[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Illinois utility companies are pushing for radical changes that put automatic utility rate hikes into state law.
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TRUTH – It would allow ComEd, Ameren, Peoples/North Shore Gas, and Nicor Gas to decide what “modernization” means - allowing utility companies to raise rates to pay for technology investments without regulatory or public review of costs or benefits.
TRUTH – It would put Illinois in the unique position of eliminating the ICC’s obligation and duty to balance the interests of consumers with that of utility companies.
TRUTH – Their promised investments are not significant over a 5-10 year period, are not clearly identified, have no enforceable performance standards, and no penalties for noncompliance.
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Illinois consumers and businesses simply cannot afford guaranteed profits for utility companies and the elimination of long standing and proven regulatory policies!
HB14 - The wrong bill at the worst time.
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* OK, now we have some real numbers to look at. The Senate Republicans held a press conference today to outline the cuts they’d like to make to the budget to put it into balance. You can read the Senate GOP’s new plan by clicking here. The Sun-Times has a good overview…
Items on the Republican chopping block include cutting $1.3 billion in Medicaid costs by tightening eligibility for health-care programs like All Kids and FamilyCare, which were both signature initiatives under impeached, ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
The GOP also proposed cutting school spending by 10 percent — or $725 million. The group expressed openness to freezing state-aid payments to school districts, scaling back poverty grants and trimming increases Quinn favors on early-childhood programs.
Radogno expressed support for state pension givebacks from existing workers that she said could yield $1.35 billion in savings for the state. Among them are requiring current employees to pay more toward their pensions, imposing the same pension reforms that went into effect Jan. 1 on new hires to the current workforce and setting up a 401(k)-style retirement program to which the state would provide a 6-percent match. […]
Other cuts Radogno and her caucus sought took aim at the state prison system, including ending $7 million in compensation to inmates that they can use to purchase “candy, cigarettes and cable TV.”
They want to stop funding the Illinois Arts Council, which is chaired by Shirley Madigan, wife of House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), because the cash-strapped agency has “essentially suspended” the awarding of grants to artists and art organizations yet continues to have a full-time staff.
* From their proposal…
Take actions to reduce state payroll expenses. Options include:
• A statewide state government hiring freeze (Governor Quinn’s budget adds 950 headcount) which could save $50 million (although new headcount at the Dept. of Corrections should be considered to reduce overtime costs);
• Eliminating pay for three (of 13) state holidays each year such as election day (suggested by Taxpayer Action
Board); and
• Foregoing scheduled pay raises next fiscal year, FY12 (pay freeze was suggested by the Taxpayer Action Board). The labor contract includes minimum 5.25% pay increases in FY12, when coupled with estimated average 2.5% step increases on top of the base increases this amounts to almost 8% increases scheduled for next year. Foregoing those increases for one year could save almost $230 million GRF.
Targeted Savings: $300 million
I’m not sure how you can freeze pay and change holiday pay when 95 percent of state workers are covered under a union contract.
* The mayors won’t be happy with this…
Local Government Revenue Sharing
Review the over $6 billion that local governments receive in revenue sharing from the State of Illinois. They receive around 6% of income tax receipts, over half of all gas tax receipts, 20% of sales tax receipts on items other than food and drugs, 100% of sales tax receipts on food and drug purchases, and 100% of revenues from the Personal Property Replacement Tax. A $300 million reduction represents around 5% of those revenues. This approach has been suggested by many groups including the Governor’s Taxpayer Action Board, the Illinois Policy Institute and the Civic Committee.
Targeted Savings: $300 million
* The Senate Republicans have pledged to put 15 votes on these cuts. Senate President John Cullerton responds…
“We applaud the Senate Republicans for coming to the table with suggestions on how to mend our fiscal crisis. It’s nice to hear them say something other than ‘no.’ Nevertheless, their efforts must go beyond more than press releases and photo ops. Releasing a list of possible cuts shouldn’t be the end of their participation in the budget process. I hope that this is just the beginning.
“To that end, I am reserving a series of appropriations bills for their use in hopes that they will use this opportunity to fully engage in the appropriations process. I believe that their proposals and commitment can be the base line for discussion on what we all agree is a necessary process of cutting waste and creating efficiencies.”
Finally, game on.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Unlike Senate President Cullerton, Gov. Quinn had some harsh words for the Senate Republicans today…
On Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno’s call for $6.7 billion in cuts to his budget proposal, Quinn said the “apostles” of “draconian cuts” end up hurting the economy and job growth.
