* From Board of Elections spokesperson Matt Dietrich…
Yes, the board voted 8-0 to withdraw from Crosscheck, though for some time we have been operating on the belief that Crosscheck was dormant and likely to remain so.
The main purpose of today’s action was to facilitate our creating a data sharing agreement with Indiana to help with voter list maintenance efforts in both states. Indiana’s statute allowed the state to enter into a data sharing agreement with Illinois in the event that we withdrew from Crosscheck but didn’t have specific language about creating such an arrangement if Illinois was still a member. In our initial talks with Indiana election officials this month, they indicated it would be easier (from a legal/technical standpoint) to craft an agreement if Illinois was officially not a member of Crosscheck.
You might recall that when the General Assembly last year passed its bill to remove Illinois from Crosscheck, it contained a clause allowing us to enter into a data sharing agreement with Indiana. That bill was vetoed by Gov. Rauner and an effort to override his veto in November was unsuccessful.
As things stand now, three of our neighboring states - Wisconsin, Missouri and Iowa - are members of Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC), which Michigan also recently joined. https://www.ericstates.org/ Kentucky also has expressed interest in joining ERIC.
We’re not sure how long it will take to get a data sharing system with Indiana in place but we’re already in contact.
While many in the political world, and mayor’s race in particular, are trying to distance themselves from the alderman, The FOP is standing by [Ald. Ed Burke], but a spokesman would not comment on why the organization was endorsing Burke amidst his legal troubles.
Burke is accused of trying to force owners of a Burger King in his ward to hire his law firm for property tax work in exchange for building permits.
Earlier this month, Burke stepped down as chair of the city’s finance committee but announced he would continue in the alderman’s
* You dance with the one that brung you, I suppose…
“We are supporting Ed Burke because he has supported us and because we, unlike the Tribune and Sun Times, believe a man is presumed innocent until he is proven guilty,” Martin Preib, the FOP’s second vice-president, wrote in a statement to the Chicago Sun-Times.
“Furthermore, we believe that people should be tried in courts, not in [the] court of public opinion, as the acquittal of three officers last week and likely vote for a payout to the Englewood Four this week demonstrates.” […]
Burke was one of only a few City Council votes the FOP could count on. He could not be reached for comment.
“It’s not surprising, given his longstanding relationship with the police. In the wake of the Laquan McDonald video unleashing, he still had the audacity to say on the Council floor that there were no institutional issues at the Chicago Police Department,” said Jaime Guzman, one of two serious challengers vying to end Burke’s 50-year reign as 14th Ward alderman.
Burke makes judges and some of those judges go on to do things like ignore clear Illinois Supreme Court precedent and go light on sentencing of a convicted cop. It’s all one thing.
* Meanwhile, who wants this endorsement?…
The highly coveted endorsement of someone under federal investigation … https://t.co/jYkW8EmIMP
House Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) today announced that he, along with the entire House Republican caucus, has filed HJRCA 10, a constitutional amendment for the independent drawing of legislative maps.
“Governor Pritzker has urged the legislature to create an independent commission to draw legislative maps, so House Republicans are proposing to do just that,” said Leader Durkin. “Not only are we answering the Governor’s call on this issue, but we are also prepared to provide the majority of the votes required to pass this out of the House and on to the Senate. So I call on my Democratic colleagues to join us and Governor Pritzker in supporting the independent drawing of legislative maps and pass HJRCA 10 this legislative session.”
HJRCA 10 would establish an independent commission, comprised of 11 members, charged with proposing a legislative map. The commission would be required to hold public hearings both before and after releasing a proposed plan.
The map would need to receive the affirmative vote of at least seven commissioners, including two from each political party whose candidate for Governor received the most and second-most votes and two commissioners not affiliated with each such political party.
If the commission fails to adopt a new map by June 30 of the year following the decennial census, the Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court and the next senior Justice, not of the same party as the Chief Justice, will be required to appoint a Special Commissioner for Redistricting that must adopt and file a map by August 31 of the same year.
* I can see one big Democratic objection right away…
the redistricting plan shall respect the geographic integrity of units of local government
That could wind up packing Chicagoans into the city.
* The process for choosing mapmakers starts with the Auditor General, who would select a pool of 30 potential “Reviewers,” then draw three names out of a hat. The three Reviewers would in turn choose 100 potential commissioners. Each of the four legislative leaders would be allowed to strike five people from that list and then a lottery would be held to choose seven commissioners, with two Democrats, two Republicans and three unaffiliated people. The four leaders would each get to appoint one commissioner from those not selected.
I would like a simple declarative sentence from Pritzker, “I believe a wildlife professional should head the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.”
Unfortunately, I am losing faith.
Rumors have had Downstate legislators or former legislators as likely to be named director of the IDNR. The latest came earlier this month when the O’Fallon Weekly reported that state representative Jerry Costello II (D-Smithton) is “likely to be appointed the next Director of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.”
Four years ago some of the state’s wildlife columnists were up in arms about the appointment of then-Rep. Wayne Rosenthal as director of IDNR. Just like now, they wanted a wildlife professional as director. But putting someone with such a narrow focus to run an agency with such broad powers seems like an even worse idea than putting a politician in that job.
What’s really needed are highly capable professionals running the various departments like Conservation/Preservation and Hunting/Trapping and Fishing/Boating. The person at the very top needs administrative skills and a real passion to protect the outdoors for future generations.
Bowman also wrote about rumors that Rep. Costello may not get the gig. There are lots of rumors out there about every agency, but his campaign contributions from coal and energy interests probably aren’t helping.
Just days into her new job as a state representative, Anne Stava-Murray (D-Naperville) has managed to cause a stir among her constituents by characterizing her hometown of Naperville as having “white supremacist policies.”
Her remarks about Naperville came in a Facebook response to a post by Felicia Palumbo, who in early January wrote that “Naperville is the biggest bullies … horrible.”
“I know and I am so sorry,” Stava-Murray replied on her “Anne Stava-Murray for U.S. Senate” Facebook page. “I actually wanted to move to Oak Park but stayed to work on my community. Our history of white supremacist policies is ongoing.” […]
A white supremacist Naperville was news to Mayor Steve Chirico.
“I would never characterize Naperville in this way,” Chirico told the Policy Journal, “but I realize that people have many different perceptions and views.”
Stava-Murray said Friday she is glad her comment, which was posted about two weeks ago, is getting attention.
“I think this is a very necessary conversation people need to be having in Naperville and the Chicago area because we are still so segregated,” she said. “There are many schools in Naperville that have almost no black students in them and many schools where there is not a single black teacher teaching.”
She also said Naperville makes no effort to educate residents on the city’s history as it relates race disparities and the city’s lack of a race-based bullying policy is “one of the areas where a lack of policy is a white supremacist policy.”
Keep in mind that her plan is to run statewide in two years.
An Orthodox rabbi was appointed to serve in the Illinois State Legislature.
Rabbi Yehiel Kalish was sworn in to the Illinois House of Representatives on Sunday night. Kalish, 43, is the first rabbi to serve as an Illinois state representative.
“I may be the first rabbi in any state legislature. And that’s very exciting,” Kalish told the CBS affiliate in Chicago. […]
He replaces Rep. Lou Lang, a Democrat who served in the legislature for 32 years. Lang resigned following his reelection after receiving a partnership offer from prominent lobbying firm Advantage Government Strategies. He was harmed last year by a sexual harassment allegation, though absolved of the allegations after an investigation by the Illinois Inspector General. Lang was on the three-member committee that selected Kalish from among 20 possible candidates.
Rabbi Kalish spent more than 10 years at Agudath Israel of America, focusing on governmental advocacy in state capitols across the country.
Rabbi Kalish was chosen by a three man committee from a field of 20 other candidates. In the 16th House district which he now represents, Orthodox Jewish residents comprise approximately 30 percent of the population.
Kalish said he believes even more strongly that “church needs to be separated from state.”
“As it relates to issue that may come up in the Legislature, I will support the law of the land. And if the law of the land is Roe v. Wade, I will support Roe v. Wade. At the same time, I will support Zelman v. Simmons-Harris. That’s school vouchers. That’s educational choice,” he said.
“I have not been chosen to be the rabbi of the state legislature. I have been chosen to be the representative of the 16th District.” […]
“Just because he’s a rabbi and just because he works for an organization that is pretty conservative does not mean that he is not personally progressive,” Lang said Monday.
“I would never, ever appoint somebody to replace me that didn’t share my values.”
He’s for years lobbied on behalf of the nursing home industry. And as an Orthodox rabbi, his appointment has some political observers wondering whether Kalish will be as supportive of progressive issues as Lang, such as a minimum wage increase and strengthening the rights of women and LGBQT communities. […]
“During my conversation with Lou Lang, I said, ‘The voters of the 16th District won’t notice a difference in my voting record compared to yours.’” That means: “Yes,” he’s pro-choice. “Yes,” he supports gay marriage. And “yes,” he supports a $15 minimum wage—and wants to “make sure Medicaid providers have what they need for quality care” in nursing homes, too.
Kalish is a father of six children who attended private religious schools, so his personal view is to support school choice and private school vouchers. But he said he’ll work with public schools to “grab as much funding” as possible for those institutions.
First and foremost on Rabbi Kalish’s agenda is to defend the state’s newly-launched private school scholarship program for low-income children, which has brought roughly $10 million in aid to Orthodox families in Chicago. The program was initiated by former Republican Governor Bruce Rauner, but its elimination was one of the campaign promises of newly inaugurated Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker.
Another high priority is protection for the healthcare industry, which is a leading employer in Chicago’s Jewish community. […]
While the 16th district is home to much of Chicago’s Jewish community, it has become increasingly diverse, with sizable populations of east Asians and Muslims. Rabbi Kalish said that he was eager to engage in a “listening tour,” with the hopes of gaining a fuller grasp of the needs of the constituency beyond his home community.
* I asked the Pritzker folks whether there’ve been any complaints or compliance issues with state employee group health insurance plans and have yet to hear back…
On the 46th anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, Governor JB Pritzker took executive action making Illinois the most progressive state in the nation for women’s reproductive rights.
“On the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, I’m proud to declare under my administration, the State of Illinois will be the most progressive state in the nation when it comes to guaranteeing the right to choose for every single woman,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Thanks to the courageous advocates across our state, HB 40 is the law of the land. I was proud to stand with you in that fight, because a right is only a right if it can be exercised by everyone. And today, I’m proud to sign an executive order that will further protect and expand the right to choose in Illinois – and that will fully implement all the provisions of HB 40.”
In today’s executive order, Gov. Pritzker took swift action to ensure the state fully enforces HB 40, now known as Public Act 100-0538. Through EO 2019-05, the governor directed the Department of Central Management Services to review all state employee group health insurance plans, identify barriers to women exercising their right to choose, and present recommendations to bring all health insurance plans into compliance with the law within the next 60 days.
The governor signed the executive order at Planned Parenthood of Illinois surrounded by women’s health advocates and co-sponsors of the legislation.
“Women’s rights are human rights. It’s important that women have the right and ability to chose what is best for them and their bodies,” said Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton. “Today’s executive order makes it clear that our state is a leader in that respect.”
*** UPDATE *** From the Pritzker administration…
The office of the governor learned that advocates for safe and legal abortion are concerned that there are several state employee group health insurance plans that are not fully compliant with the intent of HB40. Advocates cited issues of potential non-compliance ranging from failure to cover “elective” abortion or the abortion pill to failure to cover abortion unless it’s necessary for the health of the woman. The governor took immediate action today requiring CMS to conduct an internal review of all state employee group health insurance plans so we can officially identify and take action to correct any residual compliance issues.
Just days into his term of office, Gov. J.B. Pritzker last week signaled an abrupt about-face in government relations with organized labor after 4 years of rancor.
The Democrat took a series of pro-worker actions, highlighted by reinstatement of long-postponed, experience-based salary increases for state workers represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
Restoration of the so-called step increases is good news in itself not only to the 20,000 employees affected but also, advocates contend, to taxpayers. Step increases, required by state law, are paid to employees in their first 8 to 10 years who, as a savings to state government, start at below-market rates as incentive to gain experience and stick around. Former Gov. Bruce Rauner halted them in 2015 when AFSCME’s last contract expired. […]
The new governor is giving clear signs that high-profile litigation with AFSCME is on the wane. Appellate courts have ruled that Rauner should pay the back-due step increases, and that the negotiations his team left 2 years ago were not at an inextricable “impasse.”
“We’re living up to the court orders,” Pritzker said Friday. “That wasn’t being done by the prior administration and that’s our job. Our job is to follow the law.”
We don’t yet know the full costs of what turned out to be Rauner’s illegal impasse declaration and his decision to stop paying step increases, but one estimate puts it at $415 million. And, as Hannah Meisel pointed out today, the state owes 7 percent annual interest on that tab…
A program designed to curb Illinois’ pension debt is now underway. Early numbers show more Illinois state employees than expected are choosing to take a pension buyout from the state.
Public employees hired before 2011–and who have worked for at least eight years–get an annual three percent boost when they collect their pensions. That adds to what the retirees bring in, but also the cost of Illinois’ pension debt.
So, state lawmakers introduced the option as part of last year’s budget. State retirees can now choose to swap the three percent annual adjustment on their pensions for a lump sum payment–70 percent of what they would have gotten.
They also get to keep their base pension and 1.5 percent adjustment each year. […]
Since it launched in December, at least 200 new retirees took the deal, more than expected. Blair says their buyouts have ranged between $80 and $100,000.
With pro-marijuana J.B. Pritzker now in the Illinois governor’s mansion, all eyes are on his plan to legalize cannabis for recreational use. But even if approved by lawmakers, that could take more than a year to implement, and many voices are raising the call to take things slowly.
In the meantime, advocates say there’s a simple way the governor could greatly increase access to marijuana for those who want it for medical reasons.
At least eight lawsuits are pending to expand the conditions for which medical marijuana would be allowed under the state’s existing program. Chief among them is intractable pain, which the courts have already ordered to be added as a qualifying malady. But that ruling was appealed by the administration of Pritzker’s Republican predecessor, Bruce Rauner.
If Pritzker and new Attorney General Kwame Raoul drop the appeal, the court order would take effect within 30 days. The Illinois Department of Public Health, which resisted adding some new qualifying conditions during Rauner’s term in office, could also now choose on its own to expand access to medical cannabis. Neither Pritzker nor Raoul, who are both Democrats, have yet said what they’ll do with the pending lawsuits.
* Meanwhile, from the Chicago Crime Commission…
Today, the Chicago Crime Commission along with representatives from Drug Free America Foundation, the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, and a former member of the White House Drug Czar’s office and expert physician specializing in addiction medicine held a news conference to discuss the dangers of legalizing recreational marijuana. The news conference was held to urge Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois General Assembly to fully consider and prepare for the consequences before legalizing recreational marijuana in Illinois.
“Legalizing marijuana presents significant public safety and health concerns that need to be fully discussed and considered before Illinois moves forward in this endeavor,” said Jeffrey Johnson, a member of the board of directors for the Chicago Crime Commission.
