Election results open thread
Tuesday, Apr 5, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
• I have other “obligations” this evening, so I won’t be covering the results. Post ‘em in comments if you care. Thanks.
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Our laws, or lack of them
Tuesday, Apr 5, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This is just way too much of a penalty…
A Peoria man faces up to 15 years in prison for behavior that nearly any cellphone toting citizen could easily be tempted to emulate when confronted with the prospect of arrest.
Rodney Anderson, Jr., 37, allegedly slipped his phone into a mode that discreetly records audio while he was being arrested following a domestic disturbance late March 27. […]
Under the Illinois Eavesdropping Act, anyone who records audio without consent can be charged with a Class 4 felony, but enhanced charges are possible for those who record law enforcement officials acting in their official capacity. Those instances can result in a Class 1 felony charge.
“It’s a statute with severe consequences. It’s hard to believe,” said Harvey Grossman of the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, which has recently fought provisions of the Eavesdropping Act without success. “It’s unique in the country . . . in that it prohibits the recording of conversations that are not intended to be private.”
Nobody interfered with the officer’s duties because the cop didn’t even know about it. Yet, it’s a major felony. Ridiculous.
* Lake County’s Avon Township Supervisor Sam Yingling wrote an op-ed in the Daily Herald this week about townships in general. Check this part out…
Township road districts are relevant in rural areas but not in populated areas. Avon Township is responsible for only 11.7 miles of road yet is mandated by law to have and finance a highway commission even when these roads could be more cost effectively maintained by the county.
But a bill to address that issue has apparently died…
Township highway commissioners no longer need to fear a bill that would have made their jobs obsolete.
Senate Bill 1811 would have amended the Illinois Highway code so that township road districts with less than 100 miles of roadway are abolished. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Mike Noland (D-Elgin).
This bill was pretty broad. So, maybe they could come up with a bill that limited it to townships with less than 15 miles of roads. Then again, the Township Officials of Illinois is a pretty darned strong group.
* Oy…
The prospect of more billboards sprouting up in off-limits sections of Chicago-area tollways could cost the state up to $140 million in federal highway dollars under a legislative push from a national sign company represented by one of Illinois’ most influential lobbyists.
The legendary Springfield lobbyist fired back with his own four-lettered response.
The warning came from a top official with the Federal Highway Administration, who urged state lawmakers to put the brakes on legislation that he said runs afoul of a federal highway beautification law enacted in 1965 and later amended in 1972 that puts the states in charge of limiting billboard placement.
In a letter to state transportation officials, Norman R. Stoner, the federal highway agency’s division administrator, said the legislation being pushed by CBS Outdoor Inc. and several suburbs would “violate the terms of the 1972 agreement. Consequently, if [the bill] is passed and signed into law, the state of Illinois would be at risk.
I checked into that story a few weeks ago and was told that the bill wasn’t going anywhere. It did. Good for the Sun-Times for keeping track of it.
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Question of the day
Tuesday, Apr 5, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The setup…
Legislation sponsored by Sen. Terry Link, a Waukegan Democrat, would make it a civil rights violation for an employer to refuse to hire, promote or renew employment based on pregnancy [or childbirth]. The employer would not be allowed to segregate, punish or discharge an employee on that basis either.
The Illinois Senate approved the legislation last week, and it now moves to the House.
Link said he heard about multiple cases of discrimination toward women who were entering or coming back from maternity leave, and he wanted to strengthen the state law to federal standards. […]
Sen. Chris Lauzen, an Aurora Republican, said he fully supports women’s rights, but Link’s proposal opens too many possibilities for false claims of discrimination. Lauzen said an employer who chooses a more qualified candidate over a less qualified pregnant woman could be unfairly sued under Link’s proposal.
“When I hear pieces of legislation like this, I put myself back in the desk in my office interviewing people,” Lauzen said. “And I say I am sure, I’m positive, I would not offer a job under these circumstances because I will not take the risk of someone suing me.”
The bill is here.
* The Question: Should pregnant women be made a protected class in employment? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please. Thanks.
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HB 14 – “The Wrong Bill, at the Worst Time”
Tuesday, Apr 5, 2011 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
While ComEd is running a campaign to pass HB 14 called “Smart Energy Illinois”…
Here’s what ComEd’s parent company Exelon’s CEO John Rowe had to say about “smart” energy investments:
“Smart grid we are reluctant to embrace because it costs too much and we’re not sure what good it will do. We have looked at most of the elements of smart grid for 20 years and we have never been able to come up with estimates that make it pay.”
“The real issue is are we doing the customers more good by putting money into more advanced electronics or would we do them more good by putting the same money into replacing more old cable? To me that’s an unknown answer. If I had to choose, I’d bet on the cable.”
