* Comptroller Dan Hynes’ office has just released a shocking new report on the state’s finances. It’s pretty much hopeless…
Hynes said Illinois had $5.1 billion in unpaid bills at the end of December. Add to that $2.25 billion in short-term loans the state must repay soon, and another $1.4 billion in unpaid health care bills that have not yet been sent to the Comptroller’s Office, and the state’s effective bill backlog climbs to more than $8.75 billion. [Emphasis added]
Yikes.
The payment delays are horrendous…
Suppliers of goods and services to the state, including health care providers and other critical social services are waiting 92 business days to be reimbursed – or more than 4 ½ months. That delay is almost double the 48 business-day delay at this time last year.
Oof.
A few backlog details…
The backlog includes grants to school districts and pre-school programs totaling $1 billion, university and community college payments in excess of $775 million and local government and transit district payments of more than $478 million.
If this keeps up for much longer, the ripple effect down the governmental chain will turn into a tidal wave.
There’s just no good news here…
The state’s cash flow position already has declined by $4.1 billion over the past year, Hynes said. He identified several factors in the decline of the state’s cash flow position, including continued weakness in the state’s economy-driven revenues, a structural imbalance in the enacted FY2010 budget, and the failure to address the deficit in the FY2009 budget, resulting in the state using its first $3.9 billion in revenues this fiscal year on last fiscal year’s bills.
Though there is evidence of improved economic conditions nationally, further declines in Illinois’ economy-driven revenue sources this year continue to threaten the state’s financial stability. State corporate income tax receipts were down 16.3 percent, sales tax receipts decreased 12.6 percent and individual income tax receipts fell 7.6 percent, compared to the same period last year
A prediction…
“Without major changes in the way Illinois collects revenues and how it spends those dollars, the state will enter FY2011 on July 1 with the largest amount of unpaid bills from the prior year in its history,” Hynes said.
Illinois must repay about $2.25 billion of cash-flow certificates in the coming months that Fitch warned would leave the state with nearly $6 billion of accounts payable at the end of fiscal 2010 on June 30. [Emphasis added]
That’s up from the $3.9 billion lapsed at the end of last fiscal year.
Rating agencies have taken the state to task for the delay, citing it as a factor in negative rating actions because it has exacerbated the government’s growing liquidity problem and poor financial performance.
“We were anticipating some movement towards improving the state’s financial picture by October or November,” said analyst Edward Hampton. “The planned deferral of legislative action to address fiscal 2010 imbalances until at least February or March leaves little time in the fiscal year to take actions to materially reverse the trend of financial weakening.”
* 2:54 pm - The legislative Commission on Governmental Forecasting and Accountability just voted 7-4 to approve the closure of the almost empty Thomson state prison so it can be sold to the federal government. Sen. Dave Syverson and Rep. Rich Myers were the only two Republicans to vote for the plan. Syverson has touted the economic impact of the federal project.
The vote is nonbinding, but had some symbolic importance since it’s become such an intense state and national political football. Gov. Quinn and Sen. Dick Durbin have already issued a press release praising CoGFA for its bipartisan vote…
“We are pleased the bipartisan Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability has endorsed the sale of the Thomson Correctional Center to the federal government and rejected the partisan rhetoric.
Elected officials, community and business leaders and the residents of Northwest Illinois are wholeheartedly supporting this proposal because they understand that this is an opportunity to create up to 3,800 jobs and generate more than $1 billion in a region that desperately needs both.
Fully utilizing Thomson and upgrading this facility to make it the safest prison in the nation will not jeopardize the safety and security of our country or our state; we would never endorse a plan that would do so. Despite the fear-mongering and nay-saying of a vocal few, we stand with state, county and local law enforcement officers and state’s attorneys from across the area, and with our nation’s military commanders, who know that this is about making our country safer by removing the deadly recruiting tool that Guantanamo has become.
This should not be a political or partisan issue. This is about doing what’s right for our troops, for our national security and for the people of Illinois. We will continue doing everything we can to make this sale a reality and bring the jobs and other economic benefits to our state.”
Here’s the rollcall, with Republicans in red and Democrats in blue…
Bellock No
Brady No
Frerichs Yes
McCarthy Absent
Murphy No
Myers Y
Nekritz Y
Poe N
Riley Y
Schoenburg Y
Syverson Y
Trotter Y
* 3:17 pm - From AFSCME…
AFSCME believes Thomson should be used for its intended purpose: to relieve dangerous overcrowding in the state’s maximum-security prisons. It’s very disappointing COGFA did not agree with our view. The panel did, however, approve language urging the governor to consider “prisoner overcrowding and the impact on staff” in the prison system going forward.
* 4:06 pm - Sen. Kirk Dillard…
“Today’s vote is unfortunate. Terror suspects should stay at Guantanamo. Importing jobs should not equate to importing terrorists. The working families of Illinois deserve better solutions for our economic problems than this. Pat Quinn’s decision once again demonstrates the pitiful jobs climate in Illinois and his lack of urgency to attract and create private sector jobs.
“As governor, my highest priority will be balancing our budget and restoring confidence in state government so that we can make Illinois an employer-friendly state.”
In the wake of a court ruling that barred the state from collecting increased lobbying fees that went into effect January 1, Secretary of State Jesse White’s office has pulled the lobbyist registration and reporting system from its Web site.
Both the ACLU and the Illinois Society of Association Executives sued White over the fee increase, claiming it was an unconstitutional tax on free speech.
Pamela Tolson, executive director of the Illinois Society of Association Executives, said she had already advised her members not to pay the increased fees after a court granted a temporary halt on collection. Now, she says lobbyists also may not be required to report their spending for the last six months by the deadline at the end of this month. […]
It appears that White is washing his hands of the entire situation until the courts sort it out. If that doesn’t happen before next week, lobbyists will return to Springfield for the spring legislative session without having registered and unsure of what reporting requirements they face in the near future. (White’s website does say that after the court makes its final decision, lobbyists who register within two weeks will be retroactively registered from January 1.) So the result, for the time being, is that an attempt to create more transparency has led to having none.
The Illinois Campaign for Political Reform has more over at Illinoize…
…while the federal injunction applies only to non-profits, the Secretary of State ended registration for all lobbyists. They could have kept registration open, collecting the $1,000 fee from for-profit entities and no fee from non-profits, or they could have collected the old $150 fee from non-profits and, after the two suits were concluded, adjusted the fee accordingly. Instead, it now appears that Illinois is the only state in the country without lobbyist registration.
Let’s hope this gets resolved soon.
Again, I’ll have more tomorrow for subscribers.
* The News-Gazette has a fascinating look at the U of I’s budget during part of the Great Depression. Go read it all.
On March 1, 1933, the U of I ordered 10 percent pay cuts - far higher than the U of I’s plan announced this week to trim many paychecks by 2 percent via furloughs. And then the U of I really fell on its sword…
A month after the UI salary reductions went into effect in 1933, board members and administrators traveled to Springfield and asked for a two-year appropriation (the state then operated on a biennial budget) of $7.8 million – 30 percent less than what was the existing budget and the lowest spending plan at the university since 1919. Included was an additional salary cut of 5 to 6 percent for highly paid faculty and administrators.
Don’t bet on that happening again any time soon.
* And Zorn whacks Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez but good today. Go have a look-see.
