AP picks up pension story
Friday, Aug 23, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* No hat tip from the AP, but they were able to get the same pension reform outline that I obtained earlier today for subscribers.
This is not a done deal, by any means. There is no consensus as of yet on the pension reform conference committee. It’s a list of items that conference committee members have agreed to forward to the actuaries.
I’m also assuming that the Chicago Tribune will hate it. Why? Because despite lowering retirement income, the plan reduces employee contributions by a percentage point. The Tribune and Ty Fahner have been screaming for higher worker contributions for a long time now. So, why lower them? The concept of “consideration” is one reason. Give them something in return for taking other things away. Also, you gotta throw the unions some sort of bone if you’re gonna actually pass a bill.
Anyway, the AP’s take…
A bipartisan panel tasked with solving Illinois’ multibillion-dollar pension crisis is considering a framework that would save the state about $145 billion over 30 years, largely by ending automatic 3 percent cost-of-living increases for retirees. […]
It calls for setting retirees’ annual cost-of-living increases at half the rate of inflation, though it would set both floors and caps — which were not included in the outline — for what the rate would be. That formula would likely equate to smaller adjustments than the current 3 percent increases, compounded annually.
Employees would contribute 1 percent less to their own retirement, according to the document. But their annual pension benefit would be based on their salary over their career, rather than on the higher amount they’re making right before they retire.
It would reduce the state’s nearly $100 billion unfunded pension liability by about $18.1 billion and fully fund the retirement systems within 30 years.
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Your Friday bill-signing dump
Friday, Aug 23, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the governor’s office…
Governor Quinn Takes Bill Action
***Friday, August 23, 2013***
CHICAGO – Governor Pat Quinn today took action on the following bills:
Bill No.: SB 1194
An Act Concerning: Insurance
Allows the certification of navigators, in-person counselors, and certified application counselors to enroll individuals in the Health Insurance Exchange.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately
Bill No.: SB 1197
An Act Concerning: Regulation
Ensures that prospective residents of nursing homes are properly informed about asset and income disclosure requirements.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately
Bill No.: SB 1430
An Action Concerning: Local Government
Authorizes a county board to borrow money from a bank or other financial institution for corporate purposes provided that the money is repaid within two years.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately
Bill No.: SB 1458
An Act Concerning: Utilities
Provides an expedited process to resolve pipeline safety concerns at the Illinois Commerce Commission.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately
Bill No.: SB 1568
An Act Concerning: Employees
Allows the Department of Labor to establish an administrative procedure to adjudicate claims of any amount.
Action: Signed
Effective: Jan. 1, 2014
Bill No.: SB 1598
An Act Concerning: State Government
Changes the requirements for data collection upon arrest or booking.
Action: Signed
Effective: Jan. 1, 2015
Bill No.: SB 1609
An Act Concerning: Criminal Law
Adds threatening a human service provider to the charge of threatening a human service provider; makes such a threat a Class 3 felony for a first offense and a Class 1 felony for second and subsequent offenses.
Action: Signed
Effective: Jan. 1, 2014
Bill No.: SB 1640
An Act Concerning: State Government
Creates the Multiple Sclerosis Task Force in the Illinois Department of Public Health to identify and address the unmet needs of persons with multiple sclerosis.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately
Bill No.: SB 1655
An Act Concerning: Regulation
Clarifies procedures for an individual holding an active license as a managing broker license to be issued a broker’s license in exchange and revises manner in which a brokerage agreement can be terminated.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately
Bill No.: SB 1686
An Act Concerning: Civil Law
Clarifies that the unfitness of a parent can be alleged after a nine-month period of failure to make reasonable efforts to correct conditions that were the basis of the removal of a child from the home.
Action: Signed
Effective: Jan. 1, 2014
Bill No.: SB 1791
An Act Concerning: Education
Makes Illinois Student Assistance Commission the administrator of the Golden Apple Scholars of Illinois Program and consolidates it with the Future Teacher Corps Program.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately
Bill No.: SB 1801
An Act Concerning: Revenue
Clarifies the aircraft refurbishment exemption from the state sales tax.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately
Bill No.: SB 1830
An Act Concerning: Government
Clarifies the duties of the Illinois Labor Relations Board.