“First, it is important that we must address the misconception that legalizing marijuana will somehow be a panacea in addressing the illegal marijuana trade and other crime in Illinois by examining the experience of other states that have legalized recreational marijuana,” Johnson said.
I asked the commission to identify the person or persons who have been calling marijuana legalization a “panacea,” but have yet to hear back. The truth is, nobody in power believes that this will solve all our problems. It’s simply one step forward on a number of fronts.
The commission’s press release went on to cite junk science reports and made wild “reefer madness” predictions and I refuse to post crud like that. Instead, I’ll wait to see if any media outlets are silly enough to fall for it.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced last week that he had picked Sol Flores to be his fourth deputy governor. He’d previously announced deputy governors Dan Hynes, Christian Mitchell and Jesse Ruiz.
Pritzker’s deputies are each overseeing a block of related state agencies and departments, and will “track” their progress on goals that the governor wants those entities to meet. They’ll also ensure that the agency and department directors are all cooperating with each other, whenever and wherever needed. Flores will oversee human service agencies, Hynes has budget and economic development, Ruiz has education and Mitchell will handle the capital bill, among other things.
Pritzker specifically pointed to the issue of Medicaid during a recent interview with me. He said he wants to make sure that the Department of Health and Family Services and the Department of Human Services are “working together,” rather than operating in their own individual agency “silos.”
So, Flores will have a big job to do. Those two agencies cover everything from health care, to child care, to long-term care, to cash and food assistance, to housing programs, to mental health, to child support, to everything in between. They do, indeed, need to work together better. Both departments are the products of past mergers of smaller agencies, but forcing yet another merger could once again disrupt operations for months or even years.
The administration has not yet released a flow chart, but it’s likely that Flores will also be given responsibility for the Department of Children and Family Services, which has been “led” by nine different directors and acting directors since 2011 and has been in constant disarray.
By all accounts, these new deputy governors are very capable, bright, intelligent people. Flores built a much-admired organization from the ground up that provides shelter to homeless people and works to prevent homelessness, but she’s never overseen anything close to this huge before. And, for that matter, neither has anyone else at the top of Pritzker’s administration, except for Ruiz, who served as vice president of the Chicago Board of Education and then the interim CEO of Chicago Public Schools. Hynes was a state comptroller for 12 years, but that’s not exactly a gigantic agency. Mitchell was a legislator who served a stint as interim executive director of the Democratic Party of Illinois.
They won’t be managing day-to-day government operations, of course, but their portfolios are gigantic. They’re all taking jobs where you can’t really get the required experience until you do it. And their tasks are enormous if Pritzker truly wants to rebuild the government after years of neglect, whether through deliberate disregard or incompetence, or just because bad stuff happened and the state wasn’t ready or able to deal with it.
I’ve pointed this out before, but this state’s fiscal condition has not recovered since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, which vastly accelerated a downward economic slide and literally dried up state revenues and forced up government costs around the same time that state pension payments were finally starting to really ratchet up.
And then came the 2008 worldwide financial and real estate crash. And then came the partial expiration of the 2011 income tax hike in 2015 (a tax hike which basically just helped pay state pension costs and didn’t do much to rebuild government), followed by a two-year governmental impasse that, among other things, wreaked havoc on our social services provider network, followed by another inadequate tax hike and two substandard state budgets.
Throughout all this, healthcare, state employee and pension costs continued to rise, the General Assembly passed legislation to guarantee annual $350 million funding increases to K-12, and governors have done things like a consent decree recently entered into by Bruce Rauner’s past administration, which will completely revamp the wholly inadequate health care system at state prisons with unknown, but likely high taxpayer costs.
As a result, state agencies have been forced to rely on sorely inadequate resources to do more. Our service delivery system — already nickel-and-dimed half to death by miserly and constantly delayed funding, then body-slammed by the impasse — could require years to recover.
Much, probably most of that destruction was endured by human and social services. And now some of those same crucial providers are suffering yet again under the partial federal government shutdown.
I do not envy Ms. Flores one iota. She arguably has one of the toughest and one of the most important jobs in all of Illinois government.
St. Clair County State’s Attorney Brendan Kelly is set to have a new job.
Gov. J.B. Pritztker is nominating Kelly to be director of the Illinois State Police, the administration confirmed to the Belleville News-Democrat.
Kelly, who has been state’s attorney since 2010, ran for Congress in this most recent election. Kelly, of Swansea, lost to incumbent U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro, and was a top Democratic recruit. […]
“This governor and his team are very serious about governing and very serious about public safety,” Kelly said. “There’s already ongoing conversations about how do we confront the challenges we have about forensics and other manpower issues and I’m very excited to be able to serve with the men and women of the state police and this team which is trying to reach out to both sides of the aisle … to do the work hard work of governing and there’s nothing more important for government to do then to make sure we provide for justice and safety and the Illinois state police is at the heart of that in this state.”
* The Chicago Daily Law Bulletin just reposted an October 10, 2018 op-ed by Cook County assistant public defender David C. Holland claiming that Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke could wind up serving as many as 96 years in prison due to a “quirk” in Illinois statutes and case law.
Jason Van Dyke, the Chicago police officer convicted of murdering 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, was sentenced to 81 months, or 6 years and 9 months, in prison and two years mandatory supervised release. […]
Van Dyke was found guilty of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery.
Judge Vincent Gaughan said he considered the most serious charge to be the second degree murder charge, not the 16 aggravated battery charges, and made his sentencing decision on that murder charge.
The special prosecutor argued that aggravated battery with firearm was the more serious of the crimes of which Van Dyke is convicted and should be sentenced consecutively on those charges instead of the second degree murder charge, which carries a lesser sentence.
Second-degree murder, on the other hand, is punishable anywhere from probation to 20 years in prison with possible release after 10 years. Moreover, committing second-degree murder with a firearm does not require an extra sentence of 25 years to natural life as a first-degree murder does. […]
By a quirk of Illinois law, Van Dyke may face a mandatory minimum sentence as high as 96 years.
This is because the prosecution charged each gunshot as a separate offense of aggravated battery with a firearm, and each shot holds a minimum sentence of six years in prison.
Illinois’ sentencing statute, however, requires that the sentence for any Class X felony (such as aggravated battery with a firearm) that causes “severe bodily injury” be served one after the next (consecutively).
Thus, if Judge Gaughan finds that each shot caused severe bodily injury, he would be required to sentence Van Dyke to a minimum of 96 years in prison (16 multiplied by six). If the judge finds that only 10 of the 16 shots severely injured McDonald, the minimum sentence would be 60 years, and so forth.
Moreover, even though the shooting and the murder are the same physical act, Illinois case law requires Judge Gaughan to sentence Van Dyke on the aggravated battery charges, not the second-degree murder, on the counterinstinctual holding that aggravated battery with a firearm is more “serious” than second-degree murder (even when murder is the ultimate result of the gunshot wounds).
Judge Gaughan, instead, didn’t even sentence Van Dyke on the aggravated battery with a firearm charges, rolling them into the 2nd degree murder charge.
* Here’s the case law that Holland pointed to. From the Illinois Supreme Court’s 2004 opinion in People v. Lee…
It is common sense that the legislature would provide greater punishment for crimes it deems more serious. Here, the legislature has classified aggravated battery with a firearm as a Class X felony with a possible sentence of 6 to 30 years. Second degree murder is a Class 1 felony with a possible sentence of 4 to 20 years. Therefore, in line with Duszkewycz, the second degree murder conviction, as the less serious offense, should have been vacated. […]
In sum, the appellate court erred in concluding that the more serious offense in this case was second degree murder simply because the court opted to impose a greater prison sentence on that count. Instead, aggravated battery with a firearm is the more serious offense, and defendant’s conviction for second degree murder must be vacated.
Given this reality, it is simply impossible to say categorically, as the majority does, that all aggravated batteries are more serious than all second degree murders as a matter of law. Indeed, had the legislature felt this way, it would have created mutually exclusive sentencing ranges, with the maximum sentence for second degree murder falling somewhere below the minimum limit for aggravated battery with a firearm. But this is not what the legislature did. On the contrary, it created broad and largely overlapping sentencing ranges, leaving it to the trial court’s discretion to evaluate and ascertain the seriousness of these and other offenses on a case-by-case basis. Accordingly, I would look to the sentences actually imposed in a given case when identifying the most serious offense. […]
The bottom line is that, in this case, the trial court clearly believed that this particular second degree murder was more serious than this particular aggravated battery with a firearm. The legislature specifically allowed for this result, and I see no compelling reason to set it aside. I therefore dissent on this point.
Some thought should be given to appealing Van Dyke’s sentence.
A former field organizer has filed a federal lawsuit against the campaign of JB Pritzker for Governor in Illinois for her firing on the basis of sex in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Ms. Emma Todd worked in the Springfield, Illinois office of the campaign from August of 2017 to the end of March, 2018. She is represented by the New York City-based Law Office of Jillian T. Weiss and Oak Park, IL attorney Joanie Rae Wimmer.
Ms.Todd’s job performance came under heightened scrutiny after she was assigned a new supervisor in February of 2018. The supervisor did not issue feedback or warnings for poor conduct. Co-workers witnessed the supervisor making comments indicating that she viewed transgender identity in a prurient manner and said that Ms. Todd was “the reason people don’t like transgender people.” She told other employees that she was going to fire Ms. Todd and they have indicated they believe Ms. Todd was terminated because of her sex and gender.
“Ms. Todd’s improper termination has caused her to suffer a loss of wages and out-of-pocket medical and insurance payments, as well as loss of reputation,” said her attorney, Jillian T. Weiss. “The state of Illinois prohibits sex and gender identity discrimination and the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and federal courts in the state have ruled that discrimination against a transgender person based on their sex is a violation of law. No one should ever be fired on the basis of sex. The JB Pritzker for Governor campaign must be held accountable for this workplace bias.”
“I worked hard on this campaign and loved my job,” said Ms. Todd. “I was blindsided by my termination. I wholeheartedly supported and voted for Governor JB Pritzker and Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton to end Bruce Rauner’s heartless administration. JB and Juliana will bring economic stability after more than two years without a state budget under Rauner. They will also protect services for underserved communities that Rauner has hurt. This lawsuit does not change my support for these highly qualified people. I am bringing this lawsuit because transgender people, like all Americans, deserve the same chance to earn a living, free from discrimination.”
This case is Emma Todd v. JB for Governor Campaign. It was filed in United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
* A Pritzker campaign spokesperson told me Todd was “fired for cause” because of several “performance issues.”
For instance, Todd treated campaign volunteers “poorly,” and used profanity with volunteers, the spokesperson alleged. Todd also posted “sexually explicit images” at her workplace and refused to take them down when asked, the spokesperson said.
Todd was allegedly let go after the primary when the campaign “downsized.” Her last paycheck was issued on March 30th.
And, the Pritzker spokesperson claimed, the campaign wasn’t even aware of Todd’s sexual orientation or her sexual identity when she was let go.
* Before I go, I want to thank you so very much for your overwhelming generosity to our commenter “HangingOn.” You contributed over $5,500 to help her get some dignity back in her life.
I truly do have the best commenters anywhere. You’ve helped make this more than just a blog. It’s a real community, and I love you all for that.
* From Citizen Action Illinois…
It’s with sadness that we share news that Lynda DeLaforgue, who served as the Co-Director of Citizen Action/Illinois (CA/IL) died on Saturday, January 12th after battling cancer for nearly five years. For two decades, Lynda served as the “Chief-Strategist” of CA/IL, leading campaigns to curtail predatory lenders, protect our food sources, beat back Social Security privatizers, win marriage equality, and secure quality, affordable healthcare for all. Whatever the fight, Lynda was a staunch and unstoppable crusader for our issues, for our candidates, and most importantly, for our progressive values. We all owe a huge debt of gratitude to Lynda, to her strength and her vision – as do millions of Illinoisans and other citizens, and citizens to-be, of this country. Rest in power, Lynda!
I knew Lynda for decades. She was one of those people who could be so kind and sweet and fun, yet totally no-nonsense when it came to the business of getting things done. She truly stomped on the terra and made a difference in this world.
After touring the Manteno Veterans’ Home, where a case of Legionnaires’ disease was found earlier this month, Governor JB Pritzker signed an executive order to do more to ensure the health, safety and security of residents and workers at all of Illinois Veterans’ Homes.
During his tour, Governor Pritzker also listened to residents and workers about their experiences and reaffirmed his commitment to protecting Illinois veterans.
“The state of Illinois must provide a safe, healthy environment where veterans and their spouses receive quality care,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This executive order will hold state agencies accountable to the people and ensure the state is delivering quality care to our nation’s heroes – and take action where the state has fallen short in the past. Veterans served us. Now it’s our turn to serve them.”
Gov. Pritzker signed an executive order that calls for a complete audit of the health, safety, and security process and procedures at the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs.
Within 120 days, IDVA will deliver a report to the governor containing a comprehensive review of weaknesses, strengths, and opportunities for improvement at Illinois Veterans’ Homes. That includes policies, protocols and procedures related to:
Identification and remediation of health and safety issues;
Communication between state, federal and local agencies;
Communication with residents, family members and the public;
Facility maintenance schedules that protect the health and safety of residents and workers.
To complete this report, IDVA will work with the Illinois Department of Public Health and consult state and national experts, residents and their family members and employees involved in providing critical care to residents.
After the gross mismanagement of the past that cost veterans their lives, Governor Pritzker is determined to ensure that services don’t fall short of the high standard veterans deserve.
“I was proud to co-chair the governor’s veterans committee during the transition, and I’m even prouder that Gov. Pritzker is on the ground in Manteno today, taking action to keep our veterans safe,” said Secretary of State Jesse White. “After what happened under the previous administration, I’m heartened that Gov. Pritzker is acting quickly to uncover and remediate the state’s failure to honor our veterans and provide them with the quality care they deserve.”
“We have to do all we can to prevent a repeat of what happened in Quincy at the Manteno Veterans’ Home,” said Sen. Elgie R. Sims Jr. (D-17th). “These men and women have sacrificed so much for the people of this great state and country. We have an obligation to protect our heroes as they have protected us and this means collecting as much information as possible so we can be transparent with them, their families and the public and take all necessary precautions to protect them from any harm, particularly Legionnaires’ disease.”
“Gov. Pritzker touring the Manteno Veterans’ Home just days after taking office shows his commitment to our veterans is second to none,” said Rep. Nick Smith (D-34th). “The executive action the governor took today will ensure our veterans live safe and healthy lives and begin to repair the damage done by the previous administration.”
“Our veterans and their families have sacrificed so much for our state and country,” said Rep. Stephanie Kifowit (D-84th ). “It’s our duty to protect our veterans’ health and wellbeing, especially while in state care, and I applaud Gov. Pritzker for taking strong action today to do just that.”
“The men and women that have served our country deserve nothing but the best from the state of Illinois, and as a veteran myself, I’m glad that Gov. Pritzker’s executive order will ensure the state lives up to its commitment to our veterans,” said former Adjutant General of Illinois, Major General David Harris, the governor’s pick to lead the Department of Revenue. “There’s much work to do, and Gov. Pritzker is already getting started. The audit of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs is sorely needed to restore the trust of Illinois veterans and their families.”
