Villanueva appointed to Sandoval’s seat
Tuesday, Jan 7, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Background is here if you need it. Press release…
State Rep. Celina Villanueva (D-Chicago) was appointed to the 11th District State Senate seat on Tuesday evening by the Democratic Legislative Committee of the 11th Legislative District, after Sen. Martin Sandoval vacated the position.
“It is long past time for ethical, principled, progressive leadership to fight for the working families of the 11th District,” said Sen. Villanueva. “I hit the ground running and kept sprinting throughout my tenure as state representative standing up for the families of the Southwest Side–I’m proud of the progressive legislation I’ve added to my legacy so far, and I’m ready to step up and lead the way forward to a brighter future for our most vulnerable communities.”
Sen. Villanueva is the only candidate who filed petitions with the State Board of Elections in order to appear on the March 17 primary ballot to fill the 11th District seat.
The sudden resignation of Sen. Sandoval, embroiled in a federal investigation into corruption allegations, triggered the special succession process that will lead to a March 17 special election to fulfill the remaining two years of Sen. Sandoval’s term.
Villanueva was sworn into the House of Representatives in July 2018. In her tenure as State Representative, she has championed cannabis legalization, the Reproductive Health Act, legislation to protect immigrant rights, and the bill that creates a pathway to a fair income tax, which would require the very wealthy to pay their fair share in taxes.
The daughter of Mexican immigrants, Villanueva is an alumna of the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, and Kenwood Academy High School on Chicago’s South Side. Prior to becoming State Representative, Villanueva served as Civic and Youth Engagement Manager at the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.
In the House, Villanueva served on the Labor & Commerce Committee and the Elections & Campaign Finance; Public Utilities; and Appropriations-Human Services and Higher Education committees.
The 11th Senate District includes Brighton Park, Clearing, Gage Park, Garfield Ridge, Little Village, West Lawn, and municipalities of Bedford Park, Burbank, Cicero, Forest View, Lyons, McCook, Stickney, Summit and Riverside.
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* Tony Arnold and Dave McKinney at WBEZ…
A powerful former Springfield lobbyist and close friend of House Speaker Michael Madigan once sought leniency for a state worker in a disciplinary case by arguing that the worker “kept his mouth shut” about an unspecified rape downstate.
In the previously undisclosed, 2012 email, ex-lobbyist Michael McClain urged two top aides to then-Gov. Pat Quinn to avoid firing the worker, also telling them the man was politically “loyal” to Quinn and stayed silent about “ghost workers.” […]
The disclosure of the 2012 email — which WBEZ obtained recently through an open-records request — immediately prompted calls for an investigation from Gov. JB Pritzker and the top Republican in the Illinois House, who called the email’s contents “horrific.” […]
Newly obtained emails plainly demonstrate McClain’s unique level of access and influence. McClain urged Quinn’s aides not to let pending disciplinary action against the state worker “get out of hand.” A day later he thanked them for what he said was the abrupt postponement of a hearing in the case, saying, “Nothing happens accidentally.”
Go read the rest.
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*** UPDATED x1 *** Question of the day
Tuesday, Jan 7, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* One of several recommendations included in the draft report of the Illinois Property Tax Relief Task Force…
Mandate that school districts with significant cash reserves must either abate the excess reserves by lowering the levy or identify the purpose and utilization timeline of the funds.
Some wealthier districts are sitting on a year of operating cash reserves, or even more.
* The Question: Your thoughts on this idea?
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
MEDIA ADVISORY: Leader Jim Durkin, House Republicans to Discuss Democrat Failure to Reduce Sky High Property Taxes
WHO: House Republican Leader Jim Durkin, State Reps. Deanne Mazzochi, Amy Grant, Dan Ugaste, Grant Wehrli, Tom Morrison
WHAT: Democrat Failures of the Property Tax Relief Task Force
WHEN: 11:30AM on January 8, 2020
WHERE: Blueroom at the James R. Thompson Center, 100 West Randolph Street 15th Floor, Chicago Illinois
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Cannabis explainer
Tuesday, Jan 7, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sun-Times…
At least six Chicago dispensaries are closed to recreational marijuana customers Monday as many retailers grapple with supply issues in the wake of legalization. […]
Jason Erkes, a spokesman for Cresco Labs, said four of the company’s newly rebranded Sunnyside Dispensaries will be closed Monday “to reset and give the staff that has worked five 14-hour days straight a break.” That includes locations in Lake View, Elmwood Park, Rockford and Champaign.
However, Erkes said, the shops will have flower, vapes, concentrates and edibles available when the shops reopen Tuesday.
“There are no product supply shortages — just a shortage of state-approved employees to help efficiently service the hundreds of people that have been showing up every day to make their first legal cannabis purchase in Illinois,” Erkes said.
The reason that company doesn’t have a shortage problem is because it owns three cultivation facilities. It’s vertically integrated. Allowing this practice is one of the things I really did not like about the new law. We should have a three-tiered system (producers, distributors, retailers) like we have with alcohol to help avoid these sorts of hoarding issues.
* Sun-Times…
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s plan to create licensed places for on-site consumption of recreational marijuana in Chicago ran into a buzz-kill of opposition Monday by black and Hispanic aldermen concerned it will pave the way for a new wave of drug arrests.
“Our concern, as aldermen who represent the South and West Sides, is that it’s not gonna work and there’s gonna be illegal dens of people smoking the stuff,” Ald. Howard Brookins (21st) told the Chicago Sun-Times after a closed-door briefing on the mayor’s ordinance.
“There’s no stand-alone or free-standing smoke shops within the communities we’re talking about. And if you were able to find a cigar bar or lounge, the two customers just don’t mix.”
Ald. Roderick Sawyer (6th), former chairman of the City Council’s Black Caucus, agreed with his fellow cigar-smoker that Lightfoot’s plan to limit consumption-on-premises licenses to retail tobacco stores that derive 80% of their revenue from the sale of tobacco-related products is ill-conceived because “most cigar smokers don’t want to be in the same space as weed smokers” and vice-versa.
1) Um, expanding the available venues to consume will help cut down on “illegal dens of people smoking the stuff.”
2) Maybe some smoke shops would open if they could also sell a bit of cannabis (and I found a few venues on the South Side with a Google search for “cigar lounge” and “hookah bar”).
3) The two types of customers don’t have to mix, they can be put in separate rooms.
4) Two cigar-smoking aldermen oppose allowing cannabis to be consumed in cigar lounges? Hmm.
* Kass…
With local media so excited, I probably shouldn’t point out that Mexican drug cartels will undercut the government and flood the street with cheaper stuff.
And the cartels, which don’t charge taxes, will compete with Pritzker.
Drug dealers will make a killing. More bullets will fly. More teenage street gang members will hit the ground. But forget what I said. I’d rather not harsh your mellow.
Yes, because legalization will mean lots more illegal weed is sold. Right. Great logic there.
…Adding… From comments…
As Kass probably already knows, it was the repeal of the 18th Amendment that really gave rise to the moonshiners.
Also, weed from Mexico is just generic stuff. It’s not anything close to the choices one can find at a legal retail outlet (once the supply issue is solved).
* Part of that column included a complaint about this Tribune story by Josh Noel…
Not long ago, there was nothing complicated about using marijuana.
We simply “smoked weed.” We “got high.”
The great majority of us barely knew a thing more about what we were doing.
We had a dealer — or knew someone who did — and smoked whatever marijuana was handed to us in a small plastic baggie. Sometimes things went phenomenally well (seeing “Magnolia” on the big screen). Sometimes they didn’t (questioning your entire existence as the world jerked into hyper awareness). Either way, that pint of ice cream probably tasted delicious.
But as Illinois will discover now that recreational marijuana sales have begun, there’s no longer such a thing as simply “getting high” — because there’s hardly just one sort of high anymore.
The birth of a legal cannabis industry has led to far more product variety and consumer knowledge, which in turn has led to far more nuanced experiences than the days of being beholden to a dealer — or whoever happened to be standing next to you at a Phish show.
* You’ve probably seen the taxes on cannabis sales receipts posted on social media accounts. Illinois has a sliding excise tax, so those huge tax bills meant they were buying the strongest stuff. Here are the excise tax rates, which are kinda like alcohol and tobacco excise taxes…
10% — cannabis with a THC level at or below 35%
20% — all cannabis infused products
25% — cannabis with a THC level above 35%
After costs, 35 percent of that tax money will go to GRF, 10 percent goes to the Budget Stabilization Fund and 8 percent goes to the Local Government Distributive Fund. The rest goes for various programs. More info here.
And then there’s the 6.25 percent state sales tax plus any local taxes.
* Press release…
The Illinois Department of Federal and Professional Regulation has announced that statewide adult-use cannabis sales from Wednesday, January 1 through Sunday, January 5 totaled $10,830,667.91. Dispensaries across the state rendered 271,169 transactions over the five-day period.
