* The House Speaker’s “member management” worked. He gave his members a chance to blow off steam by voting against a bill that contained the private school scholarship tax credits, then gave them a shot at overriding SB1 and then, when it was clear there was no other alternative, passed the bill. The only alternative was to either wait until a true crisis built or re-worked the entire bill, which would have been a grueling task that would’ve likely hurt CPS.
I’ll post react as it comes in.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Speaker Madigan…
House Speaker Michael J. Madigan issued the following statement Monday:
“Today we saw compromise. Instead of pitting children and communities against each other, Democrats and Republicans came to an agreement on much of what’s in this bill. And even where we don’t fully agree, we’re willing to work together in good faith and meet each other half way.
“This bill provides the same promise of permanent funding for our schools as Senate Bill 1, with some additional items included at the request of Republicans. Even if all members did not agree with 100 percent of what is in the final bill, this bill still delivers 100 percent of what schools throughout Illinois need. This bill is a permanent promise of more funding for schools statewide. Every district in Illinois wins under this plan.
“Through compromise, we’ve included some provisions that many members would not have supported on their own. But a package that permanently provides more money for Illinois schools and puts us closer than ever to fixing Illinois’ broken school funding system is too important to let partisan differences get in the way.”
*** UPDATE 2 *** Mayor Emanuel…
“The Illinois House took a significant step tonight by passing an education funding plan that provides parity and stability for children across Illinois. I want to thank Speaker Madigan, Leader Durkin, Rep. Will Davis and the bipartisan group of legislators who put politics aside to address decades of inequity. As a new school year begins, students and educators deserve peace of mind. We are hopeful the Senate will take action and Governor Rauner will sign this historic legislation to support the education of children throughout Illinois.”
“Today, members of the Illinois House of Representatives voted to bring historic education reform to Illinois children and their families. I want to thank Speaker Madigan, Leader Durkin and their staff members for finding common ground that will reverse the inequities of our current school funding system.
“Aligned with the framework provided by the Illinois School Funding Reform Commission – a bipartisan, bicameral working group chaired by the Secretary of Education – this bill has much to celebrate. First, every district in Illinois will have an adequacy target based on 27 elements brought forth through an “evidence-based model” of school funding. Second, new state funds will be distributed to ensure that those districts with the largest gap between current spending and adequacy will be funded first. Third, no district will lose state funding as compared to last year.
“The compromise includes the much-needed flexibility for school districts through mandate relief, while providing avenues for property tax relief. It increases transparency related to how districts are funded through local, state and federal resources.
“It protects the rights of parents to choose the school that best meets the needs of their children – providing more school choice for children from low-income families. By setting yearly minimum funding targets, this bill also ensures that Illinois will continue to invest in our most important resource – our children’s education.
“I encourage members of the Senate to also pass this bill, which I will sign quickly in order to ensure that our schools – many of which have already opened for the 2017-2018 school year – receive their much-needed resources.”
*** UPDATE 4 *** IFT…
Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery released the following statement after the House passed Senate Bill 1947:
“Tonight, state legislators moved Illinois closer to doing what we have needed to do for decades – treat our poorest students and communities fairly. Unfortunately, it came at a very disappointing cost. Governor Rauner capitalized on the crisis he created when he vetoed the original bill and used it as leverage for private school tax credits that benefit the wealthy while working families continue to struggle. We’re on a better path toward equity and adequacy, and we must move forward in our classrooms and communities. But it’s clearer than ever that this Governor does not prioritize public schools, and we must fight for one who does in 2018.”
* And the CTU…
IL Senate votes tomorrow. We urge them to reject vouchers and keep public funds for public schools, and not a tax break for the wealthy.
“I am relieved to know that our schools will be funded using an equitable school funding formula, but it is disappointing that Bruce Rauner used our students as pawns in his political games to get a back-door voucher program put in place,” said JB Pritzker. “As governor, I will not support school vouchers and will work to do away with this program.”
…Adding… As noted in comments, it is a little “weird” that the bill didn’t receive 47 votes, which would have allowed the sponsor to place the bill on the order of Postponed Consideration. It fell just one shy of that mark, which is, of course, raising some eyebrows that *somebody* might not have wanted this to pass right now.
*** UPDATE 1 *** If you look at the rollcall just before they locked it down, GOP Rep. Randy Frese and Democratic Rep. Art Turner switched their votes from “Yes” to “No” at the last second. Click here.
*** UPDATE 2 *** A new vehicle bill was just moved out of the Rules Committee. Amendment 1 to SB444 is apparently identical to the bill which just went down.
The game plan, I’m told, is to allow an override vote on SB1 to placate Madigan’s more liberal members. If that override fails, as expected, they’ll take up the new amendment and try again.
* One of the few stories on the Google where Hummel’s name appears with Gov. Walker…
When Gov. Scott Walker came to Lodi on Thursday, attorney Jeffrey Mayer was one of the chosen ones.
It was, by Walker’s count, the 11th listening session that he has held in communities around Wisconsin to seek ideas on Wisconsin’s direction in the next 20 years. It’s called 2020 Vision, and it was announced during Walker’s State of the State address Jan. 19.
But the 90-minute event was by invitation only; the general public and media were not allowed to attend. […]
Four Walker staff members were stationed outside the Lodi Common Council chambers during the session, and they did not allow a reporter to enter, or get closer to the doors than about 10 feet.
“This is the standard format,” said Brian Hummel, director of external operations for the governor. “Individuals coming to these meetings might not be comfortable speaking in front of the press.” […]
If someone wants to be invited to a session, he said, he or she may request an invitation by calling Press Secretary Laurel Patrick at 608-267-7303 — who also provides, on request, lists of invitees to all the sessions.
* Meanwhile, remember this?…
CORRECTION: "Jim Clarke has not, willnot and was never going to be fired." From @GovRauner spksm
Six weeks later, former Intergovernmental Affairs boss Jim Clark has now been shuffled over to IL Housing Development Authority. https://t.co/KQpXis1Fn6
* And, yet, the Chicago Teachers Union and some Chicago Democrats want to kill this deal…
School board President Frank Clark said on Monday that Chicago Public Schools may see as much as $450 million from a pending state accord on education funding, about $150 million more than the district had anticipated.
Clark used the figure to address criticism from the Chicago Teachers Union over a possible tax credit program for private school scholarships. His comments came as the school board was set to vote on a proposed $5.7 billion operating budget. […]
“I cannot, in my own mind, balance $75 million [for the private school scholarship tax credit program] against $450 million that CPS would benefit from,” Clark said to [CTU Vice-President Jesse Sharkey]. “Whether I agree or disagree on the vouchers, you guys are doing an excellent job of lobbying against that component. But frankly, it puts the whole deal in jeopardy. That’s your right, you may feel in fact it’s your obligation. But when I balance $450 million versus $75 million … I land on the side of the $450 million that goes to the Chicago Public Schools.”
A district spokeswoman did not directly respond to the $450 million figure touted by Clark and said CPS would need to wait for a final analysis from the Illinois State Board of Education to make a calculation on the amount it might get from the state.
Speaker Madigan leaves caucus saying he'll call the school funding bill for vote this afternoon. Doesn't answer whether he has enough votes pic.twitter.com/ZeprRngo4r
* The Fox News Channel covers the governor’s signing of the TRUST Act today…
The governor’s office pointed to a decision made by an Illinois-based federal court that immigration detainer orders from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement are illegal.
A spokesperson from Rauner’s office told Fox News that the law “coincides” with that ruling.
They may have meant “codifies,” which is standard procedure in cases like these. You generally want your statutes to conform to judicial rulings.
But fellow Republicans are calling the bill another “sanctuary” measure — the kind the Trump administration has been fighting in cities across the country.
Asked for comment about the new Illinois law on Monday, a Justice Department official was critical.
“As the Attorney General has said, when cities and states refuse to help enforce immigration laws, our nation is less safe,” DOJ spokesman Devin O’Malley told Fox News. “Failure to deport aliens who are convicted for criminal offenses puts whole communities at risk – especially immigrant communities in the very sanctuary jurisdictions that seek to protect the perpetrators.”
A Cook County judge on Monday criticized the way former Republican state Treasurer Dan Rutherford ran his office, but ruled in his favor in a lawsuit filed by three former employees who alleged they were fired after cooperating in a sexual harassment investigation.
The three men, logistics manager Patrick Carlson, community affairs and marketing director George Daglas and investment director Ashvin Lad, didn’t prove at trial that they were fired in retaliation for corroborating another employee’s claims that he faced sexual harassment and political pressure at the hands of Rutherford, Judge James Synder ruled.
Attorneys for the ex-state treasurer have denied the allegations , saying the trio was let go after an inspector general’s report recommended they be fired over allegations of falsifying timekeeping records.
In his ruling Monday, the judge said he believed that’s why they were fired.
The CTU is also condemning a legislative deal that Emanuel has embraced—and the Board of Education has done nothing to oppose—which opens the door to school vouchers, a move that is expected to put roughly $75 million in public dollars into the coffers of private schools and provide hefty tax breaks for the wealthy. The union argues that the voucher “compromise” in SB1—modeled on the extremist privatization policies of U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos—is tantamount to planting a ticking time bomb on a bus and driving through school districts throughout the state, creating even greater debt and fiscal distress.
“The mayor’s failure to responsibly budget for our schools has set the stage for him to cut a deal with the governor to implement some kind of state-run ‘school finance authority’,” CTU Vice President Jesse Sharkey said. “This allows him to wash his hands of our schools while avoiding taxing his wealthy friends—many of whom are among his biggest campaign donors.”
“This false choice of a voucher ‘compromise’ for SB1, without public debate, will undermine the core promise of quality public education for all students—low income students, in particular—and give more hefty tax breaks to the rich, Sharkey added. “Legislators should reject this scheme and vote for a straight override of the governor’s veto of SB1.”
* Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago)…
This scheme is a major legislative priority of ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council, an ultra-conservative legislative think tank) and US Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. In some cases, like Georgia, it allows donors to profit from their “donations” by getting multiple tax breaks at the state and federal levels.
We must pass a school funding reform bill to ensure that schools statewide receive the money they need to successfully educate our children. I can’t, however, compromise on my long-held opposition to vouchers and other mechanisms to strip support from our neighborhood schools.
I want a clean school-funding bill, one that doesn’t compromise the well-being of the students in the most vulnerable schools that have seen the greatest cuts at both the local and state level. And once again, they are being used as hostages. We are being asked to rubber stamp this last-minute, unreviewed scheme because it is those students at the highest need schools that require state aid the soonest.
OK, first of all, ALEC is also heavily involved in criminal justice reform, so not everything they do is horrific to liberals. And this plan isn’t like Georgia’s in that it doesn’t allow for a federal tax break.
Second, these aren’t vouchers. And they’re not stripping support from anybody. The tax credits are being paid out of GRF. Now, I have no idea where they’re going to find the money, but the school budget is already set in stone. Also, the hold-harmless provision in the new bill is not based on per pupil, so schools that lose students to private schools won’t be penalized.
And, finally, what happens when SB1 isn’t overridden? Do we all just wait for yet another meltdown crisis? And does the CTU or any of the Chicago legislators opposing this deal really believe that Chicago will get the same deal that it’s getting now if the CTU and Chicago legislators manage to kill this deal over a $75 million pilot project?