See for yourself at http://www.eenews.net/tv/transcript/1293
ComEd says HB14 is about smart energy investing, but AARP knows that the bill is really just a move to allow Illinois utilities to automatically raise electric and natural gas rates every year and eliminate much of the oversight currently provided by the Illinois Commerce Commission. AARP is urging lawmakers to reject HB 14
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* If this story doesn’t knock down all the people cheering for Illinois’ demise, I don’t know what will…
Gov. Quinn and Caterpillar Inc., CEO Doug Oberhelman met Tuesday to assure a commitment to increasing Illinois exports and reforming the costly working compensation system in an effort to make Illinois‚ business climate more competitive. […]
After the meeting, Oberhelman attempted to quell the speculation of the Fortune 500 company leaving by saying Caterpillar “is here to stay.” Oberhelman and Quinn then renewed their commitment to making Illinois a more appealing place to do business, with Quinn highlighting the need to keep the company in state to ensure economic growth. […]
Oberhelman said Tuesday he thought an income tax increase was inevitable and that he looks forward to working with Quinn in addressing the other areas to help Illinois‚ economy, with worker‚s compensation and increasing exports being chief concerns. [Emphasis added]
Well, that pretty much negates every theory about how the Caterpillar CEO is so furious about the tax hike that he’s preparing to leave at the drop of a hat.
* The event was, I’m told, a love fest. At one point, Oberhelman reportedly said that Gov. Quinn would make a good Caterpillar salesman.
Check back later for audio and more updates.
*** UPDATE *** Caterpillar CEO Doug Oberhelman said the two men had an “excellent meeting” and that he was “pleased” with Gov. Quinn’s efforts to date.
“We’ve got a lot of good things going for us in Illinois,” Oberhelman said of his company. “We’re invested heavily here, and we are going to work together to find a way to invest more here, and continue to be proud of our state.”
“He has brought a degree of honesty and integrity back to our state that has been lacking for a long time,” Oberhelman said of the governor. “We have with us today an honest man as governor of Illinois for the first time in a long time, and I think that’s the beginning of an image change (for the state).”
Asked about workers’ compensation reform, Oberhelman said, “The governor is committed to do that.”
On the tax hike, Oberhelman pointed to an op-ed he wrote in January saying he thought the tax increase had been inevitable, and added, “I think the hole in Illinois is so deep it’s going to take all pieces and all elements to get out of over a long period of time.”
“We can go out and poach others,” Oberhelman said about the poaching efforts by other states, if the climate improves. “We want a climate here, that the governor shares, in terms of being very business friendly,” he said, offering further praise for the state’s governor.
“Say, I might make the governor my salesman here after that speech,” Oberhelman said after Quinn delivered a very long response to a reporter’s question.
Listen to the full Q&A…
Oberhelman’s presentation of an award to Quinn was also filled with praise…
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Finally, a little good news
Tuesday, Apr 5, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* For the past few weeks, some Statehouse nerves have been on edge because January and February income tax receipts have not come in as expected. Not even close, in fact. The governor’s budget office was concerned, but they wanted to hold off saying anything until the March revenue report was released.
Well, the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability report was just issued and the numbers are finally what everybody expected them to be…
Gross personal income tax grew $575 million, or $532 million net of refunds. The monthly growth rate of 71.3% gross would indicate that after two months of lagging revenues since the tax rate increase, receipts are now reflecting full/or nearly full implementation of the rate increase.
* There was some other good news in the report as well. March sales tax receipts were 5.3 percent higher than the previous March receipts. February’s Illinois exports were up 32.9 percent over a year earlier and were 3.4 percent ahead of the previous month. February’s new car and truck registrations rose 13.1 percent over the previous year.
* But there are still problems. The February state civilian labor force total declined a half a point over January, and 0.3 percent from the previous February. Single housing permits were up 26.8 percent over January’s, but that’s still 30.1 percent lower than last February’s report.
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An extremely dangerous idea
Tuesday, Apr 5, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* If this happens, all heck will break loose…
When it comes to redrawing the political lines in Illinois, Gov. Pat Quinn has his own special pen called the amendatory veto.
For the first time since the state adopted its Constitution in 1970, one party controls all the branches of government needed to create a new legislative district map based on U.S. Census population figures.
One tool created in that Constitution was the amendatory — or corrective — veto. In an age without computers, it allowed governors to correct technical problems with legislation. Over time, however, governors have wielded their amendatory veto pen with more and more power.
Could Quinn use this power to make changes to any political map that the Democratically-controlled General Assembly sent him? According to several state constitutional experts, the answer is yes.
He could use the AV power, but if he does then the Democratic majority would almost assuredly freak out. They’d have no choice but to accept his AV because that would only require a simple majority. And they would be very, very displeased. This isn’t just another bill we’re talking about here. It’s their life.
The Democrats couldn’t override with three-fifths unless the Republicans went along, and the Republicans won’t go along unless Quinn’s revisions made the map even worse for them. Not likely.
The only way Quinn would even sanely attempt such a thing is if African-American, Hispanic or other Democratic lawmakers were displeased with the map’s results. But if Quinn went ahead without allies or an extremely good reason (like a drafting error), then, man, he’d have some seriously big trouble on his hands.
Rod Blagojevich would probably veto a remap. I doubt Quinn will.