* Other stuff that I didn’t get to today…
* Rivals criticize Giannoulias touting Bright Start success in TV ads: Only 3 percent of the families with money in Bright Start had all their money invested in Core Plus — the one fund out of 21 funds that suffered devastating losses. Ironically, Core Plus was supposed to be one of the least risky — designed for parents of upperclassmen shortly bound for college. Giannoulias traded letters with Oppenheimer throughout 2008 as the funds plummeted. His opponents say that as a former banker, Giannoulias, better than anyone, should have known to pull the plug sooner on the fund which was heavily invested in risky mortgage-backed securities.
* The governor just announced a new bureaucrat for the Department of Corrections. From a press release…
January 6, 2010. Governor Pat Quinn today announced that Michael J. McCotter, a 37-year law enforcement veteran, has been named to the recently announced position of Chief Public Safety Officer at the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC).
McCotter, whose experience includes a number of high-ranking positions in the Chicago Police Department, will evaluate and oversee implementation of IDOC’s statutorily-sanctioned meritorious good time and electronic home-detention programs.
Notice the ever so subtle dig at the General Assembly. What the release doesn’t mention is that these are not legally mandatory early outs. This is a discretionary program. And the director and the administration thoroughly screwed it up.
Quinn is also putting one of his most trusted guys in charge of watching the day to day operations…
Governor Quinn has designated Sean Vinck to be a special administrator for IDOC, where his primary task will be to assist in the day-to-day management of the agency. He will report to Governor Quinn and Jerome Stermer, Chief of Staff to Governor Quinn. Vinck will retain his position as Chief of Intergovernmental Affairs for the Office of the Governor.
In other words, Quinn will essentially have his own set of eyes over there at DoC.
I certainly hope the governor doesn’t think that these personnel moves are enough. Heads absolutely have to roll.
* Meanwhile, Dan Hynes gave a speech today at the City Club that is the most powerful case I’ve yet seen for why he decided to run against Quinn. You can read all the provided excerpts by clicking here, but here’s some of it…
While I do not begrudge [Gov. Quinn] the circumstances under which he assumed office, I do not accept that those circumstances prevented him from doing what’s right for the people of Illinois. In fact, I believe the circumstances presented a unique opportunity, and now one that is lost.
Think about it. After Rod’s departure, never before have the people and institutions of Illinois wanted so much for one man to succeed. The right leader might have taken advantage of the situation to get things done – to be the leader who could shepherd through the hard choices that have too long been ignored.
The people of Illinois were rooting for Pat Quinn. And Pat Quinn struck out.
This isn’t a critique of Governor Quinn as a person. It’s an indictment of his leadership, and it is based in fact.
When you have the opportunity to lead – when leadership is what is needed most - You don’t make your signature priority a 50 percent tax increase on the middle class, particularly in a recession.
You don’t change your position two, three, or even four times on that same tax hike, in the process sowing doubts about your sincerity.
You don’t tell the people of Illinois that nothing matters more than a jobs bill, so you would never play politics with it – and then hold up its passage for a month to try and pressure lawmakers into supporting your tax hike, losing a construction season in the process.
You don’t call a watered-down ethics bill a “landmark,” and then turn around and veto it.
You don’t continue to rely on a government full of Blagojevich appointees, including a budget team that makes AIG look savvy.
You don’t try to negotiate in public a plan to borrow half a billion dollars, and then deceive us about the details to try and browbeat a political opponent.
You don’t brazenly put off addressing the budget crisis until after an election, when it costs us money every single day.
And you certainly don’t, at the very same time, secretly release 1,700 dangerous criminals at any cost; then offer vague, contradictory explanations for what you knew and when you knew it; and then stonewall the people you serve.
All the while, the people of Illinois have lost jobs, seen their children’s futures further mortgaged, and watched their streets become less safe.
Now ask yourself if you deserve another year – or 4 more years — like that.
To those who will somehow say that raising these issues is negative – or a naysayer? I say it’s just the opposite. Because this is the reality that we’re living, and what I believe is that we can do better. In fact, what’s negative is to condemn this conversation as somehow inappropriate — because that says that we – you and I — should be happy with what we’ve got and ask for nothing more.
That’s what it says to all of us who care about Illinois. Who are concerned about what will be left for our kids. And who believe that we do deserve better, and that better needs to start – right now.
I think that all we’re looking for are good ideas – and leadership that reflects our own common sense and responsibility. Because that’s how we’re going to mend the wounds of the past few years, solve the problems of this decade, and respond to the challenges of our times. […]
But to make any of these things reality – to bring sanity and fairness to our budget, to restore jobs and grow our economy, and yes, even to ensure that our government is ethical and working for us, the people it serves – we need new leadership
* Illinois Set For $3.5B GO Issue: After spending the week in a heavy marketing campaign that includes international buyers, Illinois on Thursday or Friday will price nearly $3.5 billion of taxable general obligation bonds with a five-year maturity to help cover its fiscal 2010 pension payments.
* Wednesday Illinois political docket: State panel to vote on prison sale for Gitmo detainees
* I mentioned this yesterday, but I’m gonna repeat it today: We need a thorough legislative investigation, with subpoena power, of this early release program. Literally giving convicted attempted murderers a Get Out of Jail Free card is beyond the pale…
A west suburban man sentenced to prison for murder conspiracy was freed early under a controversial state program that Gov. Quinn called a “mistake” and discontinued last week, a Chicago Sun-Times analysis has found.
Also sprung early were 20 other people with killings or attempted murder in their criminal backgrounds, records show. Six were convicted of murder, five of second-degree murder, one of manslaughter, one of murder conspiracy and seven of attempted murder.
Those 20 inmates already had served their sentences for those crimes but had been sent back to prison for committing others.
Under the discontinued program — called “MGT-Push” or “accelerated meritorious good time” — inmates’ past crimes weren’t factors in whether they should be eligible for early release. By law, Quinn’s corrections chief, Michael Randle, considered only the offenses for which inmates were currently in prison, officials said Tuesday.
The Dept. of Corrections claims state law forbade them from using those prior convictions in determining whether the bad guys got an early release. You gotta be kidding me. This was a discretionary program concocted by the administration. The director could essentially grant the good time credits to just about anyone he wanted. And, man, did he hand out some doozies…
A Sun-Times review of the records of the released inmates showed Michael Rodriguez, 36, was convicted of murder conspiracy. In 2007, Rodriguez was one of 31 Latin Kings gang members charged in connection with 22 killings in the Aurora area over the past two decades. He and three others were charged in Kane County with the 1990 murder of Albert Gonzalez, 18.
Rodriguez was in the county jail between June 28, 2007, and Oct. 29, 2009 — jail time that was applied to his 66-month prison sentence.
He served 40 days in state prison before he was paroled early on Dec. 8. All told, he spent less than half his sentence behind bars.
That’s just insane. Truly. Insane.
Again, we need a legislative investigation. Pronto. The citizens of this state have a right to know whether their government - and their governor - are endangering their lives due to gross incompetence.
* I told subscribers about this yesterday morning, along with some details of his TV ad reservation…
Democratic Comptroller candidate Raja Krishnamoorthi says his bank account is approaching nearly $1 million as he tries to win his party’s nomination in his first run for state office.
Krishnamoorthi’s campaign on Tuesday reported he raised more than $900,000 in 2009 – apparently setting an Illinois record for non-incumbent candidates for comptroller.
Krishnamoorthi spokesman Mark Schauerte said most of the money came from individual donors and the funds will pay for a statewide television ad campaign starting later this month.
Krishnamoorthi is a former deputy state treasurer who lives in the Chicago suburbs. He faces state Rep. David Miller of Lynwood and Wilmette lawyer Clinton Krislov in the Democratic primary.