…Adding… The deal doesn’t just magically get better for CPS if Chicagoans kill it. Also, lots of liberals applauded Republicans last month for swallowing hard and voting for a tax hike and a budget that would almost assuredly cause them electoral grief…
"Vouchers" aren't just a bad idea, they are also a gift to anyone seeking to run for office against Democratic incumbents #Twill#SB1
The Illinois Opportunity Project announced today that Matthew Besler will resume his work with the Illinois Opportunity Project and Illinois Liberty PAC, leaving his role as Chief Strategic Advisor with Citizens for Rauner, Inc. Besler said the following about his decision:
“With Governor Rauner’s re-election team now in place and the teams for the House and Senate GOP caucuses in place, I am returning to my role as President of Illinois Opportunity Project (IOP) and Chairman of Illinois Liberty PAC, a direct expenditure PAC, as these organizations represent critical policy and political infrastructure for advancing economic liberty in Illinois.
I wish Mark Harris, Governor Rauner’s general consultant, Betsy Ankney, Rauner’s campaign manager, Nick Klitzing and Kayleen Carlson at the ILGOP, David Walsh and Joe Woodward at the House Republican Organization (HRO) and Brian Burian at the Senate Republican Organization (SRO) great success in the 2018 election cycle.
The organizations I lead will be there to provide support where our interests intersect.”
* From Dan Proft, one of the IOP co-founders…
“For the sake of clarity amid recent personnel changes and much rumor-mongering and grievance-prosecuting from former Rauner staff, my position hasn’t changed. I will continue to head the independent-expenditure Liberty Principles PAC.
“Our goals remain as they were prior to Governor Rauner’s election and since: (1) improve the quality of the GOP legislative caucuses in terms of legislators committed to the economic liberty policy agenda; and, (2) grow the numbers of those caucuses to majority control of both chambers.
“We are warriors for actual justice and we will support candidates who are similarly disposed–those who will fight for policies that promote free minds, free markets and a free society. And we will oppose those who do not, regardless of their party affiliation or official title.”
* Back in what I believe was the late 1990s, I wrote a story about how several people along a parade route screamed a perjorative term for “homosexual” that begins with an “f” at then-state Rep. Kurt Granberg. As I recall, it was a tongue in cheek story about how the screamers were not only out of bounds, but they were also wrong about the legislator’s sexual orientation.
It is disturbing, but all too easy in today’s political climate, to picture the reality state Rep. Sara Wojcicki Jimenez recently found herself in.
A spectator yelled “We hate you” at Jimenez, her husband, 4-year-old twins and mother as they walked in the Illinois State Fair parade. One of her sons asked his grandmother if the man hated him; she downplayed the incident, and the boy theorized perhaps the man was upset because he didn’t get any candy.
That may pacify the child now, but as he hears more insults hurled at his mother, how do his parents explain that a growing number of Americans have enthusiastically embraced the misplaced notion that incivility toward an elected official is a duty?
Not cool at all, but at least the person didn’t scream profanities at her.
* The SJ-R followed up with a story entitled “For some lawmakers, frustration a factor in leaving legislature.” But some of these problems have been with us for generations…
He also said citizens have changed, “and I think social media is a part of that, where it’s just so easy for people to be very visceral and not gather the facts – just spout off. It’s not as much fun as what it once was.”
Yes, social media does concentrate the kooks because they can more easily find each other and commiserate about their miserable lives. It’s made even worse when groups deliberately cultivate that anger and weaponize it against legislators. But the citizenry has been spouting off since even before they dumped tea into the Boston Harbor.
I will agree that times aren’t as fun as they used to be. But maybe that’s because I’m getting older.
Mitchell and other departing legislators point at issues like the expansion of the campaign cycle, gerrymandering of districts and the lack of term limits for legislative leaders as contributing causes for the impasse. […]
Mitchell agreed that said House members on two-year campaign cycles have really always been in the constant-campaign mode – starting a term in January and starting to circulate petitions the following September for the next year’s election.
Those petition deadlines have been in place for eons, as has gerrymandering, as has no term limits for leaders.
“I’m a moderate Republican, yet I still got elected. That doesn’t happen a lot.”
Judy Baar Topinka was pro-choice on about 90 percent of all issues when she ran for governor in 2006, but she was labeled pro-life by the ardent pro-choicers and pro-abortion by the pro-lifers. That trend had already started, but you won’t find any pro-choice Republicans in the General Assembly these days. They’ve dropped out, lost primaries or lost general elections to Democrats.
And I get the feeling that there won’t be very many House Republicans who are open to tax hikes elected to the 101st General Assembly.
At the same time, conservative, Downstate, rural Democrats have become an endangered species. That trend began with the Civil Rights era, kicked up hard in 1994 and has recently accelerated again.
Illinois offered newfound security to immigrants on Monday, spelling out in a new law that state and local police shouldn’t double as immigration agents and encouraging immigrants to report crimes without fear of reprisals for their immigrant status.
The Trust Act (SB31) was sponsored by Illinois Senate President John Cullerton and ultimately won legislative approval and the support of law enforcement groups this spring session. Gov. Bruce Rauner signed his name to it on Monday, making it the law in Illinois. Cullerton applauded everyone involved in seeing this new law through.
“An immigrant woman who’s been victimized shouldn’t have to think twice about reporting that crime. She deserves justice as much as anyone else in our society. At the same time, police need her report to effectively track down violent criminals and protect all of us. This law reminds us that we’re all in this together and we need to be able to work together and trust one another,” said Cullerton.
Specifically, under the new law, state and local police cannot arrest or detain someone on the basis of immigration status alone. This prohibition does not apply if there is a valid judicial warrant. Similarly, state and local police are prohibited from arresting or detaining someone based on what’s known as an “immigration detainer,” which is a civil document issued by an immigration agent, not a criminal warrant issued by a judge and supported by probable cause.
Across the country, there have been news accounts of crimes going unreported in immigrant communities because victims fear they will end up arrested for lacking immigration documents if they report the crimes. The proposal Cullerton sponsored and the governor signed is designed to foster trust between police and immigrant communities and refocus resources on fighting priority crimes.
“The immigrant community has always been a vibrant part of our state’s story and a vital part of our economy today. Everyone deserves safety and security,” said Cullerton.
“If someone is going to be detained in Illinois it should be because an actual crime has occurred, not because of how they look, what they believe or what paperwork they may or may not have. The Trust Act reinforces the message that our immigrant neighbors are part of our community. It is my hope that this new law will enhance interaction between the immigrant community and state and local police to improve safety and the quality of life for all Illinoisans,” Cullerton said.
* Cullerton was a bit snarkier at the bill signing today…
For a raging opinion in dissent that doesn’t actually address the contents of the legislation, click here. For raw audio of today’s bill signing event, click here.
Both parties have gone to caucus meetings, so you have some time to read it over. Don’t forget that you can track all the action with our live coverage post.
I have wondered about Rauner’s repeated claim, in absolute terms, about the lack of reforms, as he has made his way across the state signing bills that sure seem like they contain some of what he wanted.
Take for example his announcement in Urbana on Aug. 9, when he signed Senate Bill 8, described in his news release as “a bipartisan bill that makes the state procurement process more efficient and transparent, thus saving money for Illinois taxpayers.”
“Reforming the procurement process allows more flexibility for vendors,” Rauner was quoted in the release. “Removing red tape will make it easier for small and midsize businesses to bid on state contracts. This is a win for our government agencies, for universities, for businesses and, most importantly, for taxpayers.”
In the budget package itself, there is some pension reform, with elements of a 401(k) style defined contribution program included. The legislation he praised Thursday in Naperville would keep retired police officers from re-entering the pension system a second time if they return as chief or join another force. And in Oak Brook on Aug. 14, he signed Senate Bill 3 and House Bill 607, both of which help enable local officials to consolidate governments. But the headline of that day’s news release also showed he thinks “more action is needed.” […]
“It seems inconvenient for the governor to admit that we enacted significant reform, largely at his direction and request,” [Sen. Don Harmon] said. “He seems to like playing the victim. He seems to like saying he didn’t get his way, when in fact he got his way on a significant number of bills.”
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner signed a measure Monday allowing automatic voter registration in Illinois, a move that comes a year after he rejected a similar measure over concerns about voter fraud.
Illinois joins more than half a dozen other states with some form of automatic voter registration, which proponents say boosts civic participation.
“This is good bipartisan legislation and it addresses the fundamental fact that the right to vote is foundational for the rights of Americans in our Democracy,” Rauner said at a Chicago bill signing ceremony attended by supporters. “We as a people need to do everything we can to knock down barriers, remove hurdles for all those who are eligible to vote, to be able to vote.”
* From a press release…
SB 1933 reforms current registration laws so that whenever an eligible Illinois citizen applies for, updates, or renews a driver’s license or state ID, he or she will be automatically registered to vote at their new address, unless they choose to opt out. AVR creates a similar program for other state agencies, which will make it the farthest reaching automatic voter registration law in the country. In May, the legislation passed both the House and the Senate in unanimous, bipartisan fashion: 115-0 and 55-0, respectively.
“With the Governor’s signing of automatic voter registration, Illinois has solidified its status as a national leader in expanding voting rights and ballot access,” said Andy Kang, Legal Director at Asian Americans Advancing Justice Chicago. “Over two years, the Just Democracy Illinois coalition has worked across the aisle to gain support for AVR, a model that can now be duplicated in other states fighting to modernizing their voter registration system.” […]
The bill passed in 2017 after two amendments were adopted into the language, including changes to align automatic voter registration with the implementation of REAL ID at the office of the Secretary of State, and adding two agencies to the program: the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. REAL ID is a federal program that tightens standards for state identification documents, expected to be implemented in Illinois in 2018.
* The bill was sponsored by Sen. Andy Manar, who has had his share of go-arounds with Gov. Rauner on education funding reform. Both were at today’s bill signing ceremony…
In an effort to unseat Gov. Bruce Rauner and other Republican politicians in the Midwest, the union behind the Fight for $15 campaign is launching a voter engagement drive to mobilize its members to get people to the polls.
The Service Employees International Union and its Fight for $15 campaign plan to launch the initiative at a Labor Day rally in Chicago. The rally, one of several across the country, will include a march on the American Hospital Association to highlight hospital workers, who are new to the movement to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour and are expected to play a key role in the voter drive.
Over the 14 months leading up to the fall 2018 election, SEIU members and workers participating in the wage campaign will pledge to volunteer 40 hours of their time to reach out to disengaged voters and encourage them to turn out for candidates who support union priorities such as a $15 minimum wage and universal health care. […]
SEIU plans to roll out the voter initiative across a dozen battleground states mostly in the Midwest, including Illinois and Michigan, as well as Florida, Colorado and Nevada. Paid canvassers as well as “tens of thousands” of SEIU and Fight for $15 members are expected to participate. There are 150,000 SEIU members in Illinois.
* The House convenes at 11, but expect the two parties to caucus soon after. The Senate convenes tomorrow. Background on the reason for calling an emergency session is here. Follow along with ScribbleLive…
Speaker Madigan and his political machine have done nothing but attack Team Rauner’s reform agenda since Day One.
