Mystery solved!
Thursday, Jan 16, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Remember that mystery fax I received yesterday about the new McPier CEO? Well, I received this from Emily Bittner at the governor’s office last night (it got buried in my in-box)…
Normally we wouldn’t be talking about this process, but because someone decided to launch an oppo hit…
The administration is proud to ask the MPEA board to consider a highly qualified African American woman with years of experience in convention and hospitality management. Ms. Larita Reed-Clark is a Chicago native who was raised in West Garfield Park and attended Austin High School before graduating from Loyola and Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management.
She, her husband and their young family moved to Indiana when he accepted a job there. After he passed away in 1999, she raised their children there to keep them in their existing support network. Ms. Reed-Clark would move to Illinois if the board selects her for this role.
For the past 35 years, she has provided leadership and financial management at the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, rising from assistant controller to Chief Financial Officer.
* I went looking for that email after Greg Hinz published this…
The statement [from Bittner] did not discuss who launched the “oppo hit.” But the mayor and governor have been jostling for months over who to pick to succeed Healey, with McPier board Chairman Brett Hart also expected to leave soon. […]
Lightfoot wants DePaul University CFO Jeff Bethke, but Pritzker’s allies say he has little experience running or attracting the trade shows and conventions that constitute McCormick Place’s business. In turn, the mayor has frowned on some other names pushed by Pritzker, such as Chicago Public Schools COO Arnie Rivera.
Knowledgeable sources say a four- or five-member McPier board subcommittee is about to start interviewing candidates in hopes of reaching a decision. But a final selection will depend on the mayor and governor reaching some sort of agreement, since they split control over the agency.
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Question of the day
Thursday, Jan 16, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Center Square…
Senators plan to return to Springfield on Sunday to pick the chamber’s next leader. Whoever is picked will only be allowed to serve in that capacity for a decade.
After the Senate adjourned on the final day of the fall legislative session, Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, announced his retirement. Senators will pick his successor over the weekend.
* The Question: Which candidate do you support, Don Harmon or Kim Lightford? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please…
bike tracks
…Adding… This is, by the way, our 3,000th Question of the Day.
…Adding… Argh! I forgot about this Maxwell post. They both defend the current district map…
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Madigan gonna Madigan
Thursday, Jan 16, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Dude always does well with this stuff. Greg Hinz…
Which leads to a story about how, thanks to a hidden earmark within an earmark, Madigan’s home ward, the 13th on the Southwest Side, is receiving a special $10 million appropriation for street resurfacing, new street lights and other improvements—a gift far larger than most and maybe all of the city’s other 49 wards are receiving.
The money was tucked into Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s huge new $45 billion capital program, the one that passed the Legislature last year with Madigan’s help. And though neither state officials nor especially Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration seem thrilled about it, both are going along with the move. […]
The $50 million originally was supposed to be only $40 million, according to an Oct. 10 letter from Acting Illinois Department of Transportation Secretary Omer Osman to then city Transportation Commissioner Tom Carney that an anonymous source passed on to me. But it somehow that total got bumped up to $10 million.
What to do with that $10 million windfall? The letter, which you can see for yourself below, makes it clear: “This correspondence confirms the understanding between IDOT and the city that this additional $10 million dollars of SOCC funds is designated for use in the 22nd Legislative District, located in southwest Chicago.”
Go read the rest.
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Rate the governor’s first anniversary booklet
Thursday, Jan 16, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* To commemorate the one-year anniversary of his inauguration, Gov. JB Pritkzer’s campaign committee is mailing out a booklet today.
Its not a traditional campaign mailer. It’s not “poll-tested” and it’s not being widely distributed. According to Pritkzer’s top campaign person Quentin Fulks, the booklet is being mailed to “key stakeholders” and party leaders to make them aware of the governor’s accomplishments.