Jan. 1 $3,176,256.71 [sales], 77,128 [transactions]
Jan. 2 $2,252,586.51, 56,762
Jan. 3 $2,209,065.01, 55,161
Jan. 4 $2,004,019.43, 51,174
Jan. 5 $1,189,252.18, 30,954
TOTAL $10,830,667.91, 271,169
As part of the state’s focus on equity, 25 percent of cannabis sales tax revenues will support the Restore, Reinvest and Renew (R3) program, which aims to address the impact of economic disinvestment, violence and the historical overuse of the criminal justice system. The Department of Revenue expects to have a tax revenue estimate by the end of February, when initial tax payments from dispensaries are due.
“The successful launch of this new industry is a historic development for our state that will benefit the very communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the failed war on drugs,” said Toi Hutchinson, Senior Advisor to the Governor for Cannabis Control. “As we move into the next phase, the Pritzker administration is proud to see the robust interest in dispensary ownership from social equity applicants, and we encourage them to apply for $30 million in loans that we have available to reduce the capital barriers to entry. Unlike any state in the nation, Illinois has set the standard for what it means to legalize cannabis in a way that begins to right the wrongs of the past and gives new opportunity to those that have been left behind for far too long.”
On Thursday, January 2, the Department concluded the first round of applications for new dispensary licenses. A preliminary count shows that more than 700 applicants submitted applications seeking almost 4,000 licenses. More than 600 of the applicants identified themselves as qualifying for social equity applicant status. The Department will award up to 75 new dispensary licenses, which will be announced by May 1, 2020.
The application process provides several avenues for social equity applicants that are unique in the nation. Of the total points possibly awarded during application scoring, 20 percent are designated for social equity applicants, who also receive a 50 percent waiver for non-refundable application and license fees.
To defray the start-up costs associated with entering the industry, social equity applicants have access to a low-cost loan fund, primarily funded by existing dispensaries, and are allowed 180 days from the license award date to identify a physical location for the dispensary. Ownership limitations are also in place to protect market share for new applicants. Following the awarding of the next round of dispensary licenses, the state will also conduct a disparity study to ensure the market reflects the equity goals of the historic legislation.
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The absolute mess at DCFS gets worse
Tuesday, Jan 7, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Hannah Meisel…
The number of children who died between July 1, 2018 and June 30, 2019 after having prior contact with the Department of Children and Family Services rose 25 percent, according to a new report published Wednesday by the agency’s inspector general.
DCFS Inspector General Meryl Paniak called the deaths of 123 children in the 2019 fiscal year — up from 98 — “disheartening,” especially given “that many of the problems I identify here have been identified before, both by me and my predecessor.” […]
New in this year’s annual inspector general’s report is data on risk factors present in a child’s home environment prior to his or her death, including substance abuse, domestic violence or mental health issues. In the vast majority of the 123 deaths examined by the report, one, two or all three risk factors were present before a child died.
Paniak said while it’s not surprising that these risk factors would show up in many child death cases, the 2020 report will be a starting point for the agency to continually track those risk factors.
Paniak also pointed out that in all of the cases considered “high profile,” including AJ, there were investigations of cuts, welts or bruises on children who later died that were determined “unfounded.”
The full IG report is here…
As I submit this report, I am disheartened that many of the problems I identify here have been identified before, both by me and my predecessor. I recently reviewed a 2004 article1 which addressed the same child welfare issues I highlight in this report –
• Children killed after DCFS left them with abusive parents or their partners
• Children taken from their parents to sleep on the floors in DCFS offices
• Children kept beyond medical necessity in psychiatric hospitals. (Even earlier, in 1996, a neglect
petition was filed against DCFS for leaving children in psych hospitals when they were ready for
discharge.)
• Lack of foster homes and services for children and families whose first language is not English
• Investigators who take shortcuts that lead to tragedy.
* AP…
The dense 384-page report made specific recommendations on individual cases and for the agency overall, which should “begin to analyze families in totality and in context, not focusing narrowly on the facts in the most recent hotline report,” according to the report.
Paniak noted the case of a 5-year-old suburban Chicago boy, Andrew “A.J.” Freund, who died despite having a long history of contact with the agency. He was found last year beaten to death in a shallow grave not far from the family’s Crystal Lake home. His parents have been charged with murder, a federal lawsuit has been filed and two state employees have been fired amid an ongoing internal investigation.
Paniak said investigators “ignored the parents’ long history of addiction'’ and the case highlights “opportunities DCFS missed to strengthen viable families.'’
The inspector general concluded there wasn’t a single answer to address the agency’s issues, but proposed a set of fixes, including more training, strong supervision of front-line workers and manageable caseloads.
* Tribune…
Those failures contributed to the highest number of deaths after DCFS contact since the fiscal year ending in 2005, when the number was 139 deaths, The Associated Press reported. The lowest toll during that time was 84 in the fiscal year ending in 2010.
The report examines 24 deaths ruled homicides between July 1, 2018, and June 30, 2019. Some older teens were shot in apparent street crimes, but 13 of those victims were children 5 and younger.
There also were 37 deaths attributed to accidents, seven suicides and 21 cases in which the cause of death was ruled undetermined. Natural causes accounted for additional 34 deaths.
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Our sorry state
Tuesday, Jan 7, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Kristen McQueary…
It was a close competition between Indiana and Florida: Which state in 2018 attracted the most Illinois residents for relocation?
Indiana won. Nearly 26,000 Illinois tax filers (including their dependents) moved to Indiana in 2018, new Internal Revenue Service data shows. Out with Chicago-style pizza and beef sandwiches. In with pork tenderloin and sugar cream pie, two Hoosier staples.
But Florida beaches beckoned too. Nearly 24,000 Illinoisans moved to Florida in 2018. Some Indiana residents and Floridians moved to Illinois, mind you, but not enough to make up the difference. Texas was the third most popular destination for Illinoisans, followed by California, Wisconsin, Missouri and Arizona.
What do Indiana and Florida boast that Illinois does not? Lower taxes, well-funded pension systems, balanced budgets and, in Florida’s case, sunshine and ocean views. Who can compete with that? Uncle! Uncle!
14,907 people moved to Illinois from Indiana in the same time period. And 12,128 people moved to Illinois from Florida. So, we’re not total losers.
* But there’s a problem with that, too…
While recently released data from the U.S. Census Bureau revealed Illinois was home to the nation’s worst loss of residents to other states over the decade, new IRS data shows those leaving the state are taking billions of dollars with them.
For tax year 2018, that amounted to a net loss of up to $5.6 billion in adjusted gross income to other states, with each person leaving earning on average $18,000 more per tax return than those who moved to Illinois. […]
The IRS data reveals who is making up the bulk of the exodus from Illinois. Of the 2018 income tax returns that Illinois lost on net, 24,834 (58%) of them were prime working-age Illinoisans between 26-54, as has been the case for the entire decade.
IRS data also shows that while Illinois is losing residents of all income brackets to other states, the Illinoisans departing at the fastest rate on net are higher income earners.
In fact, Illinois is losing people earning more than $200,000 a year at nearly twice the rate of average-income residents, on net.
* More…
Illinois lost $6.8 billion in Adjusted Gross Incomes to net out-migration in 2017 and $5.6 billion in 2018. Illinois’ 2018 loss was the third worst in the country, with only California and New York losing more AGI, $8.0 billion and $9.6 billion, respectively.
The three biggest gainers nationally in 2018 of residents and their incomes were Florida, Arizona and Texas. Florida was the biggest winner by far, gaining a net 115,000 people and $16 billion in AGI. Arizona gained 65,000 people and $3.5 billion in AGI. Texas gained 77,000 people and $3.4 billion in AGI. […]
When measured on per capita basis, only New York lost more AGI than Illinois in 2018. Illinois lost $435 in AGI per person while New York lost $484 per person.
The biggest per capita winners of AGI were Nevada, up $766 per person, Florida, up $762 per person, and Idaho, up $646 per person.
Illinois’ neighbors suffered far smaller AGI losses than Illinois in 2018, ranging from a loss of $145 per person in Iowa to just $52 per person in Missouri. […]
Domestic in-migrants to Illinois earned far less than the Illinois residents who left the state. The average AGI of those who left in 2018 was approximately $85,000, while those who entered the state had incomes of just $66,000.
The wealth gap between residents leaving and coming to Illinois has more than tripled since 2000. In 2000, those moving into Illinois earned on average $5,000 less than those leaving Illinois. In 2018, the gap is now nearly $19,000.