From forcing a massive, 32% income tax increase on Illinois families, to protecting his special interests at our expense, Madigan continues to play politics with our state’s future - and we won’t let him win.
We need to push back against Speaker Madigan and send him a clear message. That’s why Bruce is willing to double your support heading into our end-of-month deadline.
Chip in today. For every dollar you donate to help us fight back against Speaker Madigan and his machine, Bruce will match it.
Chip in $20 = $40 >>
Chip in $50 = $100 >>
Chip in $100 = $200 >>
When Bruce was first elected, he promised to fight each and every day to stop politicians in Springfield from making our lives harder and more expensive.
But while Bruce has been fighting for lower taxes and a balanced budget, Speaker Madigan forced a massive tax hike on all of us that will hurt businesses and families in our state.
Bruce is committed now more than ever to continuing his fight against the political machine, and he’s going to match your support this month.
Donate and tell Speaker Madigan we’ve had enough of him playing politics in Illinois; Bruce will match you dollar for dollar.
“Diana and Shirley are like night and day personality wise, but they have a wonderful relationship and talk and text all the time,” said a top Sneed source.
“They may be acquaintances by association, but they are good friends. I’m told Shirley sends Diana friendly emojis all the time.
“They were excited about taking a trip to Rome together to see the investiture of Cardinal Blase Cupich, but I’m told Mike Madigan canceled because he didn’t want to go with Bruce Rauner,” added the source.
“Shirley is a role model,” Diana told Sneed in an exclusive and rare interview Friday, shortly after the historic school-funding deal was reached after months of tug of war.
Mrs. Madigan almost always uses tons of emojis when she texts people. Also, I don’t think Speaker Madigan canceled that trip because of the governor. Anyone close to Mrs. Madigan would probably know why.
I asked Speaker Madigan’s press secretary if he’d care to comment on the story, but he declined, saying “I have no idea that it has any basis in fact.”
“I consider my husband and I warriors for social justice, and we don’t always agree on the methods to get there.
“But we wouldn’t be married if we did not share the same motivations and values. But I will say this: He is driven to do the right thing, not just the easy thing, and he wants nothing but to do a good job and help the people of Illinois.”
With legislative leaders still working on the finer points of a plan to send money to public schools, their efforts risked being derailed amid ongoing rancor between Gov. Bruce Rauner and Mayor Rahm Emanuel as well as pressure from unions. […]
Even before the accord was announced, Emanuel poked Rauner over his decision to shed his new press staff just weeks after bringing them on amid a massive staff shakeup in the governor’s office.
“I kind of think some guy that’s talked about running on a ‘turnaround agenda,’ it’s becoming quite apparent that it’s a ‘turnover agenda,’” Emanuel said, mocking the tagline Rauner had given to his pro-business wish list.
* Press release…
Today, as the Illinois House of Representatives considers revisions to Senate Bill 1, Illinois Federation of Teachers President Dan Montgomery released the following statement:
“We were happy to support Senate Bill 1 as originally passed. For the first time in a generation, it creates an opportunity to fund schools more equitably and adequately by considering regional circumstances and ensuring that no district loses a dollar. But as he did with the bipartisan budget, Governor Rauner vetoed the legislation and is holding our kids’ education hostage to his political demands.
The Governor’s priority is not fair and equitable funding for all of Illinois’ students. This was clear in the 120 changes he made when he vetoed SB1, and it’s clear now in his last-ditch effort to use our students as leverage for private school tax credits.
Taxpayer dollars should be invested in our public school classrooms, plain and simple. The Governor’s proposal gives the wealthy another break while robbing our public schools of students and dollars.
We encourage lawmakers to reject this. Override Governor Rauner’s veto and pass Senate Bill 1 as written. Vouchers should not be the price of progress.”
I’ve asked the IFT if it is willing to allow schools to shut down over this beef with the tax credit proposal. I’ll let you know what they say.
…Adding… From the IFT…
Of course we do not want schools to shut down. That was the Governor’s desire when he completely rewrote SB1 in his AV. Legislators can simply override the veto. (And aside from what private school tax credits do to undermine public school funding, is now really the right budgetary time to do this?)
They can’t “simply override the veto,” but whatever.
* Meanwhile, the CEO of the state’s second largest school district (Elgin) was bad-mouthing the compromise plan and demanding an override of SB1 on Twitter yesterday, so I asked him some questions…
That’s a lot of dancing.
…Adding… Never bet against the leaders when they’re all pulling in the same direction. If that is truly the case here, then everyone should probably calm down a bit…
…Adding More… This is the standard partisan split on structured roll calls. It’s based on the percentage each party has in the chamber. The object is to meet these minimum targets…
One Insider Prediction: 41 Dem votes, 30 GOP votes … if so then historic school funding will pass #twillpic.twitter.com/Caf7kLlBd5
* What’s going on with Illinois school funding? Here’s a Q and A: What’s with the $75 million in school vouchers? First, they’re not vouchers, which would be public money or tax credits provided directly to families paying tuition. What’s been proposed are tax credits for anyone who donates to organizations that would create scholarship funds for low- and mid-income students attending private schools. At least for the next five years — when the measure will sunset — donors will get a credit for 75 cents on every dollar they give. Though it’s not yet clear how any of that will happen.
* Legislative Leaders Inch Toward School Funding Deal: “It’s time for everyone, if they have minor objections, look at the goal. Who gets hurt? No one gets hurt, everyone succeeds under this. Every student in Illinois is going to be a beneficiary of what we have to come to a conclusion in,” Durkin said.
* GOP leaders: School funding reform plan still on track
After years of harshly bad-mouthing the state’s economy, Gov. Bruce Rauner has pivoted in the past couple of weeks as the campaign season has heated up.
“I’m proud since I became governor,” he said recently, “we have recruited and added around 120,000 new jobs to the state of Illinois.”
“But,” Rauner said, “we should be growing at four or five times that rate. But we have red tape and restrictions, regulations on our businesses. I have advocated change that, so far, Speaker Madigan has resisted.”
The governor has repeated the 120,000 new jobs figure at least a couple of times since then and has tossed in the reference to House Speaker Michael Madigan as well.
And, indeed, using nonfarm jobs data from the Illinois Department of Employment Security, over 120,000 net jobs have been added in Illinois since February 2015, the first full month of Rauner’s term in office.
But most of those jobs were gained in 2015, when 83,400 jobs were added. In the 19 months starting in January 2016 through July 2017, just 41,900 jobs were created in Illinois, according to IDES data. Of those, a mere 19,600 jobs were added in Illinois during the first seven months of this year.
The situation is much bleaker if you look at the federal government’s Bureau of Labor Statistics’ numbers.
According to BLS, Illinois added just 40,002 jobs from February 2015 through July 2017.
But, according to BLS, Illinois has lost a whopping 29,877 net jobs from January 2016 through July of this year. Take out July’s horrible preliminary report (which are often revised), and Illinois only added a paltry 530 jobs between January 2016 and June 2017.
It almost goes without saying that Rauner’s political opponents will be sorely tempted to blame those lagging indicators on the two-year state budget impasse. The impasse’s negative impacts really kicked into gear starting in the second half of Fiscal Year 2016, which would be January, when the slide began.
Rauner inherited an economy that, according to the same Illinois Department of Employment Security data he uses, added 61,500 jobs in 2013 and 84,600 in 2014, before Rauner was inaugurated, only to slow to a crawl in the past 19 months, despite a tax cut that took effect at the beginning of 2015. So far this year, the “Trade, Transportation and Utilities” sector has lost 9,300 jobs.
Illinois’ gross domestic product was almost $792 billion in 2016, according to the federal government’s Bureau of Economic Analysis. Could a state government’s budget troubles really have an impact on an economy that size?
Well, S&P Global Ratings Managing Director Gabriel Petek said in a statement back in February that Illinois’ “distressed fiscal condition and dysfunctional budget politics now threaten to erode the state’s long-term economic growth prospects.”
In January of this year, another credit rating agency, Moody’s, published a report which claimed Illinois’ “political gridlock is imposing significant economic costs.”
The uncertainty created by the budgetary chaos almost certainly took a toll on the economy. And then there were all the layoffs at Illinois’ public universities due to lack of state funding which were amply documented in the media - 1,500 or so by the end of May.
Gov. Rauner’s opponents will have a point if they pounce on him for damaging the economy. He didn’t create the crisis on his own, but he’s the governor and governors wear the jacket.
And that’s a big reason why he needs to get his own house in order as soon as he possibly can.
As you probably already know, the governor fired his most loyal staff members over a month ago and replaced many of them with staff from the far-right Illinois Policy Institute. Those folks haven’t worked out very well. Rauner has lurched from one self-created public relations crisis to another ever since he purged his staff. A controversy over an Illinois Policy Institute cartoon, of all things, lasted more than a week.
The governor pushed out four of those PR folks last week, but he’ll need to replace them some competent, experienced professionals if he wants to get back on track. I’m not sure if he can ever explain why he’s not at fault for these lousy job numbers, but he surely won’t be able to do that with his current team.
And maybe a new team could help him figure out what to do about these problems. So far, things are not getting better on his watch.
Criminal defendants who kill LGBTQ people can no longer be acquitted by claiming a panic defense–that they were provoked by a fear of the victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity–under a new law signed by Gov. Bruce Rauner that was part of the 2017 legislative agenda of Equality Illinois, the state’s civil rights organization for LGBTQ Illinoisans.
“This new law ensures LGBTQ people are not blamed for the violence perpetrated against them simply because of who they are,” Brian C. Johnson, CEO of Equality Illinois, said Monday. “We thank Gov. Rauner for supporting the panic defense ban. With the unanimous support of the legislature and the governor’s action, Illinois continues its proud bipartisan tradition of advancing justice for LGBTQ Illinoisans.”
The measure, SB 1761, which the governor signed on Friday after unanimously passing both chambers of the General Assembly, is part of the 2017 legislative agenda of Equality Illinois. The agenda also included two other bipartisan bills signed into law in recent days. The LGBTQ Public Service Law (SB 1670), which enhances LGBTQ representation and visibility on state boards and commissions, was approved by Gov. Rauner on Aug. 18. The third bill, HB 1785, modernizes state law so transgender individuals won’t have to undergo unnecessary surgical procedures at great expense in order to correct the gender marker on their birth certificates. It was signed last Friday.
“This is a huge achievement. With the approval of these three bills by the legislature and the governor, Illinois is moving forward on LGBTQ rights while the federal government reverses course and Donald Trump is going against the tide of history,” Johnson said. “These bills improve the lives of LGBTQ Illinoisans, and having them signed into law also improves the social and political fabric for everyone in the state. It could have only happened through the collaboration of Illinois Democrats and Republicans. Working together, we can achieve great things.”
An initiative of Equality Illinois, Senate Bill 1761 was sponsored by state Sen. Daniel Biss of Evanston and state Rep. Litesa Wallace of Rockford. The legislation unanimously passed both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly in May. SB 1761 is, we believe, the first bill in the country supporting LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) rights to pass with unanimous support from a state legislature.
[Gov. Rauner] also signed legislation that would make it easier for transgender people to change the sex designation on their birth certificates.