A BILL to amend and reenact §6B-3-2, §6B-3-7, and §6B-3-9 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; and to amend said code by adding thereto a new section, designated §6B-3-3d, all relating to regulation of lobbyists; requiring registered lobbyists to purchase and wear body-mounted cameras at the Capitol and in certain other circumstances; requiring certain certifications be made by registered lobbyists; prohibiting lobbyists from making certain campaign donations; prohibiting lobbyists from loitering in the Capitol with certain exceptions; prohibiting lobbyists from making certain expenditures to benefit legislators; making body-mounted camera video and audio recordings subject to inspection by the Ethics Commission and subject to the provisions of the West Virginia Freedom of Information Act; authorizing random inspections of lobbyist body-mounted cameras; setting certain compliance requirements for lobbyists; creating a misdemeanor offense for failure to comply with certain requests for video and audio from body-mounted cameras; and creating penalties relating to access to the Capitol complex by lobbyists for violation of certain prohibited conduct.
Hundreds of mourners packed into Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington to pay their respects to Illinois State Police Trooper Christopher Lambert Friday.
The 34-year-old was killed while responding to a crash on the Tri-State Tollway last week.
“We lost a family member,” said Illinois State Police Director Leo Schmitz. “We lost a friend. He was a troopers’ trooper.”
Lambert, 34, was headed home to Highland Park last Saturday when he stopped to investigate a three-vehicle crash on the northbound lanes of I-294 near Willow Road in Northbrook. He stopped to position his vehicle on the left-hand lane to protect those involved in the crash. He was standing outside of his vehicle when he was struck by an oncoming motorist.
“Our job is to protect the lives of people,” said Director Schmitz. “My trooper had to trade his life to protect the people. I’m so proud of him he is a hero.”
Newly sworn-in Gov. J.B. Pritzker also attended, and from the pulpit reflected upon the grief he felt as a child when his father died.
“Let me try, however inadvertently and inadequately, to ease a small part of this burden for you,” he told Lambert’s wife and daughter. “There will come a day when the memory of Chris will be like a cool breeze in summer, comforting and gentle. … You will always mourn his death, but this agony fades. What is left are the most perfect memories — the best parts of the person that you loved.”
Lambert, a native of Dayton, Ohio, was an Army veteran who served in Iraq and Haiti. He had been with Illinois State Police since 2013 and worked in the criminal patrol division.
* Paul Vallas announced his pension plan yesterday. It’s long, but worth a read…
While there is much talk of a “grand compromise” to be reached with labor, state and local governments and the business community to amend the Constitution to address the City’s pension funding needs, it is unlikely to happen even if Governor-elect Pritzker had not voiced his opposition to such an amendment. As for the talk of changing the benefits for new employees who would not be protected by the Constitution, that has already been done. Employees hired after 2010 became Tier 2 pension participants at far lower benefits. Tier 2 employees contribute much more than what it takes to pay their own benefits and are, in fact, subsidizing Tier 1 retirees. This, in itself, could create future legal problems. It is highly unlikely there would be support for a further diminishing of new employee future pension benefits. I oppose any changes to new and old employee benefits.
The underlying pension funding problem is in large part the result of inequities in State funding which discriminated against Chicago Teachers and the City’s irresponsible decision to secure, through State legislation, a “Pension Holiday,” that allowed it to skip payments to all City-funded pension systems. The Police, Fire, Municipal Employees, and Laborers were all victimized by the pension holiday. The City also secured a pension holiday for the Chicago Teachers Retirement System. It is ironic that the leadership of a number of unions’ leadership has orchestrated the endorsements of candidates who supported the underfunding of the systems. […]
The plan includes supporting a legislative agenda that protects the statutory local government share of any increase in the State Income Tax that Governor Pritzker and the legislature enact, restores the illegal diversion of Corporate Personal Property Tax revenues that occurred during the previous administration, and phases in, over ten years, full State funding equity for the Chicago Teachers Retirement System. The first two items are things every municipality and county will be supporting and could be phased in over the next four years during the pension ramp-up. […]
I have identified a number of specific budget areas where I believe the growth in City non-pension spending could be reduced over the next five years to provide the balance of what is needed to meet the City’s pension obligations. These areas include overtime, contractual services, worker’s compensation, healthcare, and more. Just a five percent reduction in base spending over the next five years would enable the City to meet the balance of the pension funding ramp up. By 2023, the State mandated annual increases in pension contributions will be much more moderate and financially manageable - not only as a result of the almost doubling of contributions, but because of the increasing numbers of Tier 2 employees in the system.
While some have advocated for the earmark of revenues from a City Casino or a tax on cannabis to fund pensions, I would be cautious about making pension funding contingent on uncertain and unproven revenue sources that would at very best provide barely a fourth of what would be needed to meet the City’s pension funding obligations. Furthermore, we have been waiting for casinos for years and, even if finally approved, the full the revenue impact would be uncertain and not immediate. Funding for pensions should not be tied to unreliable revenue sources. Pension funding should be in the form of a “direct intercept” in the budget of the actuarial determined annual amount needed to ensure the system’s pension funds are on a 30-year full funding schedule.
As a contingency against delays or partial success in implementing the Springfield agenda and a hedge against unanticipated expenditure increases the City could consider issuing a Pension Obligation Bond financed through the revenue windfall from expiring TIFs. This would protect the City’s existing revenue base from further securitization, while providing a substantial increase in the amount invested in the retirement systems, thereby significantly reducing the increase in the annual contribution.
A Citywide TIF would be created to capture the revenue from expiring TIFs, the revenues of which could be dedicated to pension funding. The City would have the flexibility of using the revenues to immediately finance the POB to immediately improve the health of the system the unfunded [MG1] Even if the TIF was not used to finance a POB, the dedication of future TIF revenues would have a positive impact in the calculation of the long-term unfunded liability. Given the City’s direct funding of the Chicago Teachers Retirement System, the Pension TIF could earmark all but the County’s share of the revenue from expiring TIF’s.
Resolving the pension funding issue must also include reforming pension fund investment practices. This involves creating a Pension Investment Board of local investment professionals and taking the pay-to-play politics out of investment decisions. Often politicized and all too often lacking in real investment expertise, pension fund investments have historically produced disappointing returns and have sometimes been scandalous. There should be a consolation of pension investments for cost efficiencies and to ensure the highest rate of return.
Although data from the pension funds are hard to compare because returns vary across time periods, it is not unreasonable to think that if all the big pension funds in Illinois paid fees and produced investment returns that were achieved by the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF), which is 90% funded, the additional earnings would approach $1 billion statewide. If you had a board of Chicago’s most accomplished local investment professionals making investment decisions, do you think that Robert Vanecko and his investment strategy would have been the recipient of tens of millions of dollars in substandard investment strategy that cost the police pension $54 million?
With the City’s pension funding issue addressed and the City’s commitment to its public employees met, the City’s “non-pension” expenditure obligations needed to fund City services could be secured through natural revenue growth allowing property taxes to be permanently capped for homeowners, landlords and businesses, at no more than 5% or the rate of inflation whichever is less. F could be frozen, and fines reduced to no more than the cost of the license or dedicated to neighborhood infrastructure improvements, and services and ees ticket. Additional revenues from a casino, sports betting and video poker could be proceeds from the tax on cannabis could be dedicated to rebuilding the critically needed social service infrastructure in poor communities like mental health and wellness, health care, legal aid, family counseling, drug and opioid addiction.
* I asked our resident pension expert (and 2018 Golden Horseshoe Award winner) RNUG to take a look at it…
Some interesting items in it.
First observation is he’s counting on significant State money, about half of all the money needed. Admittedly not in the form of a direct bailout so much as trying to regain various revenue sharing the State previously clawed back. The political calculation of doing this for the entire state is smart.
Not sure what he means by Full State Equity for Chicago Teacher’s Retirement System unless he means either trying to undo the former deal giving Chicago control over it or looking for the State to take over those pension payments or just looking to get the State to kick in more money with Chicago still having control over it. Not sure about the politics, so it will depend on if Vallas can round up the votes in the GA. Think this is a harder challenge than increasing revenue sharing.
Interesting approach to grabbing expired TIF funds and either using them directly or as a payment stream for Pension Obligation Bonds. Was definitely looking for unused / dormant sources of cash.
And the 5% operating cut seems reasonable; you can usually find that amount of waste / fraud / abuse.
And he isn’t counting on the State actions by having a plan to cover at least half of what is needed. Smart and flexible planning.
Got to give Vallas (or his advisors) credit for some serious thought and creative out of the box thinking. His proposed plan appears to make Chicago’s pension problem manageable.
I don’t really follow Chicago politics per se, but I’m going to guess he may, if mayor, be able to get 75% of what he wants … and that would be huge.
“A gas tax, you might as well just change the name of it from a gas tax to a downstate tax,” said state Sen. Jason Plummer, R-Edwardsville. “The fact of the matter is, Mayor Emanuel is not going to hesitate to push something like that. A lot of folks that he represents in Chicago, they’re taking public transportation, taking the Metra, they have trains, they have all these things in Chicago that folks in Southern Illinois don’t have. … A gas tax is a tax on Southern Illinois because we are more rural, more spread out. We travel further for school, we travel further for work, we travel further to visit family.” […]
[Rep. Charlie Meier, R-Okawville] said he fears increases in the gas tax could be used to pay for upgrades to the Chicago-area’s commuter train system, Metra.
“I don’t want to pay for Metra upgrades,” Meier said. “We have to drive to work here in Southern Illinois. We’re the ones paying that gas tax.”
A deal hammered out by the state’s top politicians in the 1980s means that 45 percent of all transportation revenues go to the Chicago metropolitan area and 55 percent is allocated to downstate Illinois.
IDOT’s District 1 contains the counties of Cook, Lake, McHenry, Kane, Dupage and Will. That’s 65 percent of the state’s population getting 45 percent of the transportation revenues. The rest of the state has 35 percent of the population, but they receive 55 percent of the money.
By the way, District 1 motorists drove 35 billion miles in 2017, according to IDOT. The rest of the state’s motorists drove 26 billion miles that year.
* Madison (Plummer): 8,105,659
* Washington (Meier): 1,165,736
* Cook: 87,784,902
So, yeah, individuals do appear to drive longer distances every day in those two Downstate counties. Madison County has 5 percent of the population of Cook, but its daily vehicle miles traveled is 9 percent of Cook’s, for instance.
But they’re also getting lots more money back from the state than Cook is getting per capita.
* And that’s not even to mention this Paul Simon Public Policy Institute study of state revenues versus state spending…
The research shows the south region receives $2.81 in state funds for every $1 generated. The central Illinois region of 50 counties receives $1.87 back for every $1.00 sent to Springfield. All of the downstate regions receive more from the state budget than they pay in taxes. By comparison, Cook County receives 90 cents for every $1, and the suburban counties only 53 cents for every $1 generated.
Pritzker said he hasn’t decided on where he would stand on an increase in the gas tax.
“I don’t know, I don’t like regressive taxes much, that’s why I proposed a fair tax system for the state,” Pritzker said. “I don’t want to rely too much on regressive taxes, that’s why I’m looking for all the opportunities to piece together the revenue that would be required for an infrastructure bill. “
* Every news outlet mentioned the threat by the Illinois State Rifle Association to file suit against the new gun dealer licensing law. But Jonah Meadows at Patch explained what the group was actually threatening to do…
The Illinois State Rifle Association has opposed the bill. Executive Director Richard Pearson said the group is considering a court challenge to the new law. He said it discriminates against small business owners and is aimed at reducing the total number of legal guns in the state by raising their cost and making it harder for law-abiding firearm owners to purchase them.
“We think that it’s totally unfair, and laws do have to be fair, in spite of what the legislature thinks,” Pearson said, suggesting the bill would do little to reduce gun trafficking and instead function mainly to drive gun dealers out of business and owners and their business out of state. “I assume that Gov. Pritzker is trying to get the economic development award from Indiana, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin and Kentucky.”
Under the law, owners of gun shops would need to pay the required $300 (for dealers without a retail location) to a maximum of $1,500 for a license from state police. They would also have to ensure shops have operational locks, surveillance equipment and alarms while keeping an electronic inventory and have employees go through annual training. The owners must provide a copy of a valid federal license to state police, who must accept a dealer’s “safe storage plan” to provide an Illinois license.
Another component of the new law requires state police to publish information about firearms used in crimes and penalize those who do not maintain records of private gun sales.
I’m not really sure how the law discriminates against small businesses or whether that’s even actionable. A little help in comments would be appreciated.
And I think they’d have to prove the law was purposely drafted to make business so difficult for small dealers that they’d go out of business and, as a result, deprive people of their right to own a gun.
These are not small hurdles, but I didn’t think they’d win the concealed carry case, either. So, we’ll see.
Lawmakers passed the bill with simple majorities more than six months ago on May 30, the penultimate day of regular session. The state constitution says bills that pass both chambers must be sent to the governor within a month, but Senate President John Cullerton made sure the bill didn’t go to former Gov. Bruce Rauner, who said he planned to veto it.
Cullerton put a procedural hold called a “motion to reconsider” on the bill, which kept it from Rauner’s desk. That hold was lifted Jan. 8 and sent to Pritzker Wednesday.
Using a procedural hold isn’t a new trick. Longtime statehouse observer and University of Illinois Professor Emeritus Kent Redfield said it’s technically possible for lawmakers to hold a bill that passed in one General Assembly and then pass it onto a new governor. He said it’s an ambiguous area that he’s not aware has been fully litigated.
“Particularly if it’s controversial legislation involving something like gun control measures … there certainly would be a court challenge,” Redfield said.
[Federal Firearms Licensees of Illinois Executive Director Todd Vandermyde] said his group is looking a number of options, including a legal challenge. The law is set to take effect this summer.
“It just shows the political chicanery that went on with this, that they knew that former Gov. [Bruce] Rauner would veto this bill because of its anti-business, anti-Second Amendment repercussions,” he said.
The courts here have almost always been super reluctant to deal with legislative process issues like this, so I’m thinking probably not, particularly since the state Constitution is totally silent on the matter.
* I’ve been a customer of Siddens firing range for years and they also sell guns and conduct pistol and concealed carry training. Great people. Salt of the Earth. I’ve never once had a bad time there and I highly recommend going if you’re into that sort of thing.
I’m sure they’re not happy with this law. Just the opposite. But no business owner in the history of the world ever jumped for joy at new regulations. Again, we’ll just have to see how this all works out.
…Adding… Like I said, businesses don’t like regulations, even when the regulations wouldn’t touch them at all…
Supporters of the bill said federal regulators are stretched too thin, but opponents say the new licensing is expensive, and could force small dealers out of business.
The director of operations at On Target gun shop in Crystal Lake said they are already doing what the law will now mandate.
“It’s not just the straw sales that are producing the guns that are killing people, it’s illegal stolen guns from other states that are brought up to Illinois. So why take it out on us?” said Tom Dorsch.