* Click the booklet’s front cover to read it yourself…
The thing is packed with info like this…
Progress Towards Improving Health Outcomes
Expanded healthcare to 120,000 more Illinoisans with bipartisan reforms to eliminate the Medicaid backlog
Capped the price of insulin to help reduce the cost of a life-saving medicine
Raised the age to buy tobacco and nicotine products to 21
Improved the quality of care for seniors through better funding for nursing homes and in-home care
Protected an individual’s right to make decisions about their own reproductive health
Strengthened critical access to hospitals in rural downstate communities
Put in place the Getting to Zero plan to end the HIV epidemic in a decade
Implemented a managed care organization assessment that will bring in $500 million of new federal funding to Medicaid
Fully funded the reconstruction of Quincy Veterans’ Home and restarted work on the long-delayed 200-bed Chicago
Most people, even politically involved people either didn’t know about some of that stuff or maybe forgot about it. So, it’ll probably be helpful.
Anyway, rate it.
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Pat Quinn is still Pat Qunning
Thursday, Jan 16, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tribune…
Evanston’s local electoral board Wednesday ruled that a ballot measure backed by former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn that would have given voters some legislative control through referendums will not appear on the March ballot.
The three-member board sustained two objections to the referendum measure, thereby removing it from the March 17 ballot. Objectors argued that the measure was not allowed under state law and the way it was written was difficult for voters to understand. The group Evanston Voter Initiative was asking voters to support a legislative method that would allow residents to create potentially binding legislation at the ballot box. […]
The board’s decision came after members pressed Quinn to identify another Illinois voter referendum that was binding without prior approval of a city council. He cited one example in Arlington Heights decades ago that gave voters permission to create binding referendums, but said residents have never chosen to use it.
“There’s a reason why it hasn’t been used,” commented [Ald. Ann Rainey].
* Here’s what it would do…
At the request of at least 25 Evanston electors, the City Clerk shall promptly cause a proposal to be drafted into ordinance form, including an official summary of the proposed ordinance. The official summary of the proposed ordinance may be introduced by a petition filed with the City Clerk and signed by a number of electors equal to at least eight percent of the total votes cast in Evanston for candidates for Governor in the preceding gubernatorial election. The procedure for filing the petition and determining its validity and sufficiency shall be established by the City Clerk, who shall make the determination of validity and sufficiency within 21 days of a petition filing.
Upon the determination of a valid and sufficient petition, the City Clerk shall within one business day submit the ordinance proposed by the official petition summary on the agenda of the next City Council meeting for its consideration. The City Council shall take a record roll call vote on the proposed ordinance within 70 days of submission by the City Clerk. If the City Council does not pass the proposed ordinance within the 70 day period, the official summary of the proposed ordinance shall be submitted by the City Clerk to the electors for their approval by referendum at the next regularly scheduled election held in all precincts of the city and held at least 70 days after referendum submission by the City Clerk. If the official summary is approved by a majority of those voting on the question, the proposed ordinance shall have the force and effect of passage by the corporate authorities of the City of Evanston unless it is disapproved by a resolution of the City Council not more than 30 days after the election
Thoughts?
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More of this, please
Thursday, Jan 16, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gabriel Neely-Streit at the Southern…
Two years ago, the state of Illinois asked Southern Illinois University Carbondale to help it study the escalating statewide teacher shortage.
The university surveyed superintendents across the state and found some types of teachers were much scarcer than others — especially in special education. The survey also confirmed the disproportionate need in high poverty areas, from rural Southern Illinois to urban Chicago. […]
Last year, the state asked SIUC to provide a solution. The university got about $345,000 to recruit a cohort of 20 paraprofessionals (also known as teacher’s aides) from across Southern Illinois and convert them into full-fledged, certified special ed teachers.
A year later, 18 of the 20 remain in the rigorous program, taking classes at night, on the weekends, and over the summer to earn their bachelor’s degrees and teaching certifications, all while continuing to work full-time in their special education classrooms.
The state funding covers 100% of their tuition, fees and books, and some travel from as far as 1.5 hours away to participate.
