* He apparently didn’t get enough of an ego boost out of his mayoral bid…
Wilson to Announce Run for President
Saying he has made up his mind about a possible run for President of the United States, Chicago millionaire businessman Willie Wilson is set to deliver that decision on June 1st.
“This has not been an easy decision for me”, says Wilson. “But I know that it is the right decision.”
Wilson announced earlier in the month that he had launched an exploratory committee that would ultimately advise him on what he should do.
Wilson has made it clear that if he decides to get into the ever-growing field of presidential hopefuls, that he would be “a people’s candidate.”
The former Chicago mayoral candidate says, “The citizens of America want a national agenda that focuses on their needs and improves their lives.”
Wilson will reveal his much-anticipated decision during a Southside news conference on Monday, June 1, 2015.
WHO: Dr. Willie Wilson
WHAT: News Conference to announce his decision on a run for President
Post-traumatic stress disorder would be considered a debilitating illness that can be treated with medically prescribed marijuana under legislation headed to Gov. Bruce Rauner.
The House approved state Rep. Lou Lang’s measure 68-36 on Saturday. The Skokie Democrat says marijuana can help people suffering from PTSD.
The Illinois House approved legislation Friday prohibiting state workers from going on strike or being locked out of their jobs if negotiations on a new labor agreement stall.
The House voted 67-25 to approve the measure, which now goes to the Senate for approval.
Under the bill, either side in labor talks could declare an impasse, starting a process in which the contract would be sent to binding arbitration.
The House approved a measure Friday creating two state agencies for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.
The bill passed by a 69-47 vote, with Republicans criticizing the Democratic-led bill as needlessly partisan. A previous version of the bill would have separated the two agencies but also rolled Historic Preservation into the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. It also would have privatized some of DCEO’s operations. […]
Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, said he agreed with some parts of the proposal, but he ultimately voted against it.
“Once again, as we’ve seen over the last few weeks, the process is wrong,” he said. “The governor’s office needs to be involved in this operation.”
A first-of-its-kind heroin bill is now in passage stage in the state Senate after being unanimously approved by the House this week.
But a local judge who heads Champaign County’s drug court thinks the legislation is misguided.
The sponsor of the bill, Rep. Lou Lang, D-Skokie, said the Heroin Crisis Act would be the most expansive heroin bill ever enacted and a potential model for the nation.
The House has unanimously advanced legislation to require land surveyors to give notice to landowners before beginning construction of high-voltage transmission lines. […]
The House also has endorsed legislation without opposition that clarifies zoning laws for wind turbines.
The House sponsor of the legislation, state Rep. Thomas Bennett, R-Gibson City, said the measure will help regulate where turbines can be constructed.
* I don’t know if there was a brick on this one, but if Rauner did brick it, GOP Rep. Dave McSweeney either didn’t get the memo or ignored it because he was the only HGOP to vote for the legislation…
ollowing a rise in concern over data breaches and identity theft, state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego, worked with Attorney General Lisa Madigan to pass legislation Thursday offering consumers stronger protections against cyber criminals.
“Technology has benefited our society in many ways and has enabled us to do normal every-day tasks by the touch of a button,” Kifowit said. “In these changing times, it is important to update our laws so we can better prevent identity theft and safeguard private medical information.”
When data breaches occur, companies are required to notify customers that their financial information might be at risk. Kifowit’s Senate Bill 1833 extends these protections to include medical information and online accounts. Under her legislation, data collectors must notify the Illinois Attorney General’s office if a security breach occurs involving a consumer’s personal information. The Attorney General’s office will create a website to post information on the latest breaches to keep consumers up-to-date.
* There was a weighty brick on this one, but from what I’m told the Republicans actually pushed back against the governor and he lifted it…
The Illinois House approved legislation Friday that will alter the fee people pay for 911 emergency phone service.
Under a proposal crafted over the past year, the cost of 911 will be 87 cents per month. That figure will be the same for both mobile phones and landline phones.
The measure was sent to the Senate on a 94-15 vote. […]
Without legislative action, the law governing 911 service in Illinois will sunset on July 1.
Today the Illinois General Assembly took a stand against subjecting Illinois children to harmful mental health practices. Sadly, many have been victims of a harmful pseudo-scientific procedure. It is called “gay conversion therapy,” and is an attempt to change a young person’s sexual orientation from gay to straight.
To eradicate this practice and protect our young people, Senator Daniel Biss (D – Evanston) passed legislation through the General Assembly today that will prohibit licensed mental health professionals from providing such therapies.
The legislation states that no one under 18 should be given therapy or referred to therapy that has a goal of changing his or her sexual orientation, and mental health providers that do so will be considered to have unprofessional conduct and will be disciplined accordingly.
“We must confront the reality that conversion therapy can cause anxiety, mental illness, trauma and can increase the risk of suicide,” said Senator Biss. “I will continue to fight for the rights and health of the LGBTQ community in Illinois, and to keep our children safe, just the way they are.”
Many organizations of mental health professionals, such as the Illinois Psychological Association, the American Psychoanalytic Association and the Illinois Psychiatric Society are strongly opposed to this practice because they deem it to be dangerous.
* From the Illinois Family Institute…
Yesterday afternoon, the Illinois Senate voted 34-19-1 to pass HB 217, a bill that will censor professional therapists who want to help children who suffer from unchosen, unwanted same-sex attraction. Republican State SenatorsChristine Radogno (Lemont) and Chris Nybo (Hinsdale) voted with the majority of Democrats to pass this tyrannical legislation. Five state senators did not vote, while State Senator Bill Haine (D-Alton) voted present — which is as good as a “no” vote. […]
The bill now moves to Governor Bruce Rauner. While he campaigned as a “no social issues” candidate in 2014, he now has to face the reality that the Illinois General Assembly is filled with politicians who want to advance radical legislation dealing with social issues–many of whom want to champion a far left social agenda agenda. Gov. Rauner will now be compelled to reveal his position on this highly divisive and controversial “social” issue.
* From Kyle Hillman yesterday…
In the time I have been lobbying for social workers rarely have I seen an opponent help me close a bill as well as [the Illinois Family Institute] and Concerned Christian Americans did today.
The article was picked up by the Illinois Family Institute today and faxed to every Senator. Rev. Bob Vandenbosch is even hand delivering a copy of the article to Senate legislators while we speak. Except there was one problem, no one asked the author about HB 217.
So I did.
Turns out he is adamantly against efforts to convert a child’s sexual orientation and even supports the bill. (The subject in the article he wrote - HB 217 specifically does not ban.)
—–Original Message—–
From: Michael Bailey [mailto:xxxxxx.edu]
Sent: Thursday, May 28, 2015 12:27 PM
To: Kyle Hillman
Subject: Re: Bill Language.
Left you a phone message. The bill seems to be about sexual orientation, only, and as such, I support it.
Hoping to salvage some of his business-friendly agenda, Gov. Bruce Rauner said he wants to strike a deal with Democrats on issues like a property tax freeze and workers compensation reform by a midnight Sunday deadline.
With the clock ticking toward the legislature’s Sunday adjournment, the Republican governor said Democrats who control the General Assembly must act on those issues before he will sign off on a tax hike to balance a budget that is at least $3 billion out of whack.
“We can’t just raise taxes,” Rauner said. “If they really are sincere about making significant reforms, we’ll know by Sunday night. We’ll either have a deal Sunday night or we won’t.”
Over the past month, Democrats have voted down pieces of the governor’s pro-business proposals, saying they would gut labor unions and hurt the middle class. During a 15-minute chat with reporters at the Executive Mansion on Friday, Rauner said he has pared down his once expansive “Turnaround Agenda” in order to forge a compromise to keep the state operating.
Democrats and even some Republicans are unsure how much Rauner wants and how far he will go to achieve his short-term and long-term goals.
“Well, the governor…made it clear that he is ready to dig in for the long haul, that he is not going to be, you know, forced into some short-term solution that is not good for the state in the long run. That was made clear,” Senate Republican leader Christine Radogno of Lemont said of the current gridlock.
* The Question: What is the likelihood that House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton will bow to the governor’s demands and work out an agreement with Rauner on his workers’ compensation reforms and property tax freeze by Sunday night? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
If legislators are willing to reform how we do business, they will find me an eager partner. If they are not, then they should expect a very long extra session because I will keep fighting for major reforms that will grow jobs and help properly fund services by shrinking waste inside government.
Rauner said he will not call the legislature back into special session because it will add needless costs to the state.
Now, maybe you think he flip-flopped. But I don’t believe that he ever intended to keep legislators in session all summer.
History teaches us that legislators milling about Springfield during the summer with nothing to do often find themselves wandering over to the press box and bad-mouthing the governor. It happened all the time during the Blagojevich overtimes.
What RRB never understood was that when the General Assembly leaves town the governor has the statewide stage all to himself.
Democrats’ $36 billion budget have now been approved by the General Assembly. But that doesn’t mean they’re going to the governor - at least not yet. […]
As with all legislation, Democrats get 30 days to send the budget bills to Rauner - which is right about when that spending plan should take effect; the new fiscal year begins July 1.
A veto from Rauner then could send affected programs and agencies that depend on that state money into a tailspin.
There’s no telling when Democrats will forward the budget bills to the governor for him to take action; however Sen. President John Cullerton has put a parliamentary hold known as a motion to reconsider on the nine budget measures the Senate took final action on today. His spokeswoman says that’s because some pieces of the budget haven’t been acted on yet, and the plan is to put it all together.
Until there’s a deal, the Democrats have no reason to send him that budget. And the Dems can hold onto it indefinitely with a motion to reconsider. The 30-day clock doesn’t start until after the motion is removed.