“I’m not listening to them,” he said, saying money for health care, human services and public safety were important.
Sheesh. Was that really necessary? I mean, what’s the harm in just listening to them? It’s gonna be a long four years, campers.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Quinn’s office just called to say that he is not ruling out dialogue with the Senate Republicans, but that he was “reassuring” reporters about how he won’t cut education by that much and slash vital programs.
They’re looking for an audio clip. Stay tuned.
*** UPDATE 3 *** From the governor’s press office…
We appreciate the Senate’s effort to identify additional savings. The challenge, however, is not coming up with myriad possibilities. As we examine their proposals, we must look at their consequences. If Illinois were to implement the cuts proposed today, Illinois would miss out on millions Illinois taxpayers have sent to DC in taxes; legal action would be taken against the state for violations of funding statutes, and conflicts of interest would be codified into state agencies; and economic recovery efforts that are creating jobs would be halted in their tracks.
Under the Governor’s leadership, Illinois is on the road to economic recovery. Announced today, after 13 months of straight declines in unemployment, Illinois’ unemployment rate is under 9 percent for the first time in two years. We lead the Midwest in job creation, and the Governor’s comprehensive plan to create jobs and economic growth is bearing fruit.
The Governor has cut spending at historic levels to help restore fiscal stability to Illinois, but spending reductions must be made carefully and with research to properly asses their impact. The Governor has asked for two years for realistic, responsible proposals for budget reductions. His team has been implementing budgeting for results, to look strategically at all programs to identify unnecessary state spending.
Senate Republicans advocate missing out on millions of dollars of federal matching funds – simply abandoning taxpayer money that should return to Illinois to help its citizens. Their proposals – including nearly $1 billion in cuts to education, $650 million loss in federal Medicaid match, and deep cuts to public transit services affecting 2 million people per day – will devastate our economy, infrastructure development, workforce training programs, and put thousands out of work.
We continue to welcome good-faith efforts to identify and reduce unnecessary state spending. We continue to invite all four caucuses to meet with us to discuss the serious challenges of stabilizing our budget and creating jobs for today and tomorrow, as well as the important and ongoing discussions regarding payment of the state’s overdue bills.
* Related…
* VIDEO: Sen. Minority Leader Radogno on budget cuts
* VIDEO: Sen. Althoff on budget cuts
* House committee votes to exempt casinos from smoking ban: House Bill 171 would exempt casinos from the 2007 Smoke Free Illinois Act, which banned tobacco smoking in public buildings and businesses.
* House committee passes gambling expansion bill: Illinois race tracks would be allowed to have slot machines, riverboat casinos would pay lower taxes and be allowed to buy more gaming positions under a gambling expansion bill that cleared a House committee this morning.
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* The group For a Better Chicago ran an ad in New Jersey recently touting Illinois’ more favorable business climate. It’s next target is Wisconsin…
It’s been Scott Walker’s mantra since he started campaigning for governor: “Wisconsin is open for business.” But a new ad in the Wisconsin State Journal challenges that claim.
A half-page ad lists reasons why Illinois is “better” than Wisconsin. Reasons include a better tax environment for business, a higher quality workforce, and a stronger economy.
Initial reactions?
“That’s cute,” said Wisconsin’s Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch.
This is the same group that is now picking favorites in aldermanic races. Click the pic for a better view…
* But not everyone agrees…
An Illinois company that makes items for trade shows is moving to Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker announced Thursday.
Catalyst Exhibits, Inc., will be moving from Crystal Lake to Pleasant Prairie, Wis., and bringing with it 105 jobs, the governor said. It will occupy a 144,000-square-foot facility and invest $2.5 million in the state, Walker said.
Catalyst Exhibits is a trade-show marketing company whose clients include TiVo, Siemens, Abbott Labs and Nokia. […]
Walker said the company will receive a $500,000 state grant to relocate to Wisconsin and the Kenosha Area Business Alliance is providing a $1.25 million low interest loan for building renovations.
*** UPDATE *** The unemployment rate dropped here last month…
The state of Illinois’ jobless rate fell to 8.9% in February, marking the 13th straight month of decline.
The February figure is 0.1 percentage point lower than January’s rate and 2.2 points below February 2010, according to preliminary figures released Thursday by the Illinois Department of Employment Security.
The last time the state had a jobless rate below 9% was in February 2009.
* Related…
* Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel and Gov. Quinn: Quinn says they are the “progressive aggressive” team: “We have a progressive mayor-elect and a progressive governor and we want to be progressive and aggressive,” Quinn told reporters for Illinois news outlets, meeting with them after a session with the Illinois congressional delegation on Thursday.
