Caption contest!
Monday, Aug 4, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a press release…
BATH, IL — More than 7,000 invasive carp were removed from the Illinois River this past weekend and hundreds of people watched Asian carp cooking demonstrations during the 9th Annual Redneck Fishing Tournament.
“Every year I’m amazed at how many people turn out,” said Betty DeFord, who organizes the tournament. “More and more people are being made aware of the problems these fish create.”
Four, 2-hour fishing heats spread over Friday and Saturday netted 7,126 fish. The Sushi Slayer team from Washington, IL took first place with 531 Asian carp. Schafer Fisheries hauled away the fish to process into fertilizer.
Tournament proceeds will help homeless veterans through the Veterans Affairs hospital in Danville. More than $1,700 was raised through raffles. The Sushi Slayers and other top finishers donated their winnings to help the cause.
* The Senate Democrats’ communications director John Patterson was part of a team that caught over 300 flying carp. He’s posted a video of the experience…
Man, that place was fragrant on Sunday. Whew. I met some cool people, though, and traveled there with an old friend who texted me this morning…
Thanks again for an epic unrepeatable weekend!
Ain’t that the truth. Still dragging today. Oscar is worn out too.
* On to the caption contest. Yes, it’s late in the day, but hopefully we’ll still get some solid entrees. I mean, how many times do we get to mess with Patterson? Here he is holding a giant flying carp that a member of his team netted right before it flew into somebody else’s face…
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* We’re coming really late to this Kurt Erickson column, but I wanted to make sure you saw this…
Among the more than 2,000 emails turned over to a legislative panel investigating Gov. Pat Quinn’s failed anti-violence program is a confidential note from the governor’s liaison with the Legislature.
In it, Jessica Brushkin shines a spotlight on how individual lawmakers view the governor.
It is not a pretty view.
Let’s take state Rep. Bill Mitchell for example.
Brushkin wrote that the Republican from Forsyth was upset the governor did not invite him or state Rep. Adam Brown, R-Champaign, to events with the governor in Decatur.
At the time the email went out in September 2012, Quinn had just been in Decatur for an event honoring veterans.
* Ah, but there’s more. With many thanks to Kurt, the full e-mail…
From: Bruskin, Jessica
Sent: Wednesday, September 26, 2012 10:48 AM
To: [Redacted by me]
Subject: Noteworthy information from roll call
Sensitivity: Confidential
· Rep. Cabello (Repub) is is supportive of all of our veto action except for assault weapons ban, budget and gaming. He has not made a decision on Leucadia yet.
· Rep. E Jackson - had other concern regarding one particular program that got funded, the Neighborhood Recovery Initiative Program; which was funded $14 million. His concern is why all the funding got sent up to the Chicago area. He wants to know: -Why did none of those dollars come down to the East St. Louis area? -How was the process determined? -What is the process to apply? -Is it to late to apply? -Wanting a list of contacts who in charge of this program? He also spoke about the Safety Recovery Program which funding was cut. Rep. Jackson stated he would like to have someone get back with him regarding these questions before next Wednesday (September 26).
· Rep. Lang - The Gov’s office had better not think they can negotiate a [gaming] compromise without me at the table, or just Link and Cullerton at the table without me, they are wrong and will not succeed.
· Rep. Lyons - Joe is extremely upset with the Governor’s office at this time. He professionally and politely refused to answer any questions about legislation.
· Rep. Mitchell, B - Rep. Bill Mitchell was upset that the Governor did not invite him (nor Rep. Brown) to events the Governor was at in Decatur. He stated he was only agreeing to listen to the Governor’s point of view on these issues because I requested the meeting. He would not have met with anyone else.
· Sen. Delgado - He wants this to be shared with the Governor: he is tired of the Gov blaming legislators for issues and problems in the state. When he bashes legislators, he is trageting ALL of them. If Gov. Quinn has issues with certain legislators he should single them out & not blame allof them. Delgado says he is a Democrat, just like Quinn & that they should work together as a team & team members–don’t bash each other. He said he expects an apology from the Gov and the Gov should understand that they are allies & will get so much more done when they work together. He apologized to the caller for having to go thru her to relay this message, but the Gov and his leadership have not responded to him & his requests to discuss issues.
* One of the staff replies was pretty snarky…
Cabello’s is interesting — he is supportive of all our veto action except for 4 out of 7 of them?
I like Lang’s too, it sounds like something out of The Avengers.
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Rauner paying canvassers
Monday, Aug 4, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Bruce Rauner’s campaign manager sent out an e-mail to supporters over the weekend…
Well, we’ve tried to keep under wraps the grassroots machine we’ve built as a counterpoint to the insiders’ powerful political machine that’s been around for decades. We’re work horses, not show horses. But what we’re doing is so big and so unprecedented that reporters and the political class have taken notice. Below is an article that highlights our historic grassroots effort.
Thousands of volunteers are walking doors, making calls, and reaching out to their friends and neighbors.
The “ground game,” as campaigns call it, has long been the domain of the insider’s powerful political machine. They’ve invested in people and elbow grease while we’ve too often limited ourselves to the “air war” of ads. They’ve also cleaned our clock.
Not this time. We’re all-in.
Thousands of “volunteers”? Maybe not. Illinois Review…
Perhaps there are thousands of Rauner volunteers elsewhere, but in at least two southwest Cook County townships, Rauner is paying people to walk precincts.
Both Palos Township GOP Chairman Sean Morrison and Worth Township GOP Chairman Shaun Murphy sent out emails this past week, telling their members about opportunities to be paid to walk precincts for Rauner.