Formerly, state law said transgender people could only change their birth certificates if a doctor said they had transition surgery. The new law would allow for a change if a medical or mental health provider confirms someone has received “clinically appropriate” treatment. A range of practices including hormone therapy would be covered, using a similar standard that applies to U.S. passports.
Supporters said people were often denied coverage for preventive care like pap smears and prostate exams if their birth certificates and identities don’t match, saying the previous surgery requirement was an unnecessary burden.
“It’s basic common sense that a person’s gender should be recognized and respected, whether or not that person has had any particular kind of surgery,” John Knight, director of the LGBT and HIV Project for the ACLU of Illinois. “I’m extremely proud of our state for taking this important step to modernize a law that has been a significant barrier in transgender people’s lives for many, many years.”
* 4:44 pm - Just after 4:30 this afternoon, the two Republican legislative leaders talked briefly to reporters about the education funding reform negotiations before walking into Speaker Madigan’s office.
After Friday’s curious comments from Gov. Bruce Rauner about how the Democrats had inserted “bad things” into the proposal, House GOP Leader Jim Durkin assured the media that the governor “is 100 percent behind it.” Senate GOP Leader Bill Brady chimed in by saying “The governor will sign this.”
Leader Durkin also acknowledged that there was some pushback within his caucus, but said it wasn’t any different than any other major issue he’s ever worked on.
When asked “And you’re not concerned that it’s falling apart?” Leader Brady said “Not at all.”
*** UPDATE *** Notes from when Leaders Brady and Durkin emerged from the meeting around 6:50…
Brady: We just left another successful meeting… We made some great progress on some outstanding issues, mostly technical nature. We still have a deal that we hope to present to the House tomorrow… Another meeting tomorrow morning.
Durkin: It’s a 500-page document. Goal was to tie up loose ends. We’re down to the minutiae.
Q: And you’re confident you have the votes to pass it?
Durkin: I can’t speak for Mr. Madigan, but our caucus is prepared to take the votes.
The President and Speaker have declared an emergency exists which requires immediate action by the General Assembly. Pursuant to Article IV, Section 5(b) of the Illinois Constitution, and in conformity with the Special Session Act, an emergency Special Session of the 100th General Assembly shall convene at 11:00 a.m. on August 28, 2017, at the State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois.
The purpose of the Special Session shall be to consider legislation and legislative actions that would establish, by law, an evidenced-based funding formula to provide State funding to school districts.
A side effect of the legislature constantly coming back into session to fix things that should have been fixed long ago is what’s going to happen during the veto session.
With the rules governing how vetoes and amendatory vetoes must be handled in the legislature, it’s possible that first one chamber and then the other will be forced back to Springfield over the coming weeks to deal with vetoed bills. Depending on how things played out, they could seesaw back and forth for a while. Basically, they could mostly be done with the vetoes before we hit the time of the traditional veto session.
Interestingly, there is nothing on the General Assembly’s schedule for a fall session at this time.
But I asked Senate President Cullerton’s spokesman today if the emergency special session would avoid triggering the veto clock. “Yes,” was his reply.
* Meanwhile, the four tops are scheduled to meet again today at 4:30 in Springfield. I’ll let you know what happens.
Today, Governor Bruce Rauner issued an amendatory veto of House Bill 302, bipartisan legislation that amends the Unclaimed Life Insurance Benefits Act to further protect families from unscrupulous practices by insurance companies that have withheld millions of dollars in unclaimed cash and assets from consumers across the state.
HB 302 was sponsored by State Senator Jacqueline Collins and State Representative Robert Martwick, and championed by Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs. The legislation would require insurance companies to compare lapsed policies going back to 2000 against the Social Security Death Master File (DMF) to verify that a policyholder has passed, and that benefits have been paid.
During the legislative session, Illinois PIRG organized a letter of support from consumer and low income advocacy organizations including AARP, Center for Changing Lives, Center for Economic Progress, Heartland Alliance, Housing Action Illinois, Illinois Asset Building Group, Northwest Side Housing Center, Shriver Center on Poverty Law, and Woodstock Institute.
In response to the veto, Illinois PIRG Director Abe Scarr issued the following statement:
We are disappointed Governor Rauner has turned away consumers seeking to reclaim the benefits to which they are entitled as the rightful owners, heirs, or beneficiaries of life insurance policies. His veto and amendment attacking independent, third-party auditors, contracted by the state to enforce compliance with unclaimed property law, places the priorities of insurance companies – many of whom have a documented history of predatory practices – ahead of grieving families. We will continue to work with allies to amend Unclaimed Life Insurance Benefits Act to more effectively return cash and assets to their rightful owners.
* Treasurer Michael Frerichs…
“Today, Governor Bruce Rauner put corporate profits over people. He sided with greedy life insurance companies that line their pockets with death benefits they should have paid out to loved ones. But he did more than that. With a stroke of his pen, he is trying to take away the tool our office uses to catch any company in the act.”
* AG’s office…
Attorney General Lisa Madigan today denounced Governor Rauner’s veto of the Illinois Student Loan Bill of Rights that was passed to crack down on the student loan servicing industry that has made it more difficult and more expensive for Illinois borrowers to repay their loans. Madigan encouraged the General Assembly to override the governor’s veto and protect borrowers, their families and the state’s economy.
The Illinois Student Loan Bill of Rights, Senate Bill 1351, was drafted by Madigan’s office and sponsored by Sen. Daniel Biss and Rep. Will Guzzardi to address widespread abuses and failures in the student loan industry. These abuses were revealed by Madigan’s investigation and lawsuit against one of the country’s largest student loan servicing companies, Navient.
“Today Gov. Rauner failed to stand up for struggling student loan borrowers, their families and our state’s economy. His veto of the Student Loan Bill of Rights shows he doesn’t care about the financial reality that student loan borrowers face and has instead sided with large corporations that put their profits before their customers,” Madigan said. “My investigation into the student loan industry revealed that student borrowers were forced into expensive repayment plans they cannot afford. These abusive practices prevent borrowers from achieving their goals, dreams and financial independence.”
“Today, unsurprisingly, Governor Rauner sided with profitable student loan servicers over students who want to pay for higher education,” Biss said. “The industry was so opposed to these reforms that servicers sent high-powered lobbyists to Springfield to fight against students’ interests. The governor’s action is a win for servicers, but I am committed to working with my colleagues to override the governor’s veto.”
“This was simple and straightforward legislation to protect students from egregious abuses by bad actors in the loan servicing industry,” Guzzardi said. “By vetoing SB 1351, Gov. Rauner shows yet again that he stands with profiteering companies and against the people he’s supposed to represent. The hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans struggling with student debt won’t forget this action, and I urge my colleagues to join me in overriding this senseless veto.”
Over the past decade, student loan debt has doubled to become the largest form of unsecured consumer debt in the country with more than 40 million borrowers owing over $1.4 trillion. Nearly 70 percent of graduates leave college with an average debt burden of $30,000, and one-in-four borrowers are behind on their payments or in default.
Students who attended for-profit colleges are particularly hard hit, making up the vast majority of borrowers in default. While federal income-based repayment options are available, the U.S. Treasury has reported that only 20 percent of eligible borrowers are enrolled in these options, which can lower payments based on income to as low as $0 a month.
Madigan said Illinois borrowers frequently experience problems with their student loan servicers. Specifically, borrowers in Illinois have complained to her office that their loan servicers failed to inform them of affordable repayment options, follow borrower payment instructions and answer questions consistently.
Because it is so difficult to get legitimate help from loan servicers, student loan borrowers are increasingly turning elsewhere for help. Scam artists have rushed in to exploit desperate borrowers, much like they did during the mortgage crisis, with false promises to help in exchange for large, illegal upfront fees. Madigan has led the country in shutting down illegal student loan debt relief operations preying on borrowers.
The Illinois Student Loan Bill of Rights would protect student loan borrowers by prohibiting student loan servicers from misleading borrowers and requiring that servicers:
Properly process payments;
Require specialists to provide and explain to struggling borrowers all of their repayment options, starting with income-driven plans; and
Inform borrowers that they may be eligible to have their loans forgiven due to a disability or a problem with the school they attended.
* Sen. Biss…
Daniel Biss released the following statement on Facebook in response to Governor Rauner’s Friday night massacre.
“In the span of an hour, Bruce Rauner told women that they don’t deserve equal pay, students that they don’t deserve fair loans, and workers that they don’t deserve a living wage, or protections from wage theft. And then he went home to one of his nine houses.
“This is why our state doesn’t work for us. It’s not because we’re broke, or because we don’t know how to fix the problems—it’s because we have an out of touch, arrogant billionaire for a governor who would prefer to see the rich and powerful prosper instead of the people of Illinois.
* The governor did much the same thing right before his special session on the budget in a failed attempt to hold his people together. The state party gave much of Rauner’s contribution to the House Republicans back then, so we’ll see what happens with this cash…
Amends the Vital Records Act. Defines “intersex condition”, “licensed health care professional”, and “licensed mental health professional”. Changes provisions concerning the issuance of new birth certificates for individuals that have undergone gender transition treatment. Provides that in order to change an individual’s sex designation on the individual’s birth certificate, a licensed health care professional or licensed mental health professional must make a declaration concerning the treatment. Requires that the licensed health care professional or licensed mental health professional sign and date a specified statement. Provides that newly issued birth certificates may reflect a name change if the documents for a name change are submitted. Changes a reference from “sex change” to “change of sex designation”. Provides that following the issuance of a new birth certificate, the individual may request the original certificate and evidence of adoption, paternity, legitimation, or change of sex designation for inspection or certification purposes. Makes corresponding changes.
Oh, some heads are gonna explode on the far right this weekend.
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
State Senator Toi Hutchinson – 40th District:
“Transgender and intersex persons in Illinois deserve to live their lives with dignity and safety, consistent with their gender identity. It is an honor to have worked with so many others to pass this legislation, especially as we see other states and the White House attempt to enshrine discrimination based on gender identity into law.”
State Representative Greg Harris – 13th District:
“I’m proud to be part of a team in Illinois that is expanding equality and fairness for all our citizens. Especially in a time when so many are trying to roll back legal protections and foster intolerance and hate, it is important that we stand together.”
Brian C. Johnson, CEO, Equality Illinois:
“With the simple act of bringing Illinois law up to date with modern medical standards, the lives of transgender and intersex people have become meaningfully better. Every year, we hear stories about how the outdated requirement to undergo surgery before updating the gender marker on your birth certificate placed an onerous burden on transgender Illinoisans. The American Medical Association and many other respected professional organizations said this burden was unnecessary and inconsistent with modern medical standards.
“We heard from a transgender high school senior in Springfield who said the costs of the unnecessary surgical procedures required by the old law means he’d have to sacrifice a year of college. We listened to a mother in Urbana who lamented that the state will deny her child’s authentic self if the law was not modernized. And we read a letter from a transgender woman born in Illinois who now lives in Arizona about how she has no agenda other than to live authentically and without burden.
“Now, transgender and intersex individuals born in Illinois can update their birth certificate, and align all their relevant identification documents, consistent with modern medical standards. Thank you to Governor Bruce Rauner for signing the bill into law today and to our chief sponsors Rep. Greg Harris and Sen. Toi Hutchinson for their fierce leadership and tenacity.”