Action: Signed
Effective: Jan. 1, 2014
Bill No.: SB 1844
An Act Concerning: Courts
Allows minors to be placed in adult detention facilities if they are 18 years-old or older and the court takes into consideration their delinquent or criminal history.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately
Bill No.: SB 1862
An Act Concerning: Criminal Law
Provides funding for Metropolitan Enforcement Groups in accordance with the Intergovernmental Drug Laws Enforcement Act.
Action: Signed
Effective: July 1, 2013
Bill No.: SB 1872
An Act Concerning: Criminal Law
Eliminates felony enhancements for the offense of prostitution.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately
Bill No.: SB 1940
An Action Concerning: Transportation
Requires proof of insurance in order to receive vehicle registration.
Action: Signed
Effective: Jan. 1, 2014
Bill No.: SB 2101
An Act Concerning: Regulation
Requires mobile home park licensee or owner who has actual knowledge that one of the homes has been used for the manufacture of methamphetamine to disclose that information to potential buyer of mobile home.
Action: Signed
Effective: Jan. 1, 2014
Bill No.: SB 2184
An Act Concerning: Safety
Allows the Illinois Department of Labor to respond more quickly to public safety hazards associated with fair or carnival amusement rides and brings state oversight procedures in line with national standards for amusement ride safety programs.
Action: Signed
Effective: Immediately
Bill No.: SB 2226
An Act Concerning: Safety
Limits disposal of asphalt shingles in landfills in order to boost recycling.
Action: Signed
Effective: Jan. 1, 2014
Bill No.: SB 2255
An Act Concerning: Regulation
Allows the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to locally certify coal mine electricians.
Action: Signed
Effective: Jan. 1, 2014
See anything you want to discuss in more detail on Monday?
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Question of the day
Friday, Aug 23, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* George Ryan was in Springfield the other day and stayed at Tony Leone’s place near the Statehouse…
Ryan lost weight and dealt with infected teeth in prison. His dental problems were initially compounded by financial troubles, Leone said.
“When I first saw him I was kind of set back,” Leone said of Ryan’s appearance. “But he had to wait for his Social Security check (to have his teeth fixed).”
Stripped of his pension, Leone said Ryan is “trying to think what he’s going to be doing in the future. He’s got to make some money.”
He said Ryan is working on a memoir that they have discussed during recent visits.
“We have talked when I went up there two times about our recollections of incidents with people. Some are really funny,” Leone said.
* Ryan was released from home confinement in early July. His Springfield activities also included a bit of tourism…
The 79-year-old Republican made a stop at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, where his name remains on the cornerstone despite his conviction on corruption charges and subsequent time in federal prison. […]
Ryan, who is credited with providing the political muscle to get the Lincoln museum and library built, was accompanied on his visit by his children, grandchildren and nieces and nephews.
In addition to viewing the exhibits, the entourage stopped at the cornerstone to pose for pictures, Leone said.
“George was really feeling good when he went back home,” Leone said.
* The Question: What one word best describes your feelings about former Gov. George Ryan these days? Keep it to one word, please. Thanks.
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Today’s quote
Friday, Aug 23, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Bill Daley…
In the Quad Cites for the first time since announcing his candidacy, Daley, the former Commerce Secretary and Chief of Staff to President Barack Obama, said, in this race, at least, he’s an outsider.
“I’ve been around politics and government, but not for the past 12 years, like Governor Quinn has been” he told News 8
I’m still not convinced that this “Daley the outsider” schtick is gonna work. He’s a Daley, for crying out loud. Everybody with even half a brain knows that name and what it means. So, how do you convince voters that a prominent member of the Daley family is an outsider?
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About that new Rauner PAC
Friday, Aug 23, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* An expenditure made by a ballot initiative committee “in concert with” a candidate’s committee is considered a contribution by state law, and candidate committees are barred from accepting contributions from ballot initiative committees, so that’s a real legal problem for Bruce Rauner’s new term limits PAC…
How does Bruce Rauner the candidate for governor manage not to coordinate with Bruce Rauner the SuperPac chair?