Friday, Jan 18, 2019 - Posted by Advertising Department
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* There’s just no way on Earth to compete with Ed Burke dollar-for-dollar, but people can still raise enough to get their messages out. And unless they’re taking in lots of small contributions that don’t have to be reported, these are not great disclosure reports…
The race for 14th will be fascinating, however the money race is lopsided. Burke has just shy of $10M in his candidate committee plus another half million in the ward org and almost $2M in his PAC. None of his opponents even have $20K on hand. pic.twitter.com/c7PNyT6LLp
Congressman Chuy Garcia has endorsed Tanya Patino, but it doesn’t look like that has yet come with any money. Patino’s recent D-2 reported a $35 contribution, so she may be disclosing everything. She also received a $5,000 in-kind contribution from United Working Families to access the NGP VAN.
* And, in case you missed this, it looks like Burke won’t be indicted before the election…
Federal prosecutors on Tuesday won a three-month extension on indicting Chicago Ald. Edward Burke on bombshell charges he shook down two businessmen seeking to renovate a Burger King restaurant in his ward.
In a one-page order allowing the delay, U.S. District Chief Judge Ruben Castillo wrote that “the ends of justice served by the extension outweigh the best interests of the public and the defendant for a speedy trial.”
Prosecutors now face a May 3 deadline to seek an indictment from a grand jury, making it likely Burke won’t need to return to federal court until well after his Feb. 26 bid for re-election to an unprecedented 13th full term on the City Council.
In their motion for an extension on Monday, prosecutors said they needed more time because of the “complex nature” of the public corruption case against Burke “and the fact that the investigation is ongoing.”
The request was filed hours after Burke waived his right to a preliminary hearing to determine whether there was probable cause for the criminal complaint unveiled against him Jan. 3. The procedural move canceled a hearing that had been set for Friday and means there is no current court date for Burke’s case.
* Other stuff…
* Ald. Edward Burke dumped as tax lawyer by developers of Lincoln Yards, ‘The 78’: For 10 years, Sterling Bay, one of Chicago’s biggest developers, used Ald. Edward M. Burke’s law firm Klafter & Burke to seek property tax cuts. But not anymore. The firm behind the massive Lincoln Yards development proposed for the North Side has cut ties with Burke now that the alderman faces a corruption charge that threatens to send him to prison and end the reign of Chicago’s longest-tenured and most powerful City Council member.
Youth suicides rates are higher in states with high gun ownership rates, a team at Boston University School of Public Health found.
“Household gun ownership was the single biggest predictor of youth suicide rate in a state,” Dr. Michael Siegel, a public health specialist at BU, told NBC News.
Siegel has been studying the relationships between gun ownership and homicide, suicide and other factors. It’s well known that people with access to a gun are far more likely to complete suicide. And some data had suggested that gun ownership in general was associated with higher suicide rates. […]
“For each 10 percentage-point increase in household gun ownership, the youth suicide rate increased by 26.9 percent,” they wrote in their report, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
“The only other factors that were associated with overall youth suicide rates were the suicide attempt rate and the percentage of youth who were Native American,” they added.
“Together, the model explained 92 percent of the variation in overall youth suicide rates across the 47 states.”
Remember that old saying about how freedom comes with responsibilities? Lock up your guns, people. The full report is here.
A report released by [Chicago Department of Public Health commissioner Dr. Julie Morita] and her department and Lurie Children’s Hospital showed Chicago parents have doubts about the flu vaccine.
“In fact, 14 percent overall refused vaccines, and 83 percent of parents refused flu vaccine, in particular,” Dr Matthew Davis of Lurie Children’s Hospital said. “It was the most commonly refused vaccine overall.”
“It’s a really serious infection,” Morita said. “For most people they will recover, but for some people, young children, people with chronic underlying health disease, such as diabetes, asthma, heart disease, those kinds of individuals can get very, very sick and end up in the hospital.”
More than 1000 parents representing all 77 neighborhoods in the city were surveyed. Two-thirds cited worry about short and long-term adverse side effects. About one-third believed the flu vaccine simply isn’t necessary. […]
The CDC recommends that all children 6 months and older receive the flu vaccine. And if you don’t have insurance, you can call 311 and the city will direct you to a healthcare provider where you can obtain a free flu shot.
In a stunning decision, a Cook County judge on Thursday acquitted three Chicago police officers of all charges alleging they lied in police reports and conspired to cover up the controversial 2014 police shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald.
The case has been seen as a referendum on a so-called code of silence within the Chicago Police Department designed to protect fellow officers from accountability for wrongdoing.
In her hourlong ruling, Associate Judge Domenica Stephenson blasted the evidence presented by prosecutors as weak, speculative and totally lacking proof of any crime.
Stephenson ripped several key prosecution witnesses — including Officer Dora Fontaine and witness Jose Torres — as unreliable and inconsistent in their testimony.
She said the now-infamous police dashboard camera video showed a completely different perspective than the officers at the scene and that comparing what could be seen on the video with statements and conclusions made in police reports would “disregard the totality of the evidence” in the case.
As she delivered her findings, it became more and more clear that Stephenson found nothing persuasive in the prosecution’s case.
Stephenson called into question the credibility of a key prosecution witness, Officer Dora Fontaine, noting she “tried to minimize” McDonald’s behavior before he was shot in 2014 but later admitted she told the FBI, the state’s attorney and the inspector general that McDonald was moving closer to police, waving or “swaying” the knife, and making “attacking movements.”
A critical dispute between the prosecution and defense was whether McDonald was a dangerous teen who presented a real threat to police or in the end, a victim.
Stephenson made it clear where she landed, saying it was “undisputed and undeniable” that McDonald was an armed offender who continued to walk toward more populous areas the night he was shot.
This case wasn’t supposed to be about McDonald, it was supposed to be about why the cops’ statements didn’t match up to what the videos showed and what else they did afterward.
* I waited to post on this because I wanted to see what mayoral candidate Garry McCarthy had to say, since he was police superintendent at the time…
The judge in this case has spoken. I respect the system and the verdict. From the very beginning I thought this was going to be a very difficult case for prosecutors to prove conspiracy.
* Lori Lightfoot…
“This not guilty verdict is a disappointment and a tragic reminder of the need for accountability and change,” said Lightfoot. “What those officers did was a disgrace. They should be ashamed of what they did to facilitate a false narrative about the murder of Laquan McDonald. But more than the actions of a few bad actors, their behavior is indicative of the continued need for substantial cultural change within the Chicago Police Department. This verdict does nothing to legitimize officers in the eyes of the public. As mayor, I will take on this challenge and work to build a Chicago Police Department that will be best in class in the nation.
“I call on Superintendent Johnson to move to terminate any of the three officers who remain on the job. The Police Board must move the pending disciplinary cases along as quickly as possible. I urge the U.S. Attorney’s Office to review the case for possible criminal charges.”
* Susana Mendoza…
“While today’s verdicts are disappointing and heartbreaking, they’re not surprising. This is something we’ve seen happen time and again throughout our country. It’s another tragic reminder of the broken culture within the police department and the work we have to do to fix it,” Susana Mendoza said. “To keep our neighborhoods safe, we must end the code of silence that for too long has allowed police officers to escape accountability, no matter the evidence at hand. To truly rebuild the trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve, we must make clear that nobody is above the law. While today’s verdict is a major setback, I am committed to working with every community throughout Chicago to move our city forward from Laquan McDonald’s senseless murder and build a true system of justice that works for all of our families.”
* ACLU…
Today’s acquittals are a painful reminder of the complete lack of structural accountability for police officers in Chicago. The judge’s findings will allow these three officers to escape criminal consequences for their part in covering up the murder of Laquan McDonald. The court’s decision does nothing to exonerate a police department so rotten that a teenager can be murdered—on video—by one of its officers and no one in the chain-in-command lifted a finger to do anything about it.
Until we change the structures that govern Chicago police officers, they will feel they have nothing to lose by lying and everything to lose if they tell the truth. The City of Chicago must follow through with the reforms laid out in the proposed consent decree to make real and lasting systemic changes and end the culture of cover-up within the Chicago Police Department. The ACLU of Illinois is committed to working with our clients and partners to ensure the ‘code of silence’ stops shielding officers from accountability.
* Toni Preckwinkle…
Today’s verdict is a devastating step backward. Laquan’s murder has become a part of the fabric of our city. The verdict today does not serve justice in wake of the senseless loss of a young life. We cannot improve the safety of our communities if our police force is not held accountable for its actions and the very real culture of the code of silence goes unpunished.
Laquan’s death and the resulting trials have forever changed the city of Chicago. Today’s verdict is a brutal reminder that considerable work remains in piecing together the shattered trust between the police and Chicago’s Black and Brown communities. I remain committed to working with all stakeholders including the young community activists who continue to fight for justice.
…Adding… Mayor Emanuel and Superintendent Johnson…
“While the court process in this case is over, our work to ensure the systemic reform underway at the Chicago Police Department continues. CPD is on the road to reform with no off-ramps. Unlike past reforms, these will stand the test of time. We have entered into an enforceable consent decree with the Illinois Attorney General, equipped all patrol officers with body worn cameras, revised use of force policies, adopted the recommendations of the Community Policing Advisory Panel, and ensured every officer has the best training throughout their careers. We will continue to take concrete steps to restore trust with communities across Chicago, because trust is the best public safety tool we have.”
…Adding… Bill Daley…
“We cannot allow this verdict to divide us. We must learn from this situation. It’s time to work together to repair the relationship between the police and the community it serves. We can only do this as a united city.”
As Gov. JB Pritzker takes the helm in Illinois, horsemen throughout the state, are urging his administration to include horse racing and its enormous contribution to the agribusiness industry when they explore new avenues to expand gaming.
“With more than $1 billion in contributions to the agribusiness economy of our state, horse racing must be included in any conversations about gaming,” said Tony Somone, Executive Director of the Illinois Harness Horsemen’s Association (IHHA). “Ours is the only segment of the gaming industry that has significant room to grow and provide real and sustainable jobs in agriculture.”
Former Governor Jim Edgar who is a part of Governor Pritzker’s transition team is aware of the economic impact that horse racing can have in Illinois having raced his own horses for many years. “Horse racing and the thousands of jobs it creates remains an important part of the agricultural economy of our state,” former Governor Edgar said. “Ensuring its viability in the overall gaming environment is in the best interests of the state of Illinois.”
Studies show that every race horse employs as many as ten workers across Illinois. From grooms and trainers to breeding farms, grain dealers, veterinarians, track officials and many more, horse racing is a solid job creator that has been badly neglected in Illinois in recent years.
“It is true that horse racing is struggling in Illinois because of casinos, but we know that with additional gaming assistance, other states have seen their horse racing industry rebound to previous heights of employment and business,” said Marty Engel, President of the IHHA. “We earnestly hope that Gov. Pritzker sees fit to include horse racing in any gaming legislation that emerges in the months ahead. We are one segment of gaming that will more than pay its way through the creation of new and sustainable jobs throughout our economy.”
In the last decade, legislation in Illinois has allowed the development of slot machines at taverns and the construction and opening of the 10th casino in Des Plaines. Illinois horsemen have survived despite all of those changes but not without losing thousands of good agribusiness jobs to places like Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and virtually every other horse racing state that has actively worked to grow the sport.
Engel added, “Make no mistake; horsemen will come back to Illinois to race if the prizes or purses are competitive with other states. And they will bring jobs with them. We have seen it happen throughout the country in states that have boosted their purses with money from slot machines. Those states now offer purses much larger than Illinois and their horse racing industries are booming as a result, adding tens of thousands of jobs.”
Historically, the tracks can’t agree with each other and the horsemen (they really need to think about changing that moniker, by the way) haven’t found a way to agree with the tracks. I mean, why they weren’t able to get video gaming terminals when everyone and his brother got one ten years ago still boggles my mind. Truck stops got them, but not the tracks? Ridic.
The last governor to pass a comprehensive gaming bill was George Ryan, who knocked some heads together when sweeteners weren’t enough. I’ve written this so many times in the past that I could probably write it in my sleep, but everybody at the top has to be pulling together as one to complete a gaming deal. We haven’t had a governor with the capacity to lead on something like this since Ryan left office. If you’re anti-gaming, that’s a good thing, I suppose. I prefer progress.
A Winter Storm Watch for heavy snow is in effect beginning Friday afternoon along and north of Interstate-80 and Friday evening south of Interstate-80, continuing Friday night into Saturday morning creating dangerous travel conditions across northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana. System snow will then diminish from the northwest during the day and evening Saturday. Snowfall of 4 to 8-inches is expected along with blowing and drifting due to strengthening northwest winds gusting to 25 mph Friday night and well over 30 mph Saturday.
As the low pressure moves off to the east, much colder air will flow into our area, riding the strong northeast winds, producing lake-effect snow showers that will likely add several inches of snow along and inland of the Illinois Lake Michigan Shoreline later Saturday/Saturday night, swinging into northwest Indiana Sunday as winds become more north-northwesterly.
Winter Storm Watch in effect from Friday, 6:00 PM CST until Saturday, 6:00 PM CST. Source: U.S. National Weather Service
…WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY EVENING THROUGH
SATURDAY AFTERNOON…
* WHAT…Heavy snow and blowing snow possible. Total snow
accumulations of 4 to 6 inches. Winds could gust as high as 35
mph.
* WHERE…Portions of central, east central and west central
Illinois.
* WHEN…From Friday evening through Saturday afternoon.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…Plan on slippery road conditions. Areas
of blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A Winter Storm Watch means there is potential for significant
snow, sleet or ice accumulations that may impact travel. Continue
to monitor the latest forecasts.
* Maybe if Rep. McCombie had filed a bill like this last year, she could’ve had an impact before it passed by building a bipartisan coalition. But to file it hours after the horse ran through the open barn door is likely too late…
State Representative Tony McCombie (IL-71st) today filed House Bill 367, common sense legislation that will effectively target gun dealers who have proven to be the “bad actors” on the same day Governor Pritzker signed unnecessary legislation into law. Governor Pritzker signing SB337 into law threatens the livelihood of current law abiding gun dealers and does nothing to promote public safety in Illinois.
“We should be focusing our efforts on causes and laws that already exists. My legislation will effectively target gun-dealers who are making it easier for criminals to illegally acquire firearms. I am a protector of the 2nd Amendment and believe we must have rational approaches that will put our safety and the people of Illinois first,” said Rep. McCombie. “Last week, Governor Pritzker extended his hand in a show of bipartisanship and I was cautiously optimistic. Legislatively, signing this bill is a bad beginning and will have unintended consequences. Burying the law abiding firearm dealers in paperwork, increasing their fees and taxes may put them out of business and could increase the illegal sales of weapons. This legislation does nothing to create a safer Illinois.”
House Bill 367 states, if and only, Senate Bill 337 becomes law, the Firearm Dealer License Certification Act would apply only to Federal Firearm Licensees (FFLs) who have been found by the federal or state government to have three or more firearms used in the commission of criminal offenses sold or transferred by the licensee within 5 years prior to the application for certification.