But it seems unlikely that the Democrats will hold the budget beyond the start of the new fiscal year on July 1st.
Armed with a campaign war chest of more than $34 million including some from his allies, Rauner has at the ready a summer TV and mail campaign he can deploy to attempt to win over public opinion and lay blame for Illinois’ financial problems and poor job growth at the feet of Madigan, Senate President John Cullerton and the legislature’s Democratic majority. […]
During closed-door meetings with House and Senate Republicans, Rauner displays the results of polling he’s conducted that contends Madigan has become one of Illinois’ most unpopular politicians and is ripe to be taken out. District maps were drawn by Democrats, however, and that makes the task of unseating the current Democratic supermajorities in the House and Senate a yearslong task. […]
That’s where the Rauner TV ad campaign comes in, though there are questions about its effectiveness in stirring public opinion in summer, when many viewers are focused on the outdoors rather than televisions showing political advertising.
Democratic Sen. Terry Link of Waukegan said the ads may come, but he believes voters are unhappy with any politician, regardless of their partisanship.
“What works is people want to see you, both sides, Democrats and Republicans, governors and legislators, sitting at a table and getting done what’s of a benefit to the state of Illinois. They’re going to be as upset at Republicans as they are at Democrats. It’s everybody that’s bad. There’s no good guy out of the deal,” Link said.
I don’t think the Democrats even partially appreciate the consequences of what’s about to hit them. Subscribe to learn more, but it’s gonna get exponentially uglier than anything we’ve ever seen around these parts.
And the polling shows that Madigan is the most unpopular politician in the nation, by the way. At least, that’s what the Rauner folks are saying.
…Adding… Every governor going back to I think Dan Walker has been ripped for this at one time or another. In that context, it’s really not a huge deal...
One of the representatives sitting at the testimony table was Jennifer Hammer, who was described by her colleague as ”the governor’s senior policy adviser.”
It’s an interesting title given that Hammer isn’t being paid by the governor’s office.
Instead, records show, her $115,000 salary is being drawn from the cash-strapped Illinois Department of Human Services, which provides funding for some of the neediest populations in Illinois.
However, Rauner clearly wants to slash the Human Services budget and that makes this particular move noteworthy.
“Now, there are a lot of negotiations that are happening in this building, but I don’t pretend to believe that I’m going to negotiate you into becoming a Democrat, any more than I think you can negotiate me into becoming a Republican.”
The governor needs to remember that the Democrats have super-majorities in both legislative chambers. But the Democrats need to finally come to terms with the fact that Illinois voters chose a Republican governor last year, 50.3 to 46.3 percent.
“You go right to the heart and cut that off because you want to go after collective bargaining,” said [Sen. Kimberly Lightford] following a tense exchange in which [Richard] Goldberg, Rauner’s aide, at one point tried to speak over her in an attempt to rebut her argument.
Goldberg received a scolding from Sen. Don Harmon, an Oak Park Democrat who chairs the committee.
“When a senator is speaking to you, I would strongly counsel you to close your mouth and open your ears and then you’ll have a chance to respond,” Harmon said.
Goldberg has built a reputation this spring as a super-direct, aggressive defender of Gov. Rauner. I’ve known him for about a year or so, and have seen his temper, but I also like the dude a lot, even though he has made more enemies among rank and file Democrats than just about any legislative director I’ve ever covered.
The Rauner administration witness clearly deferred to Goldberg and Richard began answering the question. Yes, there was some subsequent cross-talk, but I’m not sure it rose to the level of deserving that particular smackdown - at least in this instance.
Taken in context, a blow-up was about to happen sooner or later, and a Democratic escalation could be in the cards.
Everybody needs to take a breath here.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Check out this video for an even harsher exchange between Democrats and Republicans during a recent Senate Judiciary Committee hearing…
Whew.
Man.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Not all is hyper-partisan gloom and doom. Watch this comedic exchange from around noon today in the House…
Federal authorities have interviewed at least two victims of sexual misconduct in the case against former Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert, according to a source familiar with the investigation.
The longest-serving GOP speaker allegedly paid hush money to cover up sexual misconduct with one male student dating to his time as a coach and teacher in Yorkville, the source said.
The source said federal investigators identified, then interviewed, at least one other alleged victim in the case against Hastert. The second victim’s statements to investigators were critical to corroborating allegations of past sexual misconduct, the source said. There was no allegation of a financial relationship involving the second individual, the source said.
These are usually not isolated incidents, so it’s no surprise and, heck, we could see more. But keep in mind that these are only allegations at this point.
I’m told Hastert could have kept the entire thing covered up, if he’d gone to certain lawyers, the kind who are practiced in paying off sexual partners.
The technical problem, if you’ve followed the story, is that Hastert set off alarm bells by first withdrawing too much at one time, and later, by consistently withdrawing less than $10,000.
And I’m sure there are lawyers good enough to arrange hush money payoffs and call it legal. That’s what they do.
But Hastert didn’t go to the lawyers known for this work. He didn’t trust them. If he had, then his secret would have been theirs and apparently, he couldn’t handle it.
So he did it himself. And though I’m speculating here, I think we can see why:
* The weekend is upon us, but the our ScribbleLive coverage continues, sponsored by The Illinois Kids Campaign. Will it all burn to the ground? Watch it.…
* From the unusual coalition of the Illinois NAACP and the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police …
State legislation regarding the use of body-worn cameras by police officers in Illinois has been a priority for both of our organizations this spring. In April of this year the NAACP and the ILACP met to discuss our mutual concerns, and body cameras emerged as a top mutual priority.
We are pleased to see this initiative advance in the Illinois General Assembly in Springfield this week, and we believe it is significant that our two organizations are making this statement of support together. We are committed to seeking and demanding transparency and accountability in law enforcement. Body cameras will help show the public that most police officers are engaged in constitutional policing, and they will help identify officers who abuse their authority or commit misconduct.
We are pleased that the legislation moving through the General Assembly adopts many recommendations from the U.S. Department of Justice, the National Police Executive Research Forum, the International and Illinois associations of chiefs of police, and the NAACP Legislative Agenda. It does not require every officer to wear a body camera. That could be prohibitively expensive in some communities. At the same time, this legislation makes grants available so that more police departments can purchase body cameras and it provides reasonable guidelines for their use. It will take some time for police departments to acquire the cameras and provide training for their use. Also, it will take some time for all citizens to understand the rules about when the cameras are turned on and when the cameras can be turned off.
We plan to work together to educate the public about the use of body cameras and other initiatives that will help build mutual trust. We all want to make our communities safer and the best way to accomplish that is for us to work together.
In the meantime, we continue to review other proposed police reforms in SB1304 and we thank Senator Kwame Raoul and Representative Elgie Sims and other supporters.
* And from the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law…
Senate Bill 1547, now on its way to the Governor, creates a necessary protection to survivors of domestic violence and individuals with disabilities in Illinois. It will prevent local governments from enacting or enforcing ordinances that punish tenants for calling 911 in response to domestic or sexual violence, or for crimes committed against them. The bill is a response to local ordinances that treat police calls as “nuisances”—sending a victim-blaming message to survivors of domestic violence and discouraging them from seeking help. No one should fear losing their home because they call the police to protect themselves.
The language of SB 1547 is a result of negotiations with local governments, property owners, law enforcement organizations, and advocates throughout the State. It strikes a critical balance between the needs of cities to address public safety concerns and the needs of tenants and landlords to be free from the dangerous impact of ordinances that impose penalties based on 911 calls. As a result, SB 1547 was voted unanimously out of both chambers and has the support of over 80 organizations, including the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence, ACLU of Illinois, Illinois State’s Attorney, Illinois Sheriffs’ Association, Illinois Association of Realtors, Access Living, and Illinois Attorney General’s Office.
We thank Senator Toi Hutchinson and Representative Anthony DeLuca for their leadership in moving this important bill through the General Assembly and we urge Governor Rauner to sign it into law as soon as possible.
He’ll obviously decide what’s real and what’s not, but - and I don’t think I’ve ever said this before [/snark] - he ought to heed Rep. Jack Franks’ advice…
Thursday morning, Rauner released the prepared remarks of top aide Rich Goldberg to be given before a committee of lawmakers.
“In short, while Gov. Rauner says yes to reform and yes to compromise, the legislators in control of the General Assembly say no to reform, no to compromise, yes to unbalanced budgets and yes to higher taxes without reform,” he said.
Franks carried a property tax freeze proposal that Republicans decried as a stunt, but the Democrat says he agrees with the governor on the idea in general, and he had some advice for Rauner to advance his big first-year agenda.
“Do it incrementally. That’s what happens here in Springfield. I’d like to move things quicker, too,” Franks said. “It doesn’t happen overnight, because some people just aren’t ready for it. So you have to chip away.”
He’s right.
Get your foot in the door.
It’s what Gov. Jim Edgar did with property tax caps in the 1991 spring overtime session. Edgar settled for much less than he demanded and eventually the limits spread well beyond the handful of counties originally capped.
Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security. You can go on and on. They started off much smaller than they are today.
* Don’t make the perfect the enemy of the half-good.
* I told subscribers this morning that there’s been some interesting little behind the scenes movement over the past 48 hours or so. Keep your fingers crossed…
Durkin and Radogno say Rauner says he won't sign out of balance budget but all leaders now willing to deal. #progresspic.twitter.com/aymy5xQxh2
*** UPDATE 1 *** I wasn’t at the media availability, so I asked Cullerton’s press secretary to explain…
Cullerton again restated his commitment to work with the governor on reforms. Many of the governor’s ideas were given a fair hearing in the Senate.
