitely does not like taxes, introduced one to make sure everyone is aware when a bill would increase revenue.
His proposal is that any bill that increases a tax or fee has to have the words “Tax Increase,” “Fee Increase,” or “Tax and Fee Increase” in the short title, which would mean that pretty much anyone would get the idea the bill raises revenue. It also requires the sponsor of such a bill to provide a statement about why the increase is needed. […]
Also on McSweeney’s agenda is a crackdown on rich people buying elections.
Of course, that’s not how his bill is worded. Rather, it puts a $5 million limit on the amount of money a person can contribute to a political committee that benefits himself or herself.
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Rauner on Madigan’s “Mafia empire”
Thursday, Jan 31, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Sun-Times caught up with former Gov. Bruce Rauner about the revelation that House Speaker Michael Madigan was taped by the FBI in his law office soliciting property tax appeals business…
“It certainly would have served Illinois if this had come out 20 years ago,” Rauner said of revelations contained in a federal affidavit. “This should have come out 20 or 30 years ago.” […]
“I was on the [Civic Committee] steering committee for years,” Rauner said. “This stuff is common knowledge in the business community. This has been and is like Mafia behavior. Victims don’t talk about it because you fear retribution.” […]
“I’ve been talking about it. Everybody knows. When a business owner comes in or there’s a new building in Cook County — I don’t know how they carve up the market between [Ald.] Ed [Burke] and Mike, but one of them calls, or one of their cronies call — depends on the day — and say, ‘We do property tax appeal work and we want to work for your building.’”
“The guys are totally freaked out. ‘Holy s—. Who are you again?’ And they’re scared. And then often times one of their [people] call and say, ‘You better use their firm,’” Rauner said. “This has been going on for decades. And some guys swallow hard and say, ‘Oh s—. I don’t want the retribution,’ and never answer the phone. They use somebody else or leave the city. A lot of people are not investing in Chicago because they don’t want to deal with these guys.” […]
“[Madigan has] been in control for 35 years. He’s totally integrated in a family empire. It’s like a Mafia empire. It’s his family business and it’s totally corrupt and rife with conflicts,” Rauner said.
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