The policy also allows adults 21 years and older to grow up to five plants in their home, as long as they are in a locked room and not in plain sight. This has been a contentious issue in negotiations and Deputy Gov. Christian Mitchell said he anticipates substantial changes.
State Sen. Dale Righter (R-Mattoon) is one of many legislators that have questions about the home grow component. Righter said he is concerned that people choosing to grow plants at home will not be regulated on the potency of their plants, and could go beyond what the law allows.
Steans said this is not a real concern: “There’s only so much potency you can get in your plant,” she said. “The higher potency can come when you infuse and make other products. It can only go to about 35 percent in a plant. The plant just can’t get more potent than that.”
Mitchell Davis, police chief of Hazel Crest and second vice president of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, said marijuana-related driving arrests present challenges for officers, as does the allowance of five home grown plants.
“It’s impossible for us to regulate that,” he said. “Home grows take away any controls that you are putting in place for the legal purchase of cannabis.”
Davis said this “opens the door for cartels” and makes it more accessible to minors, even with the specified safety measures in the bill.
Nevertheless, Steans said she plans to file an amendment to the measure next week to address other concerns, specifically over expungements and home grow.
Currently, the proposed legislation would allow for five plants within a household. Steans’ legislation may change those provisions to apply to just medical marijuana, amid opponents’ concerns over whether those homegrown plants would wind up for sale on the illegal black market.
Before we begin, just a warning that if I see evidence of a coordinated social media campaign to freep this poll I will delete it.
Also, to clarify, this question only applies to your personal preference, not what you would be willing to accept in order to pass a bill.
* The Question: Should home grow be allowed for everyone, limited to medical users or banned altogether? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
Senator Patricia Van Pelt, a Chicago Democrat, has been removed as a co-sponsor of the bill to legalize recreational cannabis after a report revealed she was selling tickets to her get-rich-quick seminars where she offered investment tips on hot cannabis stocks.
Van Pelt is also listed as the President and co-founder of Wakanna, a company that currently sells essential oils but that has plans to sell cannabis products once the product is legal in Illinois. Van Pelt’s company is selling ownership stake to investors and offering them assurances that their license will be approved, although that licensing process has not yet been established, let alone completed.
Lawmakers addressed Van Pelt’s scheme during a debate in the Senate Executive Committee on Wednesday.
Senator Dale Righter, a Mattoon Republican, asked, “Is there anything in the bill that would give the public security that okay we don’t have insiders maneuvering this and that’s who’s winding up with the licenses?”
“I think you know that I’m committed to ethical safeguards as much as anyone here in the room,” Senator Heather Steans, a Chicago Democrat and lead sponsor of the plan to legalize cannabis answered. “To the extent that we don’t have this in here right now in the way we should, I very much look forward to working with you on the best ways of accomplishing that.” […]
“The public is watching us,” [Senator Righter] said. “The public has to have confidence in the people here, in the process here. When you see one of the members of the chamber clearly looking to cash in on a policy that she believes is going to happen, and then she is an insider in that policy, that is completely inappropriate.” […]
[Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford] also cautioned against Van Pelt’s decision to sell tickets for admission to private events where she offers investment advice about an industry where lawmakers are sifting through sensitive, private information.
“I don’t think that’s a wise decision,” Lightford said, distancing herself from Van Pelt. “I don’t know that I support any of that, and I will look forward to having a conversation with her and learning about what it is that’s going on because I really don’t know. So I don’t have an opinion personally about her, I just think none of us should be engaged with any type of conversations such as that. We are here as lawmakers to pass the best law that we can that can have the best impact on our community, on our budget, and everything moving forward.
“We’re just trying to do our jobs. If there is a bad apple in the bunch, then that would be addressed.”
According to state records, youth-on-staff assaults within the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice increased from 34 in 2015 to 92 in 2018. The assaults, which include punching, stabbing and spitting, are going up even as the number of locked-up teens goes down.
The state currently houses about 260 youth in its IDJJ facilities and there are 580 youth in communities. The state appropriated approximately $120 million to the IDJJ for fiscal year 2019.
“It’s an unsafe environment every day not just for staff and administration, but also for youth,” said former IDJJ teacher Maria Johnston-Becker.
Johnston-Becker said she was sexually assaulted by a youth in 2017 and six months later she was knocked unconscious by another youth in the hall outside of her classroom.
Juvenile Justice Staff employees told NBC 5 Investigates some youth routinely hurl urine, feces, and other bodily fluids toward them.
* AFSCME recently prevailed in a class action grievance about the same basic issue…
AFSCME members in the Department of Corrections and the Department of Juvenile Justice successfully used their union contract to enforce health and safety standards.
To address the growing incidence of assaults on employees in DOC and DJJ facilities, AFSCME Council 31 filed a class-action grievance against both departments that detailed the scope and extent of assaults on employees. The union argued that the employers’ responses have been inadequate according to both the union contract and state OSHA law.
On March 25, Arbitrator Terry Bethel issued a ruling granting the union’s grievance and affirming the gravity of the situation.
In his decision, Arbitrator Bethel indicated that both DOC and DJJ have failed in meeting the state’s responsibility to “provide a safe environment in its corrections facilities and youth centers.” He said his finding was based on “the evidence and testimony presented at the hearing, including the large number of assaults, the lack of thorough training, the failure to address certain conditions, and the testimony of the employees who were assaulted.”
“My decision,” he said, “is simply that the departments have not acted to the extent feasible to prevent injury to their security staffs.”
The arbitrator remanded the case to the parties to shape a remedy within the next 120 days that improves safety in DOC and DJJ facilities, and he retained jurisdiction over the case to ensure that a satisfactory plan of action is developed.
Thursday, May 16, 2019 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
More than 800 solar energy projects are on hold because Illinois’ renewable energy program isn’t adequately funded to meet either current demand or the statutory renewable portfolio standard requirement of 25% by 2025.
The waitlisted, shovel-ready projects could create thousands of jobs, lower consumer electric bills and generate $220 million in property tax revenue for local governments. Funding for new commercial and community solar projects and wind farms will be depleted after 2019.
As lawmakers consider another plan to bring casinos to Chicago and other communities, Mayor RAHM EMANUEL told Playbook he has a suggestion: “Tread carefully.”
The mayor reflected on past attempts to bring a casino to Chicago. In 2011, a newly elected Emanuel was aggressive in supporting casino legislation —only to see it held back when Gov. Pat Quinn indicated he wouldn’t sign it because it didn’t offer enough regulation to protect taxpayers.
In 2013, lawmakers hoping to generate revenue agreed on a new bill with more robust regulations. But Emanuel remembers Quinn calling and asking if Chicago wanted to be part of the legislation. Emanuel said no and Quinn ultimately vetoed the bill.
Why Emanuel pulled back: He says other programs in the city “were starting to work,” he said in a one-on-one interview. Tourism numbers and conventions were on the rise. The economy was growing and the city was having success in attracting digital businesses. “So we walked away from the table,” Emanuel said. “We had it right there and we walked away.”
Now that a Chicago casino has popped up again, Emanuel hopes lawmakers put thought into where it might be located. “If we could put it miles from Indiana,” so people could stop there before heading to an Indiana casino, “I can see value in that,” Emanuel said. “But people [in previous years] were talking about the Loop and Michael Reese Hospital. Those locations have social implications.”
Oh, for crying out loud. Emanuel was asking for a city-owned casino in 2015…
Mayor Rahm Emanuel is trying to solve his police and fire pension problem by paying less upfront, taking longer to pay off the debt and getting some of the money to cover what the city owes from a Chicago casino.
* Since Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot will actually be in office when a gaming bill either passes or flames out, I asked her spokesperson for a response…
As Mayor-elect Lightfoot has stated in the past, in thinking about a Chicago casino, it is imperative that the construction of a new casino be used as an economic development tool.
* And this is what Lightfoot told the Sun-Times in January…
For more than two decades Chicagoans have routinely traveled to neighboring cities like Rosemont, Elgin, Joliet, Gary and Hammond to gamble. If people in Chicago want to gamble, then they should be able to gamble in Chicago at a city-owned, land-based casino. Casino gambling has now been a reality in Illinois for decades. I know from my work as a lawyer that the Illinois Gaming Board has created a robust regulatory system to combat many of the problems that could arise from casino gambling.
In thinking about a Chicago casino, it is imperative that the construction of a new casino be used as an economic development tool to benefit people and neighborhoods that have been neglected by city government for far too long, including minority and women owned businesses and individuals on the west and south sides. As mayor, I will ensure these groups are involved at every stage of the process, from the design, planning and construction of the casino to its daily operations. Moreover, I will insist that the casino work with Chicago businesses to create a localized supply-chain for goods and services.
Tim Miller appeared in what arguably was Democrat JB Pritzker’s single, most-devastating commercial last year from his campaign to unseat Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner.
Just a month before the November election, Miller got emotional in the political ad as he chided Rauner for his mishandling of a deadly Legionnaires’ disease outbreak at a state-run veterans’ home. The outbreak killed Miller’s Army veteran father.
But now, Miller is calling out the Democratic governor he helped get elected.