“If he can find a way to not coordinate with himself, that’s a neat trick,” says David Morrison, Deputy Director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform. Morrison said unlike campaign committees supporting individual candidates, there are no contribution limits on ballot initiative committees because they are typically isolated from candidates.
Except in this case, Bruce Rauner is a candidate in a heated, four-way gubernatorial election. Yet he also filed organization papers as chair of the Committee for Legislative Reform and Term Limits, a SuperPAC. The committee’s aim, according to Rauner’s campaign spokesman Mike Schrimpf, is to put a question on the November 2014 ballot that would place term limits on Illinois politicians. The details will be announced in upcoming weeks but in an interview on Thursday, Schrimpf described it as a good government initiative. […]
There is plenty of potential for problems with this set up, says Morrison, who added that he was still studying the issue. Rauner, who is in a four-way primary battle for the GOP gubernatorial nod, has had no problem raising money and tapping friends to donate to him. But there’s a limit on how much Rauner — as well as those friends — can pony up. Rauner has poured $249,000 of his own fortune into his race. That’s just shy of the $250,000 threshold that would take off the limit cap — for both Rauner and his opponents.
So working through a separate committee would potentially reap financial benefits for Rauner.
Morrison noted that Rauner could tap the SuperPAC funds for TV commercials in which he could appear (within a certain time period before the primary and general election). Rauner could not ask for a vote for governor if the SuperPAC were footing the bill. But that wouldn’t stop him from winning name recognition. The SuperPAC money could be used for polling data, voting data and other resources needed for a ballot initiative that a candidate’s campaign committee would also take interest.
Contributions aren’t capped to ballot initiative committees, which is quite convenient for Rauner, who is just about at the cap for candidate committees.
* I talked with ICPR’s Morrison this afternoon and he pointed to a similar thing that occurred in California during the Gray Davis recall push. The elections board out there ruled that the recall was a ballot initiative, so contributions to it weren’t capped. So, Arnold Schwarzenegger set up a ballot initiative committee, raised gobs of money and appeared in tons of TV ads announcing that he was voting “Yes” on the recall.
Discuss.
…Adding… The Sun-Times story identifies this Rauner fund as a “Super PAC.” It ain’t. Different sort of PAC, different rules.
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Renters now protected from foreclosures
Friday, Aug 23, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This seems like a common sense bill…
A new law in Illinois that will take effect at the end of the year is aimed at protecting renters if their landlord’s property goes into foreclosure.
Gov. Pat Quinn signed the law that says that those who buy multifamily properties out of foreclosure should either honor existing tenant leases or give the renters 90 days to move.
State officials say that about 40 percent of families affected by foreclosure are renters.
* From a press release…
Currently, tenants living in foreclosed properties are protected under federal law, but those protections are set to sunset in 2014.
Under the new state law, an owner who acquires a property in a foreclosure proceeding can evict a tenant only at the end of the lease or, if there is no lease, with 90 days’ notice.
If the new owner intends to use the property as his or her primary residence, he or she may terminate the lease but must still give 90 days’ notice. A bank foreclosing on a rental property also must inform tenants of where they should pay their rent.
The bill is here.
Of course, pulling the state and the nation out of the housing foreclosure crisis would probably do a lot more good. But this never-ending economic slump is beyond stubborn.
…Adding… A similar bill was introduced way back in 2007.
* There was a spot of good news accompanying the state’s lousy July unemployment rate report, however…
The number of jobs across the Chicago area grew by 1.9 percent last month from a year earlier, but the unemployment rate still increased.
Highlighting volatility in employment figures, the region encompassing Chicago, Joliet and Naperville saw one of the state’s largest increases in job growth and in the rate of unemployment, according to preliminary data released Thursday by the Illinois Department of Employment Security.
The unemployment rate measures those who are actively searching for work, so if someone gives up their search, they are no longer counted. Conversely, if a region sees job growth but the unemployment rate rises, it indicates that more people are starting to look for jobs.