Today, I return House Bill 302 with specific recommendations for change to provide a clear, constitutional threshold to help Illinois families receive insurance benefits and to stop the inappropriate payment of contingency fees to private auditing firms.
Few things are more traumatic than the death of a loved one. Life insurance provides an important resource for financial assistance after such a loss. As public servants, we have a duty to protect beneficiaries and ensure they receive the benefits they are owed. That is why I signed legislation (Public Act 99-0893) creating the Unclaimed Life Insurance Benefits Act, which took effect January 1, 2017. The Unclaimed Life Insurance Benefits Act requires life insurance companies to continually cross check in-force policies with the Social Security Administration’s Death Master File to determine potential beneficiary eligibility. If a potential match is identified and a beneficiary has not yet come forward, insurers are required to make a good faith effort to locate the beneficiary or beneficiaries and provide claim assistance.
While the current law is forward-looking for all policies in force as of January 1, 2017, HB 302 retroactively would require insurers to cross check policies that have lapsed or terminated. For those insurers with electronically searchable records, records must be searched back to 2000. However, if an insurer does not have electronically searchable records, the search must be conducted back to only 2012.
While I support the intent of this legislation, HB 302 is inequitable and potentially unconstitutional. Illinois’ administrative rules only require insurance companies to keep lapsed or terminated policy records for the current year, plus the five prior years. See Title 50, Section 901.20. Creating a two-tiered enforcement timeline creates an arbitrary and discriminatory requirement that does not uniformly impact the life insurance industry. An insurer’s obligation to comply with HB 302 should not depend on differences in its record retention policies. Such differential enforcement violates due process. See Nat’l Endowment for the Arts v. Finley, 524 U.S. 569, 588-89 (1998) (due process protects against “arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement” of legal standards). To avoid this inequitable and constitutional flaw, I support a clear and logical threshold that mirrors the current five-year administrative recordkeeping requirements so that all insurers — regardless of their record-retention policies and capabilities — are required to retroactively search for policies in force at any time on or after January 1, 2012.
Additionally, this legislation does nothing to stop the continuing overreach of private auditing firms that currently contract with the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office, and they are reaping great rewards that would otherwise benefit taxpayers. Throughout the country, including Illinois, states have retained private auditors with contingency fee arrangements for the identification of unclaimed property, including life insurance policies. The expansion of these private auditors, however, incentivizes behavior that rewards private companies at the expense of state taxpayers. One such company has made more than $20 million in finder’s fees in Illinois since 2011. That money could have (and would have under current state law) gone to pay down our state’s desperately underfunded pension liability. We should stop this practice and pursue more responsible financial arrangements. This will ensure that we are conducting searches of unclaimed property in a fiscally appropriate manner and in a way that best serves our state’s taxpayers.
* The governor also vetoed the attorney general’s bill…
Today, I veto Senate Bill 1351, which seeks to create the Student Loan Servicing Rights Act.
While the intent of this bill to support struggling student-loan borrowers is laudable, the bill, as written, encroaches on federal government’s responsibilities and would add confusion to the already complex student loan process.
This legislation would require servicers to be licensed by the state, adding another layer of Illinois state bureaucracy without any guarantee the change would improve service. In fact, this requirement may push smaller servicers out of business. The recent U.S. Department of Education decisions regarding student-loan borrowers have been cause for concern. Therefore, my staff will continue to work with the department and members of Congress to address these concerns as the federal government moves to reauthorize the Higher Education Act.
Students do need additional support in understanding their loan repayment options, but loan servicers are not the appropriate actors for the role. Instead of adding another layer of state bureaucracy in the form of a student loan ombudsman, the General Assembly should consider allocating those funds to nonprofit counselors who are far more effective at advising students than any government agency.
There are several important components of the Student Loan Bill of Rights contained in SB 1351. Students should not be defrauded – purposely or through incompetence – by their loan servicer. I urge the sponsors to work with members of the Department of Education and my office to ensure a set of common-sense student protections that will not conflict with evolving federal regulations and to craft a more narrowly tailored bill to support student-loan borrowers in Illinois. Therefore, pursuant to Section 9(b) of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution of 1970, I hereby return Senate Bill 1351 entitled “AN ACT concerning education,” with the foregoing objections, vetoed in its entirety.
Today, I veto Senate Bill 1720, which would make failure to pay wages a Class 4 felony instead of a misdemeanor.
Every worker is legally entitled to wages earned, and there should be penalties for employers who fail to make due on wages owed. However, there is little evidence that the current system of making failure to pay wages a misdemeanor requires a major shift to making it a felony.
Today, I veto Senate Bill 1714, which would add reporting requirements for consultants retained by retirement system, pension fund, or investment boards.
This legislation is a classic example of multiplying red tape without first demonstrating any benefit. Retirement system, pension fund, and investment boards all hire consultants to help identify investment opportunities. Under this bill, all consultants now will have to report to the boards that hired them on their engagement with investment services provided by a minority-owned business, a female-owned business, or a business owned by a person with a disability.
Today, I veto House Bill 2462, which would prohibit employers from enquiring about previous salary and compensation of prospective employees.
The gender wage gap must be eliminated, and I strongly support wage equality. Massachusetts already has established a best-in-the-country approach to the issue of employers inquiring about salary history. Illinois should model its legal regime on Massachusetts’ model.
Today, I veto HB 1797, which would remit the $15 million debt owed by the Illinois International Port Authority to the State of Illinois. HB 1797 is requesting the State of Illinois absolve the port authority of its debt with no clear plan for future profitability.
Furthermore, the International Port Authority was cited in 2013 by the Illinois Auditor General for numerous findings, indicating reasons for limited profitability through financial and ineffective governance. Additionally, Auditor General Holland cited the port authority for a nonexistent, long-term plan for economic development of water or rail to pay the debt owed to Illinois. This bill does not address the broken aspects driving the port district’s current financial instability, but instead masks the endemic problems with false hopes of increased economic opportunities.
The Illinois taxpayers deserve transformational changes at the International Port Authority before we should consider forgiving this debt. Internationally, new port management models have been created to deliver greater private sector participation and investment in ports. New management models could increase port utilization and create new jobs, while reducing operating costs and eliminating risks to the taxpayers. I look forward to working with the International Port Authority and the City of Chicago to find a solution to benefit the people of Illinois and our economy in the near future.
Today, I veto House Bill 2525, which addresses Illinois’ Workers’ Compensation System.
Illinois remains in a fiscal and economic crisis that taxes and regulations cannot solve. The only way to truly improve our state’s financial status is to grow our economy through the creation of jobs and opportunity. Our workers’ compensation insurance is one of the most expensive in the nation, and the statutory scheme underlying these costs is riddled with problems and stakeholders that stand in the way of getting injured employees back to health and encouraging employers to invest in Illinois again. We need thoughtful reform of this system, and we must focus our efforts on solutions that encourage economic growth while also making sure we are providing efficient and effective care to injured workers.
Unfortunately, this bill does not make the changes necessary to achieve those goals. It fails to acknowledge the cost-drivers that are putting our state at a competitive disadvantage for jobs and growth. Instead, it imposes additional regulatory structures where they are not needed.
This legislation does not represent real reform. It does not address the competitive disadvantages that are resulting in the disappearance of jobs in our manufacturing sector, where middle-class workers once could find opportunities for growth and advancement. It will not stop the flood of hardworking individuals who are leaving our state when these opportunities are lacking.
Today, I veto House Bill 2567, which creates the Automobile Dealers’ License Task Force to study licensing and oversight of nontraditional vehicle dealers in Illinois.
Regulations for vehicle dealers in Illinois must be fair for traditional and nontraditional vehicle dealers. However, this bill excludes nontraditional vehicle dealers from participating on this new task force. Instead of creating a task force comprised of a diverse representation of the automobile dealers industry, this task force only welcomes traditional industry groups to have a seat at the table in this discussion. Unfortunately, this one-sided approach could facilitate damaging public policy that protects traditional automobile dealers at the expense of nontraditional dealers and, potentially, consumer and market preferences.
Illinois must encourage competition and innovation, which means embracing traditional and nontraditional business models that provide value to the people of Illinois. That requires including diverse perspectives and inviting traditional and nontraditional entities to have a say in market regulations, which this bill does not accomplish.
* And…
Today, I veto House Bill 3897 from the 100th General Assembly, which will impose a new regulatory burden on Illinois businesses.
House Bill 3897 would create a new mandate on businesses throughout Illinois. The State of Illinois already suffers from a bloated administrative code. Illinoisans will spend at least $250 million in direct license fee costs and fill out more than 4 million pages of paperwork for state agencies over the next decade. Miring small and new businesses in red tape hinders their growth and makes Illinois less competitive than its peers.
In the face of a swollen administrative state, all new legislation mandating more rules and regulations should be held to the highest scrutiny. House Bill 3897 fails to pass this test.
Today, I veto Senate Bill 41 from the 100th General Assembly, which allows municipalities to assign, sell, or transfer their interest in funds received from the State.
Illinois is suffering from one of the most mismanaged and overburdened public finance systems; ranking second worst in the United States by independent outlets. This bill would create a moral hazard that encourages additional borrowing at the local level, while prioritizing bonded debt at municipalities over the provision of services.
…Adding… The provisions of SB41 was in the BIMP bill, which is now law. So the veto means nothing.
There were others, so click here. I’ll post reacts on another post.
* No press release or even a list of signed and vetoed bills from the governor, but there are some press releases…
Assistant Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford (D-Maywood) released the following statement after Governor Bruce Rauner vetoed legislation that would have increased the statewide minimum to $15 per hour by January 2022.
“Governor Rauner’s veto doubles down on his stance against some of our most vulnerable communities. Throughout his term he has irresponsibly cut the child care assistance program, held up grant money for low-income college students and caused severe damage to our social services through a historic budget stalemate.
“There is no reason why a single parent working full-time should qualify for food stamps and Medicaid. Our workers deserve financial independence and the empowerment that comes from being able to provide for a family.
“Our fight does not end here. I will continue to stand for hardworking people struggling to make ends meet as I have done my entire career because I know the difference a living wage can make in a person’s life, in our communities and in our entire state.”
* And another one…
Following is the statement of SEIU Healthcare Illinois President Greg Kelley following Gov. Bruce Rauner’s veto of Senate Bill 81, legislation to raise the minimum wage in Illinois to $15 by 2022.
“Bruce Rauner’s veto of a $15 minimum wage for Illinois sets the stage for 2018. More than 2.3 million Illinois workers would have benefited from Senate Bill 81, which was carefully considered and vetted by business groups, workers and economists before its passage by the General Assembly.
“Knowing this was wrong for Illinois he waited to the last minute and, with this veto, Gov. Rauner showed us once again who he is and what his vision is for Illinois: A permanent low-wage economy, where services and infrastructure are slashed, where workers are deprived of dignity and rights and where corporations call all the shots.
“In supporting the $15 wage bill, we understood that raising the wage isn’t a threat to jobs. In fact, it would have immediately provided a BOOST to the Illinois economy. It would have stopped the subsidy of corporations who don’t pay a living wage. It would have slowed population flight by making Illinois a wage oasis. And it would have helped MILLIONS of Illinoisans get a fair shot at entry into the Middle Class.