* New front in ‘Amazon tax’ war: The state and a business group are teaming up to offer options to web merchants who were dumped by Amazon.com and Overstock.com after the state moved to force them to collect sales tax from their Illinois customers. With an assist from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, an affiliate of the Illinois Retail Merchants Assn. has set up an Internet site that will allow former Amazon and Overstock “affiliates” to directly connect with other retailers and keep their traffic up. Among those participating: Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, Sears and Home Depot.
* Huge number of foreclosures has made the system a mess, and it could get worse
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Question of the day
Thursday, Mar 17, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the Daily Herald…
Rep. Randy Ramey said Tuesday that he knows his plan to bring Arizona-style immigration laws to Illinois almost certainly won’t be called for a vote this year.
“I have been requesting,” the Carol Stream Republican said. “Been denied.”
Ramey’s proposal, like the one approved in Arizona, would give police more authority to look up someone’s immigration status, a move that could lead to deportation of an illegal immigrant.
* From the synopsis of Rep. Ramey’s bill…
Provides that for any lawful stop, detention, or arrest made by a law enforcement official where reasonable suspicion exists that the person is an alien unlawfully present in the U.S., a reasonable attempt shall, where practicable, be made to determine the immigration status of the person.
* The Question: Do you agree with this provision? Explain fully and please take a very deep breath before commenting. Also, do your very best to stick to the question. I’m not at all interested in reading long, nasty rants about illegal immigration. You’ll just be deleted or banned, or both.
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[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Most agree that Illinois needs to modernize its electric grid to meet the demands of the digital age. Forty-four states ─ and even Guam ─ have some type of Smart Grid investment program in process. But Illinois is stalled. To stay economically competitive, we must catch up.
But grid modernization in Illinois is stalled by an outmoded regulatory process that discourages exactly the kind of long-term, comprehensive planning that’s needed to get modernization done.
The Energy Infrastructure Modernization Act (HB 14) proposes a better system for setting utility rates. It provides even more transparency and accountability than current regulation with more frequent regulatory review and new performance metrics to keep utilities accountable.
Some have suggested that modifying regulatory oversight is synonymous with reducing regulatory oversight. That’s simply not true. HB14 is not about less regulation it’s about smarter regulation.
Every resident and business in Illinois will benefit if lawmakers, regulators, utilities and consumer groups can come together over the next few weeks to develop a policy path that drives modernization of our grid, while protecting consumers as strongly as ever.
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Gordon bows out, Blagojevich pounces
Thursday, Mar 17, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Our “reform” governor has had problems explaining this appointment, so he caught a break when she bowed out yesterday…
A former lawmaker is resigning from a job that Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn gave her only days after she voted for his 67 percent tax hike, the governor’s office confirmed today.
Former Rep. Careen Gordon withdrew her name from consideration for an $85,886-a-year spot on the Illinois Prisoner Review Board. Quinn had nominated her for the position, but her ability to win confirmation in the Senate was in doubt.
Critics charged the timing between her vote on the tax hike and her appointment by Quinn were too cozy. Both Quinn and Gordon have said there was no connection.
* And the Blagojevich clan got in on the action…
Patti Blagojevich said Wednesday that there is no difference between what her husband is accused of and the alleged deal between Gordon and Quinn.
“Here’s somebody who…made a vote to get herself a job. And on the other hand, you talked about jobs, investigated things with your lawyers. Discussed things and never took any action but you’re under indictment for pretty much the same thing,” said Patti Blagojevich on the radio.
“She may be correct. It’s pay for play,” said [Pat Brady, Illinois Republican Party chairman].
Political reformer Dawn Clark Netcsh disagrees.
“If you are going to tell the governor you can never appoint someone who is in office at one time, who might have voted the way you thought was the right way to vote, that’s absurd. I don’t find that to be an example of what we thought to be pay to play,” said Netsch.
Being caught trying to allegedly shake down a children’s hospital CEO for a contribution in exchange for releasing state funding is just a bit different than this. Also, Blagojevich was caught on tape talking about out and out trading a US Senate appointment for jobs for himself and his wife. Despite the obvious appearance problem, there is no evidence at this time that either Gordon or Quinn were that explicit. Rod Blagojevich was a crass crook. He’s also a convicted liar.
* Gordon’s defense…
In late October, she told The Daily Journal: “At this point now, I can’t ask the people who live in my district for more money until the state of Illinois shows that they are good at money management. I haven’t voted for a tax increase and I have showed I won’t vote for a tax increase until we show that.”