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Do better
Thursday, Jan 16, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Speaker Madigan wants YOU!…
I was going to have great fun with that flier until I noticed something.
* Zoom in…
That’s Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago) on the left. Feigenholtz was pushed out of House Democratic leadership last year. She was first elected in 1994, making her one of the most senior members in the House, but she’s abandoning all that seniority for a freshman role in the Senate.
And yet they put her in their recruitment poster.
…Adding… Rep. Chris Welch…
Hey Rich! I just saw your blog post. As you know, I’m constantly fighting for equality and diversity in the workforce, and I think we have to lead by example. A couple of weeks ago I asked House Dem Staff to create that flyer for me. I specifically wanted to use it to promote within various diverse groups of college graduates. In my time in the House, I think our staff has been diverse with people from all backgrounds culturally, ethnically, socio-economic status, etc. Our staff, just like the Democratic Party, looks like our Illinois. However, I’m always looking for ways to do even better because you should never rest. Thanks for sharing it on your widely read platform.
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* Dan Petrella at the Tribune…
With federal investigators scrutinizing the activities of lobbyists at City Hall and the state Capitol, Gov. J.B. Pritzker wants the General Assembly to pass legislation banning public officials from working as lobbyists at other levels of government.
But to do that, lawmakers will have to decide what, exactly, counts as lobbying and who would be required to register as a lobbyist. The difficulty lawmakers face in answering those questions became apparent Wednesday at the second meeting of a state ethics commission created late last year in response to the issues raised during the ongoing federal investigation.
* Neal Earley at the Sun-Times…
“Too often, a lawmaker’s retirement and resignation is immediately followed by that lawmaker’s registration as a lobbyist,” said Ryan Tolley, policy director for CHANGE Illinois.
Tolley was just one of the government reform advocates who came out Wednesday to address a newly formed state panel charged with trying to help clean up Illinois politics.
While they didn’t always agree on specific solutions, most of those who spoke agreed that the Joint Commission on Ethics and Lobbying Reform has its work cut out for it. […]
Tolley and others would like to see a “cooling-off” period” that regulates the time in which a former lawmaker can become a lobbyist.
The practice of legislators jockeying for bigtime lobbying gigs during session months needs to be stopped. If they won’t do a “cooling-off” period, then at least ban that. It’s stomach-turning.
* Peter Hancock at Capitol News Illinois…
The advocates also called for barring lawmakers from working as lobbyists at other levels of government.
While a sitting state representative, Arroyo was a registered lobbyist in Chicago. In the wake of his indictment, however, the City Council passed an ordinance prohibiting elected officials from other levels of government from lobbying the city and prohibiting city officials from lobbying other units of government.
House Majority Leader Gregory Harris, a Chicago Democrat, questioned how far that limit should extend, saying it could interfere with a lawmaker’s ability to talk to local governments on behalf of a constituent. But members of the panel said that shouldn’t be a problem and that a ban should extend only to working for pay on behalf of a private client.
Other recommendations from the panel included requiring lobbyists to disclose how much their clients pay them, something Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker has proposed but which lawmakers have not yet endorsed.
* Back to the Tribune…
Aside from state government, only a handful of Illinois’ nearly 7,000 units of government have any kind of disclosure requirements for those seeking to influence decision-making by public officials. Both the city of Chicago and Cook County require lobbyists to register and have active online databases making that information public.
In DuPage County, lobbyists have been required to register for decades, but the county government’s online database shows only seven registered lobbyists, the last of whom registered in 2017.
* Greg Bishop at The Center Square…
Of the thousands of units of government in Illinois, House Majority Leader Greg Harris said not many have a uniform standard for reporting lobbyist activities.
“And it sounds like among all of them we might be able to count on two hands how many of those entities have any regime [to register and track lobbying activities],” he said.
Rather than putting this burden on locals and creating a giant hodgepodge, the state should have a uniform registration system for all levels of government.