This legislation would protect law abiding FFLs by concentrating efforts on stopping those that are not adhering to the current laws. According to the 2017 Gun Trace Report, there are two source dealers, Chuck’s Gun Shop (Riverdale, IL) and Midwest Sporting Goods (Lyons, IL), who are the retail source of more than one in ten crime guns recovered in Chicago.
“There’s a lot of opportunity in . . . turning East St. Louis into a logistics and transportation hub, but we’ve got to make the right kind infrastructure investments to make that happen,” Pritzker said.
In a few short years after the Intermodal opened, Elwood became the largest inland port in North America. Billions of dollars in goods flowed through the area annually. The world’s most profitable retailers flocked to this stretch of barren country, while the headline unemployment rate plunged. Wal-Mart set up three warehouses in Will County alone, including its two largest national facilities, both located in Elwood. Samsung, Target, Home Depot, IKEA, and others all moved in. Will County is now home to some 300 warehouses. A region once known for its soybeans and cornfields was boxed up with gray facilities, some as large as a million square feet, like some enormous, horizontal equivalent of a game of Tetris. […]
According to the Will County Center for Economic Development, at least 25,000 tractor trailers a day come through the Intermodals. That amounts to three million containers annually, carrying $65 billion worth of goods. A staggering $623 billion worth of freight traversed Will County infrastructure in 2015 alone, roughly equivalent to 3.5 percent of the U.S.’s total GDP.
But this corporate valhalla turned out to be hell for the community, which suffered a concentrated dose of the indignities and disappointments of late capitalism in the 21st century. Instead of abundant full-time work, a regime of partial, precarious employment set in. Temp agencies flourished, but no restaurants, hotels, or grocery stores ever came, save for the recent addition of a dollar store. Tens of thousands of semis rumbled through Will County every day, wreaking havoc on the infrastructure. And as the town of Elwood scrambled to pave its potholes, its inability to collect taxes from the facilities plunged it into more than $30 million in debt.
An opportunity as great as the Intermodal came with a cost. First, to help seal the deal, the town had to offer the developer, CenterPoint, a sweetener: total tax abatement for two decades, until 2022.
The turmoil has only been exacerbated by changes in the trucking industry, which has pivoted to an owner-operator model, relying on independent contractors over full-time employees. Oftentimes, truckers are paid per load—$50 to $70 to pick up a container from the Intermodal and drop it off at a warehouse. For independent contractors, responsible for their own gas and operating costs, speed is tantamount to profitability. A traffic jam can turn the trip from profit to loss. So truckers often take shortcuts down small residential roads, unequipped for weight and traffic, to shave valuable minutes off their commute. Sometimes they’ll get stuck in narrow intersections. “No Trucks” signs are ubiquitous, but they’ve been of little use as deterrents.
The only thing more common in Will County than the “No Trucks” signs are the hiring notices from temp agencies. The county is home to 99 in all—one of the highest concentrations of staffing agencies in the country. They share lofty, aspirational monikers, like Paramount, Accurate, and Elite. Amazon has its own preferred staffing agency: Integrity. […]
While “temp-to-hire” may sound promising, the latter stage of that progression can prove elusive. A full 63 percent of the warehouse workforce in Will County is temp labor or provided by staffing agencies. At a recent hearing in Joliet to deliberate the establishment of two new companies, one group claimed that only 23 of their 147 workers had been placed in permanent full-time jobs. “And that’s their own data!” said Roberto Clack, associate director of Warehouse Workers for Justice, a Chicagoland advocacy group. “I’m not sure we believe it’s even that high.”
But when it comes to the long-term prospects for the region, optimism is scarce. Paul Buss’s son, who works as a building inspector in Joliet, told his dad there’s concern “these companies are gonna come in, they’re gonna build these buildings, and they’re gonna use them for however long they can get a tax break on them, and then they’ll move someplace else.” The threat of empty warehouses looms large.
So, too, does the threat of automation. In 2017, it was estimated that 20 percent of the work in any given Amazon warehouse is automated, a figure that is expected to rise. This fall, IKEA opened up a new warehouse, 1.5 million square feet in total. “Fully automated,” John Greuling told me, it will have about 200 employees. Incredulous, I counted all the spots in the parking lot: 226.
It’s not that Pritzker shouldn’t try to do this, it’s that he needs to make sure workers and communities are protected from the mayhem and refrain from being too generous with subsidies.
Today, Governor JB Pritzker made the following personnel announcements in his administration:
Sol Flores will serve as Deputy Governor. Flores is the founding Executive Director of La Casa Norte, a non-profit organization established in 2002 that has served more than 30,000 youth and families confronting homelessness. Flores built La Casa Norte from two employees with a $200,000 annual budget to an 80-employee, multi-million-dollar organization that delivers inspiration, hope and critical services to the lives of homeless families, single parents, victims of domestic violence and abandoned youth. She has served on numerous working groups and commissions as a tireless advocate. Flores currently serves on the board of directors at the Latino Policy Forum, The Chicago Low Income Housing Trust Fund, Community Renewal Society, Hispanic Housing Development Corporation and Kuumba Lynx. Flores was raised by a single mother who came to Chicago from Puerto Rico and has been recognized as a national Champion of Change for her work by the Obama White House.
John Kim will serve as Director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA).* Kim has served in many senior roles during his distinguished 25 years at the department under five governors of both parties. He currently serves as chief legal counsel, where he supervises a legal staff of approximately 40 employees. Kim previously served as director, interim director, ethics officer, deputy general counsel, assistant counsel/special assistant attorney general, and project manager for an IEPA-China pollution prevention project. Kim left the IEPA for just over a year to serve as acting general counsel of the Illinois Department of Agriculture in 2008 and 2009. Before joining IEPA, Kim was an Assistant Attorney General of Illinois and was the general counsel to the Midwest Environmental Enforcement Association. He received his Juris Doctor from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and his Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Jim Bennett will serve as Director of the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR).* Bennett served as the Midwest Regional Director at Lambda Legal, the nation’s largest legal organization dedicated to securing the full civil rights of the LGBTQ community and people with HIV. During his 12-year career there, Bennett was a lead strategist in Lambda Legal’s Illinois and Iowa marriage campaigns and successfully fought Indiana’s RFRA and their discriminatory ‘religious refusal’ laws. In 2013, he chaired Illinois Unites for Marriage, the statewide coalition that led the successful effort to win marriage equality in Illinois. Prior, Bennett served as acting senior external affairs director at Howard Brown Health, marketing and development director at the Shriver Center, and several roles at the American Red Cross’ national and central Illinois regional offices. He was inducted into the City of Chicago’s Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in 2013 and was the recipient of Equality Illinois’ Freedom award in 2018. He received his MBA from the University of Illinois at Springfield and his Bachelor of Science in marketing from Illinois State University.
Michael Kleinik will serve as Director of the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL).* Kleinik currently serves as executive director of the Medical Cannabis Alliance Of Illinois. He previously served as the executive director of the Chicago Laborers’ District Council’s Labor-Management Cooperation Committee from 2008 to 2018. Prior, Kleinik served as IDOL’s chief of staff and as manager of the department’s Conciliation and Mediation Division. He also previously worked for the Midwest Region Laborers’ District Council and was elected two terms as Fayette County Sheriff in 1990 and 1994. He began his career as a deputy sheriff in Bond County and then as a Vandalia police officer.
* Appointment pending confirmation by the Illinois Senate.
Previous appointments to the Pritzker administration include:
State agency directors:
John Sullivan, director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA)
Janel L. Forde, director of the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS)
Erin Guthrie, director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO)
Alicia Tate-Nadeau, director of the homeland security and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA)
Theresa Eagleson, director of the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS)
Heidi Mueller, director of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ)
David Harris, director of the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR)
Alexis Sturm, director of the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget (GOMB)
Matt Perez, Illinois Fire Marshal
Office of the Governor:
Anne Caprara, chief of staff
Dan Hynes, deputy governor
Christian Mitchell, deputy governor
Jesse Ruiz, deputy governor
Nikki Budzinski, senior adviser
Ann Spillane, general counsel
Emily Bittner, deputy chief of staff for communications
Jordan Abudayyeh, press secretary
Sean Rapelyea, deputy chief of staff for external affairs
Tiffany Newbern-Johnson, deputy chief of staff for legislative affairs
TO: Interested Parties
FROM: Global Strategy Group
DATE: January 16, 2019
RE: NEW POLL RESULTS: Susana Mendoza solidifies likely run-off win in race for Mayor of Chicago
Recent poll results clearly point to Susana Mendoza as a frontrunner in the crowded field for Mayor. Toni Preckwinkle has seen a significant dip in favorability and a clear drop in vote share, while Bill Daley has failed to move his vote share in both the multi-candidate and head-to-head ballots. Given Mendoza’s name ID advantage, top vote-getting status in a multi-candidate race, and significant lead in run-off scenarios with either Preckwinkle or Daley, Mendoza continues to be well-positioned to become the next Mayor of Chicago.
Key findings from a recent citywide survey of 600 likely 2019 municipal voters conducted by Global Strategy Group are as follows.
KEY FINDINGS:
• Voters’ opinions of Preckwinkle have taken a negative turn. Since December, Preckwinkle’s net favorability has dropped 26 points. Once +16 (December 2018: 47% favorable/31% unfavorable, 78% familiar), she is now underwater at -10 (January 2019: 36% fav/46% unfav, 82% fam).
• Preckwinkle’s support has dwindled along with her favorability. In December, Preckwinkle held the lead in the multi-candidate race with 19% of the vote, with Mendoza in second with 11%. But Preckwinkle has lost her edge and is now tied with Mendoza for the top spot at 11%. Daley remains in third place with 9%, seeing little change in his vote share since December (Dec. 2018: Daley 8%), despite a significant investment in advertising. The remaining eight candidates trail him.
• Mendoza surges past Preckwinkle in a head-to-head. In a run-off scenario, Mendoza leads Preckwinkle by 13 points (Jan. 2019: Mendoza 43%/Preckwinkle 30%), significantly increasing her slight December lead (Dec. 2018: Mendoza 39%/Preckwinkle 38%).
• Mendoza continues to top Daley. Daley’s multi-candidate margin has yet to improve since December, and he has been unable to gain any ground against Mendoza in a head-to-head. Mendoza’s December lead (Dec. 2018: Mendoza 46%/Daley 31%) is virtually unchanged (Jan 2018: Mendoza 45%/Daley 30%).
So, it’s not that Mendoza has boosted her own first round numbers, it’s that Preckwinkle appears to be dropping like a rock.
* Methodology…
Global Strategy Group conducted two citywide surveys between December 10th and December 13th, 2018 and between January 11th and January 15th, 2019 among 600 likely 2019 Chicago Municipal Election voters. Both surveys have a margin of error of +/-4.0%. Care has been taken to ensure the geographic and demographic divisions of the expected electorate are properly represented in both polls based on past voter turnout statistics.
54 percent of respondents were reached via their mobile phones.
The headline is a bit of a joke, but, to be clear, this is a well-respected firm. Global Strategy Group has been used by JB Pritzker, Planned Parenthood Illinois Action PAC, Nancy Rotering, Anita Alvarez, Pat Quinn and Rahm Emanuel, among others. Pritzker paid the firm a whopping $2.9 million since getting into the race, so they must have something going for them.
“You can’t be for big government, big taxes, and big bureaucracy and still be for the little guy.” -Ronald Reagan
The most recent election night was not kind to Republicans in Illinois. Former Governor Bruce Rauner, who didn’t accomplish anything as Governor and presided over a massive tax hike and more out of control spending, was defeated in a landslide. The election was not a repudiation of Republican ideas – it was a repudiation of Raunerism.
The Democrats led by Governor Pritzker may be pushing Illinois to become the California of the Midwest, but we are still a long way from that. There is a path to victory for Republicans in Illinois.
The Republican Party will always lose statewide in Illinois if it doesn’t give voters a clear choice on economic issues. The Republican Party must stand united for lower taxes, less spending and real reform.
Republicans have made significant gains in the rural parts of Illinois. Districts that were once Democrat strongholds are becoming Republican districts, but the gains in downstate are not enough to overcome big losses in the suburbs. If the Republican Party is going to turn its election fortunes around, the party must be able to win in both downstate Illinois and in the suburbs.
Republicans must first focus on advancing a positive agenda for Illinois. Only talking about House Speaker Michael Madigan is not a cohesive message. The best way to weaken Speaker Madigan is for Republicans to pick up legislative seats. Republicans must make the case that big government and high taxes are hurting, not helping, regular people.
We must show how these taxes are hurting real families and make an appeal to stop driving families out of Illinois by continuing to raise taxes. Republicans must go on the offensive.
The progressive income tax, the linchpin of the Pritzker plan, wouldn’t hurt the wealthy a lot - they can easily move out of Illinois. It would harm the middle class. There is a reason we do not see a tax rate schedule from those supporting the progressive income tax. They do not want voters to see exactly who the progressive income tax will affect. Do you really trust Illinois career politicians to set your tax rates?
The Illinois Republican Party also needs to stand united for cutting property taxes. Specifically, the General Assembly should extend the statewide property tax cap (PTELL) to all units of government (including home rule units of government) and then mandate a 10 percent cut in property taxes levies over two years (5 percent per year). Property tax would then be permanently frozen unless local voters approve an increase.
Local governments would be forced to cut administrative expenses and make hard spending decisions just like Illinois families are required to do every day. Illinois has 7,000 units of local government. The key to long-term lower property taxes is to give voters the right to consolidate many local governments.
Republicans must oppose tax increases and offer solutions to reduce the cost of government. The most meaningful way to reduce spending is to enact meaningful pension reform. Arizona, like Illinois, has a Constitution that makes changing pension benefits very difficult. The best path for Illinois is to follow the Arizona model and, as part of an overall negotiation with unions on other issues, pass a constitutional amendment to limit annual benefit increases. Also, all new state workers should participate in a 401(k) plan.
Another important way to reduce Illinois spending is to do a much better job of managing the state’s Medicaid program. In addition to eliminating Medicaid waste and fraud, Illinois should be actively pursuing multiple innovative waivers that would save money and make the program more efficient. We should also be aggressively fighting to increase the federal government’s unfairly low 50 percent Medicaid matching percentage for Illinois. Many other states are receiving a far higher percentage of federal support.
In addition, Republicans need to present a positive agenda on health care. Republicans must strongly make the case for keeping coverage for pre-existing conditions at the state and national levels. Republicans must promote cost savings ideas such as allowing health care to be purchased on a national basis, providing vouchers for low income families to purchase health insurance and enacting meaningful medical malpractice reforms.
Finally, Illinois Republicans must recruit better candidates to run and that recruiting process must begin now – not later. Republicans must look for candidates who can connect with voters and offer fresh ideas. These candidates must be inclusive and must be diverse and most importantly must stand for something. Republicans Party leaders must also focus on better integrating the use of technology and vote by mail programs in their campaign strategies. Most importantly, Republican candidates need to work harder to keep up with their well-organized Democratic opponents.
Illinois Republicans must rally around lower taxes and meaningful reforms as the only way to save the middle class and stop the mass exodus from Illinois. As Ronald Reagan said, “Simple fairness dictates that government must not raise taxes on families struggling to pay their bills.”