* Related…
* Can Lightfoot expand Chicago’s jobs pie while dividing it differently?: For instance, since the 2009 recession, compound annual growth in regional product here has risen just 1.1 percent a year, tied with Philadelphia for last place and barely half the national 1.8 percent level. Total employment has followed the same track, with Chicago and Philly again tied at 0.5 percent growth a year versus figures such as 1.9 percent in Dallas, 1.8 percent in Denver and 0.8 percent in the nation as a whole. Moody’s expects more of the same, including more population loss. Over the new decade, Chicago is the only one of those metros expected to lose population, projected to be down about 2 percent by 2031, with even New York and Los Angeles showing at least some gain.
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So far so good with state revenues
Tuesday, Jan 7, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Finke…
The state’s biggest revenue producers continued to perform “quite respectably” in December, the General Assembly’s financial analysts said in a report Monday.
That means as the state hits the midway point for its fiscal year, state finances remain on target to meet the projections set out when the state budget was being crafted. […]
Those economic sources are revenues from the personal and corporate income taxes and from sales taxes. Through the end of December, the halfway point of the 2020 fiscal year, personal income taxes were $500 million higher than at the same time last year. Corporate income tax receipts were $163 million higher and sales tax collections were up $116 million.
When all of the taxes that make up the state’s general funds are included, collections are about $1.37 billion ahead of where they were last year.
The full report is here. While the state is ahead of where it was last year at this time, keep in mind that revenues jumped by $1.5 billion in April alone last year, surprising just about everyone.
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Champaign County Republicans are disappearing
Tuesday, Jan 7, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Tom Kacich…
For the party that had dominated Champaign County politics for about 150 years, these are challenging times.
The Republican Party had provided most of the county’s judges, officials and county board members almost from the time it was created in the 1850s until a shift in the local electorate that began late in the last century and accelerated in 2016 and 2018.
Republicans now control only three of the eight countywide elected offices and are outnumbered on the county board, 13-9.
And based on the number of candidates on the primary election ballot this spring, things aren’t getting any better.
Democrats have candidates for all five of the countywide offices up for election this year — even a contested primary for circuit clerk — while Republicans are missing candidates for state’s attorney and auditor. […]
And when it comes to the foot soldiers of local politics — the election of precinct committee persons who coordinate campaigns in the county’s 118 precincts — Democrats have a huge advantage in this spring’s election. They have 74 candidates throughout the county versus just 27 Republican contenders.
I’m told that 27 number is down from 57.
* And it’s not just Champaign County. This was sent to me a few weeks ago by the Center for Illinois Politics…
Lake County Committeepersons count:
2016 General Primary:
2020 General Primary:
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* Reuters…
U.S. insurers and providers spent more than $800 billion in 2017 on administration, or nearly $2,500 per person - more than four times the per-capita administrative costs in Canada’s single-payer system, a new study finds.
Over one third of all healthcare costs in the U.S. were due to insurance company overhead and provider time spent on billing, versus about 17% spent on administration in Canada, researchers reported in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Cutting U.S. administrative costs to the $550 per capita (in 2017 U.S. dollars) level in Canada could save more than $600 billion, the researchers say.
“The average American is paying more than $2,000 a year for useless bureaucracy,” said lead author Dr. David Himmelstein, a distinguished professor of public health at the City University of New York at Hunter College in New York City and a lecturer at Harvard Medical School in Boston.
* From the study…
U.S. insurers and providers spent $812 billion on administration, amounting to $2497 per capita (34.2% of national health expenditures) versus $551 per capita (17.0%) in Canada: $844 versus $146 on insurers’ overhead; $933 versus $196 for hospital administration; $255 versus $123 for nursing home, home care, and hospice administration; and $465 versus $87 for physicians’ insurance-related costs. Of the 3.2–percentage point increase in administration’s share of U.S. health expenditures since 1999, 2.4 percentage points was due to growth in private insurers’ overhead, mostly because of high overhead in their Medicare and Medicaid managed-care plans.
* Related…
* Molina to buy NextLevel Health - The California-based health insurer is paying about $50 million for the Chicago-based Medicaid managed care plan
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*** UPDATED x2 *** Congressional roundup
Tuesday, Jan 7, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
Today, Betsy Dirksen Londrigan, Democratic candidate for the Illinois 13th congressional district, announced raising over $530,000 in the fourth quarter and goes into 2020 with over $1.1 million cash on hand. This follows The Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, and Politico all upgrading Betsy’s race to a Toss Up.
Betsy’s campaign continues to be powered by thousands of grassroots donors, with almost 90% of her contributions coming from individual donors
“The support for our campaign from across Central Illinois is truly inspiring” said Dirksen Londrigan. “While our current representative takes hundreds of thousands of dollars from big pharma PACs then votes against lowering the cost of prescription drugs, I am rejecting corporate PAC money in this campaign and when I’m elected to Congress. I am running for Congress to represent the working families of Central Illinois, not big corporate donors”.
Betsy also added the endorsement of the United Steelworkers to her previous endorsements from EMILY’s List, IBEW, UFCW, League of Conservation Voters Action Fund, Planned Parenthood Action Fund, End Citizens United, Bend the Arc Jewish Action, JStreet, and many others.
* Press release…
Building on his reputation as a problem solver who gets things done for the municipalities he represents, Congressman Dan Lipinski today announced endorsements from 28 mayors across Illinois’ Third Congressional District as he gears up for his 2020 Democratic Primary re-election campaign.
The mayoral endorsements cover nearly every region in Lipinski’s district, which sprawls from the Bridgeport neighborhood in Chicago to southwest suburban Lockport. Among the mayors and village presidents endorsing Lipinski, several of whom have supported him in each and every election, include La Grange Village President Tom Livingston, Lemont Mayor John Egofske, Oak Lawn Mayor Dr. Sandy Bury, Romeoville Mayor John Noak and Western Springs President Alice Gallagher.
Oak Lawn Mayor Bury said Lipinski has been a partner and leader in helping to deliver major developments and improvements to local and regional infrastructure and transportation, including securing more than $4 million to improve local roads, pedestrian walkways and to construct a public parking facility.
“I am proud to have worked with Congressman Lipinski to tackle significant issues for the residents of Oak Lawn and all of the Southland,” said Bury. “He is a tireless supporter of our Veterans and makes sure their benefits are preserved and utilized. Dan Lipinski is someone who brings people together and represents the values of our community and I am proud to endorse his re-election”
Lipinski, who serves as the most senior member from Illinois on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said the support from the local leaders of his home district is the best possible endorsement he could receive.
“I am honored to have the continued support of so many elected officials in my district who work so hard every day to make their communities great places to live,” said Lipinski.
“We all share a calling to public service that benefits the residents we represent and I have made it my highest priority to work to resolve local issues and to make sure our communities have the best possible access to the federal resources they need.”
Lipinski also serves as Chair of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials and he has focused significant attention to secure federal funding to improve public transit and infrastructure across the communities that he represents. Over the course of his career he has secure more than $700 million in federal funds for local transportation projects for roads, bridges, public transit, rail, and bikes/pedestrians. This Congress he inserted a provision into a transportation funding bill directing the Federal Railroad Administration to identify potential issues contributing to the frequency and length of delays on Metra trains, and develop recommendations on addressing these challenges.
Other Mayoral Lipinski Endorsements Include:
LaGrange Village President Tom Livingston:
“Congressman Lipinski is a proven leader who continues to deliver for the residents of La Grange and the western suburbs. He has been very responsive and thoughtful in securing critical support for parking improvements, train station modernization, and enhancements to public safety,” said Livingston. “
He has been tuned into many of our important non-profits with measurable support including Aging Care Connections and Pillars Community Health. Most recently, he helped La Grange come to a much-needed agreement to pave the way for improved flood control in our community. Congressman Lipinski is someone who is consistently there to help us get things done and solve problems.”
Lemont Mayor John Egofske:
“As someone who knows Dan Lipinski personally and for all the support he has provided to our local issues here in our town of Lemont, I’m proud to support Congressman Lipinski.” said Egofske.
“The Congressman’s common-sense approach to addressing problems has benefited our region and the Village of Lemont and he has led the way in obtaining additional Metra service on the Heritage Corridor and continues to fight for additional commuter train service. He’s actively working with the village and the Army Corps of Engineers to provide sorely-needed federal resources for our local water infrastructure. In Congress, Dan Lipinski is a voice of reason and I look forward to continuing to work with him in the years to come.”
Palos Hills Mayor Gerald Bennett:
“Congressman Lipinski has proven himself to be a workhorse rather than a show horse and he makes things happen to improve the quality of life for his constituents,” said Bennett.
“As Chairman of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and President of the Southwest Conference of Mayors, I understand the critical importance of having an advocate like Dan Lipinski working for us in Congress to secure federal funding for our highways, the CTA, PACE and Metra. In the City of Palos Hills, he has consistently been there for our seniors, veterans, first responders, and all of our residents. I’m proud to support his re-election.”
Romeoville Mayor John Noak
“Dan Lipinski is a champion for the hard-working families of Will County,” said Noak.