“The Illinois minimum wage has remained at $8.25 since 2010. This is not even CLOSE to enough to get by and the terrible effects are falling disproportionately on women and people of color.
“The time for a raise to is now. If Gov. Rauner won’t allow this to happen in Illinois, we will join with workers across this state to elect someone next November who will.”
*** UPDATE *** Here’s his veto message…
Today, I veto Senate Bill 81 from the 100th General Assembly, which raises the statewide minimum wage to $15 an hour over the next four years.
Helping low-income families and individuals get out of poverty is a top priority, and I share the passion of many members of the legislature for improving the well-being of those struggling to make ends meet. However, mainstream economic theory and mainstream economic evidence strongly suggest that an increase in the minimum wage of this magnitude will hurt the very individuals it seeks to help.
The most thorough research to date, published earlier this year by researchers at the University of Washington, found that for every 10 percent increase in the hourly earnings of low-wage workers, there was a 30 percent reduction in employers providing those jobs.
This research implies that Senate Bill 81 will result in a net reduction of earnings for low-wage Illinoisans in excess of $1,500 per year. This legislation would cost significant sums of money for the very people it purports to help. Illinois needs to be seeking comprehensive solutions that grow the economy and the number of jobs available where individuals can train, grow and attain better lives for themselves and their families.
* Press release…
Illinois Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Todd Maisch’s statement on Governor Rauner’s veto of SB 81:
“Thanks to the governor’s veto of SB 81 Illinois employers can breathe a little easier today. We applaud the governor for vetoing legislation that would have increased the state’s minimum wage to $15 per hour. This keeps Illinois in competition with our neighbors by helping to maintain our jobs and to recruit prospective employers.
The Illinois Chamber of Commerce is opposed to the legislation because the proposed increase in minimum wage would kill jobs, even for those looking to climb the economic ladder. By vetoing the legislation, the governor is saving thousands of jobs.
A study completed by the University of Washington this summer confirmed that jobs and work hours fell in Seattle after it raised its minimum wage to $13 just last year. If anything, this should be a sign that $15 minimum wage laws do more harm than good. Even St. Louis is expected to roll back its minimum wage from $10 per hour to $7.70 per hour at the end of this month.
Elected officials in other states are acknowledging that higher minimum wages are destructive to job growth. Too many lawmakers continue to ignore the truth that raising the minimum wage, like in SB 81, kills jobs.”
* And…
On Friday, Governor Rauner vetoed SB 81, which would have gradually raised the state minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2022. Grassroots Collaborative is a labor-community coalition representing tens of thousands of Illinois low-income families whose lives and communities would have greatly benefited from the passage of SB 81. The following is a statement from Amisha Patel, Executive Director of Grassroots Collaborative.
“Governor Rauner has shown once again that he does not care about our communities and the pain Illinois families are experiencing. Raising the wage floor in Illinois to $15 per hour would have created a pathway for 2.3 million Illinois workers to move their families out of poverty. After decades of cuts to vital services, education, and infrastructure Governor Rauner is adding insult to injury for communities that continue to be abused by the Governor and his wealthy clique of political insider friends.”
“Governor Rauner showed his true allegiances by protecting his wealthy friends at the expense of Illinois working families. By vetoing the bill to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, Rauner denies a desperately needed raise to 40% of all Illinois workers - 46% of all female workers in Illinois, 48% of African American workers, and 61% of all Latino workers. After cutting funding to communities across the state by not passing a budget for two years, Rauner’s veto further devastates these 2.3 million Illinois workers. Bruce Rauner cares only about corporate CEOs and their lobbyists - and millions of workers will be the ones who pay the price.”
* Pritzker campaign…
“Today, Bruce Rauner vetoed an opportunity for working families across this state to build better lives,” said JB Pritzker. “Once again, Rauner abandoned Illinois working men and women and stood in the way of progress for those striving to get into the middle class. It is time Illinois’ working families had a partner in Springfield who is committed to the fight for 15. I know we need to raise the minimum wage to $15 and I will make sure Illinois workers have a seat at the table in the work ahead. Rauner’s veto reminds us that our fight is far from over and I look forward to standing with Illinois families every step of the way.”
* Biss campaign…
“Rauner may have proven himself an ally to a few hundred CEOs, but with this veto he’s also confirmed himself as an enemy to the 1.3 million Illinoisans who work at low wage jobs.
“We need a government that works for the rest of us, not for the millionaires—and this election gives us an opportunity to rise up and make our voices heard. To say loud and clear that no one deserves to live in poverty, and all workers deserve a living wage. That’s why I co-sponsored the minimum wage increase in the Senate, why I’ll work to override Rauner’s veto, and why I’ll keep fighting for living wages when I’m governor.”
* Rep. Guzzardi…
State Rep. Will Guzzardi (D-39th) issued the following statement in response to Bruce Rauner’s veto of SB 81, which would have raised the minimum wage to $15 in Illinois:
“I am deeply disappointed but not in the least surprised by this veto. Once again, Gov. Rauner has shown that he’d rather protect the profits of his corporate allies than help lift millions of Illinoisans out of poverty. We, the people of this state, know whose side the Governor is on. It’s not ours.
“We’ll work harder than ever to build support for a living wage in the legislature. I hope we can override the Governor’s veto. And I also hope we can elect a Governor who will put working people before corporate profits.”
* Ameya Pawar…
“When Bruce Rauner was running for governor, he was outspoken against raising the minimum wage in Illinois. Meanwhile, during his time as a venture capitalist, he relied heavily on low wage workers to make hundreds of millions of dollars in profit.
“Now we see him vetoing the graduated increase of a minimum wage for Illinois workers by 2022 at a time when corporate profits are at an all-time high and the Illinois economy continues to struggle. Make no mistake: This is Rauner’s vision for Illinois, a race to the bottom where workers are stripped of wages and rights, where middle-class families are struggling to get ahead while all control of our future is placed in the hands not of everyday Illinoisans, but in corporate boardrooms where scruples fail to reach.
“A $15 wage floor for Illinois workers is needed to keep our state competitive, to grow our economy and to ensure dignity for those whose labor profits others. Rauner’s veto will not end this fight and it will not end mine.”
* IRMA…
“Illinois retailers applaud Governor Rauner for standing up for Main Street businesses by vetoing SB 81, legislation that would have forced employers to reduce hours and eliminate jobs. The state’s minimum wage is already the highest in the Midwest and if this measure had become law it would have put Illinois retailers at a competitive disadvantage compared to neighboring states. Unfortunately, we’ve seen the real-world effects of the political campaign for a $15 minimum wage in Chicago and other jurisdictions and the results are in; it deprives economic opportunity from those with few or no skills. We thank Governor Rauner for his actions today on behalf of every retailer across this state.”
* Greg Baise…
“The IMA is strongly opposed to the ‘Fight for $15’ minimum wage increase, a wholly irresponsible measure that would force employers to make cuts and put more middle class families out of work. Across the country, states and municipalities with an increased minimum wage are experiencing the aftermath of that decision, and even in Illinois where Cook County passed a minimum wage increase in 2016, more than half of their municipalities are opting out of this job-killing measure. To create jobs and grow businesses in Illinois, we need sound public policy and meaningful reforms that entice companies to grow within our borders, and not just another mandate that artificially inflates wages. Lawmakers should focus on creating good, high-paying manufacturing jobs that pay more than $74,000 annually in wages and benefits, far more than the minimum wage. We applaud Governor Rauner for standing with employers on this decision.”
* Chicagoland Chamber…
“We applaud Governor Rauner for standing up for Illinois’ business community by vetoing SB 81. At a time when our employers continually see new taxes, fees and mandates at both the local and state level, we cannot afford new laws that would inhibit job growth and business development. In addition, we need to do the harder work of investing in our citizens’ workforce development, including vocational training, community college, and the trades. A politically expedient increase in the starting wage does not provide a road to prosperity over the long term. Our state is in need of sound economic reforms, which will strengthen our communities, and the Governor’s actions today was a major step in protecting our state’s jobs,” said Michael Reever, acting president & CEO, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce.
* Chris Kennedy…
Governor Rauner has dealt a cruel blow to all working people today by vetoing SB 81, a bill that would raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour.
Rauner cannot be trusted to serve in the best interest of the people of Illinois. His leadership does not represent our state.
As governor, I will continue to push for a $15 minimum wage and promise to sign such a bill into law. When those most impacted by poverty do better, we all do better. As FDR once said, “In our seeking for economic and political progress, we all go up - or else we all go down.”
* Illinois AFL-CIO President Michael T. Carrigan…
“Governor Rauner’s veto of the bill to increase the state’s minimum wage is another failure in his leadership. Our economy is off balance, with too much wealth in too few hands. The state minimum wage has not been increased since 2010, and it is there to provide for economic stability for working families. Rauner chose winners and losers with his decision today, he once again chose corporate CEOs over working people.”
* From Steve Yaffe at the Illinois Republican Party…
Hey Rich!
This has been an open secret over here for some time, but I wanted you to be the first member of the press to know that Tuesday will be my last day at the ILGOP.
Don’t worry though, I’m not disappearing! I am taking a position at the Republican Governors Association to handle rapid response for Illinois and a number of other states.
The opportunity to work on the national level and in new states to get Republican governors elected while still being involved in Gov. Rauner’s campaign is something I couldn’t pass up.
Some background:
I started by working on Rauner’s campaign January of 2014 as a freshman college intern making phone calls, a bit before the primary. As the general election ramped up, the campaign needed interns to staff the war room. I was lucky enough to be offered a chance to do that, and things snowballed from there, with Mike Schrimpf eventually offering me a Press Assistant job for the rest of the campaign.
I’ll never forget when I called my parents telling them I was taking months off from college at the University of Chicago to work on a political campaign. It took some convincing.
I worked as a Press Assistant up through inauguration before returning to school.
Soon after getting back to college I decided I wanted to stay involved, so I started interning for Mike and Lance at the Governor’s office as a communications intern, taking whatever classes let me spend as much time as possible over there.
In March of 2016 I joined the state party full time as Rapid Response Director. What many people don’t know is that during the last cycle I had not technically graduated from college yet. In fact, I took another 6 months off for that race, and from January-June of this year I worked both full time at the ILGOP and college until (finally) getting my degree.
The best and most insightful thing I’ve learned in my brief time in politics is that it can be incredibly meritocratic and nothing is more satisfying than working on a great team.
Let me know if you have other questions!
- Steven
You may not have agreed with what he wrote, but Steve is one hard working dude. Replacing him will not be easy. I wish him nothing but the best. He’s been providing us with entertaining content for a good long while.
* The governor’s campaign sent this out late this afternoon…
It’s been a busy week in Illinois where we took steps forward on pension reform and criminal justice reform, and legislative leaders came to an agreement on a historic school funding bill that will bring more money and more choice to our education system. Gov. Rauner applauds the legislative leaders for coming together to compromise and looks forward to passing this legislation.
- Team Rauner
* The Sun-Times, by the way, picked up on the governor’s Marion comments…
Gov. Bruce Rauner told Downstate business leaders on Friday that legislators are “very close to a final deal” on education funding reform — but he blasted Speaker Mike Madigan for putting “a bunch of bad things” in the bill — including “money that shouldn’t go to Chicago.”