The program offers limited opportunities, beginning immediately, Murphy wrote in his email.
“The program will continue for the next several weeks, up to the election,” he said. “The positions will be filled on a first come bases, with productivity the determinate factor for its continuation. The compensation will be $1000 for 100 hours a month or $500 for 60 hours a month.”
Morrison’s email offered a similar opportunity to walk for Rauner in Palos Township.
“Due to available funding, in a joint coordination effort of the Palos Organization and the Rauner for Governor campaign, we are pleased to announce that we are able to offer a paid precinct walker program,” Morrison wrote.
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Question of the day
Monday, Aug 4, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a press release…
State Senator Kirk W. Dillard stepped down from his seat as state Senator for the 24th District, ending a prolific legislative career.
Dillard will begin work immediately as Chairman of the Regional Transportation Authority, which oversees the nation’s second largest mass transit system, over 2 million riders daily.
“It has been a true privilege to serve the people of the 24th District,” said Dillard. “It has been a tremendous honor to work side by side so many great people in my district serving them to make our communities better places to live and work.”
Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno (R-Lemont) adds, “Sen. Dillard is a respected legislator in the Capitol, a statesman recognized by both chambers and both parties. We will truly miss his experience.”
“I began my career as an intern right out of Western Illinois University in 1977 on the Senate Republican staff and then attended law school at DePaul while living in my parents house and taking Metra to school daily,” said Dillard.
“I was called to public service at a young age,” he said. Dillard served with distinction as Chief of Staff for Gov. Jim Edgar (from 1990 to 1993) and as a Legislative Director for former Gov. Jim Thompson (from 1983 to 1987). He was a Judge on the Court of Claims from February 1987 to December 1990.
“I’ve greatly enjoyed my work as a lawmaker.” Dillard said. “I respected the process and worked hard to honor the wishes of those who elected me and sent me to the General Assembly to work humbly on their behalf. I’ve worked with many outstanding lawmakers and community leaders over the years and I am grateful for the opportunity to have served the state of Illinois.”
“Among my accomplishments legislatively, I’m very proud to have sponsored a bill to create the Amber Missing Child Alert System here in Illinois,” said Dillard. And we bolstered public access to Internet information about sexual predators, said Dillard, who was first elected to the Senate in 1995.
“I am proud to have worked in a bipartisan fashion, without ever giving up my Republican principles of less government, lower taxes and individual liberties.”
The rest is here.
I know that many of y’all had some hard feelings about Sen. Dillard during the primary campaign. I did, too, and I gave Dillard a piece of my mind. But he’s leaving the Senate after a long and pretty darned distinguished career, so…
* The Question: Your thoughts on Dillard’s retirement? And be kind, please.
* I’ll start: Too many legislators will look for a way to disagree with their colleagues. Dillard built a reputation for trying to find a way to agree with a colleague in order to make a bill better. I admired that in him.
He also listened, even if he totally disagreed with you. He heard you out.
Your turn…
*** UPDATE *** From Bruce Rauner…
“Senator Dillard has devoted years to public service on behalf of the people of the state of Illinois. His constituents were fortunate to have him working on their behalf in Springfield. The Regional Transportation Authority is gaining a wonderful leader who’s knowledge and experience will bring value as chairman. I wish him all the best in his new endeavor.”
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* From a Cheri Bustos press release…
Congresswoman Cheri Bustos’ (IL-17) office released the following statement upon the passing of her father, Gene Callahan:
“Early this morning, Congresswoman Bustos received word that her beloved father passed away overnight at his home in Springfield. Congresswoman Bustos and her family thank everyone for their thoughts, prayers and the outpouring of support on this difficult day.”
Gene was one heck of a man. A true gentleman. And he always made it a point to return all his calls, no matter how mighty or tiny the caller.
From his bio…
For over 40 years Gene Callahan worked in the political arena, first as a journalist with the Illinois State Register (Springfield) from 1957 to 1967, then as assistant press secretary for Gov. Sam Shapiro, and Lt. Gov. Paul Simon’s press secretary until 1972. In 1974 he began his long association with Alan Dixon, when Dixon served as Illinois state Treasurer, then Illinois Secretary of State. When Dixon moved to the U.S. Senate in 1981, Callahan became his chief of staff and most trusted political advisor. After Dixon lost a reelection bid to Carol Mosley Braun in 1992, Callahan worked for several years as the chief lobbyist for Major League Baseball, fighting to preserve its exemption from the Sherman Antitrust Act. His long friendship with Senator Dick Durbin dates back to the days when both worked for Lt. Gov. Simon.
First Al, now Gene. We’re witnessing the end of an era.
I’ll update this post today with what I’m sure will be a flood of statements.
* Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka…
“Illinois lost a true statesman this morning with the passing of Gene Callahan. Gene was passionate about public service. Although he worked in government and politics for decades he was able to rise above partisanship and work with anyone for the good of the order. He was truly one of the good ones. My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this difficult time.”
* Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon…
“Illinois will miss Gene Callahan. And the Simon family in particular has lost a dear friend.
“Gene served as chief of staff for my dad, a mentor for my brother, and a trusted advisor for me. He was always focused on what was best for the people of our state, not short-term political advantage. His ethical standards were the highest – standards I try to live up to daily.
“My thoughts and prayers are with Gene’s family and all whose lives he touched.”
* Gov. Pat Quinn…
“Gene Callahan was one of those rare fixtures in the political world – a true gentleman who could work with anybody, any time, to get things done.