That’s gonna be tough to match, unless Krislov dumps a ton of his own cash into the race. Quite impressive, indeed.
* In other campaign news, Patrick Hughes is up with a new cable TV ad. As subscribers already know, this is a very modest buy. Rate it…
* Jim Ryan’s gubernatorial campaign is attacking Andy McKenna for preparing to run a spate of negative TV ads. From a press release…
A media report indicates that Andy McKenna is ready to launch a deep attack ad to revive his floundering campaign.
The Illinois news media needs to immediately ask Andy McKenna why his blind ambition is leading him to do exactly what he said as Illinois GOP chairman should not be done—unfairly attack his Republican opponents.
They should ask him why anyone in Illinois would believe any “pledge” he takes now when the upcoming ad he plans to run violates a pledge he asked Republican candidates to sign for the 2006 elections?
—In 2005, McKenna, as Illinois GOP chairman, asked candidates for office to sign a pledge to not condone “any misrepresentations, distortions, malicious untruths, unfounded accusations or innuendos about my opponent or my opponent’s family.” (Illinois Republican Party “Code of Conduct” memo, Dec. 22, 2005, authored by Andy McKenna).
—Less than a year ago, McKenna said this about attacking members of his own party: “Primaries of themselves aren’t bad. They’re bad if they become negative and people use it to destroy other candidates.” (Chicago Tribune, April 13, 2009)
Yet, according to the media report, McKenna is ready to launch a TV ad that says Jim Ryan has a different position on taxes than he does. He knows that is not true. He knows that every Republican candidate for governor has said repeatedly they will not raise taxes. He knows that Jim Ryan as a candidate for governor in 2002 proposed a constitutional spending cap and has proposed the same cap in 2010.
McKenna is taking the low road after airing millions of dollars of ineffective ads photoshopping bad haircuts on people. So what does he do: Attack the person who is running nearly 20 points ahead of him in the polls and the first Illinois Republican in a decade to lead a Democrat for Governor in a reputable poll. The Rasmussen poll late last month showed Jim Ryan leading Pat Quinn by 7 points.
He needs to be held accountable for his hypocrisy. He needs to stop hiding behind his Rod Blagojevich-like remote control TV campaign.
For his part, Andy McKenna uses House GOP Leader Tom Cross to set up his impending attack ads. From a press release…
This week Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Andy McKenna announced he signed the Americans for Tax Reform’s Taxpayer Protection Pledge and challenged his opponents to do the same. However, according to the Daily Herald, both Jim Ryan and Kirk Dillard have refused to sign the pledge.
“Now more than ever, we need a Governor absolutely committed to holding the line on taxes and enacting real reforms to move Illinois in the right direction,” said House Republican Leader Tom Cross.
Jim Ryan’s history of supporting tax increases includes endorsement of House Bill 750, a $5.5 billion tax increase on Illinois families and chairing a campaign in DuPage County to increase the sales tax. Kirk Dillard was also a key vote in Springfield to increase the sales tax in DuPage County.
“I am supporting Andy McKenna because he is the one candidate for Governor that joins me in opposing tax increases and demanding true economic reform, Illinois can settle for nothing less,” added Cross.
* Sen. Matt Murphy, McKenna’s running mate, was endorsed by Senate GOP Leader Christine Radogno today.
* I’m not gonna comment about this tiny radio buy, and I hope you don’t, either. We’re talking two spots a day on a few Chicago radio stations, so it’ll barely get noticed…
Andy Martin, the U.S. Senate candidate who made waves by claiming his opponent - U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk - was gay, is at it again, this time attacking Kirk for covering up pedophilia in the United States Congress. The minute-long ad began airing on local radio today. So how did Kirk - and Dennis Hastert - cover up pedophilia? By not stopping Mark Foley’s infamous affairs with underaged staffers. Martin hits a new nadir when, in the ad, he makes clear that, “Kirk is not a pedophile,” but then feels compelled to add that since Kirk helped to “cover up” Foley’s trysts, that makes Kirk “a de facto pedophile.” No. Really. He says thatt. Listen to the ad below:
* Related…
* Bid for Thomson injunction flops: Republican state comptroller candidate William Kelly’s bid for an injunction against the Thomson Correctional Center deal that would bring Guantanamo Bay prisoners to Illinois was soundly rejected Tuesday after he arrived in court without legal representation.
* When Dan Hynes started running a negative ad slamming Gov. Pat Quinn over the botched early prisoner release program, I figured that Quinn would return the favor by dredging up the Burr Oak Cemetery tragedy. It happened this morning. You can probably safely bet that this issue will wind up in a TV ad.
From a press release…
The Quinn for Illinois campaign is calling on Comptroller Dan Hynes to give honest answers to consumers about the Illinois Funeral Directors Association Pre-Need Trust Fund – a Madoff-style Ponzi scheme that flourished for almost a decade under the Comptroller’s direct supervision.
“When Dan Hynes claims in his TV ads to be a good fiscal manager, Illinois voters need to take it with a $100 million grain of salt,” said Quinn campaign spokeswoman Elizabeth Austin.
The basic issue is simple: In 2001, Dan Hynes learned that the IFDA’s pre- need trust fund was losing money. In just one year, the fund balance had dropped from an $18 million surplus to a troubling deficit.
Yet, according to legal filings and newspaper accounts, Comptroller Hynes waited eight long years before taking action to protect consumers. As a result, an estimated $100 million in consumer dollars vanished from the fund, and hundreds of family-owned funeral homes throughout Illinois are facing serious financial losses – even bankruptcy.
“We all know that Dan Hynes waited far too long to act on disturbing reports about conditions at the Burr Oak Cemetery,” Austin said. “The IFDA scandal shows that Comptroller Hynes has a decade-long history of ignoring serious problems – with disastrous consequences for 50,000 Illinois consumers.”
Austin noted that Hynes has refused to provide documents requested by Bruce Rushton, a reporter for the Springfield State Journal-Register, that might shed light on the Comptroller’s delay in acting to end the fraud and protect consumers.
“When well-respected journalists file legitimate requests for information from his own office, Comptroller Hynes loses his enthusiasm for transparency, accountability, and the public’s right to know,” Austin said.
Gov. Pat Quinn on Tuesday suspended a second early prison release program, this one for nearly 1,000 nonviolent offenders, amid growing questions about the administration’s attempt to ease the state’s cash crunch by cutting costs in the Department of Corrections.
About 170 prisoners had been released so far under the program Quinn announced in September, according to the prison agency.
Asked why the program was suspended, representatives for the prison department and Quinn’s office would only say it was pending a review of all early release programs to be done when the governor appoints someone to the new position of chief public safety officer in the corrections agency.
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* I’ve left a message with the Department of Corrections, but we need an answer to how this alleged murderer got out of prison and we need it right freaking now. What a tragedy…
A parolee was charged with murdering a 16-year-old boy after the two exchanged looks outside a South Side convenience store last week, Cook County prosecutors said today.
Randall White, 42, of the 11900 block of South Wallace Street, was charged with the murder of Fred Couch Jr. outside Big Sam’s Mini Mart, 333 W. 119th St. shortly after 8 p.m. Wednesday.
…prisoners convicted of certain felonies are eligible to receive additional time off their sentences under various programs, including the Meritorious Good Time Push program, which was rescinded last week by Gov. Pat Quinn amid controversy.
Illinois Department of Corrections records show White was paroled on Dec. 16, just two weeks before Couch’s murder. Department spokeswoman Januari Smith said White may have been released early under MGT Push or another program.