But…
Across the state, the unemployment rate fell last month in seven of 12 metro areas, but the number of jobs declined in eight out of 12.
So, while the Metro East area saw its unemployment rate drop by a full percentage point, to 8.6 percent, the number of jobs have actually declined by 2,300 from a year ago.
Springfield’s rate fell by a tenth of a point, but Springfield now has 200 fewer gross, non-farm jobs than it did a year ago. Ugh.
And while that 1.9 percentage point increase in the number of jobs in the Chicago region is good news, it’s still not nearly enough over a year’s time. We need growth, man.
The full report is here.
* Meanwhile…
The issue of raising Illinois’ minimum wage generated quite a bit of controversy early in the spring session of the Illinois General Assembly.
One bill in particular, which proposed raising Illinois’ minimum wage from $8.25 an hour to $10 over three years, generated lots of opposition from the business community, which said raising the minimum wage would result only in employers cutting existing minimum wage jobs.
But it never got a vote in the House or Senate, where it remains in the Assignments Committee. By session’s end, pension reform, concealed carry and same-sex marriage had pushed minimum wage off the stage.
If you listened to Gov. Pat Quinn’s speech to Democratic county chairmen last week, though, you heard the minimum wage stepping back into the spotlight as one of the main planks of Quinn’s reelection campaign platform.
“It’s a principle as old as the Bible. If you work 40 hours a week, you should not live in poverty,” Quinn told the crowd in Springfield. “That’s why we’re going to raise the Illinois minimum wage as well.”
I really doubt that bill will be approved by the House if it does clear the Senate. The Illinois Retail Merchants Association, among others, is dead-set against it, and they have a very friendly ear in Speaker Madigan.
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Beer can spoiler
Friday, Aug 23, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Maybe it’s because I’m still not feeling well, but I’ve read this three times and I’m still not sure I get the logic behind today’s Kass piece about how state Sen. Kwame Raoul is a spoiler…
Kwame Raoul hates it when you call him a “spoiler,” so I what am I supposed to call him?
The Kwame-Nader?
Kwame-Nader is an homage to Ralph Nader, who took enough votes from weird Al Gore to make George W. Bush the president.
Raoul is Haitian-American, popular among Hyde Park liberals and flirting with challenging incumbent Quinn in the Democratic primary. Quinn is already facing a challenge from mayoral brother and former Obama White House chief of staff William Daley.
So if the Kwame-Nader gets in, will he take black votes from Quinn? Does this help Daley?
“The notion that somebody has characterized me as a spoiler, given my record of achievement, not only advancing policy that impacts the black community, but all communities, is insulting at best,” he told WLS-Ch. 7.
That’s so precious, Sen. Kwame-Nader. You don’t like being insulted? Who are you, the public relations guy for the Chicago Fire?
If you were serious about running for governor of a state in financial ruin, you would have been doing something about it long ago.
If Kwame-Nader was serious, he’d have been out there for months like others, staking out positions, declaring where he stands.
Instead, he’s been running that legislative pension committee, the one that costs Illinois taxpayers $5 million for every day it doesn’t solve the problem. Instead, it keeps meeting and meeting and meeting. And meeting.
Oh, Kwame-Nader. If you don’t like the name, please give me a call (finally) and we’ll think of something else.
Perhaps you can help me understand the logic here.
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* Sorry. Wasn’t feeling well this morning at all. Somewhat better now.
Since Oswego Willy was one of those who sent me an e-mail wondering if I was still alive, how about a caption contest to welcome his favorite legislative leader into the state treasurer’s race?…
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* From an e-mail…
Rich,
Illinois Family Institute agrees with the Catholic Conference of Illinois and Senator Kirk Dillard. Civil Unions is proving to be a litigious nightmare! Just ask the Bed & Breakfast owners from Paxton, Illinois who only want to operate their business according to the dictates of their faith and not be forced to celebrate something they believe to immoral.
Here are just a few examples that prove just how litigious the marriage redefinition agenda is:
• Washington State is suing a Christian florist who declined to provide floral arrangements for a homosexual “wedding” ceremony. The state is threatening thousands of dollars in fines and a requirement that the elderly florist provide floral arrangements to any homosexual couple that seeks her services.