“It is hard to believe the 40-plus-year ‘Callahan era’ has come to a close. Few of us can remember a time when Gene was not involved in public service. Thankfully, he has instilled those same values in his daughter Cheri Bustos, who has taken his ethic of hard work and honesty to the U.S. Congress.
“Illinois has suffered two huge losses recently – first former Senator Alan Dixon, and now the Senator’s long-time friend and advisor, Gene Callahan. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and the thousands of people whose lives Gene touched during his long and storied life.”
* US Rep. Rodney Davis…
“Gene Callahan was truly a role model for anyone involved in government or politics. His work ethic was the stuff of legend, including his first rule: always return your phone calls, no matter the caller. Gene was most certainly a proud Democrat, but he also is one who believed that in order to accomplish great things, we need to work across the aisle to get things done. His passing is truly a loss for the state of Illinois and our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Ann, and his family, including my friend and colleague Congresswoman Cheri Bustos.”
* Class move by Bobby Schilling, who’s running against Bustos…
“Illinois lost a great statesman today. Gene Callahan admirably dedicated his life to public service and had a positive impact on the State of Illinois. My prayers go out to Congresswoman Bustos and her entire family.”
*** UPDATE *** From the family…
Era Eugene “Gene” Callahan, 80, of Springfield, formerly of Washington, D.C., passed away Monday, August 4, 2014, at his residence. Gene was born November 5, 1933, in Milford, IL to Joe and Helen Meyer Callahan. Joe Callahan, an active Democrat and Illinois state representative, introduced Gene to politics and his way of life. Gene served his country in the U.S. Army, stationed in Germany from 1956-1957. He was a graduate of Illinois College in Jacksonville, where he played baseball and met his future wife. On October 26, 1957, Gene married Antoinette “Ann” Hammond. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Fran, sister, Jody Pruitt, and son, Daniel “Coach Cal” Callahan.
Gene began his career as a political reporter for the Illinois State Register, the predecessor to the State Journal-Register. He wrote a daily political column called Callagrams for many years. He left journalism to become deputy press secretary to Governor Samuel H. Shapiro and later Governor Otto Kerner; eventually serving to Lt. Governor Paul Simon. He was director of communications for City Water Light and Power (CWLP) for the city of Springfield. He was U.S. Senator Alan Dixon’s Chief of Staff during his years as Illinois State Treasurer, Secretary of State and U.S. Senator. Senator Dixon just passed away last month. Gene also integrated his passion for baseball and was the director of Government Relations for Major League Baseball. In retirement, Gene served on the board of trustees for Southern Illinois University, where his late son, Dan, was the head baseball coach for 16 seasons. It was his and Ann’s passion to follow Dan’s baseball career. He remained active politically throughout his lifetime, although behind the scenes as advisor to many. In fact, his family is pleased that on his last day of life, he was at a political event at Norb Andy’s Tavern for his daughter, Cheri Bustos, a Congresswoman representing the 17th district for Illinois. Almost his entire immediate family was all together. Gene had many friends and enjoyed life to its fullest.
He is survived by his wife, Ann, of Springfield, IL; daughters, Lynn (Al) Riddley of Springfield and Cheri (Gerry) Bustos of East Moline; daughter-in-law, Stacy Callahan of Carterville; grandchildren, Brad and Chrissy Ruppert, Tony, Nick and Joey Bustos; Alexa, and Carly Callahan, sister Neta (Myron) Erdman of Chenoa.
Gene wanted his family and friends to celebrate his life, not mourn it. A party, complete with Gabatoni’s pizza, in Gene’s honor will be held at Norb Andy’s, 518 East Capitol Ave., Springfield, on Friday, August 8 from 2-6pm.
Staab Polk Memorial Home, 8855 State Route 4, Chatham, IL 62629 is serving the Callahan family. In lieu of flowers, please vote on November 4th.
Please visit www.staabpolk.com to offer your condolences. [Emphasis added.]
“In lieu of flowers, please vote.” Heh.
* More…
Springfield lobbyist Tim McAnarney, a longtime friend, said Callahan’s final day was spent doing what he loved.
“He was in a saloon talking politics, surrounded by his family,” McAnarney said.
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Shooting for viral
Monday, Aug 4, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gov. Pat Quinn’s campaign posted its new TV ad on YouTube on July 29th. It’s so far received 1,731 views…
* Two days later, on July 31st, Bruce Rauner’s campaign uploaded a paradoy of the Quinn TV ad. Check out the view count…
Neither one of these videos has gone viral, but the Quinn ad is its most-watched YouTube video of the year. Rauner has at least 30 videos which have garnered more views so far.
Rauner is the challenger, and there’s always lots of interest in a challenger, and as we get closer to the election we’ll see Quinn’s viewcounts rise. Four years ago, one of Quinn’s videos got national attention and received over 174,000 views.
But when your TV ad is being out-viewed online by a parody ad, that’s probably not a great sign.
* Meanwhile, the Illinois Federation of Teachers is hoping this video of Rauner saying last year that he may have to shut down government will get hot online…
The Rauner quote…
“I apologize. We may have to go through rough times. We may have to do what Ronald Reagan did with the air traffic controllers. Sort of have to do a do-over and shut things down for a little while. That’s what we’re gonna do.”
From the video explanation…
In this clip, Illinois gubernatorial hopeful Bruce Rauner proposes that Illinois fire public employees (apparently without cause) because he felt “things” need to be “shut down for a while” to fix government.
Rauner will probably believe he has ample “cause” if he ever decides to take that step, but I see their point. Full speech is here.