If this guy was released under MGT Push - the secret early release program that has been the subject of so much uproar lately - then God help Pat Quinn because nobody else will.
Let’s please try to contain the anger in comments. It may not be easy but we don’t have all the facts as of yet.
*** UPDATE *** The Tribune has updated its story…
Department spokeswoman Januari Smith said White received 180 days of credit for good behavior, but was not the recipient of any time under the controversial Meritorious Good Time Push program, which was rescinded last week by Gov. Pat Quinn.
The governor better pray that she’s accurate.
What we need here is an investigation. A real one, not one controlled by the governor. Maybe somebody with a committee chairmanship ought to take a look at this.
* Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Ryan has released a new TV ad. I may have buy numbers for subscribers tomorrow. Rate it…
Let’s take a look at a couple of other videos. Both of them are just Internet vids. The first one is a lot of fun - a catchy little tune called “Dold with a ‘D’”…
* And this is from the Quinn Stories folks, who are not the same people as the in-house Quinn campaign video crew. It’s called “The Quinn Boys”…
* Sally Quinn of the Washington Post claims that Rahm Emanuel may run for mayor of Chicago…
Emanuel is said to have told people that the chief-of-staff role is an 18-month job and that he is considering a run for mayor of Chicago.
The Tribune is kinda making a big deal out of this on its home page, but the Trib’s Swamp blog is dubious…
Other, more knowledgeable handicappers of the Chicago political scene doubt this scenario seriously.
There was a time several years ago when this seemed like a possible scenario - before anybody thought Barack Obama would be president and Rahm would be his chief of staff. He’s a mayoral favorite, after all. Daley went all-out for the guy in his first primary campaign.
Anyway, leaving aside the question of whether or not Emanuel will actually take the plunge, let’s move along to…
* The Question: What kind of mayor do you think Emanuel would be?
University of Illinois administrators and professors will be asked to take unpaid furlough days this winter because of a “grim and worsening” state budget picture, Interim President Stanley Ikenberry told staff in an e-mail today. Ikenberry also froze hiring and interim wage increases. […]
Ikenberry said the university faces a “cash crisis triggered by the state’s financial situation which is grim and worsening.” He said the university has only received 7 percent of this year’s state appropriation since the first of July — creating a shortfall of more than $400 million.
“At some point we will be unable to meet payroll and complete the academic year unless there are significant payments from the state as promised,” he wrote.
To preserve cash in the meantime, he asked university administrators, including chancellors and deans, to take 10 unpaid furlough days before June 15, and directed faculty and other academic professional staff to take four furlough days between February and May 15. Given the uncertain financial picture for 2011, he suggested that university administrators consider notifying employee groups of termination — something required in advance by some contracts.
An unprecedented University of Illinois furlough program, announced Tuesday, will save only about $17 million, despite a $436 million shortfall from the state.
In addition to the $17 million saved through the furlough program, a 6 percent reduction in expenditures saved an additional $45 million. A 2.5 percent reserve resulted in $20 million saved. The total is the $82 million.
So, $20 million has already been booked? Ironically enough, the lede of this above-linked story is: “The University of Illinois will make a series of drastic cost- cutting measures…” These are not little cuts, but they are not “drastic” by any means.
Gov. Pat Quinn says all parts of state government must economize as the University of Illinois announces plans to trim $82 million from its operating budget. […]
Quinn on Tuesday said the university should get some relief after the state does a round of borrowing later this month. That money will give the state some much-needed cash to pay a backlog of bills.
OK, so the state is so far behind in its bills that it’s shorted the U of I $436 million, but we’ll somehow have enough money to pay off this new loan?
*** UPDATE *** The governor and his Democratic rival are sparring over the U of I funding predicament, with Dan Hynes saying that Quinn shouldn’t have waited so long and instead taken out that loan in October, when the state’s cash-flow situation wasn’t so dire…
“This is part of a growing pattern of Pat Quinn blaming others for problems he’s created or hasn’t solved—just like he blamed his corrections director (Michael) Randle for letting dangerous criminals into our communities, he wants to blame others for fiscal problems that are getting worse,” Hynes said.
Quinn said Hynes is at fault for not agreeing to a $500 million short-term loan last month designed to tide the state over until tax money starts to flow in.
“When I look back now, that was just pure politics,” Quinn said.
Hynes disputed Quinn’s assertion.
“The fact is, we will have borrowed more in this fiscal year under Pat Quinn than Rod Blagojevich–the most reckless irresponsible governor we’ve ever had–borrowed in the four previous years combined,” Hynes said. “We’ve had nearly $6 billion in short-term borrowing under Pat Quinn and he wants to borrow more. We are over leveraged. We can’t borrow our way out of this problem and what he’s proposed won’t solve the cash flow problem or the underlying fiscal problem of our state.”
* Sunday’s Chicago Tribune editorial praised Republican gubernatorial candidates for their “businesslike understanding” of government because they all want to slash costs. They even included a candidate in their list who wants to cut income taxes in half.
The Chicago Tribune is raising the price of its newsstand editions by a third, to $1.
A letter sent to store owners and obtained by the Sun-Times said the increase from 75 cents will take effect Jan. 18. The increase does not apply to the paper’s Sunday edition.
What the business side understands that the editorial side obviously doesn’t is that sometimes businesses have no choice but to raise prices You can only cut so far.
And, yes, I know that business price increases aren’t exactly akin to government tax hikes. One you can avoid, the other you can’t - unless you’re a genious at tax avoidance like Trib owner Sam Zell. But, that’s kind of the point, isn’t it? You can’t really directly compare business to government, unless you’re a newspaper editorial board that works for a newspaper which just raised its rates.
Whatever.
* Right before the New Year’s holiday, the Pantagraph suspended reader comments. In an open letter to readers, editor Mark Pickering wrote…
Reader comments on Pantagraph.com often are informative, sparking serious dialogue on an issue of local or national interest. At other times, they are offensive and devoid of civility, the worst of which include personal attacks and/or assertions that have nothing to do with the story.
In recent weeks, we have seen too much of the latter on some local stories. Far too much. So, effective immediately and through the New Year’s holiday weekend, no comments will be allowed on new local content posted on Pantagraph.com.
This “cooling off” period is meant as a strong reminder to our online readers: that the reason comments are allowed in the first place is to foster a “spirit of community involvement and conversation.”
For whatever reason, comments were ironically left open on that post. Here’s my favorite…
I think the Pantagraph is largely responsible for letting things get out of hand. The Pantagraph allowed the posts, already unacceptable according to its guidelines, to be posted on its boards. If the Pantagraph had been diligent in enforcing its own rules, it wouldn’t have needed to take this action.
That’s exactly right. If you just let people post whatever they want, they’re gonna run amuck. You have to police comments, challenge the borderline people to improve themselves, and outright ban the loser morons. Newspapers just don’t bother with this task and it’s hurting them. Who would want to advertise on a site that allows such mind-bogglingly awful content? Yes, comments are content. Make no mistake about it. They reflect directly on the publication.
This once again begs the question: Should newspapers allow comments in the first place? The argument has been made by many that they shouldn’t… I tend to agree. Let blogs be blogs, and newspapers be newspapers. The comments on the Journal Star’s website are often just as bad as the Pantagraph’s; I don’t believe it would be any kind of loss if they removed the comments section entirely.
Agreed. Policing comments is hard work. Newspapers either aren’t equipped for that hard work or don’t care. And this is just another nail in the coffin.