• The Christian owners of an Oregon bakery were contacted by the Oregon Department of Justice and were told that they are being investigated because of a discrimination complaint that followed their refusal to violate their beliefs by providing a wedding cake for a lesbian “wedding” ceremony.
• A Christian owner of a bed and breakfast in Hawaii has been ordered to provide a room to any same-sex couple that wants to stay there, thus violating her religious convictions.
• And in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the owner of Elane Photography declined to provide her skills and services for a lesbian commitment, explaining that doing so would violate her conscience as a Christian. As a result of a complaint being filed with the New Mexico Human Rights Commission, a fine of $6,600 was issued against this small business for discrimination based on “sexual orientation.”
There are many more cases like these, and many more will be coming down the litigation pike. In each of these cases, homosexual activists prove that what they really want goes far beyond “equality” or “tolerance.” And they clearly demonstrate their lack of tolerance for any dissenting opinions.
Moreover, why would proponents of marriage redefinition seek to punish people of faith through litigation? Why wouldn’t proponents tolerate another person’s right to freely exercise their religious beliefs and an individual’s right of conscience, and their right to decline to provide goods, services, and accommodations to those seeking government recognition of same-sex unions as “marriage”?
Sincerely,
David E. Smith, Executive Director
Illinois Family Institute
I’m busy with other stuff right now, so go ahead and discuss.
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* From the Catholic Conference of Illinois regarding a post from earlier today…
Rich,
You posted today about Kirk Dillard’s comment on a 2012 candidate questionnaire regarding the civil unions law: “It is a litigious nightmare!” You then disagreed with Dillard’s comment by saying “it hasn’t really turned out that way.”
We disagree, and point to the 2011 court battle between the state and the Catholic dioceses of Belleville, Joliet and Springfield regarding state foster care contracts. The dioceses do not place children with unmarried, civil-union couples – whether gay or heterosexual. The dioceses sued the state to retain the right to continue their long-standing mission of caring for abandoned and neglected children. The court ruled against them, and the dioceses were forced to dismantle their foster care operations.
Yes, the dioceses filed the lawsuit – but only after the state threatened their contracts. Most importantly, Senate debate on the civil unions legislation expressly assured that religious social service agencies would NOT be affected by the legislation.
Thanks.
Robert Gilligan
Executive Director
Catholic Conference of Illinois
The dioceses lost their case because the court ruled that no group has an inherent right to a state contract. I stand by what I said. One lawsuit does not a “litigious nightmare” make. Add in two more lawsuits mentioned in the comment section by Peter Breen of the Thomas More Society and I still don’t buy into the “litigious nightmare” argument.
Also, even assuming their logic is correct, then wouldn’t pretty much all the state and federal anti-discrimination laws regarding race, gender, age and religious affiliation be classified as “litigious nightmares” because of the countless lawsuits they’ve spawned over the decades? And, more importantly, is that a valid reason to oppose those protections?
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“The Next 89 WLS Talk Star”
Thursday, Aug 22, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From WLS AM…
Laura Kelly beat out four other finalists to become ‘The Next 89 WLS Talk Star,” winning the contest at a live finale at The Improv in Schaumburg Wednesday night.
“This is just so incredible!” Kelly said after 89 WLS midday host Lauren Cohn announced her as the winner.
Bruce Wolf and Dan Proft hosted the finale, and Kelly joined them this morning to talk about what she plans to do on her two-hour, 89 WLS talk show.
Proft said that her focus on getting Gov. Pat Quinn and Sen. Dick Durbin out of office is what put her over the top and separated her from the other finalists.
“That’s the reason I wanted to have a talk show, to be able to just focus on them and dump Dick Durbin. I just want somebody in there that will bring in good government,” Kelly said.
* Check out the video of the presentation…
“There are many people who appreciate this station and appreciate Republican values,” Kelly said after she was awarded the prize.