* Speaking of maps, check out this silly contraption of a congressional map produced by somebody at Swing State Project. Click on the pics for larger images.
Statewide…
Chicago-area…
The object was to create a map that has only 4 Republican districts, plus..
1.) Keep all 3 black seats intact; not easy considering hundreds of thousands of blacks have left Chicago over the last decade.
2.) Create two Hispanic seats — ones that would be guaranteed to elect Hispanic representatives.
3.) Keep all currently Democratic-held seats at very high Democratic levels (this includes the minority-majority seats, ofcourse, as well as IL-3, IL-5, IL-9, and IL-12).
4.) Create seats where the incumbent Democrat would keep as much of his or her current constituents as possible.
What this map shows is how impossibly difficult it is to draw a reasonably constitutional congressional map with that many strong Democratic districts. It just can’t be done, especially with that 200,000 population loss in Chicago. The new map is not going to easily produce solid D results.
* Related…
* Editorial: More hearings needed after map is drafted
* Redistricting forums coming
* Redistricting Roundup: Deadlines looming for many states in redistricting process: Speaker of the House Michael Madigan (D) announced the formation of the House Redistricting Committee as well as a new redistricting website. The site includes a timeline, details on the 15 public hearings that have been announced, and access to census data. Thus far only Democrats have been named to the committee.
* Springfield hearing on redistricting attracts little interest so far: As of Friday morning, only one organization — the Springfield branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People — had notified Democrats who control the redistricting process that a representative wanted to testify at the hearing. One other group, the Illinois Farm Bureau, made inquiries but did not register as a witness, Democrats said.
* Illinois House Minority Leader Cross names 5 members to redistricting committee
* Suburban redistricting committee members outline priorities
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Unions and reality
Tuesday, Apr 5, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* One cannot simply snap one’s fingers and reopen a union contract…
Illinois Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno today called on Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn to renegotiate the state’s contract with its largest employee union, saying workers should give up scheduled pay raises in the face of an ongoing budget mess.
Radogno’s comments came after a speech hosted by the City Club of Chicago in which she said unions, particularly the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Workers, must make sacrifices to help get Illinois out of the red.
“I don’t want to be anti-union, hostile or whatever, but when you add up what these raises have been… that’s a problem,” Radogno told reporters. “Particularly when you stack that up against the average person, who is struggling and thankful they have a job and haven’t had raises.” […]
“It has to be a function of the executive branch, they are in control of that contract,” Radogno said. “But I would stand with Pat Quinn and try to support him in doing that. He needs to do that. We need to do that for the people of the state.”
You can apply public pressure all you want, but the union has to agree to reopen the contract. They did it last year, when Quinn threatened facility closures and layoffs, but they got a no-layoff and no-closure deal out of him in exchange for helping him find millions in budget cuts. The governor claims that he’s been able to get $200 million in concessions, etc. so far, but his ammo is pretty much gone unless they try something new. What else do they have? Pensions? Yeah, but state employee unions cannot by law negotiate on that topic.
In other words, the state is likely stuck with that contract until it expires next year unless AFSCME decides otherwise.
* The big Sun-Times front page headline today was all about how Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel had issued a threat to unions. The threat is actually old news. He’s been saying the same thing for months, mainly that he wants a longer school day. But, guess what? The CTU agrees a longer day is needed, although you have to skip way down in the piece to find it…
[Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis] agreed with the mayor-elect that Chicago needs a longer school day. The only question is, how schools would use the extra time.
“One of the things we want to make sure is that we have professional development built into the day and that we also have a full, rich curriculum that includes art, music, recess, p.e., history and science for all students,” Lewis said.
Pressed on what the union wants in return, Lewis said, “We’re not having that discussion yet. We don’t make backroom deals. We have a different way of doing it. The conversation we need to have is what that [longer day] will look like.”
As for Emanuel’s threat to ask Springfield to mandate a longer day if the CTU won’t agree to it at the bargaining table, she said, “I guess my question is, why do we need to threaten one another? Can we start by having a conversation without threats? We’re reasonable people.”
I guess it’s news that the mayor-elect is being Mr. Tough Guy, but getting the CTU to agree to a longer school day has been sought for years. An opening like this is pretty significant. The question now becomes if Emanuel can take advantage of it.
* In other news, Gov. Pat Quinn and Caterpillar’s CEO have scheduled a press conference for this morning. I’ll post something when I know something.
* Related…
* McCormick Place will operate under labor changes, at least for now
* CS-T: Share the pain in workers comp plan
* Legislator: UI appropriation likely less than Quinn’s budget: Following the more than 4-hour-long hearing, Hogan said the university could survive another budget cut next year.
* Illinois lawmakers debate rights for pregnant workers: But in a state where Republicans argue the business climate is already among the worst in the nation, the proposed law could add more potential for unwarranted court battles for businesses.
* FutureGen still has hurdles to clear
* Illinois House reduces pension benefits for judges, lawmakers
* Lawmaker Wants Illinois to Bail Out Prepaid Tuition Program: A West Suburban Republican legislator says College Illinois’s prepaid tuition program mislead tens of thousands of families. Now that it faces a shortfall of more than $300 million, he says the General Assembly should bail out investors. About 55,000 current or future college students count on the funds.
