Derrick Smith trial set for October of 2013
Wednesday, Nov 14, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* These things usually get pushed back even more, so I wouldn’t bet on this happening so, um, soon…
Newly elected state Rep. Derrick Smith could serve nearly a year in office before he has to face trial on federal bribery charges.
A federal judge today set the trial for next Oct. 21, according to Smith’s attorney. […]
The trial was set for 11 months from now by U.S. District Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman because of her schedule.
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HB 5440: Close the Loophole and Support Our Students
Wednesday, Nov 14, 2012 - Posted by Advertising Department
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The State of Illinois is in a budget crisis. Yet, satellite TV operators – who represent a third of the video provider market – pay no franchise or video service fees to support our communities and state. By exploiting this corporate tax loophole, satellite operators are taking their profits out of Illinois instead of paying the industry standard in franchise or video service fees.
When customers watch television through a satellite or cable provider, what they get is largely the same experience. There is no reason why satellite providers should be permitted to exploit this corporate loophole.
Twelve other states have successfully closed similar tax loopholes on satellite companies and in turn have worked towards more balanced government budgets. Here in Illinois, closing this loophole would bring much needed funding to Illinois education, including support for early childhood education, local K-12 school districts, and financial assistance for Illinois college students.
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* Ty Fahner and the Civic Committee of the Commercial Club of Chicago have sent a memo to their members claiming that the pension funding problem is “unfixable”…
The magnitude of the unfunded obligations, combined with a total lack of political courage to rectify the situation, leads us to believe that our pensions systems can no longer be salvaged sufficiently to meet their current obligations
* The big business types at the Civic Committee were clearly upset with last Tuesday’s election results…
It was the Commercial Club’s hope that the November elections would bring much-needed change to our legislature and remove those from office who have been roadblocks to pension reform. Instead, it appears we will soon have even more legislators who aren’t prepared, or willing, to make the tough decisions necessary to save our state.
* Greg Hinz rounds up the Civic Committee’s reform demands…
Eliminate all cost-of-living increases for retirees or future retirees, cap pensions to a maximum salary, increase the retirement age to 67 and shift the cost of teacher pensions to local school districts over a 12-year period. The state now pays all teacher pensions except in Chicago, where city taxpayers pick up the tab. […]
Implementing the four changes the committee wants would buy the pension systems about 10 to 12 years more of viable life, he said. But the State Employee Retirement System, now projected to run out of cash in 2029, still would be insolvent by around 2040, he said. The same would apply to the State University Retirement System and the Teacher Retirement System, now projected to be unable to pay full benefits in 2030 and 2033, respectively.
Why then should lawmakers take a tough vote that won’t solve the problem?
Because if they don’t, the state will have to boost the share of its operating budget that goes toward pensions from roughly 20 percent now to 30 percent, and/or raise taxes again by a huge amount, Mr. Fahner said. That would crowd out money needed for schools, roads, public safety, health care and other needs.
But, according to Hinz, the Civic Committee refuses to release its actuarial numbers that this scenario is based on until legislative leaders disclose theirs.
Discuss.
*** UPDATE *** AFSCME…
Millionaire CEOs want to slash the modest retirement savings earned by middle-class public servants like teachers, police, nurses and caregivers. Regrettably, that’s not news. But it is disappointing that the Civic Committee’s letter to the governor is alarmingly fact-free: No mention that the pension debt was mostly caused by politicians who skipped required payments even as public employees always paid their share. No mention that retirees rely on an average pension of just $32,000 a year, with nearly 80% not eligible for Social Security.
But Illinois residents reject these false attacks. Last week they defeated a change to the Illinois Constitution meant to pin the blame for the pension problem on workers and retirees. And a recent statewide newspaper poll found that voters rightly fault politicians, not workers, by a margin of 51 to 2.
Like all public employees, AFSCME members are helpers and problem solvers by trade, and we remain ready to help solve the pension funding problem. But that’s going to require everyone to work together.
Along with our partners in the We Are One Illinois coalition of unions that represent public employees, we have proposed a pension funding framework that would guarantee politicians pay their share going forward, never repeating the mistakes of the past. It would protect retirees from changes while offering that active employees would make increased contributions to help pay down the debt. And crucially, it would end tax giveaways for big, profitable corporations, helping Illinois to end its practice of using public retirement systems as a credit card to fund vital public services. This last imperative explains the agenda of the CEO crowd: They want to protect their special treatment in the tax code at all costs—even if that means picking the pockets of retired teachers, fire fighters, child protection workers and other public servants.