* Final word…
But Marie Dillon with the Better Government Association said she wasn’t “especially worked up about the deficiencies in the Lobbyist Registration Act.” She said, “the challenge facing the state should not be framed as a lobbyist problem.”
“The lobbyists who are players in this scandal, by and large, are not rank and file lobbyists. They’re elected officials moonlighting as lobbyists, they’re do-nothing lobbyists hired by people who expect something from the General Assembly in return, but I don’t think the problem is lobbyists,” Dillon said. “I think the problem is the transactional relationships between special interests and the people who write our laws and set our government policies. That’s what’s poisoning the people’s trust in Illinois and I think that’s what our work here is about.”
* Related…
* Rep. David McSweeney: End the cover-ups in the Illinois General Assembly
* How Embattled Alderman Solis’ Top Aide Landed Three Jobs
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* Fourth quarter D-2 reports…
* Friends of Michael J Madigan: $5,311,802.27 (raised) $11,461,542.39 (cash on hand)
* Democratic Party of Illinois: $1,587,029.21 (raised) $2,168,795.55 (cash on hand)
* 13th Ward Democratic Org: $656,385.00 (raised) $2,429,574.30 (cash on hand)
* Democratic Majority: $983,936.71 (raised) $5,000,569.15 (cash on hand)
That’s more than 10 times what House Republican Leader Jim Durkin has at his disposal.
* Meanwhile, here’s the Tribune…
Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan spent more than $445,000 in legal fees from his political war chest during the closing months of 2019, according to a filing with the state board of elections.
The spending is to cover the cost of a $275,000 settlement with a former campaign worker, ongoing civil cases and routine staff training, according to a Madigan spokeswoman. […]
The bulk of the rest of the money, including $139,209 to the Chicago office of Hinshaw & Culbertson and $6,500 to attorney Michael Kasper, cover costs tied to four civil cases, Boyce said. Those include the Hampton case, a case brought by Jason Gonzales, who challenged Madigan’s 2016 campaign tactics, and two cases arising from David Krupa’s 2019 challenge to Madigan’s hand-picked Ald. Marty Quinn (13th), Boyce said.
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Oberweis has loaned his campaign $1 million
Thursday, Jan 16, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Lynn Sweet…
House GOP hopeful Jim Oberweis loaned his campaign $1 million, according to a Federal Election Commission report posted Wednesday, while former Army 1st Lt. Clint Lorance — pardoned by President Donald Trump for the murder of two civilians in Afghanistan — headlined a series of fundraisers this week for the state senator. […]
Others in the March 17 Illinois GOP primary are state Sen. Sue Rezin, from Morris; investor Ted Gradel, from Naperville; Catalina Lauf, from Woodstock, who worked for Uber and the Trump Commerce Department; Jerry Evans, from Warrenville, who owns a music school; James Marter, from Oswego, a former Kendall County Republican Party chairman; and Anthony Catella of St. Charles.
Oberweis has a history of pumping his fortune into his campaigns. FEC records show that Oberweis loaned his campaign $600,000 in the last quarter of 2019 on top of the $400,000 he put in earlier. […]
Oberweis is a wealthy investor and ice cream magnate whose stores in the Chicago area, now run by his son, bear the family name. He loaned or gave his campaign $1.6 million for a 2014 Senate bid and loaned or gave $3.8 million for two House contests in 2008.
The problem I have long had with people loaning money to their campaigns is that when they raise money from special interests to pay off the debt all the money is going right back into their own pockets. And contributors know it.
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Question of the day
Wednesday, Jan 15, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From the end of Brian Mackey’s interview of Gov. Pritzker…
BM: For the people of Illinois, is it a net positive or a net negative that House Speaker Michael Madigan continues in power?
JB: Look, I am the leader of this state. I’m the governor of the stat. And I set an agenda, and I have gone to the legislature and to the leaders of legislature with that agenda. And for the most part, we have passed much of the agenda that I put forward for last year. And so I intend to keep working with whoever is holding those offices going forward.