* And the Rauner campaign is trying to put words into Quinn’s mouth with its latest video…
Quinn Disagrees with Tribune, Falsely Claims No Federal Funds Were Used in NRI
Governor intentionally misleads public when asked to respond to congressional delegation concerns
On Friday, the Chicago Tribune reported for the first time that federal disaster funds were misused in Gov. Pat Quinn’s Neighborhood Recovery Initiative.
When confronted with the front page story at a press conference in southern Illinois later that day, Gov. Quinn pretended that no federal funds were ever misued in NRI, despite a front page Tribune story laying out the facts and members of the Illinois congressional delegation calling for an investigation.
Um, not quite. The video…
Quinn’s quote…
“No, I haven’t misused any funds like that. I don’t agree with that at all. You know we take safe-guarding of any of the funds we receive,” he says.
To which the Rauner campaign responds…
Quinn doesn’t agree that federal disaster funds were used in NRI?
A bit of a stretch.
* But while this political video posted by a state legislative candidate has no views as of yet, it does have perhaps the best chance of catching some fire if we give it a little nudge today…
Heh.
Keep it short, keep it simple, add a bit of humor.
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* The front page of the Sunday Sun-Times…
* From the story…
Multimillionaire Republican Bruce Rauner has channeled at least part of his fortune into the Cayman Islands, a Caribbean paradise long criticized as a tax haven for American investors, the Chicago Sun-Times has confirmed.
A Rauner spokesman insisted that the former private equity investor has met his legal tax obligations and properly disclosed to the federal government information regarding at least five investments by him or his firm in a country that has no income tax and a financial system cloaked in secrecy.
Rauner’s campaign has refused so far to release a full set of his most recent tax returns to corroborate that and perhaps show the extent and value of those investments in offshore companies. No one has suggested Rauner has done anything illegal. In fact, offshore investments among the wealthy have been a common practice in recent years.
For Rauner, consistently leading Gov. Pat Quinn in mid-summer polling, it’s the same political issue that President Barack Obama used to his advantage against uber-rich Republican Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential campaign.
Three of the five Cayman investments were done through GTCR, Rauner’s former firm…
“Bruce’s personal tax rate and state tax obligations are not impacted by where the GTCR subsidiary funds are located” [said campaign spokesman Mike Schrimpf].
The other two…
A fourth Cayman Islands-linked investment was The Overlook Partners Fund LP, from which Rauner disclosed receiving a capital gain of at least $5,000 in 2012 on his state economic-interest statement. The Overlook Partners Fund is a non-GTCR-related investment fund for which Rauner’s personal funds were used, his campaign said.
On his economic-interest statement, Rauner also declared having at least $5,000 worth of stock holdings or deriving $1,200 or more in dividends from a fifth Cayman Islands-based entity, HSBC Holdings PLC. A campaign aide said that investment belongs to Rauner’s family foundation.
One other point from the story…
In addition to their tax advantages, Cayman Islands investments typically aren’t accessible to most Americans because they can require minimum $500,000 or $1 million deposits, [ Richard L. Kaplan, a University of Illinois law professor] said.
* From the Quinn campaign…
“Republican billionaire Bruce Rauner doesn’t just use exotic methods to dodge taxes - he even uses exotic, offshore locations.
“Who ever heard of a candidate for Governor of Illinois stashing millions of dollars in the Cayman Islands to avoid paying Illinois and U.S. taxes?
“Whether Mr. Rauner’s tax dodge is legal is beside the point. It’s wrong.
“Mr. Rauner has a duty to disclose how much of his fortune he has hidden in the Cayman Islands and explain why he chose to send his wealth to a notorious tax haven that is shrouded in secrecy and available only to corporations and the uber-wealthy.
“These revelations also demand new scrutiny of his finances. Not only must Mr. Rauner reveal his full tax information - he must reveal whether he has any other foreign investments and just with whom he is investing overseas.”
Rauner is running millions of dollars in negative attack ads that are financed by money he obtained by jumping through elite loopholes to avoid taxes.
Sheltering his money in the Cayman Islands to avoid taxes isn’t the first time that Rauner has been caught gaming the system to enrich himself while the rest of us play by a different set of rules. In July, the Chicago Tribune reported that Rauner used elite tax strategies to avoid Social Security and Medicare taxes in previous years and drastically lower his own tax burden. For more information, visit www.RealRauner.com.
* The DGA has eight questions…
1. Why did Bruce Rauner park his money there if not to game the system for his own financial benefit?
2. How much money does Bruce Rauner have in the Cayman Islands?
3. What kind of tax obligations did Bruce Rauner dodge or withhold from Illinois and the United States by sheltering cash overseas?
4. Why won’t he release his complete income tax records with schedules for full transparency and disclosure?
5. What other types of investments or financial interests is Bruce Rauner hiding?
6. Will Bruce Rauner fully disclose the amounts, the locations, and the partners of his foreign investments or holdings?
7. Does Rauner have foreign business partners that do business with the state of Illinois?
8. Would these wealthy foreign investors stand to benefit if Rauner were elected governor of the state?
* And from the Quinn campaign this morning…
Following new revelations that Bruce Rauner has been stashing millions of dollars in the Cayman Islands to avoid U.S. and Illinois taxes, Democratic nominee for Lt. Governor Paul Vallas will discuss why it is more important than ever that Rauner disclose his full tax records.
WHEN: 10 a.m.