In a telephone interview Saturday [after her vote for the tax hike], she said: “The income tax increase signed by the governor goes farther than that. The money has to go to pay bills, with no new programs. There also are spending caps (2 percent per year) and the provision is if the increase goes over that the tax increase is null and void.
“Over the next two years, there will have to be a minimum of $800 million in cuts each year to meet that spending cap.”
That explanation is a heck of a lot more plausible than Blagojevich’s excuses. It still stinks, but this is no “Pay to play on steroids.”
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Unstraight numbers
Thursday, Mar 17, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* It’s really getting difficult to take the Senate Republicans seriously…
An effort to repeal the 66 percent Illinois income tax increase approved earlier this failed in a Senate subcommittee Wednesday.
Sen. Matt Murphy, R-Palatine, sponsored the measure, which was defeated 2-1 in a subcommittee where Democrats had the majority. […]
The brief committee debate pitted Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, who contended that repeal would mean legislators would have to cut an additional $7.2 billion from the budget, versus Murphy, who called the tax increase “a job-killer.”
“You would not need to cut $11 billion. The number would not be that high,” said Murphy, who later suggested that undoing the tax increase would require $8 billion to $9 billion in budget cuts next year.
OK, let’s do some math. Last week, the SGOPs said this…
“We have determined after careful review that in order to reverse the course, we’re going to have to make additional cuts of between 4 and 6 billion dollars to what the governor has proposed,” said Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont).
So, replace the approximately $7 billion in expected revenues from the tax hike with budget cuts. Then, add the $4-6 billion in additional cuts that Murphy and his colleagues said are absolutely needed to balance next fiscal year’s budget and you get $11-13 billion. That’s a bit different than the “$8 billion to $9 billion” in cuts that Murphy said yesterday would be needed to balance the budget. Also, without that income tax revenue, more bills won’t be paid this fiscal year, which will make the hole next year even bigger. Maybe $2-3 billion bigger. So now we’re talking up to $16 billion in cuts.
Matt Murphy is one of my favorite legislators, but he needs to get his numbers straight.
* Meanwhile, I told subscribers about this the other day…
The Illinois Senate’s revenue estimate is $1 billion more than the number the Illinois House approved as the ceiling for state spending in the next fiscal year.
The Senate arrived at its projection of almost $34.3 billion by taking the nearly $34.9 billion estimate from the legislature’s Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (COGFA) and trimming away about $600 million in revenues that would require a break from the federal tax code. The General Assembly has not approved the change needed for those revenues to be realized.
The House has opted for a more conservative estimate of almost $33.2 billion. Gov. Pat Quinn estimates the state will have almost $34 billion to spend on next year’s budget. Quinn’s projection also includes money from the proposed change to the tax code.
COGFA Director Dan Long said the commission’s estimate is more than Quinn’s because of a timing issue with revenues from the recent income tax increase. Long said that some of the money from the increase expected in the current fiscal year will not actually come in until FY 2012. He said the shift is not reflected in Quinn’s numbers.
* Other numbers stuff…
* College Illinois managers say prepaid tuition fund is stable - Plan projected to have 31 percent shortfall, according to news report
* School district finances rebound - Annual state report says fewer districts are in trouble
* House committee decides where state money will go: The general revenue fund is estimated by the House to have $33.2 billion available for fiscal year 2012. Of that, 28.742 percent would go to elementary and secondary education, 5.158 percent is for general services, 8.761 percent for higher education, 50.361 percent for human services and 9.978 percent for public safety.
* GOP senator: Cigarette tax not needed for capital project: Gov. Pat Quinn’s office also does not appear worried about a work stoppage this summer. Spokeswoman Kelly Kraft said building new roads and buildings is helping to bring in money by putting people to work.
* State should fold on video gambling, Cullerton says - Illinois should end controversial plan even before it gets off the ground, Senate president says
* Out with video gambling and in with higher cigarette taxes: State Sen. Kyle McCarter, R-Lebanon, said it would be wrong to reverse course on video gambling because people have already began to make investments in the business.
* Cigarette tax hike advances in Illinois Senate: “People have relied on our representations that we did a deal [on video gaming], the governor signed it and they invested money in this state,” said Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno, R-Lemont. “Here we are again, yanking the rug out from under people.”