* Mental health community asks legislators to halt cuts
* Bellwood digs $40 million hole for taxpayers, has no new Metra station to show for it - All-in plans for a redefining Metra station leave Bellwood in a lurch
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WOULD YOU BUY THE HOUSE BEFORE YOU GOT THE BANK LOAN?
Tuesday, Apr 5, 2011 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Of course not. But that’s the scenario Illinois’ outdated regulatory system creates for utilities looking to modernize the state’s electric grid to provide even more reliable service and give consumers new tools to save money on energy costs.
Illinois’ regulatory system is about yesterday.
It was developed for a bygone era when utilities could count on free-flowing capital and the ability to spread fixed costs over an always-growing customer base.
It needs to be about tomorrow.
A modern energy infrastructure requires multi-year investment. But utilities don’t know if they can recover their investments, and even if they do recover it isn’t until years after they’re made. This uncertain, unpredictable environment stifles innovation and the economic growth that would be created by a modern grid.
House Bill 14 proposes a better system.
It combines the transparency and accountability of current regulation with specific performance metrics to ensure customer benefits are being realized. While actually increasing scrutiny of utility costs through annual reviews, it gives utilities greater incentive to make the investments necessary to move Illinois forward.
Today’s regulatory uncertainty is holding back tomorrow.
To learn more, visit SmartEnergyIL.com
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* The SJ-R got used bigtime today…
Ward 5 aldermanic candidate Ryan Tozer says the president of the Enos Park Neighborhood Improvement Association violated rules governing the organization’s tax-exempt status by being quoted in a campaign mailer for Tozer’s opponent, Sam Cahnman, over the weekend.
Tozer called on Steve Combs Monday to publicly apologize and resign as president of the neighborhood group.
That sounds like a real problem, until you read down to the 11th paragraph…
Cahnman’s flier describes Combs only as a “neighborhood advocate.”
However, Nick Bellini, Tozer’s campaign manager, said everybody knows what “neighborhood advocate” means.
Great job by Belllini getting a clueless SJ-R to cover this complete nonsense. My hat’s off to Nick, but this is a total non-issue. No use was made of the group’s name or the man’s title. There is no violation here, except by the editor who approved that goofy mess.
* Cahnman is a Statehouse lobbyist known to many, and his aldermanic campaign has been brutal lately…
A candidate for Ward 5 alderman is running a radio ad accusing incumbent Ald. Sam Cahnman of having “groped a female prisoner at Sangamon County Jail,” but the woman involved Wednesday said that characterization is wrong.
“That is absolutely untrue,” said Stephany Miller, 34, now of Mobile, Ala. “It was just a brief hug. There was absolutely nothing inappropriate.”
Ryan Tozer, a House Republican staff member who is challenging Cahnman in Tuesday’s election, is running a radio ad that refers to allegations against Cahnman, including some in a complaint filed by the state Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission. An ARDC panel will hold a hearing on those allegations June 15. […]
Tozer’s ad says Cahnman “has a long record of questionable personal behavior.”
“Illinois’ attorney discipline panel filed a complaint against Cahnman alleging he … solicited a sexual act from undercover police officers and groped a female prisoner,” the ad states. “Enough is enough. It’s time for honest leadership.”
Here’s the Tozer radio ad…
Oof.
And click here for the Tozer walk piece. Oof again…
No mention, of course, that Cahnman was acquitted of the solicitation charge.
Keep it clean in comments, people. It’s gonna be a long day and I really have no desire to, um, police your every word. Especially after yesterday.
* What’s going on in your local election today? Poll reports, weather, signage, news of trouble, etc. is always appreciated. Thanks.
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Caption contest!
Monday, Apr 4, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* We haven’t had one on this guy in a while. But he’s inching himself back into the game, so let’s put him back in play. Kurt Erickson reported over the weekend that state Sen. Bill Brady is cranking up the fundraising again…
Supporters of Brady, meanwhile, received a fundraising solicitation in the mail recently.
Brady told me Thursday that he’s not yet decided whether he’ll make another run for governor in 2014. But, he said with new campaign fundraising limits, it makes sense to continue trying to raise cash while he mulls his political future.
The piece was about Brady sponsoring a bill to allow beer sales at Illinois State University’s golf course. Anyway, Brady Tweeted this photo today from a panel discussion with the Illinois Partners for Human Services…
Winner gets a free “premium” beverage from me at this year’s House vs. Senate softball game, which I’m once again proudly co-sponsoring.
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* It’s never quiet in the 50th Ward. Ald. Berny Stone is now being sued for calling a former opponent a “terrorist“…
According to the lawsuit, Stone said in a March 10 editorial board meeting with the Sun-Times that [former aldermanic candidate Salman Aftab] was affiliated with the American Muslim Task Force, and further stated that the organization’s members could be found on the attorney general’s terrorist list.