WHERE: 12th Street Beach – Northerly Island
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* From the US Attorney’s office…
The change of plea was just scheduled this morning for 11 a.m. The previously scheduled 9 a.m. status hearing was cancelled. Details will be made available during and after court.
The hearing change today is “by agreement.” I’m told “it is related to, but different from, what he was originally charged with.”
I’ll update this post as soon as I know more.
Rep. Ford was indicted on 17 counts of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution in November of 2012. The original indictment is here. He has steadfastly denied the charges and pled not guilty.
*** UPDATE 1 *** The feds had a lousy case, so it’s good to see them reportedly backing off…
*** UPDATE 2 *** From the feds…
Attached is a superseding information filed this morning charging State Rep. LaShawn Ford with one count of delivering a false federal income tax return for 2007, a misdemeanor, which carries a maximum sentence of a year in prison and a $100,000 fine.
The new “superseding information”…
On or about August 29, 2008, in the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, and elsewhere, LASHAWN FORD, defendant herein, willfully delivered and disclosed, and caused to be delivered and disclosed, to the Internal Revenue Service a U.S. Individual Income Tax Return (Form 1040 with schedules and attachments) for calendar year 2007, which return was false as to a material matter in that the return falsely stated that the total cost or other basis for the property at 5700 W. Erie in Chicago was $166,979, when in fact, as FORD knew, the total cost or other basis for that property was materially lower than $166,979;
In violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7207.
*** UPDATE 3 *** From the plea deal…
One of those investment properties was a single-family home located at 5700 W. Erie in Chicago. The defendant sold that property on or about March 20, 2007, for $275,000.
On or about August 29, 2008, the defendant signed and filed with the Internal Revenue Service an income tax return (Form 1040) for calendar year 2007. On that return, the defendant stated that the cost or other basis for the property at 5700 W. Erie was $166,979, a figure that included $74,226 in purported rehabilitation costs, yielding a capital gain of $124,278. As the defendant knew, the rehabilitation costs for that property were in fact approximately $51,160. This resulted in a $3,782 tax loss.
Man, they really backtracked there. Wow.
From the feds…
U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer set sentencing for 11 a.m. on Nov. 7, 2014.
Ford faces a maximum sentence of a year in prison and a $100,000 fine. The court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
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* My Crain’s Chicago Business column… [fixed link]
Big Jim Thompson and I disagree.
The former 14-year Illinois governor says he has no regrets about pushing legislation in the 1980s that exempted retirement income from state taxation.
I think it’s crazy. Illinois is facing a $4 billion hole in its 2015 budget when the 2011 income tax increase automatically starts to roll back on Jan. 1. That’s a huge headache for whoever wins the Nov. 4 election, Gov. Pat Quinn or Republican nominee Bruce Rauner.
Illinois is leaving $2 billion on the table by not taxing retirement income, studies have shown. That missed revenue is escalating every year. Total retirement income in Illinois is growing by 6.5 percent a year, compared with just 1.9 percent annual growth for personal income that is taxed, according to a study by the Civic Federation.
Illinois is one of just three states that exempt pension income from taxation, according to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.
Shouldn’t we get in line with all those other states? Mr. Thompson says no.
Click here to read the rest before discussing, please [fixed link]. Included in the story are exclusive results from a new poll of Illinois senior citizens on this issue.
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Can a positive message work?
Monday, Aug 4, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* My weekly syndicated newspaper column…
Gov. Pat Quinn’s new TV ad is 60 seconds of one positive message after another.
“Pat Quinn sees problems, takes action and gets the job done,” the ad claims. “Now, Illinois is making a comeback,” it continues.
But the spot is being slammed by longtime campaign insiders in both parties as “spitting in the wind.”
For instance, a Paul Simon Public Policy Institute poll in June found that a mere 30 percent of Illinoisans thought the state was on the right track, while a a very strong 60 percent majority thought Illinois was on the wrong track.
And an infamous poll taken by Gallup in April found that 50 percent of Illinoisans would move to a different state if given the chance. We were first in the country on that response, according to Gallup. Just 25 percent of Minnesotans, by contrast, felt the same way.
In other words, a positive TV ad campaign is not very likely to change many minds. Way too many people simply hate the way things are going here.
Instead, Democratic critics have been arguing behind the scenes to abandon positivity in the very near future and launch a full-on, brutal assault against Bruce Rauner as soon as possible. And quite a few experienced Republican operatives were scratching their heads at the ad, saying they highly doubted it would move any numbers at all.
The Quinn campaign obviously tested that initial message with focus groups and polling. So, hey, maybe they’re right. But when’s the last time you heard someone say they were proud to live in this state or that things were really starting to turn around?
Meanwhile, the Quinn folks are reportedly hoping to drive up turnout by more than 200,000 votes with the non-binding minimum wage referendum this fall, which asks voters if they support a $10 per hour minimum wage.
That turnout projection has long caused much consternation behind the scenes among people who believe it’s entirely unrealistic. What the Quinnsters are hoping to do has never been done before, critics point out. The Quinn campaign’s projections rely heavily on a record off-year turnout, even though the national and state headwinds are rapidly nearing hurricane force levels and Democratic interest is quite low.
Democrats are hoping to spend as much as $5 million on the minimum wage project to drive otherwise non-motivated “base” voters to go to the polls. US Sen. Dick Durbin’s campaign is reportedly in full agreement and pressure from both Durbin and Quinn has for now forced the Chicago City Council to delay a vote on its own $13 minimum wage ordinance. The cold calculation was that a $13 per hour ordinance passed in September would undermine the Democrats’ $10 per hour efforts in the fall campaign.