* Cigarette tax increase is a ‘no go‘ for now
* Schools or Jails
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* I told you yesterday that Senate President Cullerton wanted to replace the video gaming component of the capital bill with a cigarette tax. I told subscribers today why I believed he was doing it. Cullerton unveiled his proposal today…
In a surprise move, Senate President John Cullerton Wednesday took steps to gut the controversial 2009 state law that authorized video gambling machines in bars and restaurants throughout the state.
The measure, if passed by both chambers of the Legislature and enacted by Gov. Quinn, would represent a 180-degree shift from when video gambling was regarded as a $534 million cash cow to support the governor’s $31 billion capital program. […]
“It’s obviously a very controversial plan. It has yet to generate a single dollar for the capital program. Right now, the Senate president is gauging whether there is sufficient support to repeal it,” Cullerton spokeswoman Rikeesha Phelon said.
On Wednesday, Cullerton attached the repeal language to a bill he is sponsoring, but the package has not had a hearing. […]
…the Illinois Gaming Board has added about 50 investigators in preparation for the roll-out of such gaming and begun background checks on 116 license applicants after estimating the first video gambling machines would be functioning by late summer or early fall, spokesman Gene O’Shea told the Sun-Times.
Could you be for this swap?
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Mar 16, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Yes, we’re going to do another one. We’ve been getting tons of comments and votes on our polls about this subject, so let’s keep it going.
The concealed carry bill includes this section…
…nothing in this paragraph shall preclude a member of the [General Assembly or local governmental body] or registered lobbyist holding a concealed firearms permit from carrying a concealed firearm at a meeting of the body.
* The Question: Should legislators and registered lobbyists be allowed to carry concealed guns at the Statehouse during session? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments…
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Will Amazon run out of places to flee?
Wednesday, Mar 16, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* If more states enact this law, then Amazon may have no choice but to finally start collecting sales taxes. A federal solution would be preferable, but it doesn’t appear likely. Anyway, leaving California would be a big deal and could eat into the company’s profits…
Amazon.com has threatened to cut off more than 10,000 affiliates in California if state lawmakers pass legislation requiring the Internet retailer to collect sales tax from state residents.
Seattle-based Amazon said four bills introduced in the state legislature are unconstitutional because they would require sellers with no physical presence in California to collect sales tax from its residents, Paul Misener, Amazon’s vice president for global public policy, wrote in a letter (PDF) to the California Board of Equalization, the state agency responsible for collecting property and sales taxes. […]
Amazon has closed its affiliate programs in Colorado, North Carolina, and Rhode Island over similar disputes. And in February, Amazon threatened to close a distribution facility in Texas after receiving a $269 million bill for uncollected sales taxes.
Illinois now has a similar law on its books and the company has announced that it will cut ties with its associates here next month. Amazon has filed suit against a New York law.
* The fight is certainly spreading…
Here’s a list of states with bills pending that would require out-of-state retailers to collect sales tax from online shoppers, if they use affiliates within that state:
* Arizona: HB 2551
* California: AB 153 and AB 155 (similar bill)
* Connecticut: HB 5543; HB 5545 (similar bill); SB 259 (companion bill)
* Hawaii: HB 1183
* Illinois: SB 1783 (would reverse HB 3569’s affiliate definition)
* Massachusetts: HO 1731
* Minnesota: SB 458
* Mississippi: HB 363 (died in House Ways and Means committee)
* New Mexico: SB 95 and HB 102 (companion bill)
* Rhode Island: HB 5115 (would repeal existing Nexus law)
* Tennessee: HB1912
* Texas: HB 1317
* Vermont: HB 143
Keep in mind that an introduced bill doesn’t mean the bill will actually pass. Bills are really easy to introduce.
* The Tennessee fight looks interesting…
Tennessee retailers, led by Walmart, are putting a full court press on the state Legislature to prevent a sales tax exemption for Amazon. The online retailer is building distribution centers near Chattanooga, and with a physical presence in the state it is possible for the state to require the company to collect and remit sales tax on any items bought by Tennessee residents.
But initially, state government—eyeing 1,200 jobs at the centers—has said Amazon doesn’t have to collect sales tax.
Tennessee retailers have to collect sales tax and turn it over to the state and small businesses in Tennessee selling online are supposed to collect sales tax and do likewise.
* Texas insisted that Amazon pay the tax, and now it may be pulling up some big stakes…
As a result of an ongoing tax dispute with Texas, Amazon.com has decided to take its ball and go home.
The online retailer said Thursday that it would shutter its Irving distribution facility April 12 and cancel plans to hire as many as 1,000 additional workers rather than pay Texas what the state says is owed in uncollected sales tax.
