* Do you think Gov. Pat Quinn might’ve been trying to send a message today by mentioning Jim Edgar’s name more often than he did Abe Lincoln’s during his State of the State address? What with all the dissing Edgar’s been doing of Bill Brady lately, Quinn would be foolish to pass up that chance. NBC5 had a little fun with the governor’s Chicago press conference. Take a look…
* As a follow-up to a post I did a ways back, my dad is being released from the hospital next Tuesday, which is nine days early. He’s been working hard with his therapy since the stroke and he’s responding quite well. Good for him, and good for my mom, who has been under more than a little stress lately as well.
* I remember the day my dad brought home Janis Joplin’s Pearl album, shortly after the posthumous record was released. He played it over and over and over and I loved every minute of it. Wow, what an album that was.
Since Pearl was released after Joplin’s death, I didn’t realize that she had the chance to play any of the tracks live. But Janis was a guest on the Dick Cavett show two months before she died and the tape survives. So here’s My Baby…
And when they tell me love is pain
I said it might be true for you, honey,
But not for Janis no more, no, no, no, no.
She did another song from Pearl on the Cavett show that day. It’s here.
* We’ve had some back-and-forth here about what the real reason was behind the refusal of a federal underage drinking grant by the Champaign city council and its mayor. The first time I wrote about the refusal in February, I quoted a council member questioning the “morality of accepting federal grant money for local purposes.” Champaign Mayor Jerry Schweighart appeared to agree with that logic at the time.
Several commenters questioned their reasoning, pointing out the large number of U of I students living in Champaign and the local taverns that depend on their underage drinking.
Then, last month, the city council voted to accept a big federal broadband grant, which the mayor had said the council ought to be “careful” about accepting back in February. So, we all figured it was about the booze.
But, now, a new CBS2 report has me wondering whether the first take may have been correct…
You can count Champaign Mayor Jerry Schweighart among those who doubt President Barack Obama’s citizenship.
The third-term Republican was asked Thursday at a Tea Party gathering in Champaign what he thought of Obama and answered, “I don’t think he’s an American, personally.”
“You know, if you’re not willing to produce an original certificate, a birth certificate, then you’ve got something to hide,” he added. “If he doesn’t have something to hide, produce it.”
His statements echo doubts raised by the so-called “birther” movement that has long claimed Obama was born in Kenya and is not eligible to serve as President of the United States.
* Impressive. From a Quinn administration press release…
Participating retailers are reporting they have expended approximately $3 million dollars, or half of the available funds, in ENERGY STAR appliance rebates as of noon today, the first day of the program. A total of $6.2 million in rebates is available through the program. At least $20 million in new appliances were sold in the first four hours of the program.
Consumers are visiting their local participating retailers to take advantage of a 15 percent rebate (up to $400 per appliance) on ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators, freezers, clothes washers, dishwashers and room air conditioners. The program is designed to help Illinoisans reduce their energy consumption and provide a boost to local economies.
The state has designated approximately $6.2 million in rebates for the appliance portion of the program. The appliance rebate was made available today starting at 8 a.m.
Illinois received a total of $12.4 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to implement both phases of the program. The first phase, which is no longer available, offered rebates on water heaters and heating and cooling equipment. Since the start of the rebate program on January 31, over $35 million in water heater and HVAC sales have been pumped into the Illinois economy.
The Illinois ENERGY STAR Appliance Rebate Program is being managed by the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA) on behalf of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). DCEO has also partnered with the Illinois Retail Merchants Association (IRMA) to enroll and coordinate the retailers in the program. Over 600 retailers throughout the state have signed up to participate in the program.
10) UIS students being asked to pay for construction of student center
* Pick a story and briefly say why you’d like a separate post on that topic later this afternoon. Let’s make the deadline for votes 3:30 so I have time to write it.
Friday, Apr 16, 2010 - Posted by Capitol Fax Blog Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Entrepreneurs and business leaders across the state are calling for telecommunications policy modernization this year to sustain investment in broadband, which will create jobs for Illinois residents at no cost to taxpayers. ITP sat down with several of them to get their thoughts on HB 6425, the Broadband Investment and Consumer Choice Act.
The legislature is moving in the right direction to update our state’s 25-year old telecommunications laws, and we need to make sure all harmful regulations that are hindering investment in our state’s broadband infrastructure are removed. This will spur business growth and provide more consumers with access to new technologies at affordable prices.
* Results of a new poll on raising the cigarette tax by a buck a pack has generated some coverage…
Of the 502 people surveyed by the Illinois Coalition Against Tobacco, 74 percent said they support raising taxes on cigarettes by $1 — from 98 cents per pack to $1.98 per pack.