On the other side of the fence, Bruce Rauner’s campaign has calculated a more than 300,000 voter turnout increase just to be on the safe side. After Rauner’s unexpectedly narrow GOP primary win (despite internal Rauner polls showing the candidate with a well over twenty-point lead), the Republicans want to be extra sure that they plan for every possible contingency.
To some Democrats, that Rauner internal turnout projection validates their theory of a turnout spike. They believe that early voting, same day registration and other new “tools” will assist them in reaching their goal.
To others, it’s just smart politics by Rauner and overly dangerous optimism by Quinn. In other words, if the spike happens, Rauner will have prepared himself. If it doesn’t happen, Quinn is likely toast.
At least in public, however, Rauner is making some pretty darned inflated claims himself. He reportedly told a group of African-American small businessmen last week that he will get 28 percent of the black vote in Chicago - something that hasn’t been done there in a very long time.
But he’s certainly trying hard. ABC 7’s Charles Thomas reported last week that Rauner committed at that same meeting with black small businessmen to deposit $1 million of his own personal money into a Chicago credit union to be used for small business loans.
The Rauner campaign confirmed the story with Thomas, calling the pledge “one of many steps Bruce will take to reinvigorate our communities that have suffered under the failed policies and broken commitments of politicians.”
That “one of many” phrase has got to send chills up the Quinn campaign’s collective spine.
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Question of the day
Friday, Aug 1, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Election day this year is Tuesday, November 4th. What do you think Monday, November 3rd will look like in Illinois?
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The Sun-Times’ inexcusable reefer madness
Friday, Aug 1, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Eric Zorn…
Wednesday, the Chicago City Council banned medical marijuana dispensaries — the city is slated to have 13 — from manufacturing districts and transportation corridors, from areas near parks and forest preserves, and from certain downtown areas.
Even this wasn’t enough to prevent our friends at the Sun-Times from splashing their front page with the alarming headline “Neighborhood joints: New zoning rules mean medical pot spots likely to pop up in busy areas.”
You’d think Illinois was the first state — not the 20th — to OK the medical use of marijuana. You’d think there were no data whatsoever about the impact, if any, of dispensaries in busy or even comparatively idle areas.
But police agencies and academics have looked at just these sorts of concerns over the years. The Marijuana Policy Project in Washington, D.C., has collected the results; nearly all of it reaches the same “hey, no big deal” conclusion reached by researchers from the University of South Florida, the University of Colorado and the New York City Criminal Justice Agency when they studied 275 medical marijuana distribution sites.
Despite all the advance warnings, they wrote in a paper published earlier this year, “these centers do not appear to have any impact on the urban landscape and, therefore, on the health of the communities in which they are located.”
The media needs to grow up, already.
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Today’s long read
Friday, Aug 1, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
As Gov. Pat Quinn’s aides sought to pump up an anti-violence program ahead of his November 2010 election bid, they decided to add to the pot $3.76 million in federal disaster recovery funds from Hurricane Ike to make loans to small businesses.
In the rush to get the program launched, the Quinn administration hired a financially troubled West Side business development group to dole out loans, despite concluding the organization had recently misspent state grant funds.
The group, Chicago Community Ventures did not make a single loan, but was allowed to keep more than $150,000 when the contract was nixed, the Tribune has found.
Quinn aides say they caught the problems early by carefully monitoring the group and opted to let the organization keep the money because it had been spent appropriately on administrative costs.
But the administration would not specify how the group was vetted and whether other warning signs about the group’s finances were taken into consideration before it was selected.
Go read the whole thing.
* The story was apparently sparked by a letter written by US Sen. Mark Kirk, a Bruce Rauner ally, a week ago…
The Illinois Auditor, State’s Attorney office and the Audit Commission have only focused on the estimated $50 million in state funds used for the NRI. I am concerned that without your investigation into the micro-lending component of the NRI, there will be no oversight of the $5 million in federal disaster funds used for this questionable program.
I ask that you investigate and make public how these funds were used. I also request answers to the following questions regarding the NRI micro-loan program.
1. Who were the final recipients of the NRI micro-loan program and where were they located?
2. Did any of these businesses lie within areas of significant damage caused by Hurricane Ike?
3. What criteria was used to select micro-loan recipients?
a. Who chose the criteria?
4. What criteria was used to select micro-loan lenders?
a. Who chose this criteria?
5. How many jobs were created by this micro-loan program?
a. Which businesses created these jobs and what metrics were used to verify job creation statistics?
6. Was the NRI micro-loan program an eligible activity under the law that appropriated the money?
7. Did the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity accurately report the functions of the micro-loan program in their mandated Ike quarterly reports to allow for proper HUD oversight?
8. The Accion press release stated minimum requirements to obtain a NRI micro-loan. Were all of the recipients properly notified of the disaster requirements necessary to qualify for Ike Disaster Recovery Funds? Were these requirements posted online?
9. Did all of the recipients of the loans meet Ike Disaster Recovery Funds requirements?
10. I understand Illinois submitted waivers to forgo a portion of the HUD requirements for the Ike funds. Did these waivers permit micro-lending activity?
In addition to the answers to these questions, I would like any and all documents related to the site visits and subsequent concerns that were forwarded to the lenders as mentioned in the state’s Ike Quarterly Performance Reports to be made public.
Discuss.