Texas wants $269 million from Seattle-based Amazon in past-due sales tax. It sent the bill to the company last October.
“Despite much hard work and the support of other Texas officials, we’ve been unable to come to a resolution with the Texas comptroller’s office,” Dave Clark, vice president of operations for the facility, said in a letter sent to its employees here announcing the closure.
* In the meantime, Wisconsin might pick up some Illinois jobs…
The owner of a Rockford area business speaks out for the first time since the governor signed a bill he says, will force his company out of state.
FatWallet Founder and CEO Tim Strom isn’t happy about the bill. Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed it last week. It forces out-of-state companies that do business with companies like FatWallet, to pay Illinois sales taxes. That’s something they don’t do in surrounding states. “We’ve already begun the process of looking at where we want to relocate outside the state of Illinois moving to Wisconsin is the simplest thing to do from an ease point of view,” says FatWallet CEO Tim Strom.
If this new tax bill isn’t repealed, Storm says it’ll cost his company between 30% and 40% of its revenue. Some companies like Amazon and Overstock have already said they’ll cut ties with FatWallet next month. Storm says the law hurts any person or non-profit in Illinois that puts a link to something for sale on their website because the seller has to pay sales tax on it. “There’s going to be a lot of people that are online affiliates that simply use it to supplement their income for posting a link on their website, and there are certainly charities that use this methodology for generating income as well those are going to shut down.”
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* The Chicago Tribune was given exclusive access to cover the governor’s signing of the death penalty abolition bill.
As you might imagine, that didn’t go over too well with the rest of the Statehouse press corps. It’s not that reporters bore a grudge against the Tribune reporter. Heck, most of us would probably have accepted the exclusivity offer. But this was a huge, momentous bill, perhaps the most important legislation that Gov. Pat Quinn will ever sign. So, the decision rankled.
Yesterday, this letter was hand-delivered to the governor’s office…
We, the undersigned members of the Statehouse press corps, object strenuously to your decision to single out one particular news organization to witness and photograph the signing of historic legislation repealing the death penalty.
Your enactment of Senate Bill 3539 carries enormous impact. It affects the accused, judges, juries, prosecutors, the 15 death row inmates whose sentences you commuted and the family members of those murdered in some of the state’s worst crimes. No one media organization deserved greater access than the others in covering this official action and disseminating the historic news to Illinois’ 13 million residents.
Think for a moment what our democracy might be like if a judge could give one news organization exclusive access to a jury verdict. What if a legislative leader could bar all journalists _ except one _ from covering an important vote of the General Assembly? We would all regard those hypotheticals as anti-democratic and serious breaches of the First Amendment.
Our aim in writing this letter is to emphasize the importance of doing government business in the open and to urge you to renew your commitment to that ideal for the duration of your time as governor.
You have said the state’s residents deserve an “open, ethical and transparent government.” Yet, this week, you slammed your office door on that principle by letting only a cherry-picked few witness your official action on one of Illinois’ most important days.
We hope you would acknowledge that no single news organization should arbitrarily be granted special access to an official event.
Regards
I signed the letter as well.
* Meanwhile, in other reform news…
Illinois Republicans are collecting online petition signatures to prevent former state Rep. Careen Gordon, D-Morris, from being appointed to the Illinois Prisoner Review Board.
Nominated for the post by Gov. Pat Quinn, Gordon’s appointment has been pending since she left office in January. Republicans charged Gordon, who now lives in Chicago, voted for the 67 percent Illinois income tax increase in exchange for the review board salary of $86,000.
The tax increase passed by one vote in the House and one vote in the Senate.
Republicans oppose the nomination because Gordon voted in favor of the tax increase during a winter lame duck session after denouncing the Quinn’s tax hike ambitions during her failed re-election campaign against Sue Rezin, R-Morris.
The online petition is here.
* And then there’s this…
If you are running for office, should you be able to change parties in the middle of the campaign?
Lawmakers are attempting to answer that question with a proposal that a House committee approved Tuesday.
Sponsored by Rep. Mike Fortner, R-West Chicago, House Bill 2009 will bar candidates from running for office if they have already run under a different party in the same election year. Flip-floppers must wait for the next election cycle before they become eligible again.
“This makes it clearer to the candidates, clearer to the voters what is acceptable under state law, and it really just captures what the Illinois Supreme Court told us,” Fortner said.
But not everybody is happy…
For example, under this measure someone couldn’t run under one political party’s banner in a primary and a different political party’s in the general election.
Ron Michaelson, a political studies professor at the University of Illinois at Springfield, found fault with this idea.