I believe that it is a positive that I am getting my agenda through, and I’m looking forward to continuing the progress that we’ve made and to bring a greater optimism and success to our state, as we did over the last year.
* The Question: For the people of Illinois, is it a net positive or a net negative that House Speaker Michael Madigan continues in power? Make sure to explain your answer in comments, please. Thanks.
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* Tribune…
Lincoln Towing Service may be off the hook for years of alleged towing violations after a Cook County judge Wednesday reversed the state’s decision revoking its license.
In his ruling, Cook County Circuit Judge Neil Cohen said the Illinois Commerce Commission “violated fundamental fairness and…due process rights” by failing to advise Lincoln Towing that it could lose its license as a result of the hearing process.
The ICC voted unanimously in September 2018 to revoke Lincoln Towing’s license in the wake of a 2016 investigation that found 831 alleged violations over an eight-month period. It ordered Lincoln to immediately cease towing operations and park its fleet of trucks.
#facepalm
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You don’t see this every day
Wednesday, Jan 15, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Somebody actually took the time today to print this out and then go to a UPS store in Chicago to send me this fax…
I have no idea about the McPier thing, but I’ve asked and will get back to you if I hear back.
Also, I am pretty sure the governor has said he would try to convince people to move to Illinois from other states. So, here’s to success! A Hoosier could be moving here! Huzzah! /s
And, yes, I still fax the subscriber edition. You’d be surprised how many people still receive them and want them. So, let me be clear: I am not dissing faxes. It’s part of my publication’s name after all.
It’s just that I don’t receive many faxes any more. And I cannot remember the last time somebody went to the trouble to send me an anonymous tip via fax. Not a bad idea, actually. Very difficult to trace. Many thanks to whomever sent me this. I’m on it!
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Oppo dump! Another homestead exemption issue
Wednesday, Jan 15, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* From a GOP oppo dump…
[US Rep. Sean Casten] claims his condo on Massachusetts Ave as his primary residence while running for Congress in Illinois.
Sean Casten currently takes a homestead deduction on his Condo in Washington, DC. In order to take a homestead deduction in Washington, DC, a property must be the owners ‘primary residence’:
On January 2, 2019, Sean Casten purchased a Condo at 555 Massachusetts Ave NW in Washington DC.
(DC Office of Tax and Revenue, “Property Search – 555 Massachusetts Ave NW United 219,” Accessed 3/19/19)
Casten claimed the homestead deduction on his Washington, DC condo – claiming it as his primary residence.
(DC Office of Tax and Revenue, “Property Search – xxx Massachusetts Ave NW United 219,” Accessed 3/19/19)
According to the Office of Tax and Revenue for the government of Washington, DC, in order to take homestead exemption the property must be the primary residence of its owner. “The property must be the principal residence (domicile) of the owner/applicant.” (DC Office of Tax and Revenue, “Homestead/Senior Citizen Deduction”, Accessed 3/20/19)
The homestead deduction reduced Casten’s taxes by $636.23. (DC Office of Tax and Revenue, “Property Search – xxx Massachusetts Ave NW United 219,” Accessed 3/19/19)
Yep. Checks out.
Oops.
* I reached out to Casten’s campaign yesterday. Spokesperson Chloe Hunt’s initial response today…
As soon as Sean became aware of the error he immediately took action to remove the exemption, rectify the situation, and pay back the difference.
Casten’s letter to the DC tax office…
Office of Tax and Revenue, Real Property Administration
PO BOX 176
Washington, DC 20044
To the DC Office of Tax and Revenue,
I recently learned that through a clerical error, I have been receiving the Homestead deduction on a property I purchased in 2019. To address this error, I have filled out the FP-105 Cancellation of Homestead Deduction - Senior Citizen/Disabled Tax Relief form through your website, a copy of which is attached to this letter. I also submitted a payment through the online portal with the amount of property tax that was mistakenly deducted from my tax bill.
Thank you,
Sean Casten
They also sent along screen shots of the cancellation.