Despite the public support, a measure to raise cigarette taxes is about 10 House votes shy of approval, said Rep. Karen Yarbrough, D-Maywood.
* I asked for the toplines and received all but one of them. Check out the “right track/wrong track” numbers when respondents are asked how they “think things in your area of Illinois are generally headed”…
Right Direction 23%
Wrong Track 64
Don’t Know 13
That ain’t great. Sure would like to see the regional crosstabs.
* Next question: “Now, as you may know, Illinois is facing a significant budget deficit, estimated to be over thirteen billion dollars. I’m going to read several options that have been proposed to help address the budget deficit. After each one that I read, please tell me if you would Support or Oppose that option to help reduce the state’s budget deficit…
[Click the pic for a larger image.]
Notice that huge majorities are opposed to service cuts and an income tax hike, but 70 percent say they could back increasing the tobacco tax.
* There ain’t much downside for candidates on this issue, either. Here are the results from a question about whether respondents would be more or less likely “to support candidates for state or local public office in Illinois if you knew that they supported raising the Illinois Cigarette tax by one dollar per pack”…
Much More Likely 15
Somewhat More Likely 14
Somewhat Less Likely 3
Much Less Likely 8
No Difference 58
Don’t Know 2
* And here’s what happened when they were asked how they wanted the money from a new cigarette tax to be spent. Again, click the pic for a larger image…
* Some internals from the cig tax hike question via the pollster’s memo…
• Support for the tax is similar in all areas of the State, including Chicago (76% support), the Cook County suburbs (72% support), the collar counties (75% support), North (74% support) and South (70% support).
• Voters < age 50 (74% support) and age 50+ (73% support) hold similar opinions. This remains consistent among men and women, with a noticeable upward spike in support among women under age fifty (80% support, 70% strongly).
• Support is high among white voters (71%) and minorities (82%).
• Those with college degrees are strongly in favor of the tax (79% support) while support is high among those without degrees (69%). Those making < $75k per year are as supportive as all voters (71%) while those making more than $75k per year are strongly in favor of it (81%).
• Republicans (71% support) and Independent (68%) voters are solidly in favor of the $1 per pack increase, with Democrats even more supportive (81%). This pattern of strong support among partisans remains consistent among liberals (76% support), moderates (79% support) and conservatives (68% support).
• Even four of ten (42%) smokers support the tax. [Emphasis added.]
That last point is kinda fascinating.
* 80 percent said they supported “taxing other tobacco products such as cigars and smokeless, or chew tobacco at comparable rates as cigarettes” and 77 percent said they were concerned “about smoking and other tobacco use among young people in Illinois.
* Methodology…
The Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids commissioned the survey. Fako & Associates, Inc., of Lisle, Illinois conducted the survey by telephone on April 5 - 7, 2010 using professional interviewers. F&A interviewed a random sample of 502 registered voters that are likely to vote in the November 2, 2010 General Election in the State of Illinois. A strict screening process was used to ensure that only likely voters in the November 2010 General Election participated in the survey. The interviews lasted an average of 10 minutes. Scientific sampling techniques using a listing of registered voters were used to give all registered voters living in a telephone-equipped household within the State an equal chance of being interviewed. The interviews were conducted in proportion to gender and regional shares of the vote based on past election data and known demographics. Weighting was applied to age to bring this group closer into proportion with known demographics. The survey has a margin of error of +/- 4.32% at the 95% level of confidence. This means that if the survey were replicated the results would be consistent for 95 out of 100 cases. The margin of error is higher among the various sub-groups.
Among the reasons his lawyers gave was that Rob’s alleged involvement was “approximately 5% of the 84-month conspiracy.” The “spill over” effect from evidence and testimony against his younger brother could also prevent the jury from “making a reliable judgment” on the case.
Rob’s lawyers went on to object to the “the expense of having to sit through a lengthy trial” would be too burdensome. And they provided an estimate of the trial’s length…
This trial will take approximately 5 months.
Five months? I hadn’t seen that estimate before. The last I checked the early June trial was supposed to take three months. But if it lasts five months, that means it’ll be wrapping up on election day. Not good at all for the Dems.
* On Wednesday, Scott Lee Cohen posted a message on his Facebook page…
Just a reminder that I will be speaking at the Erie Cafe at 7pm tonight. The group is reform Chicago NOW, I can’t think of a better event to speak at. I hope to see some of you there.
Earlier in the day, Cohen had posted a link to Michael Sneed’s item about how Cohen was mulling a bid for governor as an independent and about how he would be speaking that night at the RCN event.