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How times change
Friday, Aug 1, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* OK, here’s something that you wouldn’t have expected out of Jim Oberweis six months ago. From a media advisory…
U.S. Senate candidate Jim Oberweis will rally against violence tonight (Friday, Aug. 1) as part of the “Brothers on the Block” initiative organized by Pastor Corey Brooks of New Beginnings Church. Oberweis was the first major candidate to attend the weekly rallies earlier this summer and has made numerous visits to the South Side during this campaign.
8:30 p.m. — New Beginnings Church, 6620 S. King Drive Chicago.
Brooks has endorsed Oberweis.
* Meanwhile…
U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL), along with other Great Lakes senators, are calling for urgent action to stop the spread of Asian Carp and other invasive species.
In a letter sent Thursday to John Goss, the Asian Carp director of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, the senators asked for the official’s help “in urging the Chicago Area Waterway System Advisory Committee to make recommendations for short- and medium-term solutions to safeguard the Great Lakes from Asian carp and other invasive species as soon as possible.”
I only mention this because, believe it or not, I’m a co-sponsor of this year’s “Original Redneck Fishing Tournament” - which is something that I never thought I’d ever do…
Rednecks from all over the world travel to the little metropolis of Bath, IL (Pop. 350) for one fun weekend each summer to celebrate…and catch thousands of Asian Carp from the Illinois River. Whether it’s a final summer weekend trip of crazy fun before going back to school, or a inexpensive vacation getaway, this redneck event is becoming a must on summer bucket lists. Held along the banks of the Bath chute of the Illinois river, hundreds of boats compete each day for prizes, bragging rights, and for the sheer fun of catching silver carp out of the air. Thousands more come to sit along the banks of the river, play some family games and soak in the mardi gras atmosphere and smells…that last part isn’t really true, but it must be a good event because people stick around in spite of the smells. Come in costume, or just bring your lawn chairs and a camera, but be prepared for a weekend of Redneck fun!
The concept is to pilot your boat up the Illinois River and catch as many Asian Carp as possible. They mostly just jump right into your boat, but people also use nets to catch even more. Helmets with face guards are recommended. A twenty-pound carp smacking you in the head while you’re going 20 miles an hour can be quite problematic, to say the least…
Teams may want to consider some sort of protection from the flying fish such as helmets (especially if children are participating) and to wear padded life jackets throughout the event…even idling at the start line may get you hit by a fish or two. Another suggestion is to have something in the boat (such as an old garbage can or tote) to store the fish you have caught…they hurt when flopping around on the floor of the boat so a club or something to knock them out is sometimes used as well. Getting them from the riverbank to the drop-off site can be a challenge if you have caught dozens or hundreds of fish…so use the garbage can or tote to haul them to the drop off dumpster.
So, when Oberweis is at a black church, I’ll be co-sponsoring a redneck carp fishing tournament.
Weird, that.
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* More than 600 Chinese kids are enrolling at UIUC this fall…
They will represent nearly 10 percent of the entering freshman class at the state’s most competitive public university, up from fewer than 20 freshmen in 2006. And they are so important to the university’s present and future that a U. of I. team flew halfway around the world this summer to conduct three orientation sessions in their country.
While the students and their families are betting their futures on a U. of I. education, the university depends on the full tuition they pay — a minimum of $31,000 a year, in some cases totaling twice that of an Illinois resident, plus housing and other costs.
U. of I. has more international students than any other American public university, and it trails only the University of Southern California, a private institution. All told, including graduate students who qualify for some aid, about 9,400 international students funneled $166 million into the Urbana-Champaign campus budget last year in tuition alone, triple the amount from just five years ago.
When fees and housing are factored in, international students contributed $211 million to the campus budget, accounting for 25 percent of the amount paid by all students. Nearly half that sum came from China, university figures show.
It’s pretty clear that UIUC is using these kids to plug their budget holes. And what’s happening is those students are getting degrees, going home and then competing with us.
Spreading the American Way is a good thing. It makes this country stand head and shoulders above the rest of the world. And if that helps push real reform in China, then I’m for it. But, as the UIUC numbers show, the American Way these days has become too much about grabbing every dollar you can, almost regardless of the consequences.
* And, yes, I’m wincing at my own borderline reactionary xenophobia here. So, it’s important to also point out this…
Meanwhile, the number of students from Illinois is down, to 5,358 freshmen last fall, but that is more a function of students passing on Illinois than the university rejecting them. U. of I. has admitted a consistent number of in-state applicants over the past five years, but a higher percentage of them are enrolling elsewhere.
I’d really like to know why this is happening. Is it the high tuition? Is it the lack of quality education? Is it the condition of the campus? Is it just that kids are tired of living in Illinois? What?
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Pollapalooza
Friday, Aug 1, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Reboot has posted several new We Ask America Polls. First up, US Senate…
Dick Durbin 53
Jim Oberweis 38
Undecided 9
A 15-point margin and an incumbent sitting at 53 looks tough to beat to me. We’ll see how things progress.
* Ditto for the AG’s race, although it’s obvious that Lisa Madigan is no longer the most popular politician in Illinois…
Lisa Madigan 52
Paul Schimpf 35
Undecided 13
* That most popular moniker solidly belongs to Secretary of State Jesse White, who apparently has a 30-point lead in his race. I’d tell you what the numbers are, but Reboot has absolutely the worst poll reporting ever. You gotta read and read and read to find the topline head to heads, and they never once mentioned it in the SoS poll story and they have the wrong graph on the page.