“He was instrumental in helping our efforts to construct a new Romeoville Metra station on the Heritage Corridor Line, which helps provide access to quality careers. He also recently secured $6 million for construction of a new air traffic control tower at Lewis University, which will significantly improve safety. He’s someone that’s deeply committed to the improvement of the I-80 Des Plaines River Bridge and to making additional investments along historic corridors, such as Route 53. Given what’s he’s done and will continue to do for us, I strongly believe we need Dan in Congress.”
Western Springs Village President Alice Gallagher:
“Dan Lipinski is always there for the residents of Western Springs and those in our surrounding communities to address issues both great and small,” said Gallagher.
“When it became clear Sterigenics was causing serious health concerns to residents, he led the successful charge to help close that facility. When Metra’s BNSF service experienced significant delays last year, he brought BNSF and Metra together in a public forum and held a hearing that resulted in significant improvements along the line. He’s also someone focused on bringing federal dollars back to Western Springs, including more than $3.5 million for walkways, bike paths, and streetscaping projects, and $2.5 million to help reconstruct our new Metra platform. As Dan’s village president and friend, I am standing with him on March 17th.”
The full list of mayors and village presidents in the Third Congressional District endorsing Lipinski includes:
Alice Gallagher of Western Springs
Bob Lovero of Berwyn
Bob Straz of Palos Heights
Chuck Tokar of Chicago Ridge
Dan Foy of Burbank
Dave Brady of Bedford Park
Dennis McGee of Merrionette Park
Jacob Vandenberg of Tinley Park
Jeff Walik of Stickney
Jerry Bennett of Palos Hills
John Carpino of Willow Springs
John Egofske of Lemont
John Mahoney of Palos Park
John Noak of Romeoville
John Ryan of Alsip
Kevin Casey of Hometown
Kris Wasowicz of Justice
Kyle Hastings of Orland Hills
Mary Werner of Worth
Mike Howley of Hickory Hills
Noel Cummings of Hodgkins
Ray Soliman of Crest Hill
Sandra Bury of Oak Lawn
Steve Landek of Bridgeview
Steve Streit of Lockport
Tom Heller of Forest View
Tom Hinshaw of Indian Head Park
Tom Livingston of LaGrange
* Press release…
Mary Miller, candidate for Congress in the 15th District, has officially signed a pledge committing to supporting term limits for members of Congress.
The U.S. Term Limits amendment pledge reads, “I pledge that as a member of Congress, I will co-sponsor and vote for the U.S. Term Limits amendment of three (3) House terms and two (2) Senate terms and no longer limit.”
“Public service should be about service – not a career move,” Miller said. “The longer people stay in Congress, the more their focus shifts from serving the people they represent to making sure they hold onto their seats. Career politicians continue to spend money we do not have and mortgage our children’s and grandchildren’s future. It is time to return to being represented by citizen legislators – not career politicians.”
U.S. Term Limits has the support of nearly 70 pledge signers in Congress. According to US Term Limits, more than 82 percent of Americans support term limits.
“This strong support of term limits shows that there are individuals who are willing to put self-interest aside to follow the will of the people,” stated USTL President Philip Blumel. “America needs a Congress that will be served by citizen legislators, not career politicians.”
The term limits amendment resolutions would require a two-thirds majority in the House and Senate, and ratification by 38 states, in order to become part of the U.S. Constitution.
Congressional term limits is the one bipartisan issue supported by both President Trump and former President Obama.
*** UPDATE *** Press release…
Jim Oberweis is hosting several events with 1st Lt. Clint Lorance who was just recently pardoned by President Donald Trump after serving time in Fort Leavenworth military prison for alleged war crimes.
“The story of Clint Lorance is a compelling one,” Oberweis said. “What he had to endure is shameful. President Trump did the right thing pardoning him. I think everyone who comes out to the events we are hosting will enjoy having the opportunity to meet him.”
In March of 2012, Clint Allen Lorance deployed to Southern Afghanistan as the Squadron Liaison Officer to the Commander for the 4th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. In June 2012, Clint was selected to replace an Infantry Platoon Leader who was medically evacuated dues to shrapnel wounds to his eyes, face, and abdomen incurred from the blast of an IED. Three days after taking charge as the Platoon Leader, on July 2, 2012, Clint directed the men of his platoon to open fire on three Afghan males speeding toward his platoon on a motorcycle.
Just after a year later, Clint was convicted of two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. Evidence surfaced showing a direct link between the motorcyclists to known terrorists. Eventually, President Trump agreed with the evidence and gave Clint a full pardon.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Stickney Mayor Jeff Walik just called to say that he did not give permission to be on the Dan Lipinski endorsement list. He said he told them he was remaining neutral and he wasn’t happy at all about being included. “I asked them to leave me out of it this time, Walik said after some expletives. “Mr. Lipinski hasn’t spoken to me in two years,” he said with no small amount of bitterness in his voice.
* Related…
* Protesters take over Rep. Dan Lipinski’s office after he takes stand against abortion
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ICC gonna ICC
Tuesday, Jan 7, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed two requests with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) to rehear and reconsider its decisions in the ComEd and Ameren Illinois formula rate cases that allow the companies to hold onto hundreds of millions of dollars in consumer refunds for a period of more than 35 years.
The Attorney General’s office is recommending ComEd return $385 million in excess tax dollars and Ameren return $158 million in excess tax dollars to consumers over a five-year period rather than the proposed 38- and 35-year periods, respectively. The Attorney General’s recommendation to the ICC would result in an additional $62 million rate reduction for ComEd consumers and $20 million for Ameren consumers each year for the next five years.
“Consumers paid public utility rates to ComEd and Ameren reflecting the higher federal tax rate, and now that the federal tax rate has lowered, fairness dictates that consumers should get that money back,” Raoul said. “Allowing an unreasonable refund period of close to 40 years nearly guarantees many customers will never get their fair share of the refunds.”
The federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TJCA), which went into effect Jan. 1, 2018, reduced the federal corporate income tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent. As a result of the lower federal tax rates, ComEd and Ameren now have millions of dollars in excess tax money they collected from consumers. Those dollars should now be returned in a timely manner to the consumers who paid the higher tax rates to ComEd and Ameren.
In December 2019, the Attorney General’s office asked the ICC to lower the refund periods to a more reasonable five-year period for ComEd and Ameren to return rate payer money to consumers. The ICC rejected the Attorney General’s recommendation to shorten the refund period and reduce rates by $62 million for ComEd customers and $20 million for Ameren customers.
* Capitol News Illinois…
The issue has to do with how utility rates are set and regulated. Essentially, companies are allowed to recover their cost of providing service and make a “reasonable” rate of return, or profit. The cost of service includes such things as the cost of building and operating power plants and transmission lines. It also includes the cost of taxes owed to various levels of government.
When a company builds a plant, it recovers that cost over the expected useful life of the plant, typically around 40 years.
In their cases before the ICC, ComEd and Ameren acknowledged that the tax law change reduces their cost of service, but they argued that the duty to return the excess deferred tax money they collected should be spread out over the life of their facilities so that both current and future ratepayers will be treated evenly.
But it also means customers will see a reduction in their bills of only a few pennies per month instead of a few dollars, according to Jim Chilsen, spokesman for the Citizens Utility Board, a nonprofit entity established by the state to represent residential and small-business customers in utility rate cases.
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* Press release…
Today, Vote Yes For Fairness announced the formation of its steering committee, a group of leaders from diverse organizations across the state fighting to pass the fair tax in Illinois. In the months ahead, the steering committee will play a critical role in Vote Yes For Fairness’s efforts to create a tax system that works for all Illinoisans and put our state on the path to fiscal sustainability and success for all its residents.
The steering committee members are:
Lawrence Benito, Chief Executive Officer of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
John Bouman, Chairman of Vote Yes For Fair Tax and President of the Shriver Center on Poverty Law
Dr. Byron T. Brazier, Pastor of the Apostolic Church of God
Tim Drea, President of AFL-CIO of Illinois
Michael Eaddy, Pastor of the People’s Church of the Harvest
Jessie Fuentes, Co-Chair of the Puerto Rican Agenda of Chicago
Kathi Griffin, President of the Illinois Education Association
Jordan Powell, President and CEO of the Illinois Primary Health Care Association
Bob Reiter, President of the Chicago Federation of Labor
Stevie Valles, Executive Director of Chicago Votes
AJ Wilhelmi, President and CEO of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association
“Our current tax system is failing Illinois’ working families, and we need all hands on deck to replace it with the fair tax,” said Quentin Fulks, Chairman of Vote Yes For Fairness. “I’m proud that our steering committee represents unique voices and interests from across the state that are all united in their support for the fair tax. Together, we will pass the fair tax in November and ensure Illinois is the best place it can be for everyone who calls it home.”