The lawsuit further states that in a March 22 “Chicago Tonight” forum, Stone said his current competitor, Debra Silverstein, takes “monies that come from a terrorist who preaches the downfall of Israel,” referring to Aftab.
The suit also claims Stone said, “Let’s take the terrorist, Simon Aftab,” in the same televised interview.
Oy.
* Stone’s run-off opponent Deb Silverstein has racked up the endorsements, including bigtime help from Rahm Emanuel…
Silverstein is also getting support from Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin, state Sen. Jeffrey Schoenberg and County Clerk David Orr. Ald. Joe Moore’s 49th Ward Democrats have been phone banking for Silverstein and reportedly finding support in the 60 to 70 percent range. (An exception: when a phone banker accidentally called Berny himself.)
On Friday, Stone held a press conference to condemn Emanuel for funding fliers that attacked him for allegedly voting against the interests of veterans, and in favor of the parking meter deal.
During that presser, Stone said this…
Along the way, he swiped at Emanuel’s statement that “he’d be a mayor who is Jewish, not a Jewish Mayor.” Stone said: “I’m a Jewish alderman.”
* But Ald. Stone is not totally fending for himself. Our old buddy Scott Lee Cohen has contributed $5,500 directly to Stone and another $9,500 through a company called Jacob M. Cohen LLC, which appears to be owned by Scott Lee Cohen.
Stone supported Cohen during the primary last year and was proud of Cohen’s victory even after all the stuff hit the fan.
* Related…
* Emanuel, Burke, big labor pour money into runoffs: One race where Emanuel and Burke are going head to head is in the 50th Ward, where longtime Ald. Bernard Stone is being challenged by accountant Debra Silverstein, who is married to Sen. Ira Silverstein, the Democratic ward committeeman.
* Stone: “I’m the aggrieved party” in attack ad campaign: 50th Ward Alderman Bernard Stone testified under oath Wednesday that he had no idea his reelection campaign was paying an outside committee to attack his opponent. Stone testified in a public hearing at the Illinois State Board of Elections as part of an investigation into Concerned Citizens of the 50th Ward, a political action committee that originally filed as independent of any candidate. But Stone’s campaign manager, Abrar “Adam” Quader, admitted he directed about $13,000 from the Bernard L. Stone Campaign Committee to pay for mailers, robocalls, and other communications that explicitly attacked Debra Silverstein, Stone’s opponent in this year’s city council race. Quader said he was responsible for the content of those materials and for the funding of the PAC, even though its papers were filed under the name of a 22-year old student at Truman College.
* Hearing examines whether ald. broke election law
* 50th Ward Ald. Stone set up secret fund to attack rival Silverstein
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Question of the day
Monday, Apr 4, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I’m in the process of creating another one of those automated news feeds for the right-hand side of the page. This one will be for press releases.
So far, I’ve collected RSS feeds for the governor and the legislative caucuses (except for the House Democrats, which have no press releases, of course). But I started wondering last night if maybe I should include press releases for interest groups as well.
* The Question: Would you like to see interest group press releases included in our new news feed? If so, which ones would you suggest? If not, why not?
…Adding… The automated press release newsfeed is now up and running with the RSS feeds I have so far. I’ll add to it as we go along.
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No competition in competing gun polls
Monday, Apr 4, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* It’s probably not the best idea in the world to distribute goofy poll results in the run-up to an important floor vote, but that’s what happened last week. My syndicated newspaper column takes a look…
It appears that the Illinois State Rifle Association released some highly questionable poll results last week because top officials learned that a gun control group was doing its own polling.
The Rifle Association decided it wanted to get ahead of the curve, I’m told.
The association claimed its poll results showed broad support in a handful of legislative districts for the right to carry a concealed weapon in Illinois, even in two African-American Chicago Senate districts.
But there are serious problems about the way the questions were asked, including the fact that the phrase “concealed carry” was never even mentioned in the poll, despite a Rifle Association press release claiming it was.
Concealed carry is one of the hottest issues of the spring legislative session.
The poll asked three very leading, loaded questions before getting to the carry issue. Respondents were asked if they felt safe walking around their neighborhood, if they believed local police can protect them from being “robbed or assaulted” and whether they believed they have a “right to defend yourself and your family from murderers, robbers and rapists.”
Questions like that obviously will set a certain tone and then skew answers to the poll’s last question, which was millions of miles away from being neutral: “Would you support a law that would allow trained, law-abiding citizens like yourself to carry a firearm to protect yourself and your family from harm?”
The word “concealed” is not mentioned — odd, considering that this is a fight over “concealed” carry. Yet, the association claimed in a press release that the answers to the question showed support for concealed carry. Also, how did the association know that the poll’s respondents were law-abiders?
All that being said, 48 percent of the 989 respondents in Sen. Mattie Hunter’s Chicago district said they’d support such a law, while just 35 percent were against. In Sen. Emil Jones’ Chicago district, 52 percent supported it, while 33 percent were against.