The topic: the state’s lack of movement toward resolving lawsuits from Miller and 11 other families of Legionnaires’ victims who died in repeated outbreaks at Illinois’ largest state-run veterans’ home between 2015 and 2017.
“He’s been governor for five months now,” Miller said. “Certainly, as time goes on, that is going to become more and more of a question. It kind of becomes a question for us. Was this really about the stories, and the loss and the heroes? Or was this about an election campaign?” […]
But almost half way into Pritzker’s first year in office, the families’ lawsuits appear no closer to being settled than they were under Rauner. And now Miller and some of the other victims’ families are beginning to wonder whether they were no more than political props in a bareknuckle campaign.
“Was his promise to settle these lawsuits — his admittance that there were mistakes made — was that out of genuine concern for the families to get justice and closure?” Miller said of Pritzker during an interview with WBEZ. […]
If the state ultimately settles all 12 of the pending Quincy Legionnaires’ cases for the maximum allowable award, taxpayers will be on the hook for as much as $24 million. Because there have not been specific settlements, the governor did not include any funds to resolve the lawsuits in his proposed 2020 state budget, and there are no signs it’s part of ongoing budget talks between the governor and state lawmakers.
* From the governor’s office…
Governor Pritzker has been very clear that he believes that these cases should be settled, and that the state’s mishandling of the Legionnaire’s outbreak at the Quincy Veterans Home failed these families. The governor is confident that Attorney General Raoul and the families who suffered as a result of the Legionnaire’s outbreak at Quincy will reach a fair resolution in these cases.
1) The governor has no formal role in negotiating Court of Claims settlements. That’s up to the attorney general as the state’s chief legal officer. I suspected last year that the plaintiffs didn’t want to negotiate a settlement with the state until after a bill was passed and enacted in November (over Gov. Rauner’s eventual veto) to increase the payout limit from $100,000 to $2 million.
2) Once all parties agree to a settlement, the payout then has to be appropriated by the General Assembly and signed into law. I suppose they could put a ballpark placeholder figure into an approp bill, but I don’t think that’s ever been done before and I also don’t think they should ever attempt it. Bad precedent.
I know emotions are probably still raw, but there’s a process here and it should be followed. The governor shouldn’t try to interfere with a duly elected AG and if the plaintiffs have a beef, it’s with Raoul.
* As this post’s headline notes, there was some other news in that piece…
Meanwhile, a criminal investigation into the state’s handling of multiple Legionnaires’ outbreaks — announced during the height of the gubernatorial campaign — remains active, according to the attorney general’s office.
Before he took the oath of office in January, Gov. J.B. Pritzker was paying out of his own pocket for a national search to find the next head of the long-troubled Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.
Pritzker’s transition team signed a $50,000 contract in early January with Massachusetts-based Koya Leadership Partners to conduct a nationwide search for a new leader for the child welfare agency, which has churned through 14 previous directors since 2003. “The governor wanted to get the search for key positions in his Cabinet underway as soon as possible so he covered the cost of the search as part of his transition,” spokeswoman Jordan Abudayyeh said.
The move is another example of the first-term Democrat and billionaire heir to the Hyatt hotel fortune using his vast personal wealth to help fund functions of state government. Pritzker has also boosted salaries of some members of his administration with his own money. Because those payments aren’t coming from state coffers, they’re not subject to open records laws, raising potential transparency issues.
While the transition committee is not subject to the state Freedom of Information Act, the Pritzker administration provided a copy of the search contract to the Tribune. […]
“The blurring of the public and private spheres and public and private funds for government functions is problematic,” [Alisa Kaplan, policy director for Reform for Illinois, formerly the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform] said. “And the extent to which the governor — this governor — can engage in it is raising all kinds of questions policymakers will have to address at some point.”
The election of J.B. Pritzker as governor in November ushered in a sense of euphoria for Democrats after four years of Republican Bruce Rauner, resulting in an ambitious first-year legislative agenda.
But with the first spring session under Pritzker’s watch nearing its scheduled adjournment at the end of May, many rank-and-file Democrats are concerned that the new administration’s big ideas have largely remained just that, rather than passable legislation. Republicans also have noticed the Democratic discontent.
“I can’t say what’s going on in the second floor (governor’s office), but there’s a common theme among the rank-and-file members and people who work in the building, and that is how are we going to land this ship?” said House Republican leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs.
To be certain, Republicans were unlikely to go along with many of the Democratic governor’s proposals, which include changing the state income tax system, legalizing marijuana, instituting sports betting and enacting a host of smaller-bore tax increases on such items as cigarettes, plastic bags and successful video-gaming businesses. There’s also the need for a tax-supported public works plan, which GOP leaders support — but not in its current form.
But it is the consternation among Democrats that is the chief challenge to Pritzker’s agenda. Midterm dissatisfaction with Republican leadership at the state, congressional and national levels resulted in Democratic supermajorities in the Illinois House and Senate that were expected to easily carry the governor’s agenda.
Yet the political lift this spring is proving to be a heavy one, and the outcome could set the tone for Pritzker’s term.
It has sometimes been painful to watch. And a whole lot of work remains to be done in the next 15 days.
I often tell newbies in January that while May 31st seems like a long way away, one day before you know it you’re gonna wake up and it’s May 15th and you’d better be prepared to go into those last two weeks. May 15th was yesterday.
“There’s a lot of conversation that’s going on right now” about the issues, Gov. J.B. PRITZKER told reporters Wednesday when asked about the looming deadline.
“Actually, I feel quite good about our prospects for getting everything passed this month,” Pritzker said. “There’s some negotiation that needs to take place. … My door is open to those folks that want to come in and talk about a particular provision.” […]
State Sen. TERRY LINK, D-Vernon Hills, has been in the Senate for more than two decades, and thinks things are on track to be completed this month.
“I’ve been here long enough to realize that on May 31, we’ve passed things that people didn’t believe we could pass, that they thought were dead,” Link said. “And I learned that nothing dies in Springfield. Things are on life support, but nothing ever dies.
“We’re having a lot of meetings, a lot of discussions,” he said, and he thinks Pritzker’s agenda will get done. He said it’s helpful that for the budget year starting July 1, Pritzker doesn’t want a general tax increase — like on income or sales — and some potential money generators are “sin taxes” on things like gambling or cigarettes. He also said an infrastructure program can be passed, with talks about funding involving “a lot of other things” besides a gas tax increase. He said he’d be surprised if the gas tax increase ends up being as high as 25 cents a gallon.
The clock is running out, but there’s still enough time to pull it all together. I wouldn’t want to be the person responsible for doing all this heavy lifting right now, though.
Thursday, May 16, 2019 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Illinoisans already pay the nation’s 10th-highest gas tax burden. A look at the hidden layers of taxes and fees in the typical Chicago gas tax receipt shows why. Under a proposal to hike the state motor fuel tax to 44 cents per gallon, Chicagoans would pay a whopping $15.30 in total taxes and fees on 15 gallons of gas.
Unfortunately, discussions in Springfield surrounding a new capital bill have centered around making this receipt even uglier for drivers statewide.
The Illinois House and Senate chief sponsors of the Reproductive Health Act (RHA) were joined [yesterday] afternoon by a number of other legislators and advocates to call on the Illinois House to advance critical legislation that protects access to reproductive health care in our state. The RHA – introduced in February – repeals long-blocked abortion laws in Illinois and assures that all reproductive care (including abortion care) is treated as health care. The two chief sponsors will be joined by Handmaids representing characters from Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel. The Handmaids have been standing vigil in the Capitol for weeks to support the legislation.
“As we saw last week in Georgia and this week in Alabama, powerful forces are coordinating around the country in a full-scale attack on women’s health care – especially reproductive health care,” said State Representative Kelly Cassidy, the lead sponsor of the RHA in the Illinois House. “These anti-abortion activists are pushing hard to get a case to the Supreme Court to overturn Roe. We must act in Illinois – with urgency – to pass the RHA and protect women’s access to health care.”
The Reproductive Health Act was introduced in February by Representative Cassidy and Senator Melinda Bush in the Illinois Senate. The measure has been stalled in the House since that time. The legislators expressed concern today that women’s health care is not being prioritized in the legislative session that ends on May 31.
“Women in Illinois cannot wait to see what the Supreme Court does with our basic rights – including the ability to decide when (and if) to become a parent,” added Senator Bush. “Fearing this moment, women came out in large numbers in November 2018 to vote. We need to represent these voices here in Springfield and pass the RHA. I look forward to the debate in the Senate.”
Also addressing the event was State Representative Emanuel “Chris” Welch, chief co-sponsor of the RHA and Chair of the Executive Committee of the House. Representative Welch joined the sponsors in calling for the bill to be moved to the Executive Committee so that it can move to the floor of the House for a final vote.
“The RHA should be in the House Executive Committee where it will get a full hearing and a vote to go to the floor,” said Representative Welch. “With cases headed to the Supreme Court that could reverse Roe, it is time for us to act.”
One person wasn’t mentioned in all of this: House Speaker Michael Madigan. MJM could move that bill to House Exec because it’s now in Rules after languishing in subcommittee for months.
“Since that day, each week has brought a new horror, a new reason why this is so much more important,” Cassidy said. “I woke up this morning to yet more news of how close we are to losing our right to self-determination, our right to access true reproductive health care.”