“The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights is joining Vote Yes For Fairness’s efforts to pass the fair tax because we believe that we all do better when we all pay our fair share,” said Lawrence Benito, Chief Executive Officer of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights. “When we all do our part, we can generate the revenue for programs for all Illinois families to thrive.”
“Nothing is more important to fixing the financial situation of our state and improving the lives of our middle and working-class families than passing the fair tax in November,” said John Bouman, President of the Shriver Center on Poverty Law and Chairman of Vote Yes For Fair Tax. “In the coming months, Vote Yes For Fair Tax will work hand-in-hand with Vote Yes For Fairness to ensure Illinoisans know the facts on how the fair tax will help our families, our communities, and our state. We are proud to be members of this steering committee, and look forward to seeing the work we can do together on behalf of Illinois families in the months ahead.”
“The AFL-CIO is proud to be a strong ally in the efforts to bring fairness to Illinois’ tax system and to give relief to our working-class families,” said Tim Drea, president of AFL-CIO of Illinois. “Our nearly 900,000 members across the state know that the fair tax is right for Illinois, and we stand ready to fight to make it a reality in our state.”
“As the pastor of the People’s Church of the Harvest, I see the challenges my congregants on the west side of Chicago face day in and day out to make ends meet and provide for their families,” said Michael Eaddy, Pastor of the People’s Church of the Harvest. “That’s why I’m joining the fight to pass the fair tax, a commonsense measure to give tax relief to those who need it most and to help fund critical social service programs our families rely on.”
“The Puerto Rican Agenda of Chicago proudly sits on the steering committee for Vote Yes For Fairness,” said Jessie Fuentes, co-chair of the Puerto Rican Agenda of Chicago. “A fair tax will allow the schools within our work to be properly funded, will lessen the financial burden of our low income and middle class families, and will allow for essential services and resources to be properly dispersed throughout the state. The Puerto Rican Agenda is a non-profit organization that seeks to influence policy for the advancement of the Puerto Rican community in Chicago, and we believe that a fair tax can help us achieve just that.”
“Illinois has made great progress in the past few years by instituting the Evidence-Based Funding formula to pay for education in the state, but the formula is not fully funded. In passing the fair tax, we could help fully fund the formula and reduce burdensome property taxes, while providing every child with the resources they need for the highest quality education. The fair tax will also generate revenue for our higher education systems, a vital part of the success and the future of our state. That’s why the Illinois Education Association is proud to be a part of this fight,” said Illinois Education Association President Kathi Griffin.
“Illinois Primary Health Care Association members provide quality health care to more than 1.4 million Illinoisans each year, but we need proper funding to do so. That’s why passing the fair tax in November is so important to this critical work and to the future of our state. The additional revenue the fair tax will generate can go toward ensuring our patients get the care they need, and we are proud to be a part of this crucial fight,” said Jordan Powell, President and CEO of the Illinois Primary Health Care Association.
“Illinois’ tax system is failing the middle class in this state. Workers get a raw deal while the wealthiest get a sweet deal. The Chicago Federation of Labor supports the fair tax because it will lift the burden off of the working class and finally create a tax system that works for everyone who calls Illinois home,” said Chicago Federation of Labor President Bob Reiter.
“Chicago Votes is dedicated to making our city and our state a better, more inclusive place for future generations, and a critical part of that is passing the fair tax,” Stevie Valles, Executive Director of Chicago Votes said. “The fair tax will generate revenue to help bring our education system up to the standards our young people deserve and set our state on the path to success, and that’s why we are proud to be a part of this fight for the future of Illinois.”
“The Illinois Health and Hospital Association is pleased to support this critical initiative as a member of the Vote Yes for Fairness Steering Committee. It is vitally important that all Illinoisans, especially the most vulnerable children, families and populations, have access to the programs and services they need, including healthcare. That requires the state to have predictable and stable financing, and moving to a graduated income tax system is a fair and workable way to address the state’s financial challenges and needs,” said AJ Wilhelmi, President and CEO of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association.
* Related…
* Ameya Pawar and Peter Cunningham: An election year challenge: Is America (and Illinois) for ‘me’ or ‘we’?
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Open thread
Tuesday, Jan 7, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* This is the sort of Twitter content I love the most…
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A fitting rejoinder
Monday, Jan 6, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* As subscribers know, all three of the Illinois Family Institute’s Statehouse lobbyists resigned in March after the group’s political wing published this and doubled-down when criticised…
* So, some House Democrats decided on a joint reply to the latest IFI candidate questionnaire…
Dear Illinois Family Institute,
Please accept this as our response to your candidate survey.
Yours Truly,
Representative Jonathan Carroll (Pronouns he/him/his)
Representative Kelly Cassidy (Pronouns she/hers)
Representative Daniel Didech (Pronouns he/him/his)
Representative Kelly Cassidy (Pronouns she/hers)
Representative Sara Feigenholtz (Pronouns she/she/moi)
Representative Ann Williams (Pronouns she/hers)
Representative Will Guzzardi (Pronouns he/him/his)
Representative Bob Morgan (Pronouns he/him/his)
Representative Sam Yingling (Pronouns he/him/his)
Representative Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (Pronouns she/hers)
Representative Aaron Ortiz (Pronouns he/him/his)
Representative Delia Ramirez (Pronouns she/her/hers)
Representative Anna Moeller (Pronouns she/her)
Representative Maurice West II (Pronouns he/him/his)
Representative Lamont Robinson
Representative Emanuel “Chris” Welch
Representative Robyn Gabel
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Question of the day
Monday, Jan 6, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I already posted my Crain’s column. Here’s another little bit of it…
It’s a new year and a new decade, so here are my New Year’s resolution suggestions for our state’s leaders. […]
Senate president: Nobody knows yet who will replace retiring Senate President John Cullerton, but those are some big shoes to fill. That caucus is far more diverse than it looked under Cullerton’s leadership, but he kept his members united, and he did it without intimidation. His successor will bring his or her own style to office, but whoever it is should remember that this is like buying a successful restaurant: Make improvements where needed, but don’t radically alter the menu right away. […]
Business interests: Business was steamrolled by the governor’s minimum wage bill last year, partly because the groups didn’t begin to work it early enough. The governor brags more about his pro-business accomplishments than almost anything else, so use that to your advantage and engage early and in good faith. The Democratic reality is what it is, at least for a few more years. You can either shout at the wind or get in there and win some concessions for business owners.
* The Question: Your own New Year’s resolution suggestions for our state’s leaders?
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Unsolicited advice
Monday, Jan 6, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Greg Hinz…
An unusual effort to pare Illinois’ much-hated property tax system appears to be dissolving amid partisan bickering, with the GOP leaders of both the House and Senate complaining that their members have been cut out of decisions made by the Legislature’s Property Tax Relief Tax Force.
Unless resolved, the dispute will complicate—and potentially kill—any serious effort to reduce property taxes as voters prepare to decide in November on Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s plan to impose a graduated income tax.
In separate statements, House GOP Leader Jim Durkin and Senate Republican Leader Bill Brady both asserted that preliminary findings of the task force were not properly approved by the full panel and, as Brady put it, amount to “some members . . . circulating their thoughts.”
“Failure to follow proper process with task force consideration and debate of recommendations, along with a lack of many House GOP reform ideas, resulted in the House GOP co-chairs declining to endorse the draft final report,” Durkin wrote in an email yesterday to his members. “The final product was not properly considered or debated by the full task force.”
I really hate process arguments, but this task force has been a freak show since Day One. Just produce both a majority and a minority report and be done with it already.
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* Dave McKinney at WBEZ…
A 16-month state study finds no new evidence to authenticate a disputed, multi-million dollar stovepipe hat purportedly owned by Abraham Lincoln that has been displayed at his presidential museum in Springfield.
The report released Monday by Illinois State Historian Samuel Wheeler found the hat did not appear to be in Lincoln’s hat size. The study also found the hat was sold in the 1950s to a downstate antique shop for just $1, and its apocryphal Lincoln connection wasn’t even known to descendants of its original owners.
While Wheeler concluded more study on the hat is warranted, his findings pour an even heavier dose of skepticism on a hat purchased by a private foundation from West Coast collector Louise Taper for display at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. The hat was once appraised at $6.5 million.
“I believe the past can be instructive, if we take the time to examine it and resolve never to repeat the same mistakes,” Wheeler wrote in the 54-page report obtained exclusively by WBEZ.
In the report, Wheeler focused on a history of double-dealing, conflicts of interest and a neglect of basic due-diligence in studying the hat’s provenance before its purchase. He also slammed a “weaponization” of the hat during years of friction between the museum and the not-for-profit that acquired it on behalf of the museum, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation.
The full report is here. Lots more there.