In Sen. A.J. Wilhelmi’s Joliet-area district, 56 percent backed the plan and just 28 percent were against. And in Sen. Mike Noland’s Elgin-area district, 49 percent said they’d support such a law, while 35 percent were against.
The poll was taken by We Ask America on March 27th.
The day after the Rifle Association released its numbers, the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence released its own poll, which was taken by the same polling firm used by the Rifle Association. The new poll showed far different results than ISRA’s survey.
In the gun control group’s poll, taken five days before the Rifle Association’s, just 38 percent of respondents in Wilhelmi’s district said they agreed with the statement: “In general, Illinois citizens should be allowed to carry concealed handguns in most public places,” while a clear majority, 57 percent, were opposed.
The concealed carry question was the first question posed to respondents, unlike the Rifle Association poll, which laid the groundwork for its carry question.
The Rifle Association claimed its poll showed a clear majority of voters in Wilhelmi’s district backed concealed carry. The difference? The gun control poll was far more direct and used accepted polling standards. The Rifle Association poll didn’t do any of that.
Back to the gun control group’s poll. A slim majority, 51 percent, of voters in Wilhelmi’s district agreed with the statement: “handguns should be registered in a similar manner as automobiles,” while just 33 percent disagreed.
And a whopping 69 percent agreed with the statement, “I think someone who wants to own a handgun should have to pass a skills test before being licensed to own one,” while just 21 percent disagreed. Neither answer appears to jibe at all with the claims by the Rifle Association that strong support exists in Wilhelmi’s district for loosening gun control laws.
The gun control group also surveyed one African-American House district.
More than 70 percent of voters polled in Rep. André Thapedi’s district said people should not be allowed to carry concealed handguns in most public places. Just 23 percent said they should. A bit over 61 percent said handguns should be registered in a similar manner as automobiles, while 26 percent disagreed. And close to 77 percent said handgun owners should be made to pass a skills test before acquiring an owner’s license.
In Republican state Rep. Sid Mathias’ northwest suburban House district, 69 percent opposed allowing concealed carry in most public places, 54 percent wanted similar registrations for handguns and automobiles and 77 percent said they thought handgun owners should pass a skills test.
Thoughts?
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Behind the workers’ comp fracas
Monday, Apr 4, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The biggest political problem with Gov. Pat Quinn’s new workers’ compensation reform plan is that it cuts fee schedules for doctors by 30 percent, but doesn’t get rid of what is essentially a no-fault system…
But the plan does not include a key element of workers’ compensation reform backed by some Republicans in the legislature. This would be changing Illinois law to require that before an award or settlement can be made, a worker must show that an accident or condition resulting from employment was a “significant” or “primary” factor that caused disability. Under current law, all that it must be shown is that a workplace accident or condition was a “possible” factor.
“The issue is not causation, the issue is fairness,” McRaith said, adding that older workers often are more affected by on the job injuries than younger workers and that adopting the “significant cause” clause would be unfair to them.
But Sen. Kyle McCarter, R-Lebanon, said the workers’ compensation law needs to change so the workplace accident must be the primary cause of the injury. […]
“I wouldn’t vote for it,” McCarter said. “What would be the point?” […]
“The first paragraph of any reform story related to workers’ compensation is primary cause,” [Rep Dwight Kay, R-Glen Carbon] said.
Quinn’s failure to take on the primary cause issue doesn’t address the real concerns of business, such as Caterpillar, who are considering leaving the state in search of more hospitable environments, Kay said.
Actually, the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association - of which Cat is an important member - is realistic about the causation issue. It’s not an absolute must-have-or-we-walk-away for the IMA. Why is it for so many Republicans? Because by making this causation demand - which they know cannot pass a Democratic-controlled General Assembly - they have a ready-made excuse not to vote for a plan that rolls back physician reimbursements. The docs, of course, give Republicans a whole lot of campaign money. They’re essentially protecting their allies while they push the other side to give up even more.
This is a very basic, quite well-known fact of Statehouse life. Yet, you almost never see it covered in the media. Why? Heck if I know. Back in January, the IMA came out for a compromise plan which didn’t include causation, but it died because only three House Republicans were willing to vote for it.
* The docs are very much in battle mode…
(T)he Illinois State Medical Society was quick to push back.
“There’s no way,” society president Dr. Steven Malkin said when told of Quinn’s proposed cut in payments to health care providers. Malkin said treating workers’ compensation cases was time consuming for doctors because it requires a lot of paperwork and was often a more complex process because lawyers typically are involved.
Yes, a 30 percent fee schedule cut is pretty darned steep. But Illinois would still have the second highest workers’ comp medical fee schedule in the nation even if this passed. You’d have to cut the fee schedule in half before we’d move into third place - and then, just barely. Ponder that for a bit. Also, that one cut would save $500 million in a $3 billion program.
* The Illinois Chamber wasn’t all that happy in January when causation was left out, and it still isn’t…
Illinois Chamber of Commerce head Doug Whitley agreed. Otherwise, he said, “we’re still going to have thousands of questionable claims being filed.”
McRaith said Quinn’s proposals didn’t include definitions of injuries or accidents.