She was referencing a law signed Wednesday by Alabama’s governor effectively banning abortion in the state. Other states, including Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi and Ohio, have passed restrictive abortion laws this year.
Some of those states aim to get their laws before the U.S. Supreme Court in hopes of overturning Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 case that legalized abortion nationwide.
Sara Hutchinson Ratcliffe, vice president of Catholics for Choice, called those bills “onerous and cruel.” The group supports the Reproductive Health Act.
Pro-pot legislators are still hoping to pass a bill legalizing recreational marijuana by the end of the month, but they are heading back to the negotiating table in hopes of stubbing out a flurry of objections.
Opponents of the wide-ranging bill had free rein to voice their displeasure at a lengthy Senate committee hearing in Springfield on Wednesday — and they aired concerns about everything from how law enforcement will measure impairment in drivers to which marijuana offenses should be expunged to whether or not weed causes erectile dysfunction.
* Dr. Albert Mensah said more than that about ED. Check out this testimony…
What also isn’t brought up, the American Academy of Family Practice, the actual pamphlet that was brought out last month, showed that individuals have erectile dysfunction, impotency, immotile sperm and a lack of capacity to enjoy sexual intercourse, to achieve orgasm. And these erectile dysfunctions are not reversible with treatments like Viagra or any of these other remedies.
Um, OK. I couldn’t find that pamphlet online. Maybe one of you commenters can continue the search.
* Dr. Mensah told the committee he looks at the “underlying cause” of various ailments and has several patients with schizophrenia. His website says he’s “board certified in integrative pediatrics by the American Association of Integrative Medicine.” That association is listed on QuackWatch.org under “Non-Recognized Accrediting/Credentialing/Licensing Agencies.”
Mensah runs Mensah Medical, a clinic that uses “targeted Advanced Nutrient Therapy, an effective and natural alternative to prescription medication” to treat a variety of things…
They also conveniently sell their products online.
It’s very possible he could be a genius and way ahead of his time. But I can tell you that if smoking weed commonly caused irreversible and untreatable ED, few men would ever so much as touch it.
In a report released today, the Institute for Illinois’ Fiscal Sustainability at the Civic Federation announced its support for Governor Pritzker’s recommended FY2020 budget, because it represents a workable short-term plan to move Illinois forward. The Federation is encouraged by the Governor’s decision to not take a partial pension holiday in FY2020. However, significant concerns persist regarding aggressive revenue assumptions at the core of the proposal and the adequacy of the Governor’s long-term plan to deal with the bill backlog and pension obligations.
The Governor has described his proposed budget as a bridge to financial stability, based on expected implementation of a graduated income tax structure in 2021 and resulting infusion of new revenues. The Civic Federation has continued to express concerns that state and local fiscal conditions are deteriorating at a pace that requires more immediate attention.
“As proposed, the budget represents a relatively rickety financial bridge—though it has been significantly strengthened in recent days,” said Civic Federation President Laurence Msall. “The General Assembly is approaching the deadline to pass several components upon which this budget and the Governor’s long-term plan rely, and revenue projections attached to many of the proposals remain uncertain. Accordingly, we encourage the Governor and General Assembly to develop a comprehensive Plan B that does not involve shorting the State’s pensions or running up the backlog of bills.”
Governor Pritzker presented his first budget, for FY2020, in February 2019. In order to close a projected $3.2 billion deficit, that version relied heavily on a seven-year extension of the State’s statutory pension funding plan. The Civic Federation would have been unable to support that proposal, because it would have further jeopardized the financial condition of Illinois’ severely underfunded retirement systems.
In early May 2019, the Governor announced that his office would no longer pursue the partial pension holiday following a surge in revenues in April 2019 that led to higher revenue projections for the current and upcoming fiscal years. While supporting that decision, the Federation is concerned that April’s strong revenue performance might not be sustainable and therefore continues to recommend a series of steps to further stabilize the State’s operating budget and establish a balanced financial path out of its ongoing fiscal crisis.
The report reinforces many previous Civic Federation recommendations, including limiting net agency spending, consolidating and streamlining units of local government (including pension funds) and restructuring Illinois’ public university system, among others. Further, the Federation cautions against many past bad practices such as relying on accounting gimmicks, reducing or extending the pension funding target and ignoring the financial condition of Illinois’ local governments.
“The State of Illinois is not alone in its financial challenges,” said Msall. “Communities across the State are struggling under the weight of their pension and debt obligations. The Civic Federation calls on the Governor and General Assembly to build on the proposed budget to move more directly and effectively in its assistance to and consolidation of local governments throughout Illinois.”
After accounting for $800 million of unexpected revenue announced in May 2019[2] and the Governor’s cancelation of a plan to extend the pension funding target, the FY2020 budget has an expected surplus of approximately $92 million.
The $39.7 billion revised revenue estimate for FY2020 represents an increase of $858 million, or 2.2%, from $38.8 billion in FY2019.[3] The increase is composed of four factors:
A forecast of strong economic growth leading to a $366 million increase in existing revenues;
Policy changes expected to bring in an additional $350 million from existing sources;
New revenues of $401 million; and
A shift of $259 million in cigarette tax revenues out of the General Funds.
The total one-time revenue included in the FY2020 budget is $525 million. Of this, $350 million derives from sources new to Illinois: legalized sports wagering and recreational cannabis.
Under the revised proposal General Funds expenditures increase by $287 million, or 0.7%, to $39.6 billion from $39.3 billion in FY2019.
Net agency expenditures increase by $211 million, or 0.8% from FY2019, but this increase excludes Medicaid spending that is shifted to a special account outside of General Funds.
The shift of Medicaid spending includes the cigarette taxes, $65 million from new tobacco-related taxes and $390 million from a new assessment on managed care organizations that goes directly to the other fund, relieving pressure on General Funds.
If the portion of shifted expenditures traditionally associated with General Funds is included, net agency expenditures grow by 2.0% over FY2019.
Thursday, May 16, 2019 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Three Georgia legislators send a message of support to Illinois lawmakers urging passage of the Reproductive Health Act to protect access to health care for women in Illinois and across the nation.
Learn more about the Reproductive Health Act here.
* They declared themselves a gun sanctuary, put a question on the ballot about kicking Chicago out of Illinois and now they’re formally weighing in on a bill that was signed into law three months ago…
The Effingham County Board Legislative Committee on Monday moved to the full board a resolution opposing the Illinois minimum wage increase.
The resolution was proposed by the committee’s vice chairman, Jim Niemann. He said the purpose of the resolution was to let Illinois legislators and Gov. J.B. Pritzker know the law will have a negative effect on Effingham County.
“This is something that’s going to not only draw businesses out of Illinois, but make it difficult for us to do our jobs,” Niemann said. “As I said earlier, too, it’s just a hidden tax. From my perspective, all it is is to raise money for the state.” […]
When it came time to vote on whether to pass the resolution on to the full board, there was some hesitation on committee member Joe Thoele’s part. Thoele voted to pass it on to the full board, but said the wage hike is already in place.
“It’s already law. That’s just my opinion,” Thoele said. “The reason I would support it would be if it had something to do with the county and how it affects the county.”
* Meanwhile, here is Rep. Allen Skillicorn’s HJRCA35…
Proposes to amend the Legislature Article of the Illinois Constitution. Provides that the legislative power is vested in a General Assembly consisting of a Senate and a House of Representatives, elected by the electors from 102 counties (currently, 59 Legislative Districts) and 118 Representative Districts. Provides that one Senator shall be elected from each county in this State. Provides that the General Assembly shall divide the counties as equally as possible into three groups for electoral purposes. Establishes 118 Representative Districts independent of the number of Legislative Districts (currently, each Legislative District consists of 2 Representative Districts). Provides that no Legislative Districts shall be established following the 2020 decennial census, or any decennial census thereafter, for the purpose of selecting State Senators.
Not unconstitutional at all. Nope. Not in the least.
Illinois News Network, which provides coverage of state and regional issues to media outlets across Illinois, has changed its name to The Center Square. The rebranding is intended to stake out a nonpartisan centrist position. But it also can be seen as a break from the organization’s controversial past ties to the Illinois Policy Institute. Since 2017 INN has been owned by the nonprofit Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity. “For each of us associated with this project, our name serves as a reminder that we’re working with the highest journalistic ethics and precision in mind,” said Chris Krug, president of the Franklin News Foundation. Krug previously served as publisher of the Pioneer Press suburban newspaper chain and as vice president of Shaw Media and editor of the Northwest Herald.
Confusion, Squared. The Illinois News Network, a once-reliable state government watchdog whose recent past has been spotty (2016 link)—including funding from the conservative Koch Brothers (2018 link)—is taking a new name: The Center Square – Illinois.
■ Please don’t mistake it for Chicago Public Square, which comes to you courtesy of four-star supporters including Lora Engdahl, Frank Heitzman, Joseph Sjostrom and Teresa Powell—whom you can join here for a few cents a day.
Our company has been renamed Franklin News Foundation, which is about as straightforward as it gets. With a nod to Benjamin Franklin, our nation’s best-known publisher, we’re a non-profit, non-partisan, non-political, no-nonsense organization whose mission is to connect content and audience with news from state capitals and across the states that simply isn’t reported elsewhere.