It is time for Republicans to rally around the message of standing up for the people of Illinois by supporting sound economic policies that can turn our state around. If we do that, we can win again.
* It’s always interesting to watch administration’s spin the monthly unemployment numbers. Gov. Rauner’s administration did its best to point out how bad things were until it was time to run for reelection. Here’s the first IDES press release from the new regime…
The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that the unemployment rate rose to 4.3 percent in December and nonfarm payrolls increased by +13,600 jobs over-the-month, based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and released by IDES. The November jobs gain was revised upward from the preliminary report (from +5,900 jobs to +8,000 jobs).
Job growth was stronger during the October to December period posting an average monthly change of +9,500 jobs, an improvement over the prior month when the three-month average change was +5,500 jobs.
“It’s clear there is room to both grow the Illinois economy and create opportunity for working families,” said Deputy Governor Dan Hynes. “That’s why Governor Pritzker has taken action in his first days in office to protect and raise the wages of Illinois workers and strengthen workforce development training in growing industries. The governor looks forward to continuing to work with stakeholders, business leaders, and workers to create jobs statewide and ensure all of our communities can thrive.”
In December, the three industry sectors with the largest over-the-month gains in employment were: Government (+6,300), Leisure and Hospitality (+4,600) and Trade, Transportation and Utilities (+2,800). The industry sectors with payroll declines were: Information (-1,000) Financial Activities (-700) and Construction (-600).
Over-the-year, nonfarm payroll employment increased by +71,000 jobs with the largest gains in these industry sectors in December: Government (+24,700); Education and Health Services (+11,200) and Leisure and Hospitality (+10,200). The industry sectors with over-the-year declines were: Information (-3,900) and Other Services (-300). Illinois nonfarm payrolls were up +1.2 percent over-the-year as compared to the nation’s +1.8 percent over-the-year gain in December.
The state’s unemployment rate is +0.4 percentage points higher than the national unemployment rate reported for December 2018, which rose to 3.9 percent. The Illinois unemployment rate is down -0.6 percentage points from a year ago when it was 4.9 percent.
The number of unemployed workers increased +1.3 percent from the prior month to 277,500 but down -12.2 percent over the same month for the prior year. The labor force was about unchanged over-the-month and over-the-year. The unemployment rate identifies those individuals who are out of work and are seeking employment.
Looks like Deputy Governor Hynes is overseeing IDES, too.
According to Truth in Accounting, Chicago has debts of $42 billion. That includes pension, bonds, and other liabilities. Of this total, $28 billion is the net unfunded pension liability discounted back at the expected investment return rate, and $800 million, unfunded retiree healthcare. That means that roughly 70% of the city’s liabilities are in the form of pension underfunding.
Detroit, at the time of its bankruptcy, had debts of over $18 billion, which included a much smaller fraction of pension liabilities - $6.9 billion - but a much larger liability for retiree healthcare, $5.7 - $6.4 billion (the data source, the Huffington Post, doesn’t explain why they provide a range rather than a single point liability). That works out to a proportion of 50% of the city’s total debt.
Put another way, Chicago has a population of 2.7 million. Detroit’s population as of the time of its bankruptcy was 700,000. If Detroit’s debt were prorated to reflect Chicago’s population, it would have been $72.5 billion, or 75% higher than Chicago’s present debt. If Detroit’s pension liabilities alone were prorated to reflect Chicago’s population, they’d have been $35.5 billion, or 25% higher than Chicago’s present debt.
Not to mention that Chicago is a much wealthier city than Detroit was when it declared bankruptcy. And its residential property taxes are currently pretty low compared with the rest of the state.
Polly Poskin, executive director of Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ICASA), said she’s “cautiously optimistic” about receiving funding for the next fiscal year.
“Having experienced this, one would always then have that memory — that anything can go wrong, will go wrong,” Poskin said. “I’m confident that our elected officials never want to put our state through that again. I’m going to operate on the premise that lessons were learned and difficult decisions had to be made.”
Currently, 29 rape crisis centers fall under ICASA’s support. Agencies, including ICASA, were forced to take out credit or use their reserves to keep the bare minimum of services available, she said.
Since ICASA owns its building, they used it for credit in fiscal year 2016 and borrowed nearly $1.5 million to distribute to the centers since most don’t own property, she said. That came with an interest of $700,000.
Illinois’ crisis centers for sexual violence survivors are starting to feel the effects of the partial government shutdown—now in its fourth week. Funding for services will soon stop coming in.
The Justice Department has given organizations until January 18, when it will stop processing funding requests. […]
Carrie Ward, executive director of the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault — a network of 30 rape crisis centers across the state — said the group hopes to minimize the impact. The centers mobilized to get their refund requests processed by the deadline. Now, Ward said, all they can do is wait for a resolution to the shutdown and try to keep the centers open.
“But there’s only so much money available, and because these dollars are so specifically for counselors and advocates, my greatest concern would be that eventually there would have to be fewer counselors and advocates that are providing the services,” she said.
Ward said federal money makes up about 60 percent of the organization’s overall funding, which also includes some state dollars. She said victims should know services are still available 24/7 and efforts will focus on keeping centers open.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker plans to sign a bill Thursday that would give the state more oversight over Illinois gun dealers, after Democrats kept the paperwork off former Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s desk in order to avoid a veto during his administration’s final days.
The proposal would require firearm stores to get state licenses, a move that supporters contend could reduce gun violence because federal regulators are stretched too thin to adequately handle all the shops operating in Illinois.
Pritzker is set to sign it into law at a Chicago elementary school Thursday morning. Lawmakers approved it last year in the wake of the killing of Chicago police Cmdr. Paul Bauer and the high school shooting in Parkland, Fla.
“This is a common-sense piece of legislation, so when I introduced it a decade and a half ago, I thought we would be celebrating this day much sooner,” Democratic state Sen. Don Harmon of Oak Park, the proposal’s sponsor, said. “But important causes are worth fighting for, and I am proud to stand with the countless advocates and supporters who have stuck with us for all these years.”
* Illinois State Rifle Association…
The state licenses for gun dealers measure was passed in the previous General Assembly but was never sent to Governor Rauner because 2nd Amendment rights opponents knew he would veto it. Political gamesmanship like this is just a typical day in Illinois politics. The Illinois State Rifle Association is deeply disappointed in the action taken today, but is certainly not surprised.
The federal government already licenses gun dealers. There is no need to add yet another layer of bureaucracy on gun dealers. The only thing this measure is going to do is make it cost more money for gun dealers to do business in Illinois, which is going to hurt the smaller dealers.
The action taken today is another assault on our 2nd Amendment rights. Nothing in this bill is going to enhance public safety in Illinois. The only thing that is being accomplished here is the creation of a bureaucratic nightmare for gun dealers. Rest assured, we will be challenging this new law in court.
* GPAC sent this out in advance…
Today Governor JB Pritzker signed SB 337, the Combating Illegal Gun Trafficking Act, as one of his first official acts in office. With that signature, families of victims killed by illegally obtained guns can find peace of mind knowing that lives will be saved by SB 337 becoming the law of the land in Illinois.
The bill gives state authorities and law enforcement the tools to require better business practices among federally licensed gun dealers and hold corrupt dealers accountable in the state to keep guns away from criminals. The signing comes after Governor Rauner recently vetoed a similar bill even after lawmakers and the overwhelming majority of residents across the state called for him to approve it.
“We are thrilled that Governor Pritzker fulfilled his promise to protect children and families in Illinois from gun violence by signing SB 337 into law,” said Kathleen Sances, President and CEO of the Illinois Gun Violence Prevention PAC (G-PAC). “Members of the Illinois Gun Violence Prevention Coalition, especially the parents who have found the strength to turn their unimaginable grief into action, worked tirelessly to fight for its passage. We are grateful to our legislators, notably our bill sponsors Sen. Don Harmon and State Representative Kathleen Willis, who came together in support of this effort. Our streets, communities and families will be safer now that SB 377 is now the law of the land.”
In 2015, as a result of the increasing number of people being killed by gun violence, G-PAC and Giffords joined forces with a broad, statewide, bi-partisan coalition of organizations, advocates and elected officials around a common goal: to help rid Illinois of hundreds of illegal guns that each year end up on our streets and in the hands of those looking to do harm.
G-PAC and the Coalition were responsible for the Our One Job campaign: a historic strategic and targeted social media campaign developed to educate the public about gun violence in Illinois. The campaign reached 4.1 million people and engaged over 62,000 individuals. It was responsible for tens of thousands of contacts — phone calls, emails, petition signatures, social media shares and in-person visits to lawmakers. It was the first time that gun violence prevention contacts outnumbered contacts from gun lobby groups into lawmaker offices.
From 2013 to 2016, 40 percent of guns used in crimes in Chicago came from negligent gun dealers within Illinois, according to the 2017 Gun Trace Report. The new measure will require the Illinois State Police to certify dealers and enacts provisions to better record and track private sales. Several key provisions are:
· Requiring criminal background checks for gun dealer employees
· Training and education for gun dealer employees so our criminal background check system can work better
· Giving Law enforcement the authority to inspect inventories, ensuring gun dealers are held accountable for missing firearms
· Increasing security and public safety by requiring video surveillance for brick and mortar, gun dealer locations
This post will be updated.
…Adding… Governor’s office…
Surrounded by gun violence survivors, prevention advocates, community leaders and elected officials who have worked for years to require licenses for gun dealers, today Governor JB Pritzker signed SB 337 to combat the scourge of illegal gun trafficking, finally making Illinois the 16th state to require gun dealers to be certified by the state after more than a decade of work.
“Gun violence isn’t an issue facing one city, or one region, or one group of people — it affects us all, and I want to thank all those tireless advocates who didn’t rest until our state took commonsense action to prevent gun trafficking,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “This bipartisan law is a long-overdue step to do more to prevent gun violence, to make sure guns don’t fall into the wrong hands, to make sure that we license gun shops just like restaurant and other businesses, and deter straw purchases, so that we can prevent someone from buying a gun for someone who is not legally allowed to own a gun.”
The gun violence prevention measure is the second bill Gov. Pritzker signed into law since taking office Monday. SB 337 creates two acts that allow the state to regulate gun dealers and gather information on private sales and illegal gun transfers.
The Firearm Dealer License Certification Act requires any gun dealer in the State of Illinois be certified by the Illinois State Police (ISP). State-licensed dealers are required to provide annual training to employees, have video surveillance in gun stores, and be open for inspection by ISP and local law enforcement.
The Gun Trafficking Information Act requires ISP to publish key information related to crime-related firearms and imposes penalties on individuals who fail to maintain a record of a private sale.
With the federal government failing to effectively regulate gun dealers, state licensing will hold gun dealers responsible while the state takes action to reduce the tragic gun violence that affects so many communities.
“Thank you, Governor Pritzker, for taking action to stop the gun violence,” said Delphine Cherry, a mother of two victims of gun violence. “27 years ago today, I lost my daughter Tyesa to gun violence committed by a 14-year-old who had an illegal gun. Twenty years later, my son Tyler was murdered three days before Christmas. Since I lost Tyesa and Tyler to gun violence, I have made it my mission to make sure no other parent has to join the worst club that I belong to: the club of parents who have lost their children to gun violence. This bill will make sure gun dealers are held accountable and stop them from illegally selling guns like the one used to kill my daughter.”
“It only took Governor Pritzker four days - not four years - to realize that if the state can license a barber shop or a liquor store, we can license gun dealers,” said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “I commend Governor Pritzker for prioritizing this important public safety measure that will reduce the number of illegal guns on our streets and allow the Chicago police to further crack down crime.”
“Gun violence is a complex problem, and no one law will solve it,” said Sen. Don Harmon (D-39th), who sponsored the measure in the Illinois Senate. “But we know that other states that have enacted similar laws to this one have seen a reduction in guns used in crimes. I am grateful to Gov. Pritzker for signing this legislation into law.”
“This bipartisan law will not harm any gun dealer that operates in good faith, but it does ensure accountability for dealers that fail to make efforts to keep guns from falling into the hands of criminals,” said Rep. Kathleen Willis (D-77th), who sponsored the measure in the Illinois House. “I would like to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and Governor Pritzker for their support on this important measure.”
“As one of his first official acts to sign the gun dealer licensing bill, this speaks volumes about the Governor’s commitment and passion to help Chicago reduce gun violence,” said Chicago Police Department Superintendent Eddie Johnson. “The tools provided in this legislation to state and local police will significantly help our ability to regulate gun dealers and monitor and interdict the illegal flow of guns into cities like Chicago.”
“Gun violence is prevalent in too many neighborhoods and communities throughout the state, my own included. We must take a comprehensive approach to addressing the level of violence in Illinois, and that includes stopping the flow of guns trafficked into Illinois,” said Attorney General Kwame Raoul. “I would like to thank Governor Pritzker for making commonsense licensing one of the first new laws he enacts as governor.”
“In 2018, the most prosecuted offense by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office was the unlawful use of a weapon,” said Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx. “It is past time that we do more to keep illegal firearms off of our streets and today’s signing of SB 337 is a step in the right direction. I look forward to a continued partnership with the Illinois General Assembly and Governor Pritzker on sensible legislation to make Cook County safer.”
“It’s time to consider our moral obligation to our communities,” said Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson. “Our highest priority must be keeping our children free of gun violence. Senate Bill 337 puts that extra layer of protection in place to keep us all safe.”
* Senate sponsor…
Sixteen years after State Senator Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) first introduced similar legislation, Gov. JB Pritzker today signed his measure requiring gun dealers to be certified by the state.
“When I first introduced a version of this bill in 2003, I thought we would be having this celebration a little sooner,” Harmon said. “This bill will help, but there’s more work to be done. I ask all of our dedicated supporters to remain in this fight.”
The Combating Illegal Gun Trafficking Act contains provisions to better record and track private gun sales. It treats all firearm licensees the same, regardless of their size. It requires the Illinois State Police, rather than the state agency that regulates professions and occupations, to certify gun dealers.
Additional provisions in the bipartisan proposal include:
· requiring gun dealers to safely store firearms at all times,
· requiring gun dealers to make copies of FOID cards or IDs and attach them to documentation detailing each gun sale,
· requiring employees to undergo annual training about the law and responsible business practices, and
· requiring gun dealers to open their place of business for inspection by state and local police.
Harmon’s district includes portions of the West Side of Chicago, an area that has been plagued with gun violence for years. As of Dec. 23, the Chicago Police Department reported 555 homicides in Chicago in 2018.
“Gun violence is a complex problem, and no one law will solve it,” Harmon said. “But we know that other states that have enacted similar laws to this one have seen a reduction in guns used in crimes. I am grateful to Gov. Pritzker for signing this legislation into law.”
* The Illinois chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America…
“This is an important step forward for Illinois,” said Lauren Quinn, volunteer chapter leader with the Illinois chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. “These are smart, focused measures to prevent gun trafficking - and do so while respecting the rights of responsible gun owners and sellers. I’m deeply grateful to everyone who worked to make this possible, particularly Sen. Harmon, Rep. Willis, Gov. Pritzker and the Illinois Gun Violence Prevention Coalition.”