* Letter to the editor from Ray McCaskey and Nick Kalm, the chairman and vice chairman of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation…
We read with disappointment the Jan. 1 editorial, “Another Illinois fiasco: The hat that wasn’t Lincoln’s.”
Unfortunately, as with the NPR segment the editorial board cited, it chose to cherry-pick certain conclusions about the state historian’s report and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library Foundation’s acquisition of the hat to bash a group of volunteers who are passionately committed to preserving Lincoln’s legacy.
Most important, the historian, whose report was commissioned by the state, not the foundation, as the editorial erroneously cited, very specifically said he had not concluded the hat wasn’t Lincoln’s, so the editorial’s headline and conclusions are inappropriate and misleading.
State Historian Samuel Wheeler did uncover some additional information supporting the provenance of the hat while criticizing others that had been previously cited by the state and the foundation. Lastly, he said more research was needed to further solidify the hat’s provenance, steps the foundation fully supports.
In addition, the editorial omits other salient facts Tribune readers deserve, including the fact that the foundation was faced with a difficult choice in 2007: Either incur substantial indebtedness, which has since been substantially paid down, to support the state’s request that we urgently acquire the hat and entire Taper collection (there was no a la carte option) or allow what was arguably the world’s largest collection of Lincolnania to be auctioned off and disappear from the public domain forever. Faced with the same choice, we believe most people would have done the same thing.
From the museum’s dot points…
Wheeler recommended additional research including:
• Having multiple experts on men’s headwear examine the hat to see if its material and construction are from Lincoln’s era.
• Carefully measuring the hat size to see if it matches other Lincoln hats.
• Searching additional archives that might shed light on William Waller’s work during the Civil War.
Wheeler measured the hat himself, so, yeah, it would be prudent to have an expert do that instead of an untrained historian. And there is this from Wheeler’s report…
From a historical standpoint, the stovepipe hat’s provenance hinges entirely on family lore. My research indicates the family lore is plausible, but I was not able to verify the claims in the time I had to conduct this research. There are, however, several repositories that may hold answers, including the National Archives, and should be consulted.
If you read his report, it looks like he was put on an overly strict deadline by Deputy Governor Jesse Ruiz.
* And this is from Wheeler’s conclusion…
In response to the provenance issues that were raised in 2012, ALPLM did not respond like a responsible museum. Instead of conducting an honest inquiry and perhaps seizing on the opportunity to educate the public about provenance-related issues, ALPLM assumed an overly defensive position. The 2013 document, “Lincoln Stovepipe Hat: The Facts,” contains untruths and appears to have been issued solely to combat critics.
Exactly right. So, the museum folks need to tone down their whining. The ALPLM brought this on itself with lies.
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Mayor puts foot down on Lipinski move
Monday, Jan 6, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Not good for the incumbent…
* Sun-Times…
Lightfoot did provide a clue that she was at least leaning toward Newman. She posted her tweet over a Jan. 2 tweet from Daily Kos, a progressive outlet supporting Newman that seeks contributions to her campaign: “Democrat” Dan Lipinski just co-signed this legal brief asking the Supreme Court to revisit Roe v. Wade “and, if appropriate, overrule” it … Donate to his progressive challenger, Marie Newman.”
Whether Lightfoot – a progressive who supports abortion rights – will do more than send a tweet to defeat Lipinski is not known. Lightfoot political director Dave Mellet told the Sun-Times on Sunday, “The mayor is still making decisions in the 2020 primary, but she felt compelled to speak out and defend the rights of women.”
The Lipinski campaign declined to comment on Lightfoot’s remarks.
* CBS 2…
Lipinski is facing progressive Democratic challenger Marie Newman in the primary.
Planned Parenthood Illinois Action denounced Lipinksi for signing onto the amicus brief.
“This case could decide the future of abortion access in this country and we will not not silently stand by and let Congressman Lipinski pledge his support for taking away Illinois woman’s right to a safe and legal abortion,” Brigid Leahy, Senior Director of Public Policy for Planned Parenthood Illinois Action, said in a news release. “We’ve seen 26 abortion bans pass in 2019, and we’re already seeing people having to cross state lines or wait long times just to access basic health care. If the Supreme Court overturns or severely restricts access to abortion, it could pave the way for states to effectively ban abortion for over 25 million people of reproductive age.”
…Adding… March for Life Chicago…
U.S. Congressmen Dan Lipinski (D-IL) and Darin LaHood (R-IL) are not standing by silently while Governor Pritzker turns Illinois into America’s new “abortion capitol.” The staunchly pro-life federal legislators are crossing partisan lines to speak out against extreme abortion policies. Both U.S. Representatives will speak at Chicago’s Daley Plaza when they take the stage at the January 11 March For Life Chicago 2020.
The Honorable Dan Lipinski, eight-term Democratic congressman from Illinois’ 3rd District, is a long-time defender of Illinois’ women and children and a staunch pro-life advocate.
“Every January, I am proud to brave the cold and join the March for Life Chicago,” shared Lipinski. “As a member of Congress, I work to protect the most vulnerable, and no one is more vulnerable than the child in the womb and that child’s mother. When I speak at the Chicago rally, I am always inspired by all the young people – especially young women – who march because they understand that being pro-life is being pro-woman, and we must all do our part to support both women and their babies. I look forward to once again joining the growing crowd standing for life in Chicago.”
The Honorable Darin LaHood, Republican in the 18th District, has also regularly and resolutely defended his pro-life stance. He has been an active advocate in Congress for protecting life and preserving the rights of the unborn.
Lipinski, elected to Congress in 2004 representing portions of Chicago and its southwest suburbs, firmly adheres to the scientific DNA evidence that life begins at conception. He has fought to protect unborn children and their mothers, and has consistently been a champion of life issues. He co-sponsored the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, the Patients First Act, and the Protect Life Act. Opposing both legalized abortion and stem cell research, Lipinski was the only House Democrat from Illinois to vote against Obamacare.
LaHood also co-sponsored the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act, along with the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, and the Life at Conception Act. Representing the Peoria, Springfield, Jacksonville, and Bloomington regions of central Illinois, LaHood has decisively defended his pro-life stance and his commitment to preserve the rights of the unborn.
The March For Life Chicago 2020 starts at 1 p.m. (Central), January 11, at Chicago’s Daley Plaza, and will also feature abortion survivor Claire Culwell, Chicago Bears’ Vice President Pat McCaskey, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod President Dr. Rev. Matthew Harrison, Loyola University Medical Center’s Dr. Karen Deighan, Pro-Life Action League Executive Director Eric Scheidler, and weDignify Student Leader Alex Lehan. Additional details are available at MarchForLifeChicago.org.
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Corruption roundup
Monday, Jan 6, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Press release…
Effective February 6, the Illinois Office of Comptroller will no longer assist municipalities in collection efforts for fines for red-light camera tickets, a system that is both unfair to low-income Illinoisans and the subject of a federal corruption probe.
“My office is taking decisive action in response to unethical arrangements that have come to light regarding the red-light camera industry,” Comptroller Susana A. Mendoza said. “As a matter of public policy, this system is clearly broken. I am exercising the moral authority to prevent state resources being used to assist a shady process that victimizes taxpayers.”
News reports show these tickets fall hardest and disproportionately on minority and low-income drivers. The $100 red-light ticket camera fines can double if they initially go unpaid, and then almost triple, with vendors and private collection agencies in some cases able to keep a portion of the funds the state collects on behalf of municipalities. Loss of a driver’s license can mean loss of a job for some people who can’t afford to keep up with these fines and late fees.
The Chicago Sun-Times quoted one government official who simultaneously acted as a consultant to a red-light company - helping get them contracts with certain towns - saying he gets a cut of the money paid on every such ticket issued in those towns. Several more arrangements like this one have been revealed in other reports.
“This kind of arrangement stinks — it’s plain rotten,” Mendoza said. “It exploits taxpayers and especially those who struggle to pay the fines imposed, often the working poor and communities of color. We can’t continue the practice of municipal employees directly pocketing cash from contracts they arrange.”
Starting in 2012, the General Assembly allowed municipalities and other local governments to use the Comptroller’s offset system to help collect debts, such as court fines, administrative judgments, traffic tickets, etc., generally through withholding of state income tax refunds or other state payments. Historically that offset system has been used to help collect child support, overpayment of benefits, and other types of debt.
In recent years, a growing percentage of these collections have involved red-light camera ticket violations, mainly from Chicago suburbs. The State does not collect for the City of Chicago’s red-light or speeding camera tickets because of controversy over the use of those cameras as well as the reliability of ticket and motorist data provided by the City as part of the administrative process necessary to validate the debts themselves.
An ABC7/Sun-Times story also found most red-light tickets do NOT go to motorists who run through intersections during red lights. They go to motorists failing to come to a complete stop while making right turns on red where such turns are allowed. Many states outside of Illinois ban the use of these red-light cameras entirely.