* And JBT holds on to her title as most popular Republican…
Judy Baar Topinka 51
Sheila Simon 32
Undecided 16
* A Republican friend tells me this is the third poll in a row she’s seen where Cross has at least a ten-point lead over Frerichs for state treasurer…
Tom Cross 45
Mike Frerichs 34
Undecided 21
From the Frerichs campaign…
“While Tom Cross is better known than Mike Frerichs on August 1st, we have the resources and gameplan to turn that around and show voters there’s a clear choice between a prepared and experienced finance official and a twenty year Springfield insider to be the next state Treasurer. Mike Frerichs has detailed plans to clean up the mess created by the current Republican Treasurer and when voters tune into the race in the Fall, we are confident they will choose what Mike has been talking about for over a year now; bringing competency and transparency to the Treasurers office while making wise investments to help build our economy from the middle out.”
Notice that they didn’t challenge the poll results.
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Justifiable turnabout or pay to play?
Friday, Aug 1, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Mark Brown way back on March 19th…
My take on Rauner is that he brings an owner’s mentality to politics. The State of Illinois is his next acquisition. He’s a goal-oriented man who has switched his sights from making money to acquiring power. He’s paid no dues but now is well on his way to buying an election.
* ABC Chicago’s Charles Thomas last night…
Is it a multimillionaire stepping up to help a community, or is it a political candidate trying to buy votes? ABC7 Eyewitness News has learned Bruce Rauner has promised to give a South Side credit union $1 million.
Nothing like this has ever happened in Illinois politics: A candidate for governor promised $1 million of his own money to help the audience at a campaign event.
“I understand what he understands, and that’s money,” said Otis Monroe, Monroe Foundation.
Monroe was among the African American activists who greeted Bruce Rauner this week at the National Black Wall Street office. After the doors closed to the news media, Monroe says he asked the wealthy Republican to deposit $1 million in the South Side Community Federal Credit Union for loans to small businesses.
“He said he would commit not just a million dollars, but more than a million dollars to this institution,” said Monroe. […]
A Rauner campaign spokesman confirmed the $1 million dollar deal, calling it “one of many steps Bruce will take to reinvigorate our communities that have suffered under the failed policies and broken commitments of politicians.” […]
A spokeswoman for a stunned Quinn campaign wrote: “Any exchange of money for political support raises serious ethical questions. Pay to play has no place in Illinois.”
Partisan Republicans have long claimed that Democrats have used government and campaign money to “buy” black votes. So, I doubt anybody on Rauner’s side of the fence will be too offended by this bit of turnabout.
And I’d bet a whole lot of cash that this is only the tip of Rauner’s iceberg.
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* The Cook Political report has shifted its projections to favor Republicans in 17 congressional districts and shifted ratings to favor Democrats in just four. Illinois’ 12th District has been shifted a notch away from the Democrats…
Several polls show Democratic Gov. Pat Quinn well behind in this Downstate district, and that has Enyart backers worried. Democrats portray GOP state Rep. Mike Bost as “Meltdown Mike” for his infamous tirade on the state House floor, but Bost has worked hard to cast Enyart as “Beltway Bill” and actually outraised him in the second quarter of this year.
Some Democrats complain Enyart needs to work harder to raise his visibility in his district, otherwise Quinn could drag him down. Voter anxiety about the EPA could also play a role in a district where coal is a major industry. Private polling shows the race extremely tight, and Democrats may need to air footage of Bost’s meltdown to cast him as too hotheaded for Congress.
I’ll disagree with that last statement. If this develops into a truly anti-incumbent year (and it sure looks that way), then sending an angry hothead to Congress might be just what the voters want.
Your thoughts?
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Two important inversion opinions
Friday, Aug 1, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Blog readers voted 65-35 yesterday that Gov. Pat Quinn needed to keep the heat on Walgreen’s for considering a corporate inversion - lowering its federal tax bill by moving its headquarters to Switzerland.
After blasting Quinn earlier this week and then back-tracking, the Sun-Times’ Dave McKinney tried to get a straight answer from Rauner yesterday…
Republican Bruce Rauner said Thursday it would be “terrible” if Walgreens decided to move its headquarters to Switzerland to avoid paying U.S. taxes.
But the venture capitalist said the way to stop such so-called “corporate inversions” is for Congress to “overhaul our tax code so we’re competitive.” Rauner also said Illinois politicians must “change our economic climate so were pro-growth, pro-investment, pro-job creation.”
“It’d be terrible to lose Walgreens, but the real tragedy is that businesses have been leaving Illinois for years,” Rauner said. “We are not competitive. Our taxes are too high, and our regulatory burden is punishing.”
Video…
Rauner really should dump his ownership stake in the Red Sox and invest in the Dodgers. It would be far more appropriate.
* But, anyway, what I really wanted to do with this topic today is to highlight two important dissenting voices from yesterday’s comments. They both focused on Gov. Quinn’s specific attempts to demonize Walgreen’s for considering the overseas move. First up, our long-beloved Arthur Andersen…
Deeply in the minority here, but I would lighten up. I know a number of seniors who are as close to their pharmacist as they are to their doctor, and they love Wally’s. They might not understand inversion, but they understand messing with their pharmacy and they won’t like it.
* Our often not so beloved “A Guy” wrote this in response to an allegation made earlier in the thread that Walgreen’s has forced local pharmacists out of business…
(S)ell that crock to every small community and neighborhood that couldn’t get any business to move in and Walgreens did. Even added produce in certain stores. Didn’t gouge to make up for higher operating expenses. They’ve been a great corporate citizen. This strategy is dopey with a capital D.
I agree with both commenters here. And I’d bet big money that satisfaction with Walgreen’s is a whole lot higher in this state than it is with Gov. Quinn. I just don’t see a win here.
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