The Bears ended their lackluster season by acknowledging the team’s failure in a full-page ad to fans in both major Chicago newspapers.
While the Bears defeated the Detroit Lions 37-23 on Sunday, they ended the season with a record of 7-9, and questions about Coach Lovie Smith’s future are overshadowing the victory.
* Andy McKenna is about to go up with a huge TV buy. Greg Hinz has a few details…
The GOP race for governor is about to take a turn for the negative. The candidate with the biggest war chest is going after his foes for allegedly being too friendly toward tax hikes.
Knowledgeable sources say Andy McKenna Jr., who easily has raised the most cash in the crowded contest, is expected to be on TV by the end of the week with ads that will particularly hit former Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan, but also zap some others.
Mr. Ryan has led in the latest polls, based in large part on name recognition from his prior races for governor and AG. But he supported a sales tax increase two years ago that benefited the Regional Transportation Authority and public safety in DuPage County. He also served on the board of a civic group that advocated an income tax hike and has been less than categorical in opposing such an increase now.
There’s no video yet, but I’m expecting to get some by tomorrow. I’m figuring that McKenna will probably hit Jim Ryan and Kirk Dillard on taxes, maybe putting one of those now infamous Blagojevich hair wigs on them and maybe even tying them to Pat Quinn’s tax hike proposals. This attack was set up yesterday when McKenna demanded that Ryan and Dillard sign a pledge not to raise taxes…
“I challenge my opponents to sign this pledge and make a commitment to the hardworking men and women of this state that they will not raise taxes,” McKenna said. […]
Dillard signed the anti-tax pledge as a state senator, but that didn’t stop him from voting for a half-cent sales tax increase to bail out Metra, Pace and the CTA and fund other services in the collar counties.
In response to the anti-tax pledge demand, Dillard invoked his experience as a chief of staff to Gov. Jim Edgar in the 1990s and said he has never voted for “a general tax increase.”
Dillard said raising taxes in the current economy “would only make the situation worse.”
Ryan, meanwhile, called the anti-tax group founded by conservative Grover Norquist as “another special interest.”
“I’m an independent Republican,” the two-term attorney general and former DuPage County state’s attorney said. “I don’t have to sign some phony pledge.”
Expect JRyan to go up with a relatively modest TV buy soon.
* Also, Ryan took some heat yesterday when he reiterated his idea to sell or lease the tollway system. From a Kirk Dillard press release…
“It sounds like Jim Ryan is taking a page out of Rod Blagojevich’s playbook and looking for short-term solutions to the state budget problems. It’s a risky scheme that threatens motorists, primarily suburban drivers, with massive toll increases and could put current bondholders in jeopardy.
Ryan’s support for a tollway sale also drew fire from primary opponent state Sen. Kirk Dillard of Hinsdale. But then Dillard also seemed open to the idea himself despite ardently opposing a similar idea in 2006.
Dillard said “the only way I would even consider” selling the tollway is to fund public works projects and after talking with experts and local officials.
Bill Brady also pounced and then looked silly. From a press release…
My opponent, Jim Ryan, is opening the door to a very dangerous practice. We should not be making a habit out of selling or leasing taxpayers assets for a short-term bump. That only provides a temporary fix to a much larger problem.
I would consider privatizing the tollway only if it could be managed better for the taxpayers and drivers, but our track record in Illinois suggests that would not be the case. The leasing of Chicago’s parking meters, for example, has been anything but beneficial to taxpayers. The transition was plagued with problems, and rates are so high — increasing 75 cents in some areas in the new year — many taxpayers can no longer afford the convenience of driving to the city. The privatization of the the Chicago Skyway lead to higher tolls, less maintenance and was forced to close down over some holidays because of snow.
Yet, just a few weeks ago Brady talked highly about selling the tollway system, saying, “You have to make sure that when you sell it you are selling it in a way that works.”
Contacted about the change of tone, Brady said he thought Ryan planned to use billions of dollars from a sale to fill the state’s massive budget shortfall. But Ryan told the Daily Herald he would use the windfall to fund public works projects, which Brady supports.
*** UPDATE *** Gov. Quinn’s campaign manager responds to Hynes’ new ad…
Today, Comptroller Dan Hynes released yet another in a series of negative, deceptive campaign commercials designed to misstate Governor Pat Quinn’s record in office.
This misleading Willie Horton-style ad hearkens back to campaigns of years past that exploited the fears and prejudices of American voters. We had hoped that, with the election of President Barack Obama, such politically motivated fear-mongering was behind us all. Sadly, that has not proven to be the case.
Like Hynes’ previous commercials, this ad reflects a desperate campaign that resorts to destructive negativity because it can offer no positive message to voters.
Quinn for Illinois has challenged the Hynes campaign to a mutual agreement to run only positive ads that inform voters about the issues that matter most to them – jobs, economic growth, and honest government.
Today, as the Independent Voters of Illinois – Independent Precinct Organization announces its endorsement of Governor Pat Quinn, we are proud that Quinn for Illinois is releasing a new, positive campaign ad that focuses on a brighter, greener, more progressive future for all the people of Illinois.
As this campaign moves into its final weeks, we look forward to offering Illinois voters a positive, progressive choice on Feb. 2. We trust the good sense of the voters of Illinois, and we believe they will vote for Governor Pat Quinn.
Dear Gov. Quinn: People have a right to be afraid when you’re letting convicts out early. People like these two…
In the photo, Jennifer Hall sits beside her boyfriend, Joe Hoffman. Her hair cascaded down both sides of her face and her lips were parted in a half-smile. It was Aug. 25, 2008, her 36th birthday.
“My hair was down to my waist for 20 years,” she said. “I woke up bald — no teeth, 85 staples in my head — out of a drug-induced coma.”
Two hours after the photo was taken, Hall and Hoffman were attacked by a homeless man, Derrick King, near Wabash Avenue and Roosevelt Road, after telling him they didn’t have any cigarettes. King and a second person then beat, stomped and kicked Hall unconscious, she said.
When King, 48, pleaded guilty this October to two criminal charges in the attack and was sentenced to three years in prison, Hall and Hoffman thought he wouldn’t be able to harm anyone else — at least for a while.
But just 18 days after that plea, state records show, King was paroled as part of the early-release program that Gov. Pat Quinn on Wednesday called “a big mistake.” And the next day, King allegedly threatened another woman, near the same place he attacked Hall, yelling, “Remember the couple who got beat real bad for not giving a cigarette? That was me,” police said.
As I wrote in comments, I think Hynes’ ad would’ve been far more effective if it had used a victim instead of the mug shots.
*** UPDATE 2 *** From the Hynes campaign…
“If Pat Quinn, and now his campaign manager, really believe that the secret release of 1,700 dangerous criminals, some of whom are already back behind bars for committing violent crimes, is not a serious public safety issue and thus worthy of a political campaign, then they are free to argue that point. I would hazard a guess, however, that they may be the only two people in Illinois who feel that way.” – Hynes spokesman Matt McGrath
[ *** End of Updates *** ]
* As I told subscribers this morning, Dan Hynes has a new TV ad. The backup info is here. Script…
“It’s an outrage. Pat Quinn caught secretly releasing 1,700 dangerous criminals to try and save money.
“But his bad judgment shouldn’t surprise us. Quinn’s driven our deficit to $13 billion. And he wants to borrow even more. And to pay for his borrowing, Quinn wants a 50 percent tax hike on the middle class. We have to do better. Democrat Dan Hynes: a record of fiscal responsibility, and he’ll keep Illinois safe.”
