Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

The House will pass its own budget tonight.

$290M more for schools

$801M in net approp growth
$300M from loophole closings from SB1544

UPDATE: Add $84M to schools for categoricals.

Also, word is that Sen. Pres. Jones may run the 3 year rate freeze to the guv’s desk so that Downstaters will vote for the budget.

It’s looking like the Senate might (or not) run this low growth budget to keep the gvt running. The governor is then likely to call us into special session to deal with things like health care and education funding.

Also, HDems voted in caucus on Lang’s gaming bill but it came up way short of what they’ll need to pass it.

More later.

UPDATE 2: 4:25pm It looks like HB1500 (to get AT&T into cable) has Madigan’s OK and may be moving soon.

Also, one reason for MJM moving a budget tonight is that the guv has been prodding him publicly to come up with a plan.

And those of you who think this is the final budgetary word ought to think again.

By the way that “growth” listed above is net appropriations growth.

UPDATE 3: The House budget will be SB 1132 House amenment 1

UPDATE 4: 10:16PM… The debate has begun. Republicans are complaining that the bill didn’t pass thru the proper hoops. .

UPDATE 5: By the way, the HDems tacked the budget onto the supplemental bill, which is worth $1.2 Billion in federal funds to hospitals over the next two years.

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Priest threatens to “snuff out” legislators

Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

Rev. Michael Pfleger, pastor of St. Sabina’s Church, went way over the top this week. During a protest against Chuck’s Gun Shop, Father Pfleger twice threatened to “snuff out” the shop’s owner and threatened the same fate for legislators who oppose his position on gun control.

“We’re gonna find you and snuff you out,” Fleger said about the gun shop owner, likening the man to a “rat.” He later repeated his threat to “snuff out” the owner.

Fleger also had this to say to state legislators who vote against gun control measures.

“We’re gonna snuff out legislators who are voting [garbled] against our gun laws and we’re coming for you because we are not going to sit idly.”

The Illinois State Rifle Association, which has employed some pretty harsh rhetoric of its own but hasn’t, to my recollection, called for anyone to be “snuffed out,” had this reaction…

“Certainly Fr. Pfleger has offered Absolution to a murderer or two during his tenure as a priest,” commented ISRA Executive Director, Richard Pearson. “That’s why it’s shocking to hear him actually advocate the murder of a gun shop owner who has never committed a crime in his life. He then compounds the problem by calling for the murder of legislators who disagree with his personal political views — something I suspect is a felony in this state. Pfleger’s comments were disgusting and dangerous. And, I seem to remember that the Fifth Commandment frowns on murdering one’s neighbor.”

Audio…

[audio:pflegersnuff.mp3]

[Clip is fixed now.]

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Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Illinois children can’t wait another year for reform

Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - Posted by Capitol Fax Blog Advertising Department

The following is a paid advertisement

The 2007 legislative session ends on Thursday, and lawmakers are dangerously close to leaving Springfield without any improvements in school funding and quality.

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Question of the day

Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

Next year, voters will get the chance to cast their ballots for or against calling a state constitutional convention.

I usually don’t express my opinion on QOTDs, but I’m heavily leaning towards the idea. Unless you’re a fan of gridlock, the system sure appears to be broken. It’s too easily dominated by powerful players with axes to grind. Individual legislators have few, if any, rights, and they too easily give up whatever they have. The list goes on and on.

Today’s question: Do you support a constitutional convention? Why or why not? What changes would you propose?

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Complications are many

Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* This Tribune story makes the claim that the dispute over gaming is standing in the way of a budget deal…

Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Senate President Emil Jones blamed House Speaker Michael Madigan on Tuesday for failing to advance a new state budget, but Madigan said there isn’t enough support among his members for the massive gambling expansion that the other two want. […]

Jones and the governor have embraced a broad gambling package that would include casinos in Chicago and three suburbs as well as subsidies for horse racing tracks, Internet betting between boats and bookie-style betting over the telephone.

Trust me on this, it’s not the gaming bill. Yes, the gaming proposal is a problem. A big problem. But there’s a whole lot more going on in this fight than a disagreement over a riverboat bill.

* This is the problem…

Deputy Gov. Sheila Nix took aim at House Democrats — who have rejected many of the governor’s budget priorities — for not providing a plan of their own. “We believe it’s time for them to get their act together,” she said.

Returning fire, Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said House Democrats have offered ideas.

“Maybe it’s Ms. Nix’s inexperience … but we sat in the meeting, and they talked about not making bombastic statements. I don’t know what she hopes to accomplish,” Brown said.