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Question of the day
Thursday, Aug 22, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sun-Times…
Alex Clifford is interested in rejoining Metra as CEO and would be willing to reopen his controversial separation deal to be rehired — under certain circumstances, Clifford’s lawyer said Wednesday.
But the attorney, Michael Shakman, contended that Metra officials can’t unilaterally “undo” Clifford’s 26-month farewell handshake or try to tap a $10 million insurance policy to cover some of the maximum $871,000 settlement tab, as some officials have suggested.
“If they want to reduce their obligation, Mr. Clifford is willing to talk about a new employment agreement extending some years into the future,’’ said Shakman, known best to some as the original plaintiff in a landmark City Hall hiring and firing case.
Shakman commented Wednesday after members of the RTA board, which oversees Metra’s finances, heard the initial results of an RTA audit into the Clifford deal and approved a resolution declaring it “not financially prudent.’’
The resolution also urged Metra to conduct “a thorough examination of its insurance policy’’ to see if a claim could still be filed.
* Daily Herald…
Metra has no basis for canceling the agreement given it was made by a government body that had the proper authority to enter into such an agreement, Shakman said. He added that if Metra stopped payments, it would have to go to arbitration, and if the agency lost it would mean paying more legal fees.
Moreover, Shakman thinks the agency’s insurance policy would not cover Metra over a breach of contract dispute.
* The Question: Should Metra reinstate Alex Clifford with a multi-year employment agreement? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
survey services
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* Rep. Jim Sacia (R-Pecatonica) pens a weekly column for his local papers. This is from his latest…
You are all aware that for the past two months the Governor has withheld our salaries until we pass “pension reform”. Certainly the Governor’s move is “politically correct” and the citizens seem to love it. “You go Governor - stick it to those lazy legislators”. Here is the fallacy. Where has the Governor been on comprehensive pension reform? Along the way I have been involved in many of the pension discussions. I have never seen the Governor at any of them. It certainly begs the question, where is his great idea and leadership?
A short week before our mandatory adjournment on May 31, the Governor called me to his office. As we were in session, I locked out my electronic voting buttons and headed to his office. It never entered my mind that it would be anything other than pension reform. You can’t make this stuff up folks - he wanted to know what it would take for me not to vote no on the gay marriage bill. It must be restated here - I have no issue with gay people. God loves us all. In my opinion politics has no place in sexual preference. The hundreds of gay couples in the capital complex certainly made the issue “politically correct”.
My response to the Governor was less than “politically correct”. “You could install a _____ no button”. The Governor smiled and dismissed me. It was not an attempt at being clever, more out of indignation, “you mean I’m not here to discuss pensions?”
I suppose Quinn should get credit for asking pretty much everybody to vote for gay marriage, and Sacia is retiring, so he’s a lame duck. But no way was the social conservative ever going to be a “Yes” vote. That was a total waste of time.
* He’d better have a much more effective pitch when the pension reform conference committee hands him their results. Speaker Madigan has said he won’t bring the House back to town until Quinn has found the 60 votes needed to pass the bill. And, as the governor acknowledged way back in 1980, he’s no lobbyist…
“If you’ve got a bill you want passed, I wouldn’t advise hiring me as your lobbyist,” said Quinn. “I haven’t exactly endeared myself to the politicians in Springfield.”
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I just don’t see his path
Thursday, Aug 22, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Republican state treasurer candidate Bob Grogan reportedly met with Tom Cross yesterday afternoon, hours after Cross told his caucus that he would run for the statewide job. Shortly after the meeting, a defiant Grogan issued this statement…
After visiting more than 40 counties listening to voters, I’m ready to make it official .. Next week during the Du Quoin State Fair, I’ll be announcing my candidacy for State Treasurer, details to follow. While others can talk about political money raised, I’ll be talking about safeguarding the people’s money. As a CPA and Certified Fraud Examiner, I’ll be standing strong against the corrupt status quo. I hope I can count on your support as we make a break from the old politics of Illinois!
A red flag should always go up when a candidate dismisses the importance of campaign money, and that certainly applies here. Grogan is, to put it simply, a lousy fundraiser.