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Nov 14, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Jim Edgar on the future of the GOP…
But Edgar does see a possible bright spot in the future for the party. “The governor’s race in Illinois in two years is huge for the Republican Party. If we can win the governor’s office back, then we have a viable two party system in Illinois,” he said. “But we’ve got to make sure that we have a candidate who not only appeals to Republicans but who also appeals to independents and thoughtful Democrats because you’ve got to have those. There [are] not enough Republicans in the state to get elected dog catcher. You’ve got to go out and get people who don’t view themselves as Republican. That means that you’re going to have to make sure the candidate appeals to the center.”
Edgar warned that Republicans should not look at Quinn’s low public approval ratings and assume they have the governor’s race in the bag. “I think we have an opportunity, but it’s only an opportunity — no guarantee. We’ve got to get our act together.”
* The Question: Keeping in mind that the next gubernatorial campaign will be during President Obama’s second midterm election, which is generally not favorable to the party in power, how do you rate the Republican Party’s chances in 2014? Explain.
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* My former intern Kevin Fanning fervently asked that I post this. So, here you go…
Last week I was informed that the university plans to eliminate the Civic Leadership Program. If not for this program I would never have had the opportunity to intern at Capitol Fax or had the multitude of experiences that came with it.
The Civic Leadership Program is a unique two-and-a-half-year undergraduate and graduate program for students interested in working in the public sector that culminates in an intensive internship. It is open to students of all majors, and was modeled off of the highly successful Illinois Legislative Studies Internship Program at UIS which boasts alumni such as Governor Jim Edgar, Sen. Kirk Dillard, and U.S. Judge Wayne R. Andersen.
The program has placed students in the General Assembly, Governor’s Office, Federal Reserve, Chicago Tribune, and even at the White House. The program has a budget of $150,000, a mere drop in the bucket of Illinois’ $1.5 billion budget. Approximately 90% of this budget is used to fund these internships. The time spent at these positions is invaluable, and provides a kind of education unparalleled by the classroom. While interning at Cap Fax I was able to learn how legislation actually gets passed, what role the media plays in the governing process, and how labor, lobbyists, and constituents influence their lawmakers. You simply can’t learn that sitting at a desk.
The University of Illinois’ mission statement aims to “transform lives and serve society by educating, creating knowledge and putting knowledge to work on a large scale and with excellence.” It’s time for the administration to put their money where their mouth is, and support students who are looking to make a difference in their communities, the state of Illinois, and our country. Please urge Chancellor Phyllis Wise and the Board of Trustees not to eliminate the Civic Leadership Program.
Kevin Fanning
Former Capitol Fax Intern
Civic Leadership Fellow, Class of 2009
I had a lot of very quality interns from that program. Budget cuts are what they are, but it would be a shame to see that one go. People actually got jobs when they left that program. Good jobs. It has been by any measure a rousing success.
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Mayor refuses to take the bait
Wednesday, Nov 14, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* According to the Sun-Times, Mayor Rahm Emanuel was asked yesterday “whether he intends to go around Gov. Pat Quinn — by cutting deals with Democratic legislative leaders — now that both houses have veto-proof Democratic majorities.” Hizzoner sounded almost conciliatory toward his chief Democratic rival…
The mayor responded that it was time for Springfield to focus on “a number of subjects — and the governor has to be a part of that.”
There were loud rumblings from within Emanuel’s circle that the mayor was gonna tee off on Quinn yesterday. Didn’t happen. That’s kind of a relief. Illinois really needs to move forward, but it can’t if the mayor is constantly undercutting the governor.
* Instead, Emanuel simply laid out his legislative agenda, which included pension reform…
“My number one issue in the legislature is getting pension reform, we must get this done in a bi-partisan way,” Quinn said Tuesday. “I really feel that all the legislators who are in the General Assembly now have more work to do before their term is up. And we want to make sure the entire term is used in order to get big things done for the public, for the people.”
A Chicago casino…
“I was advocating — as have other people for 25 years — a casino for the city of Chicago, but one in which I committed all the resources will go into school modernization, building new schools and modernizing our schools so our kids will have the best facilities to learn in,” Emanuel said while discussing his wish list for Springfield.
And gay marriage…
“Third, I will continue to advocate that we also pass marriage equality and end the discrimination on the books,” the mayor said.