That means low-income drivers who really count on their state income tax refund can see it nearly vanish if a fine for a relatively minor traffic offence such as failing to come to a complete stop during a right-turn-on-red, triples to nearly $300.
Municipalities are free to hire private debt collectors to go after motorists who have not paid the fines. But Comptroller Mendoza urges all municipalities to take a second look at any contracts with red-light camera companies and determine if those contracts were procured properly in light of recent news reports and criminal investigations concerning the red-light camera industry and its relationship with government officials.
“I think it’s critical that the state’s collection mechanisms should not be hijacked by political insiders to profit from an enforcement system whose integrity is now being seriously questioned,” Mendoza said.
* Sun-Times…
In 2017, the Chicago Tribune reported on controversial efforts by SafeSpeed to install red-light cameras in Oakbrook Terrace — efforts opposed by state bureaucrats but supported by state Sen. Martin Sandoval, whose campaign fund SafeSpeed donated to heavily.
On Sept. 24, Sandoval’s home and offices were searched by the feds, and SafeSpeed was listed on a search warrant.
The feds also seized $60,000 from the home of Oakbrook Terrace’s mayor last fall, according to a federal record that does not explain the origins or significance of the cash.
* More Sun-Times…
Federal agents seized more than $51,000 in cash from a safe found inside Cook County Commissioner Jeffrey Tobolski’s house last year, according to a just-obtained federal document that indicates authorities are interested in yet another suburban mayor: Oakbrook Terrace’s Tony Ragucci.
Agents seized a whopping $60,000 in cash from Ragucci’s west suburban home late last year, the document shows, though it does not indicate whether he’s being eyed as part of the same political corruption investigation that’s been rocking local governments. […]
The federal document also reveals that $9,720 in cash was seized from Sandoval’s Chicago house. His home and state offices were raided Sept. 24, and he announced in November he was resigning effective New Year’s Day.
On Sept. 26, federal agents descended on the homes or offices of several suburban officials, including Tobolski, whose county chief of staff, Patrick Doherty, was a sales consultant for SafeSpeed.
* Related…
* Tom Cullerton’s lawyer wants details about ex-Teamsters boss John Coli, calling it vital to his defense: Cullerton landed a job as an organizer for Teamsters Joint Council 25 after his former employer, Hostess Brands, shut down in 2012, Collins wrote. Coli told prosecutors he arranged for Cullerton to get the organizer job that year, “but did not believe the employment was legitimate,” according to the defense attorney. Collins also wrote that media and other public sources indicate “Coli has been involved in numerous instances of improper behavior, including lying to federal officials.” He asked prosecutors for FBI reports or other paperwork documenting interviews with Coli, as well as “correspondence with counsel for Mr. Coli” to learn of benefits Coli received from his cooperation agreement, he said.
* Amid sweeping federal investigation, panel begins work to overhaul Illinois ethics, lobbying laws: “In regard to the recent federal cases, I think it’s just important to remember that those things for which some elected officials have been indicted are already crimes,” said House Majority Leader Greg Harris of Chicago, a co-chairman of the commission. “However, other circumstances in those investigations have revealed other situations not currently addressed in law where we have an opportunity to clarify what is right and what’s wrong, what is permissible and what’s prohibited,” Harris said.
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The Eastern Bloc strikes again, and again
Monday, Jan 6, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Dewitt Daily News…
Lawmakers that proposing repealing the green energy bill of 2016 are playing political games according to a central Illinois lawmaker.
The 2016 legislation essentially saved the Clinton Nuclear Power Station from closure for ten years but late last month, a pair of northern Illinois lawmakers put forth legislation that would repeal parts of the legislation. State Representative Dan Caulkins calls these political games.
According to Caulkins, these two lawmakers proposing this legislation are not very popular in their respective districts and so he believes this is a political maneuver to gain favor with their voters.
Caulkins’ message to anyone who might support this legislation is that they are going to receive serious pushback. He explains they have a social media campaign calling out the representatives pushing this legislation.
So, lemme get this straight. An Eastern Bloc member who co-sponsored legislation to kick Chicago out of Illinois is criticizing two suburban Republicans (Reps. Mark Batinick and Tom Morrison) for sponsoring a bill to take away a massive ratepayer subsidy of a Chicago-based company that’s currently under federal investigation. And he even claims to be running a Facebook ad targeting Batinick.
I dare say that if Rep. Caulkins didn’t have a nuke plant in or near his district he’d be co-sponsoring Batinick’s anti-subsidy bill.
* During the break, I posted some false propaganda shared by Rep. Darren Bailey (R-Xenia), another Eastern Bloc member…
Please be aware of the consequences of recreational marijuana, one of which will be the surrender of your FOID card.
Um, no.
Rep. Bailey is at it again…
I find it interesting that Illinois’ number two elected official can smoke pot, but a state employee cannot. Also of…
Posted by Darren Bailey for State Senate 55th District on Monday, January 6, 2020
1) A large number of state employees aren’t banned from using cannabis.
2) The Department of Agriculture’s emergency rules do, indeed, set THC limits…
Each cannabis-infused product intended for consumption must be individually packaged, must include the total milligram content of THC and CBD, and may not include more than a total of 100 milligrams of THC per package. A package may contain multiple servings of 10 milligrams of THC, and indicated by scoring, wrapping, or by other indicators designating individual serving sizes.
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* NBC 5…
Illinois’ population shrunk by more than any other state from 2010 to 2019, according to data released Monday by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Since the beginning of the decade, Illinois has lost 159,751 residents which equals 1.2% of its population. Only one other state, West Virginia, had a higher percentage of population loss at 3.3%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
In 2019, Illinois’ population shrunk by more than 51,000 residents - the largest drop out of any state from 2018 to 2019, data revealed. […]
Nationwide, the U.S. population from the middle of 2018 to the middle of 2019 grew by almost a half percent, or about 1.5 million people, according to the data.
* Tribune…
In examining population trends in Illinois over the past year, the Tribune found that a decrease in the number of people moving to Illinois from other states and countries has exacerbated the impact of declining birthrates and increasing numbers of people moving out of the state.
The data released Monday shows that the state’s well-known problems with domestic migration losses (losing residents to other states) were slightly mitigated by positive net international migration. Arrivals to Illinois from other countries outnumbered international departures, causing Illinois to gain about 1.5 people per 1,000 residents. But domestically, more people left Illinois for another state than the reverse, causing a loss of about 8.3 people per 1,000. That rate was the fourth worst for any state in 2019, behind New York, Hawaii and Alaska.
When the domestic and international migration rates are combined, the flow of people into and out of Illinois caused a net migration loss of about 6.8 people per 1,000 residents in the past year.
The new numbers offer only net migration estimates and do not allow comparisons between how many people left Illinois and how many moved in. But in September, the Tribune reported that Illinois ranked worse nationally on attracting new residents from other countries and states than on losing residents to other states.
* Illinois Policy Institute…
If Illinois had simply kept pace with the average state population growth since the start of the Great Recession in 2007, when Illinois’ labor force was at its peak, the state’s population would be 1.14 million residents, or 9%, larger than it is today. This increase in population would yield an economy that is at least an estimated $78 billion larger than today, equivalent to the entire state economy of Delaware.
Counter-points from Jake…
* Also…
Illinois illustrates what is likely to be a dramatic shift of political power away from rural regions and toward the big metro areas. Of the state’s 102 counties, 93 lost population in the last decade. The only substantial gainers are counties in the Chicago suburbs, as residents leave the big city for cheaper real estate and safer streets.
When Illinois loses one of its 18 House districts, legislators are likely to eliminate one of the six districts that represents a downstate area — five of which are held by Republicans.
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First wave of cannabis pardons begins
Monday, Jan 6, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Motley Fool…
An important, and very humane, aspect of the new Illinois law is its expungement clause. People with nonviolent cannabis-related offenses on their criminal records can have them basically erased following an official review.
* Tribune…
On the day before recreational cannabis becomes legal in Illinois, Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced he was pardoning more than 11,000 people who had been convicted of low-level marijuana crimes.
“When Illinois’ first adult use cannabis shops open their doors tomorrow, we must all remember that the purpose of this legislation is not to immediately make cannabis widely available or to maximize product on the shelves, that’s not the main purpose, that will come with time,” Pritzker said to a crowd at Trinity United Church of Christ on the Far South Side. “But instead the defining purpose of legalization is to maximize equity for generations to come.”
Pritzker, who has touted the social equity elements of the recreational pot law he signed this summer, was joined Tuesday by state, county and local leaders including Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, who has already begun the process of clearing the records of those with low-level marijuana convictions in her jurisdiction.
The 11,017 people pardoned by Pritzker will receive notification about their cases, all of which are from outside Cook County, by mail. The pardon means convictions involving less than 30 grams of marijuana will be automatically expunged.