Grogan raised just $21K in the last quarter and had $19K in the bank. He raised just $4,800 in the first quarter, and about $5,000 all last year.
* On paper, Grogan could make an impressive state treasurer…
“(B)eing the County Auditor in DuPage, I’m a CPA and a certified fraud examiner. I have a strong record as far as financial acumen so I will be able to keep and watch over the people’s money. I have a strong record of transparency putting DuPage Counties checkbook online when others said it couldn’t be done.”
From his campaign bio…
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
• Certified Public Accountant (2002)
- Passed all four sections of CPA exam on first attempt: FARE- 95, ARE- 93, Audit- 92, Law- 92.
• Certified Fraud Examiner (2010)
CIVIC EXPERIENCE
• Commissioner, DuPage County Zoning Board of Appeals (2005-2008)
• Staff Assistant, Rep. Harris Fawell, 13th Illinois Congressional District (1996-1997)
• Secretary, Clarendon Blackhawk Mosquito Abatement District Board (2001-2006)
• Board Member, DuPage Regional Planning Commission (2003-2005)
EDUCATION
• Miami University (Ohio)
-Bachelors of Arts Degree
-Double Major: Economics and Political Science
• College of DuPage
-Advanced Accounting Certificate
-4.0/4.0 GPA
-Phi Theta Kappa
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
• Illinois CPA Society
• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
• Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
• Government Finance Officers Association
• Illinois Association of County Auditors
But if you have no money, nobody is ever gonna know who the heck you are. And you gotta win in order to change things. Down-ballot statewide races are almost always about name recognition. No money, no name ID. It’s as simple as that.
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“Stand your ground” and concealed carry
Thursday, Aug 22, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Tribune has a very good story about Illinois’ century-old history of “stand your ground” court precedents. The article is also about how those precendents could prompt changes to the new concealed carry. The consensus is that nobody really knows yet what’s going to happen. Anyway, have a look…
Under Florida’s self-defense law, a person who is attacked “where he or she has a right to be has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force.” That includes “deadly force” if the person “reasonably” believes it is necessary to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or another, or to prevent an imminent felony crime from being committed.
Illinois’ self-defense statute is more generic, saying that a person who is attacked is justified in using deadly force “only if he reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or another, or the commission of a forcible felony.” Similar language is used to allow self-defense in protecting a home or personal property. […]
A person unlawfully assaulted while somewhere they have a right to be who is put in real or reasonably apparent danger of losing his or her life or suffering severe harm “may stand his ground and repel force with force, even to the taking of the life of his assailant,” Justice Carroll Boggs wrote. […]
Case law has defined four elements to self-defense in Illinois: that unlawful force was threatened, that the person being threatened was not the initial aggressor, that the danger of harm is imminent and that the use of force was necessary.
All four of those conditions must be met for a self-defense strategy to succeed…
In self-defense murder cases, for example, a jury can convict someone of second-degree murder, accepting that the person believed deadly force was justified but finding that the circumstances surrounding the killing showed the action was unreasonable.
Discuss.
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Good news for Fair fans
Thursday, Aug 22, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I truly enjoyed the Illinois State Fair this year. Obviously one reason was the perfect weather. But the entertainment was solid, the horse shows were fun as always, there were enough new food booths to keep me coming back for more and the fair’s fun quirkiness was ever present. So, I’m glad to see attendance was up…
Governor Pat Quinn today announced that the recently concluded Illinois State Fair reported its highest attendance in more than ten years. A total of 961,142 fairgoers passed through the gates this year, an increase of five percent – or 42,707 visitors – compared to a year ago, when attendance was 918,435. The figure is the fair’s highest attendance since 2002, when an estimated 1.2 million people visited the fair. […]
Several records were set during the 11-day run of the fair as well.
The Grandstand entertainment was the highest-grossing line-up in State Fair history with ticket sales of $2.03 million. The sales figure eclipsed the previous record of $1.57 million set just last year. Grandstand attendance totaled 53,287, the most since 2000, when 54,345 tickets were sold.