The governor’s tone is unlike a statement his office released on Thursday in announcing the agreement in which he applauded the leaders and said he looked forward to seeing a deal get passed in both chambers.
On Friday, the governor told the Marion Chamber of Commerce he wants to “fix” problems within the deal in another bill. […]
Madigan spokesman Steve Brown on Friday declined to comment on the governor’s call for another bill, but remained optimistic that the deal could be finalized.
“There’s no reason to believe anything has changed,” Brown said.
* From today’s Marion Chamber of Commerce event we discussed earlier today…
Rauner assistant reviews audience questions before event moderators ask them. So far, he's the only speaker who has done that. #twillpic.twitter.com/ZIkIPYcvOu
Daniel Biss released the following statement in response to Governor Rauner’s inclusion of private school vouchers in the most recent school funding proposal.
“While I am encouraged that we are closer than ever to an agreement on public school funding, it is absurd that, in order to fund public schools, Governor Rauner and his allies are demanding a tax credit scheme that will just put more money in the pockets of millionaires and billionaires. The private school voucher program doesn’t help create a more equitable education system—it’s a false choice, and just the latest example of Rauner putting millionaires over the middle class.
“What we need is equitable school funding for all Illinois students, not more money in the pockets of people like Bruce Rauner and J.B. Pritzker.”
Not a bad political move by Biss because it forces Pritzker to make a choice between the teachers unions and supporting a funding reform bill.
*** UPDATE 1 *** From Galia Slayen at the Pritzker campaign…
JB and Daniel Biss are both in favor of funding our schools and are both against private school vouchers. It’s unfortunate that Daniel Biss is more focused on playing politics than standing up to Bruce Rauner and doing what’s right for Illinois kids.
I asked Slayen if the statement meant that Pritzker was opposed to the negotiated agreement, but haven’t heard back. I’ll let you know.
…Adding… The Pritzker people say they don’t want to comment on the bill itself until it’s finalized.
*** UPDATE 2 *** From the Chris Kennedy campaign…
Rich,
Here’s video of Chris speaking out against vouchers last week during his interview with Capitol Connection.
At the 2:05 mark, Mark Maxwell asked Chris to weigh in and Chris responds:
“If you read the state Constitution, it makes it very clear in plain language that we’re not allowed to use tax dollars to fund private education and Catholic education. Now, maybe Bruce Rauner can find a way through twists and turns to get around that provision in our state constitution, but once you start violating Constitutions, I don’t know where that game ends.”
Additionally: While it’s certainly a sign of progress that leadership has reached a school funding agreement, it’s concerning that it seems to maintain Governor Rauner’s $75 million school voucher program masked as a scholarship program. Our governor shouldn’t advocate for robbing the public education system to enrich private schools. Our governor should serve the needs of all students throughout the state. We need a leader who will overhaul the way we fund schools so that all students have access to a quality public education.
*** UPDATE 3 *** Ameya Pawar…
“Education funding should be distributed equitably to public schools across Illinois. It is dead wrong to give vouchers and tax credits to private or parochial schools. Using taxpayer money to fund private schools benefits the children of wealthy families at the expense of the rest of the state.”
[ *** End Of Updates *** ]
* I’m hearing that the House Democratic teleconference meeting today was “brutal” on this topic. “Our caucus is going crazy over the quasi voucher [stuff],” said one House Democrat. “I don’t see a path to 71,” said another. “Longest caucus call ever,” said yet another who was on the call.
If Downstate Republicans allied with the IEA start to jump ship (especially now that the governor has given them political cover to do so by essentially saying the bill is another Chicago bailout attempt), then we’re in for some real turmoil.
The tax credit could get pulled out of the bill by the leaders or yet another side deal is cut against the governor’s wishes like what happened with the budget, or… Well, I’m not sure at this moment. Maybe Madigan can work some magic. But this is gonna be tough.
* Gov. Rauner gave a “good news, bad news” speech today at the Marion Chamber of Commerce. Here’s one part…
I think we’re on the verge of what is [pause] largely good education funding reform. Our education funding in Illinois has been broken for decades. We have the largest gap between what low income districts and especially rural small rural districts get per student versus what high incomes districts get per student. We’ve got a new funding formula, we’ve been battling it through. It’s also got more school choice in it. And it’s a funding formula that I believe in, it’s a better system.
Bad news is Speaker Madigan’s caucus took the bill, inserted a bunch of bad things in it, we’re trying to get out as many of those as we can. A lot of, they’re trying to divert a lot of the money that should be coming to southern Illinois and central Illinois and divert it to the broken financial condition of Chicago. So, we’ve been battling, we’ve been battling that. And it’s not been easy. […]
The bad news is, again, there was an insertion to assist Chicago and its financial crisis and diverting money that shouldn’t go to Chicago. Um, in, in, it should be in the classrooms, spread around the state. Some should be in Chicago, but many, much of it should be here in, you know, Williamson County, it should be in Sangamon County as well. It’s not fair, but it’s going to end up being a compromise, it’s not where we’d like it to be, but what I’ll try to do is fix the problems with it in subsequent legislation.
.@GovRauner said today the school funding compromise was “not fair” & he will try to pass “subsequent legislation” to “fix the problems” pic.twitter.com/TlPApg12bV
* Sent to a friend whose name is not Kristina, but the Drury campaign thinks it is…
Kristina,
In June, we launched our campaign with a simple message: Illinois government has been hijacked by politicians like Bruce Rauner and Mike Madigan to serve their own interests, not ours, and it is time to return our State back to its rightful owner – you!
With experienced and trustworthy leadership in the governor’s office, we can rebuild our State, fix the big issues holding Illinois back, and ensure our brightest days are ahead of us. If Bruce Rauner and Donald Trump have taught us anything, it’s that experience and trust matter.
After Labor Day, campaign season really gets going. With our ever-growing base of supporters in every corner of the state, we are ready to end Mike Madigan’s chokehold on Illinois and replace the status quo with fresh ideas that will allow Illinois to thrive.
Illinois yearns for a Democratic candidate who can get things done without being another rubber stamp for Madigan. We stand alone in fitting the bill and, with your support, we will win.
Kristina, as we head into the fall campaign season, we need your help to build on our momentum and seize the chance to bring honest change to Illinois.
Please make a contribution before our August deadline:
In 2014, then-candidate Bruce Rauner made his pitch to business leaders by saying “I’m not a politician” and promising to “take arrows” when things go wrong. Rauner said leaders “take on the responsibility and you take the heat and you take the blame when things don’t go well, but you give the credit to your team.”
Fast forward to today, with an administration in absolute turmoil, the Bruce Rauner who said he would take responsibility is nowhere to be found. Yesterday, Rauner went so far as to name names as he threw his staff under the bus for his own failure to address blatant racism from the Illinois Policy Institute. If leaders “take the blame when things don’t go well,” then what does that make Bruce Rauner?
“In Bruce Rauner’s own words, leaders ‘take arrows.’ What Bruce Rauner has done as governor is take those arrows and hurl them at everyone around him,” said Pritzker campaign spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh. “As we’ve seen time and again from this governor, he takes no responsibility for his failure to lead this state and instead makes his staff, allies, and Illinois families expendable as long as it advances his own interests.”
Emphasis added because, well, that should be obvious.
Yesterday was a little weird for Governor Bruce Rauner. Reeling from his office’s inability to respond to a cartoon published by a close political ally, Bruce Rauner announced he was clearing house for the second time in as many months. Gone were four communications staffers all brought on just over a month ago. Rumors were that more departures were on the way.
The day turned bizarre thereafter. In a conference call with his (temporarily) remaining staff, Bruce Rauner then warned his administration was surrounded by “enemies” like the media and former colleagues:
“‘The reality is in addition to the enemies on the other side of the aisle (Democrats), we have enemies in the media and enemies who should be on our side, some of them former members of the administration,’ the source recounted Rauner as saying.”
And then came the untruths. In the same conference call, Rauner rejected “rumors” that more staffers were headed for the exists, including his (new) chief of staff and general counsel. He did the same to reporters later:
REPORTER: “Are you keeping your chief of staff?”
RAUNER: “We announced some changes in the communications department, and that’s all the changes there are.”
By the afternoon, Rauner’s office issued a press release announcing his General Counsel was also leaving. Throughout the day, Rauner blamed his staff for the Illinois Policy Institute cartoon headache and declared the staffers who were leaving were “not a good fit.” At no time did Rauner take any responsibility himself for the fallout. And this morning did not start any better - The Quad City Times Editorial Board called Rauner’s administration “on the brink of collapse.”
Failing administration. Staff purges. Conspiratorial view of enemies. Blatant untruths. And a lack of personal responsibility. That could describe someone else’s week. Strange how they both have the same disapproval rate in Illinois.
“Governor Bruce Rauner’s operation is falling apart at the seams,” said DGA Illinois Communications Director Sam Salustro. “At no point this week did Rauner show an ounce of the executive leadership he touted in 2014 or the moral leadership required to lead the state. Rauner’s accelerating staff purges and inability to take any responsibility is confirming voters’ impression of him as failed leader. Illinois families are worse-off under Bruce Rauner’s flailing administration.”
* Yesterday, I posted a little piece about JB Pritzker giving away free sunglasses to supporters. Some wondered where the shades were manufactured (China was mentioned) and if they were made by union labor. The topic came up again today on an unrelated post.
So, I asked the Pritzker campaign. They said the sunglasses are made in the US of A by union labor. The glasses even have a union “bug” on them, I was told.
* The Quad City Times editorial appears to have been written before the school funding reform deal was announced…
Bruce Rauner’s administration is on the brink of collapse. Only a deft hand, which Rauner has struggled to produce, can jerk it from the ledge on which it teeters. […]
The past five weeks haven’t gone well.
Nor have the past two and a half years. And, here, is the real threat to Rauner’s political capital and retention of his seat in 2018. Basically nothing of value was accomplished after more than two years of budgetary strife. All those systemic failings Rauner correctly identified remain in place. His messaging — commingling re-election politicking with policy — has undermined any ability to actually make deals with General Assembly Democrats. Republicans in the Legislature are, again, under pressure to break from him on the school funding issue and override his veto.
Wednesday night’s staff shakeup is just another opening for his political opponents. It’s just another excuse for his Democratic gubernatorial challengers to tee off. It’s just another signal of an administration that, after years, just hasn’t been able to gain traction.
Rauner’s general analysis of that which ills Illinois wasn’t incorrect. But his inability to win the argument dogs him. It began with a short-sighted attempt to create right to work zones as soon as he entered office, immediately souring any future relationship with unions. It became more obvious as each piece of his “Turn Around Agenda” fell away. Desperation oozed this summer as Rauner pounded on General Assembly Democrats in stops throughout he state, only to ultimately lose the budget battle because he lost members of his own party.
Bruce Rauner’s administration has been on the brink for weeks now. But, on Wednesday, it became incredibly clear that he has no idea how to salvage it.
* The Question: Assuming it becomes law, do you think Gov. Rauner has saved his political life by agreeing to an education funding reform deal, or is it too late? Click here to take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
ICYMI: “4 Top Legislative Leaders, Rauner Reach ‘Historic’ School Funding Reform”
Plan Includes School Choice, Proves Bipartisanship Still Possible
Yesterday, Governor Rauner, House and Senate Republicans, and House and Senate Democrats announced a compromise plan to pass historic education funding reform.