Even though those bills failed, that doesn’t mean that we can’t continue to work on a turnaround agenda that works for middle class families.
*** UPDATE 2 *** The event will hopefully be live-streamed by BlueRoomStream.com. Click here.
*** UPDATE 3 *** The two GOP leaders said they didn’t think there would be a negotiated budget by Sunday, but they did hold out hope that some progress can be made on the non-budgetary front. Listen to the whole thing…
*** UPDATE 4 *** I really thought I could see a glimmer of hope in the governor’s remarks, despite the bluster.
But Speaker Madigan’s spokesman Steve Brown told me he didn’t see anything in there to indicate that the impasse could be broken.
He also said that the leader’s meeting featured the governor repeating his usual talking points.
Brown added that when Rauner was told that his own budget proposal was $3 billion out of balance he acted surprised. “It was totally news to him,” Brown said. “I conclude that the bubble is perhaps more complete than we thought.”
When Democratic Sen. William Haine of Alton asked whether defense attorneys were a part of the development of the tort reform bill, Radogno said, “I don’t think we should have the lobbyists drafting the bills.”
“I’m shocked, I’m shocked that you would say that,” said Haine, feigning surprise.
Then Rauner’s deputy chief of staff, Rich Goldberg, interjected, “I know Governor Rauner is not from Springfield. I’m not from Springfield. A lot of us are not from Springfield. The culture in Springfield has to change. That lobbyists, it’s status quo for them to help write your legislation, Governor Rauner wants to get the lobbyists out of government.”
Later, Goldberg added, “To accept the status quo of special interests and lobbyists writing legislation is something that we reject and it is really the reason why …”
Haine interrupted: “I’m not suggesting they write the legislation. I’m suggesting that the way we have historically done things here and in all states of the union, and Congress, is to have people in the room negotiating with the legislators who know the consequences to their groups.”
* OK, first of all, Radogno’s claims are completely unbelievable.
Defense bar lobsters may not have been physically at the table when the legislation was drafted, but, c’mon, man. Where did that language come from? The defense bar and its allies, obviously. It didn’t just organically spring up outta nowhere.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
The people have the right to assemble in a peaceable manner, to consult for the common good, to make known their opinions to their representatives and to apply for redress of grievances.
The founders of this nation and the drafters of our own state Constitution realized that the government truly needed input from the governed. That’s only logical.
Of course some lobbyists can get outta hand. This is not a perfect system, to say the least.
But legislators and governors are not all-knowing gods. They simply can’t, and shouldn’t, pass legislation without first consulting the people, businesses, groups, whatever who are being impacted by that legislation. It’s stupid governance to do otherwise. How would a lawyer from Skokie know anything about a farm bill without talking to farmers and their representatives and the folks on the other side?
* Haine is right. You don’t let lobsters write bills on their own, which is what the GOP did with their tort reform bill, whether they admit it or not. But you need to bring stakeholders into the room at some point so you don’t mess things up.
The governor also has not taken questions from journalists since May 14. This week, after leaving a private meeting with Republican lawmakers, a Chicago Tribune reporter got in an elevator with Rauner and several aides and asked the governor a series of questions about the state budget Democrats were preparing. Rauner didn’t answer, but eventually looked at the reporter and said, “Can I give you a hug?” The reporter declined.
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“We are going to have to wait until the Democrats realize they are going to have to come to the table and compromise,” [Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno] said. “Remember, they’ve had 13 years of complete control, so having to compromise is a brand-new way of thinking for most of them.”
It most certainly is and they’ve never experienced this kind of treatment before.
“You go right to the heart and cut that off because you want to go after collective bargaining,” said [Sen. Kimberly Lightford] following a tense exchange in which [Richard] Goldberg, Rauner’s aide, at one point tried to speak over her in an attempt to rebut her argument.
Goldberg received a scolding from Sen. Don Harmon, an Oak Park Democrat who chairs the committee.
“When a senator is speaking to you, I would strongly counsel you to close your mouth and open your ears and then you’ll have a chance to respond,” Harmon said.
* And if something doesn’t change really soon, this state is careening toward DC-style gridlock…
The budget battle between GOP Gov. Bruce Rauner and Springfield Democrats is producing lots of collateral damage, as the two sides hold up action on unrelated bills to send a message in the larger dispute.
For instance, a bill to tweak the state’s telecommunications law had appeared on the path toward passage early yesterday despite opposition from the Citizens Utility Board and Attorney General Lisa Madigan.
The measure would block AT&T’s request to cut back on its number of land lines. But it would allow the company and other providers to begin imposing a means test for those who receive certain low-price phone packages via a grandfather clause in state law. It also would allow the city of Chicago to continue to impose a $3.90 tax on monthly phone bills to pay for 911 service, and would centralize 911 regulation outside Chicago into a new state agency.
But according to House Speaker Michael Madigan’s office, Rauner no longer is promising to sign the bill, risking passage prospects. A rather snippy Team Rauner isn’t denying that.
As Democrats who control the General Assembly make a big political show of rejecting portions of his “Turnaround Illinois” agenda day after day, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner has all but disappeared from the public eye.
He occasionally surfaces outside his suite of key-coded, second-floor statehouse offices to pose for pictures with high school students, or to make a quick pitch to supporters of elements of his agenda. He’s visited Republican lawmakers in closed-door sessions at the Capitol to offer pep talks to try to keep them unified, and even had the House GOP caucus to the executive mansion on Wednesday night for a chat over beers. […]
Privately, rank-and-file Republican lawmakers say the hideaway strategy is simple: one, the rookie governor wants to avoid muddling his message. Two, the governor is preparing to use an ample campaign war chest with an assist from his allies to air a fusillade of TV attack ads this summer aimed at swaying public opinion to pressure Democrats to give him what he wants.
And so as Sunday’s deadline approaches, Republicans say Rauner already is looking ahead to overtime, rather than attempting to broker a broad-based deal to end the session on time.
I have a different view about his public silence, as subscribers are aware. But I don’t necessarily disagree with the Trib’s take.
* You can bet all nine of the governor’s houses (and the Senate) that this thing is gonna be vetoed with relish…
The state’s largest public employee union is pushing a bill that would prevent state workers from striking or being locked out in the event talks on a new labor contract stall.
Instead, the labor dispute would be handed over to an arbitrator to resolve through binding arbitration.
The House Labor and Commerce Committee approved Senate Bill 1229 on Thursday night on a partisan vote. […]
“That will prevent any unilateral and dictatorial imposition of any harsh and unreasonable changes in employment, changes that would likely force a work stoppage, thereby causing massive disruption of state services,” [Mike Newman, deputy director for Council 31 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees] said. […]
Newman, though, said it was “highly unlikely” the two sides would reach an agreement by the end of June “given the extreme nature of the proposals that we’ve been looking at.”
The proposal is sponsored by Rep. Mike Smiddy, who was elected three years ago without much backing from Speaker Madigan, but with tons of support from AFSCME.
* But check out this passage from Speaker Madigan’s proposal to separate the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum away from the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency...
Staff hired [by the new ALPLM entity] on or after the effective date of this Act shall not be subject to the Personnel Code or any applicable collective bargaining agreement.
Um, wow. That could’ve been written by Rauner himself.
AFSCME says they’re aware of the problem and are working on it.
Yields on the state’s 10-year obligations reached a 16-month high of 4.17 percent last week, data compiled by Bloomberg show. The spread was about 1.8 percentage points above benchmark debt, the widest since December 2013.
Debt from Illinois has lost about 1.3 percent this year, while the entire municipal market is about flat, Barclays Plc data show. […]
“I don’t see how this credit does not get downgraded within the next two months,” said Paul Mansour, head of municipal research in Hartford, Connecticut at Conning, which oversees $11 billion in munis for insurance companies.
Trading in Illinois bonds suggests the municipal market is moving in that direction. Federally tax-exempt general obligations maturing in March 2032 traded Thursday for an average yield of about 4.9 percent. In comparison, a Bank of America Merrill Lynch index of BBB general obligations due in about 17 years has an effective yield of 4.85 percent.
In a measure of how serious Chicago’s financial woes have become, the city will pay unusually high interest rates on a $674 million borrowing deal reached Wednesday — the first since a major debt rating agency lowered Chicago’s creditworthiness to junk status this month.
A Tribune analysis estimated Chicago is paying at least $70 million more to borrow the money than if the city were rated at the higher level it was just 15 months ago.
Indicted former House Speaker Dennis Hastert was paying an individual from his past to conceal sexual misconduct, two federal law enforcement officials said Friday.
One of the officials, who would not speak publicly about the federal charges in Chicago, said “Individual A,” as the person is described in Thursday’s federal indictment, was a man and that the alleged misconduct was unrelated to Hastert’s tenure in Congress. The actions date to Hastert’s time as a Yorkville, Ill., high school wrestling coach and teacher, the official said.
“It goes back a long way, back to then,” the source said. “It has nothing to do with public corruption or a corruption scandal. Or to his time in office.” Thursday’s indictment described the misconduct “against Individual A” as having “occurred years earlier.”
Asked why Hastert was making the payments, the official said it was to conceal Hastert’s past relationship with the male. “It was sex,’’ the source said. The other official confirmed that the misconduct involved sexual abuse.
J. Dennis Hastert, the former speaker of the House of Representatives, was paying a man to not say publicly that Mr. Hastert had sexually abused him decades ago, according to two people briefed on the evidence uncovered in an F.B.I. investigation into the payments. […]
The man – who was not identified in court papers — told the F.B.I. that he had been inappropriately touched by Mr. Hastert when Mr. Hastert was a high school teacher and wrestling coach, the two people said on Friday. The people briefed on the investigation spoke on the condition of anonymity because they did not want to be identified discussing a federal investigation.