“We should not make it difficult for people to run for office. It should be relatively easy for people to run for office, and then let the voters decide whether these people are indeed qualified candidates,” Michaelson said.
Scott Lee Cohen would’ve been barred from running for governor as an independent last year if this bill had been the law of the land. So, it has that going for it.
What do you think?
* Related…
* Suburbs’ big-money campaigners could face more limits
* Challenges levied at open government
* VIDEO: Fortner on Flip-Floppers
* Flood of legislation greets Illinois lawmakers, lobbyists, interest groups
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* From the Wall Street Journal…
Lawmakers in Illinois say they may try to fix the state’s ailing pension system by asking current workers to pay more into the plan, though the approach faces substantial legal and political obstacles.
The lawmakers are also entertaining the politically difficult idea of applying broader pension changes made this year for newly hired employees to current workers. Those include raising the retirement age and scaling back on annual cost-of-living raises. […]
“There is growing momentum for additional pension reform and this is something that definitely should be looked at,” said [budget director David Vaught].
He added that if the legislature voted to increase employee contributions in the current legislative session, Mr. Quinn, a Democrat, “would not stand in its way.”
House GOP Leader Tom Cross has a bill that would hike current employee pension contributions to 20 percent of salary. The idea would be to “encourage” workers to opt out of the defined benefit system and move to either an annuity program (similar to what SURS uses) or a 401(k) type dealio.
Discuss.
* Other budget-related stuff…
* ADDED: Editorial: Raise cigarette tax $1 to fund road plan
* ADDED: Editorial: Don’t blame unions for fiscal problems
* Quinn budget chief doled out pay hikes: On Jan. 13, while Quinn approved a 66 percent increase in the income tax, Vaught voted to boost the pay of Aaron Carter, director of the Illinois Procurement Policy Board, and Will Blount, who serves as a senior procurement analyst with the five-person agency.
* Chuck Sweeny: Republicans not convinced by sad budget stories
* CollegeIllinois’ promise of tuition benefits looks iffy: That sounds reasonable, except that the unspecified “cancellation fees” are found in the fine print. They are: “The lesser of $100 or 50% of amount paid.” Yes, taken literally, that means you could lose half the amount you deposited by withdrawing from your contract!
* House committee votes to bar 3rd Street rail funding
* Cigarette tax hike runs into opposition: Republicans charged Cullerton is manufacturing a crisis over the construction money as a way to push the cigarette tax hike because he has long sought an increase in the 98 cents-per-pack the state now levies. Officials with both Gov. Pat Quinn’s budget office and the state transportation department said no road or construction programs are held up this year because of the appellate court decision.
* Buck-a-pack cig tax proposed: Steve Brown, spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, said he’s not aware of any discussions about this latest proposal to hike the cigarette tax. He also said there are mixed feelings among lawmakers about the need to reauthorize the capital plan while the case is still in the courts. Some lawmakers think the state will prevail, and others believe there already are enough projects under way to get the state through another construction season.
* Cullerton eyes cigarette tax hike, GOP backs away
* VIDEO: John Cullerton on Cigarette Tax
* Vouchers Bubble Up Again In Springfield: Sponsored by State Sen. Matt Murphy (R-Palatine), the bill mirrors the vouchers proposal State Sen. James Meeks (D-Chicago) put on the table about a year ago. No specific numbers of student and costs are detailed in SB 1932, but Meeks’ bill, which passed the Senate but ultimately failed in the House, would have given up to 30,000 CPS students a voucher worth about $3,700.
* TIF Reform Comes To Springfield: A host of TIF bills have been introduced into the current General Assembly. One of the bills proposed would exempt Chicago Public Schools from the taxing bodies that lose property tax dollars because of the existence of TIF districts in the city. Another would send “surplus” TIF dollars back to the taxing bodies each year.
* Legislator: Metra board wasting money, should resign
* Anderson: Quinn plan off base - Regional superintendent turns to county board for support
* Illinois law signed requiring voter referendums for expanded community mental health services
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WLS shames itself again
Wednesday, Mar 16, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* He compared himself to the Japanese tsunami victims but claims others are cynical scoundrels? Sheesh…
Rod Blagojevich got behind the mic at WLS-890 AM Wednesday morning during which he compared his ousting as governor to the tragedy in Japan, calling it a “tsunami that happened to me” and called Springfield lawmakers “cynical scoundrels.”