But then, less than 90 minutes before the event, Cohen FB’d this…
I’m dissapointed the meeting tonight at reform Chicago now has been cancelled.
“I was planning on talking about what happened … and what the future holds,” Cohen said during a phone call.
Cohen didn’t give a specific reason why he didn’t show. But William Kelly, who is organizing the Reform Chicago Now movement, says The Erie Cafe, where Cohen was planning to speak, was concerned it would lose its liquor license.
“I can say with 100 percent certainty that the Erie Cafe would not cancel any event for fear of repercussions from any official,” restaurant manager John Brom told me.
Brom said he wasn’t even aware that Cohen was the featured speaker. He said reservations at the restaurant, in the River North neighborhood just east of the Chicago River, are made by “whoever picks up the phone.”
This isn’t the first time Cohen mysteriously failed to show for an event. It may not be the last, either.
* Meanwhile, Cohen linked approvingly yesterday to a Huffington Post blog item demanding that Democratic US Senate nominee Alexi Giannoulias step aside…
* Sen. Brady spoke before the Republican Renaissance PAC of Illinois not long ago, and they’ve posted the video…
* A spot of good news, finally, for Democratic US Senate Alexi Giannoulias. Mayor Daley spoke forefully on his behalf the other day. The event received scant media coverage, however. Watch…
* Giannoulias’ Poor Fundraising Part of National Democratic Trend: Kirk’s comrades in GOPdom, former Reps. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) have doubled and quadrupled the amounts of their rivals, respectively.
* Last year’s “tea party” rallies around Illinois featured few if any GOP speakers. National GOP Chairman Michael Steele was refused his request to speak, for instance. This year, there appeared to be lots more politicians getting into the act…
[The Oswego rally] welcomed speakers like Dan Koukol, running for Kendall County Board, and Keith Wheeler, who ran against State Rep. Kay Hatcher, 50th District.
State Sen. Chris Lauzen, R-Aurora, riled up the crowd on the issues of state pension reform and a cap on property taxation. Randy Hultgren, Republican candidate for the 14th Congressional District seat, was scheduled to close the rally.
In Chicago, three Republicans running to unseat Democratic House members appeared before a rally of thousands at a plaza outside City Hall. One, Joel Pollak, sang a song he wrote, with the verse: “Don’t tax our freedom away.”
Adam Andrzejewski and Dan Proft also spoke in Chicago. Proft was in Naperville as well. GOP congressional candidate Adam Kinzinger appeared at the Joliet rally. Republican State Sen. Kyle McCarter spoke in Decatur.
* Local GOP organizations are taking advantage of the new synergy…
(T)ea party activists have already begun work at the local level in Lake and Will counties, where they have taken control of some GOP precinct committeemen positions, which help slate candidates, influence party policy, and interact with voters on a face-to-face level.
“One of the big things today, at the Joliet tea party, was (people saying) ‘OK, the rallies have been great, now what do we do?’ ” said Bill Walker, coordinator of the Will County Tea Party. “So we are recruiting people to get involved at the local level. That is the key to victory in November 2010.”
Richard Kavanagh, chairman of the Will County Republican Party, said about one-third of the vacant precinct positions he has filled since March have gone to those active in the tea party.
Bob Cook, chairman of the Lake County Republican Party, said his organization was having some difficulty filling vacancies until they reached out to the tea party activists. Now, Cook said, he has filled nearly half of the 60 vacant precinct positions with those who are active in the movement.
Bill Brady’s campaign worked the Chicago rally. Brady said yesterday that he was in tune with the ralliers…
“I believe that what they’re about is limited government, more efficient, effective government that’s responsive to the people. Ending career politicians,” Brady said. “They’re looking for the same clean break from the politics of the past.”
Democrat-turned-independent Forrest Claypool’s campaign workers gathered hundreds of Tea Party signatures for Claypool’s Cook County Assessor bid on clipboards that said, “Are your taxes too high? Vote for Forrest Claypool.”
Mad Hatter former Democrat Forrest Claypool’s campaign joins with the Tea Party to get on the ballot. Is this his idea of a “big tent”. Do NOT circulate petitions for third parties and do NOT sign for them.
[ *** End of Update *** ]
* Also of note, some of the crowds were smaller and less visceral. Oswego attendance was way down…
Compared to last year when the bridge was filled from end to end with signs and American flags, about one-fourth of the stretch was filled.
Peoria’s turnout was estimated by organizers at around a thousand, which is down from 3,000 a year ago. The Naperville estimate of 500 is the same as last year. Chicago’s official estimate was 1,500, which appears to be smaller than last year. Less than 100 attended the Decatur rally.