The indictment accuses Hastert of agreeing to pay an unnamed person, “Individual A,” $3.5 million in order to cover up some kind of “misconduct” on Hastert’s part. The document says Individual A is a longtime Yorkville resident who has known Hastert most of his life.
What is the “misconduct?”
The indictment is silent on this point. It doesn’t describe what federal authorities say Hastert was trying to cover up.
When did it happen?
The accusations also don’t describe this. Given the long time “Individual A” is said to have known Hastert, the “misconduct” described could predate his career in politics. Hastert was the longest-serving Republican speaker and spent 20 years as a member of Congress. Before that, he served at the Illinois Capitol. The indictment noted that before entering state and federal politics in 1981, Hastert served for more than a decade as a government and history teacher and wrestling and football coach at Yorkville High School.
Hastert’s case was assigned Thursday to U.S. District Court Judge Thomas Durkin, an appointee of President Barack Obama. The former speaker was apparently not arrested. A statement from the U.S. attorney’s office said he would be arraigned at a later date.
Judge Thomas Durkin is the brother of House Republican Leader Jim Durkin of Western Springs, the GOP’s leader in the Illinois House. Jim Durkin is in the middle of a budget fight in Springfield against Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
Judge Thomas Durkin was confirmed to the federal bench in 2012 and used to be a partner in the law firm Mayer Brown.
Hastert’s son, Ethan Hastert, is an attorney at Mayer Brown.
Leader Durkin, by the way, was not pleased with the lack of support shown for his US Senate campaign by Speaker Hastert.
On Thursday, there were signs that Hastert’s world has been turned upside down. A spokesman for the CME Group confirmed that Hastert had resigned from the board of directors of the Chicago-based futures market operator. Hastert also resigned his position as co-leader of Dickstein Shapiro’s Public Policy and Political Law practice, a spokesman for the lobbying firm confirmed late Thursday.
It also emerged that the Illinois House put on hold a proposal to spend $500,000 to put a statue in the state Capitol honoring Hastert. He declined the offer about a month ago, a spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan said.
Rumors that Hastert had serious legal problems were bouncing around the Capitol in recent weeks. In an interview with POLITICO last week, Hastert, the longest-serving Republican House speaker in U.S. history, denied that he had problems with the IRS and denied that he was about to be indicted.
“I read what you heard, but that’s not correct,” Hastert told POLITICO when asked about problems with the IRS. “I’m not going to talk to you.”
U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C.,talks to reporters in his office on Wednesday, May 14, 2014, in Columbia, S.C. Clyburn said South Carolina can’t improve if it continues to elect Republicans. Clyburn is South Carolina’s only Democratic congressman. (AP Photo).
When a POLITICO reporter told Hastert in a phone interview that he was about to be indicted, he said, “Well, it’s not true.”
“I’m not speaking to you right now, thanks,” Hastert said, before hanging up.
On paper, he’s accused of moving money around illegally and fibbing to the feds about it. Between the lines, prosecutors suggest he has harbored a dark secret.
There’s no small irony in the fact that Hastert survived a career in Illinois and Washington politics with his reputation relatively unscathed only to have it crash down upon him in retirement for something that may predate his first run for the Illinois Legislature.
An individual of modest means when he first became speaker, Hastert is now wealthy enough as a lobbyist paid to influence the government of which he was a part that he could allegedly pay out $1.7 million over a four-year period to help clear his conscience.
It must have been something pretty bad.
* And I don’t know if it means anything at all, but watch the video. It is super creepy…
* I received two anti-Madigan and one anti-Democrat press releases from the governor’s shop today. Here’s the first…
The Southern: Rauner Matures, Madigan Pouts
Below is an excerpt from an editorial in The Southern:
“Being surrounded by so many children must be frustrating for Gov. Bruce Rauner. And the neonates are tasked with funding the state.
The General Assembly, particularly the House, has devolved over the past two weeks into preschool recess. And Speaker Mike Madigan is an accomplished playground bully. It’s an unacceptable state of affairs as the May 31 budget deadline looms.
Rauner, for his part, has repeatedly shown an interest in compromise. The Republican governor and Legislature’s Democratic leadership have been at odds since Rauner stepped into the governor’s mansion. But, in recent days, it’s been the political neophyte Rauner who’s been acting his age…
he’s shown a sudden willingness to sit, in good faith, at the negotiating table. All he requires is a victory or two. It’s called compromise and it’s how the system works. And it’s not like he created this mess in the first place.
* Second…
ICYMI: Speaker Madigan’s Interview with ABC 7 Chicago
In an apparent effort to remove any doubt that Speaker Madigan and the legislators he controls are insistent on rejecting any compromise reforms and are only interested in raising taxes, the Speaker sat down for an exclusive interview with ABC Chicago.
Story Excerpt:
The capitol’s most powerful Democrat commandeered the budget process from Rauner this week. He announced that he and Cullerton will write a spending plan that’s $3 billion short of money needed to pay for it.
“We’re not hiding anything. We’re not being deceitful,” Madigan said. “The governor has his own spending plan. Both plans don’t have enough money to be paid for. We need more money to pay for the state’s spending plan.”
But the governor says no tax increases unless he gets pro-business reforms that Republicans say will rescue the state’s sagging economy.
“This Governor was elected by the people to address some of these structural problems we have. I think he’s holding firm and I support that,” said Rep. Ron Sandack, R-Downers Grove.
“Charles, those are non-budget issues, non-budget issues,” Madigan said.
Illinois Senate Democrats have rejected three components of Gov. Bruce Rauner’s “turnaround agenda,” which the Republican has said needs to be adopted before he will discuss tax hikes to balance the state budget.
Democrats on Senate committees on Thursday voted down the administration’s proposed reforms of civil liability lawsuits and a property tax freeze that was coupled with allowing local governments to restrict what they collectively bargain with employees and not pay the prevailing wage on projects.
A Senate committee on Wednesday voted down the Rauner administration’s proposed changes to workers’ compensation.
At a morning hearing on the lawsuit reforms, Rich Goldberg, Rauner’s deputy chief of staff for legislative affairs, said the governor had compromised on his reform agenda to produce the bills being considered in Senate committees.
“Sometimes no compromise is good enough for those who stand in the way of reform,” Goldberg said. “Taxpayers are fed up with pouring their hard-earned money into a system that is broken.”
FORMER SPEAKER OF THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CHARGED WITH STRUCTURING CASH WITHDRAWALS TO EVADE
CURRENCY TRANSACTION REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
AND MAKING FALSE STATEMENT TO THE FBI
CHICAGO — The former Speaker of the United States House of Representatives was charged today with structuring the withdrawal of $952,000 in cash in order to evade the requirement that banks report cash transactions over $10,000, and lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation about his withdrawals. The defendant, JOHN DENNIS HASTERT, 73, of Plano, Illinois, was charged with one count each of structuring currency transactions to evade Currency Transaction Reports and making a false statement to the FBI in an indictment returned by a federal Grand Jury. He will be ordered to appear for arraignment on a later date in U.S. District Court.
According to the indictment, in 2010, Hastert agreed to provide Individual A $3.5 million in order to compensate for and conceal his prior misconduct against Individual A. From 2010 to 2014, Hastert withdrew a total of approximately $1.7 million in cash from various bank accounts and provided it to Individual A. Beginning in approximately July 2012, Hastert started structuring his cash withdrawals in increments of less than $10,000 to evade the filing of Currency Transaction Reports (“CTRs”), which banks are required to file for cash withdrawals in excess of $10,000. In December of 2014, when questioned by the FBI regarding his structuring of cash withdrawals, Hastert falsely stated that he was keeping the cash.
The charges were announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Robert J. Holley, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Stephen Boyd, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division.
Each count of the indictment carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The government is being represented by Assistant United States Attorneys Steven Block and Carrie Hamilton.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
a. From approximately 1965 to 1981, defendant JOHN DENNIS HASTERT was a high school teacher and coach in Yorkville, Illinois. From approximately 1981 to 2007, defendant JOHN DENNIS HASTERT was an elected public official, including eight years as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives. From approximately 2008 to the present, defendant JOHN DENNIS HASTERT has worked as a lobbyist in Washington, D.C.
b. Individual A has been a resident of Yorkville, Illinois and has known defendant JOHN DENNIS HASTERT most of Individual A’s life.
c. In or about 2010, Individual A met with defendant JOHN DENNIS HASTERT multiple times. During at least one of the meetings, Individual A and defendant discussed past misconduct by defendant against Individual A that had occurred years earlier.
d. During the 2010 meetings and subsequent discussions, defendant JOHN DENNIS HASTERT agreed to provide Individual A $3.5 million in order to compensate for and conceal his prior misconduct against Individual A.
e. Shortly thereafter, defendant began providing Individual A cash payments.
Although the indictment specifies neither the “bad acts” nor the victims, sources said they could be from before Hastert, who is now a lobbyist in Washington, entered politics in 1980. [Emphasis added.]
Thursday, May 28, 2015 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Exelon is already getting bailed out by the PJM auction and doesn’t need legislators to vote for a rate increase to bail them out a second time
• Exelon will receive hundreds of millions in new annual revenue through a revised PJM electric grid auction to be held later this summer.
• Illinois ratepayers will be socked with a rate increase to pay for this new revenue.
Exelon is spending billions in other states – often in cash - so what are they planning to do with $1.6 billion from Illinois?
• Exelon is spending $6.8 billion IN CASH to purchase Pepco Holdings.