Our journalism platform is TheCenterSquare.com. When a reporter is on target within their beat, they’re said “to be hitting the center square.” I’ve always liked that saying, because rather than writing “a story,” I’ve always preferred that our reporters write “the story.” For each of us associated with this project, our name serves as a reminder that we’re working with the highest journalistic ethics and precision in mind.
Over the past two years, we’ve watched as partisanship has permeated reporting from Washington. And, state by state, as we’ve increased our staff and dialed into state-level issues across the country, reading thousands of competitive stories, we’ve seen how this same bias creeps into capitol-level news coverage – pushing readers and journalistic reputations out to the right and the left.
Commentary has overwhelmed straight-news content, and caused significant distortion for time-pressed readers disinterested in becoming professional fact-checkers. Too many people are reading someone’s take on a story before they’ve read the story.
Millions of Americans seek news from the vacated middle ground – from that center square – and simply want to understand what is happening in their state capitol, and how it affects their lives.
Our reporters are keenly interested in economics and finance, how tax dollars are generated and how they’re spent. We talk to our readers in terms that they understand rather than through the wonky, inside baseball that so often stands for statehouse reporting.
Legislative mechanics already are complicated. Reporters should be educating the reader and simplifying the news, rather than showing off and making the activity or inactivity of the statehouse more confusing. We commit to write in plain English.
I Googled “‘hitting the center square’ reporter” and came up with one result, the column excerpted above. Not quite a Googlewhack, but still unique.
Lawmakers appeared poised to vote on a bill that would more than double the state’s motor fuel tax to pay for statewide transportation projects, but the plan stalled late Tuesday as negotiations continued.
Under state Sen. Martin Sandoval’s proposed legislation, the motor fuel tax would be more than doubled from 19 cents to 44 cents per gallon and indexed to inflation. That would mean the tax would increase each year with inflation, but that annual increase would be capped at a penny per year.
With the sales tax included, the proposal would give Illinois the highest gas tax in the nation at more than 60 cents. Pennsylvania’s tax on a gallon of fuel is 58 cents. In addition, the bill would add a $1,000 annual registration fee for electric vehicles. The existing registration fee for electric vehicles is $17.50. Those registration fees would also increase with the rate of inflation every year, with caps set at 102.5 percent of the previous year’s total.
Lawmakers had until earlier this month to call legislation and amendments in committee to get them to the Senate floor, but the chamber suspended those rules Tuesday afternoon so Sandoval could get the legislation out of committee.
However, Sandoval convened and then adjourned the Senate Transportation Committee in a matter of minutes without calling the legislation.
“Leader [Don] DeWitte is working with me very arduously to try and fashion another amendment,” Sandoval said after the hearing.
He said he expects the bill to be changed to scale back some tax hikes, notably the annual registration fee for electric vehicles.
Rumor mill has it at a 19-cents increase in the Motor Fuel Tax (doubled) and maybe $400-500 for the annual EV regisration fee. But everything is fluid right now.
* Love him or hate him, more Chicago politicos talk about Maze Jackson’s morning show than just about anyone else. Press release…
Midway Broadcasting Corporation announced that former president of the Cook County Board, Todd Stroger has signed on as the co-host of the Maze Jackson Morning Show effective immediately. The show airs weekdays from 6am-9am on WVON 1690AM, Chicago’s premier Urban Talk radio station.
Stroger is a life-long Chicagoan with a name that is synonymous with local politics. He has served as a state representative, alderman and as president of the Cook County Board, which is the second largest county in the nation, a seat previously held by Todd’s father, John Stroger, who was a stalwart in the Democratic Party.
He joins an elite list of former politicians-turned- talk- show hosts, who’ve built second careers in the media industry including former Alderman Edward Vrdolyak, Congressman Joe Walsh, and WVON’s Cliff Kelley, who retired in March from the station. Stroger has sat in regularly as a guest host with Jackson.
Midway Broadcasting’s Chairwoman, Melody Spann Cooper says, “Todd joining the team is a no- brainer in a town where politics is a second sport. I’m excited about what we are doing with talk radio in this town right now, and Maze and Todd are so much a part of it.” In addition to politics, The Maze Jackson Morning Show with Todd Stroger will continue to deliver special features, and local and national newsmakers and celebrities.
The Talk of Chicago has established itself as Chicago’s premier content provider. For more than 56 years, the station has been considered one of the most credible and highly-respected media institutions in the nation providing an interactive forum for its vast listening audience to discuss social, economic and political issues that impact the African-American community. - MG Media
The last time WVON appeared in a Nielsen Audio survey, its morning show tied for 39th place with a 0.3 percent share and cumulative weekly audience of 33,600.
Another former Chicago alderman, Cliff Kelley, stepped down in March after 25 years as a talk show host at WVON. His interim replacement from 3 to 6 p.m. weekdays is the team of Matt McGill and Kimberley Egonmwan.
I was on that show the other day and they were a delight…
Kimberley: When I was on staff we were told never to speak to you.
Dozens of social media posts and promotional videos posted online reveal State Senator Patricia Van Pelt, a Chicago Democrat, is looking to cash in on cannabis and go “riding the wave with the rich” in the final days leading up to a highly anticipated vote that could legalize recreational marijuana for adult use in the state.
Since her re-election victory in November 2018, Van Pelt has launched an aggressive social media campaign recruiting potential investors to attend her seminars. Tickets for her upcoming events are listed on Eventbrite at a non-refundable rate of $99.95.
“You’re going to learn how to invest in the stock market and what cannabis companies are viable,” Van Pelt said in a video she posted online to promote Wakanna, a company she co-founded last month along with three other women.
In one post, Van Pelt says you can purchase cannabis stock at $0.72 cents per share. In another post, she urges potential investors to “move expeditiously” and “imagine going from $0.02 cents a share to $60 a share in three years,” which would be a 3,000 percent return on investment.
She also claimed she nearly doubled her money in a matter of roughly three weeks. […]
Van Pelt’s insinuation was “totally inappropriate,” a top ranking member of the Legislative Black Caucus told WCIA. Speaking on a condition of anonymity, the lawmaker said it was “just wrong” for “someone in [Van Pelt’s] position of power and influence to try and make money for herself.”
After reviewing several Facebook posts, the source felt Van Pelt was intentionally misleading the people in her district or in her church congregation.
“Because she’s a senator, they must think, ‘Oh, she must know something!’”
I told subscribers about this months ago. It’s really a bad look.
Investing In Cannabis Stock & Other Emerging Industries
by Dr. Patricia Van Pelt
$99.95
Join the 1000s of people that are riding the wave to wealth through the emerging industry of Cannabis!
About this Event
“Investing in Cannabis Stock/Hot Stock List Combo” (includes a list of 25 of the hottest cannabis stock on the market) & “Investing in Cannabis Stock 101” is an ONLINE CLASS that teaches attendees how to access the millions of dollars being generated through the worldwide resurgence of the Cannabis industry.
Without mentioning her name, Sen. Dale Righter (R-Mattoon) asked during a committee hearing today whether something could be done to address this issue. Sen. Heather Steans (D-Chicago), the legalization bill’s sponsor, said she would definitely work with Righter on language.
Wednesday, May 15, 2019 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
The Caring for our Community program at GCS Credit Union in Edwardsville is a unique program that rewards staff members for their volunteer hours within the community. In 2018 they generated 1,000 volunteer hours. The credit union movement stands firmly by a set of philosophical tenets. Credit unions embrace the seven cooperative principles because at the heart of business, it is the right thing to do. The seventh cooperative principle is concern for community and the Caring for our Community program is a splendid example of nurturing the philosophy into action. In addition to their stellar volunteer program, GCS Credit Union has always made giving back to the community a priority. In 2018 the credit union employees pledged $21k in donations to the United Way; the Board of Directors matched the employee give and together they were able to contribute over $42k to the United Way. The credit union mission of People Helping People is more than just a principle; it is always based in action and honors the kindness and generosity that is the credit union difference. Visit YourMoneyFurther.com for more information on the credit union difference.
Rockford business leaders are using a new strategy to reach lawmakers in Springfield about bringing a casino to Rockford.
“I would say this is the deepest dive we’ve ever done,” Einar Forsman, the President and CEO of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce says.
Part of the new strategy includes targeted social media advertisements. The Chamber says those ads are designed to pop up on your social media feed if you in your 20s to 40s and are in the Rockford or Springfield area.
Click here to track how the Facebook ads are doing. They’ve been seen by several hundred thousand people, so kudos to them.
Now is the time for a Rockford casino. We’re done being held hostage by wealthy Illinois casino owners afraid of competition. Do we have your support? #timeforrockford
.@GovPritzker Now is the time for a Rockford casino. We’re done being held hostage by wealthy Illinois casino owners afraid of competition. Do we have your support? #timeforrockford
* Maybe the mayor should start paying closer attention. This proposal, which has resulted from two years of work, is not about a GRF revenue grab. If it was, then a whole lot more than 35 percent of the proceeds would be going to GRF. Politico…
Mayor Rahm Emanuel told Playbook that legalizing recreational marijuana can’t just be about cold hard cash and says that state should lawmakers slow down their legislative efforts on the drug… for now. “Don’t go head first into this just because we’re thirsty and hungry for revenue,” he said during an interview in his office.