* But, I wondered, how was this a “clerical error”? The reply…
The exemption was applied to the property in 2016 at the request of a previous owner.
Following Rep. Casten’s purchase in 2019, he’s taken steps to remove the exemption and paid the full amount of the taxes without the exemption.
Stand by for a response which I am sure is coming.
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* Ed McClelland at Chicago Magazine on the upcoming census…
“We’re going full bore on this,” says CEO Maria Whelan, whose nonprofit connects families with childcare and preschools. “Every employee is going to be a babbling idiot about the census.” The state can’t afford a repeat of what happened 10 years ago: Kids younger than 5 were undercounted by 36,000, costing Illinois $2,700 per child each year in federal assistance.
In all, the United States Census Bureau estimates it missed 59,800 Illinoisans the last time around. As a result, the state lost $122 million in federal health funding, according to the George Washington Institute of Public Policy. So it’s no surprise that Illinois is spending more than it ever has on the census, including $29 million from Springfield, $4 million from Cook County, and $2.7 million from Chicago. Illinois’s investment is the third highest per capita, after California and New York. […]
A particular challenge for Illinois: its high percentage of hard-to-count residents, especially immigrants. The state has 1.8 million foreign-born inhabitants, the nation’s sixth-highest total. And immigrants account for the population increase in the few parts of Illinois that are growing, especially the Fox River Valley. (Latinos are now the largest ethnic group in Aurora and Elgin.) It’s not news that immigrants — even legal ones — participate in the census at a lower rate than native-born Americans. This year, though, getting them to fill out a form will be even tougher, thanks to fears stoked by the Trump administration’s efforts to add a citizenship question to census forms. While the Supreme Court rejected the question, just the fact that it was proposed has left many immigrants wary. Organizations that sued to keep the question off the census claimed it was intended to reduce the participation, and thus the political representation, of Latinos, who make up about 17 percent of Illinois’s population.
“We’ve got a lot to fight in terms of government mistrust,” says Jeanine Stroger, who is coordinating the Illinois Complete Count Committee for the Illinois secretary of state’s office. “That whole discussion left a chilling effect in the community.” Her office is distributing literature in five languages to municipal libraries, assuring residents that their individual census information will not be made public for 72 years.
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* Illinois Environmental Council executive director Jen Walling wrote a piece for her members about Gov. JB Pritzker’s first year in office. While much of it was laudatory, some was clearly not. I’ve taken out the praise and posted some of the criticisms…
While I am appreciative for the improvements made by Gov. Pritzker, it is my responsibility to provide an honest assessment of our progress and the opportunities missed along the way. And while it is uncomfortable for me to admit, the truth is that those of us who care about protecting our environment are eager to see more action from the governor on his environmental commitments. I hope my comments are taken in the spirit they are meant: to provide transparency to the governor as a partner who shares our values and the people of Illinois who depend on us to advance policies that protect our communities and environment. […]
Unfortunately, 2019 fell short on energy issues despite the urgency of climate change. Illinois remains one of the only Democratically controlled state to not advance major clean energy legislation. The governor has yet to back the Clean Energy Jobs Act, a demonstration of leadership that would move the bill forward in the legislative process. Although he has announced that energy issues will be taken up in 2020, he has failed to name clean energy among his top priorities in recent interviews reflecting on his plans for this year. It is time for Gov. Pritzker to take action on climate change and leave dirty, corrupt energy companies in the past.
The governor missed an opportunity to stand up to President Trump by choosing not to adopt clean car standards before the repeal of the federal waiver. California, along with 13 other states have already adopted a LEV/ZEV standard, and Minnesota and New Mexico initiated the process in the wake of Trump’s actions. Illinois would have been one of the largest car markets to adopt these standards, meaning that more electric cars would be produced and sold. Gov. Pritzker’s IEPA has also failed to revise the Rauner Administration’s plan for the VW emissions scandal settlement. Without changes, our state will dedicate $18.6M – over 17% of the total – towards fossil fuel technology, the third highest of all states receiving the money.