Brady maintained prisons chief Michael Randle told the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability that Quinn was responsible for the cost-savings program. Quinn ended the program last week, calling it a “mistake,” and said he was unaware of it until learning about it from The Associated Press.
Brady, a member of the accountability commission, said he asked Randle during a recent commission hearing who made the choice to release inmates early. According to a transcript provided by Brady, Randle said it “was a program that was recommended and approved by the governor’s office.”
“The governor?” Brady asked, according to the transcript. Randle responded, “Yes.”
“Assuming the governor is telling the truth, that means Mr. Randle lied before a bi-partisan commission, and he should be fired,” Brady said in a statement today.
* Meanwhile, Gov. Quinn has a new positive TV spot. In it, the governor talks about how he restored funding for the MAP scholarship program. Have a look…
Matt McGrath of the Hynes campaign responded to the Quinn TV ad this morning…
“Anyone who believes Pat Quinn’s new campaign ad probably also believes ‘the tapes’ will prove Rod Blagojevich is innocent.”
Quinn also has a new radio ad featuring Congressman Danny Davis and Secretary of State Jesse White. Listen to the spot by clicking here. Script…
Danny Davis: And this is Congressman Danny Davis.
JW: The primary election is right around the corner. So we’re urging you to vote for a governor who stands with us.
DD: When the legislature cut the budget for human services in half, Governor Pat Quinn stopped them. He made sure that people and families continue to get the help they need.
JW: When Springfield provided only half of the tuition grant money for college students from poor families, Governor Pat Quinn pushed the legislature to restore the full amount – helping thousands of students to stay in school.
DD: And Governor Quinn has a real plan to bring new jobs and opportunity. His “Jobs and Growth for Illinois” plan will create thousands of good jobs by improving public works, expanding clean energy and providing loans for new and expanding businesses.
JW: Let’s keep a good man in the Governor’s Office, working for us. This is Jesse White…
DD: …And Danny Davis, urging you to join us on February Second in voting for Governor Pat Quinn!
* Democratic US Sen. candidate Alexi Giannoulias has two new TV ads up and running. I’m told they’re not being run in a way that dilutes the points. The first one we’ll look at is entitled “Heroes” and features a young African-American woman talking up the Bright Start college savings program. There are some obvious political calculations there, since the person polling second in this race is a black female. Watch it…
The second ad is called “Values” and talks about how he “recovered millions” when “Wall Street made improper investments.” Have a look…
I’ll have buy info for subscribers tomorrow.
Democratic rival David Hoffman may have gotten a sneak peak at the new Giannoulias ads, which were officially unveiled this afternoon, because he sent out a press release this morning. It’s long, but worth a look…
Giannoulias’ TV Ad Makes Questionable Claims About Bright Start
Illinois State Treasurer, Alexi Giannoulias, has a long-standing habit of claiming credit for the good things that happen during his tenure, but when it comes to taking responsibility for the mistakes and failures on his watch, he has been skillful at distancing himself. There is no bigger failure during his time as Treasurer than his mismanagement of Bright Start, the college savings program for families who aspire to send their children to college. And true to his nature, Mr. Giannoulias accepts no responsibility for his mismanagement and oversight failure of the $150 million that Illinois families lost in the savings fund.
Quite the contrary, Mr. Giannoulias has perpetrated a number of myths about his management of Bright Start that raise serious questions about his performance in office. This document lays out the many myths that Mr. Giannoulias has put forward over the last year and provides facts that will give you some perspective on the degree to which he has sought to duck responsibility for his mismanagement of Bright Start, and how he purposely misled the public about the catastrophic loss incurred by Illinois families who invested in the program.
As you begin to cover the last four weeks of the Senate Democratic primary, we hope you will ask the many questions about Bright Start that Mr. Giannoulias for more than a year has refused to answer. Voters deserve to know the true records of the candidates. Mr. Giannoulias has covered up his record with false claims and myths. You now have an opportunity to expose them.
Myth vs. Reality
True Loss to Bright Start Victims
Myth. From the very beginning of 2009, Mr. Giannoulias led the public to believe that Bright Start victims lost $85 million in the college savings fund.
Reality. On December 22nd when Mr. Giannoulias announced the settlement with Oppenheimer, he revealed for the first time that the true extent of the loss was $150 million.
Myth. On June 8, 2009, Mr. Giannoulias announced that he had a “tentative settlement” that would return 90 percent of the lost money to Bright Start victims.
Reality. On December 22, 2009, Mr. Giannoulias announced that the settlement would only return 51 percent of the lost money to Bright Start victims.
Giannoulias Markets the Core Bond Fund as Safe
Myth. In the Bright Start promotional material published by the Treasurer’s office, the Core Bond Fund was characterized as a conservative savings fund.
Reality. Mr. Giannoulias knows that the fund is investing in mortgage backed securities and corporate junk bonds. It said so in the Treasurer’s own promotional materials. Oppenheimer also told the Treasurer’s office on April 22, 2008 that, since fourth-quarter of 2007, the Core Bond Fund was investing in risky mortgage backed securities.
Myth. Mr. Giannoulias, a self-proclaimed experienced banker, should have known that risky mortgage backed securities were an inappropriate investment for families seeking to save money to send their children to college.
Reality. Mr. Giannoulias ignored all the warning signals, including the collapse of Bear Stearns under the weight of toxic mortgage backed securities and Morningstar financial analyst reports, and continued to allow families to invest their money in the Core Bond Fund from April of 2008 up until December of 2008, by which time they had lost almost 40 percent of their investment.
Myth. Mr. Giannoulias, knowing that the Core Bond Fund is heavily invested in mortgage backed securities and corporate junk bonds, claims he has no knowledge how the Core Bond Fund lost almost 40 percent of its value, and places all the blame on Oppenheimer.
Reality. Mr. Giannoulias emailed Oppenheimer on May 6, 2008, saying he wanted to discuss Core Plus’ underperformance. He demanded weekly status reports and monthly performance meetings. The fund was in a free fall, losing 20 percent by October 24, 2008 and 38 percent by December 4, 2008. From May 6, 2008-December 4, 2008, knowing full well that the Core Bond Fund was declining in value at a rapid rate, Mr. Giannoulias continued to allow families to invest in the fund.
How is Bright Start Rated?
Myth. Mr. Giannoulias routinely brags that Bright Start is rated as one of the top five college savings plans in the nation.
Reality. Morningstar Financial dropped Bright Start off its top programs list on May 14, 2009, citing losses in the Core Bond Fund due to investments in mortgage backed securities and credit default swaps.
Giannoulias Record on Transparency
Myth. Mr. Giannoulias claims “sunshine is the greatest disinfectant.” He claims that he imposed very tough ethics rules on himself when he became Treasurer.
Reality. Mr. Giannoulias stonewalled the Hoffman Senate campaign’s FOIA requests for documents on Bright Start for three months, which allowed him to continue to hide the true cost of the Bright Start loss and evade accountability.
Giannoulias’ View of Oppenheimer
Myth. On March 12, 2007, Mr. Giannoulias announces Oppenheimer as the New Manager of Bright Start. He promises they will have a good track record in investing Bright Start money.
Reality. On January 29, 2009, Mr. Giannoulias accuses Oppenheimer of “gross mismanagement.” He asks Attorney General, Lisa Madigan, to pursue a legal settlement to recover the lost funds. But after taking no responsibility for the mismanagement of Bright Start, and after blaming Oppenheimer exclusively for the loss, he keeps them as the investment advisor for the fund, where they continue in that role today.