* For the past few decades, Illinois’ unemployment rate has tended to track with the national rate, but just a bit higher. The bad news in the newly released unemployment numbers is that we’re now diverging from the national trend, and not in a good way…
The jobless rate in Illinois rose slightly to 11.5 percent in March and the state was ranked 9th nationally for its foreclosure rate in the first three months of the year, according to data released Thursday that economists say indicate the state’s recovery is sluggish at best.
But state officials say there are signs the economy is improving.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security said the state added 3,000 jobs in March, the third consecutive month that Illinois saw job growth. However there still were 765,000 people out of work.
The 11.5 percent seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Illinois was a tenth of a percentage point higher than in February, but 2.3 percentage points higher than March 2009. The seasonally adjusted national unemployment rate for March was 9.7 percent.
The latest numbers show that 148,500 fewer people were employed in Illinois in March than in March 2009.
* The state’s foreclosure rate - which is in the nation’s top ten - is at least partially a reflection of those numbers…
Illinois home foreclosure activity during the first quarter of 2010 fell 4.6 percent from the previous quarter, but was still higher than the first quarter of 2009.
A report released Thursday by Irvine, Calif.-based RealtyTrac shows Illinois with 45,780 foreclosure filings in the first quarter of 2010. Filings include default notices, auction-sale notices and bank repossessions.
The filings represent one in every 115 housing units in the state. That rate is nearly 17.5 percent higher than in the first quarter of last year and 9th-highest nationally.
* Daley: Banks should foot bill for foreclosure crisis: Chicago taxpayers spent $7 million last year to board up and secure abandoned properties, Mayor Daley said today, demanding that banks foot the bill for the foreclosure crisis. Daley wants the General Assembly to approve Chicago-only legislation putting banks on the hook for board-up and security costs. He also wants state lawmakers to sharpen the definition of “abandoned” properties to let banks take possession sooner so they can secure buildings sooner.
* Illinois’ report card: We’re No. 44: The state ranks 44th in federal spending, totaling $14.84 per person, on projects deemed “pork” by Citizens Against Government Waste, a non-profit that describes itself as “America’s No. 1 taxpayer watchdog.” Illinois ranked 45th last year. Hawaii ranked first in the current report, at $251.78 per person.
* Homes, businesses for former South Side steel mill site get thumbs up
* Will board approves fee waiver: The board approved a resolution allowing municipalities — meaning townships, villages or cities — to skip paying the zoning application fee when seeking a zoning change on a piece of unincorporated property. The waiver will be capped at $2,500.
DCFS officials say they have issued “potentially thousands” of such letters to caregivers declaring that they have custody of children, with the expectation that they will soon get a judge’s approval. But because the letters are undated, and because DCFS did not always follow up, some guardians such as Lowe have had years-long custody with no court oversight.
Mayors from Addison and Carol Stream said the proposal is an “overreaction” to the commission’s financial problems and dubbed state Sen. Dan Cronin’s bill a “nuclear option.”…Cronin, who’s running for DuPage County Board chairman, said his proposal is a matter of consolidation as well as transparency. It was approved 39-5.
“If you look at the situation of what’s been happening in DuPage County, this appointed body of government has run amok,” Cronin said.
* DuPage Water Commission OKs budget filled with uncertainty
The $110 million worth of expenses hinges on the financially strapped agency receiving a $40 million loan and a water rate of $2.08 per 1,000 gallons. If the commission is unable to secure the loan, the body will have to increase the rate significantly to cover shortfalls created by the misappropriation of the commission’s $69 million reserve funds. Only Commissioner Liz Chaplin voted against the budget proposal Thursday.
Some commissioners attempted to increase next year’s water rate an additional 24 cents, but the initiative failed.
The Illinois Commerce Commission, which sets customer rates for utility companies throughout the state, voted unanimously to allow Illinois American to collect an extra $41 million annually in revenue, according to a press release issued Thursday. The decision allows Illinois American an overall rate of return of 8 percent, which means the company’s profits on the money it puts into plants, pipes and other infrastructure can’t be higher than that amount.
With Homer Glen now looking to do something similar through a partnership with a few other Will County towns, Illinois American has peppered mailboxes with mailings singling out Felton as an example of public control gone wrong.
At best, the city says it’s something we can’t afford right now. At worst, it’s a $7 million program in violation of state law. They’ve already spent $400,000 on the new technology, and not a single ticket has been written.
Burlock said parents haven’t been given enough information to know if a college prep rejection was due to a technical error.
A letter stating her son won admission to his second choice included his overall admission score but never explained what score was needed at each college prep, said Burlock, a member of the Black Star Project PTA.