The announcement this spring that Illinois had collected some $1.5 billion more in tax revenue than the state projected, creates a “lack of urgency,” and gives lawmakers a chance to carefully deliberate the marijuana bill, the mayor said. Balancing the concerns voiced by law enforcement, as well as some in the Legislative Black Caucus who are pressing on social justice issues, are crucial to success, Emanuel said. “We should tread carefully here.”
It sounds like the mayor is spending too much time reading erroneous Daily Herald editorials. That $1.5 billion in unexpected revenue is for this fiscal year, not next. No cannabis revenue will be collected this fiscal year. The $800 million in additional projected revenue for next fiscal year will all be gobbled up by pension payments. So, cannabis revenue will still be needed next fiscal year.
* The problem with law enforcement’s role in the talks is their lobbyists and supporters are trying to kill the bill while demanding more money. From what used to be the Illinois Policy Institute’s news service and then became the Franklin Center’s Illinois news outlet and is now something called The Center Square Illinois…
Proponents of a plan to tax and regulate recreational marijuana use for adults in Illinois plan to address a growing list of concerns, including how the tax money will be spent and how the state should treat people who were convicted of marijuana-related crimes in the past. […]
[Sen. Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington] said law enforcement should get more.
“They’re going to have to retrain dogs, they’re going to have to put new processes in place, they’re going to have to buy some equipment,” Barickman said. “All of these things suggest that for our [law enforcement], they’re going to need some money … so they don’t have to dip into their own pockets just to comply with this new law.”
Law enforcement is also attempting to undermine the Black and Latino Caucus’ attempts to expunge arrest and conviction records. So… maybe the outgoing mayor could pick up a phone and talk to his police superintendent?
* May 6th statement from the person who will be Chicago’s mayor before any legalization bill is signed into law…
Mayor-Elect Lori E. Lightfoot releases statement on legislation to legalize recreational marijuana
“The recent legislation introduced is an important step forward in creating a fair process for legalizing recreational marijuana. More importantly, it allows Illinois the opportunity to put an end to a long overdue and unjust drug policy that has disproportionately affected Chicago’s black and brown neighborhoods for decades. I look forward to working with Gov. Pritzker, Rep. Cassidy, other members of the General Assembly, and other important stakeholders in Chicago to ensure safe and equitable legislation becomes law in Illinois.”
…Adding… Again, not a money grab…
New revenue estimates are in for cannabis program. @HeatherSteans says next year (FY 2020) it will bring in an estimated $56 million. In FY2021, the program is expected to bring in ~$140 million
Wednesday, May 15, 2019 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Three Georgia legislators send a message of support to Illinois lawmakers urging passage of the Reproductive Health Act to protect access to health care for women in Illinois and across the nation.
Learn more about the Reproductive Health Act here.
Today, Think Big Illinois released a new television ad urging state legislators to give Illinoisans the opportunity to vote on the fair tax. By supporting the fair tax amendment in Springfield, legislators will ensure Illinoisans have the chance in November 2020 to decide what kind of tax system they want – one that works for everyone, or one that just works for the wealthy few.
“Deserve” will run in markets across the state. Watch the ad here.
“Illinoisans deserve to decide if they want to keep our current unfair tax system in place, or want a system that levels the playing field for all our families. It’s not often that voters have the chance to have a direct say on such important issues for them and their families, and legislators should not deny them of that opportunity,” said Quentin Fulks, Executive Director of Think Big Illinois. “Think Big Illinois hopes legislators will do what’s best for our state and give Illinoisans the chance to vote on the fair tax.”
Illinois’ child welfare agency is so intent on keeping children with their parents even when they have strong evidence of abuse that it has sometimes left those children in grave danger, a study released Wednesday found.
Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker ordered the study of the Department of Children and Family Services’ Intact Family Services unit after the recent deaths of three children. That unit is responsible for overseeing households in which children are left at home after allegations of abuse or neglect.
Illinois has been lauded for having one of the lowest foster care entry rates of any state in the U.S. Yet researchers found a profound failure to communicate within the department; overburdened staffers; staffers so convinced that prosecutors wouldn’t agree with requests to remove children from homes that they didn’t bother to ask; and cases in which evidence and suspicions of abuse or neglect were brushed aside.
Keeping children with their families is “a laudable goal,” said Michael Cull, one of the study’s authors. “But over time for a variety of reasons it becomes an overriding priority that leads to decisions that (the agency) may not even know they are making.” […]
Illinois is not the only state with a child welfare system under fire. In fact, according to the study, the rate of death due to child maltreatment in Illinois in 2016 - 2.16 per 100,000 children - was actually a bit lower than the national figure of 2.36 per 100,000 children.
Yet the organizations who provide these [intact family services] told researchers they sometimes feel like their hands are tied. They raised the concern that some of the cases they receive are “too complex, too severe or too longstanding” for them to handle but that it’s difficult to decline a case or question the appropriateness of such referrals, said Dana Weiner, a lead researcher of the six-week study. The caseworkers also reported that they didn’t believe judges, prosecutors or department investigators would support more intensive interventions if they petitioned for it.
Families are also not required to accept the services, which can range from mental health counseling to parenting classes. Supporters of intact services note that removing a child from relatives and finding a foster care placement is a traumatic experience that should be avoided when a child’s well-being is not compromised.
“The intact providers do their best to serve the families that they are assigned with the resources that they have available to them,” said Weiner of Chapin Hall, a child welfare think tank based at the University of Chicago that put out the study. “But I think that the expectation that removals will be avoided sometimes discourages them from applying critical thinking to the current safety concerns and the best course of intervention for a family.” […]
Nearly all intact family services — or about 85 percent — are provided by community-based organizations that have contracts with DCFS. The caseworkers are only supposed to have 10 open cases at a time, the report said. When possible, the department retains the highest-risk cases to address in-house.
The Chapin Hall report identified 41 child deaths due to mistreatment that were investigated by the agency’s inspector general between 2014 and 2018. In six of those cases, the fatality occurred while there was an open intact family services case.
Some of the most serious problems highlighted in the report include the lack of historical information in critical cases that prompt Intact supervisors to be “reluctant” about elevating cases to supervisory review. The report also found a lack of communication between investigators, who identified with law enforcement, and Intact supervisors, who identified as mental health and social workers.
The report also found some structural issues, such as lack of information because a case was expunged or purged. Under current law, cases are expunged after five years, so the record would only reflect an event happened. If the allegation was unfounded, there are no details on record.
[DCFS Acting Director Marc Smith] said that change could come through the legislative process, but said it would be more helpful to see a “pattern of need and support” and not just the details of an unfounded allegation.
“Assessment of a family’s safety sometimes evolves over time,” the report says. “The unavailability of so much historical information may contribute to critical case details being lost and influences child welfare staff to rely on family’s accurate self-reporting on their history.”
“It’s basically a bureaucratic mess,” says Charles Golbert, the Illinois Public Guardian. “And we’ve known that for a long time.”
Golbert said private providers have no incentive to keep cases open until problems are resolved.
“They actually get paid less money if the case is still open after six months,” he said. “It makes no sense—it puts bureaucracy and artificial timelines ahead of child safety.”
The study recommended nine ways to address the issues; which include refining protocol for closing cases, working with courts and state’s attorneys to refine criteria for removal, redesigning assessment and child intake processes, and giving direct attention to cases at greatest risk of severe harm.
Action: Review of Open Investigations. DCFS is prioritizing the highest risk cases by taking a close look at investigations where young children are involved and certain allegations of abuse and neglect are present. This urgent review by some of DCFS’ most senior staff will cover more than 1,100 open investigations and focuses on reviewing compliance with key safety measures. Investigations found to be out of compliance will be rectified immediately and receive an additional qualitative review. DCFS expects to have findings from this internal investigation in coming weeks. These findings will help determine the scope of future reviews of investigation work.
Action: Crisis Intervention Team. In the tragic event of a child death, this 8-member team will initiate an immediate review when the death occurs during an open investigation or involves a child with an extensive history of contact with DCFS. The team will examine the family’s full history of involvement with DCFS and all relevant investigations and casework, including other current and previous cases that staff involved are handling. Their scope includes both human and systemic failures that may exist. The Crisis Intervention Team is tasked with quickly developing recommendations following their investigation and when appropriate, implementing changes in training or protocols that will rapidly lead to improving our work of protecting children.
Action: Expanding Training Programs and Retraining Caseworkers. Starting in June, veteran investigations staff will have access to the department’s newest and most advanced simulated (SIM) lab training facility in Englewood. This initiative will give key veteran front-line workers access to the latest tools and techniques being used in training. DCFS is also introducing a re-training program for all child welfare workers across the state. All staff licensed with DCFS, whether they work for the department or for a private agency, will be required to participate in ongoing training. The first re-training will be launched this summer and will focus on safety training, including identifying risks and warning signs.
DCFS Responses to Chapin Hall’s Recommendations
1) Recommendation: Develop and refine protocol for closing Intact cases. When caseworkers are properly supported and they have the right tools, they make good decisions. DCFS will address this problem immediately and develop new standard protocols for closing Intact cases in the next 60 days.