Giannoulias’ View of the Bright Start Settlement
Myth. Giannoulias’ press spokesman put forth this reaction to the settlement: “This puts them back in the ballgame and will allow Bright Start families to move forward with their savings goals.”
Reality. Far from being back in the ballgame, Bright Start families have had their college savings plans decimated by the lack of oversight that Mr. Giannoulias failed to deliver in policing the hard earned money put away by these families. He is the Treasurer of the State of Illinois, one of the top financial officers of the state, yet he takes no responsibility for the devastating loss these families incurred. Mr. Giannoulias should ask any family who only recovered 51 percent of their investment if they “are back in the ballgame.”
Hoffman’s campaign, by the way, has a new Internet video trumpeting his endorsement by Paul Vallas. Take a peek…
* Perhaps encouraged by a fairly good review of his budget rhetoric by the Chicago Tribune editorial page yesterday, Andy McKenna took the pledge today. From a press release…
Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Andy McKenna announced today that he signed the Americans for Tax Reform Taxpayer Protection Pledge, vowing as Governor to “oppose and veto any and all efforts to increase taxes.”
“I am pleased to sign the Taxpayer Protection Pledge because it is wrong to ask the taxpayers of Illinois to do more when their government has done so little,” said McKenna. “I challenge my opponents to sign this pledge and make a commitment to the hardworking men and women of this state that they will not raise taxes.”
That editorial, by the way, praised an idea by another candidate to halve the income tax, while bemoaning the fact that Illinois is $4.9 billion behind in its bills. The edit board has officially lost its freaking mind.
* I’ll have much more for subscribers tomorrow, but Gov. Pat Quinn has been trying to appoint a Latino to the ICC for months, and he finally found somebody. Whether Ald. Manny Flores survives is another matter. From a press release…
Governor Pat Quinn today announced the appointment of Manuel Flores as Chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). Flores, a Chicago alderman, brings to his new position a deep understanding of public service, a record for advancing pro-environmental initiatives, and a commitment to expanding broadband Internet access throughout Illinois.
“Manny Flores is an experienced and highly-regarded public servant who will provide a fresh viewpoint at this very important Commission,” said Governor Quinn. “He excelled in the Chicago City Council and will do so at the helm of the ICC.”
CUB calls the appointment “good news” for consumers, but this is not a slam-dunk in the Senate as of yet. Still, it’s only tangentially related to the battles between South Side Latinos that I told subscribers about weeks ago. Carol Marin has some on that today.
* Democrat Terry O’Brien is the first Cook County Board President to air TV ads. This is a significant buy on Chicago network and cable. Details for subscribers tomorrow. Rate it…
* More campaign stories and other stuff that I didn’t post earlier…
* McQueary: Macellaio speaks on Burke, quiet on ghosts: So when Evergreen Park Library Board President Kelly Burke decided to run for the 36th District House, she wasn’t surprised when a pal of her opponent invited her for coffee. At a local donut shop, Burke was given opposition research done on her to try to scare her out of the race. The research indicated she cheated on her property taxes. For more than five years, she received a senior citizen exemption on her tax bills for which she did not qualify. The exemption knocked about $200 annually off her $11,000 tax bill.
Gov. Pat Quinn admitted Wednesday that state corrections officials made a “mistake” in putting hundreds of inmates back on the street after just a few weeks in prison and said he didn’t know about his own administration’s cost-cutting decision beforehand.
Stung by the politically embarrassing revelations, the governor blamed his hand-picked corrections chief, Michael Randle, for exercising “bad judgment” but said he will not fire him.
Gov. Pat Quinn’s conclusion that it was a “big mistake” for his Corrections Department to release more than 1,700 inmates early still leaves major unanswered questions about the decision, his role and the implications for the state’s overcrowded prisons.
Quinn sent mixed messages Wednesday when he announced he was halting the secret program that allowed some inmates out of prison after serving only two or three weeks. While condemning the program, Quinn repeatedly pointed out that the 1,718 inmates let out early spent an average of just 37 fewer days in prison than they would have.
The early release, dubbed “MGT Push” because it involves granting meritorious good time to the prisoners, involved two steps. Quinn addressed only one, a decision to abandon the Corrections Department’s previous policy of requiring all inmates to serve at least 61 days before they could be considered for release.
The Democrat said nothing about the other part — granting prisoners time off for good behavior the day they step into prison, before they’ve had a chance to display any behavior at all. A Corrections spokeswoman says that is no longer done, but records raise doubts about that claim.
Sen. Kirk Dillard tosses in his two cents via a press release…
According to a hastily arranged announcement, the Quinn administration acknowledges that 64 former inmates have allegedly committed new crimes, some violent, since the Administration ordered the secret release without notifying victims or law enforcement. New crimes include assault, domestic violence, and firearm possession by a felon.
* The Question: Based on what we’ve seen so far, should Gov. Quinn fire Department of Corrections Director Michael Randle? Explain fully, please.
* The Illinois Executive Ethics Commission has fired a major warning shot at state employees: Do a little campaign work on state time for your boss and you could be fined…
Three aides to former Gov. Rod Blagojevich have been fined by a state ethics panel for campaigning for Barack Obama on the taxpayers’ dime.
Sheila Nix, Abigail Ottenhoff and Rebecca Rausch broke the law in 2007 when they issued a press release supporting Obama on behalf of Blagojevich, the Illinois Executive Ethics Commission ruled.
The ruling came in the case of three employees of then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s communication staff who wrote a memo under the governor’s signature in February 2007 praising the nascent presidential campaign of fellow Illinoisan Barack Obama. The ethics commission, responding to a complaint filed in September 2008 - before Obama’s election and the ethics allegations that led to federal charges against Blagojevich and his eventual ouster - ruled that the memo actually constituted “political activities” and, since it was created on state time and state-owned computers, it represented a violation of state law.
The release itself - which the three employees testified the governor never saw or discussed with them - was cloaked in the guise of a statement of pride for the hopes of a state’s favorite son, but with a particularly Blagojevichian flourish, it added “Senator Obama supports the very best of these Democratic values; they are values that he and I share, values I know he will fight for.”
Phrases like that, the ethics commission said - as well as others stating Blagojevich was “excited and proud to support Senator Obama in his bid for the presidency” - cannot be read in any other way than as a statement of political support.
“The prohibition of political activity would mean nothing if a State employee could use State time and equipment to support a political candidate as long as he or she made clear that the support was based on the candidate’s priorities or policies,” the commission wrote. “Indeed, a fundamental aspect of campaigning is to attempt to convince the electorate that they should support the candidate because of his or her policies or priorities.”
I remember that press release and recall thinking that it sure looked like a campaign release to me. There can be a fine line between governing and politics, but this seemed to cross that line. But we have to be careful not to take this too far. Our entire system is based on the political process. They can’t always be easily separated, nor should they.
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn is allowing WBEZ to document life inside the state’s juvenile prisons. The permission resolves months of haggling over the issue.
WBEZ requested the access to see if the Department of Juvenile Justice is living up to its mission. The department was created three and a half years ago to help rehabilitate kids but critics say little has changed.
Quinn had originally denied our requests to visit the facilities but several attorneys on the governor’s staff recently sat down with WBEZ and a civil rights attorney, Craig Futterman, from the University of Chicago’s Mandel Legal Aid Clinic. Futterman has been volunteering his services as WBEZ has been seeking access.
It’s about time.