So much for “embracing hard choices,” as Gov. J.B. Pritzker promised he’d do in his inaugural speech.
His first act as governor granted pay raises to thousands of state AFSCME workers, which will cost the state as much as $200 million a year. And when Pritzker relents on the back-pay Rauner blocked, that will create another $400 to $500 million in costs.
It was an easy choice for Pritzker to reward the government unions who backed him during his campaign – all at the expense of taxpayers.
Yeah, he didn’t do it because of two appellate court rulings or an ILRB order. Or because he campaigned on his support for collective bargaining rights. He did it because unions endorsed his campaign, which he self-funded.
Also, the union claims the annual costs are essentially covered because longer-term unionized employees who retire or leave their jobs are paid more than the people hired to replace them - and this state hasn’t done a lot of hiring over the years except to fill vacancies.
It would’ve helped, however, if Pritzker had tried to explain the costs this week. That’s part of the job. Do better.
* The decisions by Rauner to stop the increases and by Pritzker to get out of the way have human consequences. From “HangingOn” (who’s been commenting here since 2015) this past Tuesday after Pritzker announced he was lifting Rauner’s illegal blockade of the step increases…
I am about in tears. Would be nice to know when the step raises will happen, but knowing they will is a relief. As it is I have been worrying that next week I can either pay for my child’s 8th grade graduation gown or her school lunches but not both. And being she’s special needs the graduation is a big deal to us. Maybe with the raise coming the school will wait for the lunch money.
Several readers reached out to me asking if they could help.
* She turns out to be a Downstate office associate earning a modest salary. Her name is on the GoFundMe page that I encouraged her to create…
I am a State Employee and the mother of an incredible teenager with Special Needs. For the last 3 years I have not gotten my contracted raises due to actions by the previous governor. The new governor is supposedly going to follow the courts decision and pay the raises, but I don’t know how long that will take. I am owed around $7200 in back pay, am behind on my daughter’s lunch account, and I can’t afford the tassel and shirt she wants for her 8th grade graduation.
Luckily the school found a gown that fits her from last year so she will at least have that, but she has had so much trouble getting this far in school. She survived brain cancer (ependymoma) at age 3 but was left with issues due to the surgeries and radiation to remove it. Thanks to her Special Needs teachers she has made a lot of progress, but after another student tried to stab her with a pencil last year she refused to go to school, and the school and I had to teach her school was a safe place so she would attend again. She fights anxiety every day but has been going and getting A’s. It’s a miracle that they say she will graduate 8th grade this year after all that.
Since I am behind on her lunch account she can’t have breakfast at school and she gets nauseous if she eats before the car ride so she has been missing out in the mornings, plus she can’t participate in some activities at school until it is paid up. Also, since I’m not the best cook in the world (I can make scrambled eggs and SOS pretty well, but most else is iffy lol) the hot lunches at school give her some variety and fill her up better than a sandwich from home.
It would be amazing if I could at least reach the low goal I have set and get her caught up and get her the graduation items she wants. It would make our lives a lot brighter and easier to have 1 less thing to worry about. Any extra will go toward future school things and catching up in general. And maybe a sketch pad. She is phenomenal at art!
Her goal is only $100. I will match that $100 when the goal is met. Click here.
But there was a time – just before the [Illinois] constitution was adopted [in 1970], in fact – that Illinois had no income tax at all.
“We have no money,” John McCarter, who ran the newly formed budget bureau Ogilvie created, remembers the state’s comptroller telling him at the time. So little, there wasn’t enough to cut employee paychecks.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency was born under Ogilvie, and the state’s prison and juvenile justice systems were modernized.
High-ranking members of the Ogilvie administration, including McCarter (Ogilvie’s budget director), Paula Wolff (policy work, which was, at the time, rare for a woman) and Peter Bensinger (the first director of the department of corrections created under Ogilvie), say lessons from the past can serve to inform Illinois’ politicians today.
“He was interested in doing the right thing, putting the right policy in place and those policies have been sustained over time,” Wolff said. “The important thing in thinking about the continuum of governors is that governors who stand up for the policy things they care about, who are willing to do what they think is right, are the governors who have made the lasting contribution in Illinois.”
And then Ogilvie paid for all that by losing his next election to Dan Walker, who bashed Ogilvie but then spent every dollar from the new income tax that he possibly could.
* Coincidentally, Amanda found this poster while cleaning out her Statehouse office…
Illinois pols will spend a lot of time debating the income tax in the months and years ahead. Fifty years ago when Gov. Ogilvie was inaugurated (no Maroon5) IL had NO income tax. Are there lessons for @GovPritzker from his audacious move to institute one?https://t.co/YVDs1KTKUkpic.twitter.com/rYwFhQCZcA
On January 12, 2019, at approximately 4:45 p.m., Trooper Christopher Lambert was on the scene of a three-vehicle traffic crash in the left lane on Interstate 294 near Willow Road. While handling that crash, another vehicle in traffic failed to stop and struck Trooper Lambert while he was outside of his patrol car. Trooper Lambert sustained serious injuries and was transported to Glenbrook Hospital. At approximately 7:24 p.m., Trooper Lambert succumbed to his injuries.
Trooper Christopher Lambert grew up in Dayton, Ohio, where he attended Allen Elementary and Middletown Madison High School. He loved baseball and was an avid Chicago Blackhawks fan. Trooper Lambert began his career with the ISP in 2013 as a member of Cadet Class 123. Upon his graduation from the ISP Academy, he was assigned to District 15 in Downers Grove. At the time of his passing, he was assigned to the District 15 Criminal Patrol Team. Throughout his career with the ISP, Trooper Lambert was recognized for his hard work, criminal interdiction efforts, and for being a rising leader amongst his peers. Trooper Lambert served honorably in the United States Army for eight years.
Trooper Christopher Lambert is survived by his wife, one-year-old daughter, and parents. The ISP would like to thank the public for their support and condolences during this difficult time.
* From the governor…
Flags will fly at half staff in honor of Trooper Christopher Lambert, who lost his life in service of protecting the people of Illinois. I spoke with his wife on Sunday to express my deepest sympathy for her family and sincerest gratitude for his service.
Thousands are expected to attend memorial events for Illinois State Trooper Christopher Lambert, which begin Thursday afternoon with a visitation at Willow Creek Community Church. […]
His family released a statement Wednesday saying Lambert “left this world in the way in which he lived: putting the well-being and happiness of those around him before his own.”
“The family of Trooper Christopher Lambert mourns the loss of our son, husband, father and friend. We would like to thank the law enforcement community and the thousands of others who have expressed their love and concern,” the statement said. “We will always remember his devotion to his wife and daughter, his dedication to his career and community, and the love and laughter that he shared with us.”
Ned Mitchell, the former longtime mayor of Sesser, and another individual were arrested Tuesday afternoon on charges of unlawful possession of methamphetamine and booked at the Franklin County Jail, according to the Sesser Police Department.
Mitchell, 70, served as mayor from 1979 to 2013, when he was defeated by current Sesser Mayor Jason Ashmore. He also served briefly in the state Senate when he was appointed to fill an unexpired term in 1999.
Along with Mitchell, Elaina Kays, 42, of Sesser, also was arrested after police executed a search warrant on Mitchell’s residence in Sesser, according to a news release from Sesser’s police department. During the search of the home, police found methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, the release stated. Formal charges are pending, according to the news release.
Ned was a big Grateful Dead fan and a decent guy back when I knew him. It’s so sad to see this happen to him.
Wednesday, Jan 16, 2019 - Posted by Advertising Department
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J.B. Pritzker made waves in the days before his inauguration with the announcement that he plans to match salaries for top staffers with his own money. […]
In an Illinois News Network article posted Friday, State Rep. Grant Wehrli, a Republican from Naperville, raised legitimate concerns about mixing state salaries and private money.
“Who do they work for?” he asked. “Do they work for the people of the state of Illinois? Or do they have a greater loyalty to the governor as that’s where a large chunk of their income comes from?”
In addition, Wehrli questioned setting a precedent that only the wealthiest future governors could sustain.
We share Wehrli’s concerns and have others. Boosting salaries to attract top talent is one thing; doubling them at a time when the state is struggling financially is another.
* First of all, if Pritzker is doubling their salaries out of his own pocket, then what the heck does that have to do with the state’s financial struggles? That just doesn’t make any sense, particularly since many of those folks’ state paychecks will actually be somewhat lower than their predecessors’ salaries.
Second, the concept of “mixing state salaries and private money” has been enshrined in state law for years, as Scott Kennedy accurately points out…
Today it was announced that the Pritzker administration plans to supplement some government staff salaries with additional pay out of an LLC funded by the Governor himself. He also would have been legally permitted to do this out of campaign funds, from 5/9-8.10: pic.twitter.com/x6q7ewX6fM
Double-exempt state employees, the roughly 2,000 or so that are at-will employees (including all in the Office of the Governor) serve at the pleasure of the Governor. This pearl clutching is excessive.https://t.co/xt0oLpX3bM
Legislators, for instance, can supplement the pay of their district office staffers out of their campaign funds. They can also pay for their state offices out of campaign funds. They can’t do the reverse, of course, and pay for their campaign staff/offices out of their state funds.
The most reasonable criticism, at least so far, comes from Mark Glennon of Wirepoints.
He pointed out that Pritzker is “subsidizing” political operatives — top aides and spin doctors, most of whom “helped Pritzker get elected.”
Since when has a new governor not hired anyone from their campaign staffs? By this logic, top staffers at the start of Bruce Rauner’s administration who worked for his 2014 campaign were being “subsidized.”
Rachel Leven of the Better Government Association called the move “good intentioned.” But she asked, “what if another private individual or entity wanted to fund state positions. Could a future governor create a private fund based on donations from other individuals? What are the rules that would govern this?”
They’re making “slippery slope” arguments, raising suggestions that some governor in the future may do what Pritzker is not doing now and wondering if those hypothetical actions might cause a problem.
Well, they might. But it’s still comparing apples — what Pritzker is doing — to oranges — what some future governor might do.
Slippery slope arguments are inherently weak.
* Look, I really don’t have an opinion one way or another on this salary thing. But I do think many (not all) of the arguments against it are based on ignorance of the current law or partisanship.
Jealousy plays somewhat of a role here, too, and that’s a natural human response and I don’t know if Pritzker calculated that into his equation. It could very well damage the morale among the rest of his staff. And that wouldn’t be a good thing at the start of his administration. He is in effect saying that 20 people are vastly more important to him than the other 1,500, or whatever the number is.
The Illinois Education Association initiated a bill to repeal the 3 percent salary limit law that shifts the state’s cost of paying for an educator’s pensionable earnings to local school districts and institutions of higher education and local property tax payers.
The bill, which is Senate Bill 60, was introduced by Sen. Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (D-Plainfield), and House Bill 350 was introduced by Rep. Kathleen Willis (D-Addison) in the House, is meant to help ease the teacher shortage Illinois is currently facing.
“The 3 percent limitation is a disincentive for school districts to offer any increase in compensation above 3 percent regardless of whether the educator goes the extra mile to be the best in their field and provide the best education for students,” said Kathi Griffin, IEA president.
“Districts and higher education institutions are applying this to all active TRS and SURS members no matter how close they are to retirement. This is impacting the ability of our public schools and higher education institutions to attract and retain the best and brightest, while also having to compete against private sector and out-of-state entities that can offer more attractive financial packages. We are driving our own kids out of the state.”
Since the measure initially passed last summer as part of the Budget Implementation Bill, it has had a chilling effect on educator professional development, further inhibiting the ability of educational institutions to attract and retain educators into a profession that is in the midst of a sustainability crisis and has hampered contract negotiations across the state.
“This measure has had unintended consequences and we understand that. Repealing the 3 percent gets us back to where we were before and allows our school districts and institutions of higher education to better compete for talent in what is already a scarce marketplace because of the teacher shortage and allows us to do better for our students in Illinois,” Willis said.
Districts, not wanting to assume the pension costs for any salary increase above 3 percent, are refusing to reward teachers who earn master’s degrees, obtain additional academic credentials, perform extracurricular duties such as directing plays or coaching teams, become Nationally Board Certified Teachers, and other enhancements that directly benefit students.
“Restoring the threshold to where it was prior to last summer will give districts more leeway in what they can offer educators who go above and beyond for our students. We need to do all we can to attract the best and brightest to teaching, not push them away,” Bertino-Tarrant said.
IEA has been asking members to sign a petition in support of this repeal. To date, nearly 18,000 have done so.
* The Question: Your thoughts on this legislation?
* Yesterday was quarterly filing deadline day. I told subscribers about some of the major players this morning, but let’s take a look at some down-ballot statewide contests. Here’s our old pal Jason Helland, Republican candidate for secretary of state…
Funds available at the beginning of the reporting period: $60,746.85
Total Receipts: $1,005.00
Subtotal: $61,751.85
Total Expenditures: $9,707.04
Funds available at the close of the reporting period: $52,044.81
He raised a thousand bucks and didn’t even spend $10K. He received another $7K in in-kinds from the state party for consulting work. And of that $9,700 in reported expenditures, $6,584 went to himself for things like mileage.
Funds available at the beginning of the reporting period: $1,114,318.75
Total Receipts: $263,080.24
Subtotal: $1,377,398.99
Total Expenditures: $696,231.93
Funds available at the close of the reporting period: $681,167.06
Prior to June 1998 surplus campaign funds could be converted to personal use so long as they paid taxes on that income. Cash on hand as of June 30, 1998 would be grandfathered in, surplus campaign funds could be converted to personal use (subject to tax) up to the balance as of 6/30/98.
* Republican attorney general candidate Erika Harold…
Funds available at the beginning of the reporting period: $174,592.81
Total Receipts: $2,826,577.90
Subtotal: $3,001,170.71
Total Expenditures: $2,933,706.77
Funds available at the close of the reporting period: $67,463.94
Funds available at the beginning of the reporting period: $653,311.16
Total Receipts: $5,162,089.81
Subtotal: $5,815,400.97
Total Expenditures: $5,497,153.49
Funds available at the close of the reporting period: $318,247.48
Raoul spent close to $5 million on advertising, paid $65K to P2 Consulting and spent $15K on election-day phone calls.
Funds available at the beginning of the reporting period: $48,134.28
Total Receipts: $16,225.00
Subtotal: $64,359.28
Total Expenditures: $59,296.54
Funds available at the close of the reporting period: $5,062.74
Funds available at the beginning of the reporting period: $1,696,696.52
Total Receipts: $353,874.47
Subtotal: $2,050,570.99
Total Expenditures: $1,937,498.55
Funds available at the close of the reporting period: $113,072.44
Funds available at the beginning of the reporting period: $4,333.99
Total Receipts: $14,895.00
Subtotal: $19,228.99
Total Expenditures: $15,710.29
Funds available at the close of the reporting period: $3,518.70
Funds available at the beginning of the reporting period: $1,333,004.12
Total Receipts: $411,150.00
Subtotal: $1,744,154.12
Total Expenditures: $0.00
Funds available at the close of the reporting period: $1,744,154.12
In another step to put state government on the side of working families, Governor JB Pritzker signed an executive order ensuring workforce development funding is directed to growing industries that will create the jobs of the future, standing with elected officials, educators and students at Southwestern Illinois Community College in St. Clair County.