Plus, she said, the letter never explained which one of four economic tiers her son’s address fell into. An address incorrectly entered could put a kid in a tier that requires higher scores.
Under the new policy, 40 percent of students at each college prep were picked in rank order of their admission scores on a 900-point scale. The remaining 60 percent were chosen from one of four economic tiers, based on how their scores stacked up against others in their tier.
Officials with both Mayor Richard Daley’s administration and the Fraternal Order of Police said they expect to receive the decision by 8 a.m. Friday. Both sides said they plan to brief reporters later in the day.
* IL Fire Departments Awarded $1 Million FEMA Grants
* Illinois Senior Insurance Program Gets $1.4M Grant
* Sen. Bill Brady had a press conference today to unveil a new website, StopThePatQuinnTax.com. He also took questions from reporters. My intern Dan Weber asked him about the criticisms lobbed at him by former GOP Gov. Jim Edgar…
* And while we’re posting videos, here’s an unedited video of my intern Barton Lorimor trying to ask Gov. Quinn a couple of questions outside an event last night. Barton didn’t have much luck at first, but he got it done..
…Adding… Brady was also asked what he was doing to reach out to minority communities…
Jeralyn Camp waited until the last minute to file her taxes, but she thought it would be no problem because she would just use TurboTax software and submit it online to the state of Illinois.
Until she actually tried to do it.
“I went to the website to apply for a pin to submit my taxes and the site was down,” Camp said. “Then I called the numbers they gave me and they were all busy.”
Camp said she called three different 800 numbers 10 times apiece and got a busy signal each and every time.
The Department of Revenue’s pin application website is down all day today because of a traffic overload, so you have to call an 800 number to get a pin, but that 800 number is perpetually busy because of a traffic overload. The Department’s response…
“What can I say: It’s April 15th,” said IDOR spokeswoman Sue Hofer. “This is why we encourage everyone in the state to file early.”
Sheesh.
* Despite all the jobs created or saved by the capital construction program, Illinois government is still one of the bigger drags on the state’s economy. More evidence…
Officials at one Illinois hospital say they are going to stop delivering babies because the state isn’t paying its bills.
Kewanee Hospital in Henry County says it will close its birthing center this summer.
The hospital claims it has lost $2 million over the past three years because the state isn’t covering its share of the cost.
They say 73 percent of the babies born there were covered by Medicaid or other public aid.
That means, of course, that lots of poor women will have to go elsewhere to have their babies. Wonderful, eh? Also, there’s just one other hospital in Henry County. [Via]
* There is a huge amount of rhetoric on both sides of the redistricting reform battle. From yesterday’s Senate debate…
Republicans like Senator Kirk Dillard say they oppose Raoul’s plan because, as in the current process, lawmakers get first crack at drawing the map.
DILLARD: Your plan is the politician’s choice.
Dillard supports an alternate plan that would give initial mapmaking power to a commission appointed by the four legislative leaders. But Democrat Raoul dismissed that proposal, which he says would consolidate power instead of keeping it in the hands of lawmakers elected by the voters.
RAOUL: The people get to choose who would draw the map under this scenario, not the legislative leaders.
Sen. Raoul is right that giving the leaders even more authority is probably not the way to go. But it would be an equally divided commission, plus a chairman elected by the commission. Instead of just two leaders from the same party drawing the map, it would be all four plus an independent chairperson.
But there are legions of problems with the GOP/reformer’s proposal. New maps would have to be approved by two-thirds majorities. The only way that will happen is if the maps actually protect huge numbers of incumbents. It’s also doubtful that the bipartisan commission could even elect a chairman. Failing all that, the process moves to the Supreme Court, which would be given unprecedented legislative powers to draw the new maps.
The Republicans have the luxury of an alliance with the reformers. They don’t have to actually pass anything because they know they can jam the Democrats no matter what. So, they can pretty much say whatever they want, and the more incendiary, the better.
The editorial pages are heavily invested in the “Fair Map” proposal and some blasted away at the Senate Democrats for approving the Raoul measure, called “Citizens First.” The Champaign News-Gazette was particularly harsh…
Citizens First ought to be titled Citizens Last because its real intent is to keep the current majority party in power for another 10 years no matter what the voters want. The proposed amendment is the functional equivalent of lipstick on a pig. It’s a ruse, a ploy, a con designed to placate legitimate public anger over the state of the state of Illinois.
Nothing will change if the politicians who created the state’s current dysfunctional politics are charged with coming up with solutions. But that, of course, is the idea.