In addition to reducing the amount of fossil fuels burned in Illinois, we must commit to keeping dirty fuel sources in the ground. Unfortunately, the Pritzker administration issued a permit on the dirty and dangerous Bull Dog Mine permit and is currently considering approving a permit to pump wastewater from Pond Creek Mine into the Big Muddy River. Instead of tying us to industry in decline that has a long history of polluting and then abandoning communities, Governor Pritzker should focus on building for the future.
That Bull Dog Mine permit languished for nearly a decade before being approved by the Pritzker administration.
Go read the rest if you want to see the praise.
…Adding… Related…
* Dems swept the Midwest. Why hasn’t it helped clean energy?: “Energy certainly isn’t Gov. Pritzker’s priority,” said Howard Learner, the longtime head of the Chicago-based Environmental Law and Policy Center, a Midwest environmental advocacy group.
*** UPDATE *** The Pond Creek Mine permit she wrote about has been approved by IDNR…
Williamson Energy last month was granted the first of two application approvals for its Pond Creek Mine pipeline, which, if also approved by the Illinois EPA, would dump millions of gallons of mine wastewater into the Big Muddy River.
On Dec. 5, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources rendered its final verdict on Williamson Energy’s application, approving the development of more than 70 acres to construct a pipeline from its Franklin County Pond Creek Mine to the Big Muddy River. The company says it needs to pump seep water from mine shafts to ensure the safety of miners, according to public documents. These documents also show that before being diluted in holding ponds, the water will contain high levels of chlorides and sulfates.
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Let’s not go through this again, please
Wednesday, Jan 15, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Another excerpt from Amanda Vinicky’s interview of Gov. JB Pritzker…
Pritkzer’s original plan for this year’s budget included partially deferring the state’s pension payment, extending the deadline by which Illinois is set to reach 90% funding of its woefully underfunded pension systems, from 2045 to 2052.
After criticism from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, and thanks to an infusion of unexpected tax money, that idea was dropped.
But it’s not off the table for the coming fiscal year, as long as it’s coupled with other changes such as transferring valuable state assets (the lottery, tollway or Thompson Center government office building are among the possibilities).
“We put out a number of things that we think you need to do, ways, tools, that you can use in order to help us manage our pensions in the state,” Pritzker said. “This component has to be done in conjunction with these other items. Because we’re trying very hard not to crowd out the important expenditures that need to be made.”
Pritzker and legislators are on the hook for finding $9.8 billion for the state’s pension systems in the next budget – a half-billion dollars more than the pension payment this fiscal year.
The only component of that “plan” that he was willing to flesh out last year was skimping on the state contributions. Pretty much everything else was super vague and iffy.
If he tries that same nonsense again, he’s gonna get the same push-back.
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Pritzker won’t partake
Wednesday, Jan 15, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Amanda Vinicky asked Gov. Pritzker if he planned to purchase or consume cannabis now that it’s legal…
AV: Do you plan to partake? Buy any?
JB: No.
You’ll recall that his lieutenant governor bought some edibles on January 1.
I’ll have more on Vinicky’s interview later today.
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* Press release…
An ethics violation and fraud complaint was filed today with the office of the Illinois Legislative Inspector General against State Representative Allen Skillicorn The complaint, filed by Skillicorn’s primary opponent Carolyn Schofield, claims Skillicorn created a false attendance and voting record in Springfield on Saturday, June 1, 2019 while simultaneously campaigning for another elected office at an event in Harvard, Illinois, 220 miles north of the State Capitol.
“The current Representative for the 66th District never misses an opportunity to grandstand politically when elected officials violate ethics rules, when he himself had violated the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act on the final day of the spring legislative session,” said Schofield. “He created a fraudulent House transcript that made it look like he was in Springfield voting, when instead he was walking in the Harvard Milk Days Parade more than three hours away. It was a willful effort to mislead his constituents and represents a clear violation of the Ethics Act.”