* Sun-Times…
Illinoisans who have been arrested but not convicted will have their records automatically expunged by the Illinois State Police. However, the more complicated process for expunging convictions includes multiple state agencies and requires the governor to approve any pardons.
Attorney General Kwame Raoul will now file petitions to expunge the offenses pardoned by Pritzker, which must then be approved by a judge. After that, state police and local law enforcement can expunge the records.
The first round of automatic expungements, which includes records dating back to 2013, will be cleared by January 1, 2021. Records from as far back as 2000 will then be expunged by 2023, and offenses from before 2000 will be cleared by 2025.
For Pritzker, Tuesday’s action begins the process of making good on a core campaign promise to center the legalization push around criminal and social justice issues.
* WGEM…
For convictions up to 30 grams not associated with a violent offense, there are 116,000 records eligible for expungement through the Governor’s pardon process. In Cook County, State’s Attorney Kim Foxx has already begun to address stand-alone conviction records, with an initial wave of 1,000 convictions expunged earlier this month.
Of these 116,000 records, 43,500 records solely involve cannabis offenses and 72,500 include another non-violent offense. Only cannabis convictions will be expunged. […]
Individuals, civil legal aid organizations acting on their behalf and state’s attorneys can file motions to vacate for cannabis offenses up to 500 grams. Approximately 34,000 records are eligible for expungement under this process. Cannabis sales tax revenue will generate funding for programs to help individuals expunge these records.
* Fox News…
Pritzker’s office said 92 of the state’s 102 counties are represented among the pardons announced Tuesday.
Earlier this month, Pritzker — who unseated moderate Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner in 2018 — defended the new law in remarks reported by the Chicago Tribune.
“Our goal is not to immediately deliver as much access to recreational cannabis as possible as quickly as possible,” he said during a ceremony in which he signed a document that adjusted parts of the bill — originally passed in June.
“We want black and brown people, we want people who’ve been left out and left behind, to have a real opportunity to not only benefit from this new industry but to create new millionaires in the black community, in the Latino community, all across this state,” he said, heralding his hope that the new law will diversify the legal cannabis industry.
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* Hannah Meisel at the Daily Line…
Illinois brought in $3 billion more in state tax revenue in the 2019 fiscal year as compared with the previous year, according to a new report from the Illinois Department of Revenue. […]
The majority of that boost was due to revenue gains in Illinois’ individual and corporate income taxes — both of which were hiked a few days into the 2018 fiscal year to end the state’s two-year budget impasse in July 2017 — and sales tax collection.
Sales and use taxes were up $700 million in the 2019 fiscal year, according to IDOR’s annual report. In anticipation of a U.S. Supreme Court decision about the collection of online sales taxes in 2018, the General Assembly included language in its budget implementation bill for the 2019 fiscal year budget, and expected $150 million more in revenues. Another tweak affecting online sales taxes was approved by the General Assembly in May.
Revenues from the state’s individual income tax were up $1.6 billion in the 2019 fiscal year — a total of $21.9 billion last year, according to IDOR. At the same time, income tax revenues increased $1.1 billion from $4.7 billion in 2018.
The report is here.
* Related…
* Want to get around Illinois new vehicle trade-in tax in 2020? Buy a pickup
* Illinoisans pay more in cell phone taxes than residents anywhere else in U.S.
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* This was my last syndicated newspaper column before the holiday break. Subscribers were given some updated numbers and other news today…
State Sen. Steve Landek of Bridgeview and other Senate Democrats have been meeting since the 2018 session as part of a loosely affiliated group that calls itself the “X Caucus.” They apparently didn’t know what to call themselves, so “X” filled in the blank.
The X Caucus is comprised of some of the more conservative Senate Democrats. Some are not 100 percent pro-choice, some are hesitant or even unwilling to vote for tax increases, and most think the party has veered a bit too far to the left.
It’s possible the group could have enough votes to team up with a current Senate president candidate and elect the successor to retiring Senate President John Cullerton, or prevent an election until their demands are met. There are a whole lot of officially undecided Senate Democrats still out there, even though the three top candidates for Senate president, Kimberly Lightford, Don Harmon and Elgie Sims, have been working members.
But there’s also a long time to go until senators vote to elect their new president near the end of January, so that loosely affiliated caucus could be picked apart by the time the voting starts. We’ll see.
It should also be pointed out that Landek is very close to House Speaker Michael Madigan. The other members of that caucus are, for the most part, not Madigan-haters, either. Just saying, but Madigan has never seen an Illinois political situation he didn’t want to influence.
Sen. Elgie Sims, D-Chicago, began expressing interest in becoming the next Senate president not long after Cullerton announced his pending retirement in mid-November.
Sims’ name hasn’t been mentioned very often lately in news accounts, but he’s still campaigning. It’s possible that at least some members of a loosely aligned group of a half dozen or so independent-minded, younger liberal senators may wind up backing him.
Six votes is far from the number required to win the election, of course. It will take 30 votes when all is said and done. But combine that with the “X Caucus” votes and it might be enough to slow down or even stop the process. Whether the caucus’ two wings can learn to fly together is a whole other story.
Sims has only been a senator since January of 2018, but he was on Senate staff for a decade, rising to the top of the appropriations staff before serving in the House for almost six years. He’s a budget expert and knows the process back and forth. Even so, convincing senators who have “paid their dues” for many years to support somebody who basically just got there for Senate president will be a big ask, no matter how talented Sims may be (and he most certainly is talented).
Meanwhile, some members with primaries and general elections are likely becoming antsy as the president election process enters its second month this week and their own reelections draw near. One way of calming those nerves is to demonstrate fundraising abilities. Sims, however, has reported no contributions in the past month.
Sen. Lightford, D-Maywood, held five fundraisers in the month following Cullerton’s retirement announcement and reported $649,000 in contributions last week. About $215,000 of that was from the personal campaign funds of herself and Sens. Andy Manar and Heather Steans (plus a contribution out of Steans’ own pocket), her top supporters. She’ll report another $36,000 in contributions under the immediate reporting threshold next month, I’m told.
About 80 percent of the money she and her team raised was for the Senate Democratic Leadership Fund, which is designed to support Senate Democratic campaigns. The rest is for her personal fund.
Lightford’s haul is less than the $755,000 that Assistant Majority Leader Don Harmon has reported raising in the same time period. But that total is inflated because it includes a $100,000 loan from Harmon to his personal campaign committee (Harmon has not created a leadership committee). Harmon also nearly emptied out three party committees he controls to the tune of $285,000. Harmon reported 44 individual contributions (including the personal loan), which is just a fifth of Lightford’s donor base of 213. He’s supposed to be reporting more money soon.
The biggest outside contribution Harmon received was $100,000 from a journeyman plumber’s union. Lightford raised a bit of money from the Illinois Education Association for her personal fund. Otherwise, unions appear to be taking a wait and see approach.
One knock on Lightford has been that she doesn’t have a history of raising big money, so doubts naturally arose about whether she could do it. But she and her team have proved otherwise during this first month.
* Related…
* Raising sons who became daughters is a shared story for Kim Lightford, Heather Steans: When some hear about Zariah, they offer misplaced sympathy, Lightford said. They say, ‘“Oh, I’m so sorry, are you OK?’” She replies, “Don’t feel sorry for me, and don’t say you’ll pray for me. I don’t need you to pray for me because my baby is transgender. I need you to either learn all about it, or just go on.”
* Who will lead IL Senate?
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Some suggested resolutions for the new year
Monday, Jan 6, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* My Crain’s Chicago Business column…
It’s a new year and a new decade, so here are my New Year’s resolution suggestions for our state’s leaders.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker: Please, no more pension gimmicks that you’ll only end up distancing yourself from. Last year, you proposed skimping on the state’s pension contributions, only to drop the idea when unexpected revenues appeared in the spring. Yes, pension payments eat up a huge portion of the state’s budget, but if, as you often say, pensions are a promise, then you have to put state money where your mouth is to make sure pensioners are paid.
You ended the 2019 spring legislative session by passing several strong bipartisan bills, including a massive transportation and infrastructure program. Keep that up. This state regularly elects Democrats from the Chicago area, but there are plenty of suburban and downstate Republicans here, too, and you’re governor of all the people. Yes, elections have consequences and even with all the bills you passed last year you still have a few unfulfilled progressive campaign promises, but at least listen to input from all who are willing to come to the table.
House Speaker Michael Madigan: You got out of the new governor’s way and actually helped him at times last year. You did the same with Rod Blagojevich in 2003, but you picked a huge fight with him in 2004 that produced a long and nasty overtime session. Don’t do that again. The feds are actively snooping around you and your organization. What you need now are friends, not enemies. Make peace, stay low and forget about patronage requests for a while. Legislation, not transactions.
Read the rest before commenting, please. Thanks.
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