It proves that bipartisanship is still possible in Illinois.
And thanks to strong negotiations led by House GOP Leader Jim Durkin and Senate GOP Leader Bill Brady, Illinois is now poised to have a school choice program for the first time – something the Chicago Teachers Union is not happy about.
The Illinois Republican House and Senate announced Thursday that the four top legislative leaders and Gov. Bruce Rauner have reached a “historic” school funding reform.
The governor’s office released a statement, saying, “Governor Rauner applauds the four leaders in coming to a consensus on historic school funding reform that reflects the work of the School Funding Reform Commission. He thanks them for their leadership and looks forward to the coming days when the legislation is passed by both chambers.”
Daily Herald: State leaders say they’ve got a deal on school funding reform
The Chicago Sun-Times reported that one source said a scholarship program to provide tuition help for parents of children in private schools, through vouchers, was part of the deal. Cardinal Blase Cupich and other religious leaders had lobbied hard for the tax credits — $75 million for donors to the pilot program — long sought by parochial schools.
A separate GOP source with knowledge of the negotiations said that Chicago got nearly everything it sought in exchange for nothing leaders had not already conceded.
And the final package includes none of the collective bargaining changes Rauner wanted.
Rauner appears to have caved under pressure from the House GOP caucus to avoid another disaster like the budget override, the GOP source said.
So, the governor got rolled, but still took a win.
* Eric Zorn might learn from the governor. Zorn penned a column late yesterday which blasted the tax credit proposal for private school tuition programs…
In a statement issued Thursday, Illinois Education Association President Kathi Griffin said, “In an age where accountability means everything — where standards are being implemented to ensure students are being taught what they need to succeed in life — why would Illinois take public money and give it to private schools that have no accountability?”
Why?
Because too many lawmakers, including some Democrats, have either given up on the idea of public education, are secretly fond of the idea that taxpayers should support religious indoctrination or are under the delusion that competition for scarce resources will magically make public schools better.
But neither joy nor heartbreak have evidently altered the governor’s enthusiasm for brinkmanship. He’s now threatening to veto key elements of an education funding bill — a bill that gave him 90 percent of what he wanted, according to his education chief — because he feels it’s too generous to the teetering Chicago Public Schools. […]
Yes, crisis creates opportunity. That’s no special trick. All disasters do. Crisis also creates suffering, which those seeking to exploit it should never forget.
It’s a $75 million tax credit. That’s pocket change in the broad scheme of education funding. Take the overall win.
* Yesterday, Dan Proft said this about Gov. Rauner on his radio show…
“If you can’t stand up for yourself, if you can’t lean into criticism and push back, if you’re too busy etch-a-sketching and reinventing yourself every time a snarky tweet is directed towards you, then you’re going to get run over.”
* So, I asked Proft about his comment last night. I agree that Rauner too often allows others to get up in his head. But why would Proft denounce and threaten primary opponents against Republican Reps. Tom Demmer and Grant Wehrli - who always vote “right” - over a couple of tweets about a cartoon? His response via text message…
First, Wehrli doesn’t vote “right” and even when he does it’s often not without drama. Second, and more importantly, the charge of racism in these times and in the present context is a lot more than “snarky” and the communication channel through which it’s made is irrelevant.
My response was precisely the opposite of reinventing or etch-a-sketching based on a tweet, wasn’t it? When race hustlers and identity politics simps try their smear tactics with me I raise their profile so everyone can see that bulljive shoved right back up their hind quarters.
One additional point: Dem pols, Chicago/Springfield govt press corps have been trying to keep this phony story alive for a week and Demmer, Wehrli helped them do it while also allowing the claim of “bipartisan” outrage to be bandied about, didn’t they?
* Meanwhile, the Illinois Policy Institute did its best to keep the cartoon story alive today by issuing this press release…
Pastor Corey Brooks: Statement on behalf of Illinois Policy Institute cartoon
“Racism is all too real for thousands of members of my congregation and community in Woodlawn. We have struggled to bring good job opportunities close to home. We have struggled with a justice system that too often puts punishment over rehabilitation. And for decades, we have struggled to provide quality educational opportunities for our children.
“Most of all, we have struggled to provide hope. And the reaction to the Illinois Policy Institute’s editorial cartoon from a small group of lawmakers in Chicago is not reason for me to hope.
“Instead of fighting against injustice and inequity in our education funding system, our lawmakers have decided to slander the Illinois Policy Institute with accusations of racism and bigotry.
“Witnessing the Institute’s work on behalf of our community, those accusations could not be further from the truth. But sadly it’s not surprising to me that politicians have made them so carelessly.
“The cartoon speaks to a dangerous truth about the nature of TIF slush funds and how they affect our children. And speaking truth to power is not tolerated in Chicago. Especially when that truth shines a spotlight on how politicians have failed our city’s black community.
“I do not agree with all of the policy solutions proposed by the Illinois Policy Institute. But I do know that they are deeply invested in the future of Chicago children. Instead of dividing us with false charges of racism, lawmakers should be working together with groups like the Illinois Policy Institute toward TIF reform that keeps more money in the classroom for our kids.”
* Finke has a good piece today about Rauner’s latest staff shakeup. Here’s one part…
Sen. Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington, one of the negotiators on school funding reform, said there is cause for concern as Rauner and state legislators head into the 2018 election campaign.
“We have approached the period where we’d like to see a first-term governor hitting his stride,” Barickman said. “Significant turnovers is obviously not that. That politically causes concerns. On issues of policy, having a strong and effective governor is clearly important to advancing a Republican agenda.” […]
Rauner ran as an outsider to Illinois politics and first brought in senior staff more familiar with Washington than Illinois, Barickman said.
“Illinois politics is its own breed,” he said. “I think he could benefit from some senior staff who have established relationships with the legislative branch.”
* There’s real worry out there about going into 2018 with an unstable team at the top, and for good reason…
Some political experts say the Rauner Administration is beginning to reflect President Trump’s hiring and firing frenzy in the White House.
More is at issue for Rauner besides the cartoon. His abrupt move to drop his new communications team reflected longer-term high-stakes concerns over his political future.
Left without many big first-term accomplishments following a long-running budget stalemate in which Democrats blocked his economic agenda, the Republican governor finds himself once again attempting to readjust politically.
Rauner first began the recalibration last month following a stinging and embarrassing defeat when Democrats, joined by some Republicans, enacted a state budget and tax-hike package over his veto — effectively ending the stalemate that kept Illinois without a full-year spending plan that devastated social services and threatened to sink the state’s credit rating to junk status.
Except the veto override was being viewed at the time as a “win” for Rauner because he got the revenues from a tax hike along with the favorable political issue of his veto. The governor turned that win into a loss by acting like it was a loss and clearing out his top staff.
But now Rauner must find a new messaging team — positions that may be difficult to recruit for, given the turnover.
* Adding to the problem is that the governor himself is just not believable…
While multiple sources said exits of high-level staffers are also on the way, Rauner on Thursday morning told reporters that the communications team resignations are the only exits, for now.
“We’ve announced some changes in the communications department and that’s all the change there are,” the governor said.
Yet by 6:15 p.m. his administration released a statement announcing the departure of Murashko, saying the top legal counsel was leaving for the private sector.
And if his chief of staff steps down later today or within the next two weeks as rumored, he will have again undercut his claims yesterday.
News of the exits spread throughout the political realm on Wednesday night. One senior Republican operative called the ousting a sign the governor has realized he made a “mistake.”
“The governor and First Lady have finally admitted they made a colossal mistake in hiring these right wing ideologues,” the operative said. “One can only hope for the sake of our state government they will make better choices in the future.”
Republicans said they had reached an “agreement in principle” on a school funding measure. Democrats said they had reached an “agreement in concept.”
The bill, however, is still being drafted, and details were closely held.
It was against that backdrop that Mayor Emanuel offered this observation during a hastily called City Hall news conference late Thursday afternoon: “You’re never done until it’s done.”
And while it’s being cheered by lawmakers on both side of the political aisle, the Chicago Teachers Unions said its essentially calls it a reverse robin hood scheme.
CTU said the deal rips off the public schools by funnelling at least $75 million a year towards vouchers. […]
CTU leaders say it’s reliance on vouchers siphons money from poor districts and allows the rich to avoid paying their fair share in taxes.
“We see vouchers as a problem because its going to rob the money that the same black and brown kids, both Rahm Emanuel and Bruce Rauner talk about saving,” said Stacy Davis Gates, CTU Political and Legislative Director. “It’s going to rob them of those very valuable funds.”
The CTU said vouchers are aimed at the heart of public education and amount to stealing from black and brown children.
* And here’s GOP Rep. David McSweeney’s press release this morning…
The “compromise” education formula deal appears to be a total capitulation by the Governor. I now understand why Mayor Emanuel is so happy. It appears that CPS could get even more money than under SB 1 and the state will spend about $7.5 billion more on education over the next ten years without real reforms that cut school administrative costs and encourage consolidation. While I support the scholarship tax credits, overall this is a bad deal for taxpayers that will set up immediate pressure for another harmful tax hike.
Today, Daniel Biss announced the endorsement of former Lieutenant Governor Sheila Simon.
“Daniel gets things done—that’s why I’m endorsing him for governor” said Sheila Simon. “Daniel hasn’t been stopped by political logjams or by criticism from some members of his own party. Daniel finds new ways to solve old problems and encourages all of us to fight for what we believe in. From introducing a constitutional amendment to create a progressive income tax to fighting for a more just school funding system, Daniel is a leader.”
“It’s an honor to receive Sheila’s endorsement today,” said Daniel Biss. “Every time we’ve worked together, I’ve admired Sheila’s authenticity. In a political environment increasingly marked by blind adherence to party leadership, and in which party leadership is increasingly disconnected from a grassroots base, Sheila always puts people above politics.
“As lieutenant governor, Sheila’s innovative approach to public policy pushed our laws to match our priorities—like funding domestic violence shelters, establishing election contribution limits, and improving graduation rates at community colleges. Instead of looking over her shoulder to see what everyone else is doing, she considers the gap between our state’s potential and its reality and creates new solutions to bring about that vision. It’s been a pleasure to work with Sheila throughout my time in the legislature, and I could not be more excited to have her support in this race.”
* Meanwhile…
The Ameya Pawar for Governor campaign today launched the New Deal Journal on its campaign website. The new content hub will serve as a means for Pawar’s campaign to share insights into issues and policy, volunteer profiles, news, and dispatches from the trail directly with the people of Illinois.
“A lot happens on a statewide campaign,” explains Pawar. “As I’ve traveled more than 8,0000 miles across the state, speaking with voters from Rockford to Cairo, and from Rock Island to Chicago, it’s clear people want to get involved with our people-powered campaign in many different ways. The New Deal Journal provides a new platform where voters can follow the campaign in a way they may not have been able to before. I’m looking forward to sharing some of my experiences on the trail and reading the stories from some of the thousands of volunteers who, like me, believe that we are one Illinois, and that when we lift one community up, we all get lifted.”