• Exelon is offering more than $180 million in refunds, job training and renewable energy programs to Maryland and D.C. ratepayers as part of the Pepco takeover.
Exelon opposes subsidies and above-market contracts — except when they’re for Exelon
• “We’re saying we don’t want to be subsidized and no one should be subsidized in the competitive markets…” Exelon CEO Chris Crane, 5/13/14
• “Exelon has long believed that there is no need to promote subsidies for proven technologies at any cost, nor for electricity consumers or taxpayers to pay more than required for a clean electricity supply.” – Exelon Website
Just say no to the Exelon Bailout. Vote No on SB 1585/HB 3293.
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In March, Rauner tapped Beth Purvis, a former charter school director, as his education secretary at an annual salary of $250,000. […]
But her contract, signed March 13, indicates that she’s being paid out of the Department of Human Services, even as it indicates she will “report directly to the governor’s chief of staff or designee.”
Three weeks after Purvis’ contract was signed, the governor’s office announced that the Department of Human Services was strapped for cash, and sliced $26 million in services including for autism, epilepsy and burials for the indigent. The cuts, later known as “the Good Friday Massacre,” caused some programs to completely shut down. The cuts caused a furor, prompting House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, to call a public hearing on why it happened after Democrats said they believed a budget deal with the governor protected such services.
llinois House Democrats are asking Gov. Bruce Rauner to appear before a House committee to explain why the governor’s office arranged to have his $250,000-a-year education czar paid out of money meant for “the frailest and most vulnerable populations in the state.” […]
In a letter to Rauner, obtained by the Sun-Times, state Rep. Greg Harris, D-Ill., questions testimony by then-Acting DHS Secretary Gregory Bassi and then-interim secretary James Dimas “that the lack of available funding was responsible for the decision to eliminate or reduce funding for these vitally needed programs. These programs serve many of the frailest and most vulnerable populations in the state.”
“I invite you to appear before the House Human Services Appropriations Committee to explain the decision-making process that led to this situation. We are also interested to know if there are other department heads whose compensation is buried within the budgets of departments other than those that they lead,” wrote Harris, chairman of the committee.
State lawmakers believe they’ve reached a deal on a police reform package that includes guidelines for body cameras.
Legislators said at the beginning of the year that police reform was going to be a key issue this session. Senate Bill 1304 aims to address several areas besides body cameras, including officer-related homicide investigations and additional training. It also includes $6 million in funding for crime labs at the request of House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago. […]
The package contains provisions for police body cameras but does not mandate them. The bill would change the current eavesdropping laws requiring two-party consent to allow officers to record without permission.
Police who decide to wear the cameras could only turn them off when talking with a witness or victim or during personal and strategic conversations. All interactions with the public would have to be recorded.
The package, negotiated by state Rep. Elgie Sims, D-Chicago, calls for adding a $5 fee to traffic tickets, with a portion going to pay for cameras.
It also sets out rules for how officer-involved incidents are investigated, including a requirement that officers from outside of a department are called in to investigate.
“What we wanted are objective eyes on an incident,” Sims said.
The proposal also outlines how reports are to be made public in order to ensure there is no secrecy.
* And no Republican opposition means there’s no current Rauner brick. Good news, for a change…
The Illinois House on Wednesday overwhelming pushed through a sweeping measure aimed at curbing heroin use and preventing overdose deaths by expanding specialized drug courts that focus on treatment.
The measure also would require police departments and fire houses to stock opioid antidotes that could be used to counteract heroin overdoses. In addition, the state’s Medicaid health care program for the poor would have to cover the cost of drug treatment programs. […]
The House approved the measure 114-0, though Republicans expressed concern about the possible costs of the bill, which originally were estimated to be as high as $25 million a year. […]
The measure also attempts to strengthen the state Department of Human Services’ prescription monitoring program to help doctors and pharmacies detect “doctor shoppers,” a practice in which drug addicts obtain various prescriptions from several doctors. It also establishes drug education programs for schools and reforms drug court programs to keep users out of jail and in rehabilitation programs.
Despite all the other implosions, some serious progress is truly being made on crime issues this year.
Since it opened a decade ago, the Lincoln museum has been under the control of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. The museum has its own advisory board, but House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn Currie says those advisors were frustrated. […]
Under Currie’s proposal, the two will operate independently.
Gov. Bruce Rauner had wanted Historic Preservation to adopt a tourism focus and be merged with the state’s economic development agency. But that idea was dropped over concerns Historic Preservation would lose its focus on, well, historic preservation.
* But unless both chambers pass it and can override a veto, this ain’t happening…
“My understanding from our staff is (the Rauner administration is) copacetic with these changes in the structure of HPA on the one hand and ALPLM on the other,” Currie said.
She said details are still being worked out on the idea of creating a public-private partnership for some of DCEO’s economic development activities.
However, Rauner spokeswoman Catherine Kelly disputed Currie’s statement.
“We do not support this legislation,” Kelly said.
* And until the war dies down, this probably ain’t happening, either…
ayor 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.
The approach is designed to soften a massive financial hit expected next year, when the city is required to increase its payments into the two pension funds by $549 million as required by a 2010 state law. That’s equal to nearly one-sixth of the city’s yearly operating budget and accounts for the bulk of a 2016 budget shortfall now pegged at nearly $1 billion.
Emanuel, however, wants to hit the reset button. Instead of paying the additional $549 million next year, the city would spend significantly less than that. Then the city would start to increase how much it puts into the police and fire pension systems over a number of years while also spreading out its payments over a longer period of time.
The mayor’s plan comes three years after he first traveled to Springfield to declare that the city’s financial day of reckoning was fast approaching. Emanuel is now trying to persuade lawmakers to act on a specific proposal, but he’s doing so as they remain embroiled in their own stalemate over state budget woes.
Rauner’s spokesman ignored repeated inquiries about the origin of the leaked document; instead he said only that “we continue to negotiate in good faith.”
I can’t tell you where and how I got it, of course, but I can say the form was most definitely not leaked by the governor’s office.
AFSCME’s spokesman says there’s never been a strike in the 40 years Illinois has had collective bargaining. But he says after six months of contract negotiations, the two sides remain far apart. The union spokesman went on to call the Contingency Preparation Form a “troubling sign” that Rauner’s pushing for a confrontation that’d disrupt important state services.
I still think it’s just reasonable management to have preparations at the ready in case a strike does happen.
The governor was asked in mid-May if state employees should be concerned about layoffs or a strike. “Hopefully not,” he said. “We’ve got to make some big changes. Changes are hard. And there’s going to be a lot of resistant to change.” Rauner went on to say he wants to be able to pay employees more, based on productivity - not just seniority, “so we’re going to have some tough discussions. But I want everybody who works in government to have a great career. I want them to be well compensated. I want them to have a great retirement. But we need a system that’s affordable, and also incentives everybody to save taxpayer money because the tax burden on our citizens is too high already.” […]
“I may have to … take a strike and shut the government down for a few weeks … that’s a possibility,” [Rauner said in March of 2013]. “I don’t know many politicians who would be willing to do that. I won’t be happy doing it, but I will do it proudly because it’s the right thing to do.”
Stephen Schneider, Midwest region vice president at the American Insurance Association in Deerfield, Illinois, said the insurance community is optimistic that Illinois lawmakers will have continued discussions during the current session about workers comp reforms, including some ideas the AIA would like to see proposed.
Those include controls on physician dispensing of medication to workers comp claimants and tying the state’s workers comp medical fee schedule to a percentage of Medicare pricing for similar services.
“It’s going to be day-by-day through the end of session and perhaps longer,” Mr. Schneider said of the chances of action on comp-related legislation.
PCI’s Mr. Junkas agreed that workers comp reforms may still be on the table for Illinois, saying many political experts expect the legislative session to extend beyond its scheduled May 31 adjournment.
“There’s going to be continual discussions ongoing, and I think workers compensation’s going to remain in that mix,” Mr. Junkas said.
* I agree that workers’ comp reform needs to be on the table and could actually be resolved eventually. But, man, things aren’t going all that well these days. From yesterday’s Senate hearing on workers’ comp reform…
Greg Baise of the Illinois Manufacturers Association said workers’ compensation costs hang “like an anvil around the necks of job creators in Illinois. We’ve seen the loss of 300,000 manufacturing jobs since the turn of the century, and reforming workers’ compensation is the first step in making our state more attractive.”
Several times during the debate tempers became short, particularly when Barickman said that the decisions of other states could be “used as a template” for Illinois lawmakers. He cited changes in Florida, Oregon and Indiana.
“Where is your proposal for us to consider?” Barickman asked of committee chairman Kwame Raoul, D-Chicago.
“Mine was a 2011 package that we negotiated with employers at the table, the right way,” Raoul responded, his voice rising in anger. “As far as these working groups, senator, I brought up the same points that I’m bringing up today. They were not addressed, senator.”
Thursday, May 28, 2015 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Two recent studies published by NPR/Pro Publica and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) show that nationwide, insurance companies have kept any cost savings from recent workers’ compensation “reforms” for themselves, with profits climbing to 18 percent in 2013 – while middle and lower-income families and taxpayers are paying the price.
In 2011 Illinois enacted its own workers’ compensation “reform” package aimed at lowering costs for businesses. Workers gave up longstanding rights and in return, insurance companies were to be transparent with pricing and pass savings along to employers. As it turns out, only the workers kept up their end of the bargain.
The National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) is an independent, non-partisan agency comprised of insurance professionals licensed by the Illinois Department of Insurance to assess workers’ compensation in Illinois and make premium rate recommendations to insurers. Since 2011, NCCI has recommended insurance premium reductions totaling nearly 20 percent.