They don’t talk, and when they do talk they don’t listen.

* This is also the problem…

Democrats in both the House and Senate say that an education-funding increase is their top priority. They’ve been lukewarm about Blagojevich’s plan to provide health insurance to everyone in Illinois.

Universal health insurance is seen as a federal priority, not a state priority. The governor just didn’t have enough skill or time to convince legislators to back his ideas.

* And this is another huge problem…

As he exited the Capitol on Tuesday evening, the governor said, “My only regret today is that I didn’t get a chance to go down to Marion and be there for the first pitch for the new single-A baseball team.”

Asked about budget issues, Blagojevich said, “I wish I could have gone to Marion.”

Focus, governor. Focus.

* And now events appear to be rapidly devolving. Sen. Meeks has played the race card yet again…

The South Side’s Sen. James Meeks fears the Chicago Public Schools that are his top priority will not get the big funding increase he says they need.

“We need to call it what it is: racism. We need to return to the marches and protests of the ’50s and ’60s. And say to Springfield, enough is enough,” Meeks said.

Meeks said at a Black Caucus event last night that if the Chicago public school system was all white then Madigan would be a lot more eager to fully fund it.

We’re in for a long summer.

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If this is the way they’re gonna play it, this thing will never pass

Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

The Senate Democrats privately insist that Calumet City is in the strongest position to get a new south suburban riverboat, but Carol Marin is absolutely right to suspect that Bill Shaw’s Dolton is in the running.

The only thing about the Shaws to be grateful for, I suppose, is that their mother had twins, not triplets. These two have wreaked enough havoc on the notion of good government in 50 years of elective and appointed office.

That includes a civil racketeering suit against the village, convicted felons getting honorary police badges, and the testimony of a convicted drug smuggler in federal court saying he paid Mayor Shaw $30,000 to join the force.

In recent years, voters have gotten restless. Bob was deposed as alderman of Chicago’s 9th Ward, dumped as a commissioner of the Cook County Board of Review (but not before voting to reduce his brother’s property taxes), and defeated in a run for mayor of South Holland. Bill, meanwhile, only narrowly won a third term as Dolton mayor a couple of years ago after being clobbered by state Sen. James Meeks, who ejected him from his legislative seat in 2002.

So why be worried that these guys could get the cash windfall of a casino along the Little Calumet River in their south suburb?

Because, people, this is Illinois.

One of Mayor Shaw’s best friends is Senate President Emil Jones, and, as we’ve seen time and time again, Jones hasn’t exactly been shy about helping out friends and family this year. Jones has been pushing very hard for a south suburban casino in private leadership meetings and in talks with the governor - perhaps a bit too hard to take him at his word that his best buddy isn’t somehow in the mix.

Besides Dolton and Cal City, the other eligible towns for a casino in the Senate proposal include Harvey and Chicago Heights. Country Club Hills is too far from the Indiana border (the limit is eight miles from the Indiana border) to qualify, and Mayor Dwight Welch is not happy about that.

Country Club Hills has been a leading contender for a possible south suburban casino. Investors have a site chosen and a business plan that won high marks from state gaming board staff in 2004. And Welch has gotten neighboring towns to sign on by promising to share the revenue.

Welch is allied with Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr., who is not exactly a major Jones ally. So it’s no surprise that his town was dumped.

Meanwhile, the Senate Democrats claimed that they’ve cleaned up the gaming bill, but it doesn’t look like they did nearly enough sweeping…

A top Jones ally, Sen. Rickey Hendon (D-Chicago), said other controversial elements of the gaming package had been scaled back. A provision was removed that would have compensated investors in the failed Emerald Casino planned for Rosemont, he said, and plans to dedicate casino revenue to Chicago State University, a favorite of Jones, was trimmed to about a quarter of what had been an estimated $40 million. The remainder would go to other state universities, Hendon said.

So, Chicago State still gets $10 million a year while other universities split $30 million? That’s fair. Not.

Discuss.

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More reform and renewal

Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

The repeated flouting of state ethics laws really needs to cease and desist…

Despite an ethics act that promised to shine a light on unpaid advisers to statewide officeholders, no one has filed the required paperwork for the last three years, including a close friend of Gov. Rod Blagojevich who helped inspire the law.

The provision in the ethics law was embraced by the Democratic governor in 2003 after being added at the insistence of Republican lawmakers. They raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest arising from what one lawmaker described as a “shadow government” of advisers to Blagojevich who wielded influence on state policies.