“Any proposal is going to be too much for one side or not enough for the other side. The governor said identify the problems, target the problems and that’s what we’ve tried to do,” said McRaith
It’s still possible that business may get more than they think they can achieve, mainly because of the Caterpillar uproar. The reforms were likely unveiled Friday because Quinn is meeting with Caterpillar’s CEO tomorrow. We’ll see what he has to say. If he pushes back hard, that would likely blow up the whole ballgame and force Democrats to consider whether they will have to alienate their union allies even more.
The way things stand now, this is an anti-union vote. Finding Democratic votes is extremely tough in an environment like that, so Republican votes are absolutely required.
* There are some other reforms in Quinn’s proposal that are much-needed…
* Carpal tunnel total disability payments, or weekly tax-free paychecks equal to two-thirds of salary, be capped at 20 weeks.
* Claims by intoxicated workers injured by their inebriation be denied.
Carpal tunnel complaints are getting way out of hand. They were at the heart of the problems at Menard prison. Several other reforms targeted at that sorry mess were also proposed.
* Related…
* CS-T Editorial: Share the pain in workers comp plan
* Whitley: Worker’s comp system needs reform
* Some towns bring in business without incentives
* State Farm CEO says businessmen must address state spending
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This job is tougher than it looks
Monday, Apr 4, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Remember how those high school students in the Junior State of America said they’d ask the tough questions of Rod Blagojevich which the media had failed to ask?…
We expect the chance to ask potent questions, something at which JSA excels. It is a tradition in JSA to queue behind a microphone to ask speakers questions that make them squirm, pause or clearly attempt to skirt the issue.
Um, not so much…
Blagojevich took questions from the students, who asked his opinion on tax increases, the deficit and working for Donald Trump. The former governor revealed his predictions for the NFL draft and said, “the economy sucks,” to the delight of those attending.
It ain’t as easy as it looks, kids. But at least one of them was inadvertently honest about the event’s failure…
Naperville North High School student Anastasia Golovashkina, who invited Blagojevich to the event, said it was interesting to watch the former governor work the room.
“People really enjoyed hearing his speech not so much for its content but for the way in which he presented it,” she said. “He kind of wants to overwhelm his audience with such a long speech, that in the end people forget what they wanted from the speech in the first place.”
* Blagojevich also had this revelatory insight…
“It’s a cesspool of cynicism in Springfield,” he said
Maybe so, but the cesspool is a whole lot less deep than when he was governor. Pat Quinn isn’t holding up appropriations so he can shake down a children’s hospital CEO for a big campaign contribution. Then again, if he did, WLS Radio might give him lots and lots of airtime to make his case. Those kids got used for one day. WLS has eagerly offered itself up countless times.
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So, which is it?
Monday, Apr 4, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Back on March 16th, Illinois Statehouse News reported that the Senate President was wrong about the state’s capital projects program running out of money. In fact, it had all the cash it needed for now…
Illinois does not appear to need a cigarette tax hike, or the $300 million it could potentially raise, to start work on new roads and buildings this summer.
“There is approximately $3 billion of bonds that have been sold, so the capital program as the governor has indicated can start now,” said State Sen. Larry Bomke, R-Springfield. “There shouldn’t be any delay.”
A review of the numbers being tossed around the Capitol paint a different picture than the one Senate President John Cullerton is portraying.
Cullerton, D-Chicago, has said the state needs money from the cigarette tax to make sure work can continue across Illinois this summer. The original funding source for the construction plan has been slow to appear. A new liquor tax is tied up in the courts, and video poker has yet to arrive in bars and truck stops.
* But then on March 28th, ISN reported that there wasn’t enough money for the schools’ portion…
There are enough projects and enough workers, but there is not enough money to begin all of the work in Illinois’ statewide construction program this summer.
Lawmakers on Monday listened to testimony from the state’s Capital Development Board about the school construction portion of the multibillion dollar statewide road, bridge and school building plan.
The news at the Capitol is not what lawmakers said they wanted to hear. Nearly half of the construction projects in the Capital Development Board’s to-do list are being delayed because of a lack of money
“We’ve bid $245 million and currently have 124 projects in design, 92 in construction and 69 on hold for a total of 285 active projects at a value of $1.5 billion,” said CDB Executive Director Jim Underwood.
Those projects are on hold for lack of funding, according to Underwood.
Curiously, there was no quote of Sen. Bomke about any school/university/college projects in his district that might currently be delayed.
* But the governor is still cutting ribbons like he has plenty of cash to go around…
Governor Pat Quinn today visited Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC) to announce a $19.1 million investment that will help improve energy efficiency at the school’s Belleville campus. The Illinois Jobs Now! capital investment will fund construction of an environmentally-friendly, 72,000 square-foot expansion of the Liberal Arts Building. The project is expected to create an estimated 175 construction jobs.
“As a former community college teacher, I understand that an investment in our state’s community colleges is an investment in tomorrow’s highly-trained workforce, which is the key to our long-term economic stability,” said Governor Quinn. “This project will create a modern and green facility where students at Southwestern Illinois College can learn and prepare for the jobs of tomorrow – an investment that will pay off for years to come.”