* And he still claims he was “highjacked” from office so that the remaining Democrats could pass a tax increase…
Blagojevich set his sights on political life and former colleagues, namely who he called the “unholy trinity of Democrats”: Gov. Pat Quinn, House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate Pres. John Cullerton.
“What’s on my mind today are things like the taxes, the Illinois taxes,” Blagojevich said at the start of his 5-9 a.m. stint filling in for Don and Roma on the “Don Wade and Roma Show.”
“I was hijacked from office. Pat Quinn got there, and he made a deal with [Madigan and Cullerton] that he was going to sock it to the people and solve the problems of government on the backs of the hard-working people of Illinois … not by making government more efficient.”
Yeah. His impeachment had nothing whatsoever to do with his arrest. Right.
How WLS could give this convicted doofus a microphone is just beyond me.
* Meanwhile, could Fitz be leaving? He’s apparently on a prestigious short list…
U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald is reportedly on the short list of candidates being eyed to replace outgoing FBI Director Robert S. Mueller.
Citing sources, both the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday included Fitzgerald on the list of top candidates. […]
The leading candidate is reportedly another Chicago native, Michael Mason. Mason is a former top official at the FBI’s Washington field office currently serving as Verizon Communications’ top security chief.
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* We’ve talked before about all the non-agriculture bills which have been assigned to the House Agriculture Committee. Yesterday, the committee held a hearing on two bills opposed by pro-choice forces, which sparked a “Women are Not Livestock” protest…
The House Agriculture and Conservation Committee, which is dominated by conservative downstate Democrats and Republicans, [yesterday] unanimously approved a measure that would require Illinois abortion clinics to meet tougher regulations to continue providing services.
Under the proposal, clinics that perform more than 50 abortions a year would be required to meet the same regulatory requirements as other medical outpatient surgery clinics.
* Three bills were actually assigned for debate in the committee yesterday. Two passed, but one was held up because a pro-choice Senator had already pre-filed to sponsor the bill, effectively killing it in that chamber...
All three sponsors of the bills denied asking that their bills be sent to the Agriculture Committee and did not know who made the decision to put their bills before the panel, though all complimented House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) for giving their bills a chance to be heard.
“I don’t know,” said [GOP Rep. Darlene] Senger, when asked why her abortion-clinic bill was in front of the farming committee. “These committees have been all over the place this time. I got some other bills in some crazy places right now, too.”
But House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie (D-Chicago), who chairs the House Rules Committee that assigns bills to committees, said rank-and-file legislators make the request as to where their bills go in the earliest stages of the legislative process.
* As you an see, the “why” behind the bill assignments is a bit murky. The sponsors aren’t taking responsibility, but Speaker Madigan’s office is pointing the finger of blame at them…
When asked if the ideological makeup of the committee was the reason for the bill’s assignment, Senger said, “I couldn’t comment on that.”
But Steve Brown, spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, said the legislation went to the committee at Senger’s request.
And…
Senger denies requesting the committee assignment for her bill, or even knowing how it got there. She suggested that other lawmakers or lobbyists may have had some input into the committee assignment.
That could be.
* Back to the protest…
“I’m not sure what agriculture has to do with women’s reproductive health care,” said Rep. Elaine Nekritz, D-Northbrook, who wore one of the shirts on the House floor.
Rep. Sara Feigenholtz, D-Chicago, said there were agendas floating to erode the rights of women.
“Even worse, they seem to be going to the most inappropriate committees here in Springfield that deal with livestock,” she said. “Personally, I think it should offend every woman in the state of Illinois that those bills were sent to that committee.”
Asked if she thought they were sent there because of the more conservative makeup of the committee, increasing the proposals’ chances of making it onto the House floor, Feigenholtz said, “You think?”
And…
“They’ve spent more time asking questions about road kill and muskrats than they did (debating) this bill,'’ before passing it 13-0, complained Ed Yohnka of the American Civil Liberties Union, which opposes the bill.
* An unusual defense…
Peter Breen of the Thomas More Society, who testified for the bill in committee, made one of the few attempts to justify the committee assignment. He maintained the bill is an attempt to regulate potentially unsafe abortion clinics, and said: “They say women are not livestock. We completely agree, which is why they should not be treated like that.'’
* The last word…
But even some conservatives, like state Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, question the committee’s catch-all jurisdiction over conservative social issues. Bost got a big laugh from the protestors when he presented an unrelated bill with the announcement that “it might actually be an agricultural bill.'’
“I’m always amazed at what goes through the Ag Committee,'’ he said later. “I’m pro-gun, I’m pro-life, but you have to question it.'’
Discuss.
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