Christopher Kelly, a longtime Blagojevich confidant singled out by Republicans, was one of two people who filed the economic disclosure form after the special designation took effect. But a recent review of state records shows the administration requested that Kelly be removed from the list just before Christmas 2004. […]

After being removed from the list, Kelly flew on the state’s airplane with Blagojevich and the governor’s aides on at least four occasions in 2005, though the governor’s campaign fund picked up the costs for Kelly. In addition, Kelly met with Blagojevich and top aides in February 2007 at the governor’s campaign headquarters, a campaign spokesman has said.

[Emphasis added]

As usual, the administration refused to answer questions about why Kelly is no longer on the list. They never feel a need to explain this stuff.

But Kelly isn’t the only person who hangs out with the guv. Lon Monk, his former chief of staff, is now a bigtime lobbyist. John Wyma, his chief of staff for his congressional office, is a major Illinois lobbyist who rarely shows his face in town (he doesn’t need to as long as he has direct access to the governor). But according to the Tribune story, nobody has filed disclosure reports in the past three years.

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Morning Shorts

Wednesday, May 30, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson

* Internet filters for libraries hits a snag

* Illinois bill calls for insurance to cover HPV vaccine

“I don’t see (a mandate) happening for a long time,” said state Rep. Elizabeth Coulson, R-Glenview, the bill’s sponsor in the House. “We need a lot more medical data on side effects and all of those other types of things. This is too new to mandate.”

* Senate Oks bill to aid young sex offenders

* School wind farms get state aid

* Tougher driving bill awaits governor’s signature

* IIS Radio: HPV vaccine, specialty licenses, highway markers

* Michael Sneed: Former Gov. Dan Walker, Obama

* CTA plea for help comes amid last minute capitol rush

* CTA considered $7 a ride for rush hour commuters

* Why suburban residents may bail out CTA

* Parents, students: CPS proposal on wrong ‘track’

* Feds: Alderman’s father took photos for fake Ids; more here

* Stroger says he will consider property tax hike

* Rail authority creation on right track

* State passes Peoria airport tax bill

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Oh, bloody hell *** Updated x2 ***

Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

House Speaker Michael Madigan walked out of the leaders meeting after about an hour and fifteen minutes this afternoon.

Madigan said he was able to ask some questions but didn’t necessarily get any answers.

But here’s the kicker. Madigan said his caucus would meet about today’s events tomorrow sometime.

Tomorrow would be Wednesday, the day before scheduled adjournment. Oy. Long summer ahead.

Meanwhile, the smoking exemption for casinos zoomed out of Senate Exec today.

More in tomorrow’s Capitol Fax

UPDATE: At 4:45 pm, the governor walked into Madigan’s office. The guv wouldn’t say why, but presumably it was to jump start the budget talks.

UPDATE 2: The guv left after about a half an hour. He didn’t report any progress but said it was a good meeting.

He all but sprinted to the elevators near Sen. Jones’ office, avoiding questions from the press. Paul and I snagged him for a couple of minutes, though and we’ll have some audio tomorrow.

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Perpetually blundering

Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

Way to go, Republicans! There’s nothing quite like keeping the bipartisan “combine” story alive during an election year. From Lynn Sweet’s blog…

Bob Kjellander, the sometimes controversal Illinois Republican, will be the vice chairman of the 2008 Republican National Convention, to be held in Minneapolis/Saint Paul.

So, I guess this means that Kj isn’t fading away any time soon?

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Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

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Question of the day

Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

It’s possible that a serious Statehouse showdown is on the horizon. The governor has claimed that he isn’t afraid to call legislators back into special session if they don’t approve a budget that he can live with, and as I’ve already told you, no agreement is in sight at the moment.

The governor has the power to use the state police at his discretion to require attendance at such special sessions, and one of the big jokes around the taverns is where legislators might flee outside the state police’s jurisdiction in case they don’t want to show up.

I’m partial to either St. Louis or Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Both would provide plenty of entertainment opportunities and I could also tow my new boat to either locale and host receptions during any potential exile.

Today’s question: Where should legislators go to avoid the state coppers? You don’t have to choose either one of my preferences. Explain the benefits and potential drawbacks (if any) of your choice.

Of course, this entire post is (mostly) tongue in cheek. But let’s have a little fun anyway.

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Yet another poll shows backing for tax hike

Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

I posted my syndicated column on Saturday, but comments were disabled. So, let’s do it again, shall we?