* Related…
* Illinois prepaid tuition program halts all new investments: The order halts a $50-million investment, unanimously approved by the board of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission in February, in an untested hedge fund to be composed of conventional stocks and bonds as well as “alternative” assets, such as private-equity, real estate and hedge funds that demand investor sophistication to manage properly.
* State prepaid tuition program changes how it invests money
* Tribune: Illinois needs to cut its exposure by closing the prepaid tuition program to new investors
* Haymarket Center struggles with State funding cuts
* Non-traditional school could be expelled - Quinn proposal to eliminate ROEs could spell its end
* Southland Charter High School moves into new home
* Preschool budgets in double jeopardy
* Two sides address consolidation questions
* Erickson: Some cities dream a little too big
* Finke: Consolidation bill not likely
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A common complaint
Monday, Apr 4, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* We can’t be sure what actually happened until we talk to the Board of Elections, but I’d bet a buck that this is a true story…
Mayor Jerry Schweighart says he reported a $1,000 campaign contribution the day he received it but that a software glitch prevented the donation from being recorded until Friday morning.
Under Illinois’ newly revised election law, contributions of $1,000 or more are supposed to be reported to the State Board of Elections within at least five business days. But a $1,000 contribution from Donald Dodds Real Estate of Champaign, dated March 8, wasn’t reported on the Elections Board’s website until 8:09 a.m. Friday.
Because the contribution came within the 30-day period before the election, it was supposed to be reported within two business days.
“We reported it March 8. I have a receipt from the state election board that we reported it March 8,” Schweighart said. “When we found out there was a problem, we called them and they said it’s not in their computer and apparently one button wasn’t hit. We talked to the election guy when we filed it and I have a receipt that says we filed it March 8.”
Anybody who has ever filed anything on the Board of Elections’ website knows whereof Schweighart speaks. The problem was that he didn’t go back and check to make sure the update registered. Experienced state campaign folks know better. The locals are far less experienced with the clunky old piece of junk that is the ISBE’s computer system.
I remember talking to a pal last summer who had spent the past few years working federal races and had recently taken a job on a campaign covered under state election law. He was practically tearing his hair out one day because he couldn’t get the Board’s website to work. And this is no dummie. Far from it. The site is just not user friendly.
* Speaking of elections…
This spring, at least five communities in Sangamon don’t have enough candidates running to fill open seats on municipal boards: Curran, Illiopolis, Loami, Pawnee and Thayer. In Christian County, seven governmental bodies lack enough candidates, including the village of Harvel, where no candidates filed for four open trustee seats.
Christian County Clerk Linda Curtin said that’s unusual.
“Usually, (local governments) have just enough (candidates),” she said. “I don’t know if it’s about taxing bodies not having money and people are having trouble at home (financially).”
Stacey Kern, Sangamon County’s director of elections, said it isn’t uncommon for small communities to lack candidates for open offices due to their size.
These aren’t obscure little commissions, these are village council seats. Maybe they ought to reduce the size of their councils, but that wouldn’t help in Harvel, would it? Nobody filed? Why not just dissolve if nobody cares? Become an unincorporated part of the county or something. Or merge with a nearby town - although a merger for Harvel probably wouldn’t be possible, either.
* What’s going on in your local races?
* Related…
* Quinn remakes state election board
* Tips for Poll Watchers
* Chicago runoff muscle: Who’s backing whom and with how much cash?
* Runoff Election Subtext Clear: Budget Crisis and Jobs, Jobs, Jobs
* Emanuel gives South Side aldermanic candidate a boost
* Current alderman, ex-campaign field director battle in 17th Ward
* Ald. O’Connor office vote wrong, but ‘didn’t hurt anybody,’ experts say
* Marin: Two tales from aldermanic race
* Ousted alderman trying for comeback in 24th Ward
* Five Runoffs to Watch
* Cook referendum questions misstate true cost of passage, official charges
* Early voters turn out despite ‘quiet’ campaigns
* Bernard Schoenburg: Expect Houston to get another chance
* Springfield Neighborhood groups rap Ward 5 candidate’s campaign ads
* Slow-going in raising money, interest for Oak Park village board race: In past elections for seats on the Oak Park village board, tens of thousands of dollars got poured into campaign coffers, from everyone including condo developers and the local movie theater owner. But in 2011, the group of candidates backed by the VMA, the long established political party in Oak Park, is having a much harder time raising cash, they admit. However, they won’t say exactly how much is in the bank.
* Kadner: Suburban election races take a strange turn
* McQueary: Is Tuesday a primer for Gorman mayor bid?
* Rob Sherman Alleges Library Misused Tax Dollars - Indian Trails Public Library officials maintain that their recent mailings pertaining to the April 5 referendum were “done properly.” The Illinois Board of Elections will have the final say.
* Barton Lorimor: The friendliest mayoral race. ever.
* New twist arises in Marion school race
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