The Daily Herald called out suburban Democratic Senators by name today, claiming they had “failed their constituents” by voting for the amendment…
Taking the map-drawing power away from those who seek to serve is a crucial and necessary step toward fixing the problems that have fostered corruption, centralized power and almost guaranteed incumbents’ re-election regardless of performance.
The edit boards always forget about the Republican map that was drawn in 1991. The House Democrats managed to hold their majority for eight out of ten years under that GOP map. The Senate Democrats came this/close to picking up the majority in 1996. And there was huge turnover in the House in both 1994 and 1996. Yes, the new map is strongly Democratic, but this state has moved solidly into the “D” camp since it was drawn in 2001. The fact that House Speaker Madigan is so frightened of passing a tax hike this year ought to be some indication that he’s worried he could lose his gavel again.
* John Bambenek points out another problem with the Senate-approved proposal via press release…
Surely, someone could file suit to challenge redistricting like this you say? “Citizens First” however, limits who can file suit to challenge redistricting. In fact, only one person would be allowed under the state constitution to sue if the maps broke state law… the Attorney General. Do any of you think Lisa Madigan will sue dear old dad over redistricting? Me either. Illinois would be the ONLY state in the entire country that only allows the Attorney General to sue to protect the rights of citizens under redistricting. Here is the text from Citizens First that accomplishes this:
“(h) The Supreme Court shall have original and exclusive jurisdiction over actions concerning redistricting the House and Senate, which shall be initiated in the name of the People of the State by the Attorney General.”
For all the bluster during [yesterday’s] floor debate, the amendment has an uncertain future as it moves to the House. Constitutional amendments must pass each chamber by a 3/5 majority, a margin Democrats don’t control in the House.
* Quinn signs pension reform into law: Quinn said he doesn’t know what his action will cost him in terms of union support in this fall’s election, but said “the public will be appreciative of someone, a governor who never flinched from doing something really meaningful.”
Illinois Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig said highway and bridge projects valued at $5 billion will be launched in the state this year.
Speaking Tuesday at the annual meeting of Corridor 67 Inc., Hannig said a capital construction program approved last year will keep contractors and Illinois Department of Transportation crews busy for several years.
An adjustment made during last fall’s veto session will allow IDOT to get started on work, even though some parts of the capital program’s revenue package have been delayed by court challenges or administrative hurdles.
“The Legislature voted to let us use road fund dollars for bonds” and requires that the road fund be repaid, Hannig said.
The article is a bit misleading. That $5 billion includes projects which were started last year and will be continued this year, plus projects that start this year and won’t be finished this year. But next year there will be more contracts let.
The governor and Transportation Secretary Gary Hannig held a Statehouse press conference to announce the program today. Among other things, Quinn was asked how the local opt-out of video gaming would hurt the construction rollout. Here’s the Q&A…
Governor Pat Quinn was joined by Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) officials today to unveil a $12.84 billion Multi-Year Highway Improvement Program for Fiscal Years 2011-2016. The proposed program aims to preserve and maintain the state’s highway system of roads and bridges, upgrade facilities for congestion mitigation and safety improvements and expand the system to help spur economic development in Illinois. The entire Multi-Year Plan (MYP) is expected to create an estimated 167,000 direct jobs over the next six years. […]
The $12.84 billion highway improvement program for FY 2011-2016 MYP is based upon conservative estimates of federal, state and local funding, with $7.292 billion in federal funds, $4.888 billion in state funds including $142 million in bonds from the Governor Quinn’s Illinois Jump Start Capital Plan, $2.49 billion for the Illinois Jobs Now! bond program and $660 million in local funds.
The six-year highway improvement program includes $10.103 billion for improvements to the state highway system with $2.737 billion available for local roads.
An initiative pushed by southern Illinois law enforcement that targets people who inhale chemicals to get high gained overwhelming support from a Senate panel Wednesday.
Members of the Criminal Law Committee voted 8-0 to endorse a measure that takes aim at “huffing” — a practice in which fumes from paint and other chemicals are inhaled. Under the legislation, a second huffing offense would be increased to a Class A misdemeanor, carrying a penalty of up to one year in prison.
It is being pushed by law enforcement in Williamson County who complain they see the same abusers over and over again.
Is this stuff harmful and dangerous? Heck, yes. But if the only tool you ever use is a hammer, every problem will look like a nail. There’s gotta be a better way.
* The Senate overwhelmingly approved legislation banning so-called “e-cigarettes.” The devices are plastic tubes that look like cigarettes, often emit a visible vapor that looks a bit like smoke, and deliver nicotine to the user. The problem is that most of those e-cigs are made in China, so the ingredients are often unknown to users. But a House committee decided yesterday it needed more time to study the issue…
Former smokers who use the products and retailers who supply them objected to an outright ban, suggesting that lawmakers should look at regulation of e-cigarettes first. Several former smokers said they tried every FDA-approved smoking cessation tool but still couldn’t quit the habit until finding the e-cigarettes.