As you probably know, Gov. Rod Blagojevich has flatly ruled out an income- or sales-tax hike in exchange for a property-tax cut and more money for education. House Speaker Michael Madigan has said there isn’t sufficient support in his Democratic caucus to pass an income- or sales-tax hike.

But there’s a recent poll out that shows the public disagrees with both politicians. The poll showing majority support for a tax-swap plan also seems to be right in line with previous surveys. In addition, the poll found strong opposition to the governor’s super-controversial gross-receipts-tax plan.

The survey, conducted independently by the Glengariff Group, found that about 57 percent of Illinois voters support a so-called “tax swap,” while just less than 28 percent oppose it.

The question was put to respondents in a very neutral manner and is one of the better polling questions on this subject that I’ve ever seen […]

The poll showed 36.7 percent “strongly support” the tax hike, with 20.5 percent “somewhat” supporting it, 14 percent “somewhat” opposed and 11 percent are “strongly” opposed. Seventeen percent are undecided, according to the survey. […]

The poll found that even a majority of Republican voters supported the tax-swap proposal (52.6 percent, with 31.9 percent saying they “strongly” support it and just 20 percent saying they “strongly” opposed it). A whopping 65 percent of African-American voters say they back the plan, while 53.6 percent of whites say they support it. Females backed it 61.3 to 24, while men supported it 53 to 31.6.

Suburban collar county voters backed the proposal 56.8 to 31. Majorities of downstate voters supported the swap idea except in southern Illinois, where the backing was more tepid. In western and northwestern Illinois, 67.3 percent of voters supported the plan, while 51.8 percent of central Illinoisans backed it and 44.3 percent of southerners endorsed it (with 27.9 percent against and the rest undecided). However, the margins of error are quite high on those numbers since they are such small subsets — so they may be right, but beware.

Several polls in recent months have shown broad support for the tax swap idea. Read the whole thing for those results and discuss below.

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Long summer ahead?

Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

* The final budget deal is a mess. There is no deal. It’s not even near final. They aren’t even close.

“I think the lines in the sand have been drawn so deep, it’s been very difficult to come to some type of agreement,” said State Rep. Marlow Colvin, D-Chicago.

* And stuff like this, tucked into the gaming bill, just makes it more difficult to get anything done…

Nearly two dozen female and minority investors in the failed Emerald Casino could get bailed out of their multimillion-dollar, bad investment under a massive gambling expansion backed by Gov. Blagojevich and Senate President Emil Jones.

Tucked within the 218-page gambling bill is a controversial provision that could allow the clout-heavy group to recoup $32.8 million lost on the Emerald deal and have an ownership stake in one of four new casinos proposed for Chicago and the suburbs.

Lawmakers from both parties and a top government watchdog condemned the plan, questioning why taxpayers should be expected to swallow the losses of the politically influential group or to wade anywhere near the legal morass involving Emerald.

* As I told subscribers this morning, there are a whole lot of other problems with this gaming bill. Here are just a couple more, but the list is long, including, but not limited to, the $40 million annual Chicago State subsidy…

But the fine print of the current plan is raising both eyebrows and opposition at the Capitol.

As proposed, the state would legalize and license bookies to take horse racing bets over the phone or Internet. Horse tracks would be able to create electronic poker networks that could allow people to gamble online from their homes.

* The fact that the governor’s former chief of staff is lobbying for the tracks is not helping the bill’s credibility much…

As talk of gambling has surfaced in recent days as a way to help plug holes in the state’s budget, Monk signed on May 22 to represent the Racing Associations of Illinois, which is based at Balmoral Park Racetrack in Crete, according to state records. Horse-racing interests want legalized slot machines at the tracks as part of any gambling deal.

* The rancor has put the legislative leaders on a dangerous collision course, and yesterday’s meeting between Gov. Blagojevich and the entire House Democratic caucus didn’t move the ball forward at all…

Gov. Blagojevich went before House Democrats for more than two hours Monday to try to broker a budget deal but left with some members predicting an agreement is more remote than ever.

The governor appealed to House Democrats to back him on a budget or risk letting Republicans dictate terms of a deal if the General Assembly spills into overtime Thursday. But lawmakers said the governor seemed unwilling to compromise.

“To be honest with you, I don’t think it looks very good for an adjournment date for this Thursday unless he’s playing a great game of chicken,” said Rep. Marlow Colvin (D-Chicago), chairman of the Illinois House Legislative Black Caucus.