The 2011 reforms were projected to save insured employers nearly $1 billion assuming the insurance industry would fully adopt the NCCI recommendations.
The insurance industry’s failure to fully implement NCCI recommended rate reductions has prevented Illinois insured employers from realizing any meaningful savings.
No matter how many benefits are cut, medical reimbursements are lowered, and claims are denied, the state’s businesses won’t see corresponding savings without our leaders addressing the promises previously broken by the insurance industry.
“Once again, it looks like Speaker (Mike) Madigan is going to preside over another round of long overtime summer sessions under his third or fourth governor now. What’s the common denominator in all of this? Madigan.”
As Springfield battles over Gov. Bruce Rauner’s pro-business “turnaround” agenda, you’d think he’d want the top business group in the state’s economic center at his side. And you’d think that group would be fully engaged.
In fact, the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce is being snubbed by the governor after it appeared to snub him—frozen out of key negotiations over business-oriented legislation put before the General Assembly.
Though both sides are trying to play down any dispute, there’s bad blood between the GOP governor and the state’s largest business group. And the topic of why the chamber is being dissed is sparking all kinds of chatter among other business groups. It certainly reveals a few things about how power works in Chicago and Illinois, as well as the obstacles Rauner faces in getting approval for his ideas on workers’ compensation and unemployment insurance reform, limits on unions, an end to the prevailing wage and other changes. […]
“They’re the largest business organization in the state, and they have to get updates from others because they’re not at the table,” another source said. “It comes directly from the governor’s office. No question about it.”
We raised a bunch of money for charity with those slogans and more on mouse pads, t-shirts, polo shirts, coffee mugs, even (by special request) underwear.
We may be revisiting that idea.
Thanks to Dave Comerford for the post, by the way.
Thursday, May 28, 2015 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
The Low Carbon Portfolio Standard (LCPS) is good for Illinois consumers, our economy, our environment, and the reliability of our electric system. The LCPS is a WIN-WIN for all of Illinois’ low carbon sources of energy, which include wind, solar and existing nuclear facilities.
Unfortunately, energy policies of the past have failed to properly value Illinois’ nuclear facilities for the economic, reliability and environmental benefits they provide, and as a result, some nuclear facilities may close. If that happens, the consequences of consumers and communities all across the state of Illinois would be catastrophic:
• $1.8 billion every year in lost economic activity
• Nearly 8,000 jobs lost, many of which are highly skilled, good paying jobs
• Up to $500 million annually in higher energy costs statewide, according to a PJM analysis
• $1.1 billion per year due to increases in carbon and other pollutants
• Hundreds of millions of dollars to construct new transmission lines
In fact, the cost to Illinois of allowing nuclear plants to prematurely retire are as much as 12 times greater than the maximum cost of the LCPS, when fully considering increased wholesale power prices, transmission costs, adverse economic impacts, and adverse environmental impacts, according to a State of Illinois report.
Members of the General Assembly: Vote YES on the
Low Carbon Portfolio Standard (HB 3293 & SB 1585)
Democrats have abandoned Gov. Bruce Rauner’s idea to privatize the state’s business-development agency but are moving ahead with Speaker Michael Madigan’s plan to make the state’s shrine to Abraham Lincoln a separate agency. […]
Democrats proceeded with their agenda, [Speaker Madigan’s spokesman Steve Brown] said, because Rauner’s press operation has been churning out anti-Madigan statements over disagreement on a budget plan and Rauner’s business reforms in the closing days of the spring session.
“We were trying to put together a plan in cooperation with the governor that had a lot of transparency,” Brown said. “But I guess I’d have to say right now it’s under review while the governor calms down.”
* Needless to say, the governor ain’t calming down. From a press release issued early this morning…
Will Legislators “Continue to be part of the Madigan-Cullerton problem, or will they stand up for the people of Illinois?”
On the heels of rejecting compromise worker’s compensation reforms to grow the economy, legislators controlled by Speaker Madigan will consider compromise lawsuit reform and property tax freeze legislation today.
Belleville News Democrat - Editorial: Same sad story for Illinois
“We had hoped that this time it would be different, but no. Illinois lawmakers seem ready to wrap up their spring legislative session and once again kick the budget can down the road. No solutions? No problem. Guess no one really should be surprised that Democratic leaders Michael Madigan and John Cullerton are choosing not to work with Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner. The new governor wants to reform the way Illinois does business but the two grizzled veteran leaders have no desire to change. Illinois may be dysfunctional, but it’s a system that works just fine for them and political insiders. It’s so incestuous…
It’s so blatant it’s breathtaking, and Republican lawmakers alone can’t stop them. They would need help from rank-and-file Democrats who are also fed up with refusing to address the state’s fiscal problems. What will our local Democratic lawmakers do? Will they continue to be part of the Madigan-Cullerton problem, or will they stand up for the people of Illinois?”
Rockford Register Star – Editorial: Who will right Illinois’ fiscal ship?
“’You just can’t spend like a bunch of drunken sailors all the time.’
No, that wasn’t Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner or one of his Republican allies who said that, although it certainly would have been appropriate after Democrats passed a budget that would have the state spend $3 billion or $4 billion more than it expects to take in.
It was the state’s former treasurer and comptroller, Judy Baar Topinka, who died late last year. Topinka’s remark came after Gov. George Ryan’s 2002 budget address. Needless to say things have not gotten better in Illinois the past 13 years…
…The governor wants reforms and Madigan has shot down those reforms. The governor asks for responsible spending and Madigan and his friends pass a budget that has a huge hole in it.
Reform and budget negotiations should not be separated, as Madigan wants. There’s no better time to discuss one because it affects the other. When politics works, it’s a give-and-take process.
You don’t have to buy into everything Rauner wants to acknowledge that Illinois must change to have a competitive economy in the 21st century…”
* The governor’s press shop also just sent reporters the Senate committee testimony this morning of Deputy Chief of Staff for Legislative Affairs Richard Goldberg. The following sentences were the ones specifically highlighted by the governor’s staff…
Unfortunately, no compromise is ever good enough for those who stand in the way of reform.
In short, while Governor Rauner says Yes to reform and Yes to compromise, the legislators in control of the General Assembly say No to reform, No to compromise, Yes to unbalanced budgets and Yes to higher taxes without reform.
Taxpayers are fed up pouring their hard-earned money into a broke and broken system. This morning, this Committee and those in control of the Senate have an opportunity to change course.
The bill before you is a critical reform we need to Turnaround Illinois – to make Illinois more competitive, to grow our economy and to create jobs. The bill before you represents compromise and reform.
* Another session day, another live session coverage post via ScribbleLive, sponsored by The Illinois Kids Campaign. Just a few regularly scheduled days left…
Gov. Bruce Rauner’s office has revised its plan to change state hiring to allay concerns of Democrats and unions.
* Um, well, maybe. Check out the Rauner press release…
Refusing to Reform: Democrats Also Walking Away from Fixing Illegal Political Hiring
“By protecting illegal political hires, Democrats are proving to the people of Illinois that they don’t care at all about reforming anything that’s broken in state government.”
– Lance Trover, Director of Communications
After walking away from compromise reforms to turn around Illinois’ economy, Democrats appear to now be blocking compromise reforms that will fix illegal political hiring in state government.
After Senator McConnaughay filed reform legislation last month, the Governor’s Office met regularly and frequently with leadership staff from each of the four legislative caucuses. As detailed below, the legislation has been significantly revised to provide a clearer, more tailored framework.
The Governor’s Office and the legislative caucuses also met with representatives of AFSCME, Teamsters, and Laborers. While there is general agreement that reforms are needed, labor organizations will not agree to reforms that impact positions already in the bargaining unit. Unfortunately, as evidenced in the conflict between the two pending lawsuits, the State must resolve the status of current employees too. Nonetheless, the legislation has been narrowed to minimize the adverse impact on labor organizations.
An amendment to the original bill has now been filed, which represents compromises that were negotiated. Despite this, Democrats are now refusing to support the reform bill.
I’ve asked various folks for comment. I’ll let you know.
*** UPDATE *** Statement from Michael T. Carrigan, President, Illinois AFL-CIO…
“Yet again, Gov. Rauner seems to be using the cloak of so-called ‘reform’ to attack union members. Our unions strongly oppose political influence in the hiring process and would support a good bill to eliminate it. But this legislation is a Trojan Horse the Rauner Administration is trying to use to limit all workers’ right to bargain collectively. He is intentionally using an ax for legislation that calls for a scalpel.
“We remain ready to work toward legislation that addresses the real problem—political influence in hiring—which has no relation to collective bargaining rights.”
* I don’t in any way condone or excuse this behavior. No way. No how. It’s stupid and cruel.
‘
But, seriously, how many people were shot in Chicago last weekend? You’d think the police and the state’s attorney would have better things to do with their time…
A West Side man whose video of himself smoking marijuana with his pet chameleon went viral and led to a misdemeanor animal cruelty charge was acquitted Wednesday by a Cook County judge who found his behavior immature but not criminal.
Bruce Blunt said he sometimes blew smoke into the mouth of his chameleon, Binna, because it seemed to calm the sometimes aggressive reptile. […]
Chicago police arrested Blunt near his mother’s home after conducting brief surveillance to find him over several days, according to trial testimony. […]
Prosecutors said the video proved Blunt had criminally mistreated his pet.
“It’s just a little guy,” said Assistant State’s Attorney Mike Bagnowski, speculating what effect the marijuana smoke would have on Blunt’s attorney before withdrawing the remark. “He blew smoke not once but twice into its mouth.” [Emphasis added.]