2) Recommendation: Clarify goals and expectations across staff roles. DCFS will clearly articulate expectations for every actor and agency involved in the work of promoting child safety. Defining roles for DCFS investigators, supervisors, Intact providers and staff will be addressed over the next 60 days through training, changes in policy and through communications with staff.
3) Recommendation: Utilize evidence-based approaches to preventive case work. DCFS will examine models that have been piloted and tested in Illinois and other states. We will work closely with Chapin Hall to address this recommendation over the next six months.
4) Recommendation: Improve the quality of supervision. DCFS will develop a new structure for supervision within the agency that provides more clear lines of authority and accountability. DCFS will also work with supervisors to ensure that their teams are openly communicating. Following this report, we will prioritize Intact teams to receive training on the new practice model within the next 30 days.
5) Recommendation: Adjust the preventive service array to meet the needs of the population. We will continue to work with Chapin Hall to identify the services to best support the populations Intact is serving. This process will take 12 months to implement.
6) Recommendation: Restructure preventive services (generally) and Intact (specifically). DCFS has convened a working group to develop a restructuring plan so that there is better collaboration between Intact services (which provides services) and the Investigations division (which is responsible for case investigations). DCFS will develop this plan over the next 30 days, followed by a 30-day rollout across the department.
7) Recommendation: Work with courts and State’s Attorneys to refine the criteria for child removal in complex and chronic family cases. DCFS will work to build consensus among courts and State’s attorneys concerning removal of children who have experienced multiple incidents of abuse. The department will work with partners like Casey Foundation and Chapin Hall to help us implement this system change over the next 12 months.
8) Recommendation: Redesign the assessment and intake process based on systemic review to: a) reduce redundant information collection and data input; b) support decision making with youth and families; and c) improve effective communication across child serving systems. DCFS has introduced several recent changes that eliminate some redundancy in information collection and data input. Over the next 60 days, the department is putting into place a re-training of staff to improve the efficiency, reliability, and accuracy of assessments across screening, intake, service planning, and care transitions.
9) Recommendation: Direct attention to cases at greatest risk for severe harm. DCFS, in consultation with Chapin Hall, will revisit predictive models for help identifying cases with a high risk for maltreatment. Chapin Hall has identified that other child welfare systems are increasingly making use of administrative data to speed the detection of cases that may require additional attention or intervention. This process will take 12 months to complete.
…Adding… Illinois Collaboration on Youth Chief Executive Officer Andrea Durbin…
We appreciate the thorough and thoughtful analysis by Chapin Hall focused on Intact Family Services and agree with many of its findings and recommendations. Supporting and strengthening the Intact system is a goal we all share. It is important to remember that taking children from their families can have lasting negative effects and is a very serious step that should be considered when a child’s safety is paramount. We should also remember that while Intact is an important piece of the child welfare system, it is not the only piece. The system needs focused attention across all levels of care in order to achieve long term stability. We look forward to continuing this critically important discussion and finding solutions to stabilize Illinois’ child welfare system in the days ahead.
In order to prevent more tragic losses of emergency responders and highway workers, Governor JB Pritzker and state lawmakers unveiled legislation Tuesday to strengthen Scott’s Law and understand how to better stop more senseless roadway fatalities.
“Scott’s Law says that drivers approaching a vehicle with their hazard lights on must slow down and move over. The legislation we’re announcing today enhances penalties for those who don’t obey the law and raises awareness for those who don’t even know Scott’s Law exists,” said Gov. JB Pritzker. “No one’s time or convenience is worth more than the lives of our state’s heroes.”
This year, Troopers Christopher Lambert, Brooke Jones-Story and Gerald Ellis paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the line of duty. The law was initially passed in memory of Lieutenant Scott Gillen.
The proposal is addressed with two separate pieces of legislation. The first, SB 1862, takes several steps to strengthen Scott’s Law:
Expands Scott’s Law protections to include a stationary authorized vehicle with oscillating lights, first responders, IDOT workers, law enforcement officers and any individual authorized to be on the highway within the scope of their employment or job duties;
Increases the minimum fine to $250 for a first violation of Scott’s Law and to $750 for a second or subsequent violation;
Adds $250 assessment fee for any violation of Scott’s Law to be deposited into a new dedicated fund to produce driver education materials, called the Scott’s Law Fund;
Increases criminal penalty to a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail, if violation results in damage to another vehicle or a Class 4 felony, punishable by up to one to three years in prison, if violation results in an injury or death of another person;
Amends the Criminal Code of 2012 to include firefighter and emergency medical service personnel while acting within the scope of their official duties;
Adds aggravating factors to reckless homicide charges if Scott’s Law was violated;
Requires the Secretary of State to include written question on Scott’s Law in driver’s license test.
The second piece of legislation, SB 2038, creates a Move Over Task Force to study the issue of violations of Scott’s Law, disabled vehicle law, and stationary authorized emergency vehicle law, with attention to the causes of the violations and ways to protect law enforcement and emergency responders. […]
Members of the Task Force must serve without compensation and must meet no fewer than three times. Additionally, the Task Force must present its report and recommendations to the General Assembly no later than January 1, 2020.
“Enough is enough. Three first responders have lost their lives while working on our roadways this year, and we’re cracking down on reckless drivers to prevent more senseless tragedies,” said Rep. Marcus C. Evans, the chief House sponsor of the package of legislation. “This legislation will keep our brave public servants safe and save lives.”
“As a former police officer, I know the life-threatening situations facing law enforcement every day, and I’m proud this legislation will protect and serve our brave men and women in uniform,” said Sen. Tony Munoz, the chief Senate sponsor of the package of legislation. “We can’t afford to lose any more lives, so I implore all drivers to slow down and move over when you see first responders on the roads.”
“This legislation is one way we’re working to protect the protectors,” said Rep. John Cabello. “Too many first responders have paid the ultimate price, and we are honoring their legacy by preventing even more tragic losses among our state’s heroes.”
“As Moline firefighter and paramedic, keeping our first responders safe is a deeply personal mission for me,” said Sen. Neil Anderson. “To the public servants that work on our roadways, know that we’re doing all we can to keep you safe and ensure you can return home to your families. You deserve nothing less.”
The legislation will be introduced by Rep. Marcus C. Evans Jr. (D-Chicago) and Sen. Tony Munoz (D-Chicago) and will be co-sponsored by Sen. Neil Anderson (R- Andalusia) and Reps. Tim Butler (R-Springfield), John Cabello (R-Machesney Park) and Jay Hoffman (D-Swansea).
Mayor Rahm Emanuel has privately told associates that, if anything in Chicago is ever named after him, he would love it to be the Riverwalk, the embodiment of his vision to create a “second waterfront.”
On Monday, the retiring mayor added to the case for renaming it the Rahm Emanuel Riverwalk.
With just one week to go before he leaves office, Emanuel proudly showcased a newly-transformed “Riverwalk East” from Michigan Avenue to Lake Shore Drive paid for with $12 million from a general obligation bond issue.
The investment includes: 10,000 square feet of recreational spaces; 94 new LED “dark sky compliant” light fixtures; three public restrooms; roughly 150 new tree plantings from 35 different species and public seating for 500.
* The Question: What Chicago landmark would you name for Rahm Emanuel and what would you call it? Keep it clean, please.
* This Daily Herald editorial comically misidentifies Illinois Department of Revenue Director David Harris as House Majority Leader Greg Harris. The reason it’s so funny is because former Rep. David Harris represented Arlington Heights in the House, and that’s where the paper is based…
House Majority Leader Greg Harris told lawmakers in a letter last week that state government collected 38 percent more from taxpayers in April than it did a year ago. We shudder a little to think about what Gov. J.B. Pritzker might have proposed if he had known before his February budget address that Illinois would collect $4 billion from taxpayers in April, instead of the $2.5 billion or so that was expected.
But with the tax windfall in hand now, the state has a perfect opportunity to focus on the much-troubled control side of Pritzker’s budget rather than the robust spending side. And the chief target of that attention must be the governor’s ill-advised proposal to take a so-called “holiday” from making required pension payments. The surplus announced last week will more than cover the $800 million Pritzker was planning to get by avoiding the pension payments, and that must be the first priority for its use. […]
The governor, who Harris reportedly said leans toward using the surplus to avoid the pension holiday […]
The $1.5 billion tax surplus eliminates any need to succumb to that temptation and leaves hundreds of millions for another systemic issue facing the state — its $650 million backlog of late bill payments.
Just to be sure, I checked with Leader Harris and he said he sent no such letter.
People make mistakes. No biggie. But editorials are supposedly written or at least approved by an editorial board. That would be multiple people.
And there are more problems with this editorial than getting a name wrong.
1) Director Harris didn’t “reportedly” say anything. He said the governor was recommending that the state use the increased revenue projections from Fiscal Year 2020 to pay the full statutory pension payment. I mean, it’s right here in black and, um, tan (or whatever color my website is).
2) The editorial board is apparently confused about the $800 million number. That’s the additional projected revenue increase for next fiscal year. Pritzker was planning to skip $900 million or so in pension payments, which is higher than the revenue spike, not lower, so something else will have to be cut or more revenues will have to be found.