* The basic disagreement is over the scope of the governor’s proposals…

Several Democrats emerged from the meeting saying there remains a huge gap between what the governor wants to spend and what House members think is a realistic spending increase. Blagojevich remained adamant that he wants lawmakers to approve his universal health-care plan, even though lawmakers have made it clear they won’t approve the tax hikes needed to pay for it.

* More on that topic…

Many lawmakers consider the plan too big, especially after other recent expansions of health care programs. It would cost at least two billion dollars a year and cover people making up to four times the federal poverty level.

Senator William Delgado compares the ambitious plan to trying to eat a large pizza all at once — “It’s not going to happen.”

* Afterwards, the governor attempted to blame the House Democrats and Speaker Madigan for the impasse, which just threw fuel on the fire…

The Democratic governor emerged from the meeting and lashed out at House Speaker Michael Madigan of Chicago and his Democratic members, suggesting that it will be their fault if an agreement cannot be worked out before the General Assembly’s scheduled May 31 adjournment deadline.

* More tax and spend and end-of-session stories, compiled by Paul…

* Democrats skeptical of Governor’s call

* Illinoize: Gov: it’s your turn, House Dems

* Illinois would OK more casinos to fund health plan

* Governor battling lawmakers’ lack of enthusiasm for health care

* Seven steps to a state budget

* Highlights of governor’s health care plan

* Sweeney: Governor’s health plan pushed in casinos

* Morrissey to back push for Rockford casino

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Obamarama - Putting the GOPs in play here

Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - Posted by Rich Miller

This is exactly right…

The unintended byproduct of Illinois moving up its primary to boost White House hopeful Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is putting the state in major play for the GOP presidential candidates.

“It really is wide open on the Republican side,” said Illinois Republican Party chairman Andy McKenna. “It’s ironic,” he said. “A move to help Obama helps the Republican Party.'’

When Gov. Blagojevich signs the legislation setting Feb. 5 as the primary date, switching from March, Illinois joins more than 20 other states holding elections that day, creating a new national primary. While Obama has a near lock on Illinois, the three top Republican contenders — former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) — see Illinois as fertile territory and are establishing statewide campaigns.

In order to draw attention to Illinois, McKenna said the party is considering organizing a straw poll on Aug. 16, five days after the influential Aug. 11 Iowa Republican party straw poll.

Illinois may also steal some serious thunder from Iowa and New Hampshire’s Republican contests because early voting will begin here just after New Year’s Day - before anyone in those two goofy states cast a ballot. Hillary Clinton is most likely taking a pass on Illinois, of course, but her campaign is gearing up to focus on early voting opportunities in other big states, so there is a belief that the Republicans will do the same with Illinois…

Tucked away in a Hillary Rodham Clinton campaign memorandum that leaked out this week was a brief note about a quirk in next year’s primary election calendar that could have a profound effect on the strategies and spending of all the candidates.

The memorandum, by Mike Henry, the deputy campaign manager for Mrs. Clinton, made a case for ignoring Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucuses next Jan. 14 and devoting the candidate’s limited time and resources to contests in much bigger states in the following three weeks, including Florida, Arizona, California, New Jersey, Georgia and Texas.

Mr. Henry noted that all of those states, and several others whose primaries are set for early February, will be mailing out millions of absentee ballots in the weeks before Iowans gather for their caucuses, potentially diminishing Iowa’s importance. Iowa, along with New Hampshire, which holds its primary a week after the Iowa caucuses, have jealously guarded their status as early arbiters of who’s hot and who’s not.

Thoughts?

14 Comments

Morning Shorts

Tuesday, May 29, 2007 - Posted by Paul Richardson

* Editorial: Elected officials get insurance perk that others don’t

* Editorial: No election to fuel gas price talk; outcome the same

* Tribune Editorial: Strong hearts and steel backs

* Sun-Times Editorial: $139 bar bill? University owes public, auditors answers

* Editorial: Clipped wings saves lives

* Bill gives state health site board new life

* Legislature honors Illinois fallen

* Senate passes bill to honor military

* Lawmakers approve more than a dozen new license styles

* Illinois lawmakers pass ban on ‘remote’ hunting

The issue emerged in early 2005, when Texas entrepreneur John Lockwood set up a Web site that allowed subscribing hunters with a high-speed Web connection to shoot antelope, wild pigs and other game on his 220-acre San Antonio spread via remote control – from anywhere.

* State OKs permit for airport in Will Co.

* Sun-Times Editorial: Stroger can blame his own mismanagement

* Rep. Fritchey: Stop playing politics with property tax law

* Stroger opens door to property tax increase

* Naperville tax gets first OK

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