There are people literally rotting in Cook County Jail waiting on misdemeanor trial dates and they’re clogging the courts with this stuff?
The Governor Rauner budget cuts will be voted on today.
HB 200 –
50 percent cut to Local Government Distributive Fund
SB2038 –
A1: Human Services. Cuts to autism, child care, early intervention, teen reach and breast and cervical cancer screenings
A2: Higher education. 31 percent state funding cut to state universities
A3: TRS: Eliminates state support for Teachers’ Retirement Insurance Program, College Insurance Program.
A4: Medicaid: $1.5 billion cut to Medicaid services.
* I’m not yet convinced that AFSCME will strike. I figure they’ll wait for a lockout attempt. But one never knows, so this “Contingency Preparation Assessment” form sent out to agencies asking them for their plans for and the potential impact of a public employee strike seems like a prudent administrative move.
Click the pic for a larger image…
Notice that temp workers will apparently be hired.
* Something that got cut off from my screen grab above…
Only peace officers, security officers, firefighters and fire protection district paramedics can be automatically enjoined due to their job category.
Illinois community college and university presidents are enjoying a “fantasy world of lavish perks” — including housing allowances, cars, club memberships and generous bonuses — as part of sometimes secret deals that show disregard for taxpayers, according to a new report from state legislators.
The perks include a $32,000 housing allowance for the president of Harper College, a $450,000 retention bonus for a former University of Illinois at Chicago chancellor and $30,000 toward two retirement plans in addition to state pension contributions for the Elgin Community College president. […]
Though the report blasts the Glen Ellyn-based college for its recent scandals, it also chastises public universities and community colleges statewide for providing “excessive fringe benefits” and lucrative exit deals for top administrators, including a $480,418 severance package to the former Illinois State University president after less than a year on the job. […]
In addition to highlighting the compensation packages, the report also takes aim at the “skyrocketing” number of administrators at the public schools as tuition and fees have increased.
At public universities in Illinois, full-time administrative staff increased 31.1 percent from 2004 to 2010, according to the report, while there was only a 1.8 percent increase in full-time faculty and a 2.3 percent increase in students.
* As noted below, university presidents/chairmen/chancellors were in Springfield yesterday and posed for a photo in front of the Statehouse…
Pictured, left to right are: front row, University of Illinois President Timothy L. Killeen, Northeastern Illinois University President Sharon Hahs and Governors State University President Elaine P. Maimon; middle row, University of Illinois at Springfield Chancellor Susan Koch, Illinois State University President Larry H. Dietz and Chicago State University President Wayne Watson; back row, Southern Illinois University President Randy J. Dunn, Eastern Illinois University Acting President Blair Lord, Western Illinois University Board of Trustees Chair Cathy E. Early and Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees Chair Dr. John R. Butler.
Don’t miss the Traveling World of Reptiles Show, Touch-a-Truck exhibit, interactive safety demonstrations and more at this year’s Children’s Safety Expo hosted by State Sen. Christine Radogno (R-Lemont) and State Representatives Jim Durkin (R- Western Springs) and Ron Sandack (R- Downers Grove) on Saturday, June 6 from 9:00a.m. to Noon at Lakeview Junior High School, 701 Plainfield Rd. in Downers Grove. […]
Admission is free. There will also be free giveaways at the event, and the first 300 children will receive a FREE lunch bag! Demonstrations at this year’s expo include: True Balance Karate class, the Traveling World of Reptiles Show and the Darien Police K-9 Unit. Also, the LIFESTAR Chicago medical helicopter will be there from 9:30am - 11:30am.
* The Question: Suggestions for next year’s event?
In Illinois, our workforce is one of our biggest competitive advantages. According to the last census, 34 percent of Illinoisans have a bachelor’s degree or better. 11 percent have an advanced degree. TechAmerica says that our workforce is in the Top 10 for hi-tech workforces. That means that you will have an easier time finding the talent you need to make your business grow. And since two of the nation’s top engineering schools and top business schools are located in Illinois, you can rest assured that talented personnel will be available for a long time to come.
This year, for the first time since CNBC began keeping track in 2007, workforce is the attribute most frequently cited by states in their efforts to attract business. […]
It’s a sentiment echoed by members of the CNBC Global CFO Council, which includes chief financial officers from a broad array of public and private companies. Asked to rank 10 factors in deciding where to locate or expand facilities, 53 percent of the respondents ranked workforce No. 1. No other factor came close. […]
“We’ve undermarketed ourselves,” [DCEO Director Jim Schultz] said, noting that 56 percent of Illinois’ population has more than a high school diploma. “We think the opportunity is to locate business where the best skill sets reside.”
Roughly two-thirds of our CFO Council respondents consider so-called “right to work” laws banning mandatory union dues an important or very important factor in deciding where to locate.
As for Illinois, if last year’s rankings are any guide, it may need to do some catching up to its new workforce sales pitch. Illinois’ workforce finished 32nd last year, contributing to the state’s overall 27th place ranking.
* I mentioned this to subscribers the other day, so I went back today and watched part of my December 17, 2014 City Club speech to pull the quotes. It was a warning I often mentioned to the governor’s people in subsequent weeks…
The Speaker’s being really nice to the governor-elect right now.
[Steve Brown] disagrees with this analysis, which I brought up to him last night.
Madigan is siding with [Bruce Rauner] on everything, just about.
Um…
I would be wary of that.
I mean, you dig? The man ain’t nice to anybody, except his children and his wife.
Man, I’ve never seen him be this nice to a governor-elect.
And, it’s like, wow, he’s gonna have a big ask, man.
“Oh, yeah, I did this for you. Now, let’s go over the list. I did this. I did this. I did this, you didn’t even ask.
“You’ll just have to figure out what I want.”
By the way, I’m working on dates with the City Club for this December’s annual “Christmas with Rich Miller.” I’ll let you know when tickets go on sale.
1. Madigan reminded all within earshot that when Rauner first gave his state budget address, which did indeed include more than $2 billion in pension savings that were unlikely to be achieved, that the Speaker called it “reckless” then and has been calling it “reckless” since.
2. Then the Speaker proceeded to tell reporters that he consistently has said Illinois needs a balanced approach of both spending cuts and new revenue. Therefore, he said, House and Senate Democrats will work this week to pass a budget for next year that spends more than $3 billion more than the state takes from taxpayers.
3. So, you might logically ask, if Rauner’s budget with $2 billion in phantom savings was “reckless,” what does that make Madigan’s admittedly out-of-whack $3 billion-plus budget? Extremely reckless? (Actually, it appears to be closer to a $4 billion hole.)
Presidents and Board of Trustee chairs representing each of Illinois’ nine public universities met face-to-face with top legislative leaders Tuesday to urge support for higher education funding in the state’s fiscal 2016 budget.
University of Illinois President Timothy L. Killeen arranged the afternoon of meetings to make the case that proposed funding reductions for public universities would damage a key engine for the state’s economic growth and competitiveness.
“We understand the difficult decisions that legislators face this spring to put Illinois on the road to recovery,” Killeen said. “But investing in public universities is an investment in solutions – and in the future of our state.”
Public universities are large-scale incubators of the human capital that is essential to drive progress, presidents and board chairs said during a series of meetings with House Speaker Michael Madigan; Senate President John Cullerton; House Republican Leader Jim Durkin; Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno; Michael Zolnierowicz, Gov. Bruce Rauner’s chief of staff; and Beth Purvis, the governor’s chief education advisor.
* No surprise here. The plug has been pulled on all the big energy-related bills this session…
“I think what will end up happening is, we’ll compromise. we’ll get everybody to the table and we’ll compromise on one omnibus bill,” House Energy Chairwoman Linda Chapa LaVia says.”So I’m pretty excited, but it’s definitely going to take a little bit longer than May 31.”
Chapa LaVia says she’s also watching and waiting for action on the federal level that could have big effects in Illinois. That’s when its expected rules will be finalized on President Barack Obama’s Clean Power Plan. There’s also a PJM capacity auction scheduled for July, which could have repercussions for Exelon’s fleet.
In a statement, Exelon spokesman Paul Elsberg recently said the company continues to believe its so-called Low Carbon Portfolio Standard is needed, and says “we remain open to participating in any and all discussions designed to enact a legislative package. The session is still in progress, and we will consider next steps after it has concluded.”
Elsberg did not directly respond to a question about whether the failure to pass Exelon’s legislation will result in a shutting of nuclear plants, nor did he say when a decision on their future will be made.
[Steve Brown, spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan] cited concerns lawmakers have about where electricity rates are heading, in particular after recent news that rates are spiking downstate beginning next month. That’s thanks to the surprise results of an annual auction held by MISO, the regional grid operator for downstate Illinois and all or part of 14 other states, to set the price of reserving capacity at power plants for when demand spikes during the year. […]
That puts Exelon on the spot. Without legislative action, executives have issued various threats that they will have to close as many as three Illinois nukes they say are losing money. At times, they’ve laid out May 31 as their deadline; at others, they’ve signaled they might be willing to wait a few more months if they thought progress was being made.
In an interview in April, Exelon Executive Vice President Joseph Dominguez said the company wouldn’t agree to wait until the fall veto session in November for an answer.
For this story, the company declined to reiterate that warning. Instead, in a statement, Exelon said, “We remain open to participating in any and all discussions designed to enact a legislative package. The session is still in progress, and we will consider next steps after it has concluded.”
Wednesday, May 27, 2015 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Credit unions are committed to several cooperative principles, including social responsibility. At First Illinois Credit Union in Danville, reaching out to area school children as part of their financial literacy program is a top priority.