State Rep. Constance Howard, D-Chicago, said she also was a former smoker and understood how difficult quitting could be.
“I just wish there was something like these around before my mother died,” she said, to applause from the assembled e-cigarette proponents.
Sponsoring state Rep. Marlow Colvin, D-Chicago, said the FDA hasn’t approved the products yet and have found examples of carcinogens and other chemicals in the cartridges. He and lobbyist Kathy Drea with the American Lung Association said the state should prevent people from buying the e-cigarettes until the FDA has ruled on their safety.
* As we’ve discussed before, the state constitution imposes a limit on the number of constitutional amendments that can be voted on during election years. Republicans have been saying for weeks that the Democrats are attempting to pack the ballot to make sure there is no room for the GOP-backed redistricting reform proposal. The House Republicans helped kill a proposal by House Speaker Michael Madigan a few weeks ago to mandate minimum requirements for judges using that argument, and they did it again yesterday to a different measure on victims’ rights…
House lawmakers Wednesday short-circuited another proposed constitutional amendment, this one on crime victims’ rights, because of concerns about filling up the ballot.
House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 19 received only 65 of the needed 71 ‘yes’ votes for approval, but its sponsor used a parliamentary move to bring it up for a later vote.
This amendment would strengthen the rights provided to crime victims, especially in criminal cases on appeal. Rep. Lou Lang, D-Skokie, said the intent of the measure should make it overwhelmingly popular with lawmakers.
“Public policy demands that we do the right thing on this amendment,” Lang said.
Republicans brought up the ballot-packing allegations, but Lang angrily pointed out that he’s been working on this issue for a long time…
“You think that two years ago I decided to spend two years of my life working on this amendment just so you could vote no on it because you think there’s some conspiracy is really kind of insulting.”
* Related…
* State Capitol Q&A: Crime victims’ rights subject of amendment proposal
* Legal reformers want to derail lawsuit lending bill
* One of the more interesting revelations in yesterday’s prosecution proffer on Rod and Rob Blagojevich was how cash was funneled to the First Lady…
Starting in the Fall of 2003, top Blagojevich fundraiser Tony Rezko cooked up several ways to make it look like he was putting Patti to work as a real estate broker, money she didn’t earn.
In August 2003, Rezko’s company paid Patti $14,369, made to look like a commission on the sale of property Rezko owned.
From October 2003 to May 2004, Rezko paid Patti a whopping $96,000, or $12,000 a month as a retainer for her services. Then, in January 2004, Rezko made a separate $40,000 payment to Patti Blagojevich, supposedly for sale of a West Loop property.
Not long after depositing that $40,000 check, Patti Blagojevich allegedly wrote a check for more than $38,000 to pay for renovations to the Blagojevich home.
In all, she got $150,369 from Rezko, but what did she do to earn that money? Prosecutors contend she did practically nothing.
The Sun-Times disclosed the remodeling work in 2007, pointing out that a Rezko company, Chicago Construction Services, oversaw it. “The renovations . . . were paid for by the Blagojeviches through their personal checking account,” Rod Blagojevich’s then-spokesman told the Sun-Times in 2008.
Do you remember how former Gov. Rod Blagojevich reacted when the news media first started questioning his wife Patti’s business dealings, in particular how she had collected real estate broker commissions from the sale of properties involving his political pals?
I sure do.
“Sexist,” complained the governor. “Neanderthal,” he roared.
How dare anyone suggest that Patti Blagojevich’s financial success was anything other than the result of her own accomplishments as an independent businesswoman.
The situation was so stinky that, according to the proffer, “Mr. Blagojevich was concerned that there might be the perception that his wife was a ghost payroller if she did not go into Rezko’s office.”
So, Patti Blagojevich was told to show up. “The problem with that approach however,” the proffer says. “was that Blagojevich’s wife was taking care of their infant daughter.”
* Keep in mind when reading the stuff about Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. that this is Blagojevich talking. He’s a professional liar, so take it with a grain of salt. Still, it ain’t good for the congressman…
Thwarted in efforts to trade the Senate appointment for an Obama cabinet post, ambassadorship or a million-dollar job, Blagojevich turned his attention back to the ambitions of U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., the proffer says.
One recorded conversation has the former governor describing Jackson as the only one left who “wants it badly and desperately and he’s the only one who’s willing to, like, offer stuff.”