Maybe if the paper hadn’t closed its Statehouse bureau it would have somebody to call before writing stuff like this. Or maybe they could just use the Google. Or Bing. Whatever floats your boat.
On January 30, the U.S. federal court overseeing Puerto Rico’s debt restructuring issued a ruling that may weaken the legal support for a subset of municipal securities known as “special revenue” bonds. In general, special revenue bonds are those backed by utility revenues, dedicated taxes or other dedicated payments and issued by a Chapter 9-eligible entity like a city, school district or special district government. Special revenue bonds often receive superior treatment to other bonds in Chapter 9 bankruptcy.
The ruling surprised many market participants, and in our view it is the first decision stemming from Puerto Rico’s insolvency that has meaningful implications for mainland credit quality. While the near-term impact of the decision is likely to be modest, it could have long-term implications. Currently, few special revenue issuers exhibit credit stress, and the decision may be overturned on appeal. However, special revenue bonds may constitute up to 35 percent of the $3.8 trillion municipal bond market. If the ruling proves lasting, it could trigger ratings downgrades, alter municipal investment strategy at some firms and compel legislative fixes, among other actions.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit has affirmed a controversial ruling regarding the treatment of municipal revenue debt, leaving investors with lingering questions about the value and significance of a revenue pledge in a municipal bankruptcy.
The original U.S. District Court decision roiled the municipal markets in January 2018, when Judge Laura Taylor Swain, the judge overseeing Puerto Rico’s debt restructuring, ruled that municipal debtors were permitted, but not required, to apply special revenues to pay related bonds. Judge Swain’s ruling reversed long-held conventional wisdom regarding the mandatory application of special revenues following municipal bankruptcy. […]
Although the First Circuit’s ruling covers only Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico and Rhode Island, commentators and rating agencies have expressed concern that the ruling will have a broader impact on holders of municipal revenue debt, particularly given the relative scarcity of case law interpreting issues of municipal bankruptcy. The First Circuit’s affirmation raises serious concerns about the value of a municipal revenue pledge and creditors’ ability to enforce any lien on such revenues post-bankruptcy or to otherwise protect the revenue stream.
Moody’s Investors Service has placed the Aa3 rating of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (ISTHA) under review for downgrade. ISTHA has approximately $6.1 billion of bonds outstanding.
RATINGS RATIONALE
The rating action is driven by the recent US Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit ruling related to the Puerto Rico Highways and Transportation Authority (PRHTA) bonds, which calls into question the strength of credit separations between a general government and its enterprises and component units. The review will consider economic, governance, and financial interdependencies between ISTHA and the State of Illinois (Baa3 Stable) and the extent that, in light of the afore-mentioned court ruling, and such interdependencies pose risks to ISTHA that could have an impact on its credit quality.
On March 26th, the US Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit ruled that the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is not required to pay “special revenue” debt service on PRHTA bonds (C Negative Outlook) during the pendency of bankruptcy-like proceedings. While the Court’s jurisdiction is only the Commonwealth and those states that are within the 1st Circuit (which does not include Illinois), no appellate-level court has addressed the issue of whether pledged special revenues must be paid to bondholders in a municipal bankruptcy or restructuring process until now. In other municipal bankruptcies, utility and other enterprise revenue bonds have offered extremely high recoveries when associated with general government insolvencies, though they have not always been immune from impairment despite falling under the “special revenue” pledge.
Moody’s notes that ISTHA has both authorizing legislation which states that excess revenues in the system reserve account can only be used for tollway purposes and a master indenture with a closed flow of funds. The state also passed a ballot initiative for a transportation lock box within its constitution in November 2016 with nearly 80% voter support, precluding transportation funds from being used for non- transportation uses. Taken together, this had provided sufficient independence to support the wide differential to the state’s rating. During the review period, Moody’s will determine the degree to which the authority’s rating should have a closer linkage to the rating of the state given the 1st Circuit ruling and what it may mean to the relationship between municipal governments with materially higher rated enterprises. The range of potential outcomes include a downgrade of the ISTHA’s credit which may be one or more notches to stabilizing the outlook at the current rating level.
FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE
- Reversal of the ruling by the US Court of Appeals on PRHTA bonds would be supportive of the current rating
- Reduced uncertainty with respect to the breadth of legal implications for special revenue pledges stemming from the 1st Circuit ruling and greater demonstrated independence of ISTHA from the state
FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO A DOWNGRADE
- Continued uncertainty with respect to the breadth of legal implications for special revenue pledges stemming from the 1st Circuit ruling
- Attempts by the state to divert ISTHA funds to non-authority purposes
- Deterioration of the state rating
- Traffic and revenues fall short of current projections and DSCRs fall below forecasted levels consistently below two times
This looks like a serious over-reaction by Moody’s. I mean, Illinois can’t declare bankruptcy. We’re a state not a territory.
…Adding… Illinois Tollway…
The Illinois Tollway is a world-class system with quality roadways and facilities and projected revenue of $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2019. While we appreciate Moody’s role in providing credit ratings, its review is predicated on a legal case in Puerto Rico that bears little if any resemblance to the Tollway’s situation. This is a promising time for the State of Illinois with an administration that has made fiscal stability a priority. We look forward to working with the administration to continue to provide a quality experience to all we serve.
State universities finally are getting a bit of good news from Wall Street—largely due to the state’s improved fiscal situation.
In a series of announcements Monday evening, Moody’s Investors Service said it has adjusted upward from negative to neutral its outlook on debt issued by Eastern, Northern, Northeastern and Southern Illinois universities, as well as Governors State University and Illinois State University.
Eastern, Southern and Illinois State also received even better news, as Moody’s actually raised its ratings on a type of debt known as certificates of participation and, in Eastern’s and Illinois State’s case, some bonds.
The actions at a minimum mean none of the schools now is in imminent danger of a downgrade, something that has been the case since ex-Gov. Bruce Rauner and state lawmakers engaged in a two-year budget feud. The actions also suggest that the schools will pay less interest than they might have should they borrow again.
…Adding… Good point from a reader…
Now here is a question for Moody’s, as my blood pressure rises. What is so different about the ‘special revenue’ standing of the state’s tollway versus the state’s universities regarding “materially higher-rated enterprises?” U of I is rated one notch lower than the toll road, so why is it, for example, not under the same scrutiny? Do they even think before they release this stuff???
Illinois paper is gaining ground due to scant supply and a hunger for yield combined with recent fiscal developments that should help the state hold on to its investment grade rating in the near term.
Investor appeal has driven a narrowing of state spreads that remain the highest among states. They fluctuate in tandem with market appetites and state fiscal developments that stand to influence its weak ratings that are just one to two notches above junk. […]
“Presumably yield-hungry investors feel that the sixth-largest state (in terms of population) has an appealing spread that might tighten should its tax structure change,” MMD senior market strategist Dan Berger wrote in a column Friday.
* I quit smoking cigarettes years ago because my doctors told me cigarettes almost killed me. Not a fan. But Zorn makes a good point here about Senate President John Cullerton’s proposal to raise cigarette taxes by a dollar a pack, a plan also now supported by Gov. Pritzker…
According to statistics compiled by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, those with annual household income less than $35,000 are nearly three times more likely to smoke than those in households that earn more than $100,000.
Overall, 14 percent of adults smoke. But only about 7 percent of those with a college degree light up regularly, compared to 23 percent of those without a high school diploma.
Among those with private insurance, 10.5 percent smoke, compared to 24.7 percent of the uninsured. And 35.2 percent of those suffering from “serious psychological distress” are smokers, according to the CDC. […]
Piling on them is a particularly regressive way to fund state government.
Parents and advocates gathered downtown Monday to call on Illinois Senate President John Cullerton to vote on a bill that would make Chicago’s school board elected rather than appointed, but Cullerton’s office says he’s holding the bill at the request of Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot.
Lightfoot supports an elected school board but expressed deep reservations about the bill pending in the State House, calling the large board called for in the legislation a “recipe for disaster.” She did not respond to WBEZ’s request for comment on Monday.
That bill, which would create a 21-member board, passed the House in early April. Since then, advocates have been demanding a Senate vote before the legislative session ends May 31.
“For years, the people of Chicago have been fighting for an elected school board,” said Karina Martinez, a member of the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council. “Yet, here I am standing three years later, still demanding and still waiting for an elected school board in the city.”
In an interview with WBEZ, Lightfoot said she was familiar with Martwick’s bill, but did not think a board of 20 members and a president was a good idea.
Martwick told the gathering Monday: “With 20 of them, now you have an opportunity for every group to be represented at the table, and you put more of an emphasis on grassroots organizing and you limit the influence of outside money. This structure will work. … It has been heavily vetted over the course of the last 3 1/2 years by the House of Representatives and it has passed three times with overwhelming majorities.”
The activists urged Lightfoot to push for an elected school board and for Cullerton to get the bill moving in the Senate. But John Patterson, Cullerton’s spokesman, confirmed that Lightfoot asked the Senate president to hold the measure so she could look into the issue.
Under Martwick’s proposal, the board would be comprised of 20 members elected in individual districts from around the city, compared to the seven appointed members currently on the Chicago Board of Education. And a board president would be elected citywide.