For over 20 years, the credit union has partnered with area schools, educated students in the classroom and has invited them to open savings accounts. Scholarships are awarded to graduating eighth graders. Members that are high school graduates are also granted scholarships. By giving out scholarships at school-wide functions, it affords the credit union the opportunity to provide financial education to hundreds of students in the audience.
Educating children is just one facet of the credit union’s extensive outreach, which also includes breakfast meals for low income families, financial education for seniors during Money Smart Week, volunteering as a buddy at baseball games for children with disabilities, and many more local clubs and organizations. For all their efforts, First Illinois Credit Union has been recognized by their members and the community as a top financial institution.
At the heart of the credit union philosophy is the principle of people before profits – and another reason why members are so fiercely loyal.
“Why in the world are we sending for the second year in a row an unbalanced budget to the governor?” Durkin said. “We’ve all seen this Greek tragedy before.”
Durkin even raised the old saying about repeating the same action and expecting a different outcome being the definition of insanity.
“If we pass these budgets and send $36 billion of budgets to the governor, this is insanity,” Durkin said. “You’re insane, and history will look upon you unkindly.”
All Republicans voted against all the approp bills. Most, but not all, Democrats voted for them.
Provides that on and after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly, every insurer that amends, delivers, issues, or renews a group or individual major medical policy of accident and health insurance in this State providing coverage for hospital or medical treatment shall provide coverage for hepatitis C screening and confirmatory testing consistent with reasonable medical standards. Makes conforming changes in the State Employees Group Insurance Act of 1971, the Counties Code, the Illinois Municipal Code, the School Code, the Health Maintenance Organization Act, the Voluntary Health Services Plans Act, and the Illinois Public Aid Code.
Balanced Budget Note (Office of Management and Budget)
This bill will likely have a significant fiscal impact to the State’s Medicaid and Group Health Insurance programs due to increased screening and treatment of Hepatitis C. The anticipated costs are not available at this time. Passage of this bill without an accompanying source of revenue will result in an unbalanced budget.
Fiscal Note (Dept. of Healthcare & Family Services)
For purposes of this analysis, it is assumed that primary care providers are offering and/or recommending testing to at-risk populations based on sound medical reasoning. However, there may be an indirect impact to the Department from the publicity of hepatitis C legislation and the new hepatitis C drugs. Increased awareness of those in an at-risk population coupled with a mandate is likely to increase testing utilization. In FY14 and FY15, the Department did and is estimated to spend about $1.5 million for testing. A 10% increase in FY16 testing utilization would increase liability by $150,000 thousand. Additional testing would potentially double the population receiving treatment. This would result in an added pharmaceutical cost of $8.5 million annualized.
Emphasis added.
Look, this is a very worthy bill. Hep C has to be stopped. And $8.5 million is a teensy, tiny drop in the budgetary bucket.
House Speaker Michael Madigan joined the Illinois legislature 44 years and four months ago. Senate President John Cullerton arrived 36 years and four months ago. During their nearly 81 years, the Chicago Democrats engineered, sponsored and voted for pension giveaways, chronic overspending and tax laws that broke Illinois
No argument there, except maybe for how the tax laws “broke” Illinois and the general tone.
And Gov. Bruce Rauner, the guy Madigan and Cullerton are always vilifying? He got to Springfield just four months ago. Having played no role in creating the devastated Illinois of Madigan and Cullerton, Rauner has had to trim spending to correct the diabolically unbalanced budget that Madigan and Cullerton passed last spring for the fiscal year that ends June 30. Headline writers keep using the phrase “Rauner budget cuts” not because it tells the story, but because it’s more economical than: “Budget cuts you can blame on Mike Madigan and John Cullerton, who tried to placate angry voters before the 2014 election by appropriating gazillions of tax dollars that they knew Illinois never, ever, would collect.”
Those dollars would’ve been appropriated had Pat Quinn been reelected, but again, they’re mostly right about Rauner, except he demanded that the GA not pass a bill extending the tax hike, which would’ve avoided almost all the FY 15 problem. And he made $26 million in cuts that didn’t have to be made and which were quickly rescinded. Those are on him.
The Democrats’ evident strategy [for Fiscal Year 2016] is to hand Rauner a massively unbalanced budget, force him to make billions in unpopular spending cuts and coerce him to accept a big tax increase.
It’s not so much the cuts, it’s what’ll happen if they don’t get a budget deal and the government falls apart and lots of schools don’t re-open. But, whatevs.
Huh? We know voters aren’t dumb enough to be misled about budget slash 2.0 precisely because those voters weren’t dumb enough to be misled by budget slash 1.0. This isn’t some low-information yesteryear that Madigan and Cullerton fondly recall; Illinoisans understand that they have a financial crisis and a $100 billion-plus unfunded pension liability because their politicians played this game of trying to spend nonexistent money.
Um, didn’t they just say that the spending cuts would be “unpopular”?
* In conclusion, the editorial board notes approvingly that Rauner’s $34 million campaign warchest (ten times larger than the money Madigan and Cullerton have on hand) will help him explain these problems to the voters.
I’m assuming they wouldn’t be so thrilled if such a giant pile of cash was spent on the other side, however.
A Time for Choosing
State Senators Will Either Choose Reform or Side with Mike Madigan to Block it
SPRINGFIELD – With House Speaker Mike Madigan refusing to compromise and doubling down on a broken system, the state Senate is scheduled today to hold hearings on parts of Governor Rauner’s Turnaround Legislation.
Senate committees will conduct hearings on worker’s compensation reform, lawsuit reform and property tax freeze legislation that were filed last Friday. The Senate, however, is refusing to consider Term Limits and Redistricting Reform measures that were also introduced.
“Governor Rauner has made it clear that we cannot ask taxpayers to put more money into a broken system. The legislation being considered today represents some compromise reforms that are critical to turning Illinois around,” Rauner spokesman Lance Trover said. “Speaker Madigan and the politicians he controls in the House have made it clear all they want to do is raise taxes. Today, the Senate will begin to make clear whether they support reform or will side with Mike Madigan to block it.”
* From the Senate Republicans…
Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno’s legislation that embodies portions of Governor Rauner’s Turnaround agenda will be considered in committee [today], Wednesday.
Senate Bill 884 (Lawsuit Reform) and SB994 (Workers’ Comp Reform) would have a dramatic impact on the state’s economic health and jobs climate. The bills will be considered in Senate Judiciary Committee, 10am Wednesday. The committee has moved to Room 212 of the Capitol.
Senate 1046 which would enact a statewide property tax freeze and empower local governments to lower their costs is posted for the Senate Executive Committee on Wednesday at 2pm, Room 212.
The Senate Democrats have bottled up the Constitutional Amendments which would allow term limits (SJRCA14) and redistricting reform (SJRCA15) on the ballot. Sen. Radogno’s letter to Senate President Cullerton calling for those amendments to be assigned to committee is attached.
Sen. Radogno’s letter says, in part:
“In response to the public argument made on your behalf that Constitutional Amendments are only considered in even-numbered years, I remind you of House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 31, introduced on May 27, 2009 and adopted by both houses that same year. The chief Senate sponsor was Sen. Michael Noland.
HJRCA31 – establishing a gubernatorial recall process — was adopted after Governor Rod Blagojevich was impeached, convicted and removed from office by the General Assembly. The argument can be made that was an extraordinary time in Illinois history.
I argue this is no less extraordinary. People in this state fundamentally understand our system is corrupt and broken. It’s time to change it.”
* Meanwhile AFSCME Council 31 is also getting into the act…
TO: All Local Union Executive Board Members – Local Government and School District Locals
FR: Roberta Lynch, Executive Director
Mike Newman, Deputy Director
RE: Rauner Bill to Wipe Out Bargaining Rights
Many of you have been involved in the highly successful labor campaign to beat back Bruce Rauner’s “Turnaround Agenda” resolutions in local governmental bodies all across Illinois. Given how little progress he’s made there, Rauner is now taking his anti-union schemes directly to the Illinois General Assembly.
In the final days of the legislative session, he’s suddenly introduced a bill aimed squarely at employees of local governments and schools districts—taking away your rights to bargain over wages, benefits and other key conditions of employment. In a characteristically sneaky move, he’s packaged this ferocious attack on collective bargaining rights in the same bill as a freeze on property taxes. He’s trying to scare legislators into voting to obliterate union rights for fear that they’ll be painted as being in favor of higher property taxes if they don’t.
We’ve got to act immediately to block this legislation. In addition to harming every employee of local governments and school districts, it would also hurt every building trades employee in your area by barring local governments from paying the prevailing wage on construction projects.
SB 1046, SA #1 (Radogno) – Removes the ability of employees to collectively bargain with school districts and local governments over:
o Privatization of services;
o Pay increases;
o Health insurance;
o Use of employee time for union business
o Levels of staffing;
o Personnel evaluations
Prevailing wage would not be applicable to work done on projects performed on behalf of a local government or school.
SB 1046, SA #1 will be heard in Senate Executive Committee on Wednesday, May 27th. Please try to generate as many calls as you can from your members IMMEDIATELY. Choose the senators whose districts you are most likely to have members in.
…Adding… Press release…
Statement by Nick Klitzing, Executive Director, Illinois Republican Party
“Illinoisans are experiencing déjà vu this year because they’ve seen Speaker Mike Madigan’s political games time and time again. Instead of reforming a system that Madigan uses to reward those blindly loyal to him, he will pass a budget with a $4 billion hole and admit that the state doesn’t have the money to pay for it. For Madigan, kicking the can down the road is a lot easier than making tough choices and upsetting the status quo in state government that he has controlled for decades.”