It was one of a series of Dec. 4, 2008, calls in which Blagojevich described his disdain for Jackson, but his appreciation of the $1.5 million Jackson supporters had promised in campaign cash in exchange for appointing Jackson.
* To advisers about snagging a presidential Cabinet post: “So [Valerie Jarrett’s] holding Health and Human Services, and I’m holding a U.S. Senate seat. OK? She’s holding hers with two hands, just kind’a clinging to, you know, little pieces of it. Me, I’ve got the whole thing wrapped around my arms, mine, OK? . . . I’m willing to trade the thing I got tightly held to her for something she doesn’t hold quite as tightly.”
As an aside, let me mention that from my reading of the government filing, I don’t believe prosecutors envision a speaking role for Rezko at Blago’s trial.
Although Rezko is known to have been cooperating with authorities since going to prison, all the government’s assertions about matters related to him appear to be based on testimony that would be provided by other witnesses. This may be due to the fact Rezko has offered numerous and conflicting accounts about his dealings with Blagojevich and complained that he was being unfairly pressured by prosecutors, all of which would make him a lousy prosecution witness.
Prosecutors appear to be planning to rely instead on a former chief financial officer of Rezko’s company to supply key details about his arrangements with Patti Blagojevich.
* Cellini…
Bill Cellini’s connections to fundraisers for former Gov. Rod Blagojevich at one point left the politically powerful Springfield developer a “nervous wreck,” a new court document says. […]
The charges relate to an alleged attempt by Blagojevich fundraisers Antoin “Tony” Rezko and Christopher Kelly, along with Stuart Levine, then a member of the Teachers’ Retirement System board, to get a $1.5 million donation to Blagojevich’s campaign or a $2 million finder’s fee from a principal in a firm that wanted to manage TRS funds.
Cellini spoke to the would-be money manager, Thomas Rosenberg, but to no avail, the document says.
In a May 8, 2004, call to Levine that was recorded by investigators, Cellini allegedly said Rosenberg was angry about what he saw as a shakedown.
“Cellini told Levine about how Rezko and Kelly had been ‘essentially hammerin’ people’ to make political contributions in order to win State of Illinois contracts, how Cellini was a ‘nervous wreck’ about it, and how Cellini and Levine needed to talk with Rezko and Kelly about Rosenberg’s threats,” the document says.
In the end, the investment firm got its allocation without having to pay the finders fees or campaign contributions.
The last time Illinois saw a year-over-year decrease in foreclosures was in November 2008.
“But that was followed by substantial year-over-year increases in subsequent months,” said Daren Blomquist, a spokesman for the Irvine, Calif.-based research firm.
Either way, Illinois was No. 9 during the quarter and No. 10 during March nationwide in terms of the number of foreclosures.
The employee callbacks, which are based on seniority in specific job categories, are needed to maintain the reduced service levels imposed in February, Rodriguez said, and they do not mark an end to the agency’s budget crisis.
Ald. Joe Moore, 49th, however, said he had heard from many massage therapists opposed to the ordinance.
“This is a legitimate business, and they have a right to operate a legitimate business without going through undo hurdles,” Moore said, saying the proposed ordinance was too broad. “I think it’s like swatting a mosquito with a fly sledgehammer….There are enough regulations on business in this city.”
Ald. Mary Ann Smith, 48th, said she supported delaying a final vote on the ordinance because it would create a burden for the physical therapy businesses that are proliferating in her North Side ward.
Aldermen didn’t ask Chico any questions, not even about his lobbying business.
* Ald. Beale — who irritated cops — to head City Council’s Police Committee
Although he has cozied up to Daley recently in his push to develop Pullman Park, Beale was elected to the City Council in 1999 with the staunch support of State Sen. James Meeks and U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson (D-Il.), longtime Daley critics.
And Beale has turned himself into a political punching bag with a series of proposals viewed as anti-police.
* Daley picks Beale to lead City Council police and fire panel
* Aldermen sign off on Daley’s choice for park board president
Liquor sales would be cut off at 10 p.m. at 23 of the 25 locations, one hour earlier than is currently allowed.
But the booze could flow for an extra hour — until midnight — at Northerly Island, apparently to accommodate the popular outdoor concert venue there. Liquor sales already continue until midnight at Millennium Park.
Daley also wants to allow liquor sales at the South Shore Golf Course, the Ohio Street Beach in Olive Park, Calumet Beach House in Calumet Park, Diversey Driving Range and Miniature Golf Course, DuSable Harbor Building, the South Shore Cultural Center, the 31st Street Boathouse in Burnham Park and the 87th Street Harbor.