The measure passed the Illinois House in April but has yet to make its way through the state Senate amid Lightfoot’s reticence, according to the office of State Senate President John Cullerton.
“The mayor-elect did ask the Senate president to hold onto the bill so she can look into the issue more, so that’s the current status of the bill,” Cullerton’s spokesman, John Patterson, said Monday evening. […]
As for the timing, [Jeanette Taylor, alderman-elect in the 20th Ward] acknowledged that Lightfoot might need some time to weigh all these issues and others. However, dragging her feet could hold consequences for the mayor-elect, Taylor warned.
“She has four years in her term like everybody else,” Taylor said. “Chicago will make her answer.”
One of the reasons Lightfoot traveled to Springfield was to put a brick on Martwick’s bill (among others). She probably could’ve done that with a phone call or a meeting in Chicago, but it was a good idea to make the trip anyway.
…Adding… It’s important to remember that Rep. Martwick’s bill doesn’t take effect until 2023. That’s four years from now. There’s no reason that it absolutely must pass this month, just a few days after Lightfoot is sworn in. People really need to take a breath here.
Tuesday, May 14, 2019 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Discussion of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s progressive income tax amendment has turned to the largest tax Illinoisans pay: property taxes.
Illinoisans’ property tax burdens in 1996 hovered around the national average. By 2016, they had skyrocketed to among the highest in the nation. It’s true that state funding for schools explains much of residents’ high property tax burden, but the key question to consider is: Where is that money going?
Illinois state government actually contributes a larger share of funding toward public schools today than it did 20 years ago, when factoring in pension spending. The problem is that pensions now take up more than a third of the state’s contribution to education, compared with just over 8% in the 1996 school year.
This explains why from 1996-2016, Illinoisans saw less than 50 cents of every additional property tax dollar go toward services. The primary drivers of the rise in property tax bills were pensions, other benefits and debt.
Any promises of property tax relief without pension reform are illusory.
If state lawmakers don’t address this core cost driver, they’ll face continued pressured to enact income tax hikes that do little to solve the problem.
A key component of a bill that would legalize possession and sale of marijuana for recreational use in Illinois — erasing pot-related convictions for potentially hundreds of thousands of people — may violate the state Constitution, according to the group representing county prosecutors statewide.
The bill essentially would create legislative pardons, which are illegal, said Robert Berlin, president of the Illinois State’s Attorneys Association.
Under the Illinois Constitution, only the governor can issue pardons, Berlin, the DuPage County state’s attorney, told The State Journal-Register. […]
[Rep. Kelly Cassidy, D-Chicago] said automatic expungements provided for in the bill would affect only past convictions.
However, the bill’s section on “future offenses” says circuit court clerks, arresting agencies and the Illinois State Police “shall expunge” twice a year the records of people found to have committed the outlined offenses as long as the cases have been closed.
Some law enforcement officials have questioned whether the bill is attempting a back-door revision of Illinois criminal law by providing for expungement of convictions for crimes that remain on the books.
I’m told the expungement section has been changed countless times and will likely be changed again. One tactic often used by opponents is to nitpick everything they possibly can. Remain calm.
Expungement is a critical part of this. We’ve always said that the language about how this gets done is a work in progress. We have been talking to the prosecutors & law enforcement from Day One. It would be more productive to stay at the table and discuss process than to do this. One thing we’re finding is that some folks are just against expungement but need a fig leaf – any fig leaf – to hide their objection to the idea.
Agreed on that last sentence.
* Meanwhile, we’ve already talked about the very real possibility that home grow will be limited only to medical cannabis patients. The Trib talked to NORML’s guy…
The executive director of the longtime cannabis activist group Illinois NORML, Dan Linn, said he would have to consult with his advisory board on how to react to such a change.
“We’d have to look at whether we’re still able to support the legislation,” he said.
NORML did support the legalization of marijuana in the state of Washington, which prohibits homegrown pot for the general population, but many other states do allow homegrown, Linn said.
“People say to pass the best bill you can and come back later to try and make it better,” Linn said. “But we’ve had significant problems with the (existing) medical cannabis program that we still have not been able to fix.”
Vigorous advocacy is a good thing. It helps keep the stakeholders honest. But, in the end, it comes down to 60-30-signature. Remember the lessons of the past four years.
After regulatory costs are covered, 25 percent of proceeds from taxes and other revenue generated from recreational marijuana would be deposited in an account dubbed the Restoring Our Communities fund, a new pot of money that would provide grants aimed at reducing violence, particularly gun violence, and increasing economic development in communities ravaged by violence, poverty and high incarceration rates. A board including legislators, former inmates, experts in violence reduction, members of community groups, officials with several state agencies and representatives from the governor’s office and attorney general’s office would decide how the money is spent.
In addition to money for the new fund, 35 percent of recreational pot revenue would go to the state general fund, 20 percent would be allocated for substance abuse and mental health treatment, 10 percent would go toward paying the state’s overdue bills, 8 percent would be sent to the state Law Enforcement Standards and Training Board and 2 percent would be spent on drug education and substance abuse awareness.
Someone is paying for a poll to test how former state Sen. Jeanne Ives, R-Wheaton, would do against freshman Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., who represents the swing suburban sixth congressional district.
Ives, a conservative, almost defeated former Gov. Bruce Rauner and Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti in the March, 2018 GOP primary, with Rauner struggling to attract Republicans while also keeping a distance from President Donald Trump.
In April, Sanguinetti announced a March, 2020 GOP primary bid in the sixth. […]
Ives was asked, “Are you interested or thinking about running for Congress in the 6th district?” and she replied, “We’ve you know, this for me it’s always been a team decision. I don’t do anything without my team supporting it and we’ve not made a decision on any race at all.”
Asked about the origins of the survey, she said, “You know, I don’t control that,” adding that she was one of the people getting a call from the polling firm.
An Ives run has long been expected by several folks in the area.
* Somebody tweeted at me about the poll the other day…
I’m a resident of IL06 and the poll asked if the candidates were Casten and Ives, who would I vote for? Then, 4 or so questions exaggerating Casten’s positions and statements and asking if I would still vote for him after knowing he supports abortion. Hell yes!
(To the best of my recollection) During the campaign, Casten took a moderate stance on abortion. Once elected he reveals himself to be vehemently pro-choice, which some people call pro infanticide. Does this make you more likely to vote for him?
“Whether it’s Evelyn Sanguinetti or Jeanne Ives, it’s clear that Republicans will be running a rubber stamp in the 6th District for President Trump’s disastrous agenda of higher health care costs and higher taxes,” said DCCC spokesperson Mike Gwin. “Illinoisans want someone like Sean Casten who will stand up to President Trump when he hurts Illinois and threatens our values – not someone like Sanguinetti or Ives who will back him every step of the way.”
President Trump lost the 6th CD by 7 points in 2016. This is a formerly reliable GOP bastion, but it’s now a swing district for the near-term at least. Casten won by 7 points last year and Gov. Bruce Rauner won by 5. Rauner won by 33 points four years earlier. Obama lost it by 8 in 2012.
This is how @GHNewsroom operates: High-profile editor gives 2-wk notice on Friday. Monday afternoon these geniuses decide to take her keys and walk her out in front of employees. Now readers have all week to be mad and cancel subscriptions. BRILLIANT. https://t.co/gFIbgyWkzi
The entire State Journal-Register newsroom walked out today in support of now former editor Angie Muhs, who was walked out of the building this afternoon by the paper’s general manager after submitting her resignation on Friday.
In an impromptu show of solidarity, the staff accompanied Muhs as she left the building for the final time. “Everyone walked out with her as a show of respect,” reporter Dean Olsen said. “We all gave her a hug and applauded for her and thanked her for the stand that she was taking. … People are crying.”
Olsen said Muhs told her staff on Friday that she was leaving partly in hopes of avoiding more layoffs at a paper that has been decimated by staff cuts. “I think her hope was, by not having her salary to pay, her hope would be that there would be no layoffs,” said Olsen, who wasn’t present when Muhs announced her departure last week. “She was a very good editor, and she tried to promote good journalism in Springfield, despite some pretty trying circumstances that she had to deal with from GateHouse Media (the paper’s corporate owner).”
Muhs declined to say what she told her staff, but she said she wasn’t expecting colleagues to walk out of the building with her. “I was very touched,” Muhs said. “I didn’t expect that. … I have tremendous respect and admiration for the State Journal-Register staff. They’re dedicated. They’re hard working. They care about doing quality local journalism, and they persevered under some really tough conditions.”
Muhs lasted five years as editor of the State Journal-Register, coming to Springfield from a media company in Maine. For the second year in a row, the SJ-R this spring was named GateHouse Newspaper of the Year for its circulation division. In 2017, Muhs was named Editor of the Year in the SJ-R’s circulation division in a company-wide contest. GateHouse Media, which bought the SJ-R in 2007 and promised “hyperlocal” coverage, publishes more than 150 daily papers and is one of the nation’s biggest newspaper companies.
The paper is down to five news reporters. Ownership laid off the longtime photo editor a couple of weeks ago.
…Adding… The company makes money, it just spends it on the top dogs…