* The State Journal-Register, like most editorial boards, misses the point…
When state budget time arrives this spring, lawmakers once again will be scrambling to find new money sources that don’t involve raising taxes. Last year’s magic solution was the legalizing of video poker in bars and numerous other public places. To us, this was one of the most irresponsible and cynical votes on record. It’s not by accident that these machines have earned the nickname “the crack cocaine of gambling.”
The problem has been that taverns, fraternal clubs, truck stops and restaurants all over the state currently pay out illegally on those video poker machines. Perhaps the SJ-R edit board should walk over to their local VFW hall to see for themselves how the current system works. The only real day to day “regulation” is done by the bartenders who “regulate” who gets the payouts and who doesn’t (if we know you, you get cash, if we don’t, you don’t). The Gaming Board appears to be taking a super-strict, slow-it-down approach to legalization, so there’s no mad rush to put these machines on every corner. A little perspective is in order.
A Tribune poll last month of likely Republican primary voters found half believe more restrictions should be placed on abortion, 32 percent said current regulations should remain in place and only 8 percent said fewer restrictions should be imposed.
That split is definitely not as clear-cut as some on the Right might have you think. Only half of all Republicans want more restrictions, while 40 percent said do nothing or loosen restrictions? This is just another reason why running too far to the right in this state can be a liability. Occasionally, some will get through, but the trend is obviously not their friend here.
The number of abortions performed in Illinois reached a 10-year high in 2008, newly compiled state records show. […]
In 2008, the most recent year for which data are available, figures from the Illinois Public Health Department show that 47,717 abortions were performed statewide.
That represents a 5 percent increase from 2007. And it’s the most abortions in Illinois in a year since 1998, when 49,403 women were reported to have had abortions.
The state’s main provider of abortion services has heard from its clients that the economy is a factor in their decisions, said Steve Trombley, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Council’s Chicago area chapter. […]
Robert Gilligan, executive director of the anti-abortion Catholic Conference of Illinois, attributed the 2008 increases, in part, to the opening of Planned Parenthood’s Aurora clinic in November 2007.
The same unconfirmed rumors about Mr. Kirk’s sexual orientation have been regurgitated quite a bit by the ideological swamp that is the blogosphere. Then there is the right wing’s overriding rage that Mr. Kirk, who represents a moderate north suburban district, supports abortion rights.
The diehards appear to believe that anything is fair game when it comes to preventing what they deem murder.
I’m not sure that’s an effective segue. I’m not sure it’s even comprehensible.
* Speaking of polls, my weekly syndicated newspaper column was linked here last week, but not posted. Here it is…
According to two recent polls taken by Rasmussen Reports and one by the Chicago Tribune, Gov. Pat Quinn has a detectable and significant problem with women voters, but a new development in the campaign might help the governor overcome this gender gap.
Rasmussen recently matched Republican gubernatorial frontrunner Jim Ryan against Democrats Gov. Pat Quinn and Comptroller Dan Hynes. Ryan outpolled Gov. Quinn by seven points, 46 to 39, but the former Republican attorney general trailed Hynes by two points, 40 to 42.
What’s going on? Well, the poll’s internals show a stark difference among women voters. Ryan leads Quinn 45 to 36 among women, but Hynes reverses the result and leads Ryan 42 to 32 with women. That’s a huge difference, but it seems to hold up when compared with other recent polling.
An earlier Rasmussen poll pitting Hynes and Quinn against the other Republican gubernatorial candidates showed Hynes doing far better with women than Quinn in every race.
The Chicago Tribune’s recent poll showed Quinn doing much worse with Democratic women than men on several issues. While 56 percent of Democratic men approved of Quinn’s handling of the state budget, just 38 percent of Democratic women did so. And while 45 percent of Democratic men approved of Quinn’s handling of ethics reforms, just 39 percent of women approved. Far more men, 40 percent, said Quinn was the better candidate to “eliminate” corruption in state government than women, 29 percent.
What appears to be happening is that many of Hynes’ supporters, particularly females, are so turned off by Quinn that they’re willing to at least say they’ll vote for the Republican Ryan rather than support the incumbent governor. Many of those voters, particularly harder-core Democrats, will eventually come “home.” For instance, Rasmussen’s poll has Quinn leading Jim Ryan 55 to 26 among black voters, while Hynes leads Ryan 81 to 9 among African-Americans. Some voters, however, may never come back. Rasmussen has Quinn virtually tied with Ryan (41 to 39) among moderate voters, while Hynes holds a strong 58 to 29 lead over Ryan among moderates.
Even so, Hynes hasn’t managed to translate this gender gap into a real electoral advantage. Quinn is leading Hynes 43 to 25 among Democratic women in the Tribune poll. That lead among women is a far smaller margin than the 57 to 19 advantage Quinn holds over Hynes with men, but it’s still a big lead.
Taken together, what the Tribune and Rasmussen polls probably show is that there is at least a little bit of flux left in the Democratic primary race, but that time is not on Hynes’ side. Women tend to outnumber men in Democratic primary voting, so Hynes will have to press this issue hard in January. It’s still doubtful that Hynes can find the right message and, more importantly, has enough time to pull it off by Feb. 2.
Making life even more difficult for Hynes was that Quinn was endorsed by the pro-choice group Personal PAC last week. The political action committee has a truly gigantic contact list and a bulging bank account. If the organization totally activates for Quinn, the governor’s problem with Democratic women could dissipate.
Meanwhile, why is Jim Ryan doing so much better than the other Republicans against Quinn and Hynes? Rasmussen polls showed both Democrats way ahead of all Republican candidates except Ryan.
Ryan is simply much better known and liked, even though he entered the race late, has little money and is not campaigning near as hard as most of the others.
The Tribune poll showed that 55 percent of Republican voters knew enough about Ryan to express an opinion about him (and they like him a lot), while only 27 percent on average knew enough about his top three GOP rivals to rate them.
Rasmussen had Ryan taking 88 and 87 percent of the Republican vote against Quinn and Hynes, respectively, while the other three GOP candidates scored a 70 percent average of the Republican vote against the two Democrats. The same goes for independents, conservatives and almost every other age group and demographic.
The good news for Ryan is the primary is so early that his huge name advantage could be enough to win this thing. The Feb. 2 election will be upon us before many people are even paying attention. The bad news? Well, there is no bad news in these polls for Ryan as of now.
* Except for Jim Ryan, most of the top GOP gubernatorial candidates told the Associated Press that they’re against legalizing medical marijuana…
“Legalizing medical marijuana appears to me to be nothing more than moving us down the slope of legalizing marijuana,” [Sen. Bill Brady] said. “According to experts, there are adequate medical alternatives.”
Brady also believes the federal government should be the pharmaceutical regulator. Illinois does not have the resources to determine what treatments are viable.
To Sen. Kirk Dillard, a Hinsdale Republican, enforcement is the key. He opposes medical marijuana, saying authorities are concerned about how they will police the law.
Andy McKenna, a Chicago businessman and former Illinois Republican Party chairman, said he “would have opposed the legislation presented to the Senate.”
Frontrunner Jim Ryan is the only major candidate who is keeping an open mind. Ryan’s spokesman told the AP he would be open to a “narrowly drawn” bill. Adam Andrzejewski would’ve backed the bill which passed the Senate last year, and Dan Proft is also for some sort of legalization. Bob Schillerstrom is against.
Gov. Pat Quinn wouldn’t support specific legislation, but indicated he’d be open to it. Dan Hynes didn’t directly answer the question.