Toby Keith was the biggest draw - his concert sold 9,367 tickets, 144 more than the Styx and REO Speedwagon concert (9,223). Governor Quinn is one of Toby Keith’s biggest fans and attended his concert, where he declared “Toby Keith Day” in Illinois. […]
The increased spending at the fair boosts purchasing at local businesses, which in turn stimulates economic growth in the area. The Illinois Department of Revenue collected a record $257,584 in sales taxes from Illinois State Fair vendors. That’s seven percent more than was collected a year ago. With the sales tax rate in Sangamon County at 6.25 percent, that figure means fairgoers spent $4.1 million on corn dogs, lemon shake-ups, and assorted trinkets this year. Gate and parking revenue was $1,530,676, breaking the previous record set in 2012 of $1,513,884. North American Midway Entertainment, the fair’s carnival contractor, reported record gross receipts of $1.4 million, surpassing the $1.29 million it collected a year ago.
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Poe vs. Durkin
Thursday, Aug 22, 2013 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The battle to replace House Republican Leader Tom Cross is so far between Downstater Rep. Raymond Poe (R-Springfield) and suburbanite Rep. Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs). The two men just couldn’t be more different…
Poe said he didn’t view the campaign to replace Cross as a contest between a downstater and a suburbanite. However, Poe said his and Durkin’s differing views on how to approach pension reform “are probably the biggest thing going on.”
“I’m getting a bad rap that says I’m not for pension reform,” Poe said. “I am. I just happen to support (the union-backed plan), and [Durkin] supported the (Michael) Madigan plan. We’re both for reform, but it’s different reform and how we get there and how we take care of our constituents.” […]
Durkin said he thinks the key issue is the ability to raise money so the party can wage effective campaigns.
“The single most important position for the House leader is the ability to raise money,” Durkin said. “I just think I have an edge on him. There’s not a lot of money in the campaign coffers. I’ve got a relationship with the business community. You’ve got to be able to raise money in Chicago.”
* Keep in mind that a majority of House Republicans voted against the Madigan pension reform plan and were really upset with Cross over his pandering to Ty Fahner et al. The majority of the caucus represents Downstate districts, and there are very real tensions between the two regions. But neither man has yet sewn up enough votes to win, partially because of this guy…
[Rep. Dwight Kay, of Glen Carbon] is a short-timer at the Capitol who may have a tough re-election race, factors making difficult a run for leadership against two more senior lawmakers.
Kay has the support of at least two other ultra-conservative House Republicans (reportedly Jeanne Ives of Wheaton and Tom Morrison of Palatine).
* Durkin is right that raising money is a key issue. And the real money is most definitely in the Chicago area, where he lives. Former Senate GOP Leader Frank Watson managed to do it from his Metro East district, but it wasn’t easy at all.
It would, however, be fascinating to see a Poe leadership win. I imagine that the Chicago Tribune editorial board’s collective head would explode if Poe took over the helm. And just imagine the position it would put Bruce Rauner in. He’d be bashing his party’s own House leader for kowtowing to the unions. Priceless.
* If neither man is able to put together a winning margin, you can probably expect others to eventually jump in. Cross won a bitter race against former Rep. Art Tenhouse back in the day, but the suburbs had a lot more power and influence in those times and Cross had crossover appeal that Durkin has so far lacked. I also don’t expect Kay to drop out any time soon. He is what he is.
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* I was looking up candidate questionnaires this morning for a story I did for subscribers and stumbled across a 2012 Illinois Review questionnaire filled out by state Sen. Kirk Dillard.
Dillard is often touted as a “moderate” candidate, but check this out…
“It is a litigous nightmare!!” he wrote underneath his answer. It hasn’t really turned out to be that way, except for the lawsuit to overturn it and instate full marriage rights based on equal protection arguments.
* Dillard also said he favored repealing the state’s “Motor Voter” law. I hadn’t heard of anyone of prominence pushing that idea, so it really stuck out for me.
Dillard also revealed that he could support a so-called “right to work” law, although it “Depends on how it is drafted,” he noted.
To be sure, he said he supported the right of public employees to strike “with limits,” but the questionnaire is a very interesting read. Click here to read it for yourself, then discuss.
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