“My administration is committed to building the workforce of tomorrow and ensuring hardworking Illinoisans are prepared for jobs in growing industries,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Our economy is changing, and it is critical that state resources are being used to meet the demands of the 21st century. This executive order will help ensure our workforce is prepared to fill jobs in industries with the greatest need and will help us attract new businesses to Illinois. We know there is more work to be done and I look forward to working with bipartisan members of the General Assembly to grow our economy and help working families thrive.”
Today, Governor Pritzker signed Executive Order 2019-03, which requires that:
Review of Identified Targeted Growth Industries. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall, within 90 days of the effective date of this Executive Order, deliver a report to the Governor containing a comprehensive review of industries the Department has identified for targeted growth to determine the ongoing effectiveness of investment in those industries and to identify emerging opportunities for investment in growing industries.
Review of Effective and Efficient Investment in Targeted Industries. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall, within 90 days of the effective date of this Executive Order, deliver a report to the Governor containing a comprehensive review of the return on investment for targeted industries with recommendations for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of existing investment, and best practices and lessons learned for future investment in emerging growth industries.
Report on Improved Alignment of Workforce Resources for Disenfranchised Communities. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall, within 90 days of the effective date of this Executive Order, deliver a report to the Governor containing comprehensive recommendations for improving alignment of workforce resources for communities that have been disenfranchised, including rural and urban communities.
The governor was joined by his nominee to lead DCEO Erin Guthrie, Sens. Christopher Belt and Paul Schimpf, Rep. LaToya Greenwood, St. Clair County’s Workforce Development Group Coordinator Rick Stubblefield, Southwestern Illinois College President Nick Mance and SWIC student Sonny Wilson.
“The state of Illinois is obligated to ensure that our next generation is ready to start a career and that our current workforce is trained to meet the needs of our growing economy,” said Erin Guthrie, the governor’s nominee to lead the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. “Today, Gov. Pritzker is taking an important first step in asking DCEO to identify and review growth industries in our state, ensure workforce development dollars are spent efficiently and effectively, and realign workforce resources for communities that have been disenfranchised, including rural and urban communities.”
“The state of Illinois has not been fully identifying and embracing innovative strategies to focus workforce development dollars on emerging growth industries, and it’s time to change that,” said Sen. Christopher Belt (D-57th). “Gov. Pritzker and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity will direct resources into growth industries like health care, information technology, and green technology to maximize job creation across the state and help us build a stronger economic foundation.”
“I would like to thank Governor Pritzker for coming to Southern Illinois to make this announcement,” said Sen. Paul Schimpf (R-58th). “I’m hopeful that this executive order will help steer badly-needed workforce development and job training dollars to our region.”
“Right now, the state is lagging behind when it comes to fostering economic growth and creating economic opportunity in communities across the entire state,” said Rep. LaToya Greenwood (D-114th). “Gov. Pritzker is tackling this failure head on and will get us back to the basics of effective governing and create a plan to move our state forward into a new day.”
“Gov. Pritzker is focused on getting the most return on investment that we can, so every dollar is invested into our future,” said Rick Stubblefield, coordinator of St. Clair County’s Workforce Development Group. “Gov. Pritzker understands the challenges and opportunity facing the business community — and the needs of the workers that drive our economy. His executive action today shows his commitment to building the workforce of tomorrow and revving up our state’s economic engine.”
“As the third largest employer in Belleville, Southwestern Illinois College is proud to host Gov. Pritzker on his second full day in office,” said Nick Mance, president of Southwestern Illinois College. “The governor is making a statement today by having his first public event outside the capitol in Belleville — that Southern Illinois is a top priority in his administration.”
“As a student here at SWIC, all I want is to build a better future, and today, Gov. Pritzker is helping me and thousands of other students by looking ahead at what it takes to build a 21st century workforce,” said Sonny Wilson, a student at Southwestern Illinois College. “The state needs to look at what industries are growing and prepare students like me to start a career, and that’s what Gov. Pritzker is moving us towards.”
I think the EO itself does a much better job of explaining the need for this action, so click here to read it.
Aside from the substance here, including an area Republican legislator in the event is a good move.
May I suggest a photo for a caption contest? The Catholic Conference tweeted (attached) last night about the application opening of year 2 of the Tax Credit Scholarship program, and I included photos from a “celebration” that took place on Saturday at St. Mary Star of the Sea School, which is in Speaker Madigan’s district. The Speaker showed up, and we had a good crowd of parents, students, and staff. A fake check was presented representing the number of scholarships (201) and value (nearly $940,000) in the combined 22nd House/11th Senate districts.
The photo in the bottom right corner is my favorite. It’s of the Speaker and Principal Candice Usauskas of St. Mary Star of the Sea School sharing a laugh after the celebration. (I have no idea what they were talking about.) I’ve also attached that photo.
Thanks for your consideration – I appreciate it.
Mary Massingale
Director of Communications
Catholic Conference of Illinois
Beginning September 1, 2009, each month the Department shall pay into the Capital Projects Fund an amount that is equal to an amount estimated by the Department to represent 80% of the net revenue realized for the preceding month from the sale of candy, grooming and hygiene products, and soft drinks that had been taxed at a rate of 1% prior to August 1, 2009 but that is now taxed at 6.25%. […]
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Act, beginning August 1, 2009, “soft drinks” mean non-alcoholic beverages that contain natural or artificial sweeteners. “Soft drinks” do not include beverages that contain milk or milk products, soy, rice or similar milk substitutes, or greater than 50% of vegetable or fruit juice by volume.
By the way, an increase of 1 to 6.25 is actually a 525 percent increase, not 600. But whatevs.
For purposes of this Section, “candy” means a preparation of sugar, honey, or other natural or artificial sweeteners in combination with chocolate, fruits, nuts or other ingredients or flavorings in the form of bars, drops, or pieces. “Candy” does not include any preparation that contains flour or requires refrigeration.
* Now, to the point. I’d wager that most people don’t remember these two tax hikes or never even heard about them when they passed.
Why? Because it was an agreed bill. Democrats and Republicans worked together on the drafting and both sides put votes on the legislation and almost nobody voted against it. The Retail Merchants Association also had a hand in crafting the bill and other business groups strongly supported doing an infrastructure program.
Without significant opposition, those tax hikes quickly faded from view.
The difference between now and then, however, is the prevalence of social media. It’s much easier for a small group of anti-taxers to spread their gospel than it was ten years ago.
…Adding… Rebecca Evans at the Susana Mendoza campaign…
“Gery Chico, Ed Burke’s endorsed candidate, is misrepresenting the facts in a desperate attempt to distract voters from his relationship with Ed Burke, whom he lobbied in City Hall. Susana voted for a bipartisan economic stimulus bill, a capitol bill that created 10s of thousands of jobs, putting people to work as the recession was ravaging Illinois. Toni Preckwinkle is the only candidate in this race who proposed a regressive soda tax.”
On his first full day in office, Gov. J.B. Pritzker tried to further distance his nascent administration from his predecessor’s, moving to enact certain pay increases state workers say they’re owed and didn’t receive under Republican Bruce Rauner.
In Rauner’s first weeks in office, he signed an executive order aimed at absolving state workers who don’t want to join a union from paying fees that support collective bargaining. That move led to a U.S. Supreme Court case that was seen as a blow to organized labor.
The Pritzker administration said Tuesday it would grant regular pay increases to workers that they haven’t received since 2015. And an executive order he signed prohibits the state from asking applicants about salary history, a practice that can hold down pay for women.
“With multiple unions representing workers across many agencies, it will take several weeks to provide an accurate picture of both cost and timing of the restoration,” Pritzker spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said. “However, the governor firmly believes that workers who have served the state without step increases should be brought to their current step level as expeditiously as possible.” […]
Pritzker’s move Tuesday is prospective, meaning that state employees eligible for what are known as “step raises” will be paid more (“at their appropriate step for purposes of pay” is how Pritzker’s office describes it) going forward.
Still unresolved is back pay for step increases missed the past few years.
The state has estimated paying for the step increases could cost up to $500 million.
Lost in all of this is that the $500 million number includes missed step increases from prior years. And it’s the high-ball number. It could be less. From a recent report by Gov. Rauner’s budget office…
The state estimates a potential liability range of $170 million to $500 million. The highest estimate of liability has been included for this report.
AFSCME says there is no added payroll for step increases in a typical budget year because of attrition. But the union now has thousands who were paid at a lower rate for the past four years. The union applauded Pritzker’s announcement and said it hopes employees see a bump in their pay “right away.”
And as for a contract for the state’s largest government worker union, both AFSCME and Pritzker’s administration said talks will begin soon. AFSCME plans to meet with its state bargaining committee — which includes delegates from 75 local unions — at the end of January. When Rauner took office in January 2015, talks didn’t begin until late February, the union said.
So, if AFSCME is correct, Rauner’s 2015 move to stop step increases will cost the state a bundle over the long-term, but it would have barely been felt (if at all) in the short-term because of natural attrition. Wonderful.
…Adding… From comments…
Pritzker is not “giving” AFSCME employees anything. This was negotiated for, agreed to, unlawfully withheld by Rauner, fought for in arbitration, appealed and won by AFSCME, appealed by Rauner, denied by the Supreme Court, and finally not implemented despite ILRB order by the state.
But the meteoric rise of video gambling has proven to be little more than a botched money grab, according to a ProPublica Illinois investigation of a system that has gone virtually unchecked since its inception. Based on dozens of interviews, thousands of pages of state financial records and an analysis of six years of gambling data, this unprecedented examination found that, far from helping pull the state out of its financial tailspin, the legalization of video gambling accelerated it and saddled Illinois with new, unfunded regulatory and social costs.
At every key point, state officials made decisions that undercut taxpayers and helped the companies that market video gambling. Lawmakers accepted a far smaller share of the profits than what’s charged in other states, giving the companies a much larger piece. They went forward with the program assuming the machines could be installed in Chicago — they couldn’t. They ignored the inevitable regulatory and social costs. And they did not anticipate the extent to which video gaming would cut into casino profits, which are taxed at a higher rate. The net effect: People in Illinois gambled a lot more, but most of the additional money ended up in the coffers of the companies behind video gambling.
Within months of the law’s passage, the state began borrowing hundreds of millions of dollars against the anticipated revenue. Bond documents claimed video gambling machines would raise $300 million each year to help cover the debt payments.
It wasn’t until 2017, eight years after the legalization of video gambling, that the state came close to collecting that amount. By then, video gambling had brought in less than $1 billion to pay the bond debt — $1.3 billion short of what lawmakers anticipated.
The legislature assumed video gambling would be up and running within a year of the bill’s passage, to quickly begin generating revenue. Instead, it took three years.
That’s because the Illinois Gaming Board needlessly dragged its feet to get the program up and running and the liquor industry sued over a provision in the bill which raised alcohol taxes.
Another problem that’s briefly mentioned in the piece is that Chicago has never opted in. That decision created a huge revenue hole.
* The state should’ve just given the whole program to the Lottery and let it own and install the machines. Instead, the state made huge fortunes for a handful of video gaming companies.
The people who’ve benefited the most from video gaming are the big companies that make and install the machines and the large chains of gambling parlors. Leave the mom and pop operations alone, but those big entities ought to be coughing up a whole lot more money.
* From the end of Sen. Jason Barickman’s (R-Bloomington) op-ed…
Illinois Republicans looking for a fresh start can take a reasoned stand against the liberal Democrats’ agenda. Doing so will help us rehabilitate our image with voters and make our candidates more electable than we were in 2018. However, we must do more than voice opposition. Republicans must make sound policy arguments and truly listen to voters who will be turned off by Democrats’ sharp turn to the left.
Meanwhile, Republicans must broaden our base without alienating core Republicans. We can do this by paying special attention to suburban and micro-urban voters who are center-right on economics but turned against Republicans candidates in November. We’ll need to champion quality of life issues by becoming vocal advocates for education, workforce, public safety and voters’ pocketbooks. Engaging in a two-way dialogue with women, minorities and young people will help us clarify our vision and communicate our policies in a manner that attracts voters turned off by partisanship and negativity. Republicans are committed to freedom and opportunity, but we must demonstrate these principals in a manner that resonates with today’s voter.
As a political party, Republicans across every region of the state must rebuild and unite from the ground up. This effort won’t be easy and comes in many forms. Precincts must be filled with activists who are motivated by a smaller, more functional government. Candidates willing to be champions for their communities must be recruited for local offices, including in the city of Chicago where Illinois Republicans have long surrendered to Democrats. We must offer these local candidates and their volunteers the training and resources they need as we rebuild.
Now that Gov. Pritzker has taken his oath of office, we’ll soon see the type of governor he’ll be. Let’s hope he’s the leader Illinois needs. He can start by operating in a bipartisan manner, inviting Republicans to participate in solving Illinois’ problems collaboratively with him, and pushing back on liberal Democrats who feel they’ve been given the keys to the bank and don’t need to compromise. If he demonstrates an openness to Republican ideas, we should work with him and find common ground. On the other hand, when Gov. Pritzker attempts to appease his liberal base and overreaches, we must vocally stand for approaches more in line with voters who will be turned off by a hard left turn. I and other Republicans are willing to work toward those goals.
Notably, the word “Madigan” appears nowhere in that piece.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s inaugural address was most noteworthy for what he left out.
He went on for 2,600-plus words without mentioning the most urgent and potentially destructive crisis facing Illinois. The new governor had nothing to say about $130 billion in unfunded pension obligations to state employees, a yawning black hole of debt that threatens to swallow the state budget and suffocate Illinois’ economy.
I realize inaugural addresses are usually substance-lite recitations of uplifting themes and gauzy visions of the future. I wasn’t expecting Pritzker to deliver a localized version of President Donald Trump’s “American carnage.” Still, an inaugural address outlines an incoming governor’s agenda. Pritzker’s failure to talk about pensions indicates the state’s most pressing problem isn’t high on his priority list.
That’s discouraging. After all, a governor’s job is to solve the state’s problems. Pritzker’s predecessors couldn’t defuse the pension crisis. If he can do it, he’ll have accomplished more than any recent governor.
He needs to start working on it now. The pension problem is getting worse, not better. Legally required state contributions to the underfunded plans soaked up a quarter of state spending this year and will devour an ever-larger share in the future, leaving less for basic government functions, let alone the new initiatives Pritzker wants to pursue. Most troubling, even the larger contributions aren’t enough to keep the pension funding gap from widening. […]
Early in his speech, Pritzker emphasized the need for a “collective commitment to embracing hard choices.” Then he ducked the hardest—and most important—choice he’ll face.
* Since he apparently didn’t call to check, I asked the Pritzker administration for a response…
Governor Pritzker’s inaugural speech focused on possibility and promise while also addressing the fact that Illinois faces challenges. Like he said yesterday, the governor is committed to passing a balanced budget and pension obligations are included in that challenge, but Governor Pritzker is committed to bringing fiscal stability back to Illinois.