Along with the complaint, Schofield submitted a copy of the official House of Representatives Journal for June 1, 2019, which shows that roll was called at 12:11 pm with 114 members taking a digital vote that they were present in the House chamber. Skillicorn’s voting switch was engaged and a “present” vote was recorded. At the same time, Skillicorn was photographed and appeared in videos 220 miles away at the Harvard Milk Days Parade.
“The indication of ‘present’ implies that Rep. Skillicorn’s switch was pressed or else the switch would have been turned off in his absence,” continued Schofield. “Records further indicate that 26 bills were called for a vote prior to a 3:01 pm recess that day. Of these 26 votes, Skillicorn was recorded as either a ‘Y’ or ‘N’ on 23 of the bills. Obviously, he couldn’t have been in two places at once.”
In addition to the House Journal for the day in question, Schofield submitted supporting documentation from the Harvard Milk Days Facebook page, a Facebook Live video from the parade and photos posted to the Facebook pages for the Algonquin Township Republican Party, on the pages of an individual who watched the parade, photos Skillicorn posted to his own political Facebook page, and photos posted to the McHenry County Blog.
“The fact that he was physically in Harvard, Illinois the afternoon of June 1 participating in a 1:00 parade when he was recorded as ‘present’ during June 1, 2019 roll call at 12:11 pm and recorded as voting on 23 votes prior to 3:01 pm, is a concern for ethics and public integrity,” Schofield added. “These deceptive actions represent a direct violation of the State Ethics Act. He needs to be held accountable for his decision to engage in political activity while creating a fraudulent record that he was being paid for, appearing to be taking votes in Springfield.”
* Hannah Meisel at the Daily Line followed up…
“I can’t recall the exact time I left, but I left fairly early in the morning from the parade,” Skillicorn told The Daily Line, noting a floor speech he made that evening before voting against a bill that doubled the state’s gasoline tax to support transportation infrastructure in Illinois. “I didn’t miss any important votes. I did represent the people of the 66th District that day.”
When told the official Milk Days schedule indicated the parade began at 1 p.m., and that a Facebook live video posted at 2:07 p.m. on the official Milk Days’ Facebook page showed Skillicorn walking in the parade, Skillicorn said “I don’t think that could’ve been possible,” and provided the phone number of a volunteer with him at the parade that day.
Glen Swanson, himself the Algonquin Township Republican chairman, also told The Daily Linehe did not remember the exact timeline of the day, but vouched for Skillicorn, calling him a “workaholic” and accusing Schofield of only running for the House to “collect a paycheck.” […]
House Rules, which govern how business is conducted in the chamber, instruct that lawmakers must be counted as present in a quorum roll call vote before being able to vote on a bill, resolution, motion or other question before legislators.
“No member may vote on any question before the House unless on the quorum roll call before the vote is announced,” according to House Rule 49.
But the rules are silent on members falsely being marked as present when they are not, or what counts as “present.” A spokesperson for the House Republican Caucus did not return a request for comment.
So, Facebook’s time stamping was obviously malfunctioning, the official Milk Days schedule was totally wrong and we’re supposed to believe Sillicorn and Glen.
Right.
Gotcha.
He’s gonna need a better alibi than that.
Photos are here. Video is here.
*** UPDATE *** A commenter pointed out that Rep. Skillicorn’s alibi just crumbled further. Check out the tweet he sent before the parade…
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A thousand words
Wednesday, Jan 15, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Dave McKinney and I talked about the back-story behind this photo the other day, so I’m glad he tweeted it out…
He just stood there, as if he was posing. Usually, folks at the center of a big media firestorm tend to lay low. But he not only dined at a popular spot for political types and then stood for a brief interview with WBEZ, he let the photographer take 40-50 shots while he talked on the phone.
“Seemed oddly deliberate” is right. Was he sending some sort of message to the feds and/or anyone else? Or was he getting a little kick out of the attention? Or… ? I just don’t know. But this is highly unusual behavior.
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