“Although the state of Illinois now has civil unions, the time for marriage equality is now. The time is right, and the time is here.”
* The answer to that last question prompted questions of some openly gay House members about what they intend to do…
On Tuesday, Harris and Mell held open the possibility of trying again in January during a lame-duck session that will be the last for 35 lawmakers who either lost, are retiring or did not seek re-election.
“We’ll try when we have the votes. Hopefully, that will be sooner than later. But, we’re not gonna run a bill if we’re not gonna pass it,” Mell said.
Harris added, “We’re roll-calling folks to see where folks stand. If we have 60 votes in the House and 30 in the Senate and there’s time when the budgetary issues are resolved,” then they will push for a vote.
Discuss.
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Did Quinn just back away from the cost shift?
Wednesday, Nov 14, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* For about a year now, the standard mantra from Chicago Democratic leaders has been that the “cost-shift” must happen. The idea is to move billions of dollars in employer pension payments from the state down to local school districts and colleges and universities. Senate President John Cullerton came up with the idea, but Gov. Pat Quinn jumped on board shortly thereafter.
Quinn kinda sorta backed away a bit in April, but his aides say he didn’t actually do that. Since then, he’s been gung ho.
* Yesterday, Quinn was asked whether the cost-shift was still a major component of his pension reform plan. His response…
* Transcript…
“I don’t think we should let one particular segment of a reform bill hold up progress. So, uh, what we want to do is negotiate and figure out a good plan that saves taxpayers money and still maintains and rescues the pension system.”
Sounds like he’s backing away a bit to me.
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*** UPDATED x1 *** The GOP “media cocoon”
Wednesday, Nov 14, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* A high-level Republican responds to a post here yesterday…
I think your post on the Tribune mirrors the larger debate going on nationally for Republicans and that is that we tend to exist in a media cocoon. Nationally, too much emphasis/belief on Fox news and conservative commenters.
In Illinois, perhaps too much emphasis on the Trib. We, GoPers, do a rally cheer every time we get a positive editorial, not realizing we are probably the only ones focused on it.
Plus it gives us affirmation to our messaging, “fire Madigan,” etc and we think that since it exists in the mainstream media, it must be “catching on”. Brady says Fire Madigan, Trib writes Fire Madigan, therefore the message has cracked through to the mainstream media. Not quite, not even close.
Thoughts?
*** UPDATE *** * Kristen McQueary of the Tribune editorial board tweets…
@capitolfax Uncle! Uncle! We’ve focused all on fiscal/pensions, like many edit brds. We’re not birthers. We’re social mods. FOXNews? C’mon.
All due respect, but that completely misses the point, which is that the GOP/Tribune relationship is a closed circle which doesn’t resonate much at all outside that circle. It also misses the point made above that the Republicans spend an inordinate amount of time and energy with the Tribune and get little if anything for it.
And the focus hasn’t solely been on “fiscal/pension” issues. It’s been on personalities. For the Tribune it’s constantly: Fire Madigan + ??? = Prosperity!!! They’ve never really explained how 71 loose House Democratic cannons will somehow make this state great again.
They’re overly simplistic, myopic and downright partisan, as their refusal to endorse Rep. Elaine Nekritz clearly showed. Here was a candidate with everything the Tribune wants in a legislator, except for the “D” behind her name. I don’t think you would be out of line if you posited that the “D” did her in with them.
…Adding… As pointed out yesterday, there’s also a tiring “Message from God” quality to far too many of the Tribune’s editorials about state government. They’re 100 percent right all the time and anyone who differs even slightly is a heretic. That’s very “Foxish.”
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Fun with numbers
Wednesday, Nov 14, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* The Southern Illinoisan reports that 147,318 presidential votes were cast in the state’s 15 “southern” counties. Those counties exclude the Metro East.
The totals from those 15 southern counties was about the same number of presidential votes cast in McHenry County alone, which is not exactly a huge population center. The southern Illinois total was about half the presidential votes cast in Will and Lake counties. It was 37 percent of the number of votes cast in DuPage County. And it was just 15 percent of the number of votes cast in suburban Cook County.
For whatever reason, some people still insist that counties matter during statewide elections. We’ve all seen it before. “Pat Quinn won only four counties!” But voters, not counties, matter in elections. Fifteen counties doesn’t mean a whole lot when very few people